Himenda, Thanks for the stories - I always like them.
No - my mail wasn't about being despondent. Far from it. There were 2 themes I watched unfold in this visit to Assam in December - The cottage industry around bomb blasts - Rs. 500 fetches one - (I saw the Ghy railway station one at close quarters) and the rise of malls (not one actively managed beyond the Marwari community). It contrasted against what I saw elsewhere - in the small towns of South Karnataka and Pune (though Kerala maintains its Communist ennui). I personally don't see the name change (or leaving the name alone) as a major theme - a felt need for the people on the ground. Hence I posed the question to those that know better about how relevant it is either which way. Wish you a very happy new year! Thanks Rajib --- Himendra Thakur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Shantikam, > > Happy New Year to you, your family and your friends > ! > > I am glad you liked the true-story of the > rhino-charge imagery in Calcutta > Press in 1946. The rhino dominated some other areas > of literature for some > time. I remember just two more episodes which I'll > write if everybody wants > it. Until such time, Happy New Year to everybody ! > > With the best, > Himendra > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "shantikam hazarika" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; > <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 3:19 AM > Subject: Rhino Charge stories ! > > > > > > That was exciting. Can we have some enterprising > Assamese who can retrieve > > the cartoons? That may bolster Assamese morale and > the journey back from > the > > prevalent despondency? > > Bordoloi was really a lion, why could not the > others be like him? > > Shantikam > > > > > > > > >From: "Himendra Thakur" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >To: "Rajib Das" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >CC: "shantikam hazarika" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,"Manoj Das" > > ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,"Ankur Bora" > > ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,<[email protected]> > > >Subject: Rhino Charge stories ! > > >Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2006 10:38:49 -0800 > > > > > >Dear Rajib, > > >Thank you for mentioning the "rhino charge" ! Let > us break away from > > >serious discussion for a while and get into > experience sharing !! > > > The first "rhino charge" cartoon that I saw as > a schoolboy in Tezpur > was > > >in 1946 (long before you were born, maybe before > your parents were born!) > > >when Assam blasted the "Grouping Proposal" > brought from London by a > > >high-powered Cabinet Mission from the British > Parliament. "Grouping" was > > >supported by Nehru as a quick alternative to his > power, who rebuked Assam > > >with his infamous statement: "Assam must > sacrifice for the greater cause > of > > >India." > > > The Calcutta Press wholeheartedly supported > Assam during our struggle > > >for survival from the "Grouping" trap in May > 1946. That was where I saw > the > > >cartoon of "rhino charge" for the first time --- > a rhino (marked Assam) > > >charging with its head down towards a bunch of > British Parliamentarians > > >who were running helter-skelter with "Grouping > Proposal" papers flying > all > > >over --- will one of our young artists redraw > that cartoon just for fun > > >today? That will be very exciting ! > > > Gaining international and national admiration > for stubbornness, Assam > > >was very soon promoted to the image of a lion: In > the terrible "Direct > > >Action" in Calcutta by Pakistan-supporters on > August 16, 17 & 18, 1946, > an > > >Assamese student, Poet Amulya Barua was killed by > the Muslim rioters. In > a > > >prompt telegraph to Surhawardy, the > Pakistan-supporter Prime Minister of > > >Bengal (a Chief Minister was called "Prime > Minister" in those days), > > >Gopinath Bardoloi, the Prime Minister of Assam > asked whether he should > > >dispatch a few battalions of Assam Rifles to > Calcutta if Surhawardy did > not > > >have enough policemen to control the rioters. > > > This was headlined in the Calcutta newspapers > as "Assam Lion Roars ." > > >We must revive our self-confidence that we > inherited from the historical > > >days of Chakradhwaj Singha, Atan Buragohain, > Lachit Barphukan, to mention > > >just a few. Your opinion "Does anyone on the > ground really care ? " > > >carries an undercurrent note of despondency. We > must wake up from > despair, > > >stand on our own feet and claim our rights: Assam > Assembly does not have > > >the rights to change the name of the State > without public > endorsement ---- > > >that is the crux of the "Petition" which should > be rewritten in a brief > > >format without the Dutch connection and without > the controversial issues > > >like X sound, etc. > > >With love to everybody, > > >Himendra > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Spice up your IM conversations. New, colorful and > animated emoticons. Get > > chatting! http://server1.msn.co.in/SP05/emoticons/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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