Jorhat, June 1: The year was 1528. Madhavdeb, the key disciple of saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardev, stooped to light a lamp in a naamghar at Dhekiakhowa Bornaamghar, 12km east of Jorhat town, as he sat down for evening prayers.

Today, 484 years on, that lamp is still burning just as brightly.

And the managing committee of the naamghar wants it to glow its way into record books.

Prabin Kalita, president of the managing committee of Dhekiakhowa Bornaamghar, told reporters here today that the lamp had been burning inside the naamghar continuously since 1528. Madhabdev had set up the historic naamghar in 1528, the same year he lighted the lamp.

Kalita said the lamp, placed in the monikut (sanctum santorum), of the prayer hall, had been burning mustard oil supplied continuously by the naamghar priests and residents of surrounding villages for all these years.

He said more thread was added to the wick every few days so that it never burned out, ensuring continuous burning of the lamp.

Kalita said the Gurucharitra, written by xatradhikars of Kamalabari Xatra in Majuli about 300 years ago, mentioned the lamp being lit by Madhabdev and about it burning without a break.

The lamp burns inside Dhekiakhowa Bornamghar near Jorhat. Telegraph picture

The committee had applied to the India Book of Records to record the unique feat so that people across the country and the world come to know about Vaishnavite teachings and culture founded by the Mahapurush and also about the Dhekiakhowa Bornamghar, he said. “We will submit videos and other documents, like the mention in the Gurucharita, to the record book authorities to further strengthen the claim.”

Naamghoria (head priest) of the naamghar, Haren Hazarika, said he had always taken special care of the lamp to ensure that it burned without a break. He said oil was poured into the lamp every day and added that devotees had great reverence for it.

Abhijeet Baruah, the policeman who ran his way into in Guinness World Records, Limca Book of Records and Asia Book of Records and is currently the Assam observer for India Book of Records, said he would send the naamghar’s claim to the book authorities in Delhi for further verification.