Natun Kamalabari Xatra Xatradhikar Dr Narayan Chandra Goswami passed away

Our Bureau

GUWAHATI/ JORHAT: Xatradhikar of Majuli's Natun Kamalabari Xatra and a leading Vaishnavite scholar of the country Dr. Narayan Chandra Goswami passed away at the age of 78 years at a city hospital on Tuesday morning. He was born at Samaguri Xatra, Majuli on September 24, 1942.

The scholarly Xatradhikar was undergoing treatment for liver ailments for a few months. His funeral will be conducted at Majuli on Wednesday with full state honour as a mark of respect to the departed soul.

Dr Goswami was known for his scholarly works on the Brajabuli language and Neo-Vaishnavism, besides Xatriya culture. He had more than 20 books to his credit, besides nine playwrights on Neo-Vaisnavism and the culture of Assam.

Dr. Goswami was conferred the honorary Doctor of Literature (D Lit) degree by Dibrugarh University in 2010 for his works on Xatriya culture. He was also conferred the Sankadev Award in 2004, the Srimanta Sankardev Silpa Sadhana Award, Chandra Kanta Hira Prabha Award, Makhan Prasad Duwara Award, Lifetime Achievement Award etc. He did translate Balmiki's Sanskrit Ramayana to Assamese. He also received literary pension from the Government of Assam. The people of Majuli lighted an earthen lamp in their houses on Tuesday as a mark of respect to the departed soul.

Meanwhile, Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condoled the demise of the scholar.

In a statement, Prof. Mukhi said, "Dr. Narayan Chandra Goswami, a spiritual and intellectual leader and also an erudite Vaishnavite scholar, dedicated his life for the promotion of Xatra culture across the country. His death is a huge loss for the socio-cultural and spiritual epithet of the state."

In a statement, Chief Minister Sonowal said that enriched by Vaishnav culture and literature, Dr. Narayan Chandra Goswami throughout his life contributed immensely for the emancipation of people spiritually, intellectually and culturally. Through his gripping and unrelenting endeavour, late Goswami enriched Assamese literature to a great extent, he said. Sonowal laid a flower wreath and paid rich floral tributes on the mortal remains of Narayan Chandra Goswami at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra.

State Industries Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Cultural Affairs Minister Naba Kumar Doley, Chief Minister's Media Advisor Hrishikesh Goswami, Chief Minister's Legal Advisor Santanu Bharali, the Asom Gana Parishad, APCC president Ripun Bora, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, leaders of the BJP, Majuli Deputy Commissioner Bikram Kairi, leaders of the AASU, various Xatras of Majuli and others also condoled the demise of Dr. Goswami.

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