Bishnupriya Manipuri literary and cultural fest

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 29: The Bishnupriya Manipuri Writers’ Forum will be organizing the International Bishnupriya Manipuri Literary and Cultural Festival on February 18 to February 19 at the District Library Auditorium in Guwahati.

Announcing this at a press conference in Guwahati today, Bishnupriya Manipuri Writers’ Forum president LK Sinha said, “This festival is aimed at developing a fellow-feeling amongst writers, artistes, intellectuals and social workers. Here we will discuss the problems and challenges faced by the language, highlight the present state of development of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language, literature and culture as well as find out a way for faster development as well as protection and preservation of the language, literature and culture of this linguistic minority.”

As part of the literary and cultural festival, a number of programmes will be organized likes poets’ meet, seminars, symposiums, artistes’ meet, editors’ meet, and publication of books. Eminent writers, artistes, social workers and intellectuals from all the seven north-eastern States as well as other parts of the country will be taking part in the fest. A number of senior artistes, writers and social workers from Agartala, Shillong, Guwahati, New Delhi, Kolkata, Imphal and Bangladesh will be felicitated at the fest for their immense contribution towards the development of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language, literature, culture and society.

Courtesy: Sentinel

Crisis in NBMM

Rebati Mohan Sinha

The problem today with the Mahasabha is that its administration has become divorced from the mechanism of power. When the power comes from a clearly identified source and when its continuance is depended on how well it serves the interest of those that elected him, there is always a need for the ‘powerful’ to keep the interest of their people in mind. What makes it particularly interesting is that the problems have come not from outside; but from within the NBMM. It is clear that something fundamental has gone wrong, which makes the administration incapable of dealing with complex issues meaningfully, like what that happened recently in Singari near Silchar.

Quite often, it has been pointed by senior members of the Mahasabha that the design flaw in the model of governance used by the President — the separation of power between him and the office bearers—coming to the fore playing itself out. He lacks authority without which he has no control over his central committee members, as a result, the administration lacks a clear leadership structure and functions as a confused babble of vested interests, egos and animosities.

The arrogance that we see often in the way Mahasabha’s spokepersons come across is not the arrogance of power; but merely the smugness of patronage.

Any sincere and dedicated effort will succeed, provided one is systematic and determined towards a reasonable goal. One must have patience and though being ambitious should not be guided by short cut.

Issues should be relevant to the society. If you are convinced of any thing relevant which is good for the society, You can be the leading light and others will follow.

At the rate at which we are going, we are heading straight for the chaos and inevitable doom. This is precisely why we need to have a committee that isn’t afraid to do something drastic enough to prevent our society from that point of no return.

Merely calling ourselves Bishnupriya Manipuri will not change the way we feel about our society. A larger change has to come from education and inculcating a basic love for our fellow society men.

It is shocking that this now, which could have been amicably sorted out between the rival group and the administration of NBMM, has assumed such a grave proportion.

Mahasabha has mishandled this issue and is now calling it unfortunate that the rival group has formed a Central Committee and this issue should have been handled more tactfully. It is intriguing as to why the Mahasabha took such a tough stand against the rival group.

History of Lohagarh

Debasish Sinha

Lohagarh Fort

Lohagarh, which literally means the ‘Iron Fort’, was extensively used by the great Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji and is located at an altitude of more than 1,050 metres on the Sahyadri ranges which divide the Pavna basin and the Indrayani basin. Lohagarh Fort was one of my dream destinations owing to its historical importance and ancient architecture, as well as the scenic beauty surrounding the fort.

The fort attracts most tourists during the monsoon season, with a lot of greenery and a variety of flowers, waterfalls in full flow and the clear rocky trail – making it a paradise which provides a lot of activities for the trekkers. The long, stretching plateaus are fascinating to watch. The main characteristic of Lohagarh is the strong fortification built on a large plateau. The fort’s four mammoth gates are still intact and in good condition. A panoramic view of the Pavana Dam can be seen from the fort. Food is not easily available on the route and most of the food stalls sell only water, tea/coffee, snacks, soft drinks and sometimes, Vada pav.

