MORIGAON, Dec 29 - The 102nd foundation day of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the biggest literary body of Assam, was observed here at Morigaon Zila Sahitya Sabha Bhavan recently with enthusiasm. The programme started at Gurucharan Medhi Bhavan with flag hoisting by Bubumoni Goswami, president of Morigaon Zila Sahitya Sabha.
This was followed by smriti tarpan offered by Ajit Sarma, executive member of the Asam Sahitya Sabha. The lighting of lamp programme in front of the doyens of Assamese literature like Padmanath Gohain Boruah, Lakshminath Bezborua was conducted by Harendra Bora, former president of the Morigaon Zila Sahitya Sabha.
The open meeting held on the occasion was presided over by Bubumoni Goswami, president of Morigaon district unit of Asam Sahitya Sabha. Addressing the gathering, Mahendra Nath Hazarika, retired Professor of Kampur College, dwelt at length on the growth and evolution of the Assamese language and literature since 1917 and the role of the Sabha. Hazarika lamented the young generation�s attitude towards the Assamese language which has a unique heritage. Dr Naba Kanta Bordoloi, former president of the Morigaon Zila Sahitya Sabha also spoke on the occasion.
�Akash� � the women�s wing of the Asam Sahitya Sabha � presented a programme of recitation of Assamese poems, songs and other cultural programmes.
GAURIPUR: Under the auspices of Dhubri District Sahitya Sabha and in collaboration with the Gauripur branch Sahitya Sabha, the foundation day of Asam Sahitya Sabha was observed on December 27 on the premises of the Gauripur Public Library with a day-long programme.
Dr Upendrajit Sharma, president of the district body, hoisted the flag of the sabha and thereafter smriti tarpan was performed by the office-bearers of both the district and the branch Sahitya Sabha. Alongside, 100 flags of the sabha were hoisted by 100 dignitaries to mark the beginning of the centenary celebration of the Gauripur branch Sahitya Sabha on the historic Mahamaya playground while the main flag of the centenary celebration was hoisted by Khitish Chandra Roy, president of the branch.
The open meeting was chaired by Dr Upendrajit Sharma. Renu Prava Das Hazarika, ex-magazine secretary of undivided Goalpara Zila Sahitya Sabha, inaugurated the open meeting. Azad Ali Sheikh, retired ADC, released the souvenir edited by Pranab Kumar Barman. A number of appointed speakers, including Satyabrata Chakraborty, Prafulla Barman, Dhirendra Nath Adhikary, took part in the discussion. Manas Chakraborty, secretary of the Gauripur branch, offered the vote of thanks.
BARPETA: The Barpeta district committee of the Asam Sahitya Sabha in association with Kayakuchi Sakha Sahitya Sabha observed the 102nd foundation day of the Asam Sahitya Sabha at the Lower Assam Academy of Kayakuchi in Barpeta district. To mark the occasion, 101 Sabha flags were unfurled where the vice-president of the Barpeta district Sahitya Sabha Lachit Kalita participated.
The flag was hoisted by 101 distinguished persons and leading citizens of the district including Kishor Kumar Das, secretary of the district committee, Gobinda Talukdar and Ramkrishna Talukdar, ex-presidents of the district committee, Jayanta Kumar Das, administrator of the Social Media wing of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, Dr Abdul Kaddus Sikdar and Nur Hussain, president and secretary respectively of Kayakuchi Sahitya Sabha and Sahed Ali Ahmed, secretary, Samannay Sahitya Gosthi.
A seminar on the dominance of Assamese language was also organised on this occasion. Gobinda Talukdar, Ramkrishna Talukdar, Kishor Kumar Das, Abul Hussain and Janesh Ali Ahmed spoke in the seminar as resource persons. They urged all to use Assamese in all the government offices and private institutions and write all the signboards in Assamese. They also insisted upon use of Assamese as preferred language in all the educational institutions of the State.
