Xahitya Xabha and Dignity

The demise of Biren Dutta is an irreparable loss, especially for the literary world of Assam. I was once a regular visitor to the Asam Xahitya Xabha session (literary festival) held biannually.This is a prominent, prestigious, and crowd-pulling festival in Assam. Recently-expired Birendra Nath Dutta was president of North Lakhimpur Xahitya Xabha in 2003. A colourful procession is organized on the final day of the festival. The culture of almost all the communities in Assam is displayed in this remarkable event. The newly elected president of Assam’s premier literary body traditionally leads the procession on an open vehicle designed as a traditional chariot. This is a very eye-pleasing scene for every literary lover and has become a custom.

The vehicle (chariot) carrying the late Biren Dutta in the North Lakhimpur session was about to start. Surprisingly, the president of organizing committee, Ranee Narah, the then member of parliament, suddenly climbed on the chariot and stood by the side of President Dutta. Seeing this, the secretary, so far as I remember, was Khagen Gogoi, couldn't hold his patience, and he too stood by the other side of the president with folded hands. Very quickly, the scene became odd-looking and awkward for all. President Biren Dutta was mentally harassed and intellectually humiliated. The dignity of the prestigious "Xahitya Xabha" was lowered by this brazen act of the politicians in the way they showed their clout.

It was the first time that this kind of incident happened in a session of the Asam Xahitya Xabha. Biren Dutta privately admitted later that their lifelong pursuit of literature is not adequately honoured in the literary festival itself. Since that unfortunate incident, I have also stopped regularly visiting the literary festival. Probably, that unnecessary evil trend recurs frequently. The latest one is in Narayanpur, in the same Lakhimpur district, where local politician Amiya Bhuyan again paraded with the president of the Xahitya Xabha. May this ill practice disappear with the demise of Birendra Nath Dutta.

Arup Saikia

(arupsaikia07@gmail.com)