Hemchandra Barua also known as Hem Barua was a prominent writer, social reformer of Assamese of the 19th century. He hailed from Sibsagar District of Assam. His father was Muktaram Barua.
He was the compiler of the first exhaustive Assamese dictionary Hemkosh, where spellings based on Sanskrit were first introduced. It was the second dictionary of the Assamese language. It was published in 1900 after his death under the supervision of Capt. P. R. Gordon, ISC and Hemchandra Goswami. He was also an editor of Assam News published from Gauhati (1883–85). Hem Chandra Barua was one of those few Assamese who fought for the reinstatement of Assamese as official language of Assam during the dark age of Assamese language. Through his writings, Barua proved that Assamese is an unique language, independent of Bengali. Hem Chandra Barua made several contributions to Orunodoi, the first Assamese journal. He published Asomiya Byakaran (Assamese Grammar) in 1859 and Asomiya Lorar Byakaran (Assamese student’s Grammar) in 1886. He compiled Hemkosh, the first Assamese dictionary. The Anglo-Assamese dictionary got published posthumously in 1900. But unlike the Baptist Missionaries, who used a simplified version of Assamese for printing and writing, Barua followed his own way to polish Assamese spelling system as per Sanskrit. His ‘Asamiya Vyakaran’ was the first Assamese grammar in the Assamese language. He also introduced for the first time satire and criticism in Assamese literature. He authored “Assamese Marriage System” and two farcical plays “Kania Kirtan” and “Bahire Rang Sang Bhitare Koabhatoori”. He also edited the “Assam News” for sometime. He played a historic role as a writer of school books. He introduced for the first time satire and criticism in Assamese literature.
Contribution in Assamese Literature
Hemchahdra Barua, a descendant of an orthodox Brahmin family of Sibsagar, learnt English secretly at home with the assistance and help of the missionaries. He began his career in Literary world as a writer of school texts, of which the Adipath and the Pathmala even today are considered as two of the best specimens of Assamese prose style. Of his other works, the Bahire Ran Can Bhitare Kova Bhaturi (All that glitters are not gold) is a novelette where the satiric or critical spirit was for, the first time introduced in Assamese literature. Though himself a high-class Brahmin, Hemchandra Barua was an outspoken critic of Hindu orthodoxy and was pitiless in exposing its many social and moral hypocrisies and hide-bound conventions. He mercilessly lays bare in the novelette the immoral practices of Gobardhan Satradhikar, a Hindu pontiff, who professes to be religious but is in fact lecherous, secretly indulging in all sorts of immoral liaisons, and even going so far as to seduce the wife of a low caste disciple of his.
In 1861 was published his Kaniyar Kirtan – a social farce dealing with the evil effects of opium-addiction. Incidentally, he also exposed in this farce how in the name of religion the Gosains and Mahantas, who were entrusted with religious administration, perpetrated immoralities, and how Assamese peons of the British in their overweening pride used Hindusthani in preference to their mother tongue for no other purpose than to mystify the common folk and to cut impressive figures. The whole farce is full of bitter satire and biting sarcasm. Though somewhat lacking in dramatic vigour, its reformatory appeal and entertaining dialogue make Kaniyar Kirtanan outstanding literary achievement. Indeed, it actually won a prize from the Government. In the evolution of Assamese prose style Hemchandra Barua’s has been a profoundly wholesome influence.
Hem Chandra Barua (1890-1958) shows deep understanding and absorption in his stories presenting rural life very skilfully. Setting and characterisation played an important part in his plays. He heightened dramatic effect by making a psychological mystery of each case and wrapping it in veils of psychoanalytical speculation. This is clearly seen in Jahara which is a story that has made a serious application of Freudian psychopathological analysis.
His other works include Chapania and Morgharkhan. His Navagraha (1954) is classified as belles letters though in real it is not so. It is a collection of popular essays on science told in the belles’ letters approach. He was the President of the Assam Sahitya Sabha in 1972. His literary works include: Adhunik Sahitya, Sagar Dekhicha?), Balichanda, San Mihali, Cupid Aru Psyche, Ranga Karabir Phul, Kannaki, Ei Git, Idle Hours, Sahitya Aru Sahitya, Achuphul, Man Mayuri, Bahagate Pati Jaon Biya and Smritir Papari.
In 1861 was published his Kaniyar Kirtan – a social farce dealing with the evil effects of opium-addiction. Incidentally, he also exposed in this farce how in the name of religion the Gosains and Mahantas, who were entrusted with religious administration, perpetrated immoralities, and how Assamese peons of the British in their overweening pride used Hindusthani in preference to their mother tongue for no other purpose than to mystify the common folk and to cut impressive figures. The whole farce is full of bitter satire and biting sarcasm. Though somewhat lacking in dramatic vigour, its reformatory appeal and entertaining dialogue make Kaniyar Kirtanan outstanding literary achievement. Indeed, it actually won a prize from the Government. In the evolution of Assamese prose style Hemchandra Barua’s has been a profoundly wholesome influence.
Hemkosh
Assamese Dictionary Hemkosh is one of the most popular and comprehensive dictionaries in the Assamese language. Hemkosh is a comprehensive Assamese dictionary that was compiled by Hemchandra Barua, a renowned literary figure and linguist from Assam. Hemkosh is considered as one of the most authoritative and widely used Assamese dictionaries and is known for its accuracy, clarity and extensive coverage.
