GUWAHATI, Dec 12 - In an event organised at the Hari Narayan Dutta Baruah library of Assam down town University, the family members of Late Harinarayan Dutta Baruah donated the original manuscript of Chitra Bhagavata, an epic originally articulated by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankaradeva. The original copy of the manuscript was kept in the Bali satra which was handed over to Harinarayan Dutta Baruah by Dr Kesabananda Dev Goswami, the then HoD of Assamese department of Dibrugarh University. The first printed copy of Chitra Bhagavata was published by late Harinarayan Dutta Baruah in 1950. Since then, four editions of the book have been published so far. This was stated in a press release.
Chitra Bhagavata is a pictorial description of Lord Krishna�s childhood and youth, hand drawn by Mahapurush Sri Srimanta Sankaradeva using organic colours. In a later period, the publishers had to recreate the original masterpiece without damaging the original copy as many of the pages were found in a damp condition.
The handing over ceremony of Assam down town University was attended by the son of Late Harinarayan Dutta Baruah, Jyotindra Narayan Dutta Baruah, daughter in-law Arati Dutta Baruah and daughter Prof Bandana Dutta from the family of Late Harinarayan Dutta Baruah. On behalf of AdtU, Vice Chancellor Prof NC Talukdar received the original manuscript. He expressed his gratitude to the family for donating such a valuable asset to the central library of the University. Attending the ceremony, the Chancellor, AdtU, Dr NN Dutta emphasised on the prospect of exploring the original manuscript for further research.
