Prof. Bhabananda Deka

2009-04-22T20:19:00.001-07:00

Prof Bhabananda Deka is a multi-faceted writer of more than three hundred Books, Text Books on Economics and Political Science and Articles from Assam, a state in the north-eastern part of India. As a writer, he was affluent in Assamese literature and was known for his crisp flawless diction in both Assamese and English language. His prose and parables touch on a wide range of themes ranging from the social to cultural and political commentary. He was an Economist and was one of the first Assamese to form Asomiya Sahitya Samaj in Delhi along with Parikshit Hazarika and Upendra Nath Goswami in 1968. They were subservient in the introduction of Assamese Language in MIL Department of Delhi University (DU) by convincing the then UGC chairman D.S. Kothari in this regard.

Bhabananda Deka with his wife and writer Nalini Prava Deka

Prof Bhabananda Deka was born to Late Baliram Pathak and Late Sayatri Bala Pathak on August 19, 1929 at Byaskuchi Satra, Barpeta sub division of undivided Kamrup District, Assam. He passed his matriculation from Barpeta Government High School with 1st Division and distinction in three subjects. He later joined Cotton College and completed his graduation in Economics in 1954 and did his post graduation in Economics from Gauhati University in 1957. While at Cotton College, he was also selected as the General Secretary of the Students Union. Right after passing his post graduation, he worked for North Guwahati Girls High School for two months and later joined Kamrup Academy High School as a teacher. While he was in the first year of his post graduation, Prof. Deka worked for Assam Pradesh Congres Committee as an Economist. After his post graduation, he went to his hometown and worked for Bhattadeb Milan Samiti as a secretary and was instrumental behind the building of the first Library (Bhattadev Puthivoral) in Byaskuchi. He was the Founder Principal of Bapuji College in Sorthebari. He also worked with Arya Vidyapeeth College as a Professor for sometime.

On 1st September, 1958 Prof. Bhabananda Deka joined Pragjyotish College in the Economics Department as a Professor under the Principal Late Tirthanath Sharma. The college was only four years old then. That was when he met some of the prominent scholars like Late Haliram Deka, Late Sarbananda Rai, Prof. Gurusaran Medhi, Madhu Ojha, Prof Binoy Ghosh etc.. In 1964 he got married to Assamese writer and poet Nalini Prava Deka. While he was working for Pragjyotish College, he took leave for a year and worked as a Senior Research Officer in the Language Unit of Union Public Service Commission, Delhi. He was retired as Pricipal of Pragjyotish College in 1992.

He was very much Influenced by Sankari Culture in his life time and was known for his active participation in setting up Belbari Satra (Vaisnavite Monastery) in Barpeta District. He has written hundreds of Aricles and Books on Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva and Sankari Culture. Before his death on 4th December, 2006, he traslated the Kirtan Ghosa (Poetic works of Srimanta Sankardeva) from Assamese to English. He was a dynamic member of Asom Sahitya Sabha and was made President of Kamrup Sahitya Sabha in 1982.

Prof. Bhabananda Deka was known for his Gandhian philosophy and humbleness. He was always one to keep a low profile. After his death on 4th December, 2006, Literature society is going to miss him to an exceedingly great extent.

Rongali Bihu: Heralding spring By Bhabananda Deka

2008-11-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

(Prof Bhabanada Deka wrote this article in The Northeast Daily on April 13, 2000)

From time immemorial, Assam has had various kinds of folk songs and dances sung and played at differ-ent seasons of the year by the common folk of the countryside when festivals are held to make merriment of various kinds. Among the festivals, the new year festival is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur in the spring season when the sky is overwhelmed with the utterances of the coming of the Bordoichila. All classes of people, irrespective of caste, creed and religion take part in the new year spring festival. This festival in Assam is known as Rongali Bihu. The most significant part of the spring festival, also called as Bohag Bihu, is the songs and dances which are sung and played expressing delight and also the love for life, society and friendship. Young girls from the countryside sing and dance to welcome Bihu. Nature begins to bloom with new colours and a new urge for recreation. This is expressed through various rites and festivals, song and dances and merry making.

Among the seasonal festivals, the Bihus have a wider popularity. There are three Bihu festivals in Assam which mark the agricultural season. The first is celebrated at the beginning of cultivation. The second is at the time when the seeds sown begins to appear as seedling, and the third is at the time of harvesting. The Rongali Bihu or spring festival is celebrated at the beginning of the period when seeds are sown in the field. Bhogali or Magh Bihu is observed at the period of harvesting of crops. Further, there is the Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu when agricultural fields are blooming with new crops — greenish in colour at first and gradually turning into yellowish colour and the time for harvesting approaching.
In Bohag there is the completion of the sowing of seeds and there is the hope of getting good returns. The returns depend on the fertility of the earth and good weather. In order to propitiate nature, men and women, young boys and girls begins to worship nature in many ways.

Of the three Bihus, the Bohag Bihu is the most important ceremony. It is celebrated when the Assamese new year enters on the Chaitra Samkranti day. In such a time spring touches the naked earth — everywhere there appears new life. During Rongali Bihu, nature is enlivened with a new spirit. It takes on a new life, with new colours in the sky, and in the forests and hills. Minds of men are vibrant with joy and they come out to make merriment through dances and songs. The girls come out with traditional dresses signifying their ripeness of youth. The red Riha is the symbol of ripeness. During this period nature is gay with new urge for creation. Nature also welcomes the song birds like the cuckoos who "pour out their music". The sky is bright and blue and occasionally "rolling drum of the thunder cloud is heard". The young boys wearing typical Bihu dress with Gamocha in the head come out with drums and different kinds of flutes.

Bihu songs are typical folk-songs. The songs have deep meaning appealing to the mind. The songs are sung in the fields, by the river side and under the banyan tree. In the Bihu songs, there is the depiction of love — sweet love of man to man, love towards nature — river, forest, hills and birds.
Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu festival continues for seven days. The Samkranti day of Chaitra (generally April 14) is the Garu Bihu (Cow Bihu). Other Bihus are Manuh Bihu, Hat Bihu, Senehi Bihu, Maiki Bihu, Rongali Bihu and Sera Bihu. The first day of the Bihu is the Garu Bihu which is celebrated to pay respect to the cows, which are used in agriculture.

The remaining days of the Bihu are celebrated in merry making and participating in other social activities. The elders offer blessings to the younger ones. The young boys and girls pay respect to the elders offering them traditional Gamochas.

The spring festival or Rongali Bihu has come a long way since its inception when people had to depend solely on nature. Gradually changes have taken place in the celebration of the Bihu and at present it has occupied a place of social coherence, brotherhood, fellow feeling, etc. Rongali Bihu is now the most important festival, which has been accepted by all classes of people as the meeting ground of unity in diversity. Rongali Bihu has been able to bring about a new philosophy of life — to live together, to sing together and to be one. (PIB Feature)

Assamese Writer - Prof Bhabananda Deka

Prof. Bhabananda Deka

Rongali Bihu: Heralding spring By Bhabananda Deka