HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, April 21: Several organisations paid rich tributes to noted Assamese litterateur and the first president of the Asom Sahitya Sabha Padmanath Gohain Baruah on the occasion of his 78th death anniversary on Sunday.
The Tezpur Sahitya Sabha, Baan Theatre, Asamiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha, Padmanath Gohain Barua Sakha Sahitya Sabha and several other socio-cultural and literary organizations paid tribute to the literary icon during a daylong programmes organised in Tezpur on Sunday.
Gohain Baruah was a novelist, poet, lyricist, dramatist of excellence, analyst and a thought provoking writer. He was also the first chairman of the Tezpur Municipality Board.
As part of the daylong commemoration programme conducted by the former secretary of the Tezpur Sahitya Sabha, a book launching cum memorial lecture programme was also held at the Tezpur Sahitya Sabha Bhawan here. Two books were released by Bhupen Saikia, president of the Sonitpur Zila Sahitya Sabha and Bhubaneswar Saharia, president of the Tarun Asam Sangha.
Launching the short story collection titled ‘Patar Aror Juj’ authored by Maya Sarma, a veteran writer of Tezpur, Bhupen Saikia in his deliberation lauded the effort of the author and said that her stories always convey the distinctive qualities of a well read short story. Discussing the astounding journey of Edgar Allen Poe as founder of short stories Saikia said that the short story was the innovative creation of nineteenth century.
He also mentioned the contributions of Lakshminath Bezbarua as a short story writer and said that he published his first short story ‘Seuti’ in Jonaki. Further, he also remembered the notable contributions of Padmanath Gohain Barua in shaping the state’s literary arena and the Assamese society as a whole. He felt aggrieved for not discussing the contributions made by Gohain Barua widely amongst the Assamese people and urged all to pay attention to that concern.
While launching the collection of limericks titled ‘Akuki Limericks and Apodeeya Padya’ by Hareswar Goswami, noted writer Bhubaneswa Saharia analysed the impact of limericks in society and facts of its journey from the inception. Expressing deep concern over rapid decrease of the reading habit among Assamese people he encouraged all to read more books and also discussed unmatched contributions made by Padmanath Gohain Barua to the Assamese language literature and society.
President of the Baan Theatre, Bankim Sarma remembered the contributions made by Padmnath Gohain Baruah towards the Assamese literary world and the Assamese society.
“The great literary legend Padmanath Gohain Baruah had left no stone unturned to overcome the hurdles and obstacles that existed in the then Assamese society, educational arena and the literary field. Gohain Barua was the backbone of Assamese language, literature and the society. He penned the first Assamese novel ‘Bhanumati’ followed by his second novel Lahori. To meet the need of the Assamese students and teachers he wrote a number of textbooks on history, geography, moral science, teachers hand book and a book on physical exercise including life and works of many stalwarts of Assamese Society along with his schoolmate Panindranath Gogoi,” Sarma said.
Attending the programme, retired professor and editor of Assamese weekly Ganakantha, Pranjit Hazarik said that as Walter Scott, Padmanath Gohain Barua also contributed a lot to every segment of the Assamese literary world.
Putting an insightful and critical view on Gohain Barua’s Shri Krishna, Dr Hazarika said, “Sahitya Kandari Padmanath Gohain Barua may not be great, but an important writer for the Assamese nation. Everyone should take the responsibility to attract the new generation towards enrichment of book reading culture.”
Meanwhile, behalf of Gohain Barua’s family Pari Gohain Barua and Sanjay Krishna Gohain Barua performed the tribute paying programme by lighting the ceremonial lamp at the portrait of Padmanath Gohain Barua. Retired principal of Darrang College, Abani Kumar Sarma, former vice president of Tezpur Sahitya Sabha Benudhar Kakati, Ruma Devi, former president of Baan Theatre Mahendra Nath Keot , literary pensioner Ram Chandra Chutia, internationally acclaimed photo artist Nalini Barua, retired professor Ramesh Chandra Goswami, Tezpur Sahitya Sabha secretary Dwijen Nath and president Ramesh Chandra Kalita , retired professor Kalpana Barua, veteran singer Kalpana Kalita, social worker and artist Tarulata Das, president of Chatak Anil Kumar Bhattacharya, noted lawyer Ananta Goswami, cultural activist Simanta Kakati, former secretary of Sonitpur Silpi Samaj Jayanta Barua and others also joined the programme by paying floral tribute to the literary doyen.
