Bezbaruah: famous Assamese poet resides for many years in Sambalpur

Finally state Culture department recognizes the house associated with the famous literary personality of Assam Laxminath Bezbaruah and agrees to develop it as writer’s museum of western Orissa. The culture minister has taken this decision after it was brought into his notice by journalists and educationists of western Orissa. The house has been left in dilapidated condition because of the lack of alertness of the district administration.

Every one will ask why Orissa state government will take such step and why district administration is responsible for the present condition of the house that associates with the memory of the Assamese poet Bezbaruah.

But many would be surprised to know that the house that associates with such a rare personality is located in Sambalpur town and is under the possession of the district administration where office of the Sadar Reveue inspector is functioning since a long time. The house where Laxminath Bezbaruah passed most of live and where he created many of his literary works, has been left in a dilapidated condition because of the callousness of the district administration

“We have brought this issue many times before the administration but things remain unchanged because of the lack of interest of the government officials. Finally we have brought this issue into the kind notice of the state culture minister Debi Prasad Mishra during his visit to the Sambalpur who agreed to take up this issue”, senior scribe of Sambalpur, Deepak Panda told.

Souce said, Laxminath Bezbaruah was one of the profound literary figures of Assamese language. He was residing with his parents in the house located near Mandela chowck. He resides in the house from 1878 to 1938 in connection with timber business and most of his literary works he did in the said house. Many of the people of the literary circle of Assam visit the place and express unhappiness over the delegated condition of the house,

‘The natural beauty of Sambalpur has mentioned many a times in the works of the poet and the Sambalpur has become a pious place for the people of Assam because of the poet who passes most of his life in the town’, a visitor from Assam told.

The house has been in a broken condition because of the poor maintenance since a long time and unless immediate attention is taken the house may collapse in any time. “The minister has directed the commissioner-cum-secretary of culture department to take immediate step to restore the house to convert it as a writer’s museum. The minister also requested the WODC to give financial assistance to meet the requirement” retired administrator Debendra Mishra told.

Ironically the former chief minister of Orissa JB Patanik has been appointed as the Governor of Assam recently. So his office would also take an active role to strengthen the proposed museum in the memory of the great poet of that state.