|
News
Analysis: ASSAM NEWS IN BRIEF
Resources: Assam's Treasures
Art & Entertainment: Cinema Art & Culture
Opinions: From Intellectuals
Fiction:
From eminent writers
Reviews: Books & Art
Non-Fiction
& Poetry: Poetry
Photo Features: Current & Rare
Email/
Press Releases:Book Release, Festival of Drama
Interviews:
Eminent author &
Intellectuals
Editorial: The
North East Poetry Today
DEDICATION
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
MAHARATHI
CHANDRA PRASAD SAIKIA
(A PROFILE)
 The
Late Shri Chandra Prasad Saikia was a renowned freedom fighter, novelist,
journalist, book publisher and commentator, who was widely recognized and
celebrated for his outstanding and pioneering contribution to Assamese
literature and journalism.
Born in 1927, Shri Saikia graduated in Arts from Cotton
College and obtained a post-graduate degree in English from Calcutta
University, in 1954. Prior to that, he was deeply involved with the Freedom
Movement as a young student and was jailed twice in 1942. As a consequence,
in 1945 he had to appear in the matriculation examination from jail. While
in prison, he was tutored by the likes of former President of India
Fakaruddin Ali Ahmed and former Assam Chief Minister BP Chaliha. After
returning from Calcutta , he served in The Assam Tribune, the premier English daily in
North Eastern India for a brief period. From 1963 onwards, for four years,
Shri Saikia headed the bi-weekly "Asom Batori" as editor. He
simultaneously edited a monthly magazine "Monideep" for two
years. He subsequently edited yet another Assamese magazine
'"Asomiya" from 1968-70. Shri Saikia served as the Secretary of
the Assam Publication Board for a period of 19 years from 1967 to 1986.
During his tenure, he did the yeoman service of collating, restoring and
publishing many rare Assamese manuscripts. He was the Founder Editor of
"Prakash", the trend-setting monthly Assamese literary magazine
from 1974 to 1986. In later years, his visionary zeal for "literary
journalism" was realised when he took charge, as the founder-editor,
of "Natun Dainik", an Assamese daily newspaper. He continued as
editor there until 1993, when he left to become the founder-editor of the
Assamese literary magazine "Gariyoshi". He continued as editor
until his death on August 8, 2006. Shri Saikia had authored 21 books, many
of them best-sellers.
Shri Saikia's biggest contribution lay in promoting
a new genre of creativity through a clutch of literary magazines which he founded
over a period of 50 years. As a publisher of rare and forgotten
manuscripts, he helped preserve Assamese customs and traditions which were
on the brink of extinction. He acted as a mentor and promoter of scores of
young authors and journalists. As a novelist, his modern interpretation of
Karna, the epical anti-hero of his novel, Maharathi, he created a literary
storm. As a journalist, his was a voice of sobriety and reason in an
increasingly restless environment.
Shri Sakia's multifaceted contribution was recognised by
numerous awards at the national and state level. These include the Sahitya
Akademi Award for his novel "Maharathi"; the Williamson Magor
Award; the Publication Board Award for his novel "Torae Morae Alokare
Yatra" and the Katha Award for Gariyoshi. He was the President
of the Assam Sahitya Sabha -- Assam largest social and literary
organization -- between 1999-2001. His books have been translated into
English and other Indian languages. He was the only editor who edited 7
newspapers and journals in Assam.
-
Hridayananda Gogoi
PRESS RELEASE
BOOK RELEASE
Eminent scholar Dr Hiren Gohain releasing the book DR INDIRA GOSWAMI:
IN SEARCH OF MODERNITY” by Hridayananda Gogoi in presence of Dr Indira Goswami &
Mr. T G Baruah, Chairman of the Assam Tribune . Mr Gogoi looks on the right
side.
Guwahati, 1
November: Eminent
scholar Dr Hiren Gohain released the book “DR INDIRA GOSWAMI: IN SEARCH OF MODERNITY” written by poet
critic editor & filmmaker Hridayananda Gogoi at Guwahati Press Club on
31 October’09 amidst a galaxy of journalists, writers and in presence of Dr
Indira Goswami & Mr. T G Baruah, Chairman of the Assam Tribune.
Releasing the book Dr. Gohain in his speech lauded the efforts of Mr. Gogoi
and praised him for this timely & sincere devotion. In her speech Dr.
Indira Goswami also praised him and expressed her surprise how Mr. Gogoi
dared to do such a research oriented book on her. Dr. Indira Goswami also
narrated how Mr. Gogoi received overwhelming response, emphasis and praises
while attending International Ramayana Conferences in several foreign
countries for his devotion and hard labor. She asked him to do more such
projects in English on different aspects. Expressing his humbleness in his Author’s Note Mr. Gogoi recorded the
following words:
The inheritance of
the noble trend of renaissance is difficult. Very few people can inherit
and transmit this, even can enlighten the human society to its right path.
It is true that vitalized by some unknown power and by dint of their
rigorous practice and strenuous effort a few Indian writers paved the right
path for the society. Without any prejudice Dr. Indira Goswami (popularly
known as Mamoni Raisom Goswami) is prominent among these personalities who
can exhibit efficiency and intellectuality together. Her perceptions as
well as depiction through her writings are only means to assess this rare
quality. While keeping view of her writings we find the modern approach in
a different way. Sometimes her characters articulate protest and dissent
and simultaneously voices concerns of reform and redress. While narrating a
story her situation configures its own ways and means of expression and
transmission. Sometimes in her pages we find an intersection of ideas,
forms and styles taking place at different levels creating processes and
dialogues with inter-linkages between form and content, genre and theme,
visual and aural, local and regional, traditional and contemporary.