KALIABOR: The foundation day of the Asam Sahitya Sabha was observed at Kaliabor under the auspices of the Nagaon district Sahitya Sabha with the cooperation of the Kaliabor Sakha Sahitya Sabha on December 27 at the Kuwaritol Gandhi field in the presence of a large gathering. At the outset, Mrinal Hazarika, secretary, Nagaon district Sahitya Sabha announced the names of the 101 persons who were chosen to hoist the flags. Accordingly, flags were hoisted by the ex-presidents of Sahitya Sabhas, leading senior citizens, educationists and freedom fighters of Kaliabor and Nagaon.
Speaking on the occasion, Nitya Nanda Bora, president in-charge of Nagaon District Sahitya Sabha disclosed how the Asam Sahitya Sabha was formed in 1917, 101 years ago and the contributions of the Handique family towards the Asam Sahitya Sabha. He offered his gratitude to all for their cooperation and presence in the day�s function. After the flag hoisting, tributes were offered to Padmanath Gohain Barua, the founder president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha.
A meeting was also held on the occasion on the Kaliabor Sakha Sahitya Sabha premises, which was chaired by NN Bora, president of Nagaon District Sahitya Sabha. Mrinal Hazarika, secretary of Nagaon District Sahitya Sabha, explaining the objective of the meeting, disclosed that discussions will be held on the past, present and the future of the Sabha. Accordingly, Rotimohan Nath, ex-secretary of Nagaon District Sahitya Sabha; Arobinda Borgohain, president of Kaliabor Sakha Sahitya Sabha; and Kusum Bora, ex-president of Kaliabor Sakha Sahitya Sabha; took part in the discussions.
DELHI: The 23rd foundation day of the Delhi branch of Asam Sahitya Sabha was observed with great enthusiasm recently. A large number of Assamese residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region attended the function organised on that occasion at Srimanta Sankaradeva Bhavan, stated a press release.
The programme began with the hoisting of the Sahitya Sabha flag in the morning by Sakha Sabha�s president Dr Malaya Khaund and community singing of Oh Mur Aponar Desh. Unfurling the flag, the president paid respectful homage to those stalwarts of Assamese language and literature who are no longer with us. Dr Nilomani Sarma and Sibaram Deuri performed �smriti tarpan� by lighting a lamp in memory of the departed members of the branch Sabha.
The important part of the day�s programme was a seminar on �Folk Literature of North East India� in which Prof Prakash Pattanaik, professor in the Department of Modern Indian Languages and Literary Studies, University of Delhi, delivered the keynote address. The function commenced with lighting of lamps followed by singing of Sahitya Sabha�s anthem Siro Senehi Mur Bhaxa Janani.
In her welcome address, president Dr Khaund gave a brief account of the various activities undertaken by the Delhi branch during the past 23 years since its formation in 1995 and remembered reverentially the contributions made by its founder president, Jnanpith Awardee Dr Indira Goswami. The two guest speakers were felicitated by Anjali Barooah and Dr Horeshwar Deka, both vice-presidents of the branch Sabha.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Pattanaik said that the Northeast, particularly Assam, has a rich heritage of folk culture and a vast storehouse of varied folklores that have enriched the regional languages. His exhaustive analysis of the folk literature of the region in lucid and simple language was as educative as it was interesting. His associate in the same department, Dr Ratnottoma Das, gave an illuminating discourse on tribal culture in which she brought out with suitable illustrations of the peculiar characteristics of tribal culture in India.
The death of the redoubtable singer Dipali Barthakur was condoled in the meeting. Dr Reena Sarma, advisor of Delhi branch, spoke about the qualities of head and heart of this great artiste.
Earlier Aschyut Saikia, president of Assam Association Delhi, released the branch Sabha�s mouthpiece Kishaloy. Releasing the souvenir, Saikia appreciated the works done by the Delhi branch of Sahitya Sabha. The souvenir was edited by Manik Chandra Dash. Nripen Gogoi, president of �Biyoli Chora�, a forum of the Assamese Senior Citizens of Delhi, also spoke on that occasion.