২৬ ডিচেম্বৰ ২০১৪ৰ অনুভৱ

বছৰটোৰ শেষত দুটা আকস্মিক ছুটী অব্যৱহৃত হৈ ৰৈ যাব বুলি ভাবি মনটো বেয়া লাগি আছিল ৷ পূর্বৰ স্থানতে কর্মৰত থকা অৱস্থাত বছৰৰ ছুটীকেইটাৰে প্ৰায় নোজোৰাৰ দৰে আছিল ৷ বছৰৰ শেষলৈ দুটা আকস্মিক ছুটী জমা ৰখা কথাটো মোৰ বাবে অলীক কল্পনা ৷পাৰাদীপলৈ স্থানান্তৰিত হোৱাৰ পাছৰ এইকেইমাহত এদিনীয়াকৈ ক’ৰবালৈ যাবলৈ কোনো অজুহাতো পোৱা নাছিলো ৷ শেষত যেনিবা নেদেখাজনে চকু মেলি চালে নেকি - ছোৱালীজনীয়ে এদিন খবৰ দিলে  যে তাই ডিচেম্বৰ মাহৰ ২৭ তাৰিখে বান্ধৱী এজনীৰ বিয়াৰ খাবলৈ পুৰীলৈ আহি আছে ৷ মোক ক’লে – “তুমিও আহা পুৰীলৈ ৷ তাতে লগ হ’ম দুয়ো ৷” ময়ো ভালেই পালো ৷ ওপৰৱালাক কোৱাত তেৱোঁ আপত্তি নকৰিলে ৷ দুদিনৰ ছুটী মঞ্জুৰ হোৱাত মোৰ সহকর্মী ভাতৃপ্ৰতিম নিতাই চৌধুৰীক লগত লৈ ২৬/১২/২০১৪ তাৰিখে ১০-৪৫ বজাৰ ৰেলেৰে পাৰাদীপৰ পৰা পুৰীলৈ ৰাওনা হ’লো ৷ জীয়ৰীজনী পাছদিনাখনহে আহি পোৱাৰ কথা ৷ গতিকে হোটেলত কোঠা এটা বন্দোবস্ত কৰি তাতে টালি-টোপোলা থৈ দুয়ো ওলালো সাগৰৰ পাৰৰ “মেৰাইন দ্ৰাইভ”ত ফুৰিবলৈ ৷ সন্ধিয়া ৰঙ-বিৰঙী বিজুলী চাকিৰ পোহৰত উজলি উঠিছে পুৰী নগৰী ৷ পুৰী এতিয়া যেন তীর্থস্থান নহৈ এক সপোনপুৰীহে হৈছে ৷ বিৰ দি বাট পাবলৈ নোহোৱাকৈ পর্য্যটকৰ ভিৰ ৷ ফিৰফিৰীয়া ঠাণ্ডা বতাহজাক বৈ আহিছে সমুদ্ৰপৃষ্ঠৰ পৰা ৷ যোৱা বাৰতকৈ এইবাৰ পাৰাদীপ আৰু পুৰীত শীত বেছি ৷ সাগৰ তীৰৰ বালিৰ ওপৰেৰে দুয়ো খোজ কাঢ়ি ভাগৰ লগাত ফেৰীৱালা এটাৰ পৰা বহিবলৈ দুখন চকী খুজি দুকাপ কফিৰ অর্ডাৰ দিলো৷ কফি আৰু কথাৰ মাজতে মই ক’লো – নিতাই তুমি বাৰু মন কৰিছানে আমি ইমানবোৰ মানুহৰ মাজেৰে বা কাষেৰে খোজ কাঢ়ি আহিলো; কিন্তু ক’তো এষাৰ অসমীয়া মাত নুশুনিলো ৷ অথচ প্ৰতি বছৰে পুৰী ভ্ৰমন কৰিবলৈ অহা অসমীয়া মানুহৰ সংখ্যা কম নহয় ৷ অন্ততঃ এনেকুৱা পৰীক্ষা আদি নোহোৱা বতৰত ৷ নিতায়ে কথাটো সমর্থন কৰি যিটো কাৰণ দেখুৱালে সিয়ে মোৰ মনটো বৰ ব্যথিত কৰিলে ৷ তেওঁ ক’লে – “দাদা, অসমত