Assamese Literature in brief, Assam is a State in the Northeast of India full of natural and cultural diversity.

1. Assamese Language & Literature

2. History of Assamese Language
• Eastern Indo-Aryan Language
• Nefamese is a Pidgin in Arunachal Pradesh
[an amalgamation of two disparate languages, used by two populations having
no common language as a lingua franca to communicate]
• Nagamese is a Creole in Nagaland [A dialect formed from
two or more languages which has developed from a pidgin to become a first
language.]
• Evolved from middle Indo-Aryan Magadhi Prakrit
before 7th Century AD
• Other languages in the family Odiya, Bengali,
Kamata
• Script- Kamarupi -Assamese [Emerged from Gupta Script]

3. Assamese Literature
• Started back in 9-10th century AD
• Bani Kanta Kakati divides Assamese Literature
into 3 Eras:
• Early Assamese
• Middle Assamese
• Modern Assamese

4. Early Assamese
• First reference to Assamese language in
Chinese traveller Xuanzang- during Kumar
Varkaravarman.
• Literary texts-
• Charyapadas, Buddhist ballads [8-10th AD)
• Mantra Sahitya- Devotional works [Adi rasa,
Maiamatir Gan, Sunya Puran, Krishna Kirtan]
• [Works based on Sanskrit scripts]

5. Middle Assamese
• Pre-Shankari literature [1300-1490]- Translations
& Adaptations
• Hema Saraswati- Prahlad Charita and Hara Gauri
Samvada
• Madhava Kandal- Saptakanda Ramayana 14th
century. [After Kamban's (Tamil, 12th century), and before Kirttivas'
(Bengali, 15th century), Tulsidas' (Awadhi, 16th century), Balaram Das' (Oriya)
etc]
• Saptakanda Ramayan is first to be renditioned in
Indo-Aryan language
• Choral songs [narration-performances- Oja-Pali, a
precursor to theater and theatrical performances,
known as Panchali works]

6. Middle Assamese
• Shankari Literature (1490-1700 AD)
• Shankardeva (1449–1568)- Kirtana Ghosha
[Magnum Opus]
• Borgeet,Ankia Naat, Bhaona, Sattriya, literary
lang
• Books- Gunamala and plays- Rukmini haran
• Madhavdeva (1489–1596) [a disciple
of Sankardeva]- Naam Ghosa ( Magnum opus)
• Other contributions- 191 Borgeets, several plays
• Other authors- Ananta Kandali, Rama Saraswati
(Assamese translation of Mahabharata),
Bhattadeva (father of Assamese Prose)

7. Post Shankari (1700-1826)
• [Works based on Sanskrit scripts continued]
• Raghunath Mahanta- Katha-Ramayana,
Adbhut Ramayana and Satrunjoy-based on
the Ramayana.
• Kaviraj Chakravarti- [Translated] Brahma
Vaivarta Purana and Shakuntala
• Kaamratna- Tantra, Bhaswati [Translation]
• Srihastha Muktavali on Dance and mudra by
Suchand Ojha [Translation]

8. Modern Assamese
• Saw the emergence of prose [Buranjis of Ahom court]
• Missionary influence- publication of Assamese Bible in
1819 [American Missionaries]
• First printing press- Sibsagar [1836]
• 1846- Monthly periodical Arunodoi
• 1848 – Nathan Brown published first Assamese
Grammar
• 1867- M Bronson compiled first Assamese-English
dictionary.
• 1872- Assamese became the language of education
and administration for its native speakers
• 1874-It became sole medium of instruction in Primary
educational institutions

9. Missionary Era
Anandaram Dhekial Phukan (1829–1859) wrote in
the Arunodoi era
Contributions- Axomiya Lorar Mitro (Friend of an
Assamese Boy) (1849), A few remarks on Assamese
language, in English (1855), Englandor
Biwaran (Description of England) in Orunodoi (1847)
Gunabhiram Barua (1837-1894) - [formally entered
Brahmo Samaj]
Contributions- The first social drama in Assamese -
Ramnabami-Natak (1870), Assam Buranji (1887),
literary journal Assam-Bandhu(1885-1886)

10. Missionary Era
• Hemchandra Barua (1835-1897)
• Contributions- Assamese dictionary Hemkosh (1900),
• Oxomiya Byakoron(1859)
• Adipath(1873)
• Pathmala (1882)
• Oxomiya lorar Byakoron(Grammar for Assamese children)
1886)
• [All the above four books were accepted as text books for
schools and also awarded by the British Government.]
• Kaniya Kirton(1861)
• Assamese Marriage System

11. Jonaki Era
• Lakshminath Bezboruah- Jonaki [Assamese Journal]
(1889)
• Rajanikanta Bordoloi- first Assamese novel Mirijiyori
(1894 )
• Other notable writers- Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, Birinchi
Kumar Barua, Hem Barua, Atul Chandra
Hazarika, Mafizuddin Ahmed Hazarika, Nalini Bala
Devi, Navakanta Barua, Syed Abdul Malik, Mamoni
Raisom Goswami, Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Homen
Borgohain, Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya
• 1917- Asam Sahitya Sabha -guardian of the Assamese
society and the forum for the development of
Assamese language and literature
• Padmanath Gohain Baruah- first president

12. Jyoti Prasad Agarwala (1903-1951)
• Known as Rupkonwar of Assamese culture, a
cultural icon
• Founder of Assamese cinema- Joymoti (1935)
• Death Anniversary is celebrated as - Silpi
divas (Artists' Day)
• Notable plays- Sonit Kunwori, Rupalim, Nimati
Konya or Rupkonwar, Kanaklata
• 2004- A commemorative stamp was issued in
his name.