Gunabhiram Barua (1837-1894) was a nineteenth century Indian intellectual from Assam who ushered in new ideas of social reform in the early years of colonial rule in Assam.[1] He was deeply influenced by the progressive intellectual currents of the Bengal Renaissance. He was among the few Assamese publicists who had formally entered the Brahmo Samaj. All his life he propagated its liberal ideas through his writings.
Barua completed his college education from Presidency College, Calcutta and became an assistant commissioner under the colonial government. He remained in the job for the next 30 years.[2]
After his first wife's death, his 1879 marriage with a Brahman widow, Bishnupriya Devi, created a sensation in the orthodox society of Assam. Bishnupriya and their daughter Swarnalata Barua[3] were encouraged by him to write and publish their work in magazines and newspapers.[2]
Barua advocated the cause of women's education and took the bold step of sending his daughter Swarnalata Devi to a boarding school in Calcutta when he was working in the small town of Nagaon in Assam as an Extra Assistant Commissioner.[2]
His son Jnanadabhiram Barua went on to become a well-known lawyer and leader of the Indian National Congress. Gunabhiram wrote a number of tracts for children, published under the heading Lara Bandhu (Friend of Boys) in Arunodoi, the first Assamese newspaper, published by American missionaries. Lara Bondhu was also named as the first children's magazine in Assamese literature edited by his son Karunabhiram Barua.[4]
Gunabhiram Barua was a cousin of Anandaram Dhekial Phukan. In fact, Gunabhiram grew up under Anandaram's tutelage, as his parents died when he was a child.[1]
Literary works
The first social drama in Assamese - Ramnabami-Natak - was written by Gunabhiram in 1857 and published as a book in 1870.[5] The play tells the tragic story of a young widow, Nabami, and her lover, Ram, both of whom were compelled to commit suicide because of social disapproval of their relationship.[6][7]
Gunabhiram is also remembered as a historian and biographer. In 1887 he published an Assam Buranji, which went on to become a school textbook. He also wrote regularly on issues such as women's education and marriage reforms.[2]Kathin Shobdor Rohasyha Bakhya is a humorous work by Barua, published posthumously in 1912. .[8]
Gunabhiram Barua published and edited the short-lived but hugely influential literary journal Assam-Bandhu(1885-1886).[9] Famous conservative intellectuals such as Ratneshwar Mahanta and Rudraram Doloi also contributed to its pages.[6]
Trivia
Hindi film actor Sharmila Tagore is the granddaughter of Gunabhiram's son Jnanadabhiram on her maternal side.
^ abSharma, Jayeeta (August 2011). Empire's Garden: Assam and the Making of India - Jayeeta Sharma - Google Books. ISBN978-0822350491. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^ abcd"Gunabhiram Barua - Pioneers of modern Assamese literature and language". Onlinesivasagar.com. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^Das, Sisir Kumar (2005). A History of Indian Literature 1911-1956: Struggle for Freedom: Triumph and ... - Sisir Kumar Das - Google Books. ISBN9788172017989. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^Datta, Amaresh (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo - Google Books. ISBN9788126018031. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^Baruwā, Guṇābhirāma (2007). Ramnabami-Natak: the story of Ram and Nabami - Gunabhiram Barua, Guṇābhirāma Baruwā, Tilottoma Misra - Google Books. ISBN9780195685947. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^ abNatarajan, Nalini; Nelson, Emmanuel Sampath (1996). Handbook of Twentieth-Century Literatures of India - Google Books. ISBN9780313287787. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^Misra, Sanghamitra (3 April 2013). Becoming a Borderland: The Politics of Space and Identity in Colonial ... - Sanghamitra Misra - Google Books. ISBN9781136197215. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
^enajori.com. "Asam Bandhu, First issue (1885), Editor: Gunabhiram Barua". enajori.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
January 06, 2023
