But many Assamese refer to it (having the 'laahe-laahe obhyax') themselves without thinking deeply into it. If a non-Assamese, even if it is a relative, says that to me, of course, I take the 'ronosondi murti' and defend myself like crazy.
>From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "Rajen Barua" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "Ram Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>CC: Assam <assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu>
>Subject: Re: Re: [Assam] Adventures of Dr. Wood in NE India
>Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 14:42:48 -0400
>
>
> > "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
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> > > >
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> > > >
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> > >
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>
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> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
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