It was during the month of November that my senior colleague Dugdharam Kalita and I had to visit Pune, which gave us the opportunity to see the historical Lohagarh Fort. The scenery during November was a bit different from the one in the monsoon season, with the greenery turning yellowish-brown due to the waterfalls being totally dried-up, leaving behind the rocky trails.

We started at about 11.30 a.m. from Pune, preferring to take a local train, available from Pune to Lonavla station and back to Pune uptill 12.30 midnight. Malavli is the previous station before reaching Lonavla station, which is almost seven kilometres from the Bhaje village, but if you don’t have a personal vehicle, you will have to walk the entire distance to the Bhaje village which is at the base of the trekking trail to the Lohagarh Fort. So, we decided to get down at the Lonavla station and took an auto-rickshaw for a to and fro ride. We crossed the bridge over the Pune-Mumbai highway to step into a short, paved road which leads to the Bhaje village.

A wide, stone-lined track from the Bhaje village leads towards the fort. On the left, some concrete steps proceed to the famous Buddhist caves of Bhaje. We proceeded along the track leading to the fort. The arduous walk to the fort is wonderful due to the picturesque scenery and cool mountain air. A variety of birds and insects can also be spotted in these hills. After reaching Loharwadi, a village situated in the depression between Lohagarh and Visapur, also a place where vendors sell refreshments at the base of the fort, a track towards the left takes you to the Visapur Fort, which is larger and also higher than the Lohagarh Fort. Now in ruins, the history of the Visapur Fort is closely linked with that of the Lohagarh. British troops in 1818 AD set up their canons at Visapur for utilising its higher position and bombarded the Lohagarh Fort, forcing the Marathas to leave the fort.

Canon

Lohagarh Fort was occupied by many dynasties — the Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas, Bahamanis, Nizam Shahis, Mughals and the Marathas. Shivaji captured Lohagarh in 1648 AD and used it as a watchtower to guard his trade route. Shivaji’s battle for independence from the Mughals started at the fort of Torna in 1643 AD, but by the Treaty of Purandar, he had to surrender it to the Mughals in 1665 AD. It was recaptured by Shivaji in 1670 AD and was used for housing the treasury. From then on, the fort remained with the Marathas. But later, both the Lohagarh and the Visapur Fort were taken over by the British in 1818 AD.

With a sparse settlement, a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, a small restaurant, along with a banner of Junglelore — an organisation which offers several trekking expeditions and some travel tours — the stone carved steps ascending towards the right mark the beginning of the climb to the gates of the fort. The ascending steps seem to be in good shape. However, at some places, they are displaced, probably due to natural calamities. The stone blocks used in the fort walls, which were fitted together with some adhesive materials other than cement, stand witness to the perfection and expertise of the workmanship in those ancient days. The fort wall with the three layers of defence can be seen and easily ascertained. Absence of architectural decorations, as well as the functionality of the fort walls make it a perfect fighting bastion, which sets the fort apart from other fort-palaces elsewhere in India.

On the top, there is a small temple of Lord Shiva built at the centre, with a statue of the Nandi bull, Lord Shiva’s escort, sitting in front of the temple’s entrance. The undulating terrain provides breathtaking views in all directions. The Vinchu Kata (scorpion’s sting), so called because of its shape, is an extension of the fort which was used as a line of defense in ancient days. The stepped bawdi (tank) used as a water storage facility, shows the meticulous planning of the ancient warrior kings to ensure abundant water during a siege. The Lonavla reservoir, shimmering under the rays of the setting sun, surrounded by the Deccan plateaus of the Sahyadri hills, is a sight to behold.

