GUWAHATI, Feb 3 ? What appeared impossible even two years back, has been made possible by the Asam Sahitya Sabha under the stewardship of noted litterateur, journalist Homen Borgohain. The Sabha has completed publication of the 5,000-page five volumes of the Asamiya Biswakosh (the Assamese encyclopedia) within a time frame of less than two years. The fourth ? folk literature and world literature, and, the fifth ? Indian literature, volumes of the encyclopedia were released at a function at the Rabindra Bhawan here by noted philologist Dr Golok Goswami this afternoon.
Earlier, on December 1, 2002, the three volumes of the encyclopedia on topics of science were released. These volumes were prepared by the Asam Sahitya Sabha jointly with the Assam Science Society. However, the Sabha will need about a decade?s time to complete this ambitious project, being implemented solely with the help of the donations received from the common people and some PSUs like the Oil India Ltd (OIL) and Bharat Petroleum Ltd (BPL) and also with the dedicated labour of a team of scholars who prefer always remaining behind the screen to blowing their own trumpets.
Releasing the fourth and fifth volumes of the encyclopedia Dr Goswami said that scarcity of fund could never hinder any project if it was sought to be implemented by dedicated souls. With the publication of five voluminous volumes of the encyclopedia within a very short span of time Sabha president Homen Bargohain, who mooted the idea at the Dibrugarh session of the Sabha on February 9, 2001, has set a great example, Dr Goswami said.
Moreover, the encyclopedia?s volumes on science-related topics has proved that Assamese language is a powerful one, while the volumes published so far under the project have established without an iota of doubt that there are many able scholars and writers in the Assamese society he said. Dr Goswami also laid stress on the need to publish an enlarged endition of the Chandrakanta Abhidhan, among others. In his presidential address, Sabha president Homen Borgohain said that the people who donated money to the fund raised for the encyclopedia and also the scholars and writers involved in the project infact were the persons who deserved credit for what ever achievement was made in implementing the project. He also claimed that the standard of the contents of the volumes of the project published so far was far better compared to many such works in other languages.
The next volume, on matters related to history, is under preparation with Dr Rajen Saikia as the chief editor, he apprised and exuded the confidence that the said volume would also be an excellent one. ?We have been able to leave with the Asam Sahitya Sabha some money and above all, the indomitable self-confidence of the Assamese people that has been gained through the movement to produce and publish the Biswakosh. I hope, it will be possible to publish the rest of the Biswakosh volumes by utilsing these as the initial capital within the next six years?, Sri Bargohain said.
The function was also addressed by Sabha general secretary Dr Basanta Kumar Goswami, chief editor of the fourth volume and the president elect of the next Sabha session Dr Birendra Nath Dutta, chief editor of the fifth volume Dr Jogendra Narayan Bhuyan, convenor of the Biswakosh Pranayan Committee GL Agarwalla and Sabha assistant general secretary Jayanta Kumar Talukdar. A message sent by former president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha Dr Nagen Saikia, on the occasion, was also read out in the function by Dr Basanta Kumar Goswami. Former Sabha presidents Dr Nirmal Prabha Bardoloi and Dr Lakshminandan Bora were also present in the function.