Nalini Bala Devi
Nalini Bala Devi (23 March 1898– December 24, 1977) was a noted Assamese poet and writer. She is best known for her nationalistic as well as mystical poetry. Nalini Bala Devi was honoured with Padma Shri in 1957 and Sahitya Akademi Award in 1968.
Biography:
She was born in Guwahati on March 23, 1898 in Assam, India. Her father was Karmaveer Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, was a famous freedom fighter and politician. She wrote her first poem, Pita at age 10. Nalini Bala Devi tied the knot at the age of 12. But her husband, Jeeveshwar Changkakoti, passed away when she was only 19. She also lost two of her sons early in her life.
These tragic incidents in her personal life however could not break her down and she started writing poems. Her poetry carries emotion, tragedy, devotion and patriotism as central themes. Nalini Bala Devi’s poems are highly acclaimed in Assamese literature. In 1950, she established Sadou Asom Parijat Kanan which later become famous as Moina Parijat, the children organisation in Assam. She was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1957 for her contribution to literature, and 1968 she won the Sahitya Akademi Award given by Sahitya Akademi for her poetry collection Alakananda.
Works:
Her first book of poems Sandhiyar Sur (Evening Melody) was published in 1928. The poetry book was later adopted by Calcutta University and Guwahati University as text book in 1946 and 1951 respectively. Her other works includes Alakananda, Sopunar Sur (Melody of Dreams),Porosh Moni,Yuga Devata (Hero of the Age),Shesh Puja(The last worship), Parijator Abhishek, Prahlad, Meghdut, Suravi, Rooprekha, Shantipath (Essay anthology), Sheshor Sur (The last Melody) and etc.
Nalini Bala Devi wrote her father Nabin Chandra Bordoloi’s biography – Smritir Tirtha (1948). Biswadeepa (A collection of biographies of famous women), Eri Oha Dinbur (The Days Passed, Autobiography) and Sardar Vallavbhai Patel are some of her other biographical works. She also wrote a drama titled Meerabai.
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