News
 International
   Global Views
   Asia-Pacific
   America
   Europe
   Middle East & Africa
 National
 Embassy News
 Arts & Living
 Business
 Travel & Hotel
 Medical Tourism New
 Taekwondo
 Media
 Letters to Editor
 Photo Gallery
 News Media Link
 TV Schedule Link
 News English
 Life
 Hospitals & Clinics
 Flea Market
 Moving & Packaging
 Religious Service
 Korean Classes
 Korean Weather
 Housing
 Real Estate
 Home Stay
 Room Mate
 Job
 English Teaching
 Translation/Writing
 Job Offered/Wanted
 Business
 Hotel Lounge
 Foreign Exchanges
 Korean Stock
 Business Center
 PR & Ads
 Entertainment
 Arts & Performances
 Restaurants & Bars
 Tour & Travel
 Shopping Guide
 Community
 Foreign Missions
 Community Groups
 PenPal/Friendship
 Volunteers
 Foreign Workers
 Useful Services
 ST Banner Exchange
  Asia-Pacific
Letters from India
Cries Mounted for Reviving Nabin Chandra Bardoloi Library
By Nava Thakuria
Special Correspondent
Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall cum Library

Persistent voices are being raised to revive a historic public library cum hall at the heart of Guwahati city and popular demands are floated for using the space for occasional and selected public gatherings. The library, surrounded by Cotton University, Handique Girls¡¯ College, Gauhati High Court, State Museum, Ravindra Bhawan etc, carries the memory of many great personalities of yesteryears.

Named after a great Assamese patriot, socio-political leader and writer, the library cum hall is a century old structure. Erected on the western bank of pre-historic picturesque tank (Dighalipukhuri) in
1910, the library was initially known as Lord Curzon Hall. Later it was dedicated to the memory of Karmavir Nabin Chandra Bardoloi in 1953 with the goodwill of the then Assam Chief Minister Bishnu Ram Medhi.

Initially a big Assam type house was built at Panbazar locality in 1900 to welcome the then India¡¯s Viceroy Lord Curzon, who visited
Assam in 1903. By now the momentous Cotton College emerged in the same locality. Great personalities like Manik Chandra Barooah, Rai Bahadur, Bhuban Ram Das, Jagannath Baruah (BA Jagannath), and Satyanath Bora with few others established the Curzon Hall with generous public donations.

The then chief commissioner Henry Cotton and commissioner Lt. Col. Gordon also supported the initiative and the hall cum library was constructed within a year. By 1912, the Curzon Hall was shifted to the present location and the old building was allowed to house the Cotton College library, which is still being used by the students of the prestigious institution.

The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) took the responsibility to restore the hall in 1969. But the corporation started using the hall as one of their branch offices in 1975 and like many government buildings across the country, the significant structure ended up facing the carelessness and apathy of the authority.

Today the voluminous campus has virtually turned into a GMC dumping ground.Lately the GMC as well as Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) and Cotton College (now a University) authorities had separately proposed the government to shift the library from its present location and hand over the plot to them, as everyone has plans to develop the space according to their growing needs.

However, civil society groups have vehemently opposed the move to shift the library and reiterated their demand to restore it for the benefit of citizens. They are unanimous in their views that the
building witnessed many historic events in the last century and it was graced by most of the Assamese stalwarts including many national heroes in that period paving the way for raising demands to declare it as a heritage building.

¡°As a witness of many historic events, the hall now stands as a symbol of pride and tradition of Guwahati. Most important meetings of the town used to be held here till the Sixties,¡± said Dipankar Banerjee, a prominent history scholar, adding that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Acharya PC Roy, Educationist Ashutosh Mukherjee, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Loknayak Joyprakash Narayan with many others delivered lectures at the hall in different occasions.

The first public library of northeast India also housed Assam State Library in 1953, which was later shifted to the southern bank of Dighalipukhuri in 1960. The hall also played an important role in
India¡¯s freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, where Karmavir Bardoloi appealed to the students of Cotton College to join the movement. His call was accorded with overwhelm responses from the student community.

By then Karmavir (1875–1936) emerged as a prominent Congress leader from Assam involved in Gandhiji¡¯s non-cooperation movement (1920-1922). He was honoured with a commemorative postage stamp by the Union government during his birth centenary year.

An arts graduate from Presidency College and law graduate from Ripon College under Calcutta University, Bardoloi was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1934 and even put the responsibility as a spokesperson for the opposition. A visionary leader Bardoloi was also instrumental in establishing two important institutions namely Earle Law College and Cotton College in Guwahati.

A recent meeting of All India Patriotic Forum resolved to demand an immediate revival of the library cum study hall for common people in general and book lovers in particular. Organized on the occasion of Karmavir¡¯s 82nd death anniversary on 15 February 2018 at Guwahati Press Club, the meeting also insisted on installing a life size statue of the great patriot in an appropriate location.

