Assam’s scripted legacy reaches Rashtrapati Bhavan

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 22, 2025

In a major cultural milestone, five rare sanchipat manuscripts from Assam were formally handed over to the Rashtrapati Bhavan library on Tuesday by the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Society, marking a significant step in the ongoing push for Assamese to be recognised as a classical language.

The handover ceremony took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, where Kalakshetra Secretary Sudarshan Thakur presented the manuscripts to Dipti Umashankar, Secretary to the President of India. The event was attended by officials from Assam Bhavan, alongside representatives of the state and central governments.

The manuscripts—some centuries old—feature key works of the Assamese Bhakti movement and were sourced from respected satras and individual custodians across Assam. Among them are Kirtan Ghoxa and Adi Dasham by Srimanta Sankardev, Nam Ghoxa and Bhakti Ratnavali by Madhavdev, and an Assamese translation of Geet Govinda originally authored in Sanskrit by poet Jayadeva.

Kirtan Ghoxa was contributed by Nanigopal Dev Goswami of Dakshinpat Satra in Majuli, while Adi Dasham, a poetic interpretation of the tenth canto of the Bhagavata Purana, came from Nityananda Dev Goswami of Narua Kuji Satra, Morigaon. Nam Ghoxa was provided by Janardan Dev Goswami of Uttar Kamalabari Satra, Majuli, and Bhakti Ratnavali was donated by Bhavakanta Dev Goswami of Kamalabari Satra, Titabor. The Geet Govinda manuscript, translated into Assamese by Kabiraj Chakravarti during the reign of Swargadeo Rudra Singha, was contributed by Suren Phukan of Jorhat.

The initiative was guided by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and coordinated under the supervision of Chief Secretary Ravi Kota. The Kalakshetra Society played a central role in collecting and curating the manuscripts, working closely with satras and local historians.

Speaking at the ceremony, Kalakshetra Secretary Sudarshan Thakur said the manuscripts represent a priceless piece of Assam’s cultural identity. “Preserving these works at the highest level of the nation is not just a moment of pride—it is a cultural responsibility. This effort helps strengthen Assam’s case for classical language status,” he added.