Guru gomkey's birth day celebration and santal peoples

Pondit Raghunath Murmu (1905-1982)

Abowag web page:  Pondit Raghunath Murmu's (Guru Gamkey's) 116th Birthday, celebrated across India on 5th May 2020 Wednesday by santal people amid lock down situation. Guru Gamke was born at Dahardi village in mayurbhanj district, Orrissa. He was the inventor of Ol CHIKI SCRIPT. He was a poet, dramatist, essayist and a great philosopher. This year Guru Gamke's birthday, celebrated shortly without any cultural programme in different places because of the outbreak of corona virus (covid -19).

Not only the people of India but also the people of Bangladesh celebrated this day reported. A large number of clubs celebrated this day only by offering garlands to the statue of Guru Gamke and delivering some valuable speech shortly about Guru Gamke due to lock down, declared by govt. It is reported that many family members celebrated this day at their home owing to lock down situation. Club members of Tamluk Raska Mahal celebrated the day maintaining social distance in such lock down situation. Few respect persons, Mr.D.N. Hembram, Dr. S.N.Mandi, A.Hansda, Kanta Saren and many others attended the celebration.

It is also reported that members of SANAT TARAS Club at Kantadih in purulia district celebrated the day by obeying all kinds of instructions given by government.

Different types of posts on social media written in different language avoiding santali language created confusion among the distinguished persons. According to their viewpoint these types of writing may mislead the new generations (santhals) in future .The Main mantra of Guru Gamke was to nurture the language, religion and writing by own self. He said '' if a person loses his/her writing, language and religion, he/she must loses his/ her own real identity.

''sufficient books have not been printed in santali language. The printed books in santali are minimum in number. A large number of santal students are not showing their interests in reading books written in santali language. Only some syllabuses books are found in books stalls.

New generations brought up in town are neglecting their mother tongue. They don't speak in santali language at home at all. For these reasons  santali language is not developing. Many people said recently debate on 'DHARAM' is also aroused among santals.

In this situations some people said collected poems of GURU GOMKE should be published immediately for the welfare of society by the Government.’ Some people demand  to the Govt. to start the ‘Literary Award’ by the name of R.N.Murmu. Some people also reacted there should be research on the life and  the literature of Raghu Nath Murmu.