Absurd Assamese Play: Dr. Arun Sarma's "Aahar”

Abstract

The Assamese prose, poetry and drama written during the Post- Independence era were at par with the time. It reflected the same social analysis and structural experimentation. Although a lot of great dramas appeared they went unnoticed in comparison to prose and poetry. The prominent western influence of dramatists like Ibsen, Shaw, Beckett, Chekov etc can be seen in the Assamese plays. One more form that developed in this era was the "One Act Plays”. Though the influence of absurd plays was not so widespread we can see a couple of playwrights such as Dr. Arun Sarma, Basanta Saikia, and Himendrakumar Borthakur in whose works Ionesco and Beckett apparently reflects.

Dr. Arun Sarma is one of the most noted and distinguished Assamese dramatist. He has a very long and graceful writing career. Though Dr. Sarma is equally proficient as a poet but his first identity which is more celebrated is that of a dramatist in the Assamese Literary circle, that too of a very unique status. His works Shri Nibaran Bhattacharya (1961) and Aahar (1964) were two prominent plays which are treated as the starters of Assamese Absurd Drama. Though many claims that Shri Nibaran Bhattacharya cannot be treated as a fully fledged absurd drama, " Aahar” has a lot to resemble with the absurdist trend.

In this study it is tried to bring out the unique elements of "Aahar” which resembles the characteristics of Absurd Drama.