Homen Borgohain on Diganta Oza

'The info-explosion or better called the info-revolution that occurred during last half century has colored the curiosity of men multifarious and more intense than ever. Man now has to keep in the mind the information of the entire world in order to understand the significance of many occurrences as various countries have reciprocally become interdependent due to numerous networking systems making the world a single whole.The essence of this is that a journalist in modern times must not only be a messenger, he must also be a pundit nourished in study. Apart from politics and economics, he must study subjects like history, geography, anthropology, sociology, international affairs etc in order to make himself fit for the improved journalism of the day.’

Diganta Oza with Homen Borgohain

I wrote this in the month of December, 1994.I was invited that year to deliver the first lecture of the Mahesh Chandra DevaGoswami memorial lecture series at Nowgaon (Assam).The afore-written ideas haunted my mind when I tried to analyze the nature of modern Assamese journalism with comparison to its international counterparts. I have not found a single Assamese journalist till this date that befits my definition.Diganta Oza is the first of the few who have tried to connive at the point and have been successful to a larger extent in that mission. I want to say him a rare species among the Assamese journalists. The proof of the truth of my statement is all present throughout the pages of this book.

The cross-road in human civilization has not appeared for once alone. Many cross-roads did happen throughout the ages. It will repeat itself in future also. Matthew Arnold spoke of such cross-roads when he wrote of the two worlds in Ninetieth century as “wandering between two worlds, one dead/the other powerful to be born”. The thinking men temporally stop their journey when they arrive at such cross-roads and cruise through the entire history and passed experiences of men to garner befitting lessons in order to tread on their uncertain paths.Diganta Oza has undertaken this attempt in this well-planned and well-meditated book. The expanse of the gamut of his study is large enough to dazzle the readers. He will very naturally demand a little more time to attain the originality in thinking. Yet the well-planned essays in this book do not remain a mere conglomeration of data related to the past; his curiosities rife in pain in life represent all modern men. It is indubitable that the book will introduce the readers into many arenas of information and provide them with novel sources of thoughts.

Renown Assamese novelist, essayist, critic, poet and journalist Homen Borgohain (b. 1932 Assam) is has attracted the attention of a wide number of readers and many acclaimed critics as well. He was awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in Assamese language for his novel, Pita Putra in the year 1978.

Borgohain wrote this piece of writings as the foreword of Diganta Oza’s sociological- philosophical book Sandhikhyanat manuh. This piece is translated by Hemchandra Dutta

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Provoking, thoughts only

by, Luit Pathak

Published in the Assam Tribune, April 12, 2008

Blending philosophy and science is not everyone’s cup of tea. It asks for exceptional mastery over the either craft. Saurav Kumar Chaliha– ‘His Highness’ of Assamese prose– does it with élan. He approaches philosophy via science. Perhaps here lies the secret of the magnetic pull that his style of story telling encompasses. A very different route is there too, i.e., using philosophy as a tool for reaching science. It’s rare genre of fiction, rarest for a threatened language like that of Assamese. Expectedly there is serious dearth of people who even dare to tread that intellectually s-o-o-o much demanding route. Diganta Oza, The author of Sandhikhyanat Manuh (Man at the Crossroads) deserves kudos for only making that effort, rather sincerely. When Assamese literary world is reigned by hire-a-quote intellectuals, it is 24- carat cerebral exercise. It is an intellectual odyssey into the realm of a philosophy or vice-versa through a collection of some outstanding essays. The author, a scribe by profession treads a virgin territory of thought– at least in Assam– with commendable dexterity.

What is civilization? Perhaps it is that fragment of time, which bears the stamp of humanity. What is there? War! Renaissance! Anarchy! A subtle but often defeated conscience! Distress and ravage! And then again hope and despair. It is another topic whether this cycle is vicious or otherwise.

The history of civilization is awash with instances of human follies and of course brilliance. Chain of events keep on pushing the race to the brink. A stream of conscience and may be some divine intervention rescues humanity when it reaches the crossroads. It is tough to chronicle the blues and greens of civilization. A philosophical introspection is even tougher. Mr. Oza, The author of Sandhikhyanat Manuh tries to do it with gripping narrative.

Barring a few jerks in the choice of words, the book is almost flawless. Thought flows smoothly, tinkering with the gray cells of the readers. Despite the intensity of the essays, it leaves the readers craving for more. In the hindsight, it’s a challenge for the author and readers alike.

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