Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, who has tried to inculcate the spirit of voice and awakening in the interests of Assam and Assamese throughout his life, he has been a pioneer in the sense of improving Assamese language-literary culture. Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, who has been a pioneer, is a renowned poet of Assam, singer, playwright, actor, powerful prose writer from twentieth century Assam, news-worker, magazine editor, patriot, social worker and leading fighter of India’s freedom struggle.
Biography of Ambikagiri Raichoudhury
| Name | Ambikagiri Raichoudhury[1] |
| Date pf Birth | December 18,1885 |
| Place of Birth | Barpeta |
| Father | Krishna Ram Choudhury |
| Mother | Daivyaki Devi |
| Education | 1/ Primary Education – Barpeta 2/ Secondary Education – Sonaram High English School, Guwahati. |
| Awards | 1/ Sahitya Akademi Award (1967) 2/ Assam Kesari 3/ Agni Kobi (Fire poet) 4/ Revolutionary Poet 5/ Dekagiri 6/ Raigiri |
| Death | January 2, 1967 |
Early Life
Ambikagiri Raichoudhury was born on December 18,1885 in the famous Raichoudhury family in Barpeta. His father’s name was Krishnaram Raichoudhury and his mother’s name was Daivyaki Devi. Ambikagiri Raichoudhury’s father Krishnaram Raichoudhury was a master worker at Handicrafts. But unfortunately, Krishnaram Raichoudhury died at a premature age. As the sole breadwinner of the family died, Davaki amidst various problems and challenges raises the three other children : including Ambikagiri Raichoudhury. Importantly, Ambikagiri Raichoudhury’s mother Daivyaki Devi was a cultural minded woman.
Raichoudhury was not disappointed even after poverty was severed. He studied under the supervision of his uncle, for his father’s demise. He enrolled at Sonaram High English School in Guwahati after completing his primary education in Barpeta. But the important thing is that Ambikagiri Raichoudhury took formal education only up to class VIII.
Also Read : Biography of Amalendu Guha
Ambikagiri Raichoudhury as an Agitator
He launched a strong protest against the British by actively participating in the Partition of Bengal Movement, which began in 1905 with the spread of formal education. Raichoudhury not only launched the protest but also formed an anarchist party branch in Assam to join the Anarchist Party (i.e. Non-Nationalist) born in Kolkata at that time and launch a revolt against the British. Ambikagiri Raichoudhury also wrote various articles against the British in various newspapers and magazines.
Raichoudhury, who took up efforts to awaken the public/people with pen, created a play in 1905 titled “Bandini Bharatʼ’ and published among the public. But the British government banned the play and seized the manuscript of the play and the British government detained Ambikagiri Raichoudhury from 1908 to 1915 in Barpeta for indulging in various anti-British activities.
Ambikagiri Raichoudhury as a Server
During this long period of British captivity, Ambikagiri Raichoudhury did not participate in political activities but committed himself to various social organization and literary-cultural activities in Barpeta. He emphasized on keeping the environment of Barpeta region healthy at that time. He also took up the task of raising funds with public contribution for the benefit of students below the poverty line. He also set up gymnasium to keep the general public physically successful. He also revised the indigenous Dhulia circus as “Shankardev Circus”, organizations, Assamese folk songs, and took up various positive things like encouraging people, motivating people etc.
Ambikagiri Raichoudhury travelled to Dibrugarh in 1915 after the British period of captivity ended. He served as a typist, music teacher, etc. in the railway department in Dibrugarh and took over as assistant editor in the paper “Asam Bandhava” published from Dibrugarh at that time. But in 1918 he left Dibrugarh and came to Guwahati and established a press called “Aruna” with personal efforts in Guwahati and published a magazine called ‘Chetana’ in 1918 with a mass awareness revolutionary ideology to awaken the youth of Assam.
Non-Cooperation Movement
Raichoudhury subsequently actively participated in the non-cooperation movement against the British led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. Ambikagiri Raichoudhury was a follower of The Great Mahatma Gandhi. Interestingly, at that time Raichoudhury was deployed as a ‘dictator’ for the organizational functions of the Congress. The British government sentenced Raichoudhury to two years rigorous imprisonment for actively participating in the non-cooperation movement. Importantly, during the imprisonment of Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, a massive fire broke out in the temporarily closed ‘Aruna Press’ and everything was incinerate.
Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, who has always been a pioneer in protecting the interests of Assam and Assamese, took various steps to awaken and establish the Assamese youth. That is why Ambikagiri Raichoudhury established the ‘Assam Sanrakshani Sabha’ in 1926. And subsequently expanded the Assam Sanrakshani Sabha and established the ‘Assam National Mahasabha’ in 1935. Importantly, through the Assam National Assembly, Raichoudhury presented various aspects of self-establishment to the Assamese people. He also published a magazine called ‘Deka Assam’ as the mouthpiece of the Assam National Assembly. He formed a voluntary organization called ‘Bharat Ekya Sadhan Samaj’ in 1955. He formed the Assam Self-Guard with the objective of organizing Assamese Hindus and Muslims with a united effort.
