Disruption- Dr. Bhanu Prabha Dutta Saikia, Assam

“Come sharp, Mother Serious”

Going through this telegram delivered to him a day just before his M.Sc final Examination. Ananta became uncertain what to do and what nor to do. Two months beck leaving his ailing mother at home he came to the university hostel. Now the face of his ailing mother reflected before his eyes and he become very much restless to meet her.

The telegram was sent by his sister whom he told again and again at the time of leaving home to inform him. If his mother’s condition deteriorated only a year back he lost his father in an accident. From that time his mother supported him with great trouble. He realized how his mother faced difficulties in maintaining his higher studies and the small family. He thought if he failed to appear at the examination that year he would be able to appear the same examination next year but if some thing happened to his mother he would never be able to see her again. So, he decided to leave the hostel immediately for his village. It was 4 o’clock in the evening he haphazardly put some of his clothing in the bag and examining the purse whether there is sufficient money to reach home, he rushed to the transport station. At that time there was no state transport bus to his home town. So he decided to go by public bus. Reaching the public bus stand he booked his seat in a public bus. The bus was to start after half an hour; so he went to the nearly Book stall. There he saw some bottles of Horlicks in a show case and purchased a bottle for his mother. In the meantime other passengers began to get into the bus and occupy their seats. He also stepped into the bus and occupied his seat near the window of the three seated bench of the bus. He looked through the window and noticed a piece of black cloud in the western Sky. Suddenly he felt sad. He thought that his final examination would start next day morning and he was in the bus in the evening to go to see his ailing mother. At that time his class mates Ranjeet, Pollab etc were preparing for the examination at the reading table……. Again the face of his ailing mother appeared before his mind’s eyes. His mind became restless. He wanted to reach home immediately.

The tearful eyes of his dearest mother reflected again and again in his mind. Thousand horses were running through his blood and his mind ran faster than the bus in which he was proceeding towards his home. He wished as if, he were already reaching his village at Majuli, the greatest river island of the world. That was rainy season and so he thought that the great Luit, (Brahmaputra river is know as Luit also)  which he had to cross to reach his village, might be over flooded during that period of the year. The Luit is both the source of sorrow and happiness for the inhabitants of Majuli.

With the speed of the Bus his mind also began to run swiftly. Again the faces of his mother and other family members reflected in his mind. Two years back when he prepared to leave his village for Guwahati to study in the university, he became the source of discussion not only in his home but in the entire village as before him no body came out the village like him for higher education. As the date of his departure was approaching all his near and dear ones of the village invited him for lunch or dinner saying, “you will go to a distant place to try your destiny It is not definite when you will get time to return. He remembered how his father also remained busy in arranging his necessaries in the university. His only sister Rina, with her all sincerity and love for her brother made some of his necessities like pillow cover, handkerchief etc. for his use in the University hostel. His two younger brothers were too helping him in all preparations. He remembered how his mother became sad to send her eldest son to a distant place like Guwahati more than 360 km distance from Majuli. She could not understand why her son should go to Guwahati for higher studies leaving the local educational Institutions. His father explained her that unless her son went to Guwahati he would not he able to prosecute higher studies in the local colleges as he had already finished his college education. She was convinced and asked his father to arrange ‘Nam-kirtan’ in the village ‘Namghar’ for over all welfare of their son before he left the home.

Ultimately the day of his departure came and with everybody’s blessings and advices he left home…………, Ananta remained so submerged in recollecting his bygone days he forgot that he was traveling in a bus towards his home town. The whole night passed and he could not close his eyes. As the bus was entering Jorhat, his home town, it suddenly stopped with a jerk. The driver then put the back gear and brought the bus back ward and again forward. From his co-passengers he knew that a cat was crossing the road and that was not a good sign. Any way, ultimately the bus entered in to the bus stop and Ananta got down from the bus with his bag. At the Bus stop he met his friend Ramesh who was waiting for his mother who was to come from Guwahati by another night super. Ramesh informed him that for last two three days the river Luit was in spate and all communications to the river island were remaining disrupted. Ananta felt as if his heart stopped.

Regaining his sense after few minutes Ananta searched out the line bus to Nemati Ghat and got into it. The conductor of the bus also informed him that ferry and boat services to Majuli were not operating due to heavy flood in the river. Ananta determined to go to the Ghat and take a chance. The bus preceded towards the ghat and stopped at a distance of five kilometres from the ghat as the road was submerged under flood water. Some people were standing there. Ananta enquired from them whether there was chance of restoring the ferry service soon. They replied that there was no possibility of beginning ferry service soon as there was no sign of receding water in the river. Ananta sat there with great despair.

• Majuly – the greatest river island of the world
• Luit, – The Brahmaputra river is know as Luit also

Guwahati – heart city of Assam