বর্তমান অন্তৰ ভাগি যোৱাকৈ দুখ লগা পৰিস্থিতি  ৷ কোন সতেনো মানুহে নিজৰ ঘৰখন এৰি থৈ আহিব ৷ শান্তিৰে ফুৰিব পাৰিব জানো?” শীতৰ প্ৰকোপ বাঢ়ি অহাত দুয়ো সমুদ্ৰতীৰৰ পৰা মূল পথলৈ ওভটাৰ সিন্ধান্তৰে খোজ ল’লো ৷ যোৱা দশককেইটাত অসম আৰু অসমবাসীসকল আন্দোলন আৰু সন্ত্ৰাসৰ নামত বহু ক্ষতিগ্ৰস্ত হ’ল ৷ মানসিকতাৰ পৰিবর্তন হ’ল ৷ অসমীয়াৰ অচিন বস্তু বর্বৰতা এতিয়া নিত্য লগৰী হ’ল ৷ দিন দুপৰতে ইতৰ প্ৰাণীতকৈও নৃশংসভাবে নৰহত্যা কৰিবলৈ কুণ্ঠিত নোহোৱা হ’ল ৷ অন্য ৰাজ্যৰ পৰা অহা সহকর্মীসকলে এই বিষয়ে সুধিলে উত্তৰ দিবলৈ ভাষা নাথাকে ৷ কথা পাতি আহি থাকোতে অন্য এটা দৃশ্যলৈ নিতায়ে আঙুলিয়ালে – “দাদা চাওক সেইফালে ৷ সেইখন স্বর্গদুৱাৰ ৷” তাৰ আঙুলিৰ নির্দেশনা মতে মই দৃষ্টি ঘুৰাই দেখিলো – এৰা, সচাই ৷ ফলকত লিখা আছে “স্বর্গদুৱাৰ” বুলি ৷ ভিতৰত অহৰহ দাউ দাউকৈ জ্বলি আছে বহুতো চিতা ৷ মনৰ চকুৰে দেখিলো এইকেইদিনত সন্ত্ৰাসবাদীৰ হাতত নিহত কিমান যে হতভগীয়া নিৰীহ পৰিয়ালৰ সদস্যৰ চিতাগ্নিয়ে দহি নিছে সেইসকলো পৰিয়ালৰ অন্তৰ ৷ বুকু ভগা কান্দোনে আকাশ-বতাহ গধুৰ কৰি তুলিছে ৷ নিজকে প্ৰশ্ন কৰিলোঁ – কি ভাবি মই এষাৰি মৌসনা অসমীয়া মাত পুৰীৰ এই ভ্ৰমনবিলাসী পর্য্যটকৰ মাজত বিচাৰি ফুৰিছোঁ ? যুক্তিযুক্ততা ক’ত? মাজতে নিতাইৰ মাতত তন্দ্ৰা ভাগিল – দাদা, চাওক, এফালে মৃতদেহবোৰ চিতাত জ্বলি আছে আৰু দুয়ো কাষে আৰু সম্মুখৰ পথটোৰ কাষৰ বিপনীবোৰত মানুহে খাদ্য খাইছে, বস্তু কিনিছে কেনেকৈ ৷ ময়ো নিজকে ক’লো – এৰা, এয়াই স্বর্গদুৱাৰ ৷ ইয়াত শোকৰ স্থান নাই ৷ পাথর্ক্য নাই কোন ক’ৰ বা কোন কি আছিল? মৃত্যুৱে কেতিয়াও শ্ৰেণীবিভাগ নকৰে ৷ দুখেৰে ভাৰাক্ৰান্ত হৃদয় এখন লৈ হোটেললৈ উভটিলোঁ ৷ ৰাস্তাত ভিৰ পাতলিছে ৷ সাগৰৰ তৰংগৰাশি ক্ৰমাৎ উত্তাল আৰু গর্জনমুখৰ হৈছে ৷ মাথোঁ মানুহক যেন ইতিকিং কৰি বিজুলী চাকিৰ জকমকীয়া পোহৰত সগৌৰৱে থিয় হৈ আছে হোটেলৰ প্ৰাসাদোপম অট্টালিকাবোৰ ৷

