The influences of Western thoughts in modern Assamese Literature BOGARAM NATH, 4th, year B.A. |
There is hardly any literature which declares itself to be a rich one in
itself. To build up a rich and healthy literature, the culture and civilization
of a country shall have to embrace others in a certain degree. Assamese
literature, from this stand point, is of rich growth. The old regime of the
Ahom paved the way for that of the British, who along with the new and
manufactured merchandise, carried a lurid light of the civilization of the
Thames to the domain of Assamese literature. Assamese literature is a
literature of conflict of ideas and feelings through the process of civilisation
and culture of the last decade of the 19th century. The influence of western
thoughts in Assamese literature is, therefore, clearly noticeable,
The British rule in India throughout the last two hundred years have left an
indelible stamp on the cultural life of India. This is because it is said that
the "Western education ended it (British regime) intellectually."
The age of modern Assamese literature began in 1826 along with the political change of the country. Since that time forward, the literature of the eastern part of India especially of Assam has been making every possible effort to succeed even in innumerable troubles and difficulties in the path of its progress. The Christian Missionaries started a monthly periodical known as 'Oronodoi'in 1846 to give a fillip to the promising Assamese youths in literature. Through this monthly journal, the Baptist Mission inspired the Assamese people in Western science, literature and education. This was the age of Christian literature in Assam. In fact, this Christian literature is the root cause of western thoughts in modern Assamese literature.
The age of Jonaki' began in 1889 in Assam. In the pre-Jonaki age, Assamese literature was not directly influenced by the Western thoughts. It came to Assamese literature through Bengali literature as a result of the extraordinary influence of Bengali in Assamese language and literature. Principal Hem Barua writes: "In the pre-Jonaki age, the influence of the West on Assamese literature was not direct; the Anglo-Bengali trend
