Assamese Literature and the Historical Chronicles (Buranjis)
Assamese literature is one of the oldest and richest literatures of North East India, with a continuous tradition stretching over a thousand years. Questions on Assamese literature and on the Buranjis, the historical chronicles of the Ahom kingdom, appear regularly in the art and culture and history sections of ADRE, APSC, Assam Police, DHS, SSC and Railway examinations. Candidates are expected to know the earliest texts such as the Charyapada, the great Vaishnavite writers Srimanta Sankardeva and Madhavdeva, the first Assamese Ramayana of Madhava Kandali, the growth of prose under Bhattadeva, and the nature and importance of the Buranjis as historical records. Because the same authors and works are asked in many different ways, a writer-by-writer and work-by-work revision is the most reliable way to prepare this topic.
Beginnings: The Charyapada
The earliest specimen of Assamese literature is the Charyapada, a collection of Buddhist mystical songs composed between the eighth and twelfth centuries. These songs, also called Charyagiti, were written in an early form of the Assamese-Bengali-Odia speech and were brought to light by the scholar Haraprasad Shastri in Nepal in the early twentieth century. The Charyapada is important because it shows that a literary language was already in use in the region long before the Ahom period, and it is often described as a common ancestor of several eastern Indian literatures. Questions frequently ask for the name of the earliest Assamese text and the nature of its songs.
Madhava Kandali and the Saptakanda Ramayana
The first translation of the Ramayana into Assamese was made by the poet Madhava Kandali in the fourteenth century. His work, the Saptakanda Ramayana, was composed at the request of a Kachari king and is one of the earliest full Ramayanas in any modern Indian language. Madhava Kandali wrote in simple, vigorous language and is regarded as the first great poet of Assamese. His Ramayana is a landmark because it made the epic available to ordinary people and set the foundation for later Assamese poetry. Examinations often ask who wrote the first Assamese Ramayana and when it was composed.
Srimanta Sankardeva and the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement
Srimanta Sankardeva, who lived in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, is called the father of Assamese literature and culture. He led the Neo-Vaishnavite movement and produced a vast body of devotional literature, including the Kirtan Ghosa, a collection of devotional songs and verses that is the central book of the faith. Sankardeva also wrote Ankia Naat, the first dramatic works in Assamese, and Borgeet, the classical devotional songs. Through the Sattra and the Namghar he spread a common religion, a common language and a common art. His contribution to literature, music, dance and drama is so wide that almost every examination on Assamese culture includes a question on him.
Madhavdeva and the Namghosa
Madhavdeva was the chief disciple and spiritual successor of Sankardeva. He wrote the Namghosa, also called the Namghosha, a collection of devotional verses that is recited daily in the Namghars of Assam. The Namghosa is second only to the Kirtan Ghosa in importance in Assamese Vaishnavite literature. Madhavdeva is also credited with several plays and songs, and his simple, moving language made devotion accessible to all. Questions commonly pair him with the Namghosa and with the expansion of the Sattra institutions after Sankardeva.
Bhattadeva and the Rise of Assamese Prose
Bhattadeva, who belonged to the tradition of Sankardeva, is regarded as the father of Assamese prose. He translated the Bhagavata Purana into Assamese prose in works such as the Katha Bhagavat and the Katha Gita, creating a clear and simple prose style that later writers followed. Before him, Assamese literature was mainly poetry; Bhattadeva showed that prose could carry serious religious and philosophical meaning. His work is therefore a turning point in the history of the language and is a favourite topic in examinations.
The Buranjis: Historical Chronicles of the Ahoms
A Buranji is a historical chronicle of the Ahom kingdom, written by official chroniclers called Phukans and by royal scribes. The earliest Buranjis were written in the Tai-Ahom language and were later translated into Assamese. The Buranjis record the reigns of the kings, wars, treaties, administrative decisions and important events in a year-by-year manner, and they are among the most valuable sources for the history of Assam. Well-known Buranjis include the Deodhai Buranji, the Chutiya Buranji, the Purani Asom Buranji and the Assam Buranji. Because the Ahoms kept careful records, Assam has a written historical tradition that is unusual for the region.
Early Modern Historians and Writers
In the nineteenth century the Buranji tradition was continued and modernised. Kasinath Tamuli Phukan wrote the Buranji Vivek Ratna, an important early history, and Anandaram Dhekial Phukan is known as the pioneer of modern Assamese prose. The American Baptist Mission began publishing the Orunodoi in 1846, the first Assamese periodical, which did much to standardise the written language and to spread education. These developments prepared the ground for the modern Assamese literary renaissance.
The Modern Age: Bezbaroa and Others
Lakshminath Bezbaroa, known as the Sahityarathi or charioteer of Assamese literature, is the central figure of the modern period. He is regarded as the founder of the Assamese novel and wrote the famous collection of folk tales, the Burhi Aair Xadhu, as well as satirical essays and poems. Rajanikanta Bordoloi wrote novels such as Miri Jiyori, and Hemchandra Goswami, Chandra Kumar Agarwala and others gave new energy to Assamese poetry. Amulya Barua is remembered as an early writer of free verse. This generation created a confident modern literature that drew on both tradition and contemporary ideas.
