Jyoti Prasad Agarwala
Encyclopedia
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala (17 June 1903 – 17 January 1951) was a great Assamese
playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and film maker from Assam
. He was considered as Assamese cultural
icon, deeply revered for his creative vision and output and is popularly called the Rupkonwar (ৰূপকোৱঁৰ) of Assamese culture. In fact, he is regarded as the founder of Assamese cinema
for Joymati
(1935). His death anniversary (January 17) is celebrated as Silpi divas (Artists' Day) in his honor.
family, to Paramananda Agarwala and Kiranmoyee Agarwala in Tamulbari Tea Estate. He is the nephew of another cultural icon, Chandra Kumar Agarwala. His forefather, Nabrangram Agarwala, had come to Assam in 1811 from the Marwar
region in Rajasthan
. After completing his studies in various schools in Assam and Calcutta (Kolkata
), he matriculated in 1921. He went to Edinburgh in 1926 to study economics, but returned in 1930 before completing his course. On his way back, he spent seven months at the UFA studio
in Germany
learning film-making.
After his return to Assam, he continued his activities for Indian independence that had disrupted his studies earlier and in 1932 he was imprisoned for fifteen months. He established the Chitraban Studio at the Bholaguri Tea Estate and began filming the movie Joymoti around the end of 1933. This was the first film from Assam
. The film, released in 1935, was based on a play by Laxminath Bezbarua
about the heroic Ahom
princess Sati Joymoti imprisoned and tortured by a repressive Ahom swargadeo. In 1936 he married Devajani Chaliha. In 1941 he participated in the freedom movement, and in 1942, he went underground to escape British
repression. Toward the end of his life he moved from a romantic to a more radical vision, which was reflected in his works.
He died of cancer on 17 January 1951 at 'Poki', Tezpur
. In a period that saw the beginning of Indian Cinema, with the making of numerous mythological themed movies, Agarwala created a movie that was nationalistic in character.
issued a commemorative stamp of Agarwala in 2004. It was pushed for by the AGP
and approved by the Prime Minister of India in mid-2004.
Assamese people
The Assamese people are a well-defined subgroup of People of Assam. Though sometimes they are defined as the Assamese-speaking Indo-Aryans of the Brahmaputra valley,, this definition is not legally binding...
playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and film maker from Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. He was considered as Assamese cultural
Culture of Assam
The culture of Assam is traditionally a hybrid one, developed due to cultural assimilation of different ethno-cultural groups under various politico-economic systems in different periods of pre-history and history....
icon, deeply revered for his creative vision and output and is popularly called the Rupkonwar (ৰূপকোৱঁৰ) of Assamese culture. In fact, he is regarded as the founder of Assamese cinema
Assamese cinema
Assamese cinema is cinema in the Assamese language, watched primarily in Assam, India. The industry was born in 1935 when Jyoti Prasad Agarwala released his movie Joymoti...
for Joymati
Joymati
Joymati , released on 10th March, 1935, was the first ever Assamese film. Based on Lakshminath Bezbaruah's play on the 17th century story of Sati Joymati, the film was produced and directed by the noted Assam poet Jyotiprasad Agarwala, and starred Aideu Handique and acclaimed stage actor and...
(1935). His death anniversary (January 17) is celebrated as Silpi divas (Artists' Day) in his honor.
Biography
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala was born on 17 June 1903 in an AgrawalAgrawal
Agrawal or Agarwal is a large and influential community in India. Agrawals are Kshatriya by birth of the Solar Dynasty but after the adoption of Vanika dharma by king Agrasena, Agrawals started dealing in business...
family, to Paramananda Agarwala and Kiranmoyee Agarwala in Tamulbari Tea Estate. He is the nephew of another cultural icon, Chandra Kumar Agarwala. His forefather, Nabrangram Agarwala, had come to Assam in 1811 from the Marwar
Marwar
Marwar is a region of southwestern Rajasthan state in western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. In Rajasthani dialect "wad" means a particular area. The word Marwar is derived from Sanskrit word 'Maruwat'. English translation of the word is 'The region of desert'., The Imperial Gazetteer...
region in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. After completing his studies in various schools in Assam and Calcutta (Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
), he matriculated in 1921. He went to Edinburgh in 1926 to study economics, but returned in 1930 before completing his course. On his way back, he spent seven months at the UFA studio
Universum Film AG
Universum Film AG, better known as UFA or Ufa, is a film company that was the principal film studio in Germany, home of the German film industry during the Weimar Republic and through World War II, and a major force in world cinema from 1917 to 1945...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
learning film-making.
