The Dancing Monks of Majuli Island

For the first time ever in the UK, monks from the beautiful island of Majuli, centre of Assames Krishna, perform the classical Indian dance cultivated as a form of worship in the monasteries of Assam. The monks trace the origin of their art form to Sankardeva, the 15th century founder of Assamese ‘Neo-Vaishnavism’. The monks dance in his honour and narrate the playful, sensuous and fantastical episodes of his life as recounted in the ancient epics. Their participation in Utopia 2016 forms part of a four-city tour of the UK, organised by King’s College London PhD candidate Georgie Pope, supported by the Arts Council, LAHP and the British Museum.

The Dancing Monks of Majuli Island is part of Paths to Utopia, a collection of new art works to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Thomas More’s inspirational book Utopia, taking place across King’s College London’s Strand Campus and Somerset House this summer.