GUWAHATI, Oct 12 - The 156th birth anniversary of Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa will be observed across the State under the aegis of the Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa Smriti Raksha Samiti in association with Ahatguri Satadal Sakha Sahitya Sabha on October 14. In State capital Guwahati, the celebrations will be marked by the lighting of 156 earthen lamps at Bezbaroa Chowk at 5 pm.
Addressing a press conference today, Samiti general secretary Rantu Deka said that all Covid-19 protocols would be observed during the low-key celebrations. The day will also be observed at Bezbaroa�s renovated residence and office (Sadhana Griha) at Sambalpur in Odisha. �We have made arrangements for the purpose in association with Dipak Kumar Panda, one of the chief advisers to the Samiti and the general public of Sambalpur. Bezbaroa is held in high esteem by Sambalpur residents and they are keen to pay their tributes to this great soul from Assam who stayed at Sambalpur for 20 years � a period that saw him producing the bulk of his monumental literary creations,� Deka said.
The Samiti will also light earthen lamps at Assam Bhawan, Kolkata to pay homage to the colossus of Assamese literature.
Meanwhile, the renovation work on Bezbaroa�s Sadhana Griha at Sambalpur is nearing completion and it is expected to be open for public next year. �Efforts have also been initiated to have at least a small museum on Bezbaroa within the Sadhana Griha. The Bezbaroa museum at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati will offer assistance for the purpose,� Deka said.
At Ahatguri in Nagaon district, the birth place of the Sahityarathi, the celebrations will include lighting of earthen lamps, garlanding of Bezbaroa�s statue and plantation of a bakul sapling by Samiti president Pradyut Kumar Choudhury at 10 am. Local MLA and State Minister Pijush Hazarika will also attend the programme.
