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.
Assam Congress mires in a mysterious incident much to the embarrassment of APCC president Bhubneswar Kalita and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. APCC secretary Rajesh has been absconding with Rs.1 crore in cash he allegedly received meant for to party high command in Delhi. According to sources, Joshi and his family vanished from Guwahati after he received the money at Nakashtra Hotel in Guwahati. He received the amount one Tarh Koyu, a contractor in Arunachal Pradesh who brought the money on behalf of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki. The deal was struck on September 7. Koyu was sent to Guwahati to transfer the money to AICC. But under some mysterious circumstance, the money reached Joshi. The money...
For the first time the dangerous dengue strikes the state with altogether 13 cases. The cases reported mostly from Guwahati and its surrounding areas. Nine cases were reported from Kamrup (metro) district and one from Kamrup (rural) district on Friday. Three other cases have been reported from International Hospitals in Guwahati. NVBDCP sources said that over 10 cases have been reported so far forcing the department to start fogging and awareness programme in the affected areas. The disease is caused by the biting of aedes mosquito, which breeds in stagnant water.
The overall flood scene remains unchanged on Saturday. Fresh rains wreaked havoc in the form of flood inundating several villages in Dhemaji, Lakhmpur, Jorhat, Nagaon, Kamrup, Barpeta and Nagaon districts. Although there was no report of loss of life. District administrations rescued many affected people to higher ground. An alert has been sounded in Majuli, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Sivasagar. The government has announced measures to provide relief to the affected people and instructed the deputy commissioners of districts accordingly.
ULFA militants exploded yet another grenade in Sivasagar district of Assam on Friday to make their presence felt.The blast took place at Sonari near petrol pump at around 10-40 at night. There is, however, no report of any casualty. Police officials have rushed to the spot.
Surging waters of the Brahmaputra have again threaten to ravage the Kaziranga National Park and Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Tinsukia.
Another worst hit area is the river island Majuli in Jorhat were submerged and it was also cut off from the mainland due to stoppage of ferry services.
Security forces are fanning the along the Assam-Mizoram inter state border in Cachar district following tension flare up from Friday. Efforts were on to initiate talks with Deputy Commissioner of Kolasib district in Mizoram and a letter had already been sent to him in this regard. Notably, several organisations took out a protest march on Thursday demanding immediate solution of the long-standing boundary dispute between Assam and Mizoram.The organisations - All Barak Youth and Students Association, Dalit Sena, several local clubs among others, alleged that a few days back the pillar between Assam-Mizoram border was destroyed by unidentified miscreants.
The Assam government keeps kept the air force on standby in view of the flash floods that renders lakhs of people homeless. Kamrup, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Sonitpur districts have been submerged by the surging waters of the rivers. At least 25 villages in Kamrup district were affected due to floods.
Authorities have sounded alert was in most of the affected districts as the Brahmaputra river is flowing above danger level at some points - particularly in Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts and showing a rising trend at many places. Two youth - students of Doomdooma College in Tinsukia district were also drowned on Thursday as they w
Flood waves are back to wreak havoc. The situation has turned from bad to worse.Over ten lakh people have been affected in seven districts killing two youths in Tinsukia district and renders lakhs of people homeless. The government has also pressed into service the National Disaster Response Force to expedite relief and rescue.
The third special train for Bangalore left Guwahati on Thursday carrying altogether 1264 people back to the southern city. Amid tight security, the train left the Guwahati Railway station at 11 in the morning with the passengers, mostly, who left Bangalore at the height of rumours of attack on north east people. Earlier, two the Assam government arranged two special trains to carry hundreds of passengers back Bangalore who were willing to resume work or study.
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