April 25, 2007 - চিটি বাছবোৰ আকৌ বগা হ’ল

বিহূৰ পাছৰ সপ্তাহটোত গুৱাহাটীলৈ গৈছিলো | মোৰ বন্ধু শঙ্কৰৰ বিয়া আছিল | মোৰ বিয়াত সি সখি হৈছিল | সেয়েহে প্ৰতিশ্ৰুতি মতে সূদূৰ দিল্লীৰ পৰা গাঁঠিৰ ধন ভাঙি বিয়াখনলৈ গৈ কৰ্তব্য পালন কৰিলো | আজিকালি দিল্লীৰ পৰা প্ৰত্যুষতে এখন ফ্লাইট আছে | পুৱা ৫:৩০ বজাত যায় | গুৱাহাটীত তেতিয়া পোহৰ হ’লেও দিল্লীত ৰাতিয়েই হৈ থাকে | ফ্লাইটত বহি টোপনিয়াই টোপনিয়াই ৮টা বজাত গুৱাহাটী পালোহি | বিমান পৰিচিৰিকা কেইজনিকো এচকু দিবলৈ সময় নহ’ল |

বৰপুত্ৰক নিবৰ বাবে মায়ে গাড়ীখন পথাইছিলে | ৰাজপথত উঠিয়েই নজৰ পৰিল চিটি বাছকেইখনত | চিটি বাছবোৰ আকৌ বগা হ’ল, মানে বগা কৰা হ’ল | আগতে বাছবোৰ বগায়েই আছিল | দেখাতো ভালেই লাগিছিল | তাৰ পিছত কোনোবা কাণ্ডজ্ঞানহীন চৰকাৰী বিষয়াৰ মূৰত সোমাল বাছবোৰক মেৰুণ ৰঙীয়া কৰিবলৈ | চৰকাৰী  ইচ্চাৰ আগত সকলোৱে নতি লৱ বাধ্য | কেইবাটাও বছৰ পাৰ হৈ গ’ল | সেই চৰকাৰী বিষয়াজনো গ’ল | ২০০৭ চনত অসমত ৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় খেলৰ প্ৰাকক্ষণত আকৌ কোনোবা এজন চৰকাৰী বিষয়াৰ ইচ্চাৰ বাবে বাছবোৰক পুনৰ বগা কৰা হ’ল | মেৰুণ ৰঙৰ ওপৰত আৰু এটা প্ৰলেপ লগাই বাছবোৰক পুনৰ বগা কৰাৰ চেষ্টা কৰা গ’ল | ফলত বাছবোৰ ধকধকীয়া বগা নহৈ কিবা বেলেগ এটা বগাহে হ’ল | তেনেহলেও এই নতুন বিধৰ বগা ৰঙ সেই চৰকাৰী বিষয়াৰ মন:পুত হ’ল |

বাকী বৰ বিশেষ সলনি হোৱা নাই | ভঙাগড়ৰ আৰু ছয়মাইলৰ ফ্লাইঅ’ভাৰ, মানে উৰণীয়া সেঁতু, কেইখনৰ কাম চলি আছে | এই দুয়ো ঠাইতে প্ৰায়েই জাম্ লাগে | গুৱাহাটী ক্লাৱত এটা Traffic Roundabout বনিব | মই ঘূৰি অহাৰ দিনা চি এমে উদ্ঘাটন কৰাৰ কথা |

January 3, 2007 - Are Guwahtians that bad!

This is what written in a column named ‘India defy odds, England defy logic’ --

Best and Worst of 2006 on cricinfo.com, one of the well known cricket portal.

QUOTE

Worst: Read me a riot
They say subjects get the kings they deserve. But sometimes you are left wondering if India's cricketers get the fans they deserve - not quantity, but quality wise. One of the more distressing sights is watching Sachin Tendulkar fielding on the fence at an Indian ground and getting booed and barracked for not having made runs in a game. Cowards who yell anonymously from a group are one thing, but in Guwahati, when the appalling side of fan behaviour reached its crescendo. After no play was possible because heavy overnight rains had drenched the ground, even the most desperate attempts of the organisers failed. Angry fans rioted, destroying equipment, breaking down fences and walls, assaulting security personnel. Blood was shed and tear gas cannisters were fired. Riots and violence of this kind remind of all the things that are wrong in this world - communal violence, dictatorial oppression, that sort of thing. It's the sort of thing I never expected to see at a cricket ground, and hope I never have to write about again.

UNQUOTE

Is the Guwahati crowd really hooligans that they deserve a mention in the worst of the year category? Is not the BCCI and even the ACA is not responsible. Why they had staged a cricket match in April when the possibility of rain is more than 90%. The ACA is so weak that they would not be able to get another match soon had they let that match go out of their hand. The wait for a match is often 2 years because of the rotation policy of BCCI. This is something similar to two consecutive test matches at Cheapuk, Chennai got washed away because they were being allotted the matches during periods when it rains. Some fans from Chennai even filed a case then for not allowing BCCI to allocate any match to Chennai during periods when it is expected to rain.

I feel people were venting out their ire at ACA, which  is a toothless organisation. I hope you all remember an incident when Dalmiya's Bengal was staring at defeat against Assam in a Ranji match at Eden Garden. Then the umpires did something unheard of in cricket. They offered light to the fielding team Bengal. And gladly they walked off. I still remember the report in TOI. But ACA as toothless as it is could not do anything. Because BCCI was Dalmiya's paternal property during thos edays.

November 27, 2006 - Sattra Darshan : An evening to remember

While half of India was cursing at the shameful performances by the Indian cricket team, I alongwith many fellow Delhite Assamese, had a wonderful evening enjoying the ‘Parijat Haran’ bhaona at the Chinmay Mission Auditorium in Lodi Road, new Delhi. It was the valedictory session of the two day long ‘Sattra Darshan – Celebrating Sattra Institution of Assam’ program organized by the Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture (VKIC) in association with Assam Sattra Mahasabha and Assam Association, Delhi. The theme of the meet was ‘Nationalism through Cultural Revolution’ and attempted to bring together the thoughts of Swami Vivekenanda and Srimanta Shankardeva. Few companies like ICO-AOD, IFFCO and SBI sponsored the event.

The bhaona presented by Titabar unit of Sattra Mahasabha was presented in the traditional ways. 'Parijat Haran' is one the 6 original bhaonas written by Shankardeva. The last time I had seen such a presentation of bhaona was probably 20 years ago, when my grand grand father (a sattradhikar himself) expired. Since then I had seen some presentation of bhaona by cultural groups of Sualkochi, near Guwahati. But they were more of costume drama than actual bhaona. The packed audiences, which include many non-Assamese, appreciated each of the scene with applause.

The meet seemed to have achieved its objective of presenting Shankardeva to a larger Indian audience. The art and culture introduced by Shankardeva is unique to Assam, not something imported from Bengal. Like our Bihu dance, Sattriya Dance and Bhaona are our own heritage. 

The main point that came up in speeches by many is that ASSAM IS THE ONLY STATE WHICH NEVER CAME UNDER A MUSLIM RULE. And yet today the local population faces extinction in the face of Muslim influx. The Madanis and Khaadanis have become Kingmakers of present Assam. If Assam is to survive, it will have to look back into the ways of Srimanta Shankardeva. The way he brought about a cultural revolution to show light to the society, we will have to bring a new revolution by reviving the Sattriya traditions. A reawakening is required for the Assamese society.

The traditional Bhaona form had become almost extinct. But being able to see it again after such a long brought delight to the face of every Assamese who were present last night. Meanwhile, Asom Sattra Mahasabha has put up a website. I think the site is still under construction. But it has some useful information. You can visit this site at Asom Sattra.

November 21, 2006 - Bypassing Firewall

Ever since Mr. Kalita had withdrawn the very useful service of surfing via tools.superhit.in, we had to search for new ways out of bypassing firewalls. We had a very powerful firewall / filter called Websense in office. It even blocks access to most common proxy sites. However, the superhit site was innacuous and as such it avoided detection by Websense. Forced into finding a new solution, I found a site that listed four pages of proxy sites. Most of the site listed evaded detection by Websense. So if you have a firewall problem in your office, then try the links from this site Top 20 Free.

November 17, 2006 - Sattra Darshan – Celebrating the Sattra Institution of Assam

We all love to do something for Asom and the Asomiya jaati. Bikram and co. is doing a great job by creating an online Assamese Dictionary. I had also recently joined their team. But to shun your job, despite having an MBA degree, and devote himself to the cause of reviving our forgotten culture and traditions, one needs special appreciation.

The guy I am talking about is Mr. Dipankar Mahanta, an MBA alumnus of GU (probably 1991 or so batch). Though not related to me or my family, one of my wife’s cousins is married to his younger brother. Few days back he paid us a visit at our Delhi residence. A dedicated member of the Vivekananda  Kendra Institute of Culture (VKIC), he is currently doing a project trying to document the dying and extinct culture of Assam with a view to revive them, present them before the world audience and for our next generation to appreciate it. The concept brings the common thought of two great souls – Sreemanta Sankardeva and Swami Vivekananda. Many like minded organizations has joined hand in this endeavor.

Dipankar da is busy organizing an event at Delhi which is named appropriately as the ‘Sattra Darshan – Celebrating the Sattra Institution of Assam’. The two day programme slated for the 25^th and 26^th Nov, 2006 is being held at some auditorium at Lodhi Road. One can confirm the venue by calling up VKIC, Chanakyapuri at 011-24121764. The programme will be graced by 15 Sattradhikars (Heads of Sattras), 12 Scholars and 24 performing artistes from various parts of Assam. The event will showcase the age old tradition still preserved in Sattras. The presentation also includes a Bhaona. The VKIC has sought help of everyone from Assam living in and around Delhi for making this event a success. So please do help spreading this message.