The Grand Festival – Durga Puja

By BN Sinha, Kolkata

Among the many festivals we observe, there is always a controversy or difference of opinion which is the major festival observed by us or our community, may be Shree Krishna Janmastami , Raas Utsav or Rath Yatra , it is rather very easy to confess that the most celebrated festival in Bishnupriya Manipuri community is Durga Puja. Reason may be any or many; the fact is that Durga puja always witness us to visit our native place, as often it becomes the official visit to home for the people who are out of their native places. While acknowledging every individuals wish list I must add another that holds good every year when most of us declare ” Ebosor te pujat gore jitouga” ( I will go home puja this year).

As I belong to the city Silchar, Assam, I have always witnessed Durga puja as the most celebrated among all the Hindu festivals. Puja always meant homecoming. In the childhood days we used to anxiously wait for the autumn to arrive that we may receive the compulsory annual gift from parents precisely known as “pujar footi”. As a child it was always waiting patiently for the presets to arrive. A new set of cloths somehow signified the arrival of Goddess into our life and pandals. In the teen days, puja was more about fun. No studies and most importantly four new dresses for the four days. The best to be kept for the Astami, the evening were engaged in eating out and pandal hopping to each and every corner of the city.

From the very childhood I have seen that Puja starts with Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s immoral chandipath at four in the morning on Mahalaya. And it was spectacular to see that thousands of people irrespective of ages come out on the streets in the wee hours in the morning and the street witness a packed crowd. It is probably the unique way for the Silcharites to welcome Ma Durga which we generally don’t see in any part of the world.

It was always believed that the best pujas are only in Kolkata. For me, I have been to Kolkata only twice during Puja. First time in 1996, that year I was totally overwhelmed by the crowds everywhere to the extent that I even felt slightly scared despite being with friends. This year I am again in Kolkata in pre-puja days and will celebrate till Astami as I am scheduled to go to Silchar, Assam on Navami to celebrate half of the puja days with parents.

The pre-puja days atmosphere in Kolkata is incredibly awesome and the jubilant. The mood of euphoria among the people is just cannot be expressed in words. It is a human flood in the markets and in the streets.

There have always been two sides of Durga puja , the economical and conventional. The two stands interlaced, now working in tandem now bumping. And keeping with changes in the nature of festivities, the idea of homecoming during Puja seldom remains inert, motionless. Rather it evolves and transforms itself.

This year Puja in my village reaches its twentieth year and consequently the budget for Puja also reached all time high till now. Thus it is definitely a must to go home in my village for Puja celebration this year……..

A very Happy Durga Puja to all.

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Silchar Flood

By RK Rishikesh Sinha, New Delhi

You type in the Google browser – Silchar flood – you will find nothing substantial information. You can say there is nothing, absolutely nothing where you can fix your eyeballs. Now the question is, why Google’s best search engine in the world, is failing to bring relevant links on the keyword ‘silchar flood’? The answer is: Because nobody has felt it to write. The loss of property worth of crores and suffering of localites (Bishnupriya Manipuri, Bengalis, Assamese, Meitai Manipuri etc.) means nothing. It is as simple as it is seen on the search page.

A Google Earth view of the Silchar town reveals about its topography. It is surrounded by the Barak River criss-crossing the town. Angriness of the Rain God for few days brings the town not only cut-off from the rest of the country but mayhem on the neighboring villages. Villages go down the water; people are shifted to schools and makeshift camps, army is given order to carry out relief measures and blah-blah, are some of the packaged news that come pouring out from the Barak valley.

The word ‘flood’ has gone so down to the lexicon of the people’s tongue, that they don’t see or remember it. You can say, flood is not new to them. It has become the part of their life. Personally I have witnessed many times, one which that had really frightened me and split my blood cells, took place in the early 90’s. I with my father took a boat from Srikona to Panchgram! We were absolutely sailing over villages. The flood mitigated any signs of the villages; whether it belongs to Bishnupriya Manipuri or Bengali community or Hindu or Muslim religion. The rage of flood was equal everywhere.

Now, let’s come to public response and government initiative that took place with the recent Kosi flood in Bihar. The government ordered PSUs to adopt villages, banks and media started collecting funds from public and what not, to assuage the pain of the people suffered in the flood. I doubt whether such promptness and alacrity is shown on the part of the government or public institution when flood hit the Barak valley. Well, relief measures do take place, but it is forgotten the time flood recedes from the verandah of the home. It is not that we don’t have any empathy towards the flood affected people in Bihar. We seek the same response, that’s all.

