> "it will be done in due course"
*** It is an absurd and ignorant attribution to the Assamese. The third person, indirect way of writing is a trademark of Indian-bureacratic jargon and is not an Assamese invention. I can't believe the propensity of these Assamese lovers to attribute anything derogatory possible to their object of love, care and goodwill. On the other hand it demonstrates a servile attitude which they decry as the problem with the Assamese. With contempt and disgust. cm > From: "Rajen Barua" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 2005/05/17 Tue PM 12:02:18 EDT > To: "Ram Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > CC: Assam <assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu> > Subject: Re: [Assam] Adventures of Dr. Wood in NE India > > >And then his observation about "it will be done in due course" --- is > >that the impression we tend to give visitors? Is this the same as > >"lahe, lahe, " hobo diok" things we discuss here? > > Yes. That is the mode and mood of the public in Assam. > It is the passive Hobo Diok attitude of the Assamese people. > > The other day I was talking to one of my friends in Assam, and was talking to him why there is no proposal for a Railway line connecting the major towns in Assam. > > Now my friend suddenly out of the blue decalred that there is in fact such a scheme on the board. > I asked, what? > He said, yes, there was a proposal to connect railway lines from Xilghat to Jorhat etc. > I asked, who is working on it and if he can give me some reference etc. > He said no, he cannot give any partiiculars, but he knows for sure that such a scheme is on the table. > I said if he does not know who is working on it, if I donot know and if nobody knows, then probably there is no such scheme. > But he insisted that such a proposal is there, but he does not know who is working on it. > > Now this is what I call an Assamese Hobo Diok attitide. > > Please note my friend does not work for the government. He is a ordiniary Assamese citizen. > But his attitude is purely Assamese style loose talk without any solid basis. > May he heard it somewhere sometime, and now on that basis, he want to say, O yes, I know such a proposal is there already. Don't worry. It will be done in due course. > > I say Hobo Diok > Barua > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ram Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Rajen Barua" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: "Assam" <assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu> > Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 10:00 AM > Subject: Re: [Assam] Adventures of Dr. Wood in NE India > > > You are welcome Barua. Even though this Dr. Wood may have looked at > Assam in a different light, I was struck by some of the observations > he made: > > There are 365 tribes in Assam > > A familiar term is "It will be done in due course," or "the Government > has not yet sanctioned the Scheme." > > "The pharmacist was from Pakistan. He spoke good English" > > Etc. > His comments on Nehru and the situation during the riots is something > to think about. > Obviously, the pharmacist was from Bangladesh (then East Pak). > > And then his being stunned that people could kill others because of language. > > And then his observation about "it will be done in due course" --- is > that the impression we tend to give visitors? Is this the same as > "lahe, lahe, " hobo diok" things we discuss here? > > Maybe some netter may know of this Dr. He seems to have gotten around > quite a bit. > > --Ram > > On 5/17/05, Rajen Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thank you Ram for finding this posting the link. I immensly enjoyed it. > > Barua > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Ram Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "Assam" <assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 1:17 AM > > Subject: [Assam] Adventures of Dr. Wood in NE India > > > > > I found this site a few months ago and thought I should share this with > > netters. > > > Its basically about a Vet. Dr. (who helped in projects at Assam > > > Veterinary College and Assam Agriculture College) wrote letters, kept > > > notes while he was in the NE in the early 60s. > > > > > > He has given a description about Nehru's visit to Assam (after the > > > language riots in the 60s), his experiences in opening vet. clinics, > > > impressions about tamul/paan. There is also on one Kaziranga, N. > > > Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Gauhati, > > > > > > On the whole, its basically his impressions, some of them are > > > condescending (maybe), while in others he is intrigued, but it does > > > take us back into those days in the 60s. > > > > > > Interestingly enough, Nehru was in Assam because "Assam was the most > > > geographically isolated and most politically neglected state of all > > > India. Yet Assam was a critical area for India's survival" > > > > > > Anyway, I found it to be an interesting read. Seems like this Doctor's > > > son has setup the web page where a special section has been devoted to > > > the NE. > > > > > > Hope you all enjoy it. > > > > > > http://homepage.mac.com/muirpower/docsstory/ > > > > > > > > > > > http://homepage.mac.com/muirpower/docsstory/ indias_jaws_of_deathhtml > > > > > > Gauhati, Assam, India > > > October 28, 1962 > > > > > > Dear Son: > > > > > > So you would like to hear more details of my adventures along the > > > Northeast Frontier Agency? > > > > > > In this letter I will attempt to bring you up to date on my recent > > > vigil under rough circumstances at my wilderness clinic near North > > > Lankinpur. > > > > > > In this remote area there are no distinct boundary lines. There have > > > been many disputes among the tribal communities. Today we have been > > > exposed to six different tribes. Assam has a total of 365 tribes. > > > > > > After leaving Tezpur, the winding roads following the twisting small > > > stream edges were