Indira Goswami: Margins and Beyond (Writer in Context). Edited by Namrata Pathak and Dibyajyoti Sarma. Routledge India; 1st edition (23 June 2022) Pages: 350
Jahnavi Gogoi
‘Peace that Defies Margins:
T
he book ‘Indira Goswami: Margins and Beyond’ a part of the Writer in Context Series edited by Namrata Pathak and Dibyajyoti Sarma is a valiant endeavor to look at the many facets of her work, her personality and life. For the uninitiated reader it is important to understand that Indira Goswami also known as Mamoni Raisom Goswami played an imperative role in peace talks between the Indian government and the ULFA, a banned militant organization. Compassion and a subtle repudiation of social norms and practices that enchain and enslave are at the core of her work. As the preface states: “Goswami’s writings are fraught with questions and identity, citizenship and exploitations at various levels of a society but what strikes us hard is the fact that they also operate as sites of protest and rebellion.”
Goswami’s work deals with the outliers, those who dare to overstep boundaries, the ones who are cast out, the introduction tells us. She is a humanist who examines perimeters and how they subjugate the disenfranchised elements of society.
“Where do the margins start and where do they end? Is it a common space that breeds narratives of national interests, community performance and public action? Are there margins within margins?” (Introduction: A life made of Thousand Broken Pieces: The Many Margins of Indira Goswami)
This collection raises such pertinent questions that require urgent answers. Her writings have touched and transformed lives all over the world with the sensitive and raw portrayal of the plight of the susceptible minorities which includes characters from all walks of life.
Section 1 of the book is devoted to fiction. Part a: has extracts from her novels where a glimpse of her genius beckons the readers. We have ‘The Moth -Eaten Howdah of the Tusker’ translated by Dibyajyoti Sarma, ‘In the shadow of the Divine Flute Player’ (Gayatri Bhattacharya), ‘Pages stained with Blood’ translated by Pradip Acharya and Ahiran by Dibyajyoti Sarma. Part b is ‘Extracts from Short Stories’. The table of contents has ‘jatra’ ‘Pashu’,’Sanskar’and ‘Parashu Patarar Naad’ all translated to perfection by Anindita Kar. Section II has the non-fictional work of Indira Goswami. ‘An Unfinished Autobiography’ (Dibyajyoti Sarma),’Border Conflict, Love from Pakistan and a Poem’ (Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj),’The Last Meeting of Indira Gandhi and Amrita Pritam’ (Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj),’Burning’ (Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj),’The immortality of the Assamese Language’ (Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj), ‘At the Hunger strike of Harijan Workers in Raebareli’ (Daisy Barman). ‘Chandni Chowk’ and ‘Days at Vrindavan’ by Daisy Barman and finally ‘G. B Road’s Prohibited Neighbourhood’ (Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj.
Section III is ‘Reading Indira Goswami: Literary Reception. We have essays by well-known personalities like Hiren Gohain (translation by Jyotirmoy Prodhani), novelist Aruni Kashyap and Nandita Basu who grace the pages. Amit R. Baishya, Dhurjjati Sarma, Pritima Sharma, Monbinder Kaur, Sanghamitra De are some of the contributing authors in section IV: ‘Spaces to inhabit: Private, Public, and In-Between. Section V: Many Margins of Indira Goswami: Flesh, Blood, Spirit looks at the various themes running through Indira Goswami’s thought- provoking work which has few parallels in contemporary Assamese literature. Vibha S. Chauhan, Preetinicha Barman and Dwijen Sharma, Arup Sarma, Nizara Hazarika, Sabreen Ahmed, Prasenjit Das,and Ratnottam Das offer commentary and examine her impactful writing .Section VI has Indira Goswami in Conversation with Subhajit Bhadra, Sanjoy Hazarika and Geeti Sen, Kushal Sen translated by Sudipta Phukan.Section VII: Writing as Translation:On Language and Craft with essays by Indira Goswami herself,Uddipana Goswami,Dibyajyoti Sarma, and Purabi Goswami. Section VIII: From the Archives of Indira Goswami: Letters and Reminisces includes ‘A Sister’s Confession ‘written by Sarita Sarma and translated by Lakhipriya Gogoi. Also ‘Letters of Indira Goswami’ translated by Dibyajyoti Sarma. A book crafted with meticulous precision and attention to detail, Section IX: Gathering the pieces: Chronology and Bibliography is a testament to the years of research, fact-finding and study that have gone into this monumental masterpiece.
