On the eve of the 71st Silpi Divas, Assam remembers Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala
On the anniversary of his passing, the people of Assam paid a heartfelt tribute to the illustrious figure remembered as the state’s cultural icon and freedom fighter, Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala.
The day of Shilpi Divas, January 17, is a significant one in Assamese history. Many years ago, this day left a void that has never been repaired.
The legendary Assamese figure paved the way in a variety of areas of culture, including theatre, literature, filmmaking, lyricist, music composition, etc.
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Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, the first filmmaker and a Marwar from Rajasthan, was the “Rupkonwar” of Assam. Although his ancestor came to Assam from Rajasthan in 1811, he was in his heart an Assamese.
He made a significant contribution to his hometown.
Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala was one of the greatest cultural icons of Assam who has inspired several generations to contribute to promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of this region.
Paying tributes on his punyatithi observed as Silpi Divas by the people of Assam. pic.twitter.com/vW2sQl3rXc
— MyGov Assam (@mygovassam) January 17, 2023
5 Lesser Known Facts About ‘Rupkonwar’ Jyoti Prasad Agarwala:
He was given the state title of “Rupkonwar” and is regarded as an important figure in Assamese culture. He was a renowned author who appeared in numerous plays, movies, songs, and poems. He had a unique perspective, and thousands of people treasured his words. As a result, his name is still engraved in everyone’s memory.
On June 17, 1903, he was born in Dibrugarh, Assam’s Tamulbari tea estate. His mother was Kiranmayee, and his father was Paramananda Agarwala.
In 1934, he established the Chitaraban Studio at the Bholaguri Tea Estate in Tezpur. In 1935, he began his first film making career and produced his first-ever Assamese film, ‘Joymoti’ and he became the first filmmaker of the state. In 1937, he launched a movie theatre named ‘Junaki’ in Tezpur. His second film was ‘Indramalati’ in 1939 which gained much popularity during that period. He also republished a newspaper named ‘Asomiya’ which was shut down in 1944.
Dramatists like T.S. Eliot, Henrik Ibsen, Bernard Shaw, and Galsworthy have had a significant influence on Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala. He adopted from western dramatists like Ibsen the elaborate stage directions, settings, and backgrounds that drastically altered Assamese drama. It’s also claimed that Galsworthy served as inspiration for the naturalistic stage setting of “Karengar Ligiri.”
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Excellent poetry was also written by Jyoti Prasad Agarwala. He composed the music for the majority of his more than 300 songs. Jyoti Sangeet is the name given to this collection of songs. Later, it evolved into a new musical genre in Assam.
He produced a lot of children’s literature. He also wrote plays like Lobhita, Karengar Ligiri, and Rupalim.
Youth Ki Awaaz
He married in the year 1936. Devajani Bhuyan, his wife, has supported him all through his life. He was only 48 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away on January 17, 1951.
In honour of Jyotiprasad, the government proposed in 1961 building a public sector studio—the first of its kind in India—on the outskirts of Guwahati. Jyoti Chitrabon Studio was the name of the studio.