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The maximum town: Silchar

By Rebati Mohan Sinha, Mumbai

The Silchar town is still synonymous to our native places because whenever some one ask me, where am I from? I say, form Silchar. Here in Mumbai, we are the people of erstwhile Cachar district (Hailakandi &Karimganj included), running an NGO, named “Sreehatta Sammilani”. I would come up later, with a write up on this Sanstha.

We, most of us are from Silchar and when ever there is a great Bengali function in the city, we are always remembered and even Assamese never forget to call us in Assam Bhavan. The name Silchar is quite famous among the Bengalees living in Mumbai, immaterial whether they are from east or west Bengal.

I was born and brought up in Baromuni; but my paternal village is Bhubaneshwar Nagar, located east of village Mohanpur. My present village, South Bekirpar (Panibhora) in Baromuni is east of Mr.Rajkumar Rishi`s maternal village, Katakhal. During my boyhood, I never went to Silchar, because there was no motorable road up to Kabuganj from where people used to go to Silchar by bus. Whenever any villager comes back from Silchar, we the children anxiously looking at him as if he came back after winning a war. It was really a dream for us to go to town (Silchar), leaving apart seeing a movie. First of all, where was the money for a child of my age? Those days we had never heard of any pocket money, for children like us, studying in H.E.schools, which five kms. away from our village. We used to cover 10 km every day with bare foot on a kacha rasta, full of stones.

It was in 1955; one of my friends took me to town, stayed in a hotel at Premtola, named Smriti hotel. I still remember the charges, it was one rupee a day for both of us.The meals.. ‘maser jhol-bhat’ was costing sowa taaka (Rs.1.25 p) ‘daal-bhat’ aat anna ( daal-rice, costing 50 paise). I was not having even a pie with me, all expenses borne by my friend, even for the movie. I would not forget the name that was “Sadhu Ramprasad”. In those days, the younger generation used stand in front of cinema halls (Oriental,Annapurna and Kalabati) listen filmy songs operating for crowd pulling. We took two third- class tickets having no seat numbers, costing only six annas per head. No sooner had the gate opened than we rush in, occupied the front row to view the picture comfortably; but it was our wrong calculation, we could not see even the figures properly. We thought it would be like a ‘jaatra’performed in villages. As we went out of the hall,I felt paining at my neck. So, that was the first hand experience about a town. I would not like to go in detail about the best town in Barak valley.Even today; it is one of the best business centres of North East region. It is a Bengali populated town from the British era and during Bangal kheda,the Bengalees from upper Assam left their business and settled down in Silchar and another exodus from Bangladesh during 1971 war. Due to increase in population and absence of infrastructure, now it is about to be burst at it’s seems. I could find hardly any change in main arteries, the streets of town. There are city buses but ‘naam ke waste’. One has to either walk or avail of cycle rickshaws or wait for a point to point auto service for example: to reach the northern part (Tarapur) of the town from southern end (Rangirkhari), one has to avail of such services; but can not reach the destination at one go i.e., to get down at midtown, wait for another point to point auto service.

It is obvious, one should have allergic at looking at the infrastructure available; but there is no other option. In my case, whenever I go on leave from Mumbai, sometime I do marketing in kolkata, even vegetable and sweet, to avoid buying anything from the town. Once landed at Kumbirgram I proceed straight way home. It is not that I would not be buying anything during my stay and I would not say, it is a solution.

RK Rishikesh Sinha: What Rebati Mohan Sinha has divulged here in this article has really made me to jot down that the town Silchar what today is, was not the same that this write-up describe it. I didn’t know Silchar was indeed inaccessible to the villages here mentioned. I am imagining, if this bit of information is so important today, what would be its importance after 10 years down the line. Good thing, the information has been archived.

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Can someone heal Silchar?

By RK Rishikesh Sinha, New Delhi

Can someone heal Silchar, Assam? Indeed, a tortuous question? Anytime the name of Silchar pops up in my mind, my whole body starts aching with pain. It is not the distance that causes it. It is something in the air that I can’t breathe. I find my village – Dad’s village Mohanpur and Mama’s village Baromoni- much better than the Silchar town. I get peace there. You can say I am bit prejudice about the town. May be I can’t converse in Slyheti Bengali. This may be the one reason.

