Hem Chandra Goswami (1872-1928) is considered as one of the best writer of late nineteenth and early twentieth century. A historian, poet, teacher, and a linguist, Goswami retired as extra assistant commissioner in the British Assam. His association with the Assam Sahitya Sabha, the apex body of Assamese literature, since its inception in 1917 even marks his career. He published the first Assamese dictionary, Hem-Kosh, with the help of Colonel Gordon in 1900.
Poetry; the sing song tones of "emotions recollected in tranquillity" lulls the soul of mortal millions as one glides through the works of this veteran poet. His poems were published in the Asam Bandhu. His poems at once strike a chord the melancholic overtones of romantic lineages, as he pens down in -A letter from My Beloved: Much have I wandered far and wide /And uncovered Nature`s canopy/ Of her beauteous forms. But far above/ Sparkles, the ambrosial epistle of my love/ The wafted muse of poet`s bower may bloom" the extract taken from Priyotomar Chithi, Published in Jonaki and written in free verse. `Priyatamar Cithi` is indeed a revolution within the infrastructures of Assamese poetry as it is the first Assamese modern poem and sonnet, transcending the borders of the parameters of the archetypal traditional metre. Also, instead of dealing with a generic theme, of nature and beauty, the poem talks about a particular emotion. When the poet receives a letter from his beloved, the handwriting may not be first-rate, but the passion the letter carries is unparalleled and unrivalled.
A historian, poet, teacher, linguist, Goswami retired as extra assistant commissioner in the British Assam. He was associated with the Assam Sahitya Sabha, the apex body of Assamese literature, since its inception in 1917. He published the first Assamese dictionary, Hem-Kosh, with the help of Colonel Gordon in 1900. Noted for their simplicity and qualities of a typical romantic poetry, his collection of poems is titled Phular chaki (1907. His Puwa is a tender nature-lyric. It is composed on a piece of antique art and is said to be inspired by a picture of dawn appearing in the journal Jonaki.
Hem Goswami`s Kako aru hiya nibilao, Priyatamar chithi and Kakuti and other poems by Bezbaroa and Aggarwala constitute the pioneer love-lyrics of modern Assamese literature. Goswami`s Priyatamar chithi popularised the sonnet in Assamese literature. In Kakuti, the loneliness of the poet`s lovelorn soul is symbolised through a mango-tree standing in a lonely meadow.
He is an antiquarian scholar and has contributed to historical and literary research. Asamiya sahityar chaneki is a book published by the Calcutta University and compiled by Goswami, is a monumental work. His other works include Priyalamar chithi and Kako am hiya nibilao.
