My mind towards Assamese Literature was literally like an Axanto Electron. (The electron is a subatomic particle carrying a negative electric charge. It has no known components or substructure. Therefore, the electron is generally thought to be an elementary particle.) Coming from an English medium school I hadn’t read anything Assamese apart from my course work all my life. SKC is responsible for turning it around. Quite late in life, I asked my friend Aporaj to suggest me an Assamese book to read. Prompt came the answer. Suran Medhi’s work. I was like... Who? And why would you suggest reading his books.
Now Aporaj being a calm and composed poet friend as well as an avid reader not to mention, a huge fan of SKC gave me a “prolonged summary” of his work and narrated some of SKC’s book scenes to me. I decided to give it a go. The first story I read was Gulam. My mum, my biggest critique and rock in life after Deuta, saw me reading SKC’s book. A sarcastic smile followed by her saying... Make sure you finish the book. Reading a signboard and completing a book are two different things. Yes it was hard in the beginning and it took me twice the time to read a page in Assamese but then... language is practice. The more you speak and read, the easier it becomes. Maa is also an avid reader of Assamese Literature and I often felt left out when she discussed about her books with her friends. I am still learning and enjoying the richness Assamese Literature has to offer.
I was hooked on SKC. I smuggled Aporaj to Panbazar and instructed him to get me the best SKC’s books and I dutifully carried them back home to London. Manoj Goswami once told me that he requested SKC to write a New Year peice for his then Axomia newspaper. SKC was reluctant and later Eta Bhaal Khobor was on the papers on one new year’s day. Altaf Da made a short film out of it , When I watched it, I was gobsmacked to see the impact, the subtleness and the beauty of narrating a story. A very well made film . I liked the angel Altafda chose for the film. I also liked the fact that SKC was subtle and was thrilled that he used a pseudo name. I write my blogs as Rukmini Boigari. Why? Well why not? It isn’t necessary for people to know you as long as they read what you wrote. A journalist once asked my=e why I chose the name. Rukmini gave from North East and I came from the same part of the world and Boiragi is a surname is secretly loved to have. It sounds like a song. Beautiful. In real life I cannot us it for that became my pseudo name. The fact that SKC writes under different name gave me a kick. Not that I am comparing him with me for that will be preposterous.
Every Time I visit Guwhaati, I am tempted to ask Altaf Da to introduce me to SKC but I shy off the idea and tell myself- Bublee Toi Jugyo Nohoi. You are not worth enough to meet such a persona. But deep in my mind I connected with him and had immense respect for his work. His passing away news came hit me like a bolt out of the blue through his Facebook SKC Fan Group. I was not prepared as I was not aware that he was ailing.
25th June is a very special and private day for me for its that day when my idol and The biggest inspiration in my life, Deuta passed away... four years ago. It is spooky that SKC passed away on the very day day. I felt as though somewhere in ether he connected with me and gave me his blessings which I couldn’t get in flesh and blood. People like him should not be mourned for he will live forever. Eti Londonor Duporiyat,bagisat rod loi moi Apunak shrodhanjali jonalu. Ehaat dobar khelor dore, hothaht apunar dehatu hera kintu apuniye hol Asomor Baputi Sahun.
Various aspects of impacts of climate change on the water resources of the NE region as well as results from contemporary research relevant to the region and especially the Upper Brahmaputra basin area were in focus in a one day workshop on ‘Adapting to Climate Change Impacts on Water in the Upper Brahmaputra basin in Northeast India’ that was held at the Shankardev Sabha Kakhya of the Dibrugarh Hanumanbux Surajmal Kanoi (DHSK) College on November 17th, 2012.The workshop was organised by Aaranyak (Guwahati), premier environmental research and advocacy organisation of India in collaboration with the DHSK College (Dibrugarh) with financial support from the India Water...
