A Study of the Historical Novels in Assamese as well as English Perspective
The earliest Assamese novels were written in prose narrative form at the behest of the
Ahom kings who ruled Assam for six hundred years. These novels were published in the last
decade of the nineteen century, known as the prose chronicles (Buranji) of the Ahom court.
In the Ahom court, historical chronicles were at first composed in their original TibetanChinese language, but when the Ahom rulers adopted Assamese as the court language,
historical chronicles began to write in Assamese. From the beginning of the seventeenth
century onwards, court chronicles were written in large numbers. These chronicles or
Buranjis, as the Ahoms called them, broke away from the style of the religious writers. The
language is essentially modern except for slight alterations in grammar and spelling.
To substantiate the phase value of these chronicles, Tilottama Misra observed that the
opinion of the noted historian S.K.Bhuyan who has rightly mentioned the significance of
these Buranjis as storehouse of a large mass of folklore containing the oral tradition to trace
back the origin of the Asamiya historical novels. The fictional prose narrative was relatively
introduced in a new form, which came to existence in Assamese literature soon after the
British annexation of the region, by the treaty of Yandaboo in 1826. This treaty made
between the East India Company and the Burmese invaders placed Assam in British hands.
Assamese literature before this period largely comprised devotional literature inspired by the
neo-Vaisnavite movement of the late fifteen-early sixteenth centuries Assamese versions and
translation of sacred texts and the epics, and the buranjis or chronicles kept by the Ahom
rulers. Henceforth, the British entry into the region is considered the kind of blessing for the
Assamese people to flourish their own language, which reinstated in 1873 as the state
language instead of Bengali, which the British introduced it soon after the state occupied by
them in 1826.
The formal writing of Assamese language and literature began with the publication of the
Bible in Assamese prose by the American Baptist Missionaries in 1819. The currently
prevalent standard Asomiya has its roots in the Sibs agar dialect of Eastern Assam. The
American Baptist Missionaries were the first to use this dialect in translating the Bible in
1813. These Missionaries established the first printing press in Sibsagar in 1836 and started
using the local Asomiya dialect for writing purposes. In 1846, they started a monthly
periodical called Arunodoi, and in 1848, Nathan Brown published the first book on
Assamese Grammar. The Missionaries published the first Assamese-English Dictionary
compiled by M. Bronson in 1867. One of the major contributions of the American Baptist
Missionary is the reintroduction of Assamese as the official language in Assam.
The period of modern Assamese literature begun with the publication of the Assamese
journal, Jonaki in 1889 and this introduced the short stories form by Laxminath
Bezbarua.This era known as the Age of Romanticism in Assamese Literature. The age had
long faded in English literature, the Romantic ideal and appeal was most applicable to
writers of this emergent literature. The “Romantic” itself is used by Assamese writers
implied the same approach to literature as it does in English literature. The writers of this age
did not imitate the English Romanticists; rather they were strongly influenced by the
Romantic sensibilities of the English writers of the time. During this period, Assam was
untouched by industrialization and urbanization; the natural landscapes held much scope for
literary exploration and the literary climate was full of promise and possibilities. The central
theme and concept changed from devotion to God to devotion to the world, its beauties and
man as a reflection of the supernatural. However, this was still a literature of the early
twentieth century could not be totally divorced from modernity. The acceleration of the
freedom movement and the socio-cultural reformation movement in West Bengal and other
parts of the country influenced it and made it also a literature that examined social and
national issues. In 1917, the Axom Xahitya Xabha formed as a guardian of the Assamese
society and the forum has started activities for the development of Asomiya language and
literature. The Axom Xahitya Xabha facilitated the exchange of ideas, popularized Assamese
literature, art and culture, and provided a forum for literary debate and discussion through its
conventions, journals and publications.
