GUWAHATI, Jan 6 — Looking back at the year that has just passed we find that a non-fictional book on the mighty Brahmaputra river by internationally acclaimed writer Sri Arup Kumar Dutta created ripples in the literary circles of not only in our State but the entire country. Published by the reputed National book Trust of India under its India – The Land and the People series, the book was released by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at a function in Delhi on September 13 last year. Known for his works based on meticulous research and documentation, Arup Dutta’s books which include the Unicornis, a comprehensive account of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, Cha Garam, a highly readable ‘biography’ of Queen Camellia, or tea, Hammer Blow among others have already made him a house-hold name in the knowledgeable circles of the State.
The only full time author of the State at present, Dutta has the advantage of approaching even his serious subjects with a child-like curiosity which helps him to explore his subject with greater versalility. Keeping in view that he is more well-known as “India’s own Blyton’ for his books on children or young adults, Dutta’s books on serious subjects are marked by a simplicity which is reflected in his use of language, smooth flow of sequences and above all making even a serious subject of study interesting and attractive. Though a number of writers including British officers, geographers and others have written accounts and books on the Brahmaputra earlier, Dutta’s attempt to sketch a profile of this fascinating river and at the same time acquaint the reader with the society which evolved on its banks, the heights of civilisation it attained and the contributions made by it to the pan-Indian mosaic gives a new dimension to his work.
Dutta writes in the very beginning of his preface to the book, ‘For the people of Assam this river is the Baba Brahmaputra! The figure conjured up is that of an old, bearded patriach, sanctified by millennia’s wisdom, guiding the destiny of the people of the valley and hills since primordial times. In a more colloquial intimate and loving way they call it Borluit or Burhaluit. It is the nourishing presence which overshadows all else in the valley and surrounding hills, animates the devellers and lends vibrancy to their day to day existence, sustains their culture and shapes their imagination. The Brahmaputra, for the people of this region is, in fact, the very soul of Assam’. Starting with the origin of the river from mythical times, the author acquaints us with its many names as it meanders down from its glacial womb in the Kailash range of the Himalayas in South-western Tibet, through the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, passes through the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, before cutting across Bangladesh to meet the other great Indian river, the Ganges, before finally plunging into the Bay of Bengal.
Dutta’s presentation of relevant excerpts about the Brahmaputra gleaned from reports prepared by British officers and other scholars and travellers from all over the globe gives valuable insight to the reader about this great river. The controversy surrounding the Brahmaputra’s link with Tibet due to the veil of secrecy which surrounded the Tibetan Kingdom added to the mystery of this river. Infact, it makes interesting reading to know that the mystery was solved only as late as the later part of the nineteenth century. Over the centuries great civilizations have been born by the banks of this mighty river with movement of people over the mountain ranges and valleys. The author gives us kaliodoscopic images of the colourful people who reside by this river and the important role the Brahmaputra played in their lives. From the Adis of Arunachal Pradesh, bamboo craftsmen par excellence to the Ahoms, Koches, Mughals and the British who ruled this part of the country, the river played an important role during times of war as well as peace.
The Brahmaputra or Burhaluit over the centuries has been a silent witness to the transformation of Assam and the north-eastern region from a once inaccessible swampy area into a modern entity. Arup Dutta takes us through his book through these great changes. The Mughal invasions of Assam, the coming of the British, the opening of tea gardens, the Saraighat Bridge... all find their way in this great odyssesy down The Brahmaputra. Arup Dutta has been able to encompass within 233 pages of this book, a history of Assam, revolving around the mighty river Brahmaputra. An added bonus is the author’s attempt to project the hydro-electric potential of this river which if tapped could be a great source of supply to the entire country.