Let us look at the extract from ‘The Moth-Eaten Howdah of the Tusker’ translated by Dibyajyoti Sarma in the first segment. Giribala, a young widow returns home after the demise of her husband. With her husband gone, she is barely human now, not allowed to be near an ‘amish’ (non-vegetarian) kitchen. Women are commodities to be bartered for land and subject to societal norms which barely affect the menfolk in any manner. Everything seems to change for the protagonist and home itself is an alien space now that the “Uriam tree” is mostly gone and she herself has been reduced to a spectacle and is the target of gossip and unwanted sympathy. Giribala’s predicament is no different from the many “goats” which have been sacrificed in the “veranda”. Here we also need to mention that Indira Goswami strongly protested rituals which sacrificed innocent animals in the name of religion. The girl weeps not in grief over her husband’s passing but at the injustice of life itself. Yet, “Gohaini’s” staunch stand when she cries out that she will do whatever it takes to look after Giribala even if it means giving up a piece of land is encouraging. Change is in the air and the old ways are slowly melting away. “Who knows what the future will bring?” (PG 23) Source (Extract translated from: Goswami, Indira. 1988.Datal Hatir Uye Khowa Howdah, pp.23-25. Guwahati: Bani Prakash).
The terrifying predicament of the widows who have been reduced to feral scavengers in ‘In the Shadow of the Divine Flute Player’ translated by Gayatri Bhattacharya is enough to induce sleeplessness. The poverty stricken “Radheshyamis” struck down with the dreaded disease ‘” leprosy’’ is ironic. Already they are treated worse than lepers. Saudamini is struck by the merciless exploitation and the pit of desperation that the women have fallen into for no fault of theirs. Hunger drives these “Radhesyhyamis” to sing the “Lord’s praises” a god who has abandoned these women. “They had to sing the lord’s praises even when they were on the verge of choking”. This is an extract from ‘In the Shadow of the Divine Flute Player’ translated by Gayatri Bhattacharya, pp. 22-25. Guwahati; Papyrus. Translated from the Assamese original, Nilakanthi Braja. 1976. Guwahati, Chandra Prakash.
In ‘Stitching Peace Together’ where Indira Goswami talks to Sanjoy Hazarika and Geeti Sen, we see the peacemaker and how while doing research for a novel it all came to fruition.” It was largely due to her untiring efforts, the ULFA had formed a people’s representative group in 2005. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi had credited the peace talks to the author’s endeavors and faith in the process. Interesting to note how she recites Iqbal to Paresh Barua who himself has read the verse of this “revolutionary poet”. She talks about how we are all “islands” and the need to “respect all viewpoints”.
“While I was on the field looking for source materials for ‘Unhappy Youth’, the realization whether simply writing a novel would in any way help solve the volcanic issue engulfing my people and state struck me. So, I began to invest more in thinking about how to bring peace to the state rather than thinking about my novel. I submitted a proposal for a peace talk between the ULFA and the Gol to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh” (Burning by Indira Goswami. Translated by Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj).
Her sincerity, sensitivity and generosity of spirit is evident in every little act and most of her soulful work that has been mandatory reading for most Assamese.
A writer who defied convention and odds, who wrote about love, relationships, patriarchy, restraints, and unjust impositions focusing also on what can be referred to as the seamy side of life. Indira Goswami writes about the exploitation of ethnic groups struck down by poverty and circumstance, class struggles, man versus nature, marginalization and the loss of power, the insidiousness of cultural imperialism and the suppression of voices. In this age of aggressive nationalism and jingoism it is so refreshing to find the author writing about Pakistan. Her freethinking and human-centered philosophy shines through in these lines: “Once we shared the same sky/Sky with the same sun!…”(Border Conflict, Love from Pakistan and a Poem), translated by Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj.
