Thursday 21 February 2013

College Life of the Late Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia (part II)


Sonaram Chutia- a person whose life was tougher than what we could ever imagine.

After successfully completing his schooling form Jorhat Government Higher Secondary school, young Sonaram Chutia went to Guwahati to do higher studies. He joined the Cotton collage. However, his studying in the Cotton collage and staying in the collage hostel was not a smooth run. 

During that time, in India, the hold of caste system in the society was very strong. People blindly followed the caste system. The caste system was a system of division of labour and power in human society. In fact, even today, it is a system of social stratification although it is no longer powerful as it was in the past. Historically, it defined communities into thousands of endogamous hereditary groups called jatis. The jatis were grouped by the Brahminical texts under four well-known caste categories – Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and the Shudras. The caste system stamped an individual as upper caste, lower caste or untouchable from birth. The people who belong to upper caste, like the Brahmins, were considered as sacred, and those who belong to the lower caste were considered as impure and were hated by the upper caste people. Certain lower caste people were excluded altogether, ostracized by all other casts and treated as untouchables. The people belonging to the lower caste had limited mobility, or none; limited choice of occupation; restrictions on dietary and social interactions that defined who could consume what and accept from whom and so on. The people belonging to the lower caste had limitations on movement and access, including to religious and educational areas and to basic facilities such as supplies of water. The lower caste people were deprived of their rights by the upper caste people. Thus, the practice of the evil caste system isolated people, infused a sense of inferiority into lower caste individuals, and divided humanity. The caste system was not merely a social problem but it traumatized people, and prevented the people from developing. 

Sonaram Chutia also belong to a lower caste family, thus, his admission in the Cotton collage raised a wave of protest among the upper caste students. Many questions arise in the minds of the Brahmin students like – how can we study with a lower caste boy in our college, how can we stay in the same hostel, and many more. In the midst of such a negative situation, with the grace of the Almighty Hari, Sonaram Chutia got the admission in the college and also, this time, he was permitted to stay in the collage hostel. However, the problem did not end. During his stay in the college hostel, Sonaram Chutia faced a lot of trouble, humiliation and harassment from the upper caste boys. One day, in the dining hall of the hostel, one of the upper caste boy threw a left-over piece of fish in the plate of Sonaram Chutia and said “look! These lower caste people have survived only by eating the left-over food of the Brahmins. But see how this lower caste is coming to study with us….”. In this way, Sonaram Chutia was insulted and humiliated in every step and in every possible way by the upper caste boys. Later with the grace of the Almighty Hari and with the effort made by Prof. Divakar Goswami, superintendent of the New Hostel, the cold war of caste discrimination came to an end in the college hostel. 

Now the question comes- how much and for how long a young boy who have being facing hardship and discouragement could tolerate and hang on? Being discouraged and hurt in every step of life, many times, young Sonaram Chutia felt as if there is no hope. Since his childhood, Sonaram Chutia has been facing caste discrimination, humiliation and injustice. There was no such day when Sonaram Chutia lived peacefully. Generally, in such a situation a person loses hope and gives up. Once, Sonaram Chutia, being harassed by the evil practices of the society, had even decided to join Christianity leaving Hindusim. Sonaram Chutia was hurt deep inside, which nobody could express in words. He never had a playful and happy childhood like most of us had, he never had a colorful, exciting and enjoyable collage life like us. All that he got was harassment, hardship, and discouragement. And instead of enjoying the student life, Sonaram Chutia spent his student life fighting against caste discrimination, social injustice, and at the same time continuing with his studies. However, Sonaram Chutia never gave up. He never accepted defeat. No matter how much trouble he faced, he kept doing his duties (the duty of a student is to keep on learning). Sonaram Chutia ignored all the hardship and problems that he was facing and continued his study with strong determination and sincerity. He kept working hard. Finally, after giving a tough fight to all the obstacles and to the evils of society, Sonaram Chutia successfully completed his graduation in Science stream with distinction in the year of 1939.

