Silchar, Dec. 24: Literary and cultural organisation Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammelan (also known as Barak Banga), has chalked out plans for a series of programmes to celebrate the centenary of the first publication of literary magazine, Sribhumi, from Barak valley.

The centenary of the second session of Surma Sahitya Sammelani, the then literary body, will also be celebrated on this occasion.

The second session of the literary society was held here on December 28 and 29 in 1914, while its first session was held in Karimganj in 1912.

The president of Barak Banga, Cachar unit, Taimur Raja Choudhury, today said their celebration would begin on Monday. He added that to mark the occasions, they would organise a three-day festival at Banga Bhawan from March 4 to 6.

The festival will include a book fair, discussion, theatre, cultural performances, a little magazine fair, among others.

Choudhury said Sribhumi, the first literary magazine of Barak valley, was published in January 1915 from Karimganj. Sribhumi was the monthly literary magazine of Surma Sahitya Sammelani.

"We will organise the festival in a grand way, involving people from all walks of life. We have invited all the schools and colleges of this valley to take part in the festival that will promote our literature and culture," Choudhury said.

Renowned folklorist and historian Amalendu Bhattacharjee said Surma Sahitya Sammelani was formed by a host of social activists in 1912 to promote the literary and artistic works.

A few copies of the first edition of Sribhumi would be put on display during the festival here, he added.

"Our aim is to collect the past literary works of local writers and preserve it for the future generations," Bhattacharjee said.

Ram Kumar Nandi's novel Biranggana Patrottar Kabya, written in blank verse, was published here in 1872, while Haranchandra Raha's novel Ranachandi was punlished in 1874, he added.

A Bengali play was first staged here in 1904.