'NAAM REKHECHHI BANALATA' : ARINDAM NATH'S SAGA OF TRIPURA'S MILITANCY AND HILLSCAPE By Shekhar Dutta

'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. 

---নাম রেখেছি বনলতা বৈরী বিজয়ের লোমহর্ষক কাহিনি

ত্রিপুরার পটভূমিতে জল জঙ্গল আর জীবনের গল্প :

'নাম রেখেছি বনলতা'

বৈরী বিজয়ের লোমহর্ষক কাহিনি ।

লেখক অরিন্দম নাথের নবতম বই।

সারা ত্রিপুরার পাহাড় সমতলে ছড়িয়ে ছিটিয়ে থাকা , চোখের আড়ালে হারিয়ে যাওয়া, বা চুপি চুপি লুকিয়ে থাকা সাধারণ মানুষের অসাধারণ জীবনগাথা --

'নাম রেখেছি বনলতা' ।

লেখক অরিন্দম নাথের নিজস্ব কথকতায় , ৪০ টি কাহিনী সংকলনে নাম রেখেছি বনলতা-য় বাঙ্ময় হয়ে উঠেছে  ত্রিপুরার ইতিহাস , ভূগোল , গল্পগাথা আর কিংবদন্তি।  ১৮৪ পৃষ্ঠার  এই বইয়ে  লেখকের নিজস্ব সহজ সরল গল্প শৈলীতে নুতন নুতন রূপে ফিরে এসেছে বার বার, চলার পথের পাশে  সেই  একাকী  নীরবে দাঁড়িয়ে থাকা ব্যক্তি মানুষের সফলতা , ব্যর্থতা , প্রাপ্তি অপ্রাপ্তি , প্রেম অপ্রেম এর এক অনন্য জীবন চিত্র - যা পাঠকের মনন চিন্তনে আলোড়ন তুলে এই অপরূপ আবেশের। 

জ্ঞান বিচিত্রা প্রকাশনীর এবারের  প্রকাশ -পুলিশ অফিসার অরিন্দম নাথের  নাম রেখেছি বনলতা ৷

প্রাপ্তিস্থান: জ্ঞান বিচিত্রা প্রকাশনী, স্টল নং-৪৭৪, কলকাতা বইমেলা ৷

MY SIXTH BOOK

MY SIXTH BOOK,

 RELEASED ON FEBRUARY 7, 2016 AT SUKANTA ACADEMY AGARTALA

Shri Shekhar Dutta, Senior Correspondent 'The Telegraph' on ‘I Adore’

Unlike their counterparts in the medical profession and in the army, hardcore police officers are scarcely known to achieve major success in writing. Erich Maria Remarque of Germany had produced his best selling war novel 'All Quiet on the Western Front' on the basis of first-hand experience of fighting in the first world war as a high school boy.We have many others like Ernest Hemingway who won nobel prize for his celebrated novel 'For whom the bell tolls' based on his direct experiences of the Spanish civil war in the middle and late thirties of the last century.

This long-winded preface seems to be in order in the context of a lucidly written diary work penned by Tripura's assistant inspector general of police (AIGP), Arindam Nath . The prevalent belief that long stint in police service tends to make people negativist is belied by Nath's 278-page book 'I Adore'. The short-story like episodes and anecdotes recapitulated all through the book are all based on Nath's direct experience in the course of life . Thus, while posted as commandant of TSR battalion (5th ) in Daluma in the interiors of then rebel-infested Amarpur subdivision, Arindam had encountered two Bhubans-one 'Havildar' named Bhuvan Sarkar and the other a rifleman named Bhuvan Dhar.Bhuvan Sarkar had been a confirmed alocoholic and would very often shirk important duties ,inviting the wrath of authorities . But whenever he sniffed trouble he would call his wife from Agartala who would go round begging for mercy from the officers because dismissal from service would also lead to deprivation in pension . Somehow he managed to escape punishment before retiring within two years but when Arindam Nath met him again near his police quarter at Agartala he was a metamophosed man , a dedicated family man who would cultivate fresh vegetables within his sprawling residence nearby. The second Bhuban-that is Bhuban Dhar- was addicted to 'Marijuana' and was dismissed from service at one stage for dereliction of duty. But much to his astonishment Arindam learned from Bhuban's deserted first wife that he had married again, reducing her to starvation . she was given the job of a domestic help for survivial and now her son has cleared Madhyamik. This is the theme of the very first story 'A tale of two Bhubans'.

