RSS Chief Begins Northeast Tour Amid Centenary Celebrations
by Nava Thakuria
Guwahati: The Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival (PLF) 2025 concluded on 16 November at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, with two distinguished Assamese writers honoured during the valedictory ceremony. The event was graced by PLF president Phanindra Kumar Dev Choudhury, chief guest Dr Apurba Kumar Saikia, and a galaxy of authors, critics, journalists, and literary enthusiasts.
The third edition of the annual festival, which began on 14 November, carried forward its mission of “In Search of Roots”—an exploration aimed at reconnecting Assam’s younger generation with the region’s rich literary and cultural heritage.
PLF Awards Presented to Maneswar Dewri and Srotashwini Tamuli
Tiwa scholar and distinguished essayist Maneswar Dewri, widely respected for his decades of research on society, culture, literature, and history, received the prestigious PLF Award 2025. Emerging short-story writer Srotashwini Tamuli was also honoured.
Expressing gratitude, Dewri said he was deeply moved by the recognition. He spoke about his lifelong work documenting the Tiwa community’s identity and noted that many events described in his books—particularly those set in western Assam—may aid future scholars and historians in drafting a comprehensive history of the region.
Tamuli, author of the Assamese short-story collection Jalkhar and a research scholar at Birangana Sati Sadhani State University, said the award has strengthened her sense of responsibility in creative writing.
Closing Session: Dr Saikia Lauds Festival’s Vision
Addressing the closing ceremony, Sahitya Akademi awardee Dr Apurba Kumar Saikia praised the three-day literary journey, which successfully highlighted the history, culture, and languages of the ancient land once known as Pragjyotishpur—later the Kamrup kingdom, centred in present-day Guwahati.
He expressed satisfaction that the festival inspired budding writers, translators, journalists, theatre and film practitioners, and literature lovers. Dr Saikia hoped PLF would soon emerge as a major literary festival in India.
Sessions Spotlighting Literature, Culture and Translation
A thought-provoking discussion titled “The Creative World of Novelist Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya: An Exploratory Journey” brought together noted writer Anuradha Sarma Pujari, storyteller Pranjal Sharma Basishtha, researcher Smritirekha Bhuyan, and columnist Rupam Barua. The session offered deep insights into the works of the Jnanpith awardee, regarded among India’s finest novelists.
Another important discussion on nature literature, led by conservationist writer Soumyadeep Dutta, explored how nature writing can transform society. Drawing from Buddhist teachings, Dutta contrasted Western nature writing—largely human-centric—with the holistic nature literature of Bharat, dedicated to all living beings.
A panel on Assamese translated literature featuring Bipul Deuri, Diganta Biswa Sarma, and Dr Nayanjyoti Sharma examined the expanding landscape of translation. Biswa Sarma observed that honest translations are increasingly valued as original literary creations. He also emphasized the need to preserve Sanskrit so that regional languages continue to be enriched. Sharma highlighted both the challenges and opportunities in translating Assamese works into other languages.
Inaugural Highlights: Homage, Heritage and Cultural Reflections
The festival was inaugurated by eminent litterateur Nanda Singh Barkola, who underscored India’s rising global stature and rich cultural heritage. Aligning with the theme, he referenced Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s iconic song “Karbi Anglong Oti Numoliya…” and encouraged revisiting pre-Sankari traditions to rediscover forgotten literary roots.
Internationally acclaimed author Shefali Vaidya, delivering the keynote address, lauded the PLF’s mission to reconnect young minds with their cultural and intellectual legacy. Beginning her speech in Assamese, she invoked Bhupen Hazarika’s timeless songs, celebrating the cultural diversity of India’s far-eastern region.
The ceremony also saw the presence of Lt Gen (Retd) Rana Pratap Kalita, Chairman of the organising committee (Sankardeva Education and Research Foundation), and Smriti Kumar Sinha, Vice-Chancellor of Pragjyotishpur University. A souvenir titled Pragjyoti, edited by Hemchandra Doley, was released, and floral tributes were paid to three cultural icons—Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Zubeen Garg, and flute maestro Deepak Sharma.
Day Two: Dialogues on Theatre, Journalism and Art
The second day featured four engaging sessions. A conversation with actor-playwright Prithwiraj Rabha, moderated by technocrat writer Nayanjyoti Bhattacharyya, captivated the audience. Rabha narrated the extraordinary cultural, artistic, and revolutionary journey of his father, Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, who dedicated his life to Sri Krishna, Srimanta Sankardeva, and Leonardo da Vinci.
A parallel panel on “Assamese Language, Literature and Journalism: Growth and Expansion” drew young journalists. Senior scribes Dilip Chandan, Bedabrata Dev Mishra, Bidyut Kumar Bhuyan, and this writer discussed the challenges and future of print journalism. Speakers agreed that traditional journalism, rooted in the native language, may see a revival as digital fatigue sets in.
Another session on the “Evolution of Assamese Performing Arts: From Ankiya Bhawana to Bhramyman” featured cultural personalities including filmmaker-playwright Kripal Kalita, performer Pakija Begum, dramatist Pankaj Jyoti Bhuyan, and Hillal Kumar Pathak. They described Assamese theatre’s struggles yet expressed hope for a vibrant future, noting the contributions of Assam’s mobile theatre movement.
The festival’s first panel, “Transformation and Evolution of Assamese Lyric Literature: From the Nineties to Present Era”, moderated by lyricist-composer Gautam Sharma, featured Tarun Kalita, Diganta Bharati, and Ibason Lal Baruah, who expressed optimism about the future of Assamese literature.
Two multilingual poetry sessions titled Kavya Kaveri saw poets from diverse backgrounds reciting their works across languages.
PLF general secretary Bikram Kalita, along with Kishor Shivam, Hirakjyoti Sarma, Pramod Kalita, and Bhaskarjyoti Sarma, thanked all participants and audiences for their enthusiastic engagement.
