Compilation of Jonaki issues released

GUWAHATI, January 31: Jonaki era is the renaissance age of modern Assamese literature and culture, said litterateur and president-elect of Asam Sahitya Sabha Homen Borgohain today. Releasing the compilation of Jonaki issues in the book form at Lakshmiram Baruah auditorium here this afternoon, Borgohain said that Jonaki was the expression of the nation's culture which laid the foundation for development of the modern Assamese language. The president-elect of the Sabha, however, regretted that such an important compilation could be published only after more than a century had elapsed for failure of the government to donate an amount of just a few lakhs of rupees for the purpose. He lauded the initiatives of the Sabha for the publication. The Jonaki issue is compiled by former president of the Sabha Nagen Saikia. In his speech, he recollected the immense efforts and patience that were required for seeing the project through. He said that though the preliminary work was completed in 1989, the project proved a damp squib as the Publication Board, Assam kept the manuscript for more than a decade as it could not publish it. Recently, when the Sabha regained possession of the manuscript it could be published with the financial help from GL Agarwalla of GL Publications and Suresh Garodia. President of the Sabha, Chandra Prasad Saikia while releasing the compilation of Banhi said that this was one of the rarest moments of his life. He also accorded a high pride of position to this compilation, only next to those of the Kirtan and Bhagawat Geeta for the Assamese people. Saikia further termed Rasaraj Lakshminath Bezbarooah as one of the few people to have shaped the destiny of the Assamese literature in the era of its infancy. Sahityacharyya Jatindranath Goswami and also a former president of Asam Sahitya Sabha compiled the Banhi edition. In his speech, the eminent litterateur spoke about the conditions in which Rasaraj Bezbarooah edited and published Banhi till the 24th year starting from 1909 at Kolkata. In spite of acute personal problems and financial difficulties from time to time the Rasaraj never wavered from carrying on his duty. Besides, Nagen Saikia, in his speech also said that February 9 of 1889 is the most likely date of the publication of Jonaki's first issue as could be gathered from all available documents. A total of 1,000 copies of Jonaki will be printed of which half is already printed. It has 1,500 pages in all. Chandra Prasad Saikia presided over the function. Eminent poet Navakanta Baruah was also present on the occasion.