Rajanikanta Bordoloi
4th Aug 2011
Rajani Kanta Bordoloi was born on in the year He passed the Entrance examination from Guwahati Govt High School in 1885. Then he left for Kolkata to pursue higher studies. There he came to the contact of western thoughts and ideas brought by English language and literature. Imbued with nationalist fervour, a group of Assamese students studying at Kolkata at that time brought out a literary magazine called ‘Jonaki.’ The literary upsurge brought by the magazine inspired Bordoloi to write his first article called Sarir Tatwa in the pages of ‘Jonaki’ that was the beginning of literary career of Rajani Kanta Bordoloi who laid the foundation of Assamese fictional literature. After graduating in Arts from Calcutta University in 1890, Bordoloi joined the office of the Deputy Commissioner at Guwahati as a clerk. In 1903, he had been promoted to the rank of Extra Assistant Commissioner and transferred to Golaghat. In 1892, Bordoloi was transferred to North Lakhimpur as Sub-Deputy Collector. The colorful life of the Mishings was live on the bank of the river Subansiri inspired Bordoloi to pen his maiden novel called Miri Jiyari.
Rajani Kanta Bordoloi was one of the pioneers of the Romantic Movement in Assamese literature who contributed immensely to the domain of Assamese fictional literature. He is an imitative icon in the history of Assamese literature. His writings inculcate a strong feeling of patriotism which is prevailed in all his major works. He has altogether seven historical novels and one social novel to his credit depicting the socio-economic, political, religious, cultural and traditional life of the people of Assam. He was first most realistic and successful novel writer of the modern Assamese literature.
Bordoloi had served in many places of Assam as a government officer. It gave Bordoloi a rare opportunity to closely observe the diverse culture, customs and traditions of different sections of people live in different parts of the State.
His historical novels like- Manomoti(1900), Rahdoi Ligiri (1930), Nirmal Bhakat (1927), Tamreswar Mandir (1926) and Rangilee (1925) are all based on history describing the Burmese invasion of Assam, mutual hatreds between the royal families and Ahom Kings, cruelties and causalities, and it’s devastating post war effects of sorrows and sufferings which had meted out upon the common and ordinary people of the time. On the other hands, his novel-Donduadrah (1909), Radha-Rukminir Ron (1925) and Thamba-Thoibir Sadhu (1932) laid emphasis on the importance of historical events and humble attempt was made to prioritize historical figures in these novels. These novels earmarked and witnessed the sharp literary genius of Bordoloi’s artistic mixing of fictitious characters with the reality of the past events, phenomenon and history of Assamese society as a whole. It is for this subtle technique of plot construction Bordoloi is well known the Walter Scott in Assamese literary world.
Bordoloi’s Miri Jiyari published in 1894. Miri Jiyori is the only social novel Bordoloi has to his credit. This novel pen-pictured the true history of Assamese society including its culture, tradition and ritual which are still omnipresence especially in tribal community living in this land, since time immemorial. It is a love story. The story is simply told in first person narrative. Rajanikanta Bordoloi’s sympathy for the star-crossed lovers is amply evident. The story has been presented in the social background of the Miris of the late nineteenth century. The community at that time, like many other communities in Assam, was not much advanced, but it has made rapid strides in educational and social field ever since the independence. Miri Jiyari is considered as the first Assamese novel and he is considered to be the father of Assamese fictional literature.
His second novel Manomoti (1900) is based on the historical background of the last few years of Ahom rule in Assam. From literary point of view, it has been acclaimed as the best work of Bordoloi. With the help of an appealing story full of romance and horror he neatly described a vivid picture of the Burmese invasion of Assam. His last novel Khamba Thoibir Sadhukatha (1932) is actually an adaptation of a Manipuri folk legend called Khamba Thoibi Givari. With the help of a tragic love story he beautifully described the Manipuri culture, traditions, religious faiths and beliefs in the novel.
He also adorned the prestigious post of president of the Asom Sahitya Sabha held at Nagaon in 1920.