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The Man who put the Train on Brake

A boy of Class VIII standard left the school for Calcutta (now Kolkata) and came to get in touch with of some persevering nonresident Assamese like Literate Lakshminath Bezbaruah, who is better known as Sahityarathi, passionate entrepreneurs Bholanath Baruah and Kameswar Das. This is an epoch-making episode of the British period in India. The boy for his assiduous character got a chance to work as mechanic helper in the Motor Garage, a workshop for Motor vehicle repairing, of Bholanath Baruah and passed metric there. While working in this garage he could draw the attention of a British gentleman who gave him a chance to work in famous “Warne and Company” of those days. The British gentleman seeing the technical expertise of this boy sent him England for higher training at Institute of Mechanical Engineering.

Dear readers,

I should now disclose who this truant boy was. He was no one other than GURUPRASAD DAS of Barpeta, Assam.  During this training period Guruprasad made significant improvement in his technical skill and got the opportunity to do research for brakes. After a period of five years relentless work in this field Guruprasad Das invented the Vacuum Brake for Trains and thus made “Warne and Company” world famous. The brake he invented for trains was also known as GP Brakes. Recognizing this achievement he was nominated as Associate Member of Mechanical Engineers and also conferred IRS (Indian Railway Service) by the British Government. Guruprasad Das was the first IRS and joined the Indian Railway under British rule in 1931.

The Career line of Guruprasad Das in brief ---

Ø      Inventor of Vacuum Brake for trains. This later had nomenclature as “Seamless Coil Brake”

Ø      He was the first IRS (Indian Railway Service).

Ø      Left Indian Railway and joined Burma Oil Company.

Ø      Served Calcutta Municipality as Workshop Manager and also Mayor.

Ø      Was appointed as High Official at Department of Defense at Kanpur during World War II and retired as Colonel.

Ø      During his service period at Defense Guruprasad Das obtained the degrees EME, AMI, MECHE.

Ø      His two other important inventions are “Cut off Control Gauge” and “Boiler Safety Valve”.

This one of the lesser known great Assamese breathed his last in 1982.

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http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=feb2615/state050

AASU moves PM over Barpeta rail connectivity
Correspondent
 BARPETA, Feb 25 – The people of Barpeta, irrespective of political affiliations, have demanded construction of the proposed rail route connecting Barpeta. They have expressed the hope that the upcoming Railway Budget would facilitate the commencement of the project.

It may be mentioned here that a rail line from Jogighopa to Amingaon via Barpeta was proposed in the Railway Budget way back in 1997-98. But the feasibility survey was conducted only a few years back. People here saw light at the end of the tunnel after the survey. But their hopes began to fade when the project was shelved again.

The All Barpeta District Students’ Union has demanded of the Prime Minister to connect Barpeta with both a rail line and the National Highway. In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner of Barpeta a few days back, the district AASU unit rued the pathetic condition of roads in the district and the absence of a rail link to the town.

The memorandum, signed by Krishna Kanta Das and Samudra Patgiri, president and secretary respectively of the district AASU committee, stated that the Barpeta district, with a fascinating alluvial landscape of 2677.33 square kilometres, contains the divine footprints of Dakpurush, the first Assamese poet of the eighth century. Srimanta Sankaradeva, Madhabdeva, Damodardeva and Harideva, the neo-Vaishnavite religious preachers and social reformers, along with their disciples, established as many as 85 Satras (neo-Vaishnavite monasteries) in the district. Besides, there are 20 historical monuments and a number of naamghars, which make the district a hub of pilgrimage.

The Barpeta district has also produced a number of worthy personalities including the first Indian prose writer, Bhattadeva, the inventor of the vacuum brakes for trains and the first IRS colonel, Guru Prasad Das, political luminaries like the fifth president of India Fakharuddin Ali Ahmed and ex-Governor of Punjab Mahendra Mohan Choudhury.