I introspect why I am allergic to the town. As soon as I get there my whole body swings in lightning speed to get in as soon as possible to my village. I don’t want, mere the urge, to amble around the town. It doesn’t arise in my conscious. I am always in the escapist mood.

I have asked many – how do they find living in Silchar, Assam. I haven’t found to my memory, someone nodding in the favour of it. I analysed what would be the reasons that had made me No-No to Silchar. I don’t have any sympathy or empathy to the town. Very blunt-isn’t?

Cutting slice by slice – what would be the key reasons hating the silchar town. First, let me take the case of language – Sylheti Bengali. I have spent seven years of my golden schooldays there in Kendriya Vidyalaya Panchgram and Kendriya Vidyalaya Masimpur. I haven’t converse a bit of the local dialect while I studied there. Now, when I face the fact that despite staying there for a long time, I am not able to fluently converse the language – is this the one reason that somewhere I negates to the town. It may be the reason. I don’t know.

Second, is it the infrastructure of the town that puts me off? Well, I would say India is a big country if there are towns and cities which are well planned, than there are pockets of areas where the name of infrastructure doesn’t arise. However, very early in my life I have seen both the world where one hand there are islands of excellent infrastructure, and another where there is nothing. And Silchar – comes in both the world. I would say equipped with modern infrastructure.

In statistical term, according to the Census of 2001, in the Cachar district (read with Silchar town), in 1020 villages drinking water facilities was available, compared to neighbouring districts Hailakandi it was 327 and Karimganj (915). In case of bus services in the villages, however it was pathetic. It is mere 381 villages, more than in Hailakandi where it was 141, connected to the bus service. In Karimganj it was 614.

Coming to education, the Cachar district is far ahead of the two neighbouring districts. The district got 381 Middle school, Secondary/ Sr Secondary Schools (155) and colleges (17). Hailakandi, it got 206, 60 and colleges (data not available).

So, I give a clean chit to infrastructure, this is not the reason that I love to hate the Silchar town.

That was enough to see the town externally and with all measurements, let me put down the colour glass that I am wearing and see inside what was the state in which we were living. Was there any type of scarcity scar that had remained in my mind to this day? I would say – Yes, there were numerous incidents where we have felt the heat of the town. From scarcity of cooking gas to kerosene, to water. Uffff….My heart slips out of my body! This may be reason. I got it.

Wait. This is not the absolute reason. I hate the business cartel that is running in the National Highway between Guwahati and Silchar. May be this is the reason behind my No-Silchar belief. There is a big business mafia that is stemming the growth in this stretch of road. They are not allowing the stretch to be connected with railway connectivity. After all for transportation mafia the road spins out million dollars to them. Sorry, this is not the reason. It can’t be. The stretch has provided food and shelter to many Bishnupirya Manipuri people working as drivers or conductors or travel agents.

Enough! Don’t read more. There is no strength in my intensity of my hateness. I love the town more than any other city or town in India. After all the town is the epicenter of my existence.

I have no regret, now

By Rebati Mohan Sinha, Mumbai

It was year 1972, I and my family, wife and year-old daughter traveling from Vishakhapatnam to Silchar via Calcutta. In those days, Air line passengers were to report to city office first, then to Dum Dum Airport by airline’s own bus. On that fateful day, I reached Howrah Railway Station and took a taxi to air office at Rasbehari Avenue. As the taxi driver about to park the vehicle near the air office, a porter came running and started helping us to take out the luggage from the taxi and at the mean time I was paying the fare to the driver. And on reaching the counter, saw a black attaché was missing, I immediately turn around and saw the taxi was taking a U turn. I started running after the taxi and some how reached nearer and tapping on, to stop but it didn’t. It was dusk and streets were becoming dark and the streets light were started burning. I kept on running after it; but how long a human being ran against a machine? I had to give up and headed towards the taxi union office to hand over my particulars as well as taxi`s and went back to brief my wife at air office, where I could see, my daughter was crying non-stop for the want of milk and my wife was trying her best to console. It was night 9 o clock, I saw a restaurant nearby and went straightway there and pleaded for a glass of milk for my daughter. On hearing my unfortunate tale, the shop-owner oblized to me. After having some snacks I went straight to Lalbazar Police Station (HQ) to lodge a complaint. The officer on duty heard me patiently on looking at my identity card and instructed his subordinate to do the needful. The immediate action taken was to instruct wireless control room to send messages to traffic police to detain the taxi. It was my bad luck; there was no sign of taxi even after my two hours of waiting at the Police Head Quarters. At around 2 o clock in the morning, I went back to air office.