gunabhiram, barua, 1837, 1894, nineteenth, century, indian, intellectual, from, assam, ushered, ideas, social, reform, early, years, colonial, rule, assam, deeply, influenced, progressive, intellectual, currents, bengal, renaissance, among, assamese, publicist. Gunabhiram Barua 1837 1894 was a nineteenth century Indian intellectual from Assam who ushered in new ideas of social reform in the early years of colonial rule in Assam 1 He was deeply influenced by the progressive intellectual currents of the Bengal Renaissance He was among the few Assamese publicists who had formally entered the Brahmo Samaj All his life he propagated its liberal ideas through his writings Gunabhiram BaruaBorn1837 1837 Died1898 1898 00 00 aged 60 61 OccupationDramatist historian essayist social reformerLanguageAssameseNationalityIndianSpouseBishnupriya DeviChildrenSwarnalata DeviKarunabhiram BaruaJnanabhiram Barua Contents 1 Biography 2 Literary works 3 Trivia 4 See also 5 ReferencesBiography EditBarua completed his college education from Presidency College Calcutta and became an assistant commissioner under the colonial government He remained in the job for the next 30 years 2 After his first wife s death his 1879 marriage with a Brahman widow Bishnupriya Devi created a sensation in the orthodox society of Assam Bishnupriya and their daughter Swarnalata Barua 3 were encouraged by him to write and publish their work in magazines and newspapers 2 Barua advocated the cause of women s education and took the bold step of sending his daughter Swarnalata Devi to a boarding school in Calcutta when he was working in the small town of Nagaon in Assam as an Extra Assistant Commissioner 2 His son Jnanadabhiram Barua went on to become a well known lawyer and leader of the Indian National Congress Gunabhiram wrote a number of tracts for children published under the heading Lara Bandhu Friend of Boys in Arunodoi the first Assamese newspaper published by American missionaries Lara Bondhu was also named as the first children s magazine in Assamese literature edited by his son Karunabhiram Barua 4 Gunabhiram Barua was a cousin of Anandaram Dhekial Phukan In fact Gunabhiram grew up under Anandaram s tutelage as his parents died when he was a child 1 Literary works EditThe first social drama in Assamese Ramnabami Natak was written by Gunabhiram in 1857 and published as a book in 1870 5 The play tells the tragic story of a young widow Nabami and her lover Ram both of whom were compelled to commit suicide because of social disapproval of their relationship 6 7 Gunabhiram is also remembered as a historian and biographer In 1887 he published an Assam Buranji which went on to become a school textbook He also wrote regularly on issues such as women s education and marriage reforms 2 Kathin Shobdor Rohasyha Bakhya is a humorous work by Barua published posthumously in 1912 8 Gunabhiram Barua published and edited the short lived but hugely influential literary journal Assam Bandhu 1885 1886 9 Famous conservative intellectuals such as Ratneshwar Mahanta and Rudraram Doloi also contributed to its pages 6 Trivia EditHindi film actor Sharmila Tagore is the granddaughter of Gunabhiram s son Jnanadabhiram on her maternal side See also EditHistory of Assamese literature List of Asam Sahitya Sabha presidents List of Assamese language poets List of Assamese writers with their pen namesReferences Edit a b Sharma Jayeeta August 2011 Empire s Garden Assam and the Making of India Jayeeta Sharma Google Books ISBN 978 0822350491 Retrieved 22 June 2013 a b c d Gunabhiram Barua Pioneers of modern Assamese literature and language Onlinesivasagar com Retrieved 22 June 2013 Das Sisir Kumar 2005 A History of Indian Literature 1911 1956 Struggle for Freedom Triumph and Sisir Kumar Das Google Books ISBN 9788172017989 Retrieved 22 June 2013 Datta Amaresh 1987 Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature A Devo Google Books ISBN 9788126018031 Retrieved 22 June 2013 Baruwa Guṇabhirama 2007 Ramnabami Natak the story of Ram and Nabami Gunabhiram Barua Guṇabhirama Baruwa Tilottoma Misra Google Books ISBN 9780195685947 Retrieved 22 June 2013 a b Natarajan Nalini Nelson Emmanuel Sampath 1996 Handbook of Twentieth Century Literatures of India Google Books ISBN 9780313287787 Retrieved 22 June 2013 vnh Google Books Retrieved 22 June 2013 Misra Sanghamitra 3 April 2013 Becoming a Borderland The Politics of Space and Identity in Colonial Sanghamitra Misra Google Books ISBN 9781136197215 Retrieved 22 June 2013 enajori com Asam Bandhu First issue 1885 Editor Gunabhiram Barua enajori com Archived from the original on 24 June 2013 Retrieved 22 June 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gunabhiram Barua amp oldid 1097574630, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
