Ramnabami-Natak: The Story of Ram and Nabami

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Gunabhiram Barua’s Ramnabami-Natak, written in 1857, revolves around the tragic story of a young widow, Nabami, and her lover, Ramchandra. The first modern Assamese play on a secular theme, it presents a bold redefinition of consensual marriage while strongly advocating widow remarriage. Translated into English for the first time, Ramnabami-Natak mounts a severe critique on the moral guardians of society and makes interesting references to certain social mores and beliefs in nineteenth-century Assam. The play’s historical location enables it to provide insights into the colonial encounter, including the birth of the modern subject and the emergence of print culture. In her informed introduction, Tilottoma Misra weaves a historical analysis of Assamese modernity with a specific narrative about the play, thus highlighting debates around the ‘proper sphere’ of women and the plight of young widows. The introduction also dwells on crucial elements of vernacular modernity-the emergence of the print–public sphere in Assam and the discourses on Assamese language at that time.

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Gunabhiram Barua (1837–94) was among the enlightened nineteenth-century thinkers who advocated new ideas of social reform in colonial Assam. He wrote extensively on women’s education, child marriage, and polygamy. Tilottoma Misra was formerly Professor, Department of English, Dibrugarh University, Assam. Her published works include Ramnabami-Natak: The Story of Ram and Nabami (OUP 2007).