Who is known as the Doyen of Assamese Literature?

Lakshminath Bezbaroa

Lakshminath Bezbaroa is known as the Doyen of Assamese Literature. He was a scholar, writer, and social reformer who played a major role in the Assamese Renaissance. He was born in 1864 in Sibsagar, Assam, and he studied Sanskrit and Assamese at the Government Sanskrit College in Sibsagar. After graduating, he went on to study at the University of Calcutta.

Bezbaroa returned to Assam in 1886 and began working as a teacher and journalist. He also began writing and publishing articles on Assamese language and literature. In 1892, he founded the Assamese journal Jyoti, which became a leading forum for the discussion of Assamese social and cultural issues.

Bezbaroa was a prolific writer, and he wrote on a wide range of topics, including history, philosophy, religion, and literature. He is best known for his novels, Karuna and Bisarjan, which are considered to be classics of Assamese literature. He was also a leading figure in the Assamese social reform movement, and he campaigned for the rights of women and the abolition of child marriage.

Bezbaroa died in 1938. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of Assamese language and literature. He is often referred to as the Doyen of Assamese Literature, a reference to his status as a towering figure in Assamese literary circles.

Here are some of Bezbaroa's most notable works:

  • Karuna (1899): A novel about the plight of widows in Assamese society.
  • Bisarjan (1909): A novel about the conflict between traditional and modern values in Assamese society.
  • Jyoti (1892-1901): A journal that Bezbaroa founded and edited. It was a leading forum for the discussion of Assamese social and cultural issues.
  • Assamese Literature (1912): A history of Assamese literature.
  • Asomiya Sahitya Darpan (1924): A collection of Bezbaroa's essays on Assamese literature.

Bezbaroa's work has had a profound impact on the development of Assamese literature. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in Assamese literary history, and his work continues to be read and studied today.