Literary crown for Hiruda

GUWAHATI, March 17: Noted poet Hiren Bhattacharjya was crowned with the prestigious Assam Valley Literary Award instituted by the Williamson Magor in glittering ceremony at Rabindra Bhawan here today. The award - comprising Rs 2 lakh in cash, a citation and a specially-designed trophy - was presented to him by noted Gujarati novelist Raghuveer Chaudhari. The cash component, which was originally Rs 1 lakh, has been increased to Rs 2 lakh from this year. The demure poet, whose hallmark is simplicity in literary works as well as lifestyle, said terrorist violence and intolerance in the Assamese society of the last two decades had left him "unhappy". "The mind weighs so heavy under militancy and intolerance that no pleasure can lighten the burden," Bhattacharjya said in his acceptance speech. "For some obtruse and profound social reasons our literary world is now without lush vegetation. Great literature is created by the forces of history, and literature runs to seed when divorced from life and social consciousness," he said. Bhattacharjya, whose simplicity commanded great popularity, especially among the young readers, said, "The true award that literature earns an author is his readers." He, however, admitted that recognition given by an organisation had its own worth. "In reality, an award is the consequence of the creative endeavour of a writer," he added. Singing paeans to the poetic genius of Bhattacharjya, R.S. Jhawar of the Williamson Magor Education Trust said the poet's ability to convey complex emotions through his writings and his direct communication with the readers through lucid and simple style made him one of the few popular poets of contemporary Assamese literary world. Even though Bhattacharjya has had an illustrious career as a poet, he still shies away from calling himself one. "I dare not call myself a poet. Every poet lays himself bare through his works. He has no identity apart from that of his poetry," he added. "Poetry is not a spontaneous affair," he said, adding that it has its own art and technique of making. "The technique is Frankenstein too, for it gobbles up its own constructs," he added. The noted poet said every fresh experience was poetry. "The awareness of modern living, the joys and sorrows, the complexity and disillusion have found their expression in poetry." Referring to the popularity of Indian poetry, he said Indian poets had not only reached out to East Europe and Africa but were familiar like Neruda, Lorca and Akhmatova. Chief guest Raghuveer Chaudhari said Gujarat was keen to have the best literary works of Assamese litterateurs translated into Gujarati. "Though Gujarat can afford the money to have all the best works translated, we cannot match the Asam Sahitya Sabha meetings, which are attended by lakhs of people," Chaudhuri said. Chaudhuri, who is among the most prominent names in the Gujarati literary scene, said to confer an award to a litterateur was like bringing him light. "I feel like a student when I come here," he said.