Tezpur, July 31: The 41st death anniversary of cultural icon Natasurya Phani Sarma was observed today in Tezpur and the rest of the state.

Tezpur Zila Sahitya Sabha organised a prabhat pheri in the morning and later a cultural procession through the town, before converging at the Sarma’s home at Kolibari, where various organisations paid floral tributes to the icon along with Bishnu Prasad Rabha and Jyoti Prasad Agarwala.

Various programmes, including selected portions of some of Agarwala’s famous plays, were staged at his ancestral house at Poki.

The Bahbari Usha Natya Samaj of Tezpur also organised day-long programmes today. In the next four days, beginning tomorrow, various plays will be presented by drama groups.

However, there was a note of resentment over the alleged indifferent attitude of authorities towards the deplorable condition of Natasuraya Phani Sarma’s cemetery and unabated encroachment on it, thus putting its very existence under threat.

“It is sad that till date people here do not even know where Phani Sarma’s samadhisthal is located,” lamented Ajit, Sarma’s son. He said while the samadhisthal of Agarwala and Rabha have become a major attraction, Sarma’s samadhi has been neglected and is in pitiable condition.

“The Ban Theatre family, which has been dealing with these, should at least make an effort to preserve the area of his samadhisthal as a mark of tribute for his contribution to the cultural field,” he said.