It is intimidating to write a tribute for such a great literary figure of modern Assamese literature. A stalwart of modern Assamese literature with a literary career spanning almost half a century. A prolific writer, who through his art, had an immense positive social impact in Assam.

His sensitivity as an artist through his literary works, aimed for change for a better, inclusive, fair & honourable social environment in Assam.

The father of modern Assamese literature, whom we are most honoured & privileged to be connected to, through ancestry.

As children, our very first introduction to our great grandfather was not through his literary works but through an intriguing, almost romantic story, of his birth on a boat by moonlight. We children, asked for that story to be told over and over again & our mother and grandma always obliged.

Visualizing a wooden boat, gently floating down a calm majestic Brahmaputra river, reflections of moon beams bouncing off shimmering waters in the depth of night, made for a setting that was beyond our grasp as children. Thus began our fascination about our lineage to, Roxoraj Sahityarathi Lakhinath Bezbaruah. An iconic poet, playwright, novelist & above all, a sensitive writer with a sense of wit & humour, which he strung with great craft into his satires, farces and other ingenious works.

Beyond sincere salutations to his literary works. Beyond the admiration of his skill to engross both children and adult readers, through his impressionable literary works. This humble tribute honours Lakhinath Bezbaruah, ‘the man’.

Sensitive to his people, patriotic to his land, Lakhinath Bezbaruah along with his contemporaries, struggled for social change and for the upliftment of the people of Assam. Recognising ‘Assamese’, the mother tongue, ‘officially’, was one cause they strived for. Voicing, ‘the recognition of Assamese as an official language’ was one of the milestones for social development in Assam. The Assamese language was not recognized as the official language nor the medium of instruction in the courts or educational institutions of Assam, since the time of the British rule. The Assam Official Language Act was passed in 1960, recognizing Assamese as an official language in Assam.

Lakhinath Bezbaruah’s literary and cultural crusade for socio cultural development had an impact on Assamese cinema as well. The first Assamese film Joymoti released in 1935, was based on Lakhinath Bezbaruah’s play about the 17th-century Ahom princess, Soti Joymoti. A female protagonist, a rarity on Indian celluloid at that point in time. Joymoti, a ‘gender related social statement’, that is relevant even today.

A sense of identity is desired, no matter what part of the world it may be. Lakhinath Bezbaruah tried to give the people of Assam a sense of identity. His pride in his identity to his land, reverberates through his song, ‘O mor aponar desh’, the state anthem of Assam and the most popular Assamese patriotic song of all time.

It is said, travel broadens horizons and opens the mind. Lakhinath Bezbaruah was a traveller and quoted as a ‘wanderer’ amidst jungles of Assam. He drew inspiration from his travels in his writing.

In a humble tribute, briefly touching on only some aspects of Lakhinath Bezbaruah’s philosophies, liberal outlook, sense of humour, patriotism or his spirit of travel, would most definitely not do justice, to such a respectable, magnanimous individual.

Footprints don’t matter on shape size or depth. Footprints matter on the impressions that touch the soul, creating lasting impressions. Lakhinath Bezbaruah will be remembered not only as an iconic figure who contributed to Assamese literature. He will also be remembered and cherished for the positive social impact he had. He will also be treasured for the man he was, beyond his literary achievements. He didn’t just write stories. He wrote to make a difference in the lives of real people. He wrote stories to make the stories in real people’s lives, better.

A great thinker and orator, Lakhinath Bezbarua was the spokesperson for the people of Assam. A son of Assam, who will be revered for generations to come. On his 157th birth centennial celebrations, humble salutations with deepest of respect and unending admiration, for the ‘king of humour and the charioteer of Assamese literature’, Roxoraj Sahityarathi Lakhinath Bezbaruah.

(Scripted By Radha)

Ratna Baruah’s youngest daughter, Krishna’s son and daughter-in-law

Sanjeev and Huyen Chowdhuri
Brunei Darussalam.

Ratna Baruah’s youngest daughter, Krishna’s daughter and son-in-law

Radha and Jord Figee
Krabi Province, Thailand.

Ratna Baruah’s third daughter, Lolita Jauhar’s son and daughter-in-law

Sunil and Sharon Jauhar
New Delhi, India.