Delhi Celebrates 150th birth anniversary of Sahityrathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa

Assam Association, Delhi had constituted a Celebration Committee for organizing the year-long programmes in Delhi to commemorate the great occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Sahityrathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa in collaboration with global Non Resident Assamese socio-cultural organizations. The year-long celebration began on 22nd December, 2013 with a Mega Cultural evening as the Curtain Raiser. Various socio-cultural organisations of Delhi & NCR, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, USA, UK and Kuwait have already consented to be part of the celebration.

The celebration aims at making the new generation Assamese people specially the global Non-resident Assamese aware about Bezbaroa and inspiring them with his ideals in being connected to their roots and in being proud of their heritage. The celebration will also create awareness at National level about Bezbaroa as a great litterateur and a social reformer of India.

Lakshminath Bezbaroa was a product and part of the intellectual awakening of India in the 19th century. He made pioneering contributions to almost all forms of Assamese literature - poems, novels, short stories, collection of folk tales, dramas, biographical works and satirical essays. 125 years back, in then Calcutta, it was he who as a student inspired and led many Assamese youth to set up an organisation for development of Assamese language which was instrumental in rejuvenating Assamese literature by publishing literary magazines ‘Jonaki’ and ‘Banhi’.

Bezbaroa with the help of a few Assamese students rekindled confidence in the minds of Assamese people by reminding them about their heritage, brought out Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva from the ‘Sattras’, the monasteries of Assam, to the public life. Bezbaroa lived most part of his life in Kolkata and Orissa but still made gigantic contributions. So, Bezbaroa is considered as the role model for the global non-resident Assamese people to preserve their cultural identity for their own good. The occasion of Bezbaroa’s 150th birth anniversary is chosen to inspire them to contribute to the motherland, to imbibe, practice mother tongue and pass on to the next generation. This will help in preserving the diverse cultural and linguistic landscape of Assam having numerous ethnic languages which are already endangered as per UNESCO’s report and will also help Assamese language as the connecting language for all ethnic groups.

Shri Kuldip Nayar, the veteran journalist, human right activist, author and a nominated Member of Rajya Sabha was invited as the Chief Guest. Shri B. K Handique, Member of Parliament, Loksabha, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Sarod Maestro and a few dignitaries were also invited as Guests of Honour.

After felicitation and ceremonial lighting of lamp by Chief Guest, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan unveiled a portrait of Sahityrathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa. A beautiful song of Bezbaroa termed as ‘Asom Sangeet’- Music of Assam was presented in chorus by a group of men and women, Boys and girls  in the beginning.

Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan, the young exponents of Indian classical music were invited to perform in the event. They have inherited the musical tradition of six generations from their father Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and have a strong connection with Assamese root because of their mother Subhalaxmi Baruah Khan from Assam, an exponent of Bharat Natyam herself. They enthralled the audience with their sarod recital.                                     

Smti Jayanti Chattopadhyay, Retired Professor of MIL Department of Delhi University released the Souvenir, published to commemorate the occasion. The Souvenir is edited by Dr Bipul Kumar Baruah.

Then an audio of a song specially written by reputed lyricist Shri Sarat Barkakati for the occasion and dedicated to the Non-resident Assamese people was released.

Angaraag Papon Mahanta, the icon of Assam who has successfully experimented fusion with Assamese folk music in Coke Studio and sung popular bollywood numbers like Jiyein Kyun, Zindagi Aisi Waisi, Kyon then hypnotized the audience with his lively performance and rendition of popular numbers.

The packed audience of the cultural evening stood up and joined in singing the State anthem of Assam-‘O mor aponar desh’ at the close of the programme.