Nalinibala Devi Or Padmashree Nalini Bala Devi

Nalinibala Devi Or Padmashree Nalini Bala Devi

Padmashree Nalini Bala Devi (1898–1977) was a legendary Assamese poet, essayist, and one of the first prominent female literary figures in Northeast India. Born in Guwahati, she was the daughter of Karmaveer Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, a noted freedom fighter and writer who deeply influenced her intellectual growth and passion for literature.

Nalini Bala Devi began writing at an early age. At just 10 years old, she penned her first poem, Pita (Father). Her father, a progressive man who valued women’s education, moved the family to Calcutta to ensure she received quality schooling. However, her life was marked by deep personal tragedies. Married at age 12 to Jeeveshwar Changkakoti, she became a widow at 20, and lost two of her four sons early in life. In 1922, while her father was imprisoned for participating in the freedom struggle, she lost her five-year-old son in a fire accident. These painful events did not deter her spirit; instead, they became the emotional and spiritual core of her poetry.

Her literary career formally began with her first poetry collection, Sandhiyar Sur (Evening Melody), published in 1928. The book later became a part of the curriculum at Calcutta University in 1946 and Gauhati University in 1951. Her poems, often nationalistic, devotional, and philosophical in nature, earned her critical acclaim across India.

In 1957, she was honored with the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contribution to literature, becoming one of the earliest Assamese women to receive such a prestigious award. In 1968, she received the Sahitya Akademi Award for her celebrated poetry anthology Alakananda.

Notable Literary Works:

Poetry Collections:

  • Sandhiyar Sur (1928)

  • Alakananda (Sahitya Akademi Award winner)

  • Sopunar Sur (Melody of Dreams)

  • Porosh Moni

  • Yuga Devata (Hero of the Age)

  • Shesh Puja (The Last Worship)

  • Parijator Abhishek

  • Prahlad

  • Meghdut

  • Suravi, Rooprekha, Shantipath (Essays)

  • Sheshor Sur (The Final Melody)

Biographical & Autobiographical Works:

  • Smritir Tirtha (Biography of her father)

  • Biswadeepa (Biographies of famous women)

  • Eri Oha Dinbur (Autobiography: The Days Passed, 1976)

  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Biography)

Children's Literature & Drama:

  • Meerabai (Children's drama)

  • Prahlad, Parijotor Abhishek

  • Santipath (Essay anthology, 1971)

In 1950, she founded the Sadou Asom Parijat Kanan, which later evolved into Moina Parijat, a well-known children's organization in Assam promoting cultural and literary awareness among youth.

Public Recognition:

  • Elected as President of the Assam Sahitya Sabha during its 23rd Session at Jorhat in 1955.

  • Honored posthumously by Cotton College, Guwahati, which named its girls' hostel "Padmashree Nalini Bala Devi Girls’ Hostel" in 1986.

  • Remembered widely for her iconic poem “Naat Ghar” (The Theatre) – the last four lines of which continue to resonate in Assamese literature.

Legacy:

Nalini Bala Devi’s writing captured the emotions of womanhood, patriotism, personal loss, and divine devotion, making her a trailblazer in Assamese literature. Her work opened doors for many women writers in Assam and remains a foundational pillar in the region's literary history.

She passed away on 24 December 1977, but her words continue to echo across generations.