VILLAGE STORY

There is a small village in upper Assam about 70 Kms away from Dibrugarh where my maternal uncle was born and raised. He was a zamindar and one of the most prominent personalities of the village who enjoyed hosting family reunions at his large, expansive home every year during Magh Bihu. As children, we eagerly looked forward to the reunions and Bihu festivities in the village and we were fortunate enough to take part in most of them in our student days. Unfortunately this tradition came to an end after our uncle passed away. However, I had the good fortune one day to return to the place almost eighteen years after my last visit. The village is marked by lush thickets of grass and bamboo groves, a sprawling Beel (lake) at its edge with lotus and hyacinth floating on the surface and a big community Namghar (a place dedicated for prayers). The homes here are distinctive in style typical of Assam type houses which are quaint and comfortable. The Namghar is centrally located featuring a unique design and complete with a spacious open hall for accommodating nearly a hundred people. During winters, Bhaona or plays on different mythological themes are staged at the Namghar with the men of the village taking part as Bhaoriya or actor. The actors wear bright and colourful costumes and jewellery with heavy facial make-up, making them look unreal. In earlier times the characters of women were also portrayed by men but this has changed with passage of time. A central character of Bhaona is the Sutradhar who is the anchor and story teller of the show. He generally speaks in a language called Brajaboli and gives expressions to the theme through his dances, songs and slokas. The singers in the background are known as Gayan and the musicians using instruments like the Khol (drum) and the Taal (cymbals) are referred to as Bayan. Before the advent of talkies or cinema, the Bhaona was the main source of fun and entertainment in these villages. ........................ The visit to this village after such a long time in my retired phase of life was truly exciting. As I wandered around the village I could notice the signs of modernity everywhere with people zipping around in small cars or motor bikes over well paved roads. The occasional bullock cart can be seen though, but there was a distinct air of prosperity and good living in these clean rural environs. As the day ended and nightfall set in, the village atmosphere turned somewhat gloomy with dim lighting and constant hum of insects filling the air. While the main road through the village was illuminated with a few street lights, the smaller paths all around were shrouded in darkness. Local folklore suggests that ghosts resting atop bamboo groves descend to the ground at night to frighten the villagers which is why many villagers prefer to stay indoors after dark. There are numerous stories of how people are disturbed by ghosts who are said to be mischievous or destructive by nature with the exception of a benign spirit called Burha Dangoria (old gentleman) who is sometimes seen momentarily, walking around the Namghar in spotless white attire and with flowing white hair & beard. The villagers vouch that it is a good omen to get a glimpse of Burha Dangoria. But as a child I had the fear of getting a glimpse of this spirit, however benign he might be, given the fact that stories of ghosts and eerie darkness of the village at night had a lasting impression on me. This fear of the unknown lingered even into adulthood making me somewhat paranoid. So I studiously avoided going out for a stroll around the village after sunset. ........................ As a child I used to visit the village quite regularly with my parents and siblings allowing me to experience the charm of the simple village life and connect with the warm hearted locals on a personal level. Some of my relatives who now live in the cities but have retained their ancestral homes at the village for occasional visits for business or pleasure disclosed that the village folks have changed a lot over the years. They now seem more cunning, often on the lookout for quick financial gains. One of their common tactics is to collect money (known as sanda) for community events like Bhaona or Puja celebrations or some other such event specially targeting the city dwellers who own property in the village. As a matter of fact the event organizers can be quite demanding during their fund raising efforts. The universal human tendency to chase after money and material possessions is evident even in this small and remote village. ........................ One day when I took a stroll in the morning to admire the flowering lotus on the Beel, I was in for a shock - the large and sprawling water body that existed earlier had dwindled to nearly a third of its original size with buildings and structures springing up all around the Beel. Some of the villagers I met, informed me that a big paper mill was being planned to be set up nearby by an influential business group, which claimed it would create much-needed job opportunities for the local community, both directly and indirectly. I tried to explain that the paper mill will do more harm than good as it is one of the most polluting industries in the world and that it's toxic effluent would get dumped into the Beel and even pollute the clean and invigorating air of the village. I tried to rally support from key figures in the village, including the local legislator, to initiate a peaceful movement against the paper mill's establishment, but my efforts were largely unsuccessful. Unfortunately the villagers seemed more inclined to see their youth employed in a factory that threatens to destroy natural resources and cause high levels of pollution rather than continue working their ancestral farms and agricultural fields. This reflects the all-too-common tale of wise choices being overshadowed by poor decisions.