A CORRESPONDENT
NAZIRA: Hiteswar Barua, an 88-year-old resident of Chawdang Gaon in Hahchara, Sivasagar, and a prominent practitioner of the Tai language and traditional Tai priestly rituals, passed away at a private hospital in Dibrugarh on the night of October 6.
Barua had been undergoing treatment for a serious illness for several days. A veteran Tai priest of Hahchara Mouza, he had played an important role in preserving and practising the traditional customs and religious rituals of the local Tai community. He was particularly associated with the religious ceremonies of the ancestors, including the traditional Me-Dam-Me-Phi observances.
A person with considerable knowledge of Tai language and literature, Barua’s death has cast a pall of gloom over Hahchara. He remained quietly but actively involved in various social and community programmes and was deeply conscious of the preservation of Tai language and culture.
The Hahchara Tai Academy, Hahchara Central Me-Dam-Me-Phi Committee, Nazira Press Club, Nazira Mukta Sangbadik Santha, as well as various organisations, institutions, and individuals, expressed deep grief over his demise and conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family. Hiteswar Barua, who was the paternal uncle of journalist Partha Pratim Barua, is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, two married daughters, grandchildren, and other relatives.
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