Letters to the EDITOR: Harassment of Locals by Outsiders

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Harassment of locals by outsiders

I am writing to express my deep concern over the increasing incidents of harassment faced by local people in Assam at the hands of certain outsiders. These incidents, which have recently come to light through social media and local news, are not only disturbing but also threaten the social harmony and cultural fabric of our state. Assam has always been known for its hospitality and peaceful coexistence of diverse communities.

However, the rising cases of intimidation, exploitation, and misbehaviour by individuals from outside the state, particularly towards locals in marketplaces, workplaces, and even residential areas, are alarming. Such behaviour is not only illegal but also deeply disrespectful to the traditions and dignity of the Assamese people. I urge the authorities to take strict action against such offenders and ensure the safety of all citizens. At the same time, it is important to carry out awareness campaigns promoting mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. Assam belongs to all who respect its people, culture, and laws. Thank you for highlighting such issues that concern the public at large.

Rimakshi Barman

(jimaxi129@gmail.com)

India’s defeat in Leeds Test

India’s defeat in the Leeds Test raises questions about the bowling and fielding performance of the Indian team. Despite scoring 5 centuries and 800+ total runs in both innings, India became the first team to lose a match. Mainly, the lower-order collapse, weak fielding and bowling resulted in India's defeat. In this tragic moment, we remember some young Indian cricketers, such as Riyan Parag and Rinku Singh, who are famous for their all-round performances on the field. As able and active fielders, they are praiseworthy, and they hardly missed catches. We cannot deny that fielding plays an important role in winning a match.

But very poor fielding in the Leeds Test, where a number of catches were missed by Yashasvi Jaiswal and other players, was the turning point for the England team to win. If Riyan Parag-type players were there in the Leeds Test, then the fielding would be more improved and exalted, and the Indian team might get the chance to win the match.   

Rupak G. Duarah,

Rajahnagar, Guwahati

Periods deserve policy, not pity

Every June, Assam proudly hosts the Ambubachi Mela, where the menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya is not hidden but celebrated. It is one of the rare moments when menstruation takes centre stage and not as something impure, but as a symbol of creation and power. And yet, beyond the temple walls, menstrual health remains a silenced crisis in our state’s rural and remote areas.

Thousands of girls and women across Assam still don’t have access to basic sanitary products. They are forced to rely on cloth scraps, husk, or worse—ash. The result? Infections, missed school days, social exclusion, and lasting physical and mental trauma. We must demand what should already have been a right: free sanitary pads for all girls and women in remote and underserved regions. Schools, health centres, and community spaces must stock and distribute menstrual hygiene products just like any other essential. Period.

If we can celebrate a bleeding goddess, why do we shame bleeding girls?

It’s not enough to light incense sticks and chant prayers. We must back symbolism with substance. End the silence. End the stigma. Make menstrual health a government priority with budgets, distribution plans, and education campaigns involving both men and women.

This isn’t a women’s issue; it’s a public issue and one that affects education, health, and human rights. We cannot build an equitable Assam while half of our population are forced to hide a natural bodily function out of fear or shame.

Menstruation is not a problem to be managed—it is a power to be respected.

Bhargav Barman

Cotton University.

Goddess is Resting

In Assam, during the days of Ambubachi, something unusual happens. Not just in Kamakhya, where the temple gates close to mark the menstruation of the Goddess, but in thousands of ordinary homes across the state. The small temples inside houses, wooden shelves with idols, incense sticks, and quiet devotion are closed too. Lamps are not lit. Flowers are not offered. No chants, no rituals. Just stillness.

People do not speak of impurity. They speak of rest. They say, “The Goddess is resting.” And that is enough.

Here, the divine is not distant. She is not beyond the body. She is the body. She is a woman, she is earth, and she bleeds like any of us. And so, just as a woman may lie down when her body aches, the Goddess, too, is given space. Not hidden, not shamed, simply allowed to be.

For three days, homes grow quieter. The air around the prayer corner feels like someone sleeping softly behind a closed door. It is not emptiness. It is respect. A recognition that even the most powerful needs a pause. Needs privacy.

This is a culture where the Goddess is not expected to be perfect and untouched. She is expected to be real. And being real means having blood and pain and cycles of your own.

Noopur Baruah,

Tezpur