Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya

Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya was undoubtedly one of the pioneers of the Assamese modern literature. He took his literary birth on the pages of ‘Jayanti’. During the 2nd world war he was among a few writers who continued to write and rightly flourished a genuine litterateur in the course. His novels ‘Yaruinggom’ ‘Aai’ and ‘Sataghni’ was being translated into different other Indian languages. Yaruinggom may be regarded as his best creation, ‘Raajpothae Ringiyai’ was his first novel. He was quite a clean character novelist and was very much successful, by all means. He was critically acclaimed, publicly honored, and was a sensibly true litterateur. He had a book on poems as well to his credit. He emerged as a poet on the pages of Assamese journals ‘Pasowa’ and ‘Ramdhenu’. He was a poet of the people for the people as like as Hem Barua. As a poet he was not much known as he is known as a novelist and a prose writer. As a prose writer he was very well recognized and highly acclaimed. He translated novels of various languages into Assamese, in the ‘Jonaki’ era of the Assamese literature, in a very naturalistic and realistic way.

Raajpothae Ringiyai : novel (1955),
Aai : novel (1960),
Yaruinggom : novel (1960),
Sataghni : novel (1965),
Nostochandra : novel (1965),
Bharati : novel (1969),
Pratipod : novel (1970),
Mrityunjoy : novel (1970),
Sinaki Suti : novel (1971),
Ognigarh : novel (1971),
Kobor aru Phul : novel (1971),
Poribrajak : novel (1972),
Bollori : novel (1973),
Aeti Nisha : novel (1973),
Lobo aru Ebha : novel (1973),
Daaini : novel (1976),
Ronga Megh : novel (1976),
Sorot Kowar : novel (1978),
Muni Sunir Pohar : novel (1979),
Kaalor Humuniah : novel (1982),
Phul Kowarar Pokhi Ghora : novel (1988),
Prem aru Mrityu : novel (1992),
Juddha aru Shanti : novel
Burhi Aaitar Puraan :
Kolong Aajio Boi : story,
Saatsori aru Khiriki Kaasar Aason : story,
Sandhyaswar : poem,
Sri Orobindo Bongodeshor Nobojagoron
aru Iswarchandra Bidyasagar : prose
Karmabir Chandranath Sarma : prose
Derkho Bacharar Asomiya Sanskritit
Abhumuki : prose (1978),
Mopin Usav : prose
Songbad Sahitya : prose
Asomiya Sahityot Hasyoros : prose
Dev Dundubhi Baajae Kaar Baabae-translation : prose
Bharatar Itihas : prose
Porinita :
Akuri aetaa Suti Golpo : story
Simaee Aamoni Korae :
Russia Jatra : prose
Gopinath Bordoloi : prose
Krishnakanta Sandikoir Sahitya Chinta : prose
Chinot Kee Dekhilo : prose

Birth: 14th October 1924
Death:

Awards/Honour:
Gyanpeeth Award 1979 for Mrutyunjoy-novel
Sahitya Academy Award-1961 for Yaruinggom-novel
(President Asom Sahitya Sabha-Bongaigaon convention 1984)

Banikanta Kakati

Banikanta Kakati was certainly among those prose writers, critics who were very much prominent and well known for their articles published in various Assamese journals- Awahon, Baahi, Chetona, Jayanti, Deka Asom etc. in the 50’s but his contributions to the Assamese community as a whole made him much more significant in so many aspects. He initiated the style of prose writing in a positive scientific approach. His very easy, strong language and word power made his creations very praiseworthy and very much authentic. His greatest creation, ‘the big book’- ‘Assamese : It’s Formation and Development’ gave Assamese people and the society a new identity and established that Assamese is a language of it’s own character, it is not a derivative of any other language.
Banikanta Kakati was destined to be a forerunner of Assamese literature and research on Assamese language. His most brilliant phase of academic life famed with his pioneering thesis titled “Assamese- Its Information and Developmen’t for which he received PhD from the University of Calcutta and which was later published by the Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies (DHAS). Thereafter, work on his other books like Visnuvite Myths and Legends, Kalita Jatir Itibritta, Sahitya Aru Prem, Pokhila, Purani Kamrupar Dharmar Dhara etc.were his credit to be praiseworthy along with many articles published in many journals, magazines in different languages.
In 1947, Dr. Banikanta Kakati was appointed as the principal of Cotton College for a few months. He was a totally dedicated teacher and litterateur. He resigned from the post of the principal of the Cotton College in 1948 and joined Gauhati University as the Head of the Department of Assamese when the university was established. He was also selected as Dean of Faculty of Arts in 1949. Predeceased by his wife on Sept 17 1952, Dr. Bani Kanta Kakoti breathed his last on Nov 25, 1952, leaving a void in the Assamese literary world.
Banikanta Kakati was among those prominent Assamese writers who contributed to a good extent for children with his creations along with his other valuable contributions as well, in the 50’s of Assamese literature.

