Chandraprabha Saikiani - A woman of the past who lived a life of the present millennium

Nivedita Saikia

(nivedita.saikia@gmail.com)

Chandrapriya and her sister Rameswari braved the angry Rain God and marched towards their school, lifting their Mekhelas up to the knee - an unstoppable desire for education.

Daisingari, a village of Bajali in the then Barpeta district, saw the birth of a woman in the 20th century who is alive in the hearts of the Assamese people in the 21st century.

Chandrapriya was the daughter of the Gaonburha (headman) of her village and very proactive in every aspect of life.

This lady when couldn't find further education in her locality, started a school on her own at the age of 13.

She had entered into a marriage at a very early age of life and the marriage didn't last for more than months.

Chandrapriya had a very independent outlook and was very determined in any endeavour she took up. She and her younger sister Rameswari got the opportunity to continue their schooling and came to Nagaon for the purpose. They both joined the Nagaon Mission High School, a prestigious institution of that time. The school authority registered her name as Chandraprabha.

Her voice for justice was reflected in the missionary school and she gathered all the Hindu boarders of the girls' hostel and protested against the headmistress for not providing proper hostel accommodation to a schoolmate. The school authority bowed down to the protest and they became victorious.

After completing her studies, she joined a school in Tezpur as a teacher. There she got to meet Kiranmoyi Agarwala, mother of Jyoyiprasad Agarwala. From there, her journey of struggle for the freedom of India began.

She came across many renowned personalities in the arena of the freedom struggle. With the passage of time, she proved herself as a profound orator. She joined the Assam Pradesh Congress and got inspired by many nationalists, of whom Gandhiji was the greatest.

Chandraprabha Saikiani Baidew was the architect of the formation of the women's wing in Assam Congress. She was jailed by the British as well. In every sphere of the freedom struggle, be it the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience or Quit India Movement, she marched along with like-minded men and women and proved to be a strong opponent of the oppression of the British Government.

The most unknown fact of her personal life to me was that she was mother of a son without entering into wedlock. And she could carry all her social and personal responsibilities under the pressure of society due to courage. She raised her son, Atul, as a single parent. Atul was well educated and could become an MLA also.

Renowned Assamese writer Nirupama Borgohain crafted the biography of Chandraprabha Saikiani and presented to us as 'Abhijatri'. Abhijatri was a magazine started by Chandraprabha Saikiani for drafting the works of the women's wing of Assam Congress of that time.

The book 'Abhijatri' made tears roll down my years. A woman who had to live with people's taunts as 'madde era tiri' (the deserted woman by her man) lived her life as an example of hard work, courage and aspirations. She was awarded the Padmashree on her death bed.

Nirupama Borgohain Baidew was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for 'Abhijatri'. The book is written in highly rich language and it is an asset to Assamese literature. I cannot dare to translate 'Abhiyatri' into English as my vocabulary and language is no match for Borgohain Baidew's. But I wrote this piece to let others know that there was a lady in Assam who was so brave that even today we cannot find her match. Somebody should try to light up her life story in English or someday, my blotted pen would try to give shape to such a book in English.