After his return to Assam, he continued his activities for Indian independence that had disrupted his studies earlier and in 1932 he was imprisoned for fifteen months. He established the Chitraban Studio at the Bholaguri Tea Estate and began filming the movie Joymoti around the end of 1933. This was the first film from Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. The film, released in 1935, was based on a play by Laxminath Bezbarua
Laxminath Bezbarua
Lakshminath Bezbaruah was a great Assamese personality in Assamese literature. He gave a new impetus to the Assamese literature that had stagnated for some time and enriched it through his essays, plays, fiction and poetry. As a sensitive artist he responded to the influences of social environment...
about the heroic Ahom
Ahom kingdom
The Ahom Kingdom was a medieval kingdom in the Brahmaputra valley in Assam that maintained its sovereignty for nearly 600 years and successfully resisted Mughal expansion in North-East India...
princess Sati Joymoti imprisoned and tortured by a repressive Ahom swargadeo. In 1936 he married Devajani Chaliha. In 1941 he participated in the freedom movement, and in 1942, he went underground to escape British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
repression. Toward the end of his life he moved from a romantic to a more radical vision, which was reflected in his works.
He died of cancer on 17 January 1951 at 'Poki', Tezpur
Songs
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala had written around 300 songs, many of which he had set to music himself. Collectively, these songs are called Jyoti xongit.Plays
- Sonit Kunwori
- Karengar Ligiri
- Rupalim
- Nimati Konya or Rupkonwar
- Sonpakhilee
- Khanikar
- Kanaklata
- Sundarknowar
- Lobhita
Film
Agarwala is lauded as the creator of Assamese cinemaFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. In a period that saw the beginning of Indian Cinema, with the making of numerous mythological themed movies, Agarwala created a movie that was nationalistic in character.
- JoymotiJoymatiJoymati , released on 10th March, 1935, was the first ever Assamese film. Based on Lakshminath Bezbaruah's play on the 17th century story of Sati Joymati, the film was produced and directed by the noted Assam poet Jyotiprasad Agarwala, and starred Aideu Handique and acclaimed stage actor and...
(1935) - IndramalatiIndramalatiIndramalati is the second Assamese language film, directed by the great Assamese poet Jyotiprasad Agarwala. It was released in 1939.-Background:...
(1939)
Poems
- Jyoti Raamaayon - Poetry Collection
- Luitor Paaror Agnixur - Poetry Collection, 1971
Stamp
In honor of Agarwala's contributions to Assamese literature and film, the Government of AssamGovernment of Assam
The Government of Assam is the provincial governing authority of the state of Assam in the Republic of India.It consists of the Governor as the head of the state, who is nominated by the Government of India. The head of government is the Chief Minister, who is the leader of the group that commands...
issued a commemorative stamp of Agarwala in 2004. It was pushed for by the AGP
Asom Gana Parishad
Asom Gana Parishad is a state political party in Assam, India. The AGP was formed after the historic Assam Accord of 1985 when Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was elected as the youngest chief minister of the country...
and approved by the Prime Minister of India in mid-2004.
See also
- Chitraban
- Jyoti Chitraban Film and Television InstituteJyoti Chitraban Film and Television InstituteJyoti Chitraban Film and Television Institute is the only Film Studio & Film Institute in Northeast India located at Kahilipara, Guwahati. It is named after Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, the first Assamese Film Producer...
- Assamese literatureAssamese literatureAssamese literature is the entire corpus of poetry, novels, short stories, documents and other writings in the Assamese language. It also includes popular ballads in the older forms of the language during its evolution to the contemporary form. The literary heritage of the Assamese language can...
- Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardev
- Laxminath BezbaruaLaxminath BezbaruaLakshminath Bezbaruah was a great Assamese personality in Assamese literature. He gave a new impetus to the Assamese literature that had stagnated for some time and enriched it through his essays, plays, fiction and poetry. As a sensitive artist he responded to the influences of social environment...
- Krishna Kanta HandiqueKrishna Kanta HandiqueKrishna Kanta Handique was a Sanskrit scholar, an Indologist and philanthropist from Assam.-Biography:...
- Bhabananda DekaBhabananda DekaProf Bhabananda Deka , is a multi-faceted writer of one hundred twelve books, textbooks on economics, literature and political science, and articles from Assam, a state in the north-eastern part of India.-Biography:...
- Music of AssamMusic of AssamThe music of Assam, a state in the northeastern part of India, can be divided into various categories of folk music. In recent times starting the late eighties popular artistes have modernized the music that caters to local popular demand....
- Jyotiprasad as a Film MakerJyotiprasad as a Film MakerJyotiprasad as a Film Maker is a book authored by Apurba Sharma and published by Rajib Baruah of Adi Publication on behalf of Gauhati Cine Club. The book was released on June 17, 2005 on the occasion of Xilpi Divas, the filmmaker’s birthday. The book covers the concepts and ideas of Jyotiprasad’s...