'NAAM
REKHECHHI BANALATA' : ARINDAM NATH'S SAGA OF TRIPURA'S MILITANCY AND HILLSCAPE
Shekhar Dutta
Agartala, Feb 02, 2017 : Major socio-political development such as
insurgency or extremism, despite the overly negative connotation the phenmena
convey, always spawn creative literature in any form-poetry, drama or even
novel. Tripura's famous playwright, late Hirendra Sinha , had authored a
popular drama on the bizarre phenomenon of money-spinning abduction in Tripura
as part of the decadelong insurgency between 1993-2003. A number of drama,
novel and even film have been made in states like Assam and Manipur on the
insurgency.
Tripura's arguably best-known police officer Arindam Nath, an eyewitness and active participant in curbing militant depredations in the state , has taken a detour from the traditional fiction-based literature on insurgency by penning a book titled 'Naam Rekhechhi Banalata' (I have named it Banalata) , based on his direct personal experience. His book combines a fine blend of overwhelming facts and little bit of fiction to produce a memorable saga of insurgency, its prima donnas and the landscape.
Tripura is known for its apparently inexplicable place-names , a phenomenon spawned by corruption of names from original 'Kokborok' into Bengali because of changed demographic profile of the state in the post-independence era. Who would have known the actual explanation behind the name of 'Kwaifang' in south Tripura, but for the etymological background provided by author Arindam Nath ? In 'Kokborok' the word 'Kwai' means 'betel nut' while 'Fang' in the compound means 'tree'-hence it is 'Kwaifang', as pronounced by non-tribals. The place in Belonia subdivision traditionally abounds with betel nut trees. Similarly, in Bengali the insurgents are known as 'Ugrapanthis' or 'Santrasis' but in tribal 'Kokborok' language they are known as 'Bolong Borok' , transliterated into Bengali as 'Jungle Men'.
While this provides a glimpse of evolution of Tripura's human culture, author Arindam Nath has reproduced his direct personal experience of travelling through the state's landscape and hillscape dotted with water resources and lush greenery with forest cover. The sprawling 'Dumbur' lake, the range of hills and how these play hosts to the insurgents have come alive in the book. Nath had once nabbed the fire-arm of two hardcore NLFT insurgents with the help of a double-crosser, Briksharam Reang . Briksharam's sister Madhuri who is by now a reputed 'Hozagiri' danseuse who performed even in the United States of America as part of Indian cultural delegation had helped by engaging the insurgent duo in a conversation in the 'Gairing' (traditional 'Tong Ghar').
Among a multitude of sensational events that marked Nath's sojourn through hills and vales of Tripura through remote and inaccessible areas , one that stands out is the arrest of former NLFT commander Paresh Marak. The man responsible for the killing of many securitymen in ambushes had been trapped while meeting his paramour ,a Jamatya girl, in a remote area under Killa police station. Marak had initially tried to dodge interrogation by seasoned policemen by dishing out a load of lies but Nath and his colleagues had finally overcome his cunning resistance by instilling mortal fear in his heart but without resorting to third degree. Paresh finally disclosed his identity and many more things to the benefit of police personnel and is now a settled man with his Jamatya wife as a surrendered extremist.
These and many other anecdotes penned more in the style of a diary of events with separate titles make for riveting reading . The 'Book World ' and 'Gyan Vichitra' publishers have pulled off a wonderful job in producing this sleek 183 page book. Arindam Nath's college teacher, Professor (retired) Mihir Deb has invaluably contributed to this memorable work of his student by contributing a superb preface. Nath's labour of love 'Naam Rekhechhi Banalata' will hit the stands in the upcoming Agartala Book Fair scheduled to come off from February 11.
Tripura's arguably best-known police officer Arindam Nath, an eyewitness and active participant in curbing militant depredations in the state , has taken a detour from the traditional fiction-based literature on insurgency by penning a book titled 'Naam Rekhechhi Banalata' (I have named it Banalata) , based on his direct personal experience. His book combines a fine blend of overwhelming facts and little bit of fiction to produce a memorable saga of insurgency, its prima donnas and the landscape.
Tripura is known for its apparently inexplicable place-names , a phenomenon spawned by corruption of names from original 'Kokborok' into Bengali because of changed demographic profile of the state in the post-independence era. Who would have known the actual explanation behind the name of 'Kwaifang' in south Tripura, but for the etymological background provided by author Arindam Nath ? In 'Kokborok' the word 'Kwai' means 'betel nut' while 'Fang' in the compound means 'tree'-hence it is 'Kwaifang', as pronounced by non-tribals. The place in Belonia subdivision traditionally abounds with betel nut trees. Similarly, in Bengali the insurgents are known as 'Ugrapanthis' or 'Santrasis' but in tribal 'Kokborok' language they are known as 'Bolong Borok' , transliterated into Bengali as 'Jungle Men'.
While this provides a glimpse of evolution of Tripura's human culture, author Arindam Nath has reproduced his direct personal experience of travelling through the state's landscape and hillscape dotted with water resources and lush greenery with forest cover. The sprawling 'Dumbur' lake, the range of hills and how these play hosts to the insurgents have come alive in the book. Nath had once nabbed the fire-arm of two hardcore NLFT insurgents with the help of a double-crosser, Briksharam Reang . Briksharam's sister Madhuri who is by now a reputed 'Hozagiri' danseuse who performed even in the United States of America as part of Indian cultural delegation had helped by engaging the insurgent duo in a conversation in the 'Gairing' (traditional 'Tong Ghar').
Among a multitude of sensational events that marked Nath's sojourn through hills and vales of Tripura through remote and inaccessible areas , one that stands out is the arrest of former NLFT commander Paresh Marak. The man responsible for the killing of many securitymen in ambushes had been trapped while meeting his paramour ,a Jamatya girl, in a remote area under Killa police station. Marak had initially tried to dodge interrogation by seasoned policemen by dishing out a load of lies but Nath and his colleagues had finally overcome his cunning resistance by instilling mortal fear in his heart but without resorting to third degree. Paresh finally disclosed his identity and many more things to the benefit of police personnel and is now a settled man with his Jamatya wife as a surrendered extremist.
These and many other anecdotes penned more in the style of a diary of events with separate titles make for riveting reading . The 'Book World ' and 'Gyan Vichitra' publishers have pulled off a wonderful job in producing this sleek 183 page book. Arindam Nath's college teacher, Professor (retired) Mihir Deb has invaluably contributed to this memorable work of his student by contributing a superb preface. Nath's labour of love 'Naam Rekhechhi Banalata' will hit the stands in the upcoming Agartala Book Fair scheduled to come off from February 11.
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