Draft:Ishan Chandra Mushahary

Ishan Chandra Mushahary (or Mwshahary) was a Bodo romantic poet and writer. He has two books of poetry to his name, they are Sonani Mala and Pami. His short story Abari (1940) is considered the first ever writtten in Bodo language. All of his works were published posthumously after his untimely death at the age of 25. Mushahary's contributions have established him as an important literary figure. His poems are attributed to the growth of romanticism in Bodo literature.

Early Life and Education
Mushahary was born in the village of Thuribari, Kokrajhar, Assam on 29 December 1915 to Raitin Brahma and Gandari Brahma. He was their second son. Mushahary began his formal education at the Kamalsingh Middle School, from which he graduated in 1926. In 1937, he completed his matriculation from the Dhubri district of Assam.

His family's financial condition compelled him to reside at one Jagirdar Mahesh Gabru's home in Jalpaiguri, from where he commuted to AlipurDuar College. He left the college that same year for the opportunity to study at Allahabad Agricultural University. Organisations like the "Kamalsingh Brahma Sampraday Dharma Siksha Samiti" and different individuals lent financial help for his studies. During his time at the university, Mushahary got married to Sarojini Brahma, the daughter of a wealthy and well-known Gaidang Brahma. Two months after his marriage, Mushahary passed away from fever during his final exams at the university in 1940.

According to Mushahary's family, a trunk full of books and reams of his writings arrived the same day they had received a telegraph informing of his death. Most of the contents of the trunk were burnt during cremation, because of the prevailing beliefs amongst the Bodos that a dead person's belongings must not be kept at home.

Literary Works
Mushahary wrote poems, prose, short stories, and dramas, most of which remain unsalvageable. His works were posthumously published in magazines, such as his poems in "Alongbar" and Abari in "Hathorki-Hala", both magazines by Pramod Chandra Brahma. His poetry book Pami (2022) was formally published along with copies of the original by Kokrajhar Govt. College (KGC). Sonani Mala, his other book, remains unpublished. The KGC literary society organises an annual three-day festival on the occasion of Mushahary's birth anniversary. Critics have compared Mushahary to the English romantic poet John Keats, not only for their thematic similarities in poetry but also their tragic untimely deaths at 25.