HT Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, Oct 31: The two-day session of Asom Kobi Samaj came to an end in Sivasagar Yuva Dal Auditorium on Sunday.
Addressing the open session, noted poet and former professor, Dibrugarh University Dr Karobi Deka Hazarika said that the poem that gives aesthetic pleasure, as well as peace of mind, is a good poem. She said that the Namghosha, written by Madhavdev, was the first poem in Assamese literature. Inaugurating the session, Sahityacharjya Dr. Nahendra Padun said that some poets in the contemporary period have been writing poem after poem without ever understanding the soul and structure of poetry. Distinguished poets should train the new breed on writing poems through workshop modes, he added. The welcome address was delivered by Dr Khanindranath Goswami.
Earlier, the seminar on ‘The recent trend in Assamese poetry’ was moderated by writer Samsul Barik and in his speech, he said, “Our poems should reflect the socio-cultural reality.”
Dr Arundhati Mahanta, speaking on the topic, said that Bholanath Das paved the way for the free verse in Assamese poetry and it was taken to a great height by Kamalakanta Bhattacharjya through his romantic poems. Another distinguished poet Mukut Gogoi said that the new generation of poets should write on the frenzied communalism, unemployment, etc., subjects.
A new 31-member committee of Asom Kobi Samaj was formed in the delegates’ meeting with Rajiv Kumar Phukan as the president, Samsul Barik, Ratnesar Basumatary, and Usha Buragohain as vice presidents, Bornali Bora Baishya as general secretary and Kamaleswar Deka as the treasurer.
Samaj presented the Pradip Kumar Baruah Memorial Award to Kushal Dutta, Kamini Kanta Phukan Award to Kishore Manjit Bora, and the Sri Hari Award to Dadul Bhuyan. The Keshob Mahanta award will be presented to poet Rabindra Bora at his residence.
Three books -Rode Pura Sapun, Prabah, and Bakhar were released in the meeting.
On Oct 29, Rajendranath Bordaloi, president of Asom Kobi Samaj, and Dr Khanindra Deba Goswami, president of the reception committee hoisted the flags. Presiding over the first session of the poet’s meet, Rajendranath Bordoloi said that poetry should not be degenerated to the level of slogans in the name of protest or disagreement but rather be loaded with a sense of humanism. Dr Mridul Sarma, speaking as a guest speaker said that the images in poems are far more surrealistic and sensitive than those in prose. He added that symbolism has an infinite scope in the structure of modern poetry. Those that read their self-composed poems in the session are Punjan Baruah, Dilip Phukan, Cheniram Gogoi, Juddhisthir Gogoi, Rajiv Kr Phukan, Karuna Das, Bharati Basumatary, Mridul Sarma, Kishore Manjt Bora, and Abhijit Gogoi. The souvenir Rangpur Barna was released by Punjan Baruah, Kobi Samaj was released by Cheniram Gogoi and the collection of poems by Rajendranath Bardoloi was released by Dr Mridul Sarma.