While, senior journalist DN Chakravarty described Bardoloi as one of the most outstanding national leaders of the pre-Independence era, Padmashri Ajay Dutta paid homage to the great soul. AIPF Assam unit president Rupam Barua, academician Dr. Jagadindra Raychoudhury, social worker Jaharal Saha, singers Kishor Giri, Anindita Choudhry and Ruma Barua with many others also remembered Bardoloi¡¯s patriotic zeal all along his life.

The Patriotic Peoples¡¯ Front Assam, while supporting the growing public responses, came out with a statement to denounce any move to shift the public library from its present location. Endorsed by Jahnabi Goswami, Ujjal Saikia, Rubee Das, Dhiraj Goswami, Kumud Das, Indranil Kalita, Bikash Kumar Das, Suryaman Chetri, Alok Das, Kumarjit Sarma, Arup Koch, Protim Sarma, Sanjeeb Kalita, Bikash Halder etc, the statement concluded with the argument that the revived library should be always open for common readers.



Related Articles
    When Sarsanghchalak Emphasises on Nature ...
    Worshiping Motherland as a Deity: An Indian ...
    Durga Puja sans Idols at Kamakhya Temple
    Searching for Roots through a Literature ...
    Welcome to Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival
    Questioning Credibility of Editors Guild of ...
    When 177 Global Leaders Stand behind Prof. ...
    Manifesting Patriotism on I-Day
    Raising Demand for a Media Grievance Cell
    India: Rhetoric Boycott Call by Separatist ...
    Banning Polygamy with Consensus
    No End to NRC Controversy
    Protecting Rhinos in Manas National Park
    When Scribes Face Corruption Charges and ...
    Complainant to Re-approach Court on NRC Assam ...
    My Unforeseen Journey as a Scribe
    Converting Profit Hungry APDCL to Consumer ...
    Dreaming of a World with Three Zeros
    After Two Years of Military Coup Myanmar Heads ...
    When India¡¯s Highest Court Faces an Unwanted ...
    Riding City Buses in Guwahati
    When Rumour Kills a Mainstream Newspaper!
    Dissecting Assam NRC for Better Understanding
    Vehicular Speed That Kills Millions of Indians ...
    Intriguing Debate on Automobile Mishap
    Projecting Guwahati as a Krira Prangan
    New York Times: Editions, Visibility, ...
    Northeast Celebrates I-Day with Full Patriotic ...
    Marching Ahead with the Spirit of Swatantra ...
    Time for Journalists to Be Cautious, Authentic ...
    Prakash: Throwing Light on Tibetan Literature ...
    When Repeated FIRs Lodged against an IAS ...
    Developing Guwahati as a people-friendly city
    Negating PSO Culture among Media Persons
    Losing Public Goodwill: Assam Media's Way
    Global Award to Journalist Nava Thakuria
    India¡¯s Restive Region Sets to End 2021 ...
    RSS Condemns Islamist Attacks on Hindu ...
    When RSS Chief Bhagwat Articulates Agendas
    Let¡¯s Talk about Self-Reform and Financial ...
    'Self-reform and Financial Transparency in ...
    Tibet Sympathizers to Lodge Protest against ...
    Prof. Yunus Receives Laurel, Bangladesh Adds ...
    India Practices Secularism, Democracy and ...
    Needed a Scientific Probe into Bamunipahar ...
    Pandemic-Hit Book Publishers Eye for Openings
    India: Persisting Vulnerability to Scribes
    Bharat: Nurturing Nationalism with National ...
    POK Editor Bats for More Exchanges
    Scam, Media Outburst and Its Aftermath
    Amidst Chinese Threat Dalai Lama Concludes ...
    Asserting Media Person¡¯s Rights in India
    China¡¯s Myanmar Bonanza Sans Responsibility
    Manufacturing Misguided Protests in Assam
    Assam Forum Bats for Work Permits to ...
    Bhupen-da Came alive with Dhola-Sadiya Bridge ...
    Remembering My Principal Sir!
    Saluting Tricolour to Defy Militants¡¯ Diktat ...
    Underlining India¡¯s Productive Engagement in ...
    A Conservator Constitutional Head in Northeast ...
    Young Journalist Killed in India, ...
    Unpaid Media Employees of Northeast India
    Journalist Body Urges Political Parties to ...
    Saving the Tigers from Extinction
    Glorious Tribute to Bhupenda
    Burmese Students Term New Government Bogus
    Burma Turns Hostile to Indian Separatist Groups
    Northeast India Rediscovers Tricolour
    Indian People¡¯s Win Inspires Burmese Activists
    Nobel Support for a Noble Cause
    Activists Condemn India¡¯s Arm Deal with Burma
    Protest Note from Guwahati Press Club
    Journalists¡¯ Killings: Justice Eludes in ...