After successfully completing his graduation, Sonaram Chutia decided to do MSc. But during that time there was no university in Assam. Thus, to do higher education one had to go to Calcutta, now in West Bengal. Sonaram Chutia packed up his luggage to go to Calcutta for higher education. Unfortunately, at the same time in September 1939, the World War II started. And due to the war there was an atmosphere of panic and unrest in India. And being afraid and worried, Mr. Jagiram Chutia, father of Sonaram Chutia stopped young Sonaram from going to Calcutta. And thus, the study life of Sonaram Chutia ended. 


Thus we can say that-
A winner is not the one who merely succeeds,
A true winner is the one who stands up after every defeat.
No matter how hard the situation is, one must always continue doing his/her duty with determination and sincerity. Work hard but never desire for the fruit of your action. There is no need to do something big. Do something small, but do it by all your heart, then a small work done by us could be of great importance and value. When we feel that the light is gone, have faith, have patience and never give up because after the night is passed there comes a new beautiful morning. 


..Krishna.. 



(NOTE- In this part we have tried to throw little light on the college life of the Late Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia. A few more parts would be published shortly.)


Saturday 9 February 2013

Life of the Late Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia (part I)


Sonaram Chutia was an eminent Vaishnavite scholar.  He was an educationalist, social reformer, and a freedom fighter.

Born in a very poor and lower caste family, the late Vaishnava Pandit spent his entire life fighting against the inhuman practices of the society. Struggling through the various obstacles in life, Pandit Sonaram Chutia was not only able to establish his own identity in the society but also he became a guiding star for the large number of downtrodden people of the society.

Pandit Sonaram Chutia was born to Jagiram and Phuleshwari Chutia on June 8th 1915, in Baam Kukurasowa village, Kakojan, in Jorhat district. Although he was born in a poor family, he was very good at his studies. Being a good and intelligent student, he was supported by the teachers in his school. However, as he was from a poor and lower caste family, he suffered from caste discrimination and injustice in every step of life. As a school student, when Pandit Chutia appeared for the “Britti examination”, which is a scholarship examination, his name did not appear in the list of the passed students. Since young Chutia was a brilliant student, his name not appearing on the list was very hard to accept to some of the teachers, especially to a teacher named Kashinath Changkakoti. Mr. Changkakoti investigated the matter and found that some selfish person had deducted 20 points from the total marks scored by young Chutia in the examination and consequently his name did not appear in the pass list. Mr. Changkakoti then informed the matter to the school authority and also threatened to do complain if the matter was not solved. Finally, with the help and support of Mr. Changkakoti, young Sonaram Chutia was declared passed. This was not the only incident in the life of the late Vaishnava Pandit.

In school, while doing his studies, young Chutia’s faced a lot of pain and trouble that a child of his age could ever bear. Sonaram Chutia studied at Jorhat Government Higher Secondary school. Because Sonaram Chutia belonged to a lower caste family, young Chutia was not allowed to stay in the hostel. Young Sonaram Chutia, was therefore forced to live in a rented house. However, at that time, Sonaram Chutia was too young to take care of himself. But, living in the rented house, he had to do everything by himself. He was required to carry fire-wood for cooking from his distant village to his rented house, do cooking and at the same time continue his studies. Also the school was quite a long distance away from his rented house, thus, he needed to walk a long distance from his rented house to reach his school. Now the question comes – How much a little child could handle??  Sonaram Chutia was a little child and doing all these works were far beyond the mental and physical ability of a child- Sonaram Chutia. Consequently, being hurt, disappointed and unable to manage the rigorous daily life activities, young Chutia decided to abandon his studies. However, with the blessings of the Gracious Almighty Hari, a teacher named Jehiruddin Ahmed from his school stopped young Sonaram Chutia from abandoning his studies and provided him with accommodation in a school godown. With the help of Mr. Ahmed, young Sonaram Chutia continued his studies and due to his hard-working nature and strong determination, at the year of 1935, Sonaram Chutia passed the Matriculation with letter marks in five subjects. That year, young Chutia was the only student to score letter marks in the Matriculation. This splendid result motivated young Chutia to continue his fight