2

POST script
AUGUST 19, 2012

SEVEN SISTERS

NELit review

FIFTH

WALL
UDDIPANA GOSWAMI
Literary Editor

Let the imagination fly On reading a beautiful book

CLOSE READING
that our eyes would sparkle with joy when the tiny leaves of the plant shut themselves down on a gentle touch. I guess todays generation will fail to understand that during our childhood we used to sit outside for the bogoli (crane) to give us boga phut (white spots) on our nails or so we were led to believe. It is high time we got our children re-introduced to natures abundance and let them feel and understand the beauty of simplicity. This book carries some attractive illustrations and interesting footnotes, which will help the young generation in learning about their culturally rich native land. The use of bright colours and lovely illustrations gives the book a vibrant look. Questions might be raised as to why this book, which is a representation of the rich heritage of Assam, has not been published in the Assamese language. But I feel that as the book is in English, it will be able to make a good impact on children of the non-vernacular stream while reaching a wider young readership, including those outside Assam. After all, children outside our state should also be made aware of our wonderful cultural heritage. Overall, The Bogoli Phut Days is a good package of fun and facts. Cheers, Tara T

Not always childs play

THE BOGOLI PHUT DAYS

Tara Goswami Harper Collins, 2012 `299, 92 pages Paperback/Non-fiction
Kona Son-in-Law and The Toon Tooni Bird are some of the stories in the book that remind us of the storytelling sessions that we used to enjoy with our own aitas and kokas (grandparents). My son, who is just 15 months old now, will reach a stage when his mind will be filled with curiosities like any other child of his age. That will be the right time indeed to introduce him to this book and let his imagination fly just like that of the little girl, Pitki. The content of the book is so enthralling that it takes its readers on an expedition, acquainting them with the ethnicity and traditions of Assamese people. Nowadays children are exposed to the virtual world at a very tender age, courtesy of technology. They hardly get time to explore the real world with the touch of their bare hands. They probably would not know that during our childhood we used to spend hours out in the fields searching for touch-men o t plants a n d

HIS issue of NELit review is dedicated to the children of the Northeast. The highlight is the review of a lovely book by Tara Goswami, The Bogoli Phut Days. It is an enchanting and innovative concept caught on paper and I loved it the moment I saw it. So I decided the review too should get done innovatively I went to the target audience, a child, and I wanted to know what she felt like when she read the book, what she learnt from it, how she related to it. Next, I went to a mother who obviously will decide what her child will be reading and I wanted her to tell our readers why. So now we have two different perspectives on the same book. This issue also carries an excerpted story by Kengsam Kenglang, the Arunachali writer. Kenglang wrote in Axamiya and his writings have added to the already bounteous treasure trove of childrens literature in Assam and the Northeast as a whole. Deep Saikias English translation of the original story Jene Kukur Tene Tangon brings the moral tale alive for young readers everywhere in this beautifully illustrated National Book Trust publication, Tit for Tat. With its rich cultural heritage, the Northeast has a lot to offer to children everywhere in the world. The need is for our writers to reach out to a wider audience in order to disseminate the colour and character of our various communities beyond the narrow confines of our land. It was heartening for me, therefore, to find that a childrens magazine in Bangalore had been focusing on various festivals of the Northeast in their monthly issues. This week, NELit review reproduces for its readers the Hoopla Club spotlight on Christmas in Mizoram. We also recommend for our young readers a few books published on the mainland books that draw from the folk traditions of the Northeast and its neighbouring countries. We hope publishing houses in the region follow suit and produce books for children the way children would love to read them. T

SUGANDHI PRAPTI GOGOI

INDRANI BARUAH

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. Elizabeth Stone

VERY child is dear to its mother. As a mother I got this feeling when I felt its presence in my womb for the first time. For every would-be mother this emotion is quite normal but with this we also need to welcome a sea full of errands and responsibilities. The most important task of a parent is giving the child adequate scope to shape its future so that one day it becomes a responsible individual. And today while we look at the multinational lifestyles and beyond, we should ensure that our roots are not forgotten. In this book Bogoli Phut Days, the author, Tara Goswami, has brilliantly brought to the fore the essence of the rich culture of the state of Assam in order to make the young generation sensitive to their native land. Goswami has meticulously brought out the unschooled thinking of the inquisitive mind of a child through this book. When I first got hold of the book I felt that it will be just like any other childrens book. But I was mistaken. The book is all about the characteristics of Assam as told by Pitki, the protagonist. The story is about Pitkis and her brother Dondis winter holidays in their grandparents place (Assam). The book is a fine package of amazing facts and anecdotes. Minute details pertaining to Assamese pronunciations, interesting facts and village myths have been explained in such an effortless and interesting way that it makes reading of the book a fascinating experience. The Kukuri

