Laxminath Bejbarua (1868-1938):
Came Sambalpur in 1917 stayed up to 1937
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| Laxminath |
On 14th October
1868 (Lakmi Purnima night ), Lakminath Bejbarua was born at Nagaon in Assam. He
passed away at Dibrugad on 26th March 1938. He passed out Matriculation from Shibsagar
Government High School. He did his graduation from City College, Kolkata and
M.A. and B.L from Kolkata University.
Sahityarathi Laxminath was
born in Assam, educated in West Bengal and service and literary activity at
Sambalpur.
His contribution to Sambalpur was immense, but Sambalpur did not remember him properly. It is learnt that, his house at Sambalpur has been sold by his daughter Aruna to a local person. Now, it is occupied by a State Government office, after the lease expired. The land is disputed and the related case is lying in the Odisha High Court. It is learnt that, Assam Government wants to spend more than Rupees One Crore in this land at Sambalpur ,and build a Smruti Bhawan in the memory of Sahityarathi Laxminath Bejbarua. As such, Orissa Government should not be silent on the matter.
His contribution to Sambalpur was immense, but Sambalpur did not remember him properly. It is learnt that, his house at Sambalpur has been sold by his daughter Aruna to a local person. Now, it is occupied by a State Government office, after the lease expired. The land is disputed and the related case is lying in the Odisha High Court. It is learnt that, Assam Government wants to spend more than Rupees One Crore in this land at Sambalpur ,and build a Smruti Bhawan in the memory of Sahityarathi Laxminath Bejbarua. As such, Orissa Government should not be silent on the matter.
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| Laxminath |
Laxminath Bejbarua was posted
by Bird Company to send timber products from Sambalpur area. He came on
September 4th 1917 to Sambalpur . He started his own business of
timber products and continued to stay for long period of 20 years. When he
first arrived, he stayed with Jogendra Nath Sen, the Government Pleader. Saroj
kumari Devi, wife of J.N.Sen was very hospitable. Then he stayed with Dr
Janardan Pujari ,then in a rented house at Kunjelpada.
Laxminath had married to Pragyasundari Devi, the
niece of poet Rabindra Nath Tagore. Rabindra Nath Tagore’s wife had come to
Sambalpur and stayed with Laxminath for some days. On 20th November
1920, his eldest daughter Aruna got married to Satyabrata Mukherji of Kolkatta.
On 23rd November 1928 , his second daughter Ratna got married to
Mohini Kumar Barua of Dibrugad. On this occasion, Chandra Kumar Agrawal from
Sambalpur had visited with his family. His third daughter Dipika got converted
to Christian religion in 1932, which he did not appreciate, as learnt from his
auto-biography.
Laxminath was a council member
In Sambalpur Municipality. He also assisted in construction of the Municipal
Building. He was the Chairman of Executive body of Girls High School. He was
interested in making arrangement and acting himself in drama at Sambalpur. He
organized Rabindranath Tagore’s drama “ Kalamrugaya”, and acted as ‘Japu’.
Many people called him as
‘Japu’da after acting as ‘Japu’. He was also interested in hunting. His friends for hunting were the
Deputy Commisioner, forest contractor Mohammad Khan, Narsingh Pradhan of
Gadgadbahal and others.
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| His residence at Sambalpur |
‘Jayamati’ the first film in Assamese language was based
on his drama book ’ Jayamati Kuanri’ . Shooting of the film was done between 1933 to 1935. In
total, production charges of the film was Rs Fifty Thousand only. Jyoti Prasad
Agrawal was producer and director . On 1935 March 10, it was released in Ronak
theater.
Laxminath left Sambalpur on 18th
August 1937 on way to Dibrugad to stay with his second daughter Ratna. At
Dibrugad, he passed away on 26th March 1938.
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| Postage Stamp |
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| With Family |
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| Present look-One of his Houses |
