Documentary Film on Assamese Poet Bezbaruah

Programme Production Centre (North East), DoorDarshan, Guwahati is filming a documentary here on renowned Assamese poet Laxminath Bezbaruah who spent substantial part of his life in Sambalpur. The documentary is being filmed as part of 150th birth anniversary of the eminent poet to be observed this year.

Informing this, Debendra Nath Tamuli, who is filing the documentary, said Bezbaruah had spent his creative days in Sambalpur which is mentioned in his autobiography. Tamuli  visited the house where Bezbaruah had stayed besides other places of his activities.

He said local culture enthusiast Deepak Panda is acting as local guide who had collected some information for the documentary which will be telecast both in DD Assam and DD National.

Although it was believed that Bezbaruah was in Sambalpur to supervise family business of railway wooden sleepers then supplied to Bengal-Nagpur Railway (BNR) in the first two decades of 20th century, Panda revealed that the poet worked for timber company ‘BIRD’ and spent 20 years of his life from 1917 to 1937.

Earlier, Assam Governor Janaki Ballav Pattnaik had visited ‘Bezbaruah Kuthi’ at Nelson Mandela Chowk where the great poet had stayed. Now it houses the office of Revenue Inspector. Both Odisha and Assam Governments have been planning to convert the house into a heritage place after a delegation of academicians and scholars visited it to pay their tributes to Bezbaruah.

Former Higher Education, Tourism and Culture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra also visited the house and proposed to develop it as a Writers Museum with funds from WODC.

Bezbaruah had given a new impetus to Assamese literature and enriched it through his essays, plays, fiction and poetry. His patriotic poem “O mora aponar desh O mor chikunir desh” has become the anthem of Assam. He was popularly known as Roxoraj or ‘The King of Humour’ for his popular satirical writings.

Bezbaruah also wrote short stories, a novel, dramas, satires, biographies, children literature and compiled folk tales of Assam.

During his stay here, he was inspired by the beauty of river Mahanadi, the countryside and the lifestyle of the people which find mention in his work with a rare sensibility.

About the Legend

•  Laxminath Bezbaruah  had given a new impetus to Assamese literature and enriched it through his essays, plays, fiction and poetry. His patriotic poem “O mora aponar desh O mor chikunir desh” has become the anthem of Assam
•  He was popularly known as Roxoraj or ‘The King of Humour’ for his popular satirical writings
• He spent a substantial part of his life in Sambalpur district