Assamese It’s Formation and Development : prose (1935),
Purani Asomiya Sahitya : prose (1940),
Kalita Jatir Itibritta : prose (1943),
The Mother Goddess Kamakhya : prose (1948),
Life and Teaching of Sankardeva : prose (1948),
Sahitya aru Prem : prose (1948),
Pokhila -children book : (1952),
Vaisnuite Myths and Legends : prose (1952),
Purani Kamrupar Dharmar Dhara : prose (1952),
Stories of Assamese Literature : prose
Aspects of Early Assamese Literature-edited : prose
Songs of cell-translated lyrics of Ambikagiri Roychaudhury : prose
Bani Pratibha (posthumous publication) : prose


(Many articles published in many journals and news papers in Assamese and English. There were a good number of articles in the Assamese journal BAHI nicknaming himself as Bhabananda Pathak.)

Birth: 15th October 1894
Death:25th November 1952

Bhattadev

Bhattadev was a Brahman (Brahmin) Sakta Scholar. His actual name was Baikuntha Nath Bhattacharya. He was born in a place called Barnagar in Barpeta district of Assam. His father Chandra Bharati was also a scholar. After a defeat in a debate with Damodardev a follower of SriSri Sankardev he decided to devote himself to vaishnavism and at the advice of SriSri Sankardev, Damodardev gave him the Dikkha of Bhagawati Vaishnab Dharm. Thus Damodarve became his Guru. At the advice of Guru Damodardev, Bhattadev translated Dwadas Skandha Bhagawat in prose. But what had happened to that big translation work of Kotha Bhagawat till now it is not known. Then at the request of Guru Damodardev, he wrote a shorter version of the Bhagawat known as Kotha Bhagawat.
As per Achharya P C Roy and Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterjee Bhattadev’s Kotha Bhagawat should be placed second in and as the world’s best. Bhattadev is regarded as the first Assamese Prose Writer

Katha Bhagawat
Katha Geeta
Satwat Tantra-said to be written by Bhattadev
Prasanga Mala-said to be written by Bhattadev
Bhakti Ratnawali-said to be written by Bhattadev
Nandotsav-said to be written by Bhattadev
Bishnu Sahasra Naam- said to be written by Bhattadev
Saran Sangrah-said to be written by Bhattadev
Bhakti Vivek
Bhakti Saar
Bhagawat Adhikaran
Saran Maalika

Birth: 1558
Death:

Atul Chandra Hazarika

Atul Chandra Hazarika was a most authentic and realistic modern day litteratur. Well proficient Assamese drama writer Atul Chandra Hazarika contributed a lot to the Assamese literature with his dramas and poems specifically. He is regarded as one of the pioneer of the Assamese drama literature. His contributions into the drama literature is very much appreciated and accredited. Sri Hazarika was one of the most remarkable and prominent contributor to the Assamese drama literature, he is a well known and much-admired drama activist of the modern era of Assamese drama and literature.

Atul Chandra Hazarika was among those prominent Assamese writers who contributed to a good extent for children with his creations along with his other valuable contributions in Bezbarua era of Assamese literature. He was one of the pioneers who translated novels of various languages into Assamese, in the Jonaki era of the Assamese literature in a very naturalistic and realistic way. A very sincere novelist he was a prominent Assamese litterateur. He was as a poet, dramatist, children story writer and a translator as well. He was bestowed the Honorary Title “Sahitycharjya” by Asom Sahitya Sabha, the premier literary organization of Assam. Atul Chandra Hazarika, obtained his M.A. degree from Calcutta University and started his service life as teacher of Assamese literature. He retired as a professor and head of the department of Assamese in Cotton College, Guwahati, Assam. Atul Chandra Hazarika was author of more than one hundred books in Assamese. He authored a record number of Assamese dramas to give a new lease of life to the Assamese stage. He also authored many story books for children. He translated many western classics like ‘Nila Chorai’, ‘Grisor Sadhu’, Andersonor Sadhu’ were very popular. He compiled and edited many works of great as well as many lesser known writers of Assamese, ‘Moroha Phoolor Koroni is such an example. He compiled and edited several works of Sahityarathi Lakhinath Bezbaruah Atul Hazarika was also a very socially involved person. He was associated with the founding committee, which organized for the first time Bihu festival on stage at a city pavilion in Guwahati some sixty years back. He was the President of Asom Sahitya Sabha during the year 1959. 1959.


Narakasur : drama (1928),
Nanda Dulal : drama (1928),
Sabitri : drama
Kurukkhetra : drama
Sri Ramchandra : drama
Champawati : drama
Nirjyatita : drama
Beula : drama
Kanouj Kuwori : drama
Chatrapati Shibaji : drama
Manas Pratima : drama
Kalyani : drama
Rangmahal : drama
Majiyana : drama
Banij kowar-translation of Merchant of Venice : drama
Asru Tirtha-translation of King Lear : drama
Sakuntala-translation of
Abhigyan Sakuntalam : drama
Rukmini Haran : drama
Aahuti : drama
Deepali : poem (1940),
Mukutamala : poem (1941),
Monimala : poem (1942),
Panchajanya : poem
Maniki Madhuri-children book : poem
Runuk Jhunuk-children book : poem (1953),
Raktajaba : poem
Tapoban : poem (1955),
Asomiya Naat aru Rngamancha,
Neela Chorai-translation-children literature : novel
Usobor Rongsora : prose (1963)
Usobor Bhogjora : prose
Bharat Jaewti-children literature : prose
Kotha Kirtan-children literature :
Kotha Dasam-children literature :
Onkiya Naator Saadhu-children literature :
Kabya Kahini-children literature :
Jaatokor Saadhu-children story book :
Greechor Saadhu-children story book :

Neela Chorai-children novel :

Birth: 1903
Death: 1986

Award/Honour: Sahitya Academy Award-1969 for Manchalekha

Padma Shri by Government of India in 1971.

