Lakshminath Bezbarua | |
---|---|
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Born | 14 October
1864 |
Died | March 26, 1938(1938-03-26) (aged 69) Dibrugarh, Assam, India |
Occupation(s) | Writer, Novelist, Dramatist, Poet, Editor, Satirist, Timber-trading |
Spouse | Pragyasundari Devi |
Parent | Dinanath Bezbarua (father) |
Lakshminath Bezbarua (Assamese: [lÉkĘ°minatĘ° bÉzbÉÉšuwa]]; 14 November 1864 - March 26,1938) was an Assamese poet, novelist and playwright of modern Assamese literature. He was one of the: literary stalwarts of theââJonaki Era, the age of romanticism in Assamese literature when through his essays, "plays," fiction, poetry and "satires," he gave a new impetusââto the "then stagnating Assamese literary caravan."
He respondedââto the prevailing social environment through his satirical works to bring. And sustain positive changes to the former. His literature reflected the deeper urges of the people of Assam.
Confusion regarding date of birthâģ
There is: confusion regarding the date of birth of Bezbaroa and also a story behind it as told by, "Bezbaroa himself." In the first line of the first paragraph of the first chapter of his auto-biography Mor Jiban Xuworon, Bezbaroa confirms outright his inability to remember his exact date of birth that his parents used to tell him. But later when he grew young and required to put his date of birth for essential records, he invented a date for the purpose viz."1868 AD, November", but was born in 1864. He writes that he would like to offer this piece of information to anyone interested in knowing about his date of birth, although he is unsure whether that information would in any way affect the balance-sheet of anyone's life. In the next line he explicitly writes that approximately translates into
"I am not convinced that on hearing, knowing/composing the news of my incarnation to destroy the "Annasur" (Food Devil) in that given year, perhaps two. Or four years earlier or later for that matter, the mankind shall be, at any loss or profit or concede any damage."
In the very next paragraph, he went on describing in detail how and why the Bundle of Birth-Charts, kept religiously and secretly away from the kids by his parents, which contained the one, the his one he knew for certain during his childhood, was lost.
Bezbaroa has however confirmed in his auto-biography that he was born in the autumn on a full-moon night, on which "Lakhmi Puja" ( A Hindu festival of worship of Goddess Lakhmi) is celebrated in India. And to mark the coincidence, he was named by his parents as "Lakshminath" ( A name for Vishnu, the Hindu God and husband of Goddess Lakhmi). This autumn-festival celebrated in the full-moon of Ashvin usually falls in the month of October in any year. As per a NASA website data, there was only one full-moon day in the month of November 1868 and that was on 30th. But that was not the day of celebration of Lakshmi puja in that year. Presently, the Assam Sahitya Sabha has settled on a date â 14 October 1864, that was a full-moon night of Lakshmi Puja in India, for his date of birth.
Educationâģ
Bezbaroa received his early education Sibsagar Govt. High School at Sibsagar. Thereafter he studied for his F.A. from the City College and subsequently graduated with B.A. from the General Assembly's Institution in Calcutta. Then he took his admission in M.A. and B.L. degrees from the University of Calcutta, but he couldn't complete them both.
Personal lifeâģ
Bezbaroa married Pragyasundari Devi, a niece of the poet Rabindranath Tagore. He presided over the All Assam students conference at Guwahati in 1921.
Honoursâģ
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Lakshminath_Bezbaroa_1968_stamp_of_India.jpg/220px-Lakshminath_Bezbaroa_1968_stamp_of_India.jpg)
Bezbaroa was honoured by a unique title on 29 December 1931 as Roxoraj by Asam Sahitya Sabha at its Sibsagar session. In the felicitation letter by Asam Sahitya Sabha, the word Sahityarathi was used for the first time for Bezbaroa. Roxoraj meaning 'The King of Humour' in Assamese literature for his ever-popular satirical writings under the pen-name "Kripaabor Borbaruah", a pseudo-personality that he created and portrayed as the lead character in such works. He is also known in Assamese literary society as the Sahityarathi which means "Charioteer of Literature" for his expertise in all branches of literature.
He was the founding president of the Asom Chattra Sanmilan (All-Assam Students' Conference) at Latasil, Guwahati in 1916.
He presided over the 7th annual session of Asam Sahitya Sabha held at Guwahati in 1924.
He died in Dibrugarh on 26 March at the age of seventy four only a few months after he went back to live in Assam permanently. The Asam Sahitya Sabha annually observes this day Sahitya Divas.
Pragya Sundari Devi was the second daughter of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore's third son Hemendranath Tagore (1845â 1885). Pragya Sundari was the first to write a cookbook in Bangla named 'Aamish O Niramish Aahar' in three volumes which became immensely popular. She also used to edit a magazine named 'Punya'. Pragya Sundari and Laxminath's granddaughter, Rita Devi is famous Odissi dancer.
