[Assam] Acute inferiorty complex

Sat, 11 Mar 2006 06:33:32 -0800

Dear Rajen,
 
Thanks for your letter. The points that you have raised in this letter should definitely be discussed in the net.
 
But, I think what you so correctly said on March 5, 2006 "Assamese are already suffering from acute inferiorty complex"   should be given to PRIORITY in the discussion in the assam-net.
 
I congratulate you for pointing out this terrible thing "inferiorty complex" and most earnestly request you to run a discussion on this point in the net. I am trying to start this discussion by quoting Lachit's "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi" (My uncle is not greater than my country)".
 
The slogan "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi" (My uncle is not greater than my country)" is actually a re-statement of what Lord Shrikrishna stated in Bhagavadgita. Killing of grand-uncle Bhishma at the "Declared Battle of Kurukshetra"  was justified by Lord Shrikrishna to establish righteousness. The word "righteousness" is the translation of the word "dharma" of the verses 7&8 Chapter 4 of Bhagavadgita.
 
When Lachit said "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi" (My uncle is not greater than my country)", he was using the word "desha" to mean a Motherland whose defense was our righteous right. What Lachit said at the spur of the moment appears like a "slogan" to us. This may give some answer to the objection of Jugal Kalita [I apologize if I misunderstood him] about slogans.
 
Another slogan is floating in the net "desh matho eta dharana, thikanar shesh shari" --- I am finding it difficult to translate this into English because the meaning of the word "dharana" is not clear to me. I see "dharana" as the sixth step of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga: (1) Yama,  (2)Niyama, (3) Asana,  (4) Pranayama, (5) Pratyahara, (6)Dharana, (7) Dhyana, and  (8) Samadhi.  
 
The propounder of the slogan "desh matho eta dharana, thikanar shesh shari" should give the meaning of the word "dharana"and explain why "dharana" has been equated with "desha". Correct me if I am wrong, I think the slogans like  "desh matho eta dharana, thikanar shesh shari" are generating the acute inferiorty complex"  that you pointed out.
 
The propounder & supporters of the slogan "desh matho eta dharana, thikanar shesh shari"  should come forward to compare it with  Lachit's "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi".
 
In my opinion, Lachit's "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi" will expel the acute inferiorty complex --- a new, unwanted twist of Assamese mind --- that you so correctly pointed out.
 
With the best wishes,
Himendra
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Barua25
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 10:52 PM
Subject: Re: deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi

Dear Himenda:
Thanks for your response. Glad to know that the book was a part of your course.
Regarding the historical data of the story, I think you need to have some back up. Because it is such a horrifying story, it may give the people a completely different picture about Islam. The actual reality however may be quite different. The reason I am saying this is because there is also a opposite side of the story. According to one theory, the religion that suffered most during the Islamic invasion was mainly Buddhism. Buddhism was an organised religion without any defense which was completely wiped out. Hinduism survived under the caste system. Many Brhamins helped and aided the Islamic rulers in the destruction of Buddhism. Many Buddhist temples overnite become Shiva temples etc. Also  the theory says that there was actually no forced conversion at all from Hindus to Islam. That is why one donot find any high caste Hindus being Muslim. All that conversion that happened were the low caste Hindus and they converted themselves to Islam mainly because of the equality that they gained under Islam and to avoid the exploitation from upper caste Hindus.  Today one finds the whole of Bangladesh a Islamic country which were at one time wholly a Buddhist country. There were hardly any Brahmin or any high caste Hindus in Bagladesh. In fact the exploited downtrodden Hindus were taking shelters from exploitation from Hindus upper caste in those three shelter religions: namely Buddhism, Islam and Christianity.
 
On the other hand I have heard story of enmass village conversion to Islam not by force from Islam but due to rejection from the Hindus. There story appeared in Prantik magazine in Assam, a Brahmin village in Assam was converted to Islam because somebody has thrown beef in the village well, and Hindus have refused to accept the village back as Hindus. The village finally had to take to Islam, The Sharmas started to write Ahmed overnite etc.  
 
So there may be many sides of the coin, and one need to be careful in making any general statement before checking the facts.
Thanks
Rajen
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 6:28 PM
Subject: deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi

Dear Rajen,

 

Sorry for the delay in replying !

 

The statement that you referred in your letter below came up in a panel discussion in 1989 at Harvard University where the manuscript of my book "Don't Burn My Mother!" was discussed in a movie script-writing course. (By the way, I got an A in that course ! My added benefit was that I got to see a number of classic movies with commentaries & discussions  at the Harvard University Movie Club --- those were a few wonderful months for me !)

 

Unfortunately, 17 years later now, I don't remember the name of the history scholar who made that statement. It was my fault that I did not follow it up to find it in historical reference or book or article written by any historians. I'll now dig it up and let you know.

 

Normally, I furnish a word "assumption" before such statements, which you may have noticed in my other writings.   IF     I miss, please let me know, I'll correct immediately ! All historical facts must be supported by cross-reference, according to the principle of historical studies. I really apologize for missing the word "assumption" before this statement. I thank you for correcting me.

 

In this connection, I urge the netters to ponder over the “story” that Lachit beheaded his own uncle for lapse of duty in the Battle of Saraighat and uttered the famous slogan: "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi" (My uncle is not greater than my country) --- this statement was boldly etched at the entrance of the Assam Assembly Hall in Shillong when Shillong was the capital of Assam.

 

Now, I have heard that some people have raised serious objection that this statement cannot be accepted as historical truth due to lack of cross-reference. The netters may throw some light on this. 

 

Throughout my life, I grew up with Lachit's  "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi" , and it pained me beyond any consolation that I could not include "deshatkoi momai dangar nohoi"  in my article “ATAN BURAGOHAIN SAKO” because some historian would object. However, in spite of all precautions, the idea of “ATAN BURAGOHAIN SAKO” and the idea of the statue of Swargadev Chakradhwaj Singha were rejected on the grounds that the bridge would encourage garbage dumping, the statue would be a sore thumb, the existing white pillar is an excellent "ABSTRACT" element, the statue of Swargadev Chakradhwaj Singha  would be ugly, “what they did in their time is fine --- we need not build any sako (bridge) or statue to commemorate them” ------ and a hoard of many other "wise" comments.

 

I request the netters to find out the historical truth about Lachit's  "deshatkoi momai dangar nahoi" and advice me if I can include it in a revised version of the article “ATAN BURAGOHAIN SAKO” .

 

With the best wishes,

Himendra

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 10:17 AM
Subject: invasion of Indo-Gangetic plains by Muslims

>On January 29, 2006, I clearly wrote in the net that “To protect a family during the early period of invasion of Indo-Gangetic plains, if a family of had five >brothers, two would take conversion to Islam to protect the remaining three.
 
Dear Himen-da:
I just want to ask you one question. Do you have any proof of the above statement?
If yes, can you support with any historical reference or book or article written by any historians?
I never heard such statement from any quarter. So it is very important that we absolutely find the truth
Rajen.
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