Charyapads as the oldest written specimen of assamese literature

Abstract

Assamese literature and language has gained the present status by coming across various levels. The historians of literature have divided the Assamese literary eras by examining the style of composition, language, thoughts, ideals, themes etc of the literature written in the language from the era of origin till now. While dividing this era, Charyapad has been included as one of the most important examples of early age. On the basis of numerous reliable information, Charyapads are considered as the first written specimen of Assamese literature. In order to promote the worship of Buddha religion and theory among the masses, the Siddhacharyas of Sahajayana doctrine, the recent path of Tantrayana branch under Mahayana Buddhism composed the Charyapadas. In 1907, the Mahamahopadhyaya Har Prasad Shastri discovered the Charyapadas from the royal court of Nepal and in 1916 he published it as ‘Hajar Bochhorer Purono Bangala Bhasay Bouddha Gaan o Doha’. From the ancient era, the textbooks get disappeared in the womb of time due to various reasons. In consequence to that the written specimen of Assamese literature before 14th Century B.C have been found as inadequate.