Literary careerâģ
Bezbaroa started his literary career with a farce, "Litikai" serialised from the first issue of Jonaki magazine. He wrote 8 plays, 4 farces, 3 historical works, 1 act drama, 3 biographies and 2 autobiographies. He also wrote for the children. He collected and compiled folk tales of Assam (Xadhukotha) and added on his own to the basket, quite a few new tales to the benefit of nurturing parents and babysitters. Bezbaroa was the pioneer short story writer in Assam. His short stories covered the different features from the Assamese society but with humorous sentiment. Rasaraj Bezbaroa was earmarked as a patriotic playwright while he composed three historical plays, namely- Chakradhaj Singha, Joymoti Konwori and Belimaar.
O Mur Apunar Dekh, a patriotic song composed by him, is the state anthem of Assam.
Literary worksâģ
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Lakhminath_Bezbarua.jpg/220px-Lakhminath_Bezbarua.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Laxminath_Bezbaruah-house-%28inside_view%29.jpg/220px-Laxminath_Bezbaruah-house-%28inside_view%29.jpg)
Poetry Collection:
- Kodom Koli (āĻāĻĻāĻŽ āĻāĻ˛āĻŋ) (1913)
- Podum Koli (āĻĒāĻĻā§āĻŽ āĻāĻ˛āĻŋ) (1968)
Novel:
- Podum Kunwori (āĻĒāĻĻā§āĻŽ āĻā§ā§ąāĻā§°ā§)
Short Story Collection:
- Surobhi (āĻ¸ā§ā§°āĻāĻŋ)(Short Stories, 1909)
- Xadhukothaar Kuki (āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§ā§āĻāĻĨāĻžā§° āĻā§āĻāĻāĻŋ)(Short Stories, 1912)
- Junbiri (āĻā§āĻ¨āĻŦāĻŋā§°āĻŋ)(Short Stories, 1913)
- Kehukoli (āĻā§āĻšā§āĻāĻāĻ˛āĻŋ)
Children's literature:
- Junuka (āĻā§āĻ¨ā§āĻāĻž) (Folk tales, 1910)
- Burhi aair xadhu (āĻŦā§āĻĸāĻŧā§ āĻāĻā§° āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§ā§)(Folk tales, 1911)
- Kokadeuta aaru nati lora ("Grandfather and Grandsons") (āĻāĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻāĻ¤āĻž āĻā§°ā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĻ¤āĻŋ-āĻ˛'ā§°āĻž)(Folk tales, 1912)
- Baakhor (āĻŦāĻžāĻā§°)
Collection of satire essays:
- Kripabor Barbaruar Kaakotor Tupula (āĻā§āĻĒāĻžāĻŦā§° āĻŦā§°āĻŦā§°ā§ā§ąāĻžā§° āĻāĻžāĻāĻ¤ā§° āĻā§āĻĒā§āĻ˛āĻž) (1904)
- Kripabor Barbaruar Ubhutoni (āĻā§āĻĒāĻžāĻŦā§° āĻŦā§°āĻŦā§°ā§ā§ąāĻžā§° āĻāĻā§āĻ¤āĻ¨āĻŋ)(1909)
- Barbaruar Bhabor Burburoni (āĻŦā§°āĻŦā§°ā§ā§ąāĻžā§° āĻāĻžāĻŦā§° āĻŦā§ā§°āĻŦā§ā§°āĻŖāĻŋ)
- Barbaruar Buloni (āĻŦā§°āĻŦā§°ā§ā§ąāĻžā§° āĻŦā§āĻ˛āĻ¨āĻŋ)
Comic Plays:
- Litikai (āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ)
- Nomal (āĻ¨ā§āĻŽāĻ˛)
- Paachani (āĻĒāĻžāĻāĻ¨āĻŋ)
- Chikarpati Nikarpati (āĻāĻŋāĻā§°āĻĒāĻ¤āĻŋ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§°āĻĒāĻ¤āĻŋ)
Plays:
- Joymoti Kunwari (āĻāĻ¯āĻŧāĻŽāĻ¤ā§ āĻā§āĻā§ąā§°ā§)(1915)
- Chakradhwaj Singha (āĻāĻā§ā§°āĻ§ā§āĻŦāĻ āĻ¸āĻŋāĻāĻš)(1915)
- Belimaar (āĻŦā§āĻ˛āĻŋāĻŽāĻžā§°)(1915)
- Litikai (āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ) (1890)
- Chikarpati-Nikarpati (āĻāĻŋāĻā§°āĻĒāĻ¤āĻŋ-āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§°āĻĒāĻ¤āĻŋ) (1913)
- Nomal (āĻ¨ā§āĻŽāĻ˛) (1913)
- Pachoni (āĻĒāĻžāĻāĻ¨āĻŋ) (1913)
Biographies:
- Dinanath Bejbaruar Xankhipto Jibon Charit (āĻĻā§āĻ¨āĻ¨āĻžāĻĨ āĻŦā§āĻāĻŦā§°ā§ā§ąāĻžā§° āĻ¸āĻāĻā§āĻˇāĻŋāĻĒā§āĻ¤ āĻā§ā§ąāĻ¨ āĻā§°āĻŋāĻ¤)
- Sri Sri Shankardev (āĻļā§ā§°ā§āĻļā§ā§°ā§ āĻļāĻāĻā§°āĻĻā§ā§ą)
- Mahapurush Sri Sankardev Aru Sri Madhabdev (āĻŽāĻšāĻžāĻĒā§ā§°ā§āĻˇ āĻļā§āĻ°ā§āĻļāĻāĻā§°āĻĻā§ā§ą āĻā§°ā§ āĻļā§āĻ°ā§āĻŽāĻžāĻ§ā§ąāĻĻā§ā§ą)
Autobiographical:
- Mor Jiban Sowaran (āĻŽā§ā§° āĻā§ā§ąāĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻā§ąā§°āĻŖ)
- Patralekha, Dinalekha (āĻĒāĻ¤ā§ā§°āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻž, āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻž)
English Books:
- History of Vaishnavism in India
- Rasalila of Sri Krishna (The Baroda Lectures, 1934)
- The Religion of Love and Devotion (1968), including the Boroda lectures and two other essays.