The true essence of writing Assamese novel began towards the end of the eighteen
century with the publication of Padumkuwanri (1891) by
Laxminath Bezbaru and
Bhanumoti (1890) and Lahori (1892) by Padmanath Gohain Baruah. The three novels were
strikingly similar in many ways and this is reflective of the similarity of economic, social and
educational background of the two writers as well as their social beliefs. The settings of these
three novels are situated in the historical past and have the central themes of secret love in
between the hero and heroine. The endings of Bhanumoti and Pdum Konwori are tragic while
Lahori ends with marital bliss. All the three heroes are without homes or parents and are
adopted either formally or informally by the parents of the heroines. This interesting fact
seems to point to a social problem faced by the two authors. The authors faced the
difficulties of creating a situation where a young boy can meet a girl who is not related to
him and fall in love with her. Hence, the young heroes of both Bezbarua and Gohain Barua’s
novels are placed in a convenient situation within the heroines’ house where they can
exchange furtive glances with the heroines, sees an opportunity to speak a few words or
exchange love letter. The hero is always calm, hesitates to take the first step and somewhat
detached. It is the heroine who is passionate, aggressive and ready to die. When faced with
problem of the impending marriage of the girl with a groom selected by her father, the hero
in each of the three novels remains passive or runs away and leaving the beloved to brave the
storm alone. It is obvious that the authors are unable to handle such a situation themselves
without violating the codes of middle-class morality. So, Kamal, the hero of Lahori, tries to
make a tame retreat when the impending separation looms ahead. The solution he gives is
typically within the bounds of conventional morality. He pleads that romantic love is
temporary fantasy which must be given up in time in order to lead a happy family life.
Throughout the novel Lahori reacts in a manner all weak women are supposed to do.
Consequently, the story of Kamal and Lahori takes an unexpected turn and the two are
happily married. The three stages of woman’s life- daughter, daughter-in-law and wife are
traditionally experienced by the heroine with development of the plot of the novel. Lahori
considers her husband as true God and worship him as one. She is well aware of the proper
duty of a wife to bring up her children, build their moral character and to give them good
education. She never fails in performing these duties conscientiously.
The inability of the early novelists in Assam to go beyond the bounds of their class and
caste boundaries and to present the bold and realistic picture of the lives of ordinary folks is
thus the greatest weakness of these novelists. Assamese literature of the time displays a
strong tradition of novel and short story writing. Their novels are extremely conscious of its
social function and political responsibilities, and takes as its subjects and events surrounding
the last stages of the independence struggle and the shifting social and economic condition of
modern India. The condition of the modern world forced the novelists to turn to realism and
naturalism and adopt a cynical attitude towards man and society.
Of course, both of them are not seen looking forward to pay adequate interest to write
more novels to enrich the granary of Assamese prose writing. Directly or indirectly, they
were reeling under several problems like lacking ground level sources and events for their
story. Hence, they diverted their attention from this field to other literary activities during
this period. Gohain Baruah wrote only two novels and Bezbarua has single historical novel to
his credit. Both of them took up Assamese figures
Laxminath Bezbarua (1865-1914)
of recent history as their subjects especially figures who symbolizes resistance to British rule.
They adopted the main plot from history and the historical figures are characterized in their
works. So, the main feature of their novels is reformative in its sum and substance. The
sources and approaches were carefully chosen from historical events giving the action a
complete whole. According to critics and biographers, Laxminath Bezbarua was the Victor
Hugo of modern Assamese literature. Bezbarua had the Dickensian ability to combine
serious social commentary within humorous depiction. People call him the gifted essayist has
to his credit one historical novel and three historical plays which are considered a breath of
fresh air in the stagnant world of Assamese modern literature of the time. In fact, his writing
took Assamese literature on to the road of modernity. His historical works laced with the
romantic idealism of history creating a world of new faith and confidence among the people
of Assam.
Keeping pace with the advent of modernity in Assamese literature, Padmanath Gohain
Baruah contributed a great deal to the history of Assamese novel. He has left an imprint on
Assamese literary world as a founder of modern Assamese novel. His novel Lahori,
published in 1892 is regarded as the first Assamese novel. Though a number of his
predecessors wrote few novels in Assamese but from literary point of view Lahori is
regarded as the first Assamese novel. Taking a glorious chapter of Assam history he wrote
another novel Bhanumoti first published serially in Bijulee, a monthly Assamese magazine
edited by Krishnaprasad Duwara. He also proved his dexterity as a poet and Lila kabya,
Jurani and Phular Saneki which bore testimony to his caliber.
Padmanath Gohain Barua (1871-1946)
As a playwright Padmanath was comparable to none in Assamese drama and theatre.
