Indian Antiquary Vol 25

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 61

MARCH, 1896.)
ASSAMESE LITERATURE.
57
ASSAMESE LITERATURE.
COMMUNICATED BY GEO. A. GRIERSON, PH.D., CJ E. Co little is known about Assamese Literature that I make no apology for giving the
following second hand and somewhat antiquated information. It deserves better preservation than that afforded by a fugitive pamphlet long out of print.
In the early fifties a discussion arose as to whether Bengali or Assamese should be the official language of Assam. It was contended by some that the latter was merely a corrupt dialect of the former. Others, principally patriotic inhabitants of the country, urged the claims of Assamese as a separate language, and eventually carried their point. For years the Assamese language has been officially recognized, and now it can be proved that it is, in its grammar, much more nearly connected with Bihari than with standard Bengali.
The discussion seems to have been lively, and one of its products was a pamphlet entitled, 1. A few remarks on the Assamese Language, and on Vernacular Education in Assam. By a Native. Sibsagar, Asam 1. Printed at the American Baptist Mission Press, 1855 1.' As may be gathered from its name, the book strongly defends Assamese as a separate language. The author commences by shewing how little Bengali is used in that country. He next institutes an elaborate comparison between the two languages, and shews clearly that Assamese, far from being an uncultivated dialect is capable of expressing the most abstract ideas of Science or Law. He finally compares the Literary History of Assam with that of Bengal, much to the advantage of the former, and as this is, at the present day, the most valuable portion of the pamphlet, I give it here in full. Owing to the peculiarities of Assamese spelling (especially, the pronunciation of. 8 as h, and of ô as u) I give here and there (in parenthesis) the Sanskrit spelling of such tatsama words as will not be easily recognized.
The Bengali can scarcely be said to have existed as a written language until the beginning of the present century, when the Missionaries of Serampore first moulded it into a form, Rajah Ram Mohun Roy wrote his Bengali Grammar, and other Native gentlemen, educated and trained in the sciences and literature of Europe, reared up, during the last few years, a distinct literature, by the publication chiefly of translations from English works on different branches of learning. The Bengali translation of the Sansksit Mahabharata by Kašt Dâs, and that of the Ramayana by Kirtti-bâs, executed about a centary and a half ago, may be said to be the only works of any importance in Bengali, that existed before the present Bengali literature sprung out from the efforts of Missionaries and educated Natives. Now, we beg to affirm, that the Literature of Assam was in the year 1800 A. D. more extensive and varied than that of Bengal. The Mahabhdrata and Ramayana were translated into the Assamese language by Ramsaraswati and Sri Honkor (Sankar) nearly 400 years ago long before Kirtti-bâs or Kasi Dis published their Bengali translations. The Sri Bhagawata and the Bhagavat Gitá were translated into Assamese, both in prose and verse, by different authors nearly at the same time, and not only were other principal Sanskțit works relating to Religion, Medicine, History, Drama and other subjects, translated by successive authors, but & considerable collection of historical works of considerable authenticity, composed in original Assamese, and styled Baranjis, had, it appears, existed since the Thirteenth Century of the Christian era.
In support of these facts, we subjoin the following catalogue of original books and translations from the Sanskrit, written in the Assamese language :--
Catalogue of Assamese Books, Hindu Religious Works, and Purans, The Srimat Bhagawat, translated from the Sanskřit in verse by Sri Honkor.” The Srimat Bhagawat, translated from the Sanskrit in prose by Kabi Ratna. 1 I owo my acquaintance with this pamphlet to the kindness of Mr. E. A. Gait, I. C. S.
- Brf Honkor ( Baokar ) the founder of the MALA Purohid seot of Vaish Arm in Assam, who flourished (in the reign of Rajah Nari-narayana) about 100 years ago, and his contemporaries Bimasaraswatt alias Ananta Kondoli