GUWAHATI: The 4th Hari Narayan Dutta Baruah Memorial Lecture was held at the Harinarayan Dutta Barua Central Library Hall of Assam down town University on Tuesday.
The lecture, titled “The Influence of Religious Books on the Social Life of Assam and the Contribution of Harinarayan Dutta Baruah”, was delivered by Dr Pradip Jyoti Mahanta, former professor at Tezpur University.
Dr Mahanta, while emphasising Dutta Barua’s unparalleled dedication to collecting, editing, and publishing Vaishnavait literature in the region, said, “Harinarayan Dutta Barua’s contribution to education, literature, and the publishing industry elevated the intellectual and social life of Assam.”
Earlier, the event commenced with a soulful rendition of Naam Ghoxa by renowned singer Sharat Rag.
It was followed by the ceremonial lamp-lighting ceremony by Dr Mahanta, along with esteemed guests including Dr. Suryakant Hazarika, President of Assam Sahitya Sabha, and Dr Paramananda Majumdar.
Dr Hazarika, who attended the do as the Chief Guest, shed light on Dutta Barua’s significant contributions to Assam’s printing and publishing landscape, particularly highlighting the publication of Chitrabhagavat.
As a gesture of support, Dr Hazarika and Dr Eva Hazarika, representing the SH Educational Foundation, donated valuable books, including an illustrated Kirtan Ghoxa, to the library, which were graciously accepted by University Chancellor, Dr Narendra Nath Dutta.
The do, expertly conducted by Dr Rubi Goswami, was attended by distinguished writers, photographers, and members of the Harinarayan Dutta Barua family.
One of the highlights of the evening was a captivating Borgeet performance by university students trained under the guidance of acclaimed artist Anant Oja.
The programme concluded with a mesmerising Satriya Nirtya performance by university students, followed by the screening of two research documentaries on cultural and ethnological subjects, produced by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University.
While primarily catering to university students, the library aims to provide access to outside researchers as well, with various book discussions already underway in the adjoining meeting room.
Notably, popular writer Durjay Dutta engaged with students in a few discussions, further enriching the academic and literary ambiance of the institution.
