Speech by Dr.Rita Chowdhury
18TH Feb.,2009
At “WRITER’S MEET-RABINDRA BHAWAN AUDITORIUM”, New Delhi
It is my pleasure to be in this meeting arranged by the august literary body of the country. I consider it a priviledge to share my writing experience with you – the leading citizens and authors of the land.
I must thank the jury of the Sahitya academy for bestowing me the award for my novel “Deo Langkhui”.
This novel is based on the oral history of the Tiwa community-an ethinic community of Assam. The community, with a rich socio-cultural heritage and historical background has been maintaining its age old tradition and culture from time immemorial including the barter system and kingship. But unfortunately, this community has no recorded history and that almost unknown to the people outside its domain. I sincerely hope the award will help to communicate the rich tradition of the Tiwa community to a greater audience. I consider this award not only an honour for me but an honour for the Tiwa community as well.
My career as a novelist began twenty years back in a peculiar situation. I was actively involved in the historical Assam movement on the foreigner’s issue. I had to move from one place to another evading police arrest for nearly one year and during that period I came to know that the literary organization of Assam “Asom Sahitya Sabha” had announced a manuscript competition of novels on the subject “Assam Movement”. I wrote a novel entitled “Abirata Yatra”, put that in a gunny bag and send it to the secretary general of the literary organization. I was arrested in Guwahati. After seven grueling days and nights of interrogation under police custody I was send to Guwahati jail and from there to Dibrugarh Jail after a brief period. While in Dibrugarh jail I was informed that my novel had won the first prize. But the district authority did not allow me to receive the award in the Tinsukia session of the Asom Sahitya Sabha in 1981.
My second novel was published after eight years. By this time the Assam movement was over and the historic Assam accord was signed. The newly born regional party formed the government. That was the beginning of a new phase of the socio-political history of Assam. I got the opportunity to observe the political life from close proximity being a wife of a politician who was a minister of the newly formed government. I left the life of a social activist and start concentrating with the pen.
The creator in me was born in the environment of war, solitude and grief. The liberation war of the “Mukti Vahini” of East Pakistan had left a deep impact on my mind. Circumstances led me to be in the midst of young “Mukti Vahi ni rebels’ in a tranning camp when I was barely ten years old. The sudden death of my elder sister at this point of time broke my tender heart. Life suddenly became a void. And I entered into the territory of grown-ups. I took refuge in the world of books and the journey to understand life began in a very subtle manner-probably much before time.
The days of the Assam movement, the days in the prisons, the days in the capital complex at Dispur, Guwahati and many other experiences have enriched my pen. I have seen life from different perspectives. The Assam movement had taught me the meaning of greater life, the meaning of selfless love and sacrifice. It also gave me the opportunity to know many people, to understand the society more deeply. I have also learned what brings real joy to one’s life, what makes life truly meaningful. I have made the pen my own plateform. I want to construct a bridge to reach the people through my writing and to speak in favour of humanity. I have dealth with many social issues in my novels which range from abandoned children to terrorism.
The subjects of my novels have given me the opportunity to know many things, to interact with people from different walks of life, to see different societies, different lives which in turn have broadened my own horizon. At the same time these experiences have helped me to rise above the trivialities of life.
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