With the passing away of Chandra Prasad Saikia, Assam has lost a colossal figure in the fields of literature and journalism.
From Jalukgaon, Amguri in Sivasagar district where he was born on July 9, 1927 to his Kharghuli hilltop residence, it was a long journey for Saikia who took active part in the Quit India movement and the country’s struggle for freedom even before he was 20 and was arrested and jailed on two occasions.
Saikia’s literary creations spanning more than five decades, included novels, short stories, editorials, thought-provoking write-ups etc. As a writer he was greatly influenced by the characters of the Mahabharata, because he firmly believed that the great epic represents every aspect of the Indian social fabric and will continue to do so for all time to come.
Saikia’s novels include Edin (novelette, or according to the writer himself, a long story), Meghamallar, Uttarkal, Suryasnan (novelette), Mandakranta, Janmantar, Maharathi and Tore More Alokare Yatra. His short story collections include Mayamriga, Nachpati Phool, Chakrabat and Angikar. Another collection, Chandra Prasad Saikiar Nirbachita Galpa, was published at the 65th session of the Asam Sahitya Sabha at Hajo when he was its president. Of course, the 25 stories in this collection had earlier found place in the other collections.
Among Saikia’s novels Maharathi, that fetched him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1995, will remain an all-time favourite among book lovers. Centred round the life of Karna, an important figure in the Mahabharata, Maharathi deals with the universal identity crisis and loneliness faced by man, taking Karna as a symbol.
Tore More Alokore Yatra, a novel based on the life of Jyotiprasad Agarwalla, fetched him the Publication Board Award for the year 2000.
Dristikon is a collection of 59 selected editorial essays by Saikia written when he was editor of the monthly literary journal Prakash. Nirbachita Sampadakiya is another collection of 69 selected editorial essays by the litterateur written when he was editor of Natun Dainik.
When Saikia visited the United States of America for six months in 1965-66 while serving as editor of Assamese bi-weekly Asom Batori, he used to write a letter every week from America for publication in his paper. These letters were later published in the form of a book, Americar Chithi.
Saikia left his mark in the field of journalism too, especially literary journalism. His journalistic career began in 1955 when he joined The Assam Tribune as a sub-editor. He left Tribune in 1963 and joined Asom Batori, as its founder editor. He remained with that paper till 1967. In the meantime, he also worked as editor of Manideep, an Assamese monthly literary journal, from 1966 to 1968. In 1968 Saikia joined monthly Assamese literary journal Asomia as its founder editor. He served in that capacity till 1970. In 1976 he joined Prakash, a popular Assamese monthly journal as its founder editor and continued to serve the journal till 1985. From 1988 to 1993 he edited Assamese daily Natun Dainik after joining the paper as its founder editor. In 1993 he returned to the Tribune group and took charge as founder editor of the group’s Assamese monthly journal Gariyoshi. He served the journal till his demise. Thanks to his relentless efforts, Gariyoshi proved to be a product of a very high order, thus fulfilling a long-pending demand of Assamese literature for a standard literary journal. In fact, Gariyoshi bagged the prestigious Katha award for three consecutive years from 1996 to 1998. While Saikia was with Gariyoshi he had a brief stint (three months) as editor of the Tribune group’s Assamese weekly Asom Bani.
As an editor Saikia was never found wanting in inspiring young talented writers. Many well established writers today will gratefully recall how he would continue to urge them until they came out with their creations for publication in his papers/journals. In fact, even Homen Borgohain had once admitted that at one stage of his life 90 per cent of his writings were inspired by Saikia as editor.
Saikia’s tenure as Secretary of the Publication Board, Assam for 19 years from 1967 did a lot of good to Assamese literature. Had he not served the Publication Board, maybe such invaluable volumes like Satriya Nritya, Prachya Shashanawali, Kautilyar Arthashashtra, Jyotiprasad Rachanawali, Gohainbaruah Rachanawali, Kaliram Medhi Rachanawali and Hastividyarnava would not have seen the light of day. People who had worked with him during those days would fondly remember how eagerly he would await the publication of a volume. As if it were a wait by an expecting mother for her unborn baby.
And then it was Saikia who, as Secretary of the Publication Board, organised a book fair at Cotton College in 1973 in collaboration with the National Book Trust. The First Guwahati Book Fair too was organised by him at Judges Field in 1984. It was not for nothing that Homen Borgohain termed Saikia’s tenure as Secretary of the Board as the golden period for the Board.
Among Saikia’s major unfinished works were his autobiography Aapon Sattar Sandhanat and Ramayan – Biswas aru Bismoi, a commentary on the Ramayana, both of which were being published in series in Gariyoshi. It is really sad that he should pass away without completing them, otherwise Assamese literature would have been richer by two more invaluable pieces of creation.
Apart from his literary creations Saikia will always be remembered for his quality of not getting discouraged by any adverse situation. It was hope that he nurtured always. Hence, in the words of Mahim Bora, Saikia carried in him a highly infectious virus – the virus of ‘hopefulness’.
