Burhi Aair Sadhu and the passage of 112 years

Hundred years have passed by since Burhi Aair Sadhu took centre stage in the Assamese society, particularly in the field of literature. It is not a trifling matter, as Burhi Aair Sadhu can’t simply be regarded only as an ordinary compilation of stories meant for children, but this book of Sahityorothi Lakshminath Bezbaroa has paved the way for each educated Assamese to acknowledge the sweet and beautiful mother tongue; even after the passage of 100 years since its first publication, this book has still engrossed the mind of the masses. That is why this invaluable creation of Bezbaroa has become one of the bestsellers to date. Their flawless languages, the portrayal of Assam’s social life through the stories, and broader social perspective are some of the prominent features, which have contributed to the splendour of Burhi Aair Sadhu.

Bezbaroa’s splendid creation Burhi Aair Sadhu was first published as a book in October or November 1911. That period was the period of development of the Assamese language and literature. Bezbaroa had become Sahityorothi by engaging himself in such a cause, putting his heart and soul. He also concentrated on the literature for children from this point of view. Burhi aair Sadhu is the culmination of that effort. It is not only restricted to children even though it was meant for that purpose- it eventually became an enjoyable book for children and old alike. It has been 100 years from 1911-2011, but the old lady who was introduced by Bezbzruah to tell stories is immortal and timeless as ever. There will not be even one literate Assamese to be singled out during the span of 100 years, who has not read Burhi Aair Sadhu or has not been mesmerized by the language of this book. In other words, the way in which Bezbaroa has portrayed the sophistication of the Assamese language with the help of 30 stories is astonishing in the real sense. A glimpse of the Assamese society can be obtained through Tula and Teja, Tikhor and Sutibai, Paneshoi etc. from Burhi Aair Sadhu; on the other hand, stories like Tejimola, Champabati give an insight into the positions of women in the society. In Paneshoi women’s right to selection in the course of marriage has been recognized, but in the changing societal construct that right is suppressed under the male-dominated structure or patriarchy. Likewise in Champabati, we can recognize the coexistence of humane and evil nature- along with that Bezbaroa has put forward the eternal truth: the woman is the enemy of another woman, but it is sacrifice and love which make women great. In the story of Tawoiyek, the solid bond of friendship and responsibility has been depicted. In spite of describing the existing social structure in the form of stories, Bezbaroa tried to sensitize the children against superstitions and blind beliefs. In these hundred years old stories, there have been descriptions of foxes, monkeys, tortoises etc. but at the same time the omniscient’sarabjan’  of Burhi Aair Xadhu does not possess spiritual power- rather Bezbaroa shows that the task of fortune-telling is actually not logical but involves deceit and those incidents happen by chance only. In “Tula and Teja” Mongoloti baai becomes an effective fortune teller by taking a bribe, again in “the story of the King Jordgov” the priest’s predictions and proscriptions about luck have been a result of mischief only. So, it was an endeavour to develop a scientific mindset in children. At the same time, he stressed societal coexistence- the society will become prosperous only when everyone belonging to it perform their duties effectively and with responsibility. Strong adherence to the age-old traditions is an obstacle to the prosperity of society. In the story “A Gardener and a flowering tree”, this notion is elucidated by Bezbaroa, which still attracts the attention of the children even during this span of 100 years. On the other hand, any work can be fulfilled by the presence of the mind, but flattery becomes a destroying factor in one’s life –Bezbaroa had warned through the story “Gongatop” in 1911.  It can be regarded as an excellent portrayal of the emergence of the so-called people who like have thronged in modern-day political and social scenarios. It is a matter of regret that even after reading Burhi Aair Xadhu continuously for the last 100 years, Assamese society has not been able to learn a valuable lesson from it.