A pictorial overview of Padmanath Gohai Baruah

 Ranjan Kumar Padmapati

(rkpadmapati@yahoo.co.in)

If the town of Sibsagar is better known for Sahitya Rathi Lakshminath Bezbaruah, Tezpur is well known for Sahitya Kandari Padmanath Gohai Baruah, the founder president of the Axam Xahitya Xabha, established in 1917. Gohai Baruah was born in North Lakhimpur at Nakari village, in 1871. He came to Tezpur in 1896 to join the Normal School as the Head Master and made Tezpur his permanent home. Apart from his literary contributions in different fields to Assamese literature, he significantly contributed to socio-cultural activities at Tezpur. He became the first-ever Assamese chairman of the Municipality Board in Tezpur in 1922. It has been a practice to remember the contributions of Gohai Baruah annually, on his birthday, at the Assamese Club, which was established by him on Bohag 1 of the Assamese calendar in 1915. During my sojourn in Tezpur during this winter, I attended a book launch ceremony on the occasion of the 152nd birth anniversary of Gohai Baruah, organised jointly with the support of five other literary organisations in Tezpur on December 16, 2023 (the 29th Aghoon). A book titled ‘Xahitya Kandarir Smriti Bijorito Samal Somuh’, was released by Dr. Doyananda Borgohain, retired Chairman of the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council. The book is a pictorial overview with explanations in plain Assamese of the rare materials and priceless legacies left behind by Gohai Baruah, now being preserved by his grandson Udai Krishnya Gohai Baruah in his residence at ‘Padma Kutir’. The book is edited by renowned artist Mrigen Kalita of Tezpur.

The author Mrigen Kalita has derived the inspiration to edit such a book, first of its kind, from the life of Gohai Baruah, when he first came across the priceless treasures while organising a two-day exhibition in 2021. The book provides pictorial insight into the life of Gohai Baruah. One’s eye is immediately arrested by the photographs of the few pages of Gohai Baruah’s diary. A few copies of his diaries are still preserved in his house, but they are either worn out or some portions are being eaten away by termites and are on the verge of extinction. The diaries are almost 120 years old, the oldest one being from the year 1905 and the latest one pertaining to the year 1946. Its pages contain minute details of his activities and private life and throw light on the struggles he had to face to place the Assamese in the right perspective. Gohai Baruah’s diary has not been published so far, as in the case of Lakminath Bezbarua’s, though it has been digitalized by Tezpur University. Ten diaries were exhibited in the exhibition. Photographs taken of a few pages of the manuscripts of his plays like ‘Lachit Bor Phukan’,Joymoti, and the like are of immense value. Gohai Baruah was sent to Nagpur for training on physical exercise using Indian methods in 1903. He wrote a manual titled ’Desi Kacharat’ in Assamese; the cover page was in English. The book is almost lost; a copy is available in the store. The depictions of different postures in the book were drawn by Ghai Baruah himself, projecting him as an artist.

One chapter of the book is devoted to the photographs of the medals like Rai Sahib, Rai Bahadur, and picturesque Avinandan Patras (felicitation letters) painted in Hangul-Haital on Sanchipat, similar to the olden Sancipatiya puthi style, which catch everyone’s eye. The colour is so fresh and bright, as if it were drawn yesterday. This represents the decorative embellishments with elephant creepers and floral motifs on the borders of each leaf. The felicitation letter of the Axam Xahitya Xabha was printed on Sanchipat, is a seven-page document, and was presented in a wooden casket decorated with ivory work. It is considered to be of high heritage value, with the style unseen so far. The other documents pertain to the London Society of Arts, correspondences with Calcutta University, personal letters of Benudhar Sarma and Hiteswar Borbaruah, letters written to the Maging Propritor of the’ Asom bonti’, and the like.

The most fascinating personal article preserved is the ‘Parkar’ fountain pen, still in the possession of the family, with which Gohai Baruah created immortal literary works. Gohai Baruah dressed up in European style in the early days. He used a hat, waistcoat, suit, and tie. His two walking sticks, adorned with ivory work, are also preserved. The woollen long waistcoat is disintegrating now. A home-woven Endi chadar by his niece, which was presented on the occasion of Bohag Bihu in 1946, is well preserved. The other day-to-day, daily-use items are Ban Kanhi (pedestal dish), Kahor Thal, Ghoti, and a tumbler (bell metal dish, drinking pot). Gohai Baruah was a perfect Vaishnavite; he used cymbals for nam-prasanga. A pair of cymbals are in perfect shape. A wooden chair used by Gohai Baruah, though repaired, is intact. A hand fan made of cane, a tin box with two compartments used to keep documents, etc. are well preserved. The other valuable objects are a pair of golden, beautiful ‘Lokapar’, a man’s ear ring with a pair of pigeons engraved back to back in each ear ring, traditionally used in marriage ceremonies, a Chandratap, and a Xarai. Gohai Baruah played cards, and two packs of imported cards are also available. The wooden cot is still usable and in perfect condition. These priceless items cannot be frequently displayed for the public, as handling would damage the items. Shri Kalita has done a commendable job of authoring such a pictorial book so that the public could have a glimpse of the precious objects.

Last year, the writer visited the residence of Dr. Bishawa Ranjan Kalita, son of another literature scholar from Tezpur, Dandinath Kalita. Old books and periodicals of the distant past that Dandinath collected, table chairs, and almirahs used by him are preserved in the library christened ‘the Chandranath Sarma Griha Library.’ These are also of immense historical importance but have not been scientifically preserved. It is a matter of great regret that the fountain pen of Lakshminath Bezbaruah has been lost. The wooden tables and chairs used by Bezbaruah taken to Dibrugarh University were damaged, along with other articles. There is an urgent need to protect and preserve the priceless golden treasures in a scientifically managed concrete building permanently, preferably in the district museum, Tezpur, at a central place.