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.
BJP on Saturday sharpened attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a day after Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi blamed the Centre for delayed action to curb the violence. The party also accused the ruling Congress of being responsible for the ethnic violence. Talking to reporters, BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain demanded a reply from Manmohan Singh that Tarun Gogoi, who is their Chief Minister, has accused the Centre of not sending timely help and forces.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh announced a huge 300 crore package to pacify the boiling BTAD areas on his hurricane visit to Kokrajhar on Saturday.Addressing a press conference in Kokrajhar he said that the affected people would be given Rs 100 crore to be rehabilitated. Another Rs 100 crore rupees would be for providing the houses under the Indira Aawas Yojana for those rendered homeless in the clash. Dr Singh said that apart from these BTAD would get a huge 100 crore rupees for development schemes. Dr Singh who visited two relief camps said that the family members of the deceased ones would be compensated with 2 lakh rupees.
A “Goodwill Mission” headed by Thaneswar Malakar,DC,Udalguri visited various villages of Bhergaon sub-division including the house of Nabla Boro (35) son of Kulen Boro of Khagrabari Nalbari village on July 26. Nabla Boro, a CRPF jawan serving under 151 BN CRPF at Jammu had been brutally killed by miscreants at Srirampur railway station on July 23 while he was returning to the place of his posting after spending a moths leave at home. On behalf of the district administration, DC Malakar offered deep condolence to the family members of the victim. He also offered financial assistance to the family. Other distinguished members of the mission were- Nilakanta Gayari, president...
Amid tight security, prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are on a stock-taking visit to Kokrajhar on Saturday. During the 4-hour long visit, the duo would take stock of the situation. They are also scheduled to visit to relief camps in Kokrajhar. At 12.30 noon they would review the situation with chief minister Tarun Gogoi, governor JB Patnike along with army, police and civil heavyweights in Barjhar. Dr Singh is expected to announce a special package for the victims before wrapping up the visit.Earlier, they landed at the LGB international airport at 10.30 am to be received by chief minister and governor and straightly left for Kokrajhar by a helicopter.
Kokrajhar virtually turns into a security fotress just before the stock-taking visit of prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday. Army, police and para military forces are on round-the-clock vigil in Kokrajhar to disperse the miscreants waiting to strike during the high profile visit. The situation in Kokrajhar is by and large normal. There is hardly any report of major incident during the last 12 hours. The district authorities have relaxed curfew in Kokrajhar from early in the morning.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are all set to visit in Kokrajhar on Saturday. The duo are scheduled to arrived in the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Barjhar at 10-30 in the morning. Accompanied by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Dr Singh and Gandhi will straightly leave for Kokrajhar to take stock of the situation. Apart from reviewing the situation, they are expected to visit a few relief camps to oversee relief works. Home Minister P Chidambaram will visit Kokrajhar and adjoining districts on Monday.
Caught in a barrage of controversy, Congress set up a 10-member coordination committee to look into the Kokrajhar violence. The panel has a few critics of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who are unhappy with the chief minister’s role. Earlier on Thursday evening, a team of Muslim MPs, including Congressmen, met Home Minister P Chidambaram and said they had lost faith in the Gogoi government.
In yet another major embarrassment, a minor boy and a 60-year-old man died in two different relief camps in Bilasipara on Friday. The district administration is yet to ascertain the cause. The relief camps set up for the refugees are overcrowded. A section of camp inmates alleged insufficient food, drinking water and medicines.
Central paramilitary forces are fanning in the violence-hit Kokrajhar, Chirang and other adjoining areas to rein in the strings of clashes that claimed at least 60 people during the last 6 days. Of the 65 paramilitary companies ordered, 53 companies have reached Assam so far to bring the situation under control. But the focus is concentrated on relief and rescue a day ahead of the prime minister’s visit.
A day before prime minister’s visit, the Centre on Friday rushed two teams of doctors and nurses to Kokrajhar and Chirang to boost efforts to provide relief and medical help to the refugees. In a video conference with Assam Chief Secretary Naba Kumar Das, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth reviewed the relief and medical arrangements for the victims.
According to official sources, two teams of physician, gynaecologist, paediatrician, public health specialists, resident doctors and nurses have arrived in the violence hit areas on Friday night. Nearly two lakh people have taken shelter in 250 relief camps in the five riot-hit districts of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Baksa and Dhubri.
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