Enriched with English-Greek literature, Dr. Banikanta Kakoti was one of the most
talented figure in Assamese literature.
Dr. Banikanta Kakoti
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Banikanta Kakoti ( 1894-1952) was one writer whose scholarship and leadership
shaped modern Assamese literature. Kakoti showed his extraordinary talent in an article
'Xhahityar karun roxh'. The criticisms between 'Assam-pradeepika' edited by Rajnikanta
Bordoloi and 'Baahi' edited by Lakhminath Bezbaruah in 1920 on the Vaishnavism inspired
Kakoti to study Vaishnav movement in Assam. During this period he wrote an article 'Namghoxha'
in 'Chetana' edited by Ambikagiri Raichowdhury. He also started writing a series of articles
named 'Bijuli' in 'Baahi' in the name of 'Babananda Pathak'.
Banikanta Kakoti utilized his education in English-Greek literature and his wide knowledge
of Assamese literature and history to establish in Assam a body of reliable research tools. His 'Assamese: Its Formation and Development' ( 1941) is still
the definitive work on the language. His 'Purani Axhomiya Xhahitya' ( 1940) and 'Life and
Teachings of Shankardeva', 'Vishnuite Myths and Legends' ( 1952), 'Kalita Jaatir Itibritta', among others, provide a
core of scholarly research for the study of Assamese culture. Though earlier writers had
written on some of these subjects, their works were generally incomplete in scope. Kakoti,
whose career was as an educator in Assam's major college and university, saw the lack of
available, reliable information for the study of Assamese and made it his goal to correct
the situation. That Assamese literature today has a body of scholarly apparatus is entirely
due to Kakoti's early efforts. He has done beautiful analysis on Shankardeava's reiligious wisdom,
Madhavdeva's poetic talent, Anata Kandali's magnificent literary works, etc. His various crticisms
on towards Assamese authors are invaluable matters of Assamese literature.
You can discuss more about Banikata Kakoti and Assamese literature
here.
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