As a grand celebration for Assamese being the newest addition to the league of classical languages by the Centre, the weeklong “Bhasha Gaurav Saptah” was inaugurated today in Guwahati’s Srimanta Shankardev Kalakshetra.
Assam celebrates ‘Bhasha Gaurav Saptah’
The rich linguistic diversity and heritage of Assam will be on full display as the program tries to bring to the fore of minds the historical importance Assamese and other local languages have across the State.
অ' মোৰ সুৰীয়া মাত/অসমৰ সুৱদি মাত/পৃথিৱীৰ ক'তো বিচাৰি জনমটো/নোপোৱা কৰিলেও পাত…
— Atul Bora (@ATULBORA2) November 3, 2024
অসমীয়া ভাষাৰ ভৱিষ্যতৰ ওপৰতেই বহু পৰিমাণে নিৰ্ভৰশীল সমগ্ৰ অসমীয়া জাতি আৰু অসমৰো ভৱিষ্যৎ। অসমীয়া ভাষাই ধ্ৰুপদী ভাষাৰ মৰ্যাদা লাভ কৰাৰ সৈতে সংগতি ৰাখি আজিৰেপৰা অহা ৯ নৱেম্বৰলৈ আয়োজন কৰা হৈছে – ভাষা… pic.twitter.com/ia5LMgVMA3
Key dignitaries, including Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, honored the great personalities in the Bhasha Gaurav Saptah who have made significant contributions to the Assamese language and other regional dialects. The officials praised these individuals for their lifelong dedication to preserving and promoting Assam’s unique linguistic identity.
Delivering a speech at the same function, Agriculture Minister Bora said that the entire fraternity of scholars and linguists deserves deep gratitude in which Assamese language has been documented step-by-step.
He stated the current prime minister’s term as the first big thing under his leadership which states how earlier governments could not earn this kind of respect towards Assamese. It is over 2000 years old and has finally received its due acknowledgment. This is a proud moment for all of us,” Bora said, highlighting the role of the language in shaping Assam’s identity.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma could not attend the inauguration. He took to social media to share his thoughts on the celebrations. He claimed with a sense of pride and elation that it is a “gift” to the people of Assam for this language has acquired the classical status.
“This week, people from various linguistic groups will come together to celebrate their languages and commit to their preservation,” he posted. His words appealed to thousands of people in the social media circle who further made “Bhasha Gaurav Saptah” even more significant.
The celebration does not remain restricted to Guwahati alone. At the town of Pathsala under Bajali district, a high-energy rally, led by Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjit Kumar Dass accompanied by MLA Bhawanipur Phanidhar Talukdar was also seen.
Carrying Assamese language-written banners accompanied with other traditional symbols, many energetic participants celebrated the pride of their mother tongue. The Pathsala rally emphasized the need to bring in communities from Assam for the one-week program.
On the occasion of the rally, Minister Dass addressed the press. He emphasized that the infusion of English words and other foreign words into Assamese language usage needs to be reduced because the everyday seepage of English terms may water down the Assamese language.
“Today, people are forgetting even the most basic words of our mother tongue,” said Dass. He appealed to the community to include Assamese words in their day-to-day conversation and urged younger generations to take up the language in its original form. His appeal found universal acceptance among the attendees who promised to carry forward the vision of the minister.
This declaration follows Assam Chief Minister Sarma’s declaration on October 27. In the declaration, he officially accepted the status of classical language awarded to Assamese. The status was conferred upon Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, and Bengali along with Assamese by the Union Cabinet on October 3. This act places Assamese on the list which existed for a long time and holds cultural and historical importance in India and further marks its uniqueness among the languages of the world.
All the educational institutions of Assam will participate in the “Bhasha Gaurav Saptah” during the entire week by conducting various cultural programs, lectures, and workshops.
This would raise greater consciousness among the youth about the history and significance of the Assamese dialect along with other dialects. It has been proposed that school and college programs include themes on languages to create more concern among the youth towards the need for preserving their linguistic heritage.
Minister Bora further extended an invitation to every Assamese citizen to take part in the festival. “This is the time to reflect on our language’s journey and feel proud of its beauty and richness,” he said, pointing out that it was a collective responsibility of the community to preserve Assamese for the future.
He ended by requesting all to be actively involved in events celebrating Assam’s cultural diversity and linguistic legacy.
As the “Bhasha Gaurav Saptah” progresses, Assam’s people are expected to take up the opportunity to celebrate their linguistic heritage and connect with the language that forms the core of their identity.
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