Gunabhiram barua
Encyclopedia
Gunabhiram Barua was an enlightened Assamese intellectual who ushered in new ideas about social reform in the early years of colonial rule in Assam.
Schooled in Calcutta like many other Assamese after him and was deeply influenced by the intellectual opinions of the Bengal Renaissance. He was among the first few Assamese who formally entered the Brahmo Samaj
and propagated the liberal ideas of Brahmoism
through his writing.
After his first wife's death, his marriage with a Brahman widow, Bishnupriya Devi, created a sensation in the orthodox society of Assam. The first social drama in Assamese - Ram Nabami Natak - was written by Gunabhiram in 1857 and published as a book in 1870. The play tells the tragic story of a young widow and her lover Ram, both of whom were compelled to commit suicide because of social disapproval of their relationship.
He advocated the cause of women's education and also 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 Nowgong in Assam as an Extra Assistant Commissioner.
Both Swarnalata and Bishnupriya were encouraged by him to write and publish their work. Gunabhiram himself is remembered as a historian and a biographer. He also wrote regularly on issues such as women's education and marriage reforms in the first Assamese journal Orunodoi
, started by the American Baptist missionaries in 1846.
His only son Jnanabhiram Barua was a well known Bar at Law who participated in India's freedom struggle along with Satyanath Bora and Hemchandra Goswami.
Schooled in Calcutta like many other Assamese after him and was deeply influenced by the intellectual opinions of the Bengal Renaissance. He was among the first few Assamese who formally entered the Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj is the societal component of the Brahmo religion which is mainly practiced today as the Adi Dharm after its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859. It was one of the most influential religious movements responsible for the making of...
and propagated the liberal ideas of Brahmoism
Brahmoism
Brahmoism is a religious movement from the late 18th century Bengal originating the Bengali Renaissance, the nascent Indian independence movement and the wider Hindu reform movements of the period...
through his writing.
After his first wife's death, his marriage with a Brahman widow, Bishnupriya Devi, created a sensation in the orthodox society of Assam. The first social drama in Assamese - Ram Nabami Natak - was written by Gunabhiram in 1857 and published as a book in 1870. The play tells the tragic story of a young widow and her lover Ram, both of whom were compelled to commit suicide because of social disapproval of their relationship.
He advocated the cause of women's education and also 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 Nowgong in Assam as an Extra Assistant Commissioner.
Both Swarnalata and Bishnupriya were encouraged by him to write and publish their work. Gunabhiram himself is remembered as a historian and a biographer. He also wrote regularly on issues such as women's education and marriage reforms in the first Assamese journal Orunodoi
Orunodoi
Orunodoi or Arunodoi is the first Assamese language magazine published from Sibasagar, Assam in 1846. This magazine created a new era in the world of Assamese literature and gave birth to notable authors like Anandaram Dhekial Phukan, Hemchandra Barua, Gunabhiram Barua and Nidhi Linai Pharowal...
, started by the American Baptist missionaries in 1846.
His only son Jnanabhiram Barua was a well known Bar at Law who participated in India's freedom struggle along with Satyanath Bora and Hemchandra Goswami.