Bishnu Prasad Rabha

January 31, 2009

A commemorative postage stamp on the Birth Centenary of Kala Guru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, an advocate of peoples’ cultural movement from Assam :

Issued by India

Issued on Jan 31, 2009

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Bishnu Prasad Rabha.

Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Brahm Prakash
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : Wet–offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Bishnu Prasad Rabha

Born on Jan 31, 1909 at Dacca, Bengal Presidency, British India

Died on Jun 20, 1969 at Tezpur, Sonitpur district, Assam, India

About :

Bishnu Prasad Rabha, the doyen of Assamese culture, endearingly called as ‘Kala Guru’ was the son of Gopal Rabha, his ancestral home was in South Kamrup district of Assam. He was born on 31^st January, 1909 at Dhaka, where his father served as Subedar Major in the British Army.
Bishnu Prasad Rabha had his primary education at Dhaka and passed Matriculation from Tezpur High School in 1926 in first division. He did I.S.C. from St. Paul’s College, Kolkata in 1928, could not complete his B.Sc., though he studied in Rippon College, Kolkata; and Victoria College, Rangpur. As the Indian freedom movement caught momentum Bishnu Prasad had to bear the repressive measures by the British Govt. to crush the movement. As a consequence, his academic career suffered and ended in 1931.
The philosophy of the life of Bishnu Prasad Rabha finds its clear expression in his multifarious activities and his writings transcend his significance as the foremost cultural rebel-thinker of his times. He is, above all, an epitome whose artistic and literary bend of mind rightly focused in the contemporary Assamese culture.
Bishnu Prasad Rabha was a versatile genius. He touched all the media of communication like painting, dance, drama and music, cinema, gramophone records, news papers et al and proved his ability in all the fields. His dancing prowess mesmerized the audience. He was bestowed the title Kalaguru by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan at Varanasi following a recital of the Tandava dance. His poems are valued as revolutionary contributions that have brought new spirit to the youth of Assam. His musical tunes, and their lyrical contents were basically of Assamese tradition brilliantly used in art form.
Bishnu Prasad Rabha made valuable literary contribution to the Assamese literature. His numerous writings on Assamese culture are scientifically based on historical and anthropological facts. He was in favour of educating the masses through artistic and cultural activities.
Bishnu Prasad Rabha realized the power of mass media and worked for fostering it fraternal feelings amongst the various races, dialects etc., of undivided Assam.
In 1967, Bishnu Prasad Rabha was elected as Member of Assam Legislative Assembly from the Tezpur constituency.
He passed away on 20^th June, 1969.
Text : Based on material provided by the proponent.