He wrote a number of dramas on local plots and events. Picking up a number of glorious
chapters from Assam history he wrote historical dramas like Joymoti, Gadadhar, Lachit
Borphukan and Sadhani. On the basis of the legendary love story of Usha and Aniruddha he
wrote a mythological drama called Ban Raja. In his social drama Gaonburha he neatly
described the economic condition of Assamese people under the British rule. His comedy
Teton Tamuli and Bhoot Ne Bhram created spontaneous overflow of laughter among the
readers and audiences. According to renowned critic Dr Mahendra Bora, Gohain Baruah’s
Sri Krishna is an epic drama, novel as well as an autobiography. No other writer in any part
of the world so lucidly wrote a book on a legendary person like Sri Krishna.
In the last part of the ninetieth century Assamese novel took inception in the hand of
Padmanath Gohain Barua, Lakshminath Bezbarua and it reached in perfection by the keen
efforts of Rajanikanta Bordoloi, known as Scott in Assamese literature. Rajanikanta
Bordoloi, the great novelist of Assam wrote his first novel ‘Miri Jiori’ basing on the Missing
tribes of Assam. The life style of Missing people has been depicted here in a very faithfull
manner. The story, character and setting have become appealing to the reader because of its
proper treatment against backdrop of proper setting. A love story of a pair of lovers of
Missing community has been described with a pathetic strain. The misery occurred in the life
of these two lovers come as a result of tribal beliefs and customs. Along with the story, the
different festivals of the Missing people find an artistic expression in the hand of this great
novelist
However, Rajanikanta Bardoloi contributed as many as nine novels enriching the treasure
house of Assamese literature. In 1894, Rajanikanta Bordoloi published the first Assamese
novel Mirijiyoree that earmarked the history of Assamese literature in real sense of the term.
Assamese literature today cannot be characterized as having a single, common vision or
belonging to a particular school. The ready availability of newly published works from
around the world, the advent of technology and mass media, and the easy access to travel and
study across the world all influenced writers in various ways. Ideologically, it reflects a postFreudian, post-Marxist, postmodern world. Furthermore, recent political upheavals in the
country and the state, the breakdown of public morals, and economic progress continue to
affect present-day writers. Literature today includes a wide range of poetry, novels, short
stories, dramas, and subgenres such as folklore, science fiction, children's literature,
biographies, and translations. Thus, a short survey cannot do real justice to, nor encompass, a
continuing literature.
Modern poetry reveals personal reflections and focus on the immediate shifting trends of
modern life, often within urban settings. The poetry that evokes natural, Romantic imagery,
too, brings to these images a modern perspective. Modern poetry takes many forms; some
poets still use traditional lyric forms and rhymes, whereas others use blank and free verse in
ordinary, rather than poetic, language. Some of these trends had been displayed in the poetry
of the 1940s. Though contemporary poetry displays a cynicism and dismay at modern
conditions, it is not as vehement as the poetry of the 1940s, nor does it contain that
revolutionary zeal. Modern poetry is both symbolic and realistic.
Historical novel is an oxymoron, a curious mix of fact and fiction. Aristotle resolves this
conundrum once for all in his Poetics. He states that the poet’s (read the author’s) function is
to describe not the thing that has happened (that is the work of the historian), but to describe
the kind of thing which might happen, that is, being probable or necessary. History deals
with the actual. But poetry (read novel or historical novel) deals with the universal. The
difference between history and historical novel is the difference between Plutarch and
Shakespeare or between a documentary film and a feature film based on the same subject. As
F.A.Backer rightly points out in his now classic History of the English Novel that “to present
and interpret facts is the historian’s business, to summon up a past epoch to show men and
women alive in it and behaving as they must have behaved in the circumstances, is the labour
and
joy
of
the
life
of
the
genuine
historical
novelist”.
Historical fiction, then, is the artistic form that springs from the impulse to give a shape to
the past. But it’s not just to give a shape to the past. It is to bring part of the past alive into
the present. Stephen Crane, the author of the American Civil War classic The Red Badge of
Courage, was once asked why he had chosen to write his book as fiction rather than history.
The reason, he said, was because he wanted to feel the situations of the War as a protagonist,
not from the outside. And it was only by writing a novel that he could do this.
And this is what all historical fiction does. It makes us feel, as a protagonist, what otherwise
would be dead and lost to us. It transports us into the past. And the very best historical fiction
presents to us a truth of the past that is not the truth of the history books, but a bigger truth, a
more
important
truth
–
a
truth
of
the
heart.