Finally, it was almost 6.00 p.m. when we started our return journey from the famous Lohagarh Fort, with enthralling memories and hopes for another visit during the monsoon season.

After an hour’s walk, we reached Bhaje village at the bottom of the hill where our auto-rickshaw was waiting. From Lonavla, we took a local train, which dropped us at the Pune station.

(don_guw@yahoo.co.in)

Courtesy: The Assam Tribune (22 January 2012)

Bishnupriya literary and cultural fest in February

Post Bureau

Guwahati, Jan 29

In order to develop Bishnupriya Manipuri language, literature and culture through literary and cultural exchanges, the Bishnupriya Manipuri Writers’ Forum (BMWF) is going to hold an international Bishnupriya Manipuri literary and cultural festival on February 18 and 19 this year in Guwahati.

The festival, to be organised in the district library auditorium in Guwahati, will be participated by litterateurs and cultural troupes from Bangladesh, Tripura and Manipur, besides Assam.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Sunday, BMWF president Dils Lakshmindra Sinha said that, besides other programmes, the cultural troupe from Bangladesh to be headed by Subashis Samir would stage two Bishnupriya Manipuri dramas — Kohe Birangana, based on Michael Madhusudan Dutta’s Birangana Kabya, and Debatar Gras of RN Tagore.

Dils Sinha further said that the festival would have diverse discussions and seminars on language, literature and culture on both the days when a number of artistes, including Guru Haricharan Sinha of Shillong, poet Brojendra Sinha of Hailakandi, litterateur Ranjit Sinha of Bangladesh, Samarjit Sinha of Tripura and Kalasena Sinha of Karimganj, among others, would be felicitated.

“The initiative is to preserve Bishnupriya Manipuri rlanguage that has been categorised as an endangered language by Unesco. Bishnupriya Manipuri writers, litterateurs, artistes, intellectuals and social workers across the globe will participate in the festival,” said Sinha.

The Bishnupriya Manipuris are scattered in various places in the Northeastern region and also in some parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar.

They have two dialects — Rajar Gang (King’s village) and Madai Gang (Queen’s village).

There are about two lakhs Bishnupriya Manipuris in Assam.

According to Dils Sinha, Bishnupriya Manipuri literature is not lagging much behind among the major literatures of the Northeastern states when viewed from quality.

Courtesy: Seven Sisters Post (sevensisterspost.com)

Radhamadhav Mandir Parichalan Samiti overrules Silchar Anchalik Committee decision

On inviting Rebati Mohan Sinha in its General Body Meeting

Recently in a meeting held at Silchar, the Mandir Parichalan Samiti’s president and the secretary, Sri Shyam Sundar Sinha and Sri Krishna Charan Sinha respectively, raised an objection of inviting Mr. Rebati Mohan Sinha from Mumbai to attend the forthcoming General Body Meeting, to be held on 12th/13th March 2012 at Silchar, because they are casting a doubt on him being a virtual writer of this article (below) (the article was published in Bishnupriya Manipuri language in ‘Kaakei’, ‘Nuadristi’, and ‘Nuwa Ela’). These two office bearers have overruled the decision taken by the Silchar Anchalik Committee vis-à-vis inviting of Sri Rebati Mohan Sinha. Let readers decide on the action taken by these office bearers.

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It is learnt that the Working Committee President Sri Shyam Sundar Sinha and the Organizational Secretary Dilip Sinha have just gone back from Guwahati after collection of fund for the construction of Yatri Nivas at Radhmadhav mandir premises at Radhakund, Mathura. I can not understand, how could Guwahati Anchalik Committee President co-operate with them, who was last heard in Narsingpur General Body Meeting, expressing his doubt on the construction of the Yatri Nivas, saying ‘Kaali bagia portoi building got mitey kiya rupa ditouta’. We have also heard that the earlier building plan made in Mumbai and submitted by Delhities Sri Kajal Kanti Sinha, the then president of Nirman Committee, (a civil Engr) was summarily dumped in waste-paper-bin and a non recommended building plan made in Mathura was brought in place, for further construction. It was Sri Chandrakanta Sinha’s opinion that prevailed upon the anomaly while discharging his duties as construction in-charge at site and proceeded with the Mumbai made drawing with some modification.

