Asam Sahitya Sabha

Asam Sahitya Sabha
Official logo of Asam Sahitya Sabha
Motto	Chiro Chenehi Mor Bhasha Jononi (translation: My mother tongue - My eternal love) (চিৰ চেনেহী মোৰ ভাষা জননী)
Formation	December 1917
Purpose	To promote the culture of Assam and Assamese literature
Headquarters	Chandrakanta Handique Bhawan, Jorhat, Assam
Official language	Assamese
President	Dhrubajyoti Bora^[1]
Website	asamsahityasabha.org
Formerly called	Oxomiya Bhaxa Unnati Xadhini Xobha

The Asam Sahitya Sabha (Assamese: অসম সাহিত্য সভা, Ôxôm Xahityô Xôbha or "Assam Literary Society") is a non Government, non profit, literary organisation of Assam. It was founded in December, 1917 in Assam, India to promote the culture of Assam and Assamese literature. Presently it has about one thousand branches all over Assam and also outside the state. The central office is at Jorhat, a city of historical importance. The branches and the district units also have their offices in their respective places.^[2]

History

Till 1826 AD. Assam was ruled mainly by Ahom and Koch dynasties. In 1826, Assam came under the rule of the British, and in the process it had become a part of the political map of India. Of course Assam was always an integral part of the cultural map of India.

However, the history of modern Assam, modern Assamese language and literature and culture found their starting points in the early part of the 19th century. Since 1872 some efforts were made to build up some organisations to work for the development of Assamese language, literature and culture of the modern period.

Ôxôm Xahityô Xôbha was the final results of all those efforts. In 1917 it came into being. The first conference was held in the month of December 1917 under the presidency of Padmanath Gohain Baruah, a big name in the history of modern Assamese literature. Sarat Chandra Goswami was the first secretary of the Sabha.^[3] Since then the annual conference, nowadays biennial, is held with great pomp and grandeur, and a writer of high reputation is elected to the presidency of the Society. Before formal formation of Asam Sahitya Sabha, Sahitya Kandari Padma Nath Gohain Baruah had established Kohima Sahitya Sabha at Kohima, Nagaland, in the month of December, 1895. Padma Nath Gohain Baruah was Founder Secretary and a Bengali Gentlemen Mr. Nabin Chandra Bhattacherjee was the Founder President. There was an Office Building at the Heart of the Kohima Town, which was known as "LAL GHAR" due to painting with Red color. ( See Mor Xuworon, biography of Padma Nath Gohain Baruah). Late Govinda Chandra Paira, Dhan Bahadur Sonar and Hari Prasad Gorkha Rai were the main product of Kohima Sahitya Sabha, who were Honored by awarding Literary Pension by the Assam Government. The Kohima Sahitya Sabha is still alive (till Nov. 2013). It has an own Bhawan at P.R.Hill, Kohima, Opposite Nagaland Police Headquarters. The Bhawan was exchanged by the Nagaland Government with the earlier one, which was known as LAL GHAR and taken by the Nagaland Government in the year 1978.

Sahitya Sabha festivals

Entrance of Asam Sahitya Sabha Adhibeshan, Barpetaroad, 2013

The conference of the Asam Sahitya Sabha helds biennially. First conference of Asam Sahitya Sabha was held at Sivasagar, Assam. It become a big literary festival, unique in its character, which is attended by thousands of people. The writers of the state assemble, exchange their views and address the people.^[4] Except regular biennially seasons in 2000 and 2002 special session was held at Jorhat and Kalgachia.^[5] On 31 January, 1–4 February 2013 at Biswaratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Samannay Khetra, Barpeta Road, an administrative circle of Barpeta District of Assam. The Sabha’s 2015 session held at Kaliabor, Nagaon.^[6]^[7]