The Twentieth Century and After
In the twentieth century Assamese literature gained national recognition. Indira Goswami, also known as Mamoni Raisom Goswami, won the Jnanpith Award in 2000 and is one of the most celebrated Assamese novelists. Bishnu Prasad Rabha, called the Bard of the Brahmaputra, enriched both literature and music. The Buranjis meanwhile continue to be studied by historians, and the Assamese literary tradition remains a living part of the culture of the state. For examinations, the names of the major writers and their best-known works are the most important facts to master, and these are best learnt in pairs of writer and work.
Key Facts at a Glance
- The Charyapada is the earliest specimen of Assamese literature.
- The Charyapada consists of Buddhist mystical songs of the eighth to twelfth centuries.
- Madhava Kandali wrote the Saptakanda Ramayana, the first Assamese Ramayana.
- Srimanta Sankardeva is called the father of Assamese literature and culture.
- The Kirtan Ghosa is the most famous work of Sankardeva.
- Madhavdeva wrote the Namghosa.
- Bhattadeva is regarded as the father of Assamese prose.
- Bhattadeva is famous for the Katha Bhagavat and the Katha Gita.
- A Buranji is a historical chronicle of the Ahom kingdom.
- The earliest Buranjis were written in the Tai-Ahom language.
- The Deodhai Buranji and the Chutiya Buranji are well-known chronicles.
- Kasinath Tamuli Phukan wrote the Buranji Vivek Ratna.
- Anandaram Dhekial Phukan is the pioneer of modern Assamese prose.
- The Orunodoi, started in 1846, is the first Assamese periodical.
- Lakshminath Bezbaroa is known as the Sahityarathi.
- Bezbaroa wrote the Burhi Aair Xadhu and is the founder of the Assamese novel.
- Rajanikanta Bordoloi wrote Miri Jiyori.
- Indira Goswami won the Jnanpith Award in 2000.
- Bishnu Prasad Rabha is called the Bard of the Brahmaputra.
- Amulya Barua is remembered for early Assamese free verse.
Quick Revision Points
- Fix the firsts: first text Charyapada, first Ramayana Saptakanda, first prose Bhattadeva, first periodical Orunodoi.
- Pair each writer with one work: Sankardeva with Kirtan Ghosa, Madhavdeva with Namghosa, Kandali with Saptakanda Ramayana.
- Remember the Buranji as an Ahom chronicle written by Phukans and scribes.
- Keep the Vaishnavite trio in order: Sankardeva, Madhavdeva, Bhattadeva.
- Note the modern names: Bezbaroa, Bordoloi, Hemchandra Goswami, Indira Goswami.
- Remember 1846 for the Orunodoi and 2000 for the Jnanpith of Indira Goswami.
How to Prepare This Topic
- Draw a table with columns for writer, period and best-known work.
- Make a separate short list of the literary firsts in Assamese.
- Write two or three lines on the Charyapada and the Saptakanda Ramayana.
- Learn the Buranji names and what each chronicle records.
- Note the dates: 1846 for the Orunodoi and 2000 for the Jnanpith Award.
- Revise the Vaishnavite writers and then the modern writers in two separate sittings.
Common Exam Traps
- Confusing Madhava Kandali with Madhavdeva; one wrote the Ramayana, the other the Namghosa.
- Attributing the Kirtan Ghosa to Madhavdeva instead of Sankardeva.
- Calling the Charyapada a Vaishnavite work; it is a Buddhist text.
- Forgetting that the earliest Buranjis were in Tai-Ahom, not Assamese.
- Mixing up Bhattadeva, the father of prose, with Bezbaroa, the Sahityarathi.
- Writing the wrong year for the Orunodoi or for the Jnanpith Award.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the earliest specimen of Assamese literature?
The Charyapada is the earliest specimen of Assamese literature. It is a collection of Buddhist mystical songs composed between the eighth and twelfth centuries and was discovered by Haraprasad Shastri in Nepal.
Who wrote the first Assamese Ramayana and what is it called?
The first Assamese Ramayana, called the Saptakanda Ramayana, was written by Madhava Kandali in the fourteenth century. It is one of the earliest full Ramayanas in any modern Indian language.
What is a Buranji?
A Buranji is a historical chronicle of the Ahom kingdom written by official chroniclers called Phukans and by royal scribes. The earliest Buranjis were written in Tai-Ahom and were later translated into Assamese.
Who is the father of Assamese prose and what did he write?
Bhattadeva is regarded as the father of Assamese prose. He translated the Bhagavata Purana into prose in works such as the Katha Bhagavat and the Katha Gita.
Who is the Sahityarathi of Assamese literature?
Lakshminath Bezbaroa is known as the Sahityarathi, or charioteer of Assamese literature. He is the founder of the Assamese novel and wrote the famous folk-tale collection Burhi Aair Xadhu.