Hearing all these, some questions may arise as far as the Yatrinivas is concerned, for which Sri Shyam Sundar Sinha and Krishna Charan Sinha are responsible to answer through our language papers and the questionnaires are as follows :

1.What had happened to those four donors, Dr. Ashok Kumar Sinha, Bishwajit Sinha, Sri Pranab and Chandi Sinha? What was the necessity for collection of subscription from Guwahatians, when the construction work was smoothly going on with the part payment of donation from those mentioned above?

2.Is it a fact that they wouldn’t be allotted the rooms on the names of their ancestors for whom they have been promised at Maligaon Malthep in Guwahati? What was the reason? Did they refuse to pay any further installments? Or a decision abruptly taken by the so-called core committee and ratified accordingly in the Central Working Committee at its Chenkuri meeting? Why was the list of donor’s name changed suddenly?

3.Did Mr. Rebati Mohan Sinha, a resident of Mumbai, ever made any promise in the Adhiveshan at Maligao Malthep Guwahati in 2009 that he would get the first floor(dui-tala) rooms constructed? Was it accepted with a voice vote

4.Has the list of following donors names, suggested by Mr. Rebati Mohan Sinha, been read out in the Central Working Committee Meeting just after two months of his promise ie in the month of May 2009 at Narsingpur?

Sri Bishwajit Sinha New Delhi

Sri Ramsena Sinha Pune

Sri Babul Sinha Pune

Sri Bibhulal Sinha Mumbai

Sri Pulin B. Sinha Narsingpur

Dr. Ashok K. Sinha Guwahati

5.Was there any high level meeting, arranged by Mr. Rebati Mohan Sinha, at Gobindabari, Nabadwip to discuss upon ways and means to develop the Radhamadhav mandir complex among the office bearers of Nirman Committee and Mandir Parichalan Central Working Committee with a group of engineers from BM community in the month of July 2009?

Sri Kajal kanti Sinha, President, Nirman Committee

Sri Subhash Sharma, President, Radhmadhav Mandir

Sri Shyam Sundar Sinha, Vice President,Radhmadhav Mandir

Sri Krishna Charan Sinha, Hon. Sec., Radhmadhav Mandir

Dr. Ashok Kumar Sinha, Engr, Guwahati, Radhmadhav Mandir

Sri Brajakishore Sinha, Engr.,Kolkata, Radhmadhav Mandir

Sri Rebati Mohan Sinha, Mumbai, Radhmadhav Mandir

Sri Bijit Kumar Sinha, America, Radhmadhav Mandir

On the same day, was there any sub committee formed with Sri Kishna Charan Sinha as Chairman, Rebati Mohan Sinha and Dr.Ashok Kumar Sinha as members to survey the entire structures of the mandir complex and forward their comment as well as the commencement of work on the construction of Yatri Nivas?

6. Did these three individuals leave Nabadwip for Radhakunda for the execution of jobs entrusted to them ? Did Dr.Ashok Sinha purchase building materials with his donor’s part payment money to start the construction work?

Did Mr. Rebati Mohan Sinha keep his promise made in Maligao Malthep to start the construction within three months? Then, why was it not included in 2010 year’s annual report, where Hon. General Secretary was to read in the Adhiveshan? Instead, in that report he had appreciated the sevait? Was it done for a purpose?

7. Did Dr. Ashok kumar Sinha visit the site after two months on completion of the erection of pillars, girders and beams to estimate the cost of roof concreting? Then, why did Hon. Sec. Sri Krishna Charan Sinha de0puted sevait Sri Krishna Kanta Sinha to complete the roof concreting without informing Nirman Committee or Dr. Ashok?

