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.
26 Jun 2022 - 8:29pm | Prasenjit Saha
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Police arrested a surrendered KPLT militant on Friday. Identified as Maniram Rongpi, the surrendered Karbi militant was arrested from Nagaon.
He was arrested a day after three insurgents in connection with rhino horn smuggling.
Violence resurfaces in Karbi Anglong when a KRA militant was killed at clash with UKDA militant on Friday.
The clash took place in the evening at Sinhasan hill where the KRA militant died on the spot. The KRA militant was identified as Janghao Thawhaw who was attacked with sharp weapons. An UKDA militant was also injured in the incident.
In yet another shootout in Guwahati, president and secretary of a village panchayat, were shot at and seriously injured by miscreants in Kamrup on Friday.
According to police, Saniyadi village panchayat president Mokibur Ali and Secretary Mojinur Ali had withdrawn Rs 2.60 lakh from a bank and were on way to Guwahati when unidentified miscreants opened fire at them at Agiathuri.
Later, both of them were admitted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital.
A group of senior officials of Assam and Mizoram on Friday decided to continue talks to ease tension along the inter state border.
In a resolution passed at a crucial meeting held in the Silchar Circuit House, both sides decided that border tension should be de-escalated in Cachar-Kolasib belt during the last few days.
Cachar Deputy Commissioner Harendra Kumar Dev Mahanta and his counterpart from Kolasib in Mizoram, Niharika Rai attended the meeting along with senior police and administration officials. They further decided to hold quarterly meetings in Silchar and Kolasib. Top ranked police officials from Dhalai in Cachar and Vairangte in Kolasib will hold monthly meetings.
CPM leader Prakash on Friday came down heavily on the UPA government for the recent decision to increase the FDI insurance and the pension bill.
Addressing a public meeting in Chirang on Friday he said that CPI(M) would give an united fight with other political parties to defeat the move.
He further visited relief camps in the violence hit districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang and neigbouring Bongaigaon. He also interacted with the camp inmates and called upon the state government and the BTAD administration to take measures so that people can go back to their homes at the earliest.
Tension still grips Haflong town on Friday. The prohibitory order was also discontinued in view of the withdrawal of the Dima Hasao bandh called jointly by the North Cachar Hills Indigenous Peoples' Forum and its students and women wings.
Curfew was imposed following violence during a 48-hour bandh called by the NCHIPF to press for bifurcation of Dima Hasao district into two autonomous districts.
CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat on Friday called upon people to defeat divisive forces---trying to divide the society in the name of religion.
In his address at a public meeting at Bijni Karat held that the recent cycle of violence in BTAD areas had nationwide repercussion.
He said that the exodus of people of North-East people from Bangalore, Hyderabad itself manifested it. He flayed both Delhi and Dispur alleging the failure in ensuring safety and security of the people.
A hardcore ULFA militant was killed at an encounter with security forces in Tinsukia district on Thursday. The gunbattle took place in the wee hours at Torani reserve forest near Pengeri. Acting on a tip off that a group of ULFA-men was hiding in the dense jungle police and army personnel launched an operation where the gun fight took place. ULF militant Wangli Moran was killed on the spot while others managed to escape from the spot.
Businessman Ramesh Agarwalla was found dead in Tinsukia on Thursday three days after he was kidnapped at gunpoint. His body was found at a tiny village in the district. Meanwhile, police have three youths in this connection. When Agarwalla went missing his family members denied receipt of any extortion notices. More arrested are awaited.
Yet another sensation murder rocks Guwahati. A group of dacoits killed a businessman in the city on Wednesday night. The incident took place at Bhetapara area. A few armed miscreants attacked businessman Dilip Saikia and his employees with sharp weapons. Some of the family members also sprang upon the dacoits. Local residents in large numbers also came out to their rescue. Saikia was rushed to the hospital. But he succumbed to his injuries on the way. The local resident captured a dacoit before it was handed over to police. A pistol was found from the spot.
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