Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Dr Amit Rahul Baishya, Assistant Professor in Oklahoma University, enthralled his listeners at Cotton University (CU) on Friday. He gave his audience some food for thought through his deliberations of the representation of the snail in Jehirul Hussain’s ‘Xoru, Dhemali, Bor Dhemali’. The title of his lecture, ‘Snail Watchers Corpses, Creatures and Vulnerability in Jehirul Hussain’s Xoru Dhemali, Bor Dhemali,’ might have intrigued many; but after listening to him it was clear to everyone how this world of animals and research on it opens up so much scope for exploration and some original fact-finding adventure that results in the germination of innovative ideas, which should be the sole reason and output of any research work.
In his lecture, he focused on the depiction of a snail in the story and how it opens a door into the animal world. Referring to his visit to the University, Dr Baishya gave the analogy of “the return of the native”. Expressing ideas about the story he laid emphasis on the interesting world of animals and themes of animalization, deathworlds, politics of death, figuration of motherhood, sovereign topography, fictions of violence and the idea of gift-giving drawing on Derridian thought. He also elaborated on the contexts of the story with an allusion to the secret killings in Assam in the 1990s.
He dwelt upon the form of Bhaona, alluded to the imagery of games and war, drew upon the context of Abhimanyu’s birth and death in the Mahabharata. It was interesting to note the significance of the snail in Assam as it was used for construction of heritage sites like the Rong Ghar during the Ahom rule. He also talked of a Tiwa tale where the snail was used as a symbol of resistance; to explicate his views he referred to Anupama Basumatary’s ‘Xamukh’. The remarkable aspect of ‘Xoru Dhemali, Bor Dhemali’ is that presents the world of this seemingly uninteresting and insignificant creature in a unique way.
Dr Baishya has recently translated Devendranath Acharya’s ‘Jangam’. He is in the process of bringing out many more valuable works, a few of which are collaborations with both foreign and Assamese scholars. These literary works would pave way for the future generations of Northeast India, especially Assam.
The occasion was graced by the Head of the English Department, Cotton University Prof. Santanu Phukan, and the speaker was introduced by Dr Rakhee Kalita Moral who also moderated the discussion that followed. Dr Arunabha Bhauyan, Dr Ditimoni Nath, Dr Afsana Begum, Dr Sashwat from Delhi University, Dr Dilip Gogoi and Rini Barman, among others, were present with a host of PG students of the department of English.