8. Didn’t sevait Sri Krishna Kanta Babaji submit his resignation letter to Working Committee on 28/1/2009 at Patherkandi? How could he collect about Rs 1.3 lakhs from the donors after more than a year of his resignation?

9. How could sevait bring building materials costing about Rs.90,000/- from a supplier on credit without informing Nirman Committee? Can we presume that the sevait was just following the order of Hon. Secretary?

10. Did Central Working Committee anticipated any action against him for the violation of norms?

11. Why did sevait inflated his credit amount from Rs. 90,000/- to 1,35,ooo/- without producing proper receipts, bills and vouchers? The president and secretary paid the amount without taking the Central Working Committee in to confidence. Can these two office bearers disburse so much money, then place the paper for sanction?

12.Can a foundation stone be laid without marking on the ground as per building plan?

13. In spite of raising an objection by Mr. Rebati Mohan Sinha from Mumbai, why did three office bearers perform the foundation stone laying ceremony(a pillar erection) at Radhakunda, without the drawing?

14. Why didn’t they show expenditure incurred on foundation stone laying ceremony ie an erection of a pillar foundation in that year’s expenditure and on the contrary only the to-and-fro fare shown for three persons?

15. In total how many foundation stones were laid prior to the commencement of the work of Yatrinivas in July 2008?

16. Could those foundations be included while erection of pillars or uprooted and thrown?

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To be continued.

Obituary: Centenarian Malini Devi

Obituary

Centenarian Malini Devi, mother of Bhimsen Sinha passed away on 25 January 2012. With her we lost a living history of Bishnupriya Manipuri. She was the only woman speaker who spoke and sang in the founding session of Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha NBMM at Gokila Protapgarh in 1932.

Deficit of ethics in NBMM and BMDC

Rebati Mohan Sinha

In reference to BN Sinha's article "Adding Fuel to Fire".

The first step of a fire fighting operation is a reconnaissance to search for the origin of the fire. A fire can be extinguished by taking away any of the three components—heat, fuel or air.

If life is a journey, and the human being is the vehicle, then the best fuel for a successful completion of this journey is love. When we substitute some other emotion and make it our central core, our fuel, the vehicle obviously cannot perform as it should be. The journey would no longer smooth, but jumpy, noisy, bouncy, uncomfortable, and prone to frequent breakdowns, and constantly needing other’s help to set it right. Every human being is a source of this fuel called love. We are capable of producing love 24 hrs a day, endlessly. Love is our natural state. Love works slowly as compared to its opposite emotion, namely fear and hate. If you want to get a group of people together for a common cause under a common banner, love for something might take years to unite them and at the same time hate and fear can work in a matter of minutes.

In our society, we never try to find the root cause of fire; had it been found and tried to extinguish, people would say, he/she speaks against the administration. BN Sinha has rightly pointed out that it is due to our gene. I do appreciate his thought.

There is a deficit of ethics in running of NBMM as well as BMDC. There has been erosion of people’s faith in these organizations. Their confidence in present committees, especially office bearers has declined. People’s trust in presidentship, including the chairmanship of BMDC has collapsed. The integrity among the officebearers is being questioned. The administrations are at its lowest ebb. The morale of the committee members is low. The situation is too deleterious for the society. There is too much at stake for too many in such a situation.

An organization registered under Society Act 1860 for educational, cultural, scientific and social welfare of the people, we would realize that when it at the brink of collapse, it is due to clash of personalities and failed relationship. Interestingly, 80% of our fulfillment comes from our key relationships that are satisfactory. Without such relationships we feel incomplete.

The clash of personalities and failed relationship occur, when the person, at the helm of affairs, feels himself, that (1) his image is bigger than the organization because without him it cannot run; (2) he never be wrong, and always correct; and (3) he or she is superior to his fellowmates. Many more examples can be quoted.

