Our story.
Our story book was "Burhi Aai'r Hadhu"- meaning is Grandma's tales and I still remember the betupat- meaning is cover page where an old looking grandma with wrinkles on her face (as was the drawing) would make me imagine my grandmaa. My paternal grandmaa would wear a nosepin, two ear studs that were too heavy for her ear lobes, a gold beaded neckpiece and her hair was black little oily looking curly curvy two inches longer than shoulder lenghh hair always. I used to notice my grandmaa praying the fire God as she would sit infront of the chulha fire with the palms of her hands taking the warmth of the wood fire, slowy she would raise her right foot slightly above the fire and do the same with her left foot as well as it was shivery winter and thereafter she would pray with gratitude to the Fire God.Every thursday she would take me along with her to the Naamghar- meaning is one or two villages/neighbours together worshipping place; where she would sing alongwith other women of the village/neighbour some prayer. She would ask me to water two trees that were grown up together with no tree gap and passersby could think it to be just one tree, the names of the trees are Bot & Aahot ; and they were married to each other by rituals. As it would get dusk my eyes would get stuck to the tiny flowers that were strewn on the ground and the name of the flower is bokul phool. Bokul phool's scientific name is Mimusops Elengi and the english name is Bullet wood- bokul tree's timber is valuable and the fruit is edible. As the trees give thick shade and flowers emit fragrance, it is a prized collection of gardens. My grandmaa also taught me how to make garlands out of the flowers. If I tend to speak about my maternal grandmaa all I remember her doing is plucking flowers like hibiscus and tabernomontana alongwith some tulsi leaves and atleast one dubori bon; slowly she would lead to her worship place and take a piece of flat round rock-the size of an elderly hand palm and start pressing a white sandalwood(chandan)cut piece with her fingers as she does it to and fro, some paste is formed which she put on my forehead between the eyebrows, that thing that got put is called 'phot' in assamese language.
Man is immortal. My name is Chayanika Bhattacharyya and I have initiated the already initiated movement that is a movement to make Assam fairly NorthEast a country.
An Arunachali lady has also narrated her story to make North East a country.
A Nagamese girl has also seconded me to make North East a country.
A Mizo girl has also asked me if NorthEast could be a country and I nodded in affirmative.
A Tripura girl is adding to the flock of likeminded people to make NorthEast a country.
A father's loving son from Meghalaya has nodded that North east should be a country.
An affirmative letter is still awaited from Sikkimese people/citizens to make NorthEast a country.
Regards,
Chayanika Bhattacharyya
Team JAA
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