The next day, my second ordeal started on the issue of duplicate air tickets on the basis of police report; but the Station manager expressed his inability to issue the same, saying that there was no such clause existing. The loss of ticket is loss of money, he said. Then I asked him to issue tickets on payment; but he refused saying, no seats available. I asked, my tickets were ok ones, why couldn’t he issue? He said, waiting listed passengers would be given the first preference. The co-passengers were requesting him to accommodate us on humanitarian ground; but he did’nt, saying that I could avail of Gauhati flight where seats were in plenty, I had no other option; but to by tickets and some how board the plane. We reached safely at Gauhati. The train for Silchar was to depart at the evening; I had contacted a coolie to arrange two seats on premium, in an unreserved compartment, which he agreed. Then we went for buying some clothes as our dresses were in that lost attaché case. The next day we reached Silchar, stayed at home for a month and enjoyed a lot with nearest and dearest and went back to Vishakhapatnam.I have no regret now, what so ever happened is happened.

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Aarati In Emar Thar

By Ranita Sinha, Kolkata

The Hindu culture is a very rich and vast culture. All the year round they have one or the other festival to celebrate. They offer Pujas to different Gods and Goddesses . It is rightly said that a Hindu celebrates thirteen festivals in twelve months. But each and every community has its own unique way to perform the festivals.

The Bishnupriya Manipuri community, also being a Hindu community, performs different pujas. The rituals followed by them are very elaborate. One unique feature of the community is the chanting of Aratis while performing puja. Aratis are performed mainly in the morning, noon and afternoon. The morning aarati is called Mongolarti, noon its called Bhogarati and evening it is called Sendarati. The aartis are mainly sung in Brajabali language, similar to Bengali.

During my last visit to my in-law’s village, New Bhakatpur, Silchar to attend Basanti Puja, pledged by my mother-in-law, I witnessed a very unusual thing there. The Mongalarati and Bhogarati are performed by the village people but I was surprised to see that each and every day, for four days during sendarti, different aarti performers from far off villages came voluntarily and performed aarati. It was like having a competition. Every day there were three to four groups who came to perform. It was a real pleasure to witness so many potentials of our community.

Though all the aarati groups were incomparable, yet one group I would say had an edge on the others- the aarati performers of Silchar Town. They performed the whole aarati in Emar Thar (mother tongue). But they did not fondle the original tune and melody of the songs, only the lyrics were translated to Bishnupriya manipuri language, which I would say is an effort taken by them for which they need a standing ovation.

The performers that came from Silchar were mostly women in Chakchabi and Inafi namely- Sandhya Mukherjee, Ruprekha Rajkumari, Rinku Sinha, Putia Sinha, Lalita Sinha, Munu Sinha and were accompanied by the men in Phaichom and Punjabi namely- Sri Chandrakanta Sinha(Retd. Additional I.T. commissioner), Sri Ramananda Rajkumar and Sri Gunadhar Sinha.

There may be other groups who perform aaratis in our language, but this group is the first I ever heard performing aartis in our language and for that I thought of penning down whatever I could recollect.

"Bishnupriya" – Prefix or Suffix

Mr.Raj (in a comment in the article – Bishnupriya Manipuri and Basmati) wants to know the development pertaining to prefix/suffix of Bishnupriya Manipuri. Let us see whether I could dwell on these two words for a while. First of all, there should`nt be any doubt in our minds whether we are Manipuris or not, because our ancestors came from Manipur, even my grandfather was heard talking in Meitei language. Now let us face the facts…at the beginning of sixties (1960), in colleges at Silchar we were known as Manipuris, even we had celebrated first religious function, Saraswati Puja at ‘Gol Digir Paar’, Premtola, Silchar, by both communities – Meitei and Bishnupriya. There was no identity crisis at all, at that time. We had maintained cordial relation with them.