Republic Day with a Northeast Thought

Asmita Sinha

Happy Republic Day

Today we are celebrating the spirit of Sovereign and Independent India. Every year we celebrate it on Republic Day but the present scenario in the Northeastern states gives a setback. The growing gap between the people of neighbouring states of the region is creating more alienation weakening the true fabric of India.

The creation of states was to fulfill the aspirations of different ethnic groups of the region but the first casualty has been the resultant gaping between the hearts. The political set-ups in the region, in the form of states, are seemed to institutionalize this gap and failed to create an understanding, a feeling of welfare and strengthen the affinity. However, there has always been a considerate gap on the line of ethnicity and geography, which had  been accepted with a mark of respect and tolerance but there was no distance among hearts. This gap has now become a social and psychological distance and gradually taking a concrete shape.

Despite rich and connected history of the communities in the region, people have complete alienation of the other. They have a fragmented, fractured, fuzzy vision to their neighbour and to the whole region. Hiren Gohain has rightly asserted that we have to overcome the barriers that inhibit us to understand and appreciate the other who are our neighbours.

Ironically, where the region doesn’t give an opportunity and a platform to bring the people together, it is the capital of India that brings together people from this region by shedding barriers. One will find a Naga sharing room with an Assamese! It is not the sharing of space; it is sharing of common beliefs and strengthening of the neighbourhood affinity.

If the gap is not diminished, the very foundation of our Constitution that gives a framework with Rights and Privileges to the People of India would be weakened and the Nation India would not be able to live up to its true essence and ideals. If the common people of the states would not come forward with the spirit of sisterhood with respect and tolerance overcoming the myopic vision, one cannot think of a better tomorrow.

We have to bring a northeast thought aiming at a prosperous and strong region, hence consolidating the strength of India and the spirit of Indianness.

Breaking inter-state barriers

At a time of rampant political conflicts, the need is for sensitive writing that brings the seven sisters closer together. Ramlal Sinha reads the writing on the wall.

THE landlocked seven sisters – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura – have a shared history, but it is a history that has seen more of conflicts, less of sisterhood. The ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity of the region is not as much of a problem as its territorial disputes are. Creation of the northeastern states without their boundaries properly demarcated – a politically expeditious action by the powers that be – is a major reason behind the growing emotional divide and strained relations between them. This issue has been keenly pursued by some writers transcending geographical, or rather,

man-made barriers.

Litterateur Hiren Gohain

At a recent workshop on translation held in Guwahati, renowned litterateur Hiren Gohain had said: “We (the northeastern states) are neighbours, yet strangers. We must overcome the barriers.” He blamed colonialism for the gap between the ethnic groups in the Northeast. Gohain said that bringing out books for children in all the languages of the region would enrich their minds.

The workshop on translation of children’s literature into various languages of the region was organised by Anwesha, a book promotion group. The participants were tasked with translating children’s books into Assamese, Bodo, Garo, Manipuri, Mizo and Khasi at the workshop.

Author and former North East Writers’ Forum (NEWF) president Arup Kumar Dutta, who hails from Assam, has written three novels set in the Northeast. His novel The Counterfeit Treasure is about the numerous caves in Meghalaya. Apart from the literary points it has scored, the novel says a lot about tourism in the hill state. Revenge, another novel by Dutta, is based on the Khamti tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. It highlights the culture and traditions of the Khamtis, thereby helping promote tourism in the state. Besides his many short stories set in the states of the region, NEWF founder secretary Dhruba Hazarika has authored a novel, A Bowstring Winter, probably the first work of fiction about Shillong after Rabindranath Tagore’s Shesher Kabita. With archery, a kind of betting locally called ‘teer’, as the subject matter, the novel depicts betrayal, loyalty and revenge through six characters. It also gives a vivid picture of the food habits of the people of the region.