Ambikagiri established an initiative called ‘Kamrup Mayawati Chemical Works’ in 1927 with the ideals of The Acharya Prafulla Chandra Rai of Bangladesh by opening the Swadeshi Kinak Sangha and guiding the Assamese youth to self-harmony. Apart from various writing materials, various household items used daily were also made in Kamrup Mayawati Chemical Works. He also set up the ‘Assamese Rights and Interest Protection Meeting’, and ‘The Assam Education Campaign Committee.’ Raichoudhury also resolved a hunger strike to protect national interest by protesting against the formation of the constituency.
Language Movement
Importantly, Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, who did not compromise on the protection of Assamese language literature, introduced his uncompromising attitude by boycotting the “literary pension” given to him by the government in the wake of the government’s hesitate to declare Assamese as the state language during the 1960 language movement.
Contribution to Language Literature
Raichoudhury, who has been able to transform Assam into a self-reliant Assam by transforming it into a social culture, has also made an outstanding contribution to Assamese language literature. He tried to awaken Assamese by writing a variety of revolutionary-thinking articles and poems in particular. He wrote poems like ”Toi Vhangibo Lagibo Hill”, ‘Dhar Jharu Dhar Bhai’, ‘Ki Dekhavi Bhoi Karagarh’ to inspire other fighters with the experience of punishment suffered in jails during the non-cooperation movement. Importantly, the revolutionary poems that were written during their imprisonment were later translated into English with the title “Songs of the Cell” and published with this title. Importantly, the lines of revolutionary poetry composed by Ambikagiri Raichoudhury were also introduced in the mouths of the general public as slogans during the revolution.
Literary Fame
Apart from this, the notable poetry books of Raichoudhury are – ‘Tumi’, ‘Veena’ (1946), ‘Anubhuti’, ‘Ahuti’ (1954) ‘Sthapan Kar’, ‘Sthapan Kar’ (1958), ‘Bando Ki Sandere’ (1959), ‘Bedonar Ulka'(1964). Importantly, Ambikagiri Raichoudhury won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967 for his poem ‘Bedonar Ulka’ published in 1964.
Raichoudhury has also made a significant contribution to the field of Assamese drama literature. The plays composed by Raichoudhury, who has been successfully staged on various platforms in Assam, are – Jayadratha Badh, Bhakta Gaurav and Kalyanmayi. Apart from this, Raichoudhury’s published prose collection is ‘Ahuti’, ‘Deka-Dekerir Ved.‘ Raichoudhury presided over the Sahitya Sabha session held in Margherita in 1950. He was conferred with the title ‘Assam Kesari’ (The lion of Assam) for actively participating in India’s freedom movement and trying to infuse the spirit of voice and awakening in the interests of Assam and Assamese throughout his life. Ambikagiri Raichoudhury is also known as Agnikabi, Revolutionary Poet, Dekagiri, Raigiri.
Conclusion
Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, who has accepted all sacrifices for Assam and Assamese castes, also sacrificed his foundation for his caste. Through literature, he also opened the way for self-establishment in parallel with making the Assamese people aware of their language culture. Each of his creations was rich in individual qualities. The revolutionary entity, Assam Kesari Ambikagiri, who is constantly thinking for Assam and Assamese caste, died in January 2,1967 at the age of 82.
Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, a brave, outspoken personality, has created a golden chapter in Assamese national history for future generations through his work to establish an ideal in Assamese society through duty, patriotism and social service.
FAQ
1. When and where was Ambikagiri Raichoudhury born?
Ans: He was born on December 18,1885 at Barpeta.
2. Who is known as Assam Kesari?
Ans: Ambikagiri Raichoudhury.
3. With what award Ambikagiri Raichoudhury was awarded with?
Ans: He was awarded with Sahitya Akademi Award.
4. When did Ambikagiri Raichoudhury won Sahitya Akademi Award?
Ans: He won Sahitya Akademi award in 1967, for his poem ‘Bedonar Ulka’ published in 1964.
5. Name some of the notable poetry books written by Raichoudhury?
Ans: Some of the notable poetry books written by Raichoudhury are – ‘Tumi’, ‘Veena’ (1946), ‘Anubhuti’, ‘Ahuti’ (1954) ‘Sthapan Kar’, ‘Sthapan Kar’ (1958), ‘Bando Ki Sandere’ (1959), ‘Bedonar Ulka'(1964).
6. When did Ambikagiri Raichoudhury died?
Ans: He died in January 2,1967 at the age of 82.
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