Guwahati, Sunday, October 8, 2006
STATE
Talk on manuscript, manuscriptology held
From Our Correspondent
DHING, Oct 7 – The Department of History, Dhing College organised a talk on manuscript and manuscriptology at Sri Sri Sankardeva Research Centre, Batadraba recently.
Speaking on the topic, Mridu Mousam Bora, a surveyer of National Manuscript Mission explained how Sanchi barks were made for writing manuscripts and methodology applied in it for preparing ink and other materials used for the purpose. Monju Neog, HoD, History, Dhing College in her welcome address highlighted the importance of Manuscripts which is also an important source of learning history and age old tradition of Asom. In his keynote address, Biman Hazarika, lecturer, History and co-ordinator of the programme elaborated on the objective of the talk and dealt comprehensively on manuscripts of Asom and initiative of National Manuscript Mission in surveying and collecting manuscripts in the State.
Debajit Mahanta, Lecturer, Batadraba SSS College in his speech stressed the need of learning history which helps in unveiling rich traditions and culture of a nation. A lively interaction between participants and resource persons highlighted various known and unknown facts on manuscripts and its rich heritage. In his speech Upen Ch Bora, former principal, Dhing college and secretary of the research institute laid emphasis on proper preservation of manuscripts and appealed to the students fraternity to be involved in researches to find out new facts on manuscripts and traditional Assamese scripts and way of writing puthies etc found in the State and particularly at Bardowa, the holy shrine of Mahapurusha Sri Sri Sankardeva.
Students of Dhing college and Batadraba Sri Sri Sankardeva college participated in the programme. The participants also visited the institute which houses at least 800 old manuscripts and various artifacts of Vaishnavite era. At the end vote of thanks was offered by Md Nurul Amin, lecturer, History, Dhing College.
L K Mahanta remembered : Glowing tributes were paid to late Lakshmikanta Mahanta, a legendary educationist, journalist and social worker of Dhing area on the occasion of his first death anniversary here on September 26.
Late LK Mahanta was not only a pioneer in setting up higher educational institutions in greater part of north west Nagaon and Morigaon district but also as a person who possessed certain human values due to which he was held in high esteem by all those who knew him. The memorial meeting started with the illumination of lamps at his portrait by Kamal Ch Goswami, ex-principal, Nagaon Commerce College followed by a bargeet.
Dr Keshavananda Deva Goswami, renowned Vaisnavite scholar in his thought provoking speech explained the concept of soul and Krishna sanskriti and its applications in daily human life.
Releasing the souvenir ‘Smritr Surabhi’ published on the occasion Indreswar Goswami, president, Nagaon district Sahitya Sabha highlighted the contributions of late Mahanta who did a lot for the betterment of a rural area covering every aspect of development.
Mentionably, late LK Mahanta started his journalism career from Dhing area as a correspondent of Dainik Asam from 1969 for a period of thirty years at stretch. Besides serving in different schools of the locality as teacher he finally joined as a lecturer of Geography at Dhing college where from he retired as principal in 1992. He had been associated with freedom fighter’s association, NEIGS, Axom Satra Mahasabha and various socio cultural and academic institutions of the State.
The meeting was chaired by DN Hazarika, president, Dhing Sahitya Sabha. Earlier K Mahanta, secretary of the body explained the purpose of the meeting and Dibya Jyoti Mahanta, the son of LK Mahanta offered his vote of thanks on behalf of the family. The day long programme began with the community prayer followed by a plantation programme at different educational institutions of the locality.