Monkobita To Celebrate Bhupen Hazarika & Navakanta Barua In Santiniketan
The sixth edition of Monkobita – Monkobita 2026 – is set to take place at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, on 13th February 2026. Monkobita, held in February annually, is an initiative of the Raul Kaushik Nath Foundation. Starting in 2021, Monkobita is an endeavour to pay tribute to the heritage left by the legendary poets of Assam.
This edition of Monkobita will honour two iconic personalities whose creations still impact and mold Assamese literature and music: Navakanta Barua and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. Besides celebrating their remarkable artistic legacies, Monkobita 2026 holds special significance as it commemorates the 100th birth anniversary of both cultural figures, celebrating the enduring impact of their contributions to literature, music, and the collective imagination. This year’s Monkobita is organised in partnership with the Dept. of Assamese, Bhasha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University, and Bhupen Hazarika Cultural Trust.
Navakanta Barua — the famous Assamese poet, novelist, and author of children’s literature, endearingly known as Ekhud Kokaideu (the little big brother) — remains a prominent figure in modern Assamese literature. Barua’s creations include poetry, novels, essays, children’s literature, and translations. He was one of the most respected Tagore scholars in Assam. In 1943, Barua began a fulfilling academic journey at Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, where he pursued his studies before obtaining a B.A. with honours in English in 1947. His tenure at Visva-Bharati broadened his intellectual horizons and immersed him in the fusion of cultural spirit and literary traditions — advocated by Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore — that deeply influenced his perspective as a poet and humanist. At Visva-Bharati, he encountered different literary philosophies and engaged in an environment that valued cultural fusion and artistic inquiry — a fundamental influence that subtly shaped his literary viewpoint.
Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, affectionately called Sudhakantha (the nectar-voiced) and celebrated as the Bard of Brahmaputra, was a multifaceted genius — singer, composer, filmmaker, lyricist, poet, and visionary, whose work transcended regional boundaries and tackled universal issues of humanity, unity, and social justice. Although rooted in Assam, Dr. Hazarika’s artistic journey forged significant and lasting connections with West Bengal and its cultural landscape. Starting in the 1950s, Kolkata became a significant artistic center for him; he lived and worked there for many years, building relationships with Bengali artistes and enriching the region’s lively music scene. The Bengal connection extended beyond mere geography; it symbolized a blending of cultural perspectives that enriched his artistic expression and enabled his message of universal unity to extend well beyond Assam.
This year’s Monkobita will include two components — an academic segment and a cultural segment. The academic session will take place at Bhasha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, featuring Prof. Ranjit Kumar Dev Goswami, Sankardeva chair of Visva-Bharati; Prof. Mrinal Kanti Mandal and Prof. Srila Basu from the Dept. of Bengali, Visva-Bharati; Prof. Bibhas Choudhury from the Dept. of English, Gauhati University; and Prof. Areendam Borkataki from the Dept. of English, Anandaram Dhekial Phookan College. The cultural event at Lipika Auditorium of Visva-Bharati will feature a range of programmes including poetry recitation, songs, and dances. The attendees consist of Manisha Hazarika, Dr. Santwana Bordoloi, Tapan Das, Kalyan Barua, Shubhaprasad Nandi Majumdar, Joi Barua, Rupam Bhuyan, Arupjyoti Barua, Anita Sarma, Upasana Mahanta Gogoi, Manisha Majumdar, and others. The Ganakantha branch of the Indian People’s Theatre Association, Siuri, West Bengal, along with Pooja Singh, Priyanka Devi Mandal, and Krishna Tamuli from Viswa-Bharati University, will participate in the event as well. Three celebrated poets from West Bengal, Angshuman Kar, Mitul Dutta, and Kuntal Chattopadhyay, will also grace the event.
Monkobita is curated by Bipuljyoti Saikia and Nayan Prasad in association with the trustees of Raul Kaushik Nath Foundation which include Adil Hussain, Utpal Borpujari, Kaushik Nath, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, Krishna Barooah, Nandil Biswa Sarma and Anna Kaushik. It may be noted that Monkobita is a part of Mongeet Art Residency programme of the Raul Kaushik Nath Foundation, which organises Mongeet, Montulika, Monmrittika (residential workshops for budding musicians, painters, sculptors), Aharar Akholi (workshop focusing on traditional cuisine), and Xotphool (summer music workshop for school children) every year.
