Society / Assam

CHAPAR, May 17— Dipti Islam of Chapar, who has already created his own place in the tinsel world by producing and directing two video feature films Chengra Bandhurey and Sariya Najaishrey in Goalpariya dialect of the Assamese language, released his third film Mui To Pirit Korongna at ‘Bhai Bhai Talkies’, Dhantola in Bongaigaon district on May 9 last. Like the previous two films, this also has succeeded in getting a good response from the cine-goers on the inaugural day.

The story of the film, written by Islam, narrates the tragic life of a beautiful young girl who dedicated her life to...

DIBRUGARH, May 12 – Litterateur, Narayan Ghatowar, who is also an important functionary of the AASU-sponsored Asom Unnati Sabha has said that he is pained by the “unnecessary political debate on whether the tea labourers of the State are Assamese or not.” Speaking to The Assam Tribune here today, he said that it is universally understood that Assam’s tea labourer community is an intrinsic part of the Assamese society, and regretted that Congress leader Paban Singh Ghatowar has raked up an uncalled for controversy by asking if he is an Assamese or not.

“Paban Singh Ghatowar is an important...

GUWAHATI, May 8 – Guwahati, the gateway to the North-east, is fast turning out to be its crime capital as well, if the developments in the recent past are any indication. With its rapid expansion in terms of size and population, the city has witnessed a spurt in the number of crimes, including murder. But even more worrying is the fact that many of the murders have left the police clueless, with the culprits still at large. Swanomoyee Devi (98) of Jyotinagar was murdered on December 15, 2003 in broad daylight and her belongings, including a Maruti car, stolen. Success still eludes police...

GUWAHATI, May 7 – It was way back in 1965 that he left Guwahati, seeking greener pastures. At that time, he left behind his wife Putul Boro and an eight-month old son. Almost 40 years later, Dhurba Newar aka Dhyan Singh returned to Guwahati yesterday. With him he brought a story that could be stuff for a potboiler film. Newar’s life story spans the entire Indian sub-continent and beyond. When Newar suddenly arrived at his sister’s home yesterday, hundreds of people in the Rupnagar locality crowded the house to have a glimpse of the man many had given up for dead. His reunion with his sister...

Silchar, May 5: When Manju Rikiason votes, she exercises her forefinger, not her mind. The more important job of choosing the candidate is left to the males of her family. The story is the same in household after household in the south Assam tea belt. Illiterate women voters turn up at polling booths to cast their votes in favour of candidates chosen by their equally untutored husbands, fathers or brothers.

Manju, a mother of three, is employed as a leaf-plucker at Doloo tea estate and one of the women voters who were interviewed as part of a University Grants Commission-sponsored study of...

GUWAHATI, May 5 – How many of us know that one of the earliest rock inscriptions of Assam lies close to the foothills of Kamakhya? Even if one is in the vicinity of the site, one might probably never know, because there are no pointers to show the way from the nearest motorable road. Ten minutes walk away from Kalipur bus stop, the signboard next to the inscription also wears a vacant look.

“We don’t know what the inscription means, and although curious we don’t know whom to approach to know about it,” said Ashok Sinha, who has seen the inscription. “If this is how we maintain our heritage...

GUWAHATI, April 30 — The final notification for the conservation of the historic temples at Hajo by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is under preparation and it is expected to be carried by the Gazette of India within a short time. Already, the ASI has issued the preliminary notice for the purpose. The Gazette of India carried it in its December 9, 2003 issue. According to the rules, objections to the Gazette notification, if any, should be made within two months of the publication of the same. According to ASI sources here, there was no objection to the preliminary notification. The...

GUWAHATI, April 11 – One woman somewhere in India dies from pregnancy-related complications every five minutes. The current maternal mortality rate in Assam accounts for 401 in every 1,00,000 live births vis-?-vis the pan-Indian figure, which stands at 407 per 1,00,000 live births. These maternal deaths are higher especially in rural areas and urban slums where utilisation of maternal and neonatal health services is well below national levels.

Alarming statistics indeed as the nation observes the Safe Motherhood Day today. It is with this objective of disseminating information and spreading...

JORHAT, April 2 – The Auniati Satra Satradhikar, Dr Pitambar Deva Goswami, formally announced institution of a ‘Srimanta Sankardeva Research Fellowship Trust’ with a capital investment of Rs 1 lakh. He made the revealation as above while presiding over the open session of the ‘Sant Samaroh’ at the Sammannay Sadhan Kshetra of Teok Kaliapani, to the east of the city here on Sunday.

“Instituted in hallowed memory of 16th Century saint reformer Srimanta Sankardeva, an annual grant will henceforth be offered to a deserving research scholar pursuing a theological topic,”, he said. “The thesis will...

Kokrajhar, March 1: Nature conservation as the subject of a small regional film is considered a poor commercial bet. But it did not stop the fledgling Kokborok film industry?s hottest director from choosing his theme.

Hiralal Debbarma, who has such successful films as Aichkni Bwkhwrui (2002) and Serek (2003) under his belt, chose to deal with environment preservation in his latest movie, Suari (The Earth Defender). The film, which was released recently, tells the tale of three city-bred students who venture into the forest and return metamorphosed into green activists.

The film?s title...