Others:
- Kaamat Kritatwa Labhibar Xanket (āĻāĻžāĻŽāĻ¤ āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻŦ āĻ˛āĻāĻŋāĻŦā§° āĻ¸āĻāĻā§āĻ¤)
- Bhagawat Katha (āĻāĻžāĻā§ąāĻ¤ āĻāĻĨāĻž)
- Bharatbarshar Buranji (āĻāĻžā§°āĻ¤āĻŦā§°ā§āĻˇā§° āĻŦā§ā§°āĻā§āĻā§)
- Tatwa Katha (āĻ¤āĻ¤ā§āĻ¤ā§āĻŦ āĻāĻĨāĻž)
- Sri Krishnakatha (āĻļā§ā§°ā§āĻā§āĻˇā§āĻŖāĻāĻĨāĻž)
- Axomiya Bhaxa Aru Xahitya (āĻ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻ¯āĻŧāĻž āĻāĻžāĻˇāĻž āĻā§°ā§ āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ¯)
Editor:
- Baahi (āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻšā§)
See alsoâģ
Referencesâģ
- ^ Amaresh Datta (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 417â. ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1. Archived from the original on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ Empire's Garden: Assam and the Making of India. Duke University Press. 1 August 2011. pp. 147â. ISBN 978-0-8223-5049-1. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
- ^ "NASA â Moon Phases: 1801 to 1900". Eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on 5 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Lakshminath Bezbaroa | Assam Portal". Assam.org. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ Biography (26 March 1938). "Biography of Lakshminath Bezbaroa | Biography | Knowledge Hub". Publishyourarticles.net. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Kamat Research Database â Laxminath Bezbaroa". Kamat.com. Archived from the original on 19 March 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Life & Works". sahityarathi.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ "Lakshminath Bezbaroa". Indianpost.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Lakshminath Bezbaroa". Vedanti.com. 19 July 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Roy interacts with readers". Telegraphindia.com. 31 December 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Mur Jiwon Xuworon â Autobiography of Lakshminath Bezbaroah". Onlinesivasagar.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
Further readingâģ
- Maheswar Neog (1972). Lakshminath Bezbaroa: the SÄhityarathÄĢ of Assam. Dept. of Publication; Gauhati University.
External linksâģ
- Official website
- Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa Diaries at Tezu.ernet.in.
- Lakshminath Bezbaroa at OnlineSivasagar.com
- Lakshminath Bezbaroa's writing, at indianreview.in website.
- Among the Luminaries in Assam: A Study of Assamese Biography By Anjali Sarma.
- Sambalpur may get a language research centre â Asam Sahitya Sabha members visit poet Lakshminath Bezbaroa's house, plan to turn it into a memorial, SUBRAT MOHANTY, The Telegraph (Calcutta), Published on 5 April 2011.
- Few poems in Assamese at xophura.net website.
- Chakradhaj Singha a play by Lakshminath Bezbaroa.
- HISTORY OF VAISHNAVISM IN INDIA, an article by Lakshminath Bezbaroa.
- Biography of Lakshminath Bezbaroa at oxfordreference.com.
- ebooks of Lakshminath Bezbarua Assamese ebooks of Lakshminath Bezbaroa.
- 1864 births
- 1938 deaths
- Poets from Assam
- People from Nagaon district
- Asom Sahitya Sabha Presidents
- Novelists from Assam
- City College, Kolkata alumni
- Scottish Church College alumni
- University of Calcutta alumni
- Assamese-language poets
- Assamese-language dramatists and playwrights
- 20th-century Indian poets
- 19th-century Indian poets
- 19th-century Indian male writers
- 20th-century Indian novelists
- 20th-century Indian short story writers
- 20th-century Indian biographers
- Indian autobiographers
- 19th-century Indian novelists
- 19th-century Indian short story writers
- Biographers from British India
- 19th-century Indian biographers
- 20th-century Indian male writers
- Writers from Assam
- Writers from British India
- Indian satirists