Ananta Kandali

Ananta Kandali was a poet of the period of SriSri Sankardev and Maharaj Naranarayan. He was a big follower of Sri Sri Sankardev. Specifically till now it is not possible to tell when he was born, may be in between 1500 to 1520. His father’s native was at Routa in Darrang district of Assam, but due to some differences with the then kingdom at Darrang he shifted to Hajo, a small township in Kamrup district. Ananta Kandali was born at Hajo. His father Ratna Pathak was a priest of the Haigriva Mandir (temple) at Hajo. Ananta Kandali’s actual name was Haricharan, though he is known as Ananta kandali for his brilliance in Tarka Shastras. He is known as Sri Chandrabharati and Bhagawatacharjya also for his incredible knowledge of Grammar and Bhagawat respectively. Though he had some ideological differences with SriSri Sankardev, he was very much in touch with and a close associate of SriSri Sankardev.
After Madhab Kandali’s Ramayan, Ananta Kandali’s Ramayan is mentionably the second Assamese Ramayan. It was based on the Ramayan of Madhab Kandali with a good addition of many Bhagawat Kathas. It is said that SriSri Sankardev did not like the Ramayana, Ananta Kandali wrote and that was why Sri Sri Sankardev completed the Pancha Kanda Ramayan wrote by Madhab Kandali, by writing Uttarakanda himself and Aadikanda by Madhabdeb.
Kumar Haran is a verse based on Bhagawat and Haribangsa. This is a story of princess Usha and her love affairs. We can find a clear glimpse of the then Assamese village society as the poet described it in a very magnificent poetic manner. Mahiravan Badh was based on a folktale about Ram, Lakkhman, Hanuman and Raawan. Probably it was a creation of his youth. Brittasur Badh is another verse, based on Bhagawat.

Ananta Ramayan :
Kumar Haran :
Mahiravan Badh :
Brittasur Badh :
Vaishnavamrit :
Kothamrit :
Janma Rahashya :
Brihat Shyamanta Haran :
Dasam (Madhya and Antya)-translation :

Birth: 1500 to 1520
Death: not known

Ambikagiri Roy Chaudhury

Ambikagiri Roy Chaudhury was among those prose writers, critics who were very much prominent and well known for their articles published in various Assamese journals- Awahon, Baahi, Chetona, Jayanti, Deka Asom etc. Ambikagiri contributed with hundreds of articles in those journals. His articles were of very aggressive nature, he was very much against the British rulers. He had a very strong, courageous and tough word power and these powers made his articles very appreciable and accordable to the general people, but those strong, courageous and tough articles made the British rulers to arrest him and confine him into jail. Ambikagiri is always remembered for his aggressive nationalist, patriotic, revolutionary thoughts and his creations were full of antagonism against the British rulers. He depicted his affection for the nation and its people, patriotism in his poems also, and tried hard successfully to communicate the speech of freedom from the clutch of the foreign rulers in a very uprising language, with the society in general. He was a very strong speech of freedom. Two of his creations ‘Bandini Bharat’ and Shatadhar’ were banned by the British rulers. After independence he penned against discrimination, hatred, inequality etc. ‘Songs of the Cell’ is a collection of his poems published in English. ‘Bedonar Ulka’ was his most famous creation, endorsed by many scholars as one of his best among the bests. It was very sad for the literature arena of Assam that his house was fired into ashes by some anti social miscreant elements, when he was in jail, jailed by the British rulers, that the Assamese literature had lost so many of his creations in the devastating fire. He was a real patriot and a deadly voice against the British rulers.


Bandini Bharat Mata : drama (1907),
Satadhar : poem (1924),
Deka Dekerir Ved : prose (1942),
Swadhin Panchayat Rashtra Gathanar
Prathamik Achoni : prose (1942),
Joyodrath Badh : drama (1947)
Aahuti : prose (1954),
Anubhuti : poem (1954),
Bando Ki Chandaere : poem (1958),
Sthapan Kar Sthapan Kar : poem (1958),
Bedonar Ulka : poem (1964),
Deshaei Bhagawan : (1965),
Mor Jiwanar Dhumuha Echati : (1973),
Bhakta Gaurav : drama
Kalyanmoyee,
Tumi : poem
Bina : poem
Bedona : poem
Aaru Ki Dekhabi Bhoy Karagar? : poem
Jogotor Sesh Aadarsha aru Biswa Shanti
Sthapanar Upaai : prose

Birth: 1st December 1885
Death: 2nd January 1967


Awards/Honour: Sahitya Academy Literary Award 1967 for ‘Bedonar Ulka’.