Also Read: Indira Goswami: Life, Narrative, and Social Change
An entire people have been influenced by her prolific work whether it be fiction or non-fiction. Her love for the Assamese language overflows on every page that she has ever written. Indira Goswami in many ways has inspired an entire generation of writers to believe in the power of the vernacular and its ability to reach the masses. In ‘The Immortality of the Assamese Language’ (Translated by Stuti Goswami and Jahnu Bharadwaj), she says “The unstoppable speed of the Assamese language is continuing even today, as proven by the global acclaim received by many Assamese language stories, poems, and novels. Therefore, in response to the recently resurfaced worry regarding the future of the Assamese language, I say that Assamese language can never go extinct”.
The piece ‘Why is Indira Goswami great?’ by Aruni Kashyap is a laconic observation about her exceptional writing and larger than life persona. “The author who made us dream of distant lands was also a figure of extreme curiosity for the residents of Assam. Perhaps that is why Assam listened when she spoke. Perhaps that is why Assam felt that if the reigns of the peace process remained with her, the process would remain untainted even within the murky alleys of Indian politics”. (Extract translated from Kashyap, Aruni 2011.’Why is Indira Goswami Great? Seven Sisters Post, NElit Review, November 30)
There are interviews and essays centered on her scholarly work on the Ramayana. The research which started in Vrindavan led to ‘Ramayana: From Ganga to Brahmaputra, which came out in 1996.Dhurrjjati Sarma in ‘The Story of Rama in the Critical-Intellectual Imagination of Indira Goswami’ examines her work which in turn looks at the popularity and the narrative variations along the Brahmaputra. Goswami’s passionate exploration of the Ramayana won her great acclaim and many awards.
In all that she wrote her sensitivity and total abhorrence of bloodshed and brutality always find expression.” Not only the author’s aversion to violence, but her use of arresting similes and metaphors to counter it reveals the amiable personality of the author and her activism in terms of peace-making negotiations, both in her private and public planes. In this way, her distaste for blood spilling comes to the fore. (Blood That Is Shed in Indira Goswami’s Writings ‘by Ratnottama Das). Her lifelong advocacy for peace and ultimately freedom defined both her private and public life.
Indira Goswami’s body of work is immense. To capture the essence of her work is a daunting proposition. This stalwart of Assamese literature was the recipient of many prestigious awards and honors. The most noteworthy being the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1982 and the Jnanpith in 2000.She also was awarded the Padmashri in 2002 and Principal Prince Claus Fund (2008). Her work speaks for the marginalized, the disempowered, the vulnerable minorities and the disaffected. She was a writer, professor, a poet, a renowned scholar, and editor, also an activist and a peacemaker. Indira Goswami is probably one of the greatest writers of this generation and a feminist icon.
With its wealth of information in the form of extracts, essays, critical pieces, letters, interviews as well as photographs, scholars, specialized readers as well as the lay reader who wants to understand the scope of Indira Goswami’s work and catch a glimpse of her charisma and her advocacy for equality and freedom would find this work invaluable. Given the divisive world that we live in, her work stands out as a reminder that mankind needs to do better.
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Namrata Pathak has published one collection of poetry and three academic books. Her writings are widely published in magazines and journals, both national and international. She has an MPhil and PhD from English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. That's How Mirai Eats a Pomegranate, her debut collection of poems, was published by Red River in 2018. She teaches English in North-Eastern Hill University.
Dibyajyoti Sarma: Writer and editor Dibyajyoti Sarma has published three volumes of poetry (the last being Book of Prayers for the Nonbeliever, 2018) and four books of translations (the latest I’m Your Poet: Selected Poems of Nilim Kumar is forthcoming in October), and two academic books, besides numerous writing credits in journals. He was born in Assam and now lives in Delhi, where he works as a journalist and runs the independent publishing venture Red River.
Jahnavi Gogoi Borah is an Indo-Canadian writer. Till date, Jahnavi has written two series of books under the heading “Be good, do good” published by Macawbooks India in 2014, followed by a second series in 2019 presented by Dar-El-Rateb, a publishing house based out of Lebanon. Her stories have been translated into Arabic as well and have been received well by young readers. She has made her poetic debut with ‘Things I told myself’ now available on Amazon.in. Her poem ‘If this isn’t love…’ won her first place in the annual poetry competition (2022) organized by The Chandigarh Literary Society in the English category.
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