The most distinguished Assamese historical novelist of our times, Troilokya Bhattacharjya’s
career as a writer spans over half a century.Bhattacharjya’s output is weighty: more than ten
novels, over 250 short stories, innumerable non-fictional prose works mostly uncollected and
scattered in magazines and newspapers, few plays for stage, and some plays for radio. His
range is rare: historical novel, biographical novel, autobiographical novel, mythological
novel, social novel, novellas, short stories, columns, causeries, skits, and features for radio,
editorials, and an autobiography; even edited a weekly newspaper called Sadinia Sambad for
long
seven
years.
Bhattacharjya’s novels can be classified into three basic traditions/groups: social, historical
and the mythological. The second category of novels which stemmed from the author’s deep
sense of respect for heritage and fierce patriotism provides a real insight into his dedication,
creativity
and
possibly
into
deep
crevices
of
his
pride
Assamese
mind.
Though Troilokya Bhattacharjya has contributed to so many genres, his forte, as critics like
Dr.S.N.Sarma, Dr.Sailen Bharali, Jnanananda Sarma Pathak and Dr.Prafulla Kotoky etc.have
pointed out, in their scholarly write-ups from time to time, is historical fiction. He has a
reverence for the past and believes like George Santayana that those who can not remember
the past are condemned to repeat it. Inspired by stalwarts in the field like Sir Walter
Scott,Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,Pramothnath Bisi and our very own Rajanikanta
Bordoloi to take up the cudgel to capture the tempestuous past/phases of his land, and the
work that he produced endures for its fidelity to life, verisimilitude ,creative imagination,
authentic character portrayal and charm of style. Deep insights, subtle delineation of
incidents
are
the
marked
features
of
his
literary
creations.
The Sanchipatar Puthi, Bhattacharjya’s first full-length novel published novel in 1973, is a
candid narration of the days and people of Assam from 1836 to 1857-indeed a very crucial
period for the people of Assam. The former is the year of the introduction of Bengali as a
medium of instruction in administration and education in Assam, and the latter being the year
of the first War of Independence of India. The novel is divided into three parts-He Bideshi
Bandhu,
Arunoday
and
Agniyugar
Firingoti.
Arrival of the Baptist Missionaries in Assam for the first time and beginning of their venture,
Arunoday Age and the Sepoy Mutiny in Assam are three subjects that the writer deals with in
three respective chapters of the novel named as He Bideshi Bandhu, Arunodoy and
AgniYugar Firingati Moi. The first two chapters are interconnected and have large slice of
Renaissance in Assam and depict the activities of its main players: the American Baptist
Missionaries like Father Nathan Browne, Miles Bronson, Mr. &Mrs.Cutter and Assamese
intellectuals like Anandaram Dhekial Phukan and Gunabhiram Baruah, who were
instrumental in rescuing Assamese language and literature from extinction in its very land of
origin.
The first chapter He Bideshi Bandhu begins with the arrival of Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Browne
and their daughter Miss Sophia together with Mr. &Mrs. Cutter in a river port of Assam. It is
important from the point of view that it introduces the readers to the central characters and
set the tone of the novel. After reading the beginning of the chapter we, the reader, know for
sure what to dexpect from the author. With minimal strokes of the brushes of
words,Bhattacharjya captures candidly the realistic description of the Dikhou river port with
technical perfection of Thomas Hardy, the Victorian English novelist. This obviously
reminds us of the powerful graphic description in the opening of Mohim Bora’s enduring
short story Kathonibarir Ghat .In this chapter we meet the old venerated father-figure Nathan
Browne, a missionary with a mighty heart and a sensitive soul, Miss Sophia, a restless yet
lovable girl in her twenties. We also get a sneak pick of the early works of the American
Missionaries in this chapter.Further; we also meet the first Assamese convert to Christianity
called Doyaram, for whom Miss Sophia develops a soft corner. How because of the Khamti
uprising the Missionaries had to leave Shadia is being narrated towards the end of the
chapter. The chapter closes with the tragic death of Sophia and her father’s tearful farewell.
We also get a glimpse of Assamese village life in this subdivision of the novel just after the
ravage
of
Burmese
invasion.
The second section of the novel Arunodoi centres round Anandaram Dhekial Phukan, the
first Assamese to bring home to the people of the state the message of the European
Renaissance-the utmost importance of knowledge as a means to enhance the quality of life,
emancipation of the mind from superstitious beliefs and customs and a vision of history as a
march towards progress. While these new ideas virtually reshaped the destiny of the people
of Assam in nineteenth century, they also invited the inevitable backlash-however feeblefrom an embattled orthodoxy. The section not only narrates Anandaram’s public life but also
the natty gritty of his domestic life. His wife Mahindri is a very young and innocent lovable
character who is often teased by her brother- in- law. We get a panoramic picture of their
domestic
life
here.
