Review by Rupak G. Duarah
(rintu.duarah@gmail.com)
In the history of modern Assamese literature, the period spanning roughly 1940 to 1970 is known as the Ramdhenu era, after the influential literary magazine of that name. Launched around 1950–51 under the editorship of Indrakamal Bezbaruah, Ramdhenu helped define an era that marked a decisive departure from the preceding Romantic period. Short fiction flourished as writers embraced progressive, realistic, socially conscious, and formally experimental modes of storytelling. New themes, innovative techniques, and a broader social canvas emerged, with Ramdhenu playing a pivotal role in popularising Assamese short stories and elevating them to a national standard.
Ramdhenur Shrestha Galpa, compiled and edited by Hridayananda Gogoi, is a significant collection of short stories from the Ramdhenu era. The collection seeks to preserve and present the richness, variety, and intellectual vitality of that period to contemporary readers. By selecting outstanding stories that originally appeared in the magazine, the editor offers a concentrated yet representative view of the era’s achievements in short fiction. The stories collectively demonstrate how writers moved beyond earlier Romantic conventions to explore progressive themes, realistic portrayals of society, and formal innovation while remaining rooted in Assamese cultural and linguistic sensibilities.
This volume brings together twenty-six short stories by a distinguished group of renowned Assamese writers, including Lakshminath Phukan, Rama Dass, Krishna Bhuyan, Sneh Devi, Syed Abdul Malik, Prafulla Dutta Goswami, Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, Mahim Bora, Chandra Prasad Saikia, Jogesh Das, Medini Choudhury, Sourav Kumar Chaliha, Rohini Kumar Kakoti, Bhabendranath Saikia, Homen Borgohain, Lakshminandan Bora, Nirupama Borgohain, Bireswar Baruah, Atulananda Goswami, Prabina Saikia, Nagen Saikia, Anima Bharali Dutta, Nilima Sarmah, Lummer Dai, Mamoni Raisom Goswami, and Apurba Sarmah.
As both a carefully curated anthology and a historical document, Ramdhenur Shrestha Galpa serves as an essential introduction to one of the most dynamic phases in modern Assamese literary history. It allows readers to encounter some of the finest short fiction of the Ramdhenu era in a single volume, thereby illuminating the processes through which the short story matured into a sophisticated modern genre. In doing so, the book not only honours the magazine’s legacy and the writers who shaped it but also ensures that the period’s intellectual and artistic heritage remains accessible and relevant. For students, scholars, and general readers alike, the anthology serves as a valuable window into the period when Assamese short fiction fully established itself as a major vehicle for modern literary expression. The thoughtful cover design by Diganta Bijay, together with the evocative title, lends the volume both dignity and appeal, while the illustrations and printing are equally elegant. Spanning approximately 372 pages, the book has been published by Jyoti Prakashan, one of Guwahati’s leading publishing houses, and is priced at Rs 500.