Her
deep faith in mankind and profound explorations into a subject are some of
her typical characteristics. This is so because she feels that though
inhuman and brutal hardness immobilize and devastate natural desires of man
such as serenity, happiness, beauty, love, liberty etc., yet it cannot
altogether destroy all these. So, renovation of these fundamental desires
is not only a duty, but is significant for the society as a whole. The
legacy of renaissance has enlightened her on this aspect that hatred,
brutality and repulsiveness comes under the loathsome process of exploiting
and destroying these fundamental human desires of mankind. So, in order to
eliminate this loathsome process she had ventured to transgress several
superstitions. In this way she hopes to animate the human and fundamental
desires. She had chosen the path of detachment for the appraisal of these
human desires. This is a boon of renaissance.
It is
needless to say that Dr. Indira Goswami, is a tireless explorer of this
path. Her boldness is unmatched. She has even self-analyzed herself in the
most detached manner. I have tried to quote her illuminating examples of
various narratives and the insights of the worldview of characters to give
first hand details. Her successful attempts and foundations for the
conceptualization of the telling of a particular story and her distinguishable
exercise have indeed lent a new dimension to the world of Assamese fiction.
My responsibility is to explore such kind of elements and approaches along
with her devotion to her writings in different types. To complete this
process I had taken several years and as a result this has come out.
Understanding the pain for this some of my scholar friend put comment that
this would have been a thesis for research, had I been an aspirant of that.
But my aim is different and considers it worth if the non Assamese readers
of Dr. Goswami find materials to enter and understand her fictional works
in a better way. Of course this individual effort would have some
limitations too.
I have
tried not to burden the text with lot of footnotes which may be of no interest
to most readers and redundant to the specialists of creative literature.
However essential and relevant notes are incorporated.
Attending
as Chairman of the function Mr. Tulasi Govinda Baruah, Chairman of the
Assam Tribune Group of Publications, expressed his satisfaction for the
publication and said the universal appeal of Dr. Goswami’s writings are
always an inspiration for the people in general. The book would serve that
purpose in a wider perspective.
Festival of
Drama
on
the 3rd Death Anniversary of
Padma
Bhusan Chandra Prasad Saikia.
Guwahati, 31 August: We are pleased to inform you that Asian Views dot net
a Guwahati based Visual & web Media Production successfully
staged an Assamese adaptation of the world classic drama of Oliver
Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer in Guwahati on August 29 & 30,
2009 at Rabindra Bhawan. The classic was staged for the first time in the
capital city of Assam. The main objective of this endeavour was to explore
and develop the creative atmosphere of the state amidst turmoil and
turbulences promoting youths & energetic people at large.
In fact the drama Prem… aru
Prem, the Assamese
adaptation of She Stoops to Conquer by Hridayananda Gogoi was a humble tribute to our
guiding spirit Padma Bhusan Chandra Prasad Saikia on his 3rd
Death Anniversary.
It may be mentioned that Asian Views
dot net was formally commenced on 8th August in the year
of 2007 i.e. on the 1st Death Anniversary, in the loving memory
of eminent littérateur, editor and freedom fighter Padma-Bhusan Chandra
Prasad Saikia with a vision to globalize potentiality of the North East
through its varied out-puts like visual & web media, producing films,
staging & performing world classics, documenting unsearched resources
and promoting and disseminating cultural pluralism and artistic excellences
across the globe.
In furtherance as we all know a great majority of people in
developing Nations like India in general and North East India in particular,
have been lacking the scope of necessary resources, ideas, approach,
strategy etc. suited with the fast changing scenario of the present
competitive world. Hence, to give a boost and an exposure to everyone, this
Production is committed to provide all sorts of scopes & e-networking
in a global market. Besides, our website overviews & features regular
news portal, resources, art & entertainment, opinions, interviews,
reviews, fictions & magazines, extracts etc. And, in our humble efforts
success has been achieved only because of several prominent figures,
leading personalities, artists and scholars across the globe.
Meanwhile as its maiden venture the latest production of this
unit is a Documentary Film titled INDIGENOUS SONGS OF ASSAM directed
by Hridayananda Gogoi. The film covers some unique moments of life
in the lands of blue rivers & hills depicted by devotees of different
tribes in their original forms. This is a film of hope, love, loneliness
and despair told in a realistic splash of motion and color.
In continuation of the said pursuit the Production was taking up
this new venture by staging such a memorable drama of the great English
playwright with all possible efforts. The history of the drama reminds us
how it lived on the stage for four months without any break in London.
Hence it was a challenge to us to enact and perform such a great play. As
you know we have limited scopes, hidden happenings and unseen future, yet
we were committed. In spite we had that schedule and achieved all possible
supports from each and everyone in making the play a grand success.
The drama was enacted and performed by the celebrity artists, and
other creative and technical staffs and was given stress on best music and
quality sound and lightening. The production was also enhanced by the
improvised settings, designs and other needed innovations at the
background. Hence it was not only a challenge to stage such a play, but
also we were lucky to overcome all hurdles to achieve the target and the
people of North East had the experience of world classic drama. The drama
was directed by eminent director on stage Sri Abinash Sarma.
We do hope the
influence and active support from all of you would continue to our future
efforts and thus would not only boost us but also create a congenial
atmosphere to work together.
|
