An Assamese traditional meal is incomplete without fish. It is not just restricted to the traditional and elaborate fare. Even a simple everyday meal constitutes fish in some form or the other. Fish curries (many with exotic local herbs), the common Masor tenga and an array of dried fish condiments and pickles complete the menu.
The rituals of the people of this state (and even the rites pertaining to the passage of life and death) cannot be completed in the absence of the fish.
There are a large number of villages whose names are inspired by the popular variants of fish that abound in the Brahmaputra and the vast expanse of rivers, ponds and waterbodies that exist in Assam. This obviously stems from the fact that in this largely riverine state of ours, fish trade and fish cultivation is one of the main sources of livelihood for villagers. It is therefore not an exaggeration to say that fish has a deep and profound connect with the fortunes and upheavals of the rural Assamese man or woman
Although ubiquitous in its presence in the lives of Assamese people, fish has ironically never really been consciously extolled in the folklore and literature of the state. Yes indeed there are narratives that allude to fish directly and indirectly but somehow fish has rarely been the focal point. Infact there is an interesting and endearing yarn about villagers in Assam getting terrorized by the 'Bak Bak' a dreaded river moster who gulps fishes and causes intermittent woes to the fishing community.
This fact might well be considered a little surprising by a section of discerning minds. A connoisseur of social history had once remarked that actually there is no difference in terms of the pivotal position that fish occupies in the lives of people from both Assam and Bengal. However while Bengali culture and life (as perceived by non-bengalis) is so very intrinsically connected to the fish, most people outside Assam do not understand the pulse at which fish actually reverberates within the consciousness of the average Assamese. And obviously this subtle yet telling difference has not happened by mere coincidence. Bengalis have celebrated and consciously reiterated their love for fish in umpteen ways whereas people from our state have been not been sufficiently vocal about our association with fish.
So here comes a movie –Emuthi Puthi that (as the name suggests) directly yet also symbolically hinges on fish. Infact the culmination of a central conflict of the key protagonists happens around the fish. The conflict resolves too around fish. This resolution is steeped with philosophical takeaways- takeaways that are profound yet very simple and comprehensible to the common man. Through this treatment, the director has achieved two objectives-one of which was critically needed in Assamese cinema. Firstly she has managed to effortlessly pronounce the pivotal and fairly encompassing connection of fish with the people of Assam and second she has unveiled the symbolic and mythical connotations associated with a fish.
It is no secret that guardian angels employ animals in their magical methods to communicate with human minds and hearts. The majority of the time, they are aquatic animals, such as fish. As a fish lover, you may wonder what it means if you have experienced a strange dream about a fish or a group of fishes. While it is common for people to have dreams about fish/fishes, the type of dream might depict one's progress, successes and fulfillment of desires. Also a dream about a fish is supposed to be replete with insights and can assist in making key decisions in terms of personal and professional life.
Now there are rarely many movies in Assam that qualify as cult movies. While Emuthi Puthi will definitely resonate with audiences across social statures, genders and age groups it is bound to attract considerable viewership and strike chords with the fishermen community and the people who are into fish rearing and trade.
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