full of chuckholes and rocks. No bridges. We were > > > able to cross the streams at designated places. Fording was possible, > > > but dangerous. Many vehicles received broken axles when their wheels > > > slipped from the soap-slick boulders. > > > > > > My driver threw me a big smile each time we had a successful crossing. > > > My driver on this trip was a slender, sickly man approaching his > > > retirement years. His name was Sandra Das. I called him Sandy even > > > though he had black hair. He had learned, through experience, the ways > > > of hardship. His small waistline and weak muscles were proof of > > > malnutrition. I could see tears forming in his eyes when he was faced > > > with a flat tire or a serious car problem. We realized his waning > > > strength would present an ordeal which in his youthful years would > > > have been a pleasant challenge. > > > > > > In India, instead of chewing tobacco, many men and women chew a > > > concoction called tamil, pan shun. This consists of a small section of > > > raw areca nut sprinkled with slaked lime, then folded in a green tamil > > > leaf. This is chewed by many India natives. This concoction results in > > > bright red spitum which colors the teeth and mouth lining. It is an > > > unsightly mess, but intestinal parasites such as tapeworms cannot > > > survive in this toxic mixture. On my first sighting of these > > > red-mouthed people my first impression was they had bleeding teeth. > > > > > > It seemed that most of the drivers assigned to me indulged in this > > > dirty habit and Sandy was no exception. > > > > > > During the last few weeks of my tour of duty in Assam, the daily news > > > told of the restlessness along the Northeast Frontier Agency border in > > > which area we were travelling. China and India were in conflict > > > regarding the boundary line. China had already gobbled up Tibet and > > > seemed to be intent of acquiring this part of India. > > > > > > Do you remember our farewell dinner for you and your mother last year > > > just before you two returned to the U.S.A.? > > > > > > The cook for that banquet had served as guide for three groups of > > > refugees fleeing Tibet to India. Now new flare-ups of Chinese > > > aggression are frequent news items. > > > > > > We met a large convoy of Indian Military men this afternoon. We had to > > > wait for their passage since the narrow roadway was not wide enough to > > > allow two-way traffic. I noted the military vehicles were all U.S.A. > > > manufactured. Several vehicles were loaded with big guns. > > > > > > About three o'clock this afternoon we reached a small village. Our > > > spare tire was slowly leaking air. We had already punctured another > > > tire. We could anticipate more trouble. There was not a garage or > > > service station in this remote village. Nearly everyone rode bicycles. > > > The narrow unpaved streets were dusty. People shared them with big > > > Brahma Bulls. Red underfed cows swarmed the street freely and a herd > > > of goats scurried along the narrow roadway. No passage for cars. > > > > > > We parked three blocks away from a bicycle repair shop and rolled two > > > tires to it for repair. The repair men only had flat-iron hand tools > > > made from broken springs of automobiles. The source of air was a hand > > > powered bicycle pump. Can you imagine the ordeal required to inflate > > > two big jeep truck tires? It was apparent that we would be delayed > > > several hours. Most of the repair shops in this frontier country want > > > to keep a jeep tire all day long for repair. > > > > > > My driver stayed at the tire repair shop during the flat-fixing > > > procedure. I walked around the village going from one dingy shop to > > > another in search of local items of trade or novelties. The bazaar had > > > small open-air bins. The meat was covered with banana leaves in a > > > home-woven basket for refrigeration. Two hours had passed when a local > > > tribal Indian tapped me on the shoulder and motioned for me to follow > > > him. "Now what?" I pondered. Where did he want me to go? I'm not eager > > > to follow strangers in a strange country, however, he made me > > > understand the druggist wanted to see me. > > > > > > The pharmacist was from Pakistan. He spoke good English. He began with > > > an apology. "I'm sorry you have been delayed in this little village. I > > > know Americans cannot eat our native food. Also, I know you must have > > > a clean, safe place to sleep and rest. I have prepared a bedroom for > > > you in my home nearby. You are welcome to stay overnight. I want you > > > to be comfortable." > > > > > > "Oh what a wonderful gesture and invitation. I shall never forget your > > > concern and kindness. We have only thirty-five miles to go today. > > > Hopefully the two tires will be finished in time for us to continue on > > > to North Lankinpur." > > > > > > Thirty minutes later, my driver found me. He was elated. Two young men > > > rolled the two repaired tires to the jeep. One tire was mounted on the > > > jeep wheel and the other bolted on for a spare. > > > > > > We reached the missionary headquarters near North Lankinpur, our > > > destination, shortly after dark. > > > > > > Our plan to open the wilderness clinic early the next morning were > > > agreed upon, then we had a peaceful night of rest. > > > > > > With love, > > > Dad > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Assam mailing list > > > Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > > > > > Mailing list FAQ: > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > > > To unsubscribe or change options: > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Assam mailing list > > Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > > > Mailing list FAQ: > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > > To unsubscribe or change options: > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > > > > > >
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