Nath's discerning eyes also caught sight of the abundance of superstition and paranoid fear among his acquaintances and colleagues while lodging in the government police headquarter at A.D.Nagar. Nestled then in a desolate corner of the town, the quiet quarter complex had a sprawling undulating land in front, left-over of an abandoned tea garden. A mysterious moving light in the field at night would scare all the residents of the quarter complex who developed the conviction that a ghost had been let loose. It was not before a week that a daring constable Tarapada Roy who lived across the road one night waylaid the moving light and found the middle-aged man holding it to universal relief. 'The Bhuter Alo' story ended then and there.

But 'Infatuation' based on a trivial day-to-day incident remains etched in his memory. One of author's friends Deepak got stuck up in a traffic jam in his car as a procession taking the idol of goddess 'Basanti' for immersion was on . A particularly beautiful girl caught Deepak's eyes with her dark blue and wide eyes and vivacious giggling . Deepak came to his senses when the traffic moved on again but he wistfully kept on gazing at the girl weighing the pros and cons of having her as wife when he was jolted by the thought of his wife anxiously awaiting him at home.

There are altogether 102 such episodical stories gleaned from day-to-day experience of life but all are lucid and enjoyable to read . The style however resembles the one followed by late stalwat of Bengali literature Sunil Gangopadhyaya in the latter's 'Neel Lohit ' series. But Nath's refreshing style and direct rendition make them eminently readable and caught the imagination of readers of Agartala Book Fair. His better half Dr Paramita Biswas has done a brilliant cover page photo which symbolises the variety of the content inside. Chennai's 'Notgion Press' has acquitted itself very well in producing the sleek volume of 'I adore'.The book from a no-nonsense and fanatically honest police officer is a refreshing contrast from the run-of-the-mill pre-book fair releases every year.

INSTANCES OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN THE EPIC MAHABHARATA

It’s a posting in response to an article with heading ‘BHULE JABAR AGE’, in Bengali, meaning ‘Before I forget’, written by Sri Arunoday Saha, Ex-V.C of Tripura Central University in the issue of local daily Dainik Sambad on February 18, 2013. The eminent educationist has praised my writings, especially my novel “Bridging Souls – a Journey from Mahabharata to Bharata”.

I am expressing my sincere regards to Prof Saha for his excellent gesture of highlighting my writings in his lucid language. He has also spoken with me on the same day. But, his article has a fallacy, which needs clarification. My book Bridging Souls is basically a travelogue. In this fiction, I have tried to portray a protagonist Ambujanaba Sharma, a police officer. In course of his visits to some places of the modern Bharat, he analyzed some of the incidents of the epic Mahabharata which took place more than five thousand years ago in the lens of modern laws.

I have narrated some incidents of sexual assaults in my book. From the article of Prof Saha, it appears that I have brought rape charges against Bhishma. This is a far fetching imagination. Yes, I have brought theft charges against him for stealing Nandini, the divine cow of sage Vasishtha, as youngest of the eight Vasus. I have also accused him for abduction of three beautiful princesses Amba, Ambika and Ambalika. Perhaps, my beloved teacher has been confused by section 494 IPC which I have brought against Vichitravirjya for bigamy. Bhishma was charged for abetment. He was also charged for abetting Amba to commit suicide. I didn’t spare him from criticism for organizing the rituals in the name of the Pandavas and their mother Kunti with the charred bodies of a Nishad family of similar composition, mother and five sons after the fire at Wax Palace, knowing fully well that the Pandavas were alive.

In fine, the following are some major incidents of sexual assault witnessed in the epic:

*    Sexual assault upon Kunti by Sun God and the birth of Karna.

*  In the version of Bhil’s Mahabharata, Draupadi had been sexually assaulted by Vasuki Naga for about a month.

*  Sexual assault upon Satyavati by sage Parashar and birth of Vyasa.

*  A maid servant was sexually assaulted by Dhritarashtra when Gandhari was in her pregnancy resulting birth of Yuyutsu.