ODAY, like other days, my father came back from office in the evening. I opened the door as he rang the doorbell. I saw a big yellow envelope in his hand and asked what it contained. He gave me the envelope and then told me to open it. I went inside to see what it was. On opening the envelope, I found a book titled The Bogoli Phut Days. The writer is Tara Goswami. I wanted to read the book very much after randomly turning over its pages and seeing the pictures in them. The book was written in English. I study in an Assamese-medium school. We had just started learning English. So I was unable to read the book. One day my maternal aunt came to visit us. I told her about the book and

she readily said she would explain to me what it was about. In the book Tara Goswami identifies herself as Pitki, aged seven. Pitki lives with her parents and brother, Dondi, in Shillong. Pitki says she, along with her parents, visits her grandparents at Sekoni in Assam during the winter vacation. Its very cold in Shillong so schools remain closed for around three months there. Thats when Pitki can stay longer in her grandparents house. After learning about these things, I thought it would be great fun if our school had also shut for around three months. The winter vacation in Guwahati is for one month so we do not get to play much. Pitki does not like to come down to Assam from Shillong because the road has many twists and turns. Look ahead! Look ahead! You will feel good, Pitkis father would tell her when they travelled through t h e road. Pitki has writ-

ten about many things in this book. Sekoni is in Jokhola Bondha. They spend a day at Guwahati and then leave for Sekoni the next day. The road from Guwahati to Sekoni is very good; Pitki and her parents see the teak tree nurseries and paddy fields along the road. I also go to my grandmothers house at Moran every year. My grandfather is no longer alive. He died before I was born. I wish I had met him sometime. We have a lot of fun at Moran. My grandmother and my uncle and aunt and their children my cousins live there. Pitkis grandparents come outside when she and her parents reach Sekoni. All relatives of Pinkis family become happy on seeing them. Pitki has written about this. Half of the worlds tea output is produced in Assam. Pitki gains a lot of new experience at Sekoni. She also plays new games climbing trees, working in flower gardens and so on. Sometimes Pitki and her friends sit on hay bales reading books. Pitki says that she likes Magh or Bhogali Bihu very much. All of the family eat snacks together and enjoy themselves during Magh Bihu. They make a fire and sit around it talking. Pitki looks on as her grandmother makes til pithas. Bhela ghors (makeshift huts) are also put up for Bihu celebration. Pitkis grandmother tells her tales of the night blind son-in-law and the toon tuni bird. She also teaches her to sing Rodali e rod de and so forth. I liked reading this book very much. It is written so beautifully by such a little girl. I really enjoyed reading about her experiences. The book is printed beautifully and the pictures in it are also very beautiful. I wish her to write more such books. T (The writer is a student of Class IV at Asom Jatiya Vidyalaya. Her review has been translated from the original Axamiya by Seven Sisters Post)

Tit for Tat

iNKPOT
KENGSAM KENGLANG

HERE was a jungle by the side of a village. A stray dog of the village gave birth to three pups in that jungle.

taught a lesson. The bear was silent for a while. Impatient the wild dog urged, I am asking you whether a dream can be true or not. The bear shot back, Yes it can. Last night I saw in my dream that I was dashing you to death. Thank God, you yourself have come here.

One day on her way to hunt in the jungle she saw a baby wild dog abandoned under a tree. Taking pity she took the baby and reared him with her own pups. All four grew up together. They learnt to hunt and live by themselves. One day the wild dog became greedy after seeing the three healthy young puppies. He told one of them, Last night I saw a dream where I was eating you. So, to make my dream true I will eat you today. The young puppy replied, You can, if you want to make your dream true. But before that you will have to ask three creatures whether dreams come true or not. It they say yes I myself will offer my head. The wild dog agreed. They first went to a goat. They asked, Can a dream come true? After thinking for a while, the goat replied, Yes it can. The wild dog was very happy. Next, they went to the riverbank to meet the heron. The wild dog Finally they went to a bear. The wild dog asked, Please tell us whether a dream can be true or not. The bear listened to the story behind this question and then he thought to himself, This wild dog is greedy and ungrateful. He needs to be

TIT FOR TAT

Kengsam Kenglang Durlabh Bhattacharya (Illustrator) Deep Saikia (Translator) National Book Trust, 2012 `25, 12 pages Paperback/Fiction

Hearing this, the wild dog jumped away and ran hard not daring to look back. T

asked the same question. The heron replied, Sometimes yes, sometimes no.