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.
Yet another mild tremor jolted Assam on Sunday in the time of flood. The mild tremor of 4.3 struck at 9.55 in the morning creating panic among the people. Panic-stricken people in many flood relief camps started crying in fear. In Guwahati also, a section of the people housing in the high buildings came out to the streets as soon as they came to feel the earthquke.
Assam is in deep grip of the killer Japanese Encephalitis where the toll has gone up to 20. That too in Sivasagar district alone. Over 100 people from the district have been under going treatment in the various hospital. According to reports, cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome are on the rise. The number has shot up to 332 till Saturday. The death toll has touched 50.
The worst-hit districts are Kamrup, Sivasagar, Dhubri, Morigaon, Darrang and Nalbari. Doctors blame it all on the halt in fogging due to the floods and rain. They said that during monsoons, people are more prone to diseases. Government efforts are on to keep the situation under control. Although vaccination is said to...
Congress MLA Rumi Nath and her second husband Jaki Jakir were given medical assistance in Guwahati a day after the duo were mercilessly thrashed by a huge mob in Karimganj. A team of doctors from the Guwahati Medical College Hospital reached their official quarter in Dispur after they were escorted to the capital city on Sunday.
The couple is reported to be out of danger. This is the first instance in the state when a lady MLA was beaten up in public. A strong contingent of police and CRPF forces is guarding Nath and her husband at their MLA quarter in the Dispur. Talking to reporters on Saturday evening Nath alleged that the culprits who had outraged the modesty of a woman should be...
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi are scheduled to visit the state on Monday to take a stock of the situation.According to information, the duo would make an aerial survey across the state during their hurricane visit to the state. Meanwhile, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority on Saturday visited flood affected areas and took stoke of the situation.
The overall flood condition improves on Saturday following halt in the incessant rains that lashed Assam last week.The situation in Dhemaji, Jorhat,Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, and Tinsukia has slightly improved but the major rivers still flowing above the danger level.But the water level in Goalpara and Dhubri districts remained unchanged. Rescue and relief operations are being carried out in the flood affected areas.The government has intensified the relief works across the state. Over 3 lakh 12 thousand people have been sheltered at around 550 camps. This is apart from 200 medical teams along with Mobile Medical Unit.
Hundreds of Khasi people from Meghalaya staged indefinite hunger strike in Langpih bordering Assam on Saturday. They said that with the strike they want to mount pressure on the government to settle to the long-pending border dispute.The hunger strike was led by a 28-year-old youth from West Khasi Hills district, Pynshkemlang Nongshlong, and actively participated by villagers, including women and children.Meanwhile, the People's Movement, which is spearheading the fight to solve the long pending border dispute with neighbouring Assam, also staged a one-day demonstration here expressing solidarity with the fast unto death agitation by the people at the border.The delegation of the People's...
Rumi Nath and her second husband Jeki Jakir said that the mob attack was a political conspiracy. Addressing a press conference in Dispur on Saturday evening, the couple said that they did not come to see even a single person who hail from Karimganj when they were attacked inside the hotel.
Karimganj district administration on Saturday slammed prohibitory orders under Section 144 a day after Congress MLA from Barak Valley Rumi Nath was beaten up by a hundred-strong mob at a hotel on Friday night. Security forces have been deployed in the vital public places to disperse the mob on the streets for and against the MLA. Hundreds of her supporters blocked the vital roads in the entire district in several places in protest against the incident. The protesters further damaged at least 20 vehicles at the height of the protest. Rumi and her 28-year-old husband Zakir Hussain were hospitalised after the incident. Her personal life has been under the scanner since she left her first...
Former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma on Saturday pinned hopes on support from the north east political leaders to help him reach the Raisina Hill. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati three days after filing nomination for the presidential post, Sangma said the he want to show the country wants a tribal leader in its helm. He further appealed to the political parties to favour him without any doubt or fear. He is confidence that he would win the presidential elections. He said that he has contested parliamentary elections nine times and legislative assembly elections twice and that he has no record of any defeat. Notably, he receives support from AGP, UDP, Hill State Peoples'...
The two month long kidnap drama in Goalpara district came to a tragic end when police recovered the bodies of two teachers on Sunday more than a month after they were kidnapped along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The bodies of the teachers namely Kamaleswar Rabha and Sarit Rabha on Saturday. They were kidnapped last month from Golpur area of the district. The teachers were kidnapped by local miscreants who shot them dead after their ransom demand was not met.
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