    Games Gogoi Played In Assam Polls
    Remembering Parag: Assam¡¯s Way
    Helicopter Missing from Northeast Indian Sky
    Allegations Poured on Indian Premier
    Allegations Fired at Indian Premier
    Rising Resentment against Corruption in India
    Satellite News Channel Launched in Northeast ...
    Looking at Burma's Forthcoming General ...
    Burma Election, Refugees and Media¡¯s Role
    When British Newspaper Tenders Apology to ...
    TST Contributor Honored with Excellence Award
    Burning Rhino Horns: Creating Controversy
    Condemning Military Election in Burma
    Protest against Military Election in Burma
    Burmese Demonstrates Anger against Junta
    Assam: A Pretending Warrior and Peace ...
    Southeastern Bangladesh Erupts in Violence
    Grim Picture of Human Rights in India
    Burma on Radar as New Delhi Prepares for ...
    Assam: Where People Defy Militant's Diktat
    Bangladesh Readies to Hang Bangabandhu Killers
    International Film Festival Begins in Guwahati
    RK Pachauri under Attack from British Media
    Selling News Space Culture in India: Concerns ...
    Asian MPs Insist on a Free & Fair 2010 Burma ...
    Guwahati Festival to Highlight Terrorism
    Assam: Brutal Armed Group, Incompetent ...
    Without Suu Kyi, 2010 Polls Have No Meaning
    Beijing Eyes Northeast India !
    Bumpy Road to Copenhagen
    Nava Thakuria Elected Assistant Gen. Sec. of ...
    Northeast India: People Defy Militant¡¯s ...
    Northeast India: Waiting for Justice for 18 ...
    Northeast India : Where Protector Turns Killer
    Raising Support for Democracy in Burma
    Indian Muslims Raise Voices for Uighurs
    Will Captive Breeding of Vultures Work?
    Northeast India: Trailing a Notorious Rebel
    Is Burma Junta Learning from Cyclone Nargis!
    Is a Nepali Fugitive Winning Indian Election?
    When Politician Uses Scribe for Vested Interest
    Assam Editor Killing: Protest Continues
    Freedom under Chinese Boot in Tibet
    Pride and Poverty: India's Amazing Blending
    Sri Lankan Crisis: Shelling on Hospital ...
    Northeast India Defies Militant's Diktat:
    Woman Journalist Killed in Nepal
    Urging for Insurance Coverage to Media Persons
    Bangladesh: Waiting for a Stable Democratic ...
    ULFA Leader Appeals UNHCR for Political Asylum
    Assam Mourns Death of Mumbai Terror Attack
    When an Assamese Magazine Rejects ...
    Bangladesh Polls: Apprehension on Final Outcome
    Manipur Asks for CBI Probe into Scribe's ...
    Scribe's Killing in Northeast: Demand for ...
    'Suspend Burma from BIMSTEC'
    Guwahati Citizens Meet to Discuss Terrorism
    Group Clashes Shock Northeast India
    When Media Distorts Facts to Manufacture News
    Where Editors Swindle Reporters
    Calling upon Comprehensive Packages for ...
    Highlighting Media's Challenge and ...
    Media on Media' Glitch: An Exercise of ...
    An Ignited Assam Baffles ULFA
    Assam Defies Militant's Diktat to Celebrate ...
    Journalists Dare to Defy Militants' Diktat
    When Bangladeshi Influx Ignites Assam
    Nepal Can Expect a Consensus of Government Soon
    Victorious Maoists Lose Battle for Kathmandu
    India: Assam Party Waits for an Opportunity
    Burma after Nargis: Devastated, Depressed and ...
    When a Disastrous Regime Continues
    Exposing Corrupt Journalists of Our Time
    Nepal Waits a Republic Regime: Diasporas Don't ...
    Waiting for Consensus on Government in Nepal
    Condemnation Pours on Burmese Junta as Suu ...
    American-Assamese Preparing White Paper on ...
    Assam Government Bows Down to Public Outrages
    Shaky Start to Druk Democracy
    India and Burma Push Joint Project
    Bhutan Turns Democratic
    Disregarding Public Outcry: Assam Government's ...
    Army, Police Heads Become Governors in North ...
    Rhinos Dwindle as Poaching Thrives in India
    Taste of Democracy in Bhutan Is Not for ...


Nava Thakuria, who serves as a special correspondent for The Seoul Times, is based in Guwahati of Northeast India. He also contributes articles for many media outlets based in different parts of the glove, and can be contacted at navathakuria@gmail.com

 

back

 

 

 

The Seoul Times, Shinheung-ro 36ga-gil 24-4, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea 04337 (ZC)
Office: 82-10-6606-6188 Email:seoultimes@gmail.com Publisher & Editor: Joseph Joh
Copyrights 2000 The Seoul Times Company  ST Banner Exchange