An eye opener from history

These are memoirs of another day, memories of another war. An autobiography written on sanchi paat (bark of a tree) nearly 200 years ago has opened a new chapter in Assam’s history and of the country’s freedom movement. It was not Mangal Pandey, but an Ahom prince perhaps who first raised the banner of revolt against the British in 1827, thirty years before the Sepoy Mutiny, according to recently recovered manuscripts.

The prince Gamadhar Konwar along with compatriot Dhanjoy Borgohain had organized a revolt against the British at Mariani to free Assam, a year after it was annexed by the British from the Ahoms with the signing of the treaty of Yandabo."

History must acknowledge Konwar's contribution to India's freedom struggle which came to light with the discovery of a 30-page 'sanchi pat' or tree bark manuscript two years ago," said Jintu Hazarika, secretary of a group formed to ensure that the prince received his due place in the annals of history.

The manuscript was written by Konwar's close associate Mokham Barua in Tai language in the form of a diary.It was lying with Barua's descendants for the last two centuries till it was discovered by a Tai teacher, Mridul Phukon from Deodhai village in Sibsagar district, Hazarika said.

Recovered recently from near Sivasagar, the memoirs belong to a king named Gamadhar Konwar, who is even now a little-known figure in Assam. But experts on Tai-Ahom history said they are reconstructing a priceless mosaic of facts, one which will reveal Gamadhar Konwar in a new light: as the first Indian to have started the freedom struggle against the British Empire, much before Mangal Pandey rose in rebellion in 1857.

Mridul Phukon, an expert on Tai language from Sivasagar, has translated the autobiography from the original Tai language into Assamese. It has also been adapted into a play to mobilize public opinion so that recognition is given to Gamadhar Konwar?s heroism.

Gamadhar, a close relative of Ahom king Pratap Singha, had set up his own kingdom at Nakachari in Jorhat district in 1828 and declared war against the British.
He managed to garner the support of tribal chieftains of the region. He also set ablaze a British armoury at Rongpur, now in Sivasagar district, and then fled to Nagaland.
The British kept Gamadhar’s mother under house arrest for several months in a bid to capture him. Gamadhar was later imprisoned by the British and sent to the Andamans in 1828.

Nothing is known about Gamadhar after he was sent to the Cellular Jail in the Andamans, known as kala pani then. Nor does the book mention anything further.
The autobiography in Tai language was written in 1828, two years after the signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo, which brought Assam under British rule.

Phukon said the 120-page memoirs, named Ko Mou Ko Bang (Moments of Life), was recovered from the house of one Bhabakanata Phukon of Sivasagar. Mridul Phukon translated the book into Assamese and Jatin Hazarika adapted it as a play.

Phukon said the play would be staged in Guwahati soon. “We are planning to take this play to Rabindra Bhawan in the state capital so as to publicise the fact that Gamadhar was the first in the country to stand up against the British” says Phukan.

Pointing out that there was nothing fictional in this drama, Phukon said it was a true story of one of the greatest sons of the soil who finds very little mention in the pages of history.

I for Inspiration

I tell you people, it's not a walk in the park when it comes to writing ads. Writing ads that would please the people at one go. Writing that would be easy on everyone's ego. Writing that will wash away the pain inflicted on someone. Last time I wrote it did nothing of the above. I was actually sleepwalking on my notepad.

From colleagues to canteen boys to networking pals to roadside romeo juliets to traffic honkers to city hawkers to client tantrums to family dramas(small and big included), everybody influences. Influences the way you feel about it. Take it or leave it, when you sit down to wash away your sins on a notepad with the aquatic splashes of the blue ink, it takes time to get into the groove. To write. Rewrite. Getting the thoughts in and letting it out of the window. To abuse your thoughts. For me getting into the groove takes three lines or sometimes three hours. But then when it comes to work, you don't see the face of time, don't you?

For me writing has been a progression. Parents used to scold when I first discovered the art of writing on the walls. Making it dirty was fun back then! Writing small little birthday cards and imaginary letters to friends by the time I was in school. Scribbling notes for best friends. Writing poems and stories for school magazines. Waiting impatiently for handwriting classes. By the time I was about leave school, i had quit making notes for my friends. In college, writing love letters for seniors took most of the time. Souveneirs thrown in between. Plus letters to home. I am already soaked in hostel sentiments by now! I moved on. Moved on gladly sensing writing getting the better of me as time made its strokes. By the time I moved out of my hometown to India's capital city, perspective of life and how it behaves changed for me. The easy life I was used to had to be replaced with a more fast paced one. Of running around for a seat in the colleges. Running around to find a shelter. By now my writing ran away to someplace else! Vanished but thankfully, never conquered by anything else!

As the college days were nearing a slow death, the writer in me sprang within me. Spring. Spring. I was bouncing, dancing with my pen giving me company. My dancefloor was my table. Location still the same - India's capital city. Capital of chaos. Capital of cars. Capital of the capital letters that made me a writer out of me. On a serious note, I decided copywriting was my calling. People found it funny and looked at me like you know what!

Years rolled on. The pen still holds strong and might. Mightier than thou. I am writing ads today. Occasional poems and proses for few and most loved. Writing almost anything under the sun. From food to farms, technology to tantrums, bliss to billions - writing just goes on for me. A heady cocktail of inspirations pouring in from all the corners. As time posed new challenges, i have strived to take my writing along the way. The best part of being an advertising writer is that you can start from anywhere. Take a leap out of anywhere.

As I am writing this, the thoughts of writing a new ad is pouring in like cats and dogs over me! Drenched in this cold wave, waiting to sip a hot cuppa and wide awake to strike, I take your leave.

Hold on! The words haven't stopped in yet.