PLF 2025: Celebrating Assamese Culture and Literary Roots
by Nava Thakuria
Guwahati: The third edition of the Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival (PLF 2025) began on Friday (14 November) at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, setting the tone for a three-day literary journey themed “In Search of Roots.”
Delivering the keynote address, internationally acclaimed author Shefali Baidya lauded the festival’s evolving vision and its effort to reconnect the younger generation with their intellectual and cultural heritage. Opening her speech in Assamese, she invoked the timeless songs of Dr Bhupen Hazarika, celebrating the linguistic and cultural richness of Bharat’s far eastern region.
Chief guest and distinguished litterateur Nanda Singh Barkola underscored India’s growing global presence while offering a vivid portrayal of its civilizational legacy. Echoing the festival’s theme, he cited Bhupen-da’s iconic song “Karbi Anglong Oti Numoliya,” and urged a revisit to pre-Sankari traditions to reclaim forgotten literary foundations.
The session was also addressed by Lt. General (Retd.) Rana Pratap Kalita, chairman of the Sankardev Education and Research Foundation, and PLF president Phanindra Kumar Dev Choudhury.
The festival’s opening panel discussion, “Transformation and Expansion of Assamese Lyric Literature: From the Nineties to the Present Era,” was moderated by lyricist–composer Gautam Sharma, with cultural figures Tarun Kalita, Diganta Bharati, and Ibason Lal Baruah sharing their cautious optimism about the future of Assamese as a vibrant, living language.
The first day concluded with a lively poetry recital, featuring 14 emerging and established poets showcasing their original works. A key highlight of the inaugural ceremony was the release of the festival’s official magazine, ‘Pragjyoti’.
Earlier in the day, attendees paid floral tributes to Assam’s revered cultural icons—Sudhakantha Bhupen Hazarika, Pranar Shilpi Zubeen Garg, and flute maestro Deepak Sharma.
