HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Sept 19: The inaugural Pragjyotish Literature Festival aims to celebrate Assam’s ancient cultural heritage. Scheduled from September 29 to October 1 in Guwahati, the festival was the focal point of an interactive session organised by the department of Assamese at DHSK College in Dibrugarh on Tuesday.
The event featured Soumyadeep Datta, director of Nature’s Beckon, Northeast India, and the working president of the Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival, as the invited speaker. DHSK College principal Dr Sashi Kanta Saikia inaugurated the program.
Dr Sashi Kanta Saikia expressed that the Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival is a first-of-its-kind initiative in Assam. He emphasised the festival’s primary objective, which is to unravel the state’s rich cultural history. The festival serves as an opportunity for the younger generation to gain insight into Assam’s diverse cultural heritage.
In his address, Soumyadeep Datta highlighted the significance of the literature festival in connecting the youth with Assam’s ancient history. The three-day event will feature interactive sessions and displays of books related to culture, history, and language. Datta emphasised the historical importance of Pragjyotishpur, which was a centre of Jyotish Shastra (Astrology) during ancient times and featured in the Mahabharata.
He stressed the need to celebrate India’s ancient civilisations, including the Indus Valley Civilisation, as they are an integral part of the nation’s heritage. Datta encouraged the youth to embrace nationalistic thinking and contribute to the country’s development.
The Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival is a platform for extensive literature exchanges, cultural discussions, and language exchanges, focusing on Assam’s ancient history, culture, and language. The event saw active participation from students of the Assamese department.
Prominent figures like Anjumoni Phukan, associate professor, and head of the department of Assamese; Rupalin Thakur; Ananta Teron; Dr Mridul Sarma; Sikhamoni Koch Dewri; Dr Monmi Baruah from the English department; and Dr Morami Talukdar from the Anthropology department were present at the interactive session.