* In Tamil version of the Mahabharata, Arjuna sexually assaulted a beautiful lady named Ali, in the guise of a snake with the assistance of Sri Krishna who played the role of snake-charmer. Arjuna subsequently married Ali.

*   Lord Indra raped Tara, the wife of Brihashpati.

* After the Kshatriya kings were slain by Parasuram, their widows were forcibly raped by the people from higher echelon of the society.

There are many more instances of gruesome offences in the epic which the readers may find in my book “Bridging Souls – a Journey from Mahabharata to Bharata”.

সাংবাদিক শ্রীযুক্ত শেখর দত্তের চোখে: ‘ সাব-ইন্সপেক্টর করমচাঁদের ডায়রি ’

Philosophers have defined man as rational animal but man`s underlying animality often overpowers his rationality. Perhaps this is the reality which explains human penchant for crimes and journey into the murky underworld , apart from familiar factors such as greed and associated mental retardations. Police officers-serving and retired-endowed with high imaginative faculties and power of expression are eminently capable of exposing the underworld of crime and criminals . Marshall Frank, retired supercop in Miami , USA and Dallas state`s former senior cop Debra Knapp have illustrated the point in their masterpieces , `The upside to crime` and `Mountana the police horse`-the latter a childrens book. Tripura`s popular police officer Arindam Nath`s latest book `Sub-inspector Karamchander Diary` based on his professional experience as DSP (central) in the state capital is an authentic study on crime and criminals observed from a highly imaginative and creative angle. The backbone of the book is Sub-inspector Karamchand (Nath`s junior colleague in West Agartala police station) who used to maintain a diary of events and characters related to crimes and the dark recesses of the underworld.

Nath`s book is a veritable revelation to the extent that under a thin camouflage he has shed transparent light on crucial protagonists of the underworld and their operational style. A discerning reader would find it easy to identify the quintet who died together while manufacturing crude bombs in erstwhile Hostel No-2 of MBB college as the killers of CPI (M) activist turned Youth Congress Vice President Swapan Das. The blast had occurred in the run-up to the Loksabha polls of 1996 while Swapan Das had been slain in his home a few months earlier in December 1995. The leader who had plotted the murder had gone to Calcutta to attend an all Indian conference of his organisation after handing in the blue-print to his hired assassins. It is to Nath`s immense credit that barring experienced journalists and active players in the act nobody would be able to what or who he is hinting at in the camouflage.

The state`s most famous-possibly notorious-murderer and mafia don Amit Ghosh, currently serving long prison term, also appears in `Sub-inspector Karamchander Diary` towards the end in the pseudonym of Abhishek . Nath was the police officer who finally brought Amit alias Abhishek to justice by arresting him in connection with a murder case but ,significantly, Amit alias Abhishek had been a regular caller by telephone. Amit`s voice and manner of expression would emit signals of threat and possible danger but Nath had a most bizarre experience when one fine morning Amit alias Abhishek`s wife, a one-time cabaret dancer in Calcutta, materialised in his office to complain of threats to her and her two sons lives from her consort.

Nath has imaginatively focussed on varied human characters in his book in all their diverse traits : perennial police source Sudhir who made police station his virtual home , polygamous Kabir Bhai and his border home and a large number of burglars, dacoits and murderers and their graduation to the murky underworld of crimes. But the most startling conclusion a reader is left with from a study of Nath`s book is that the old adage-`frailty thy name is woman`-might well be replaced by a new adage : inconsistency or unpredictability thy name is woman. What illustrates the point is the life and evolution of a veiled character Tilottama Das of a bordering village. Tilottama had been violated by a criminally-motivated man , Madhav Das , allowed the violation to be an almost regular affair and finally collaborated with the violator in having her husband murdered and then turned an approver in court to have the supposed paramour land in jail with a life-term. A truly amazing crime that defies any definition.

`Sub-inspector Karamchander Diary` is Arindam Nath`s fourth book-a testimony to the man`s creative and imaginative faculty. Endowed with a flair for lucid expression, reflective of his pristinely simple nature, Nath is well on course to producing more books with eminent readability as their forte. The `Gyan Vichitra` and `Book World` publishers have made a laudable job in producing this sleek 128-page volume with a good cover photo from Sukanta Banik and Aparesh Paul.