The chapter also narrates Anandaram’s relationship with Commissioner Jenkins, the
philanthropist who was a true friend of Assam and Assamese.The father figure of Browne in
section one is being replaced by Jenkins in the second. We also come across and empathize
with characters like father John in their sadness. The villain of the first section Captain Hanoi
continues to be the villain throughout the entire book. And his conflict with Commissioner
Jenkins
heightens
the
intensity
of
the
second
section.
The Ahom ruled in Assam from 1228 to 1926.The British were strangers to the land and had
no knowledge of the local language. So educated clerks, mostly from Bengal came and
settled down in Assam as interpreters and clerks of the government to enable it to carry on
the newly established administration. Under the influence of these clerks, the administrators
made Bengali the language of administration and medium of instruction in schools of Assam
in the year 1936.The same year also saw the arrival of the remarkable members of the
American Baptist Mission, the Rev.Nathan Browne and O.P.Cotter, arrived in Assam with
their families. The duo was responsible for the establishment of the first printing press at
Sibsagar
in
1936.
Realising the need to spread the message of Christ in the Native tongue, they soon found out
that Bengali was not, in fact, the language of the locals. Therefore, they started publishing
books in Assamese in their Mission press at Sibsagar.Some of the notable books published
during that period are: A Grammar of the Assamese Language by Mr.W.Robinson,
Grammatical Notice of the Assamese Language by Nathan Browne, Mrs. Cutter’s
Vocabulary, Mr.G.F.Nicholl’s Assamese Grammar, Mr. Miles Bronson’s Dictionary in
Assamese and English and Nathan Brown’s Assamese version of the New Testament etc.
Their zeal culminated in the publication of the first Assamese newspaper in 1946 named
Arunodoy.
It was, however, with Anandaram Dhekial Phukan that a new epoch dawned in Assam. He
was the Assamese Deputy Commissioner who was very much concerned about the future of
Assamese language and literature and wrote a booklet called A few Remarks on the
Assamese Language protesting against the replacement of the Assamese as the state
language. He also contributed regularly to the Arunodoy magazine and together with these
Baptist missionaries, finally convinced the British administrators to replace the local
language
in
courts
and
educational
institutes.
The next intellectual who tried to advance Assamese language and literature was a blood
relation of Anandaram named Gunabhiram Baruah who contributed gems like Biography of
Anandaram Dhekial Phukan and the Asam Buranji, two powerful prose works by any
standard.
The third chapter reports the preparations of the first War of Independence in Assam. The
novelist also probe deep into the failure of the rising .We again meet Captain Hanoi acting as
the
only
linking
thread
of
the
entire
novel.
Neither the English historians nor their Indian counterpart have touched the role of Assam in
1857’s first War of Independence of India. The war that was waged all over India for the
attainment of Independence in 1857A.D.had been chronicled as the Sepoy Mutiny in the
annals of the European historians. Even today, when we are celebrating the 150th year of the
great event, all the histories and other records of that struggle in Assam remain unpublished.
As such Mr.Bhattacharjya had done trailblazing job by imaginatively reconstructing the past
by
using
whatever
material
he
could
lay
his
hands
on.
Assam’s goal of independence was not same as that of Northern India. Northern India
wanted to re-instate the abdicated emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mugal King. But
Assam, keeping the unbroken relation of the past intact, wanted to re-install Kandarpeswar
Singh as king. Whoever would have become king, the endeavour to oust the British was the
same all over India. Setting themselves firmly here the British increased the land revenue and
brought destruction to the industry of the country.Jiuram Dulia Baruah, Gomadhar Konwar
and Piyali Phukan (Baruah) tried to protect the current of independence of the Swargadeos.
In the rest of India, the Sepoys were the mainstay of the rebellion. But in Assam, there was
no Sepoy of the soil. The composition of Assam Light Infantry was heterogeneous. Yet there
was not a small commotion among them. The loyalists of King Kandarpeswar Singh joined
hands to revolt against the British. The sipoys began to behave like rebels.Mr.B.C.Allen
writes,” The sepoys at Dibrugargh seem to have been much affected by the Mutiny of Koer
Sing, from whose territory many of them came, and for a time at any rate, succeeded in
influencing the Assamese soldiers in the corps”. At that time “Dibrugargh was heading
towards becoming a second Cawnpore”.The King was imprisoned on the threat that if he
would not surrender, the palace would be burnt. The atmosphere remained far from normal.