The memorandum lamented that in spite of its rich heritage on the socio-cultural and intellectual fronts, Barpeta has been neglected by both the State and Central governments since Independence. As a result, the district is still lagging behind on all fronts of development including rail and road connectivity. Lack of development in terms of industry, infrastructure, rail, highway and air connectivity is a matter of concern.

Outlining the history of Barpeta, the memorandum mentioned that British rulers established Barpeta as a town in 1884, which was transformed into a subdivisional headquarters and subsequently, elevated to a district headquarters in 1983. It lamented that Guru Prasad Das, who invented the vacuum brakes for trains, was not accorded due honour by the Central Government and the Railway Department itself. Even the popular demand to connect Barpeta with the rail network of the country has been repeatedly turned down by the Government. It stated that there are only 47 kilometres of rail line in the entire district and the distance of the line from Barpeta is 25 kilometres.

The AASU leaders reminded the Prime Minister that the Railway Ministry had already conducted a survey for a proposed rail line in the district, connecting Barpeta, and an amount of Rs 70 lakh was spent on the survey. But it is a matter of regret that there has been no work to implement the proposal. As a result, the people of Barpeta fear that rail connectivity may be denied again. The leaders urged the Prime Minister to connect Barpeta with the rail line, which will fulfil a long-standing demand of the people.

The AASU leaders informed the Prime Minister that the road communication in the district is in a poor shape. They stated that there is an urgent need to connect Barpeta with a four-lane highway to make the town a centre of culture, religion and tourism.

Local leaders of the AGP, BJP, AIUDF and several prominent citizens of the district also echoed similar views.

Mislaying one’s ownership

          There has been an old humor about the Sindhris of India. It’s inspiring if we look at the bright side of the story shunning the tendency of looking at the dark side which makes people wet blanket.

The story says-

          Once the Americans manufactured a thread which was almost invisible with naked human eyes, i.e. without help of any magnifier instrument, and sent it to different nations around the world with a putting up a challenge if anyone could done any modification to it. It moved around the world and passed through the science laboratories of the developed, developing and underdeveloped nations without any alteration until it reached Japan. The Japanese viewed it from different angles, rolled it over and over and finally brought about an alteration – a hole through the thread marking its superiority in technological advancement. Then again the thread was passed on and it arrived in India. Every part of the country touched it, felt it and raised brows in despair and astonishment and at last it fell on the hands of the Sindhri community. They then on a fine day packed it sent back to America with a request to find out the modification. The Americans looked for the evidence of the claim by the Sindhris of India. Being unsuccessful to reveal anything done to the thread the Americans then asked back the Sindhris. The Sindhris then replied that they have inscribed something on the body of the thread which they were to find out. The American had already seen it what ought to be usual but did not realize anything. It contained an inscription that read “MADE IN USA” and they considered it right because it was made in America (USA). But the Americans were not aware that what surprise was awaiting there in the lips of the Sindhris to make their jaws drop down. The Sindhris then clarified that it was not made in America (USA) rather it was made in United Sindhri Association (USA).

Dear readers, it is really praiseworthy, this wit of the community mentioned here above.But how is the case here in Xualkuchi, Assam? What sort of hell are we doing? Contrary to the Sindhris we are defaming ourselves; downgrading our craftsmanship. Grandiloquent we blow our trumpet that Xualkuchi is the Manchester of the East and we are proud of it's hand-loom products

Silk product (Handloom) of Xualkuchi

Shamefully and at the same time shamelessly we are not at all passionate to preserve its identity. Are only prestigious silk products of Xulakuchi handlooms and what not anything else of such kinds are facing the danger of extinction? Years back people of Assam had to brood over the fate of the “Gamocha”,

Gamosa of Assam

an Assamese hand woven towel which we treat as prestigious and customary because of the market flooded by fake “Gamocha”s from Madurai. So is the case is the Xarai

which is also a product of the state cottage industry is imported and marketed in its imitated and wrong form bringing the image of the product to down grade. None can except the native people can be blamed first for this unwanted situation in Xualkuchi. Surely some of the locals must have nasty nexus with businessmen of outside the state.State government is also not taking absolute interest in initiating proper steps to protect these industries from outsider demoralizing invasion.The State government cannot distance itself from its responsibility.