People throng the book fair on Sunday. Picture by UB Photos

Oct. 7: The sixth day of the Guwahati Literary Festival-cum-Book Fair 2012 was marked by programmes offering tributes to Laxminath Bezbarua, a versatile writer and one of the architects of Assamese language.

Students recited poems and narrated folktales at the fair ground to mark the centenary of Kokadeuta Aru Nati Lora, a collection of Assamese folktales compiled and written by Bezbarua for children. Around 500 students participated in the programme and the organisers, Publication Board Assam (PBA), gave a copy of the book to each participant. The board has published the book to pay tribute to Bezbarua.

“We have distributed around 500 copies of the book among the participants. Each participant was given one copy,” said Susil Goswami, an official of the board. Considering the difficulties faced by the students in understanding the language used by Bezbarua, the publisher has given meanings of difficult words at the end of the book.

A symposium was organised at the fair ground on Studies on Bezbarua and 100 years of Mur Apunar Dex (the state anthem of Assam). Scholars and litterateurs spoke on the topic. Linguist Ramesh Pathak, writer Bhabanai Prasad Adhikari, academician Anil Rai Choudhury, singer Loknath Goswami, lyricist Eli Ahmed, and children’s story writers Gagan Chandra Adhikari and Bandita Phukan highlighted various aspects of Bezbarua’s works.

Eli Ahmed said the new generation has increasingly become detached from the writings of Bezbarua as most of them study in English-medium schools. “The teachers and guardians have an important role in introducing the children to the writings of Bezbarua,” she said. Ahmed said every school should put up his statue on their premises so that the children do not forget Bezbarua.

Gagan Chandra Adhikari became nostalgic. “There was a time when we were ready to do anything for a person if he told us the folktales compiled by Bezbarua. Everyday I used to pull out grey hairs from the scalp of one of my uncles in return for a few folktales,” said Adhikari.

“Now when a writer wants to write something on Bezbarua, he thinks twice — whether the children will read them at a time when Harry Potter books dominate the market,” Adhikari said.

Bandita Phukan suggested that there should be a separate section on Bezbarua in school libraries.

The Journalist Federation of Assam released three books today on the fair ground — Hridoye Hridoye Kone Jwolai Jui written by Prafulla Anjan Deka, Dukhor Dinborot Tumi Kot Thaka by Bhayolina Anjan and Kobi Bondhur Priya Phul Khorikajai by Ranji Saikia Deka.