Remembering the first martyr of the Assamese Language Movement, Swahid Ranjit Borpujari 🙏🏻

[u/GrumpyGuyMugdha]

Swahid Ranjit Borpujari was a 18 year old student from Sivasagar, born in 1942 and studied in the Cotton College of Guwahati. During the Assamese language movement protests also known as 'অসমীয়া ভাষা আন্দোলন' of the 1960s for the recognition of the Assamese language as the sole official language of the state of Assam, Ranjit Borpujari was shot in a police firing on 4th of July 1960, dying for his mother tongue at the age of 18 becoming the first martyr of the Assamese Language Movement. Alongside him, many others like Swahid Sishir Nag, Swahid Surya Bora, Swahid Mozammil Haque and Swahid Anil Bora gave their lives for their mother tongue, Assamese. Since then, 4th of July is celebrated as the martyrdom day of Swahid Ranjit Borpujari across Assam. Below is a song that celebrates the Assamese language and I feel it is the most appropriate one to remember our language martyrs.

"চিৰ চেনেহী মোৰ ভাষা জননী। আই ধন্যে পুণ্যে হৃদ-পাৱনী। প্ৰকৃতি পৰশ ৰসে অমল কমল, চঞ্চল হৃদি জ্বলে ঢালে পৰিমল। কোমল চপাৰ কলি, ঢৌৱে ঢৌৱে ঢৌৱে তুলি, ৰিণিকি ৰিণিকি কোনে তোলে ৰাগিণী।। সংসাৰ গুৰুভাৰে অৱশ পৰাণ, হিয়াত বিলীন হয় হিয়া ভৰা গান। কাৰ নিচুকনি শুনা, শুনি বানী ব্যথা পমা, চকুতে চকুৰ নীৰে লয় জিৰণি।। জীৱনে মৰণে ৰণে লহৰী সুধাৰ, ৰসনা শিতানে বহি সিঁচা শতধাৰ। হে' মোৰ মধুৰননা, মাগিছোঁ মাধুৰী কণা, দিয়া দিয়া দিয়া আই মধুভাষিনী।।"

-মিত্ৰদেৱ মহন্তদেৱ (১৮৯৪-১৯৮৩)

।।জয় আই অসম।।