GUWAHATI, Nov 18 � The State Government has decided in principle to adopt O Mor Aponar Desh, the immortal creation by Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa, as the Asom Rajyik Jatiyo Sangeet
(State Song).
According to an official press release here today, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has instructed Chief Secretary Jitesh Khosla to place the matter in the next Cabinet for approval.
It needs mention here that for a long time there had been tremendous pressure from several quarters to adopt the song written by Bezbaroa as the State Song of Assam. The demand became more pronounced this year, which marks the 150th birth anniversary of the legendary litterateur, who almost single-handedly charted the course of Assamese literature in the early 20th century and earned the title Sahityarathi as a mark of adoration from the State�s people.
The pressure, however, started mounting last year with the joint initiative of the Nagaon-based educational institute Navarup Jatiya Vidyapith and socio-cultural organisation Paridhi to organise presentation of the song in 40 languages as part of a year-long celebration of the pre-150th birth anniversary of the celebrated litterateur. Poet Jivan Narah took special initiative to translate the project into reality.
Yesterday, O Mor Aponar Desh was presented in 30 languages at a function organised by the two organisations in association with several other organisations at Nagaon Nehru Bali to mark conclusion of the year-long celebration of the pre-150th birth anniversary of the Sahityarathi.
At the function, thousands of people from various parts of the NE region assembled and the song was presented in Adi, Rabha, Bodo, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Mising, Bagania, Deori, Dimasa, English, Nagamese, Koch, Khamti, Tiwa, Tai-Ahom, Hajong, Manipuri, Karbi, Chaotali, Sanskrit, Tai-Fake, Urdu, Nepali, Rajbongshi, Rajasthani, Bengali, Punjabi, Garo and Hindi, besides Assamese, said a press release issued by the organisers of the event.
