To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die.
(Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2)
The above
quotation is taken from the Book of Ecclesiastes which was written by King
Solomon in his old age not long before his death in about 931 B.C. From this
passage we learn that there is a time to be born and a time to die. The first
is celebrated with jocundity while the latter with much pain and grief. Pain of
death for the living comes from a sense of loss as Death marks the end to all
the possibilities the departed might have if he had lived a longer life.
Death
is a great mystery. Throughout time, major religions have sought to explain
this mystery. However, it still remains undeciphered. Human beings are subject
to inevitable mortality. The most powerful man on earth, rich and poor alike is
humbled before the face of death.
But
despite that, some forms of death can feel more painful than others as they
seem unjustified. The death OF the late Chanakya Brahma is one such instance
that has thus come as a shock to those who have loved and revered him. In absolute
good health, death came to him suddenly when he was away in a distant land on a
visit to Beijing. Death has snatched away his precious life from his family and
from the society. Through this writing I would hence like to record my deep
feelings for the death of the late Chanakya Brahma and convey my sincere
sympathies and condolence to his bereaved family members.
THE News
of the death of Chanakya Brahma due to myocardial infarction commonly known as
heart attack at Beijing, China, on 31st October 2012 dumbfounded me.
My last interview with him was on 22 June 2012 when I went to Kokrajhar to hold
a Press Conference in connection with the debate on Kirtan Ghosha. After an
elapse of just a little over four months, the news of his death is certainly
shocking to me. I have been informed that he was in Beijing, China to be part
of a demonstration of Indigenous Bodo Games there. But his journey to Beijing
cost him his precious life. Though it seems untimely for the rest of us, in the
end I can only say that 31 October 2012, in the words of King Solomon, was a
time for him to die. I pray to God that his soul may rest in peace. His mortal
body was flown from Beijing to Delhi thence to Guwahati and finally reached
Kokrajhar on the evening of 10 November 2012. The following day (11.11.2012) a
grand funeral procession marched to various offices with which he was
associated where he was offered floral tributes and finally his body was taken
to his birth-place at Choto Adabari village one and a half km east of Kokrajhar
town and where his mortal body was laid in a grave at one O’clock in the
afternoon.
As a Principal
of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) which he held from
1991 and from which post he retried on 31st December 2009, the late CHANAKYA
Brahma trained numerous pupils. He had chosen a noble profession of teaching
and turned into a great educationist. He was the Secretary of Bodoland Citizens’
Forum. He had actively participated during the Roman Script movement in the 1970s.
He was also associated with numerous cultural organizations. Being a member of
the Advisory Boards of Bodo section, Sahitya Akademi, Eastern Region Kolkata, late
Brahma contributed much to the development of Bodo literature. He was also a
member OF the Grant-in-Aid Committee of the Central Institute of Indian
Languages, Mysore as A Bodo Expert.
He
was the President of the Bodo Customary Law Drafting Committee, and the draft
was almost ready for publication. But sadly, this great and important work on
Bodo Customary Law has remained as a Draft only. Before it could be published,
death has cruelly snatched away him his life.
In
the literary field also he had made enormous contribution and he was indeed a
prolific bard. He was the founder member
of the World Bodo Historical Society and took much interest in Bodo history.
He
was a lover of sports and games. In particular, he dedicated his life to the
promotion and development of indigenous Bodo games. To achieve his dream he founded
the Khomlainai Federation of India which imparts training on indigenous
Bodo games like Habwi-dodo, Ewasi, Chila Chila, Dohob, Enjor-Mauji, Mwsha Arw
Bwrma, Lich Begar, Ashini Bishini, Amwl-dimwl, Megon Kathenai, Dangna Kharnai,
Mongol phatha and so on. He improvised games like Ghila, Mwkhra, Dohob, Daodwi
and Amwl Dimwl which were demonstrated in different places of Assam, and
Meghalaya, Tripura and Nepal. Khomlainai is credited with an international
standard when its first International championship was held at Kokrajhar on 1-4
November 2009 in which South Africa, Myanmar, Bhutan and India had
participated. “Khomlainai is a traditional unarmed combat that is practiced by
the Bodo youths in the style of wrestling. Like other indigenous games,
khomlainai also has cultural attachment. However, it is more than a sport as it
makes best use of individual power. They youth build physically fitter and
self-confidence. He also acquires the skills of fighting for self-defence and
receives social recognition for being physically fit”- writes Chanakya Brahma.[1] When people considered
indigenous game as “traditional or local game”, he considered that “each and
every modern game of world was developed and promoted from its crude form which
is known as indigenous game.”[2]
In
the field of acting I would say he was incomparable. He was all in one. He used
to play simultaneously the characters of a king, of a queen, of a princess and
sometimes of a Bir (hero) all by himself alone which is known as Ek Tengia. On
many an occasion fully clad with Dokhna he performed the role of a woman
dancer.
He
was the combination of diverse talents which I believe is very rare to find. He
was a versatile individual and at the same time he was a man of simple demeanor
which I understand later led others to confer him unjustly the epithet of LORLA
meaning simpleton. However, I understand, many a Bodo learned people
underestimated him and considered him that he lacked wisdom despite his many
talents. Much of the time, he was unjustly ignored and his importance in the
society was not given its due credit. But, he was never involved in any kind of
controversial discourse and instead stood out a tall figure in his own sphere.
Chanakya
to me however was a very generous man especially in extending his hospitability
to others. The memory of his hospitality is still fresh with me. I remember at
one time when I wanted to spend my money, he vehemently objected to it, saying
that I was the guest in Kokrajhar and a guest never spends but rather it is the
duty of the host to treat the guest generously. So he spent for me from his own
pocket.
On
another occasion while I was in Kokrajhar in connection with a meeting of the World
Bodo Historical Society, he came to meet me in my hotel early in the morning.
After having some discussion for an hour or so he very spontaneously invited me
for lunch in his residence which I had gladly accepted despite .
the
fact that we had to go to the Kokrajhar daily market first to get the necessary
provisions like meat, fish and vegetables.
It is
unthinkable that someone with such multifaceted talent as the late Chanakya is
no more in this world. He was still very young in his sixties.
Chanakya’s
mind was like a child’s mind and he had the capacity of absorbing any kind of
maltreatment meted out to him. He was strong and steady in all of his
deliberation which used to leave me spellbound. I feel grateful and satisfied
that I was fortunate to have come in touch with and worked with him for the
cause of the Bodos. During my close association with him I have not discerned
anything that is unbecoming of him. His cool temperament on any grave situation
is praiseworthy.
I end
quoting from the words of King Solomon again – “A time to be born, and a time
to die”. No one is promised tomorrow but
the only thing is what counts today. We are born only once and we will die only
once – today or tomorrow. After our death only the actions of our past will
remain and will become a history.
[1] Chanakya Brahma, Rules of Indigenous Games of Bodos, March 2010, pp. 7-8
[2] Ibid. p. 1
Words
by HIRA CHARAN NARJINARI
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