GUWAHATI, April 27 - Eminent playwright and litterateur Arun Sarma was fondly remembered by his fans, associates and admirers at a tribute meeting organised today at the Rabindra Bhawan here under the aegis of the Assam Natya Sanmilan, Pragati Shilpi Sangha and the Directorate of Cultural Affairs.
Sarma, who left an indelible mark through his creations on the literary and theatre world of Assam, left for his heavenly abode last month at a private hospital in Delhi.
Outlining the poetic contents of Arun Sarma�s creations, noted academician and well-known critic Dr Shailen Bharali said that the poetic expression in drama was palpable in the plays of Arun Sarma, a trait which is also a speciality of Jyotiprasad Agarwala�s creations.
Analysing several of his plays, including Sri Nibaran Bhattacharyya, Kukurnesia Manuh and Aditir Atmakatha, Dr Bharali said that the unique plots of his plays and also the exceptional way of presentation made Sarma one of the foremost playwrights of Assam.
Paying tribute to Arun Sarma, Dr Pona Mahanta spoke on Sarma�s trilogy � Sri Nibaran Bhattacharyya, Agnigarh and Aditir Atmakatha � and said that though interconnected, the components of the trilogy are also independent of each other.
�Mainly dialogue-oriented, his plays delved into some of the complex psychological issues like the Electra complex we see in the case of the protagonist of Agnigarh. While a pleasure reading, such issues are a challenge for the directors, who portray it on the stage,� Dr Mahanta said.
While Professor Pradip Acharya spoke on the literary side of Arun Sarma�s creations, mainly outlining his poetic side, Professor Naren Patgiri highlighted the playwright�s contributions to the radio.
�It was radio, where the creative pursuit of Arun Sarma found an apt outlet. Together with Kulada Bhattacharyya, he created the perfect ambience for drama through radio in the State. Some of the powerful presentations like Aahar, Parashuram and Yayati, apart from famous plays like Sri Nibaran Bhattacharyya, are still remembered by his admirers and the radio-drama lovers,� said Prof Patgiri.
A souvenir, Arunjyoti, specially brought out on the occasion, was released by former MP and president of Pragati Shilpi Sangha Kumar Dipak Das, who, while paying tribute to the eminent playwright, shared his personal association with Sarma.
Earlier, Director of Cultural Affairs Debo Prasad Misra and president of Assam Natya Sanmilan Dulal Roy among others, paid tribute to Arun Sarma. Dulal Roy also presided over the meeting.
