''Jonaki'' ( as, জোনাকী, ''Moonlight'') was an

Assamese language Assamese (), also Asamiya ( ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly in the north-east Indian state of Assam, where it is an official language, and it serves as a ''lingua franca'' of the wider region. The easternmost Indo-Iranian language, ...

magazine published from

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

in 1889. It was also the mouthpiece of the then Assamese

literary society A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of writing or a specific author. Modern literary societies typically promote research, publish newsle ...

Oxomiya Bhaxa Unnati Xadhini Xobha Axomiya Bhaxa Unnati Xadhini Xobha ( as, অসমীয়া ভাষা উন্নতি সাধিনী সভা, en, Assamese Language Development Society) was a lite organization formed on Saturday 25 August 1888 (1810 Saka). It is ...

in which the society’s aim and objectives were regularly expressed. The first editor of the magazine was Chandra Kumar Agarwala.

History

The

, after its formation in 1888, decided to publish a new monthly Assamese magazine. But the bigger problem was to finance it since all the associated members of the society were students. Chandra Kumar Agarwala, who belonged to a rich business family, came forward to finance the magazine and named it ''Jonaki'' ("Moonlight"). Agarwala was a FA student in Presidency College then and also a member of the society. He put forward two conditions to publish and edit the magazine: #Every member must take care of ''Jonaki''; #Every member must write an article for ''Jonaki''. If those conditions were not met by anyone, a fine of Rs 15 would be imposed on him. The society accepted the conditions and the first issue was published. The exact publication date is not known, since only the Assamese month ‘ Māgho’ and the year of publication 1889 were mentioned in the magazine, but the first edition is believed to have been put out on 9 February 1889. The printing of the magazine continued until 1898. Publishing resumed in

Guwahati Guwahati (, ; formerly rendered Gauhati, ) is the biggest city of the Indian state of Assam and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the ...

in 1901 and continued until 1903. Satyanath Borah and Kanaklal Baruah were the editors of the Guwahati editions.

Aim and objectives

One unusual feature of the magazine was that it did not have an editorial. Rather, it contained a regular column called ''Atmokotha'' (Self-sketches) in which the ideology of the magazine as well as the society was expressed. The aim and objective of the magazine as expressed in this column in the first edition was (English translation: Uddipan Dutta):

The ''Jonaki'' Era

''Jonaki'' marked the dawn of romanticism in Assamese literature. The first romantic poem, ''Bon Kunwori'' (The Wood Nymph), by Chandra Kumar Agarwala, and the first Assamese

sonnet A sonnet is a poetic form that originated in the poetry composed at the Court of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in the Sicilian city of Palermo. The 13th-century poet and notary Giacomo da Lentini is credited with the sonnet's invention, ...

, ''Priyotomar Sithi'' (Letter from the beloved), by Hemchandra Goswami, were published in the magazine. Hemchandra Goswami’s ''Kaku Aru Hiya Nibilau'' (No More of my Heart to Anybody) was a unique poem of its kind. A regular humorous column titled ''Kripabor Boruar Kakotor Topola'', by

Lakshminath Bezbaroa ' Lakshminath Bezbarua (, 14 October 1864), was an Assamese poet, novelist and playwright of modern Assamese literature. He was one of the literary stalwarts of the Jonaki Era, the age of romanticism in Assamese literature when through his e ...

, was also included. Kamalakanta Bhattacharjya’s ''Pahoroni'' (Oblivion) and Chandrakumar Agarwala’s ''Niyor'' (Dew-drops) were two e-making poems published in the first year of the magazine. The joint efforts of these pioneers established a new era in Assamese literature: The ''Jonaki'' Era, or the romantic age. The writers of ''

Orunodoi ''Orunodoi'' or ''Arunodoi'' (Assamese language, Assamese: অৰুণোদই, English language, English: "Sunrise") was the first Assamese-language magazine published monthly from Sibsagar, Assam, in 1846. The magazine created a new era in ...

'' chose the medium of prose, but the poetic grandeur in Assamese literature was achieved by the poets of the ''Jonaki'' group and their contemporaries.

People associated with the magazine

Notable members associated with the magazine include: *

Lakshminath Bezbarua ' Lakshminath Bezbarua (, 14 October 1864), was an Assamese poet, novelist and playwright of modern Assamese literature. He was one of the literary stalwarts of the Jonaki Era, the age of romanticism in Assamese literature when through his ess ...

(1864–1938) * Chandra Kumar Agarwala (1867–1937) * Devakanta Baruah * Kamalakanta Bhattacharya *

Hemchandra Goswami Hemchandra Goswami (1872–1928) was an Indian writer, poet, historian, teacher and a linguist from Assam in the early part of modern Assamese literature. He was the fourth president of the Asom Sahitya Sabha in 1920 held at Tezpur. He retired ...

(1872–1928) *

Padmanath Gohain Baruah Padmanath Gohain Baruah ( as, পদ্মনাথ গোহাঞি বৰুৱা; 1871–1946) was the first president of Asam Sahitya Sabha and a prominent name in the early part of modern Assamese literature. He was a novelist, poet, dram ...

(1871–1946) * Satyanath Bora (1860–1925) * Kanaklal Barua (1872–1940) *

Ananda Chandra Agarwala Ananda Chandra Agarwala (1874–1940) was a writer, poet, historian, translator and administrative officer from Sonitpur district of Assam. He is known as Bhangoni Kunwor (ভাঙনি কোঁৱৰ) for his translation of several Engli ...

(1874–1940) *Dharmeswari Debi Baruani (1892–1960) * Nalinibala Devi (1898–1977) * Raghunath Choudhary (1879–1968) *

Ambikagiri Raichoudhury Ambikagiri Raichoudhury (1885–1967) was an Assamese poet, lyricist, singer, powerful prose writer, news worker, magazine editor, patriotic, social-worker and the leading freedom fighter of India's freedom struggle. He is known as Assam Kesari ...

(1885–1967) *

Jatindra Nath Duwara Jatindra Nath Duwara ( as, যতীন্দ্ৰনাথ দুৱৰা; 1892-1964) was a notable poet of the Jonaki era of Assamese literature. Duwara is known as Bonphulor kobi in the Assamese literacy society. He was the first writer awa ...

(1892–1964)

Issues

The total number of issues of ''Jonaki'' published during 1889–1898 is 69. *1st year: 11 issues *2nd year: 12 issues *3rd year: 10 issues *4th year: 11 issues *5th year: 7 issues *6th year: 11 issues *7th year: 6 issues *8th year: 1 issue

References

External links

Theatrical movement in Assam
by Babul Tamuly, Editorial, The ''Assam Tribune''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Jonaki (Magazine) Assamese-language mass media Assamese literature Defunct magazines published in India Defunct literary magazines Literary magazines published in India Monthly magazines published in India Magazines established in 1889 Magazines disestablished in 1903 Mass media in Kolkata