Assam Govt Allots Rs 80 Lakh For Restoration of Laxminath Bezbaruah's Residence In Odisha

GUWAHATI: The government of Assam has added Rupees 80 lakh in its budget for the rehabilitation of Laxminath Bezbaruah's residence at the Nelson Mandela Chowk in Sambalpur city of Odisha.

Laxminath Bezbaruah born in 1864 was a renowned Assamese novelist, poet and playwright of modern Assamese literature still remembered for his writings.

The reputed Assamese poet during his lifetime resided in Sambalpur for twenty years from the year 1917 to 1937and in the year 1924 he built 2 houses in the city.

Among the two structures built by Bezbaruah, one was used by him to reside and another he used as a workplace.

In 2018, the Assam government had given approval for 50 lakh for the renewal work of the residences so that they can be preserved longer.

Notably, the government of Odisha also approved Rupees 55 lakh for the restoration of the Bezbaruah's houses and sanctioned Rupees 80 lakh in the state budget for 2021-22 years.

The INTACH (Indian National Trust of Art and Cultural Heritage) is almost done with the renovation activities of the Bezbaruah's residences.

INTACH Sambalpur branch member, Deepak Panda said that the Assam government's recent approval of 80 lakh will be used for the repairing work of two buildings built by Bezbaruah.

He added that Rupees 80 lakh will be provided after the Odisha government gives the use certificate for the amount of 50 lakh sanctioned in the year 2018.

Panda informed that the office building will be transformed into a hybrid Museum/ Library after completing the restoration work.

A collection of novels written by Laxminath Bezbaruah and other related items will be displayed at the Museum.

The Trust further asked for Bezbaruah's products from the Assam government to display them in the Museum and the residence will become a Tourism Department as informed by INTACH members.

Who is Laxminath Bezbaruah?

Laxminath Bezbaruah was one of the prominent literary figures during the period of romanticism in Assamese literature also called Jonaki Era.

Bezbaruah died on 24 March 1938 after serving the people for decades with his remarkable poetry, essays, fiction, satires and plays.

He became the motivation and inspiration for many and gave new energy to the earlier less known Assamese literary caravan.

Through the satirical works, Bezbaruah responded to the social environment to sustain positive changes and his literature reflected the deeper urges of Assamese people.

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