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.
Delhi based journalist from Assam working with the Times of India Sabina Sehgal Saikia have been missing amid the din of the nightmare in Mumbai. Confirmed this Sabina’s husband Santanu Saikia said Sabina was there at the Taj hotel on Wednesday and she is remaining untraced. The senior journalist went to Mumbai on official work two days ago and was staying in the room. Her cell connection is not working.
Civil society in India has strongly condemned the recent decision of the Group of Ministers (GOM) in India to defer the implementation of pictorial health warnings on tobacco product packages which was to come in to effect from November 30, 2008. The pictorial warnings have been deferred, again, till at least end of May 2009.This decision of GOM is very unfortunate and has appalled the public health community across the country, said members of Advocacy Forum for Tobacco Control (AFTC). By repeatedly postponing the implementation of pack warnings on tobacco packages, the government is failing from performing its important duty to provide essential information to make Indian consumers aware...
A newly recruited ULFA cxadre has been arrested in upper Assam's Sivasagar distirct on Wednesday. According to information, the ULFA cadre is Dibanta Saikia, who was apprehended during a joint operation by Charaideo police and Army's 16 Regiment at Moranhabi village near Sapekhati.It may be noted that there is some inputs that some ULFA cadres have been satying in the area to strike on the Proterst Day faling on November 27. The recent gun battle by ULFA and police and army and the subsequesnt seizure of explosive materials also proved their presence.Moreover, a day after a group of hardcore ULFA miliants had a fierce fighting with army and police at Sarauisajia in Nazira, suspected ULFA...
"Who said agriculture is a business of loss. I am saving more than Rs 80,000/- (about USD 1,750) every year and providing bread & butter to my 11 family members who are dependent on me," said Prabhavati Devi, who lives in Sardar Nagar block of Gorakhpur district. She has one and half acres land in which she is producing more than 86 types of crops annually. Prabhavati Devi is doing organic farming, which is a very reliable method of sustainable agriculture resulting in high production at low cost.According to her, '12 years back I too was doing chemical farming and had no idea about this model of sustainable agriculture which involves an efficient management of time and land...
Kaziranga, the abode of one horn rhino is teeming with the tourists from home and abroad. The focal point of attraction is not only the beauty and bounty of nature but there some thing special. That is nothing but delicious food prepared by the local Karbi youths. These include rice, meat and fish prepared in bamboo tube and even in plantain leaves.Talking to Assam Times, a local Karbi youth said,”we do prepare our traditional dishes for the tourists. We are getting good response from the tourists.”For tourists Kaziranga now no longer a destination to visit the sights and sounds of nature. It is rich with scope for mountaineering put in place very recently. Beside this, dozens...
More ULFA top guns are set to follow Ram Singh who was arrested in a high voltage drama. This time these will include hardcore militant Sujit Mohan who has been unleashing a reign of terror in upper Assam and thus gives sleepless night to army and police.It is as if Ram Singh has opened the gate for several others to join the pro-truce group. Sujit , who hails from a poor family in Patsaku area under Bokota Mouza in Sivasagar district has been a headache for police, army and para military forces for the last couple of years.Sujit has his hardcore colleague Ram Singh alias Mintu Buragohain, whom police recently claimed to have arrested from Jabalating in Bokota area.The duo had one more...
A group of eight hardcore ULFA militants have managed to escape from army and police at Saraisajia area in Nazira.According to information, police and army Jawans from the 316 Field Regiment and 581 Light Regiment launched an operation in the area acting on some specific tip off that a seven member ULFA group led by sergeant Numal Gogoi was hiding at an abandoned house of Shibraj Sarma.The operation was launched with 300 rounds of firing. Later the operation spilled into the neighbouring Borhola and Singibeel areas. During this operation army recovered 8 kilogram RDX, 6 detonators, five bags and a few mobile phones. Dreaded ULFA terrorist Gobinda Ojha was reportedly among these terrorists...
A fierce gun battle between police and ULFA militants is reportedly going on at Saraisaja area under Geleky in Upper Assam’s Sivasagar district of Assam. Local residents, who are keeping inside their houses are still hearing sounds of gun firing. More police forces are arriving in the area.Police have cordoned off the entire area after the six ULFA tp cadres have reportedly managed to flee from the spot. 8 kilo gram RDX nd 8 live wires have been found on the spot.
Dispur police have arrested three persons before being remanded to judicial custody on Saturday. They have been arrested charging them with inciting violence after the October 30 serial blast.Moreover, police have registered cases against several others in this connection.According to information, they are Dhan Barman from Singimari area in Kamrup district, Gogon Mahanta from Sundarihaal and Sartosh Khandakar from Chenga in Barpeta.Police charged them with destroying public property, preventing government employees from discharging their duties, bid on the lives of the government employees.Some more arrested are in the offing, said reliable sources adding that thus these people have...
The serial blast accused and former NDFB home secretary Sabin Boro and Bhutanse citizen Tenzing J Zangpu on Saturday have been remanded to judicial custody even as police is believed to have failed to get any clue.Talking to reporters on the way to the Kamrupo CJM court on Saturday, both they they strongly denied their involvement in the serial blast.Sabin is former NDFB home secretary, who was expelled from the outfit on January 13 he had nothing to do with the serial blast. He was arrested by SIT from the city’s Japorijog area.Bhutanese national Tenzing J Zangpung, also said he was not aware of the incident. The general secretary with the Druk National Congress. SIT picked up him...
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