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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
PEOPLE SENDING WARM WISHES & CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE
NEW PUBLICATION SWARNALIPI.
THE LITERARY & SOCIO CULTURAL MAGAZINE SWARNALIPI RECEIVING
SATISFACTORY MESSAGES FROM ALL OVER THE STATE
YOU MAY ALSO CONTRIBUE YOUR ARTICLE/WRITE UP TO THIS NEW VENTURE
MAIL ID FOR SWARNALIPI IS swarnalipi2011@gmail.com
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 4th Death Anniversary
Padma
Bhusan Chandra Prasad Saikia Drama Festival.
Guwahati:
We are pleased to inform you that Asian Views dot
net a Guwahati based Visual
& Media Production successfully staged an Assamese adaptation of
the world classic drama of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (in Assamese
PINJORA by Ram Goswamee) in Guwahati on DEC 14 & 15, 2010 at
Rabindra Bhawan. 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 PINJORA, the Assamese adaptation of THE MOUSETRAP by Ram Goswamee was a humble tribute to our
guiding spirit Padma Bhusan Chandra Prasad Saikia on his 4th
Death Anniversary.
on
the 3rd Death Anniversary
Padma
Bhusan Chandra Prasad Saikia Drama Festival.
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.
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