When the Union Backward Commission came in to being in 1995, we had represented our caste, Manipuri to it`s branch at state capital, Guwahati, as Bishnupriya Manipuri, prefixing the word ‘Bishnupriya’ and it was accepted by the State Commission; but our brethren, Meitei Community were not happy and went to High Court against the decision on suffix of word Manipuri, the verdict was given in our favour. Then they went to the Supreme Court, where again the verdict was in our favour. The Government of Manipur also went to Supreme Court; but the ruling was same. Now I hope, it will be cleared to all of us.

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Bishnupriya Manipuri Status in Census 2001 Report

According to the Census of India 2001 Report, the Bishnupriya Manipuri people are residing all across the States (except Orissa) and Union Territories of India, the total population is 77,545. Data showed in the decade 1991-2001, the increase of the population is 30.92 per cent; however data on previous census is not available, it cites the language “Bishnupuriya in 1981 was withheld from publication due to the pending decision over nomenclature.”

We fall in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family with the languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bhili/Bhilodi, Bishnupuriya, Dogri, Gujarati, Halabi, Hindi, Kashmiri, Khandeshi, Konkani, Lahnda, Maithili, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Shina, Sindhi and Urdu, the report reads.

In the Census “PART B: Distribution of the 100 Non-Scheduled Languages-India/States/Union Territories – 2001 Census” report, the Bishnupriya Manipuri people are enterprising and are residing all over India, even in Jammu and Kashmir [9], in Madhya Pradesh the population is 1, Maharashtra [16], Karnataka [3], Kerala [2], West Bengal [41], Assam [53,812] and Tripura 21, 716.

It is to be noted that the word “Bishnupuriya”, and not “Bishnupriya”, is spread across on all the important online documents. What we have to do to correct the clerical or (…) errors?

Let us see, how the report reads in the next census – Bishnupuriya or Bishnupriya or Bishnupriya Manipuri. It has to be seen.

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Taming the Lion

By Sanju Sinha

It was summer of 1998; I was on a vacation to my mama’s place (Patharkandi)
As college was over and I had just completed my B.Com 2nd year exam, I wanted to visit my cousins and wanted to have some fun with my old village folks and friends.

One fine morning a gentleman came and asked my mama to participate in BARAK VALLEY Open Chess Championship as my mama ( Ram Das Sinha ) was considered to be a chess enthusiast and a good player in Patharkandi, Mama persuaded me to join the championship which was going to be held in Karimganj the very next week. I readily agreed as I had plenty of time; and I have never faced an opponent from Cachar though I have been a state player for last three years in Guwahati.

Ram mama arranged a car for all four of us for four days of tournament; that included Shyam mama and Gauranga who is a childhood friend and a budding chess player. The date was 1st June (Monday) and the venue was a Bengali Primary School in Karimganj, we reached there at 10 a.m; almost 150 chess enthusiasts had participated in the event almost all senior and experienced players from Silchar and Karimganj has joined the event as it is one of the prestigious event which is being held every year religiously. One striking fact of this event was, most of the players were Meitei and were dreaded opponents, everybody was scared of them as almost all of them were really good and sharp, and were well prepared with their Tournament repertoire. We were just four Bishnupriya souls unknown to the crowd.

The tournament began immediately after the speech delivered by the commissioner of police, my opponent was Mr. T Chaoba Singha from Silchar I was playing on the top board its not because I was a champion to the event previous year but my opponent was holding the crown of this event for last five years, and he was one of the best player in Barak Valley.

The game began with a hand shake and exchange of smile, I had the White pieces and had a small advantage for my first move, as the game progressed I felt that I was not under any pressure and it was going pretty smoothly, Mr Chaoba was a man with a lean and thin frame calm and composed and a receding hair line, he had this small eyes praying to paunch on me to punish me for any mistake on the board, he was very simple and had lot of admirers across the room who often come to our board to see how the game was progressing, I was bit uneasy about people glaring at me, may be as I was the youngest in the event and was a new face, As I had played with top players from Guwahati and was runner up for the Guwahati district championship the same year in March I did not fear anyone across the room nor Mr Chaoba’s calm and composed demeanour made me feel that he could beat me. I was excited and was calculating my moves very fast and was running across the room watching other games, on my 23rd move I made a blunder and lost a BISHOP( Oonth , that’s what they call in Hindi ) for two pawns ( Sainik ) which was a huge advantage for my witty opponent, suddenly I felt the heat in my seat and my eyes could not believe what I have done, my ears were red and I was tensed, my mama’s and my friend saw my situation and gave me a wry look as if nothing can be done at this very moment, suddenly they started believing in the abilities of my opponent, the entire Hall was praising the man who has held this championship crown for last five years, I felt numbness in my hand.
I took a small break from the board went out and looked at the coconut trees across the road tried to compose myself, took a deep breath and came back to the board.