Karunamay Sinha

A writer from Tripura, Karunamay Sinha, has written a long column on what he describes as the ‘unpredictable northeasterner’. It was published in the Sunday magazine of a Guwahati-based English daily. He starts his column with a general discussion on the subtle things northeasterners have in common, like food habits and festivities. He also highlights the similarities in their nature, which according to him is uni-dimentional. Northeasterners, he says, are prone to flaring up at the slightest provocation and their outbursts of passion are unpredictable. He tries to substantiate his claim through an assortment of historical narratives that are essentially accounts of insurrectionary outbursts against oppressors and foreign invaders. Sinha argues that the northeasterners are the most freedom-loving of all Indians, which is why they have produced the first martyrs and the first insurrectionary uprisings against the British. The display of valour and love for freedom by the Assamese, Khasis, Garos, Jaintias, Lushais, Manipuris, Nagas and Kukis dominate his column. These accounts deal with the brave histories of various ethnic tribes of the region that have been lost or are on the verge of being lost in the vagaries of Indian history.

A young writer from Assam, Aiyushman Dutta, tried to bridge the gap between the seven sisters by holding a seminar on Northeast cuisine in Guwahati in 2009. Many writers and food specialists of the region participated in the seminar, the purpose of which was to analyse how food defines culture in the region and helps to bring people of the northeastern states together.

Dils Lakshmindra Sinha

Assam was represented at the seminar by Jyoti Das, who gave an overview of Assamse cuisine, Rajib Bora and Dils Lakshmindra Sinha (from Assam but who gave an account of Bishnupriya Manipuri cuisine), Manipur by Karunamay Sinha (he hails from Tripura), Tripura by Parinita Livingstone, Nagaland by Insopangla Ao and Villolo Achumi, and Meghalaya by Alynti Nongbri. The seminar endorsed the view that amidst differences, there are many similarities in the food habits of the seven sisters, and these similarities should be celebrated. 

Hiren Gohain’s appeal for overcoming of the ‘barriers’ therefore, is just another instance of the thinking people of the Northeast getting together to overcome political disputes and conflicts. The writers of the region have been very much on the job. What we need now is the involvement of more writers in this ‘undeclared mission’.

Courtesy: Seven Sisters Post (www.sevensisterspost.com)

Samskara in waiting

Personal Jottings

RK Rishikesh Sinha

Never in his wildest dream, Bijay Sinha anticipated that one day the genie from one of his literary work would haunt him bitterly.

Ever since Bijay Sinha’s literary work has been criticised by a section of people in Guwahati, my inquisitiveness to read the piece has increased manifold, thanks to the controversy.

However, something is failing me to digest the whole controversy and boycott.

First, is the time period. It took 6 years to generate the reaction, and that is from a public literary work! Definitely, the work was not scientific; it was a literary fictional piece as quoted by the author. Adding to it, the repercussion was not based on ‘interpretation’ that is the author has written ‘something’, and the section of people found out ‘something else’. It was a purely a fictional piece, yet it took 6 years of interpretation!

Second, is the short-sightedness of the ‘concerned people’. They have failed to gauge the effect on the Bishnupriya Manipuri literary activity. An attack on the writers and on their writings would definitely negate people to contribute to the Bishnupriya Manipuri literature and the media. If this incident is given precedent, days are not far, those who wish to contribute might come up with statement like “Don’t BUY, if the buyer doesn’t agree with the content of the book.” 

Henceforth, we will be losing the charm of innocence that exists in all our activity.

Third, the reaction was totally unexpected from the ‘Brahmins’ as they have been the most intelligent, mobile and powerful population since Vedic period. Knowledge and learning have been their hallmark. If some other section would have done it, it was understandable, but from them, it doesn’t go. We all have respect and reverence for them, and they have much resilience and spirit while dealing with social and political activities. But here, it seems something else.

Hope the incident gives another story plot for Bijay Sinha to dwell upon and create another award winning Samskara.