MRITUNJAYA (1970)

'Mritunjaya' is the most highly acclaimed novel and the best literary work of Dr. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya. He was awarded the Gyanpeth award for this novel in 1979 which is the highest literary award in India. This novel was written with the backdrop of the later part of the Independence struggle in Nowgong district of Assam. Mahatma Gandhiji's non-violence struggle was going on in full swing. By the non-violent movement of Gandhiji, the independence that India attained is well known, worldwide. During the month of August in 1942, there was a memorable incident which turned the events for the worse. It was during the period of Gandhiji's 'Quit India' Movement. Anticpating a lot of trouble the Britishers jailed many top leaders of the Independence movment including Mahatma Gandhi. This angered the people and many Congressmen resorted to violent means as derailing trains carrying military equipments and people, uprooting telegraph posts, burning down airports and destroying roads. The independence movement was non-violent but due to the eruption of violent incidents in this movement, the question of violence-nonviolence was brought about in this novel. In this novel; love, kindness, religious, justice-injustice, the rich culture of Assam, the planet and forest resource of Assam, the landscape of Assam have all been beautifully projected. ABOUT THE NOVEL:: In this novel, three persons, namely, Viviram,Dhanpur and Manik Bora step down from a train coming from Kanpur at Jagiroad station. They come to meet Mahoda Gosain at Dopara Satra according to the orders given by Congress worker,Goswami. Dopara Satra is 25 miles and so they have to cross the Kopili river and walk it. On the way, they go through dense jungle,open fields talking amongst themselves. All three are Congress workers and their main aim is to hoist the Congress flag to make the movement successful by actively supporting it. When their leaders were arrested on 9th August 1942 their main idea was to derail military trains,block roads and highways. On the way, they met Madhu Keot who is a disciple of Mahoda Gosain and so he led them the way. They gave him the letter brought from Goswami to be given to Mahoda Gosain. As they went inside there he saw three people sitting on the floor with Gosain and they joined them.As they were discussing there was difference amongst them due to different cults but Gosain explained to them the importance of unity without any difference in religion and cults. God is all according to Gosain and that God cannot be satisfied if the state is not independent. These three men were sent from Kanpur to help Gosain in a special mission; using Guerslla warfare. They decide to derail a military train and the place to be derailed was mentioned in the specific letter and for this mission guns are referred. Madhu and Dhanpur are sent to Seldubi to get the guns. When all went to sleep at night, Viviram and Gosain sit down to finalise their plan-they decide to break up into three groups and proceed to their decided place of derailment. Karnakuchi Ashram is their restoring place. According to their plan, Viveram and Dhanpur remove the fish plates from the rail track and manage to derail the coming train but Madhu, Viveram,Joyram are all arrested. The neighbouring villagers also had to face police atrocities. So they went to look for justice and arrested Justice Saikion house, where they find Gosani's wife and a police constable's wife consoling each other but they were determined to fight for independence.

Synopsis in Assamese

Publisher: Sahitya Prakash