I started playing as though nothing has happened, the game progressed slowly and steadily but I never gave up on my chances and slowly and steadily I built my fort, slowly progressed with the king up the board with three pawns to be promote at least one of them as a queen. One would never know what happens to a player when one looses a piece and he had to face his opponent who is witty and smart and has been top of his performance for so many years, the game progressed and finally one of my Pawns ( Sainiks ) reached the eighth rank to be promoted as queen, suddenly there were buzz round the tournament hall, all of a sudden my table was surrounded by players discussing possibilities of my win, some discussing about how I reached this position and some looking at me disdainfully. The game ended with my fierce and opponent shaking my hand and praising my ability to raise my game to the next level. It was a well deserved win for me against a formidable opponent, after that I never looked back and won all the games in a row and I was declared Champion ahead of the last round, my score was 7/7 ( Seven out of seven ). The Champions trophy was given to me by Hon’ble Minister Satosh Mohan Dev of Silchar which included cash Prize of 10,000 Rupees.

Lot of records were rewritten on this victory of mine, First time in the history of Barak Valley Championship a Bishnupriya boy has emerged as a champion, and also I was the youngest champion in the long list of champions of the tournament, with no losses and draws but straight wins.

Mr.Chaoba met me after the tournament and he was delighted to know that I was a runner up in Guwahati district champion the same year and had come 13 in all Assam chess championship in the year 1997.

To be concluded with another encounter of mine with Assam State champion 1997 and my foray to Nationals 2007.

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Journey in Crisis-II

The article is a continuation of the Journey in Crisis. Read the nail-biting real story…

Rebati Mohan Sinha

In that interview the chances of my daughter’s selection was marred by the argument put up by her at the insistence of the secretary to the Medical Selection Board, Dr.Atul Bora that she was not from Assam. Anyway, she was hoping for another call from Banares Hindu University. Her preference was either for Silchar or Gauhati, but chances were very deem.

1987 was the year, Gauhati University was for the first time holding the Joint Entrance Examination, but for months, the tug of war was going on at the state capital, whether to go by the JEE result, or HSC results of various Boards and Universities. And here in Bombay the colleges had resumed classes, and her coming back was very much uncertain. I was worried for her impending loss of a year, if she did not get admission.

At last the Engineering Selection Board declared the list of successful candidates of JEE and my daughter was one of them. We were bit relaxed, thinking that she need not have to go back to her college in Bombay. During that time the Banares Hindu University’s call came and since she was in Silchar and there was hardly any time left for her to reach there on time. In those days there was no website to check the result on time and act accordingly. The people used to rely on written postal communication which sometimes used to get delayed. Also there was no regular flight to Patna Airport from Calcutta, so there was no possibility for her to reach Banares in time. She decided not to try, instead take admission in Assam Engineering College at Gauhati since, there was a very rare chance in Silchar Medical College.

As she had never been to Gauhati earlier there was a problem, as to with whom she should go there for her admission. It was her good luck that a relative of mine, with whom she was putting up those days, had agreed to take her to Gauhati, despite his busy schedule. So, I asked him to avail of an Indian Airline flight to and fro. Accordingly they went to Gauhati, did all formalities and came back to Silchar within 3days.

On my cousin`s advice, who was also a professor in Silchar Medical college, I reached before the declaration of the list of successful candidates in MBBS Entrance Exams. On that fateful day, the 25th of September `87, the list was out in The Assam Tribune. But her name did not find a place in the list.The last sentence read: the unsuccessful candidates might appeal within 10 days of the publication of the results. On anticipation, I was almost ready with the draft of appeal prepared by the Principal A.K.Chanda Law College, Silchar, who was a neighbour in Bombay.

