Assam artists push to move Kamrupi beyond comedy

Guwahati: Artists and intellectuals gathered at Barnagar College in Sorbhog on Saturday to redefine the role of the Kamrupi language. For years, the western Assam tongue has been relegated to comic sketches and caricatures. Participants now want to reclaim its dignity for serious creative work. The session connected filmmakers, writers, and digital creators to examine the hurdles facing their native language.

The discussion centered on a movement to fix the perception of Kamrupi as a purely humorous dialect. It lacks the institutional status of standard Assamese, but that is changing. Amiya Mahanta is currently compiling a dictionary to preserve the region's linguistic roots. YouTube creator Riki Bharali uses his channel to document traditional food culture before it vanishes. Cartoonist Nituparna Rajbangshi and filmmaker Kangkan Deka also attended. Deka pointed to his film Upasarga as proof that the language can handle complex cinematic narratives.

Poets Jugajyoti Das, Ajay Kumar Ray, and Ziaul Islam read their works, noting that regional expression is gaining traction. The meeting was part of a larger initiative led by Jyotirmoy Talukdar of Ashoka University. Funded by the India Foundation for the Arts and supported by HudumDeo, the project aims to unite a fragmented community. Talukdar identifies a core goal for the group. He calls for the “declownisation” of Kamrupi, seeking to shed stereotypes that have long discouraged its use in intellectual circles.

Digital media provides a new path forward. It allows creators to bypass mainstream gatekeepers and reach audiences directly. Organizers believe this shift will help Kamrupi thrive in literature, visual arts, and cinema. Participants left with a clear directive to build confidence in their mother tongue for both artistic practice and daily life.