Bhabendra Nath Saikia

Guwahati, July 6: Avid readers can now access the works of Assamese writer and filmmaker Bhabendra Nath Saikia from any corner of the world.

Nirvana Sutra, a local content management company, has taken up the task of publishing over 200 works of the great writer in the form of e-books.

Moreover, the books will no longer be confined to Assamese readers only, as they will be translated into English and then made available online.

The first e-book, The Cavern and Other Stories, that has been translated into English and edited by D.N. Bezbaruah, will be published by next Sunday.

Readers can access it at the Kindle eBook Store on the Internet.

“Bhabendra Nath Saikia’s contributions in enriching the realm of Assamese literature are immense and every reader could connect with his writings. He portrayed people and life of the day in a poignant and beautiful manner. We are trying to increase his already huge readership by making over 200 of his famous works available in the form of e-books. Since all his works will be now translated into English, readers across the globe will be able to sample his writings that have a world class quality,” said Bikash Kalita, partner and content manager of Nirvana Sutra.

Baaduli (Bats), Endur (Rats), Ghabar (The Caravan), Paxanda (The Sinful One), Dhora Saap (The Fangless Serpent), Sandhyabhraman (Evening Walk), Pradakshin (Circumambulation), Dhanyabad (Thank You), Mukhamukhi (Face to Face) and Klanti Naame (When Weariness Descends) are the short stories of Bhabendra Nath Saika that are part of The Cavern and Other Stories.

The Cavern and Other Stories, the first e-book, will be available on the Internet on Sunday.

This particular book comprises 10 short stories, which have been translated and edited by D.N. Bezbaruah.

Three more books, each comprising 10 short stories of the writer, are ready for publication as e-books.

These three books have been translated and edited by Gayatri Bhattacharyya, Snigdhamalati Neog and Rasmi Narzary, said Kalita.

Moreover, Nirvana Sutra plans to complete the translation of all the works within the next three months.

The company is approaching many writers for this purpose.

“We have plans to publish all the short stories, children’s books, novels, plays and autobiography written by Saikia in the form of e-books by the next six months. We are approaching a number of writers for the project but haven’t finalised anyone as yet,” said Kalita.

Bhabendra Nath Saikia’s wife, Preeti Saikia, is also closely associated with this project.

“We have bought the copyrights of the books written by the author from his wife Preeti Saikia. Apart from this, Mahadananda Hazarika, joint secretary to the state home and political departments, has also provided us with valuable guidance in going ahead with this project. If any reader wishes to gather more information about Saikia’s works, he can collect it from our website www.nirvanasutra.com,” said Kalita.