At Kardaiguri in Goalpara, the Sepoy of Second Assam Light Infantry burnt the police
station. Strikes in the tea-garden were intensified. But sadly, the British amphibious force
arrived in Assam. They combed the entire country, and all the rebels as well as many
innocent people were brought to book. Others connected with the rebellion were Piyali
Phukan, the right-hand man of Kandarpeswar Singha, and Madhu Mallik, a Muktear of
Calcutta, sent by Moniram to help the Ahom King in his preparations, were also arrested and
brought to trial. The king was sent to Alipore gaol .Maniram was tried, convicted of treason,
though on inadequate ground, and hanged at Jorhat publicly together with Piyali Phukan.
This is the background on which Bhattacharjya worked and gave life and colour to his
characters. He was a Pioneer-the master of his craft. A reformer.A true builder of the genre
in his language. It is really surprising how the novelist has become successful in presenting
before us almost all characters of the mutiny, some with direct and some with indirect
references, within the limited span of just 33 pages.Here is God’s plenty,indeed.And
Bhattacharjya
takes
us
to
marvelous
portrait-gallary
without
doubt.
Although Sanchipatar Puthi does not have a central character in the conventional sense of the
term, it does have unity of action and atmosphere that attracts and mesmerizes the reader all
through the story. It masterly tells the birth, growth and development of the new dawn of
Assam. The writer is more than successful in making us relive that new dawn within the
short span of hundred and forty nine pages-the socio-economic condition of the period: the
child marriage, the conversion of lower caste Assamese into Christianity, the lifestyles of the
Christians and orthodox Hindus and window marriage etc.The writer is also victorious in
capturing the conflicts of the Baptist Missionaries with the British administrators. In short,
the author shows a true historical vista of the period for which he has a true historical sense.
The very name Charaideo evokes a nostalgic longing for the six hundred years of glorious
Ahom rule. Charaideo, being the capital of Ahom dynasty was the hub of political activitiesthe rise and fall of the Kings. The novelist is also successful in digging out the Maidams of
Charaideo and parading before us the vivacious characters of the bygone era.
It opens with Nagoya Bhotai Deka’s kidnapping of Apeswari,daughter of Parbatia
Phukan.The book roughly covers the life and times of Ahom King Jayaddhvaj
Sinngha(1648-1663)-rise of separatist forces like Bhotai,Mir Jumla’s Invasion of Assam and
its causes and results, treaty of Ghilajharighat etc.Although critics have criticized the novel
for not having any sustaining central character to pull the story off ,we should still thank
Mr.Bhatta
for
giving
us
some
animated
characters
like
Bhotai,Lahori,Ramani
Gabhoru(Rahmat Banu),etc.The writer has dipped his pen in tears in portraying the character
of Ramani Gabhoru who was sent to Mughal Harem as a gift to Arungazeb’s son
Ajamtara.Her life was sacrificed for saving Assam from subjugation of Assam ,which paved
the way to the fall of the Ahom empire.Bhattacharjya reaches the pinnacle of character
delineation with Ramani Gabharu with embellishments from his poetic imagination. Even
though Bhotai Deka’s character showed much more promise in the beginning of Charaideo,
his eclipse from the political drama of the novel in the middle of the action deprived us,
perhaps
from
the
best
creation
of
the
creator.
Uttarakanda, the novel based on the last kanda (part) of Ramayana, tells us the story of Rama
from a completely different perspective. It tells the story of Sita and her relations and
conflicts with Rama, Laksman, Urmila or Ratnakar (Valmiki).Told in three episodes, what
distinguishes the novel is its approach to characters. Unlike the conventional Ramayanas,
here the main characters are not divine but very earthly, having human frailties or
Hamartia.We get a, should we say, feministic approach to life as the story is told from Sita’s
perspective and sensibilities. We are made to see the shortcomings of Narottam Rama
Chandra Verma.Here the writer proves his wide reading by providing us with the title of
Rama from Madhab Kondali’s (12th century) Saptakanda Assamese Ramayana. Here Sita is
presented
before
us
as
a
woman
of
substance.
The writer is also successful in analyzing the innermost feelings of the betrayed, deceived
and ill-treated helpless woman. He juxtaposes Rama’s egoistic and hypocritical nature with
pure and chaste nature of Sita. Yet, we find an articulated voice in her towards the end of the
book where she refuses to go back to Rama after his dumping of her in the forest during
pregnancy. Unlike the other versions of Ramayan,here in this account, Sita refuses to be a
mere puppet in the hands of her husband.Rama is definitely not a god here and has all the
ingredients of a good M.C.P.The only male character that stands out with love and
compassion for the oppressed is Ratnakar(Valmiki),ironically a notorious dacoit turned sage.
Even if one has read the story of Sita thousand times before, it still deserves an additional
read .And this fresh version by the best historical novelists of our times, we can assure all, a
definite deviation from the usual stock-something new, novel yet bringing back the old
nostalgia
back.
Although started originally as a social fictionist,Bhattacharjya’s creativity manifested fully
for the first time in 1966 with the publication of his earliest historical short story published in
Nabyug magazine named Bhairabi Devir Mandir .The story tells about the unsung heroes
that lie hidden under the debris of Cole park and Bamuni Hill.Maidam, another short story
published in the Manideep magazine, is one of the most perfect example of the genre . It is a
narrative based on the fact of sheer inhumanity and subsequent repentance in the character of
King Rudrasingha, a thoughtless decision of impulse which results in pulling out of the eyes
of Luchai by his own brother Lai (Rudrasingha).One obviously remembers the Biblical
account of Cain and Abel here. When asked about God about Abel after the death of him in
the
hands
I
know
of
not
Cain,
Cain’s
.Am
I
answer
my
to
God
brother’s
was:
keeper?
Boorkha (a short story depicting a crucial phase of Mughgal history),Dewal(the love affairs
of Jebuhnissa,Aurangzeb’s daughter and poet Mirza Mubarak),Mosnad(a tale telling an
episode during Emperor Aurangzeb’s rule),Rajpat(Ahom age),Rajarshri(depicting Kumar
Bhaskarvarma’s epoch),Ekhan Silar Duwar(the retelling of a legend related to Da-Parbatia’s
door frame),Anandaram(narrating the life and times of the first Assamese civilian, the
scholar extraordinary Anandaram Baruah),and Bhagirathi(retelling the mythology of
Bhagirath)
are
some
of
the
gems
from
Bhattacharjya’s
pen.
Although Bhattacharjya has written about 300 short stories so far which are scattered mostly
in magazines and newspapers, critics have failed to appreciate him fully as a short story
writer. He belongs to a rare group of Assamese writers who wrote successful historical short
stories. Some of his stories are collected in Ejan Iswarar Mitru, Aboidha Shishur Matri, and
Sahityar Soomrasat Pori Maril Eta Maumakhi.Unlike the prejudiced critics of Assam,
Sahitya Academy, the national institute, gives him his due by calling him the “renowned
short story writer and novelist of Assam” in their Encyclopedia of Indian Literature.
In a word, in the long array of powerful Assamese novelists, Troilokya Bhattacharjya stands
out as an outstanding historical fictionist. Yet, we have not appreciated his creative genius
publicly ever since the publication of Sanchipatar Puthi for which he won the first prize in
the competition ,”In search of new writers” sponsored by Sahotya Prakash,Guwahati in
1973.Any comparison of his oeuvre with comparatively popular contemporary novelists like
Laksminandan Bora would give us a clear insight into Bhattacharjya’s genius. Otherwise a
writer of caliber, Bora failed miserably as a historical novelist not because of his lesser
talent, but because of the fact that he missed to unify the two essential ingredients of the
genre –fact and fiction. While reading his historical novels like Jakari Nahike Upam, one
constantly feels the presence of Kathagurucharita, but badly misses the heart and warmth of
the novelist.Troilokya Bhattacharjya has overcome this impediment as he is no ordinary
writer of Assamese fiction. He has also overcome the occupational hazard of the historical
fictionist like anachronism in his works. He is, like Pramathnath Bisi of West Bengal, is a
pride of Assam and it is high time that we publicly acknowledge his genius by conferring
upon him awards like Sahitya Academy or Assam Valley Literary Award. Vladimir
Novokov has, perhaps, sums up how we need to appreciate Troilokya Bhattacharjya’s
literary output :his work “must be taken and broken to bits, pushed apart, squashed and then
its lovely reek will be smelt in the hollow of the palms, it will be munched and rolled upon
the tongue with relish.”