Art and life struggle for survival

DIBRUGARH, February 10: His shaking hands hold a few copies of a novel as he moves around the Sahityarathi Kshetra, pleading with people to buy a copy. "You will enjoy reading this book, I can assure you that," he tells prospective buyers. Lakhi Mahanta has been visiting the Sahitya Sabha venue these days with copies of Chinaki Ghator Suryauday, a novel authored by him. Mahanta has two novels to his credit, apart from 18 plays and a few radio plays. His radio play, Juge Juge Dodhishi, fetched him the national award in 1987. The 60-year-old writer fell into bad times after retiring as a teacher from the Namrup Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation high school. All his savings drained out in the education of his four children and on his medical treatment. Mahanta was afflicted with a nerve problem soon after retirement. "This will probably be my last work as I cannot hold the pen any longer," he told The Telegraph. With no money for treatment, Mahanta only prays that he can hold the pen again. Residents of Namrup, Mahanta and his wife arrived here on the inaugural day of the ongoing 66th session of the Asam Sahitya Sabha and have been staying with Mahanta's childhood friend since. They arrive at the sabha venue every morning, hoping to sell copies of his 'labour'. "I spent Rs 20,000 in printing 1,000 copies of this novel. I have to sell them somehow. It has become a question of survival for my family," Mahanta said. He has also given a few copies of his novel to stalls at the sabha book fair. "They will take 30 per cent of the price," he added. Talking about his works, Mahanta said, "I always try to portray small things... problems in Assamese society. The hero of my latest novel is a bullock-cart puller." But with no help forthcoming, Mahanta today is a broken man. "I love writing. There would probably be several writers like me, who need financial help to publish their works...," he lamented. Mahanta blamed the Asam Sahitya Sabha for not taking any steps to help writers like him. "The only recognition I got from the Sabha was a felicitation by its Dibrugarh district unit in 1995," he rued. "The sabha should take the initiative to provide financial help to writers like us. It will help to enrich Assamese literature," he added. Mahanta, however, has attended several sabha sessions as it makes him happy. "I have attended the Bihpuria, Nalbari and Sivasagar sessions. It gives me a chance to meet top litterateurs of the state." Though Mahanta is selling his novels for money, it gives him pleasure when people read his works. "I will present a copy of my novel to the sabha president," he said with a smile.