In those days it was raining so heavily that the people were in panic, and expecting disruption of communication ie Air,Rail and Road any moment. I was worried about the appeal how it could reach Gauhati within the prescribed 10 days time. Suddenly it came to my mind, why not submit the appeal to Zila Sainik Board for further dispatch to Ministry of Health & Family planning, Govt. of Assam via Rajya Sainik Board. I approached the Secretary, Zila Sainik Board, at Silchar and apprised him of the problem. At first, he did not agree, saying that he was not supposed to receive the appeal. When I requested him to allow me to talk to Secretary Rajya Sainik Board at Gauhati from his office telephone, he stared at me and asked how I could know him. It is to mention here that the Secretary was a senior retired Naval Officer holding the post of an IAS cadre. I told him that I worked under him as a Garrison Engineer at Port Blair in 1968. Immediately he called one of his clerks to do the needful. On that day, the office staff helped me a lot, they enquired when the train would depart and accordingly one peon was instructed to post it to RMS (Railway Mail Service). Later on I came to know that it was the last train and there were no trains thereafter for next 3 days. One advance copy was also sent to Secretary Rajya Sainik Board by courier on the same day, so that he could take up the issue with the Secretary to Health and Family planning at secretariat

During those days, I was quite a depressed and an unfortunate father, seeking advice and suggestions from my nearest and dearest ones but no one could console and motivate, rather discouraged me up to the extend of, saying that once the candidate was rejected there was no chance and above all Dr. Atul Bora who had rejected my daughter was a very powerful person in AGP, and right-hand man of Shri Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the then Chief Minister of Assam. He would make sure that my daughter would not be selected, so why to spend money unnecessarily. Hearing all this I took a challenge and left Silchar with the first available bus after the flood receded. I took my brother-in-law along because he new in and outs of Gauhati. Even though we had plenty of relatives we checked in a hotel with fear of discouragement from their sides. My brother-in-law, sister-in-law’s husband met me in the hotel and had given me a brief on Dr.Atul Bora and a DSP who was a relative of mine and could be helpful in solving the problem, because he was the batch mate of the doctor’s father.

My first job was to meet the Secretary, Rajya Sainik Board at Rajgarh. There was no problem of navigation, as my brother-in-law took me there by walk. It was a great surprise for me, when he called me by name after so many years. As I was about to apprise, he stopped me, saying that he had received the advance copy of my appeal and it was very much self explanatory. He also appreciated my action of sending advance copy by courier, which helped him to take up the issue with higher authority in time.The office copy reached 14 days after posting at Silchar.

The next day he took me to the Secretary Health and Family planning and told; ‘This gentleman had given his prime youth to the defense of nation and on the contrary we are giving him injustice. Why should he be deprived of calling Assam as his mother land? Why his daughter was barred from joining in MBBS course on the pretext, she is not from Assam, when she had her PRC, issued by the DC of Cachar? Is this the reward given to him for rearing his children out side Assam for the exigency of defence service?’ The secretary replied that he had gone through the appeal and given instruction to the Secretary Selection Board to include the candidate’s name and also assured us that if name not included in the 2nd list, her name would be included in the next academic year i.e., in1988. “That means loosing one academic year?” I said. After a little thought, he requested us that the list might be out on that day, so we should carry his instructions to Dr.Atul Bora`s house for inclusion of the candidate’s name, but the address was not known to us still he(Secretary Rajya Sainik Board) ordered his driver to start with the car. Anyway after having a long search we could locate the doctor’s place. He cordially received us which was unexpected. Seeing a high ranking officer in his house, he was not puzzled and asked the reason for his visit. He told every thing, what had transpired between Secretary to Health and Family planning and him. The doctor was repeatedly asked to say in one word whether ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the inclusion of the name, but he did not comply with.The secretary asked me to stay back and left the house in a huff.

The forward line of defence, consisting of one DSP, a relative of mine and my two brothers-in-law, was already stationed at the doctor`s house prior to our arrival there. They also were listening what was going on between the doctor and Secretary. After every thing was cool down the DSP stood on his feet and asked what was the matter and why had he behaved in a rude manner with a senior officer. The doctor replied, “When a higher echelon comes to my house, why shouldn’t I show my authority”. Looking at me, the doctor said that he had never expected the father of an unsuccessful candidate would travel up to state capital, far away from Bombay to fight the case and also appreciated the way the things have happened. And he also laughingly said to me that he had already spoken to the front leader, his DSP uncle, that my daughter’s name was included in the list.

We had been served with snacks and tea. The meeting was called off and bade him a good bye and we left the place with a happy note. The 2nd list was out in due course of time and my daughter`s name was there in the list. She passed out from the Silchar Medical College in the year 1992. Now she is staying in Australia.