Here is good news for the food lovers of the region. The Morung, a restaurant which has been serving ethnic food of northeast, is organizing a series of food festivals in order to promote the local food items in a bigger way from November 23. The first phase of the festival will serve only the Naga dishes till November 25. Proprietor Rudra Deka said that the visitors will be able to enjoy unlimited supply of various food items at a minimum cost of Rs.299 per person.
Popular singer Priyanka Bharali and celebrity cook Enu Baruah of Paakghar fame have formally will inaugurate of the festival on Friday.
The Buffet menu is:
1. Chutney 2. Salad 3. Plain Rice 4. Naga Curry 5. Boil Veg 6....
The sixth annual national seminar was organized by Sanskriti-North Eastern institute of Culture and Religion, Guwahati from 16th to 18th November, 2012. Sanskriti is an anthropological research centre engaged in data based research on the people and cultures of north east India. It is administered by SVD society which has a number of social science research institutions world-wide. This year the theme selected by the organizing committee was Indigenous Resource Management in Tribal Cultures of North East India.The inaugural session was presided over by well known anthropologist Prof. A. C. Bhagabati, former vice chancellor of Arunachal University and present Director, Indira Gandhi National...
Despite strict vigil, ULFA militants are moving with arms without any hindrance in Sivasagar district. Sonari police recovered a huge cache of explosives during a joint operation with army in Bahbari area on Saturday. But the ULFA men managed to vanish from the spot. Acting on a tip off that three hardcore ULFA militants were hiding in a tiny village in Bashbar, police and army’s 299 Field regiment launched a joint offensive at Raidongia village in Rajapukhuri area. But the militants fled from the spot. Security forces recovered a mobile bomb, TNT weighing three kilogram, 2 detonators along with some other materials.
Diplomats from Association of South East Asian Nations countries are all set to visit Guwahati on November 15 to hold talks with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The ASEAN diplomats would be in Guwahati just before the ASEAN-India Car Rally in the city. Officials from the ASEAN countries are likely to talk about increasing trade and cooperation between the ASEAN region and north east.
Thailand's ambassador to India Pisan Manawapat, Brunei's ambassador Dato Paduka Sidek Bin Ali, Indonedia's Charge d'Affaires Hendra Henny Andries and ambassador of Laos Thongphanh Syackhaphom would be among those who are expected to join the delegation. The rally would reach Guwahati on December 17 and...
Much to utter disappointment to the Assamese community in Delhi, a Delhi university student committed suicide on Saturday. The incident took place at Bijoynagar area where Sri Ram College student Abhishekh Saikia committed suicide by jumping down from a building in the capital. His neighbor said that he was found depressed with his affair with a girl. Saikia hails from Guwahati.
Five security personnel guarding Water Resources Minister Rajib Lochan Pegu have been injured when their vehicle collided with a dumper truck at Golaghat on Saturday. The incident took place on the National Highway 37 near Dergaon when Pegu’s convoy was on its way from Jorhat to Guwahati. The driver is understood to have lost control over the pilot car before it rammed into the dumper truck. Three of whom are stated to be in serious condition. All the injured have been admitted to the Jorhat Medical College. Two others have been released after primary treatment.
After a brief halt, violence revisits Bodoland. Two persons were killed in two different shoot outs in the BTAD areas on Saturday. The first one incident took place in Gossaigaon when one minority youth died in miscreant firing at the paddy field. The another incident took place in Kokrajhar where another youth lost his life. This has sparked off tension and administration has sounded alert in the area.After a brief halt, violence revisits Bodoland. Two persons were killed in two different shoot outs in the BTAD areas on Saturday.
The first one incident took place in Gossaigaon when one minority youth died in miscreant firing at the paddy field. The another incident took place in...
Dispur is contemplating an education and employment generation panel to link up the two so that the youth could get jobs with their education. According to chief minister Tarun Gogoi, said economic development of the state, education, employment generation and farmers were its top priorities. He further said that his government is mooting to launch a state nutrition mission to tackle the problems of anaemia and malnutrition, found among the women and children of Assam.
Comments
Pages
Add new comment