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.
Police opened fire to disperse bandh supporters when they blocked the Natioal Highway-31 at Joghighopa in Bongaigaon district and three bandh supporters were injured.Tension erupted in Dhubri district with the CRPF and the police opening fire to disperse bandh supporters, who burnt the effigy of Mohilary near No:2 Kali Mandir on NH 31 at Gauripur.AMSU activists also blocked NH-31 at New Hatipota near Bilasipara, ransacked the Bodoland Peoples' Front office in Gauripur as well as eight shops at Asharkandi besides forcibly closing shops at Gariapatti.
Fresh incidents of violence takes away the chance of peace in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bagsa and Dhbubri districts when the All Assam Minority Students' Union’s bandh call disrupted normal life across the state on Tuesday.The Army jawans are patrolling the violence-hit areas and more security forces have been deployed in BTAD areas with night curfew. Normal life was paralysed with sporadic incidents of violence in several districts during the 12-hour bandh called demanding scrapping of the Bodoland Territorial Council and the arrest of its chief Hagrama Mohilary.
Normal life comes to a grinding halt across the state on Tuesday following the 12 hour bandh call by the All Assam Minority Students Union demanding action to atop the BTAD violence. The bandh that began at 6 in the morning has crippled normal transport service and business activities in the state. The impact is heavy and total in the minority-dominated areas of the state. A section of bandh supporters tried to enforce the bandh even with a string of stray incidents. The bandh crippled normal life a day after the Bajrang sponsored-total and peaceful bandh called demanding arrest of AIUDF president Badaruddin Ajmal.
One person was killed and five others have been injured in fresh violence in the Kokrajhar district on Tuesday.Four incidents of firing were reported from the district on Monday. One was killed in Bhumki in the Salakati town, four others were injured in the Pakritol village after unidentified gunmen opened fire. Another person was also reported to have sustained injuries in Gossaigaon.
Security has been beefed up in the riot-hit BTAD areas after fresh incidents of violence from Saturday. Indefinite curfew has been clamped in Chirang district since Saturday evening after unidentified miscreants killed five persons in a fresh orgy of attack. Assam Police and paramilitary forces launched a massive operation to nab the perpetrators. Two senior police officials have been rushed to monitor the situation in Chirang district. Eighty additional CRPF companies have also been deployed to bring the situation under control. Army jawans continued flag march on Sunday to maintain peace.
The United Liberation Front of Asom on Sunday warned of attacks on outsiders if the killing of Assamese youths are allowed to continue. A statement signed by Paresh Baruah, ULFA alleged that 14 Assamese youth had been killed outside Assam.
The statement reads that the atrocities inflicted on the people from Assam must be stopped immediately. ULFA further charged All India United Democratic Front president Badaruddin Ajmal with spreading communal tension for political mileage.
Five persons were injured in a fresh incident of violence in Kokrajhar district on Sunday. The incident took place unidentified miscreants persons attacked five persons including a child near Salakati Railway Station in Kokrajhar in the wee hours. The injured have been admitted to the Bongaigaon civil hospital.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday ordered BTAD administration to crush the spine of the trouble mongers in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts. He asked the administration to open fire at anyone who resorts to arson and violence. Gogoi has asked a team of his cabinet colleagues to visit the BTAD areas to assess the situation.
Four boys were injured when group of students clashed in Morigaon on Saturday. The incident took place at a boys' hostel of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Morigaon Saturday night. According to police, hostel inmates of Class 11 and Class 12 were involved in the clash, in which both sides used sharp weapons. Police rushed to the school and brought the situation under control. Hostel inmates have vacated the place on Sunday morning fearing further violence.
Assam Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi on Saturday expressed his deep gratitude to Karnataka government for taking measures to tackle the issues facing people of the North East origin. Talking to Karnataka deputy chief minister R Ashoka, Gogoi said that he was impressed with the way in which the Government of Karnataka and in particular the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka R Ashoka swung into action and tackled the issue.
The Chief Minister also thanked his Karnataka counterpart over telephone in the presence of the delegation and said that there are a large number of people from Karnataka settled for generations in Assam and similarly Bangalore is home for a large number of people...
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