Guwahati: Noted Assamese poet Hiren Bhattacharyya, who breathed his last Wednesday, was cremated here ton Thursday.
The funeral procession of Bhattacharyya stopped at the Artists’ Guild and All India Radio station, before proceeding to the Nabagraha cremation grounds.
People from all walks of life, from politicians to litterateurs to general public, paid their last respects to the late poet.
Traders’ bodies of Zoo Road, Chandmari and Panbazaar areas had closed their shutters this morning as a token of respect for the poet.
Bhattacharyya had expired at a private hospital here after a brief illness.
His body was laid in state at his residence here for his fans and family to pay their last respects.
Among the greatest poets of Assam of all times, Bhattacharyya’s death cast a pall of gloom across the state.
He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital since last month and specialist doctors from New Delhi and Kolkata were flown in by the government to assist a panel of experts attending to Bhattacharyya.
As his condition refused to improve, respiratory assistance was withdrawn on July 2 and he breathed his last yesterday forenoon.
A poet and writer par excellence, he was conferred with many awards during his lifetime, including the Shaitya Akademi, Assam Valley Literary Award and Rajaji Puraskar.
Born in Jorhat in 1932, Bhattacharyya, popularly known as ‘Hiruda’, had also edited a couple of magazines.
Assam Governor JB Patnaik and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, among others, mourned the death of the poet. (UNI)