It was first published in 1972 and has since undergone several revisions and updates. The dictionary contains more than 100,000 words and their meanings, along with usage examples, synonyms, and antonyms. It also includes words from various dialects of Assamese, making it a reliable source for learning the language. In addition to being available in print, Assamese Dictionary Hemkosh is also accessible online and through mobile apps. It is widely used by students, scholars, and enthusiasts of the Assamese language and literature.
Challenges in Hemkosh Composition
The composition of Hemkosh, a comprehensive Assamese dictionary, faced several challenges during its creation. Some of the significant challenges include:
- Limited resources: Hemchandra Barua had to conduct extensive research and compile various sources of information manually since modern technology was not available at the time of Hemkosh’s creation. This made the task of compiling the dictionary time-consuming and resource-intensive.
- Language barriers: The Assamese language has many dialects and variations, making it challenging to compile a dictionary that captures all the nuances and variations accurately.
- Changes in the language: Languages evolve over time, and Assamese language is no exception. Hemchandra Barua had to stay updated on the latest changes in the language and include them in Hemkosh.
- Conflicting definitions: Different sources often had conflicting definitions for certain words, making it challenging to decide which definition was the most accurate and reliable.
- Editing and proofreading: The compilation of a dictionary involves a lot of editing and proofreading to ensure there are no errors or omissions. Hemchandra Barua had to manually edit and proofread each entry, which was a time-consuming and tedious task.
Despite these challenges, Hemchandra Barua’s hard work and dedication came to fruition with the creation of Hemkosh, which remains a treasured resource for Assamese language and culture.
Hemkosh Braille
Assamese Hemkosh is a famous Assamese dictionary, which is now available in Braille. The Braille version of Assamese Hemkosh helps visually impaired people to learn and access words from the dictionary without any difficulty. It contains meanings of over 30,000 Assamese words and is considered one of the most comprehensive dictionaries of the language. The Braille version contains the same content as the print version but is transcribed into Braille, which makes it accessible to visually impaired readers. The availability of Assamese Hemkosh in Braille is a significant step towards making education more inclusive for visually impaired students in Assam, and it is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to learn and practice the Assamese language. The Assamese Hemkosh dictionary is a Braille dictionary designed for visually impaired individuals who speak and read the Assamese language. The dictionary is based on the Hemkosh Braille system, which is a modified version of the Unified English Braille code that includes symbols for all of the letters of the Assamese alphabet, as well as diacritical marks, punctuation, and numbers.
The Assamese Hemkosh dictionary contains a comprehensive list of Assamese words and their corresponding Braille symbols. It is intended to be used as a reference tool for visually impaired individuals who need to read and write in Assamese, and it can also be used to help promote literacy and accessibility in the Assamese-speaking community.
The dictionary is typically produced using a Hemkosh Braille printer, which converts digital text into Braille and then prints it onto special Braille paper. This creates raised dots that can be read by touch, allowing visually impaired individuals to access the text.
Overall, the Assamese Hemkosh dictionary is an important tool for promoting accessibility and literacy for visually impaired individuals who speak and read Assamese. By providing a comprehensive list of Assamese words in Braille, the dictionary helps to ensure that visually impaired individuals have access to the same information and opportunities as sighted individuals.
Hemkosh Printer
Hemkosh is a popular Assamese language dictionary that includes words, phrases, and grammar rules. Hemkosh Brailley printers may be designed specifically for printing Hemkosh material in Braille format for the visually impaired.
The use of Braille is essential for visually impaired people to access the same information and communication as sighted individuals. Braille printers are a critical tool in ensuring that Braille documents are produced accurately and efficiently.
The dictionary is based on the Hemkosh Braille system, which is a modified version of the Unified English Braille code that includes symbols for all of the letters of the Assamese alphabet, as well as diacritical marks, punctuation, and numbers.
The Assamese Hemkosh dictionary contains a comprehensive list of Assamese words and their corresponding Braille symbols. It is intended to be used as a reference tool for visually impaired individuals who need to read and write in Assamese, and it can also be used to help promote literacy and accessibility in the Assamese-speaking community.
The dictionary is typically produced using a Hemkosh Braille printer, which converts digital text into Braille and then prints it onto special Braille paper. This creates raised dots that can be read by touch, allowing visually impaired individuals to access the text.
By providing a comprehensive list of Assamese words in Braille, the dictionary helps to ensure that visually impaired individuals have access to the same information and opportunities as sighted individuals.
Hemkosh Braille enters Guinness Book of World Records
The braille version of the Assamese dictionary ‘Hemkosh’ has earned the coveted Guinness Book of World Record title as the largest bilingual braille dictionary.
Jayanta Baruah, the grandson of Late Hemchandra Baruah, conceptualized and published the Braille edition of “Hemkosh” in an effort to carry on the “Hemkosh” tradition. This version of ‘Hemkosh’ includes roughly 10,000 pages involving in excess of 15 volumes.
After Oxford, this Braille version of Hemkosh is the first full-language Braille dictionary. Jayanta Baruah has also donated (free of cost), the dictionary copies to all the educational institutions for the visually impaired students, universities, state and central libraries, as well as the national library.
The title was awarded to Jayanta Baruah and Hemkosh Prakashan in Guwahati as verified on April 24, 2023. The title will be conferred on May 1, 2023.
The word reference was likewise officially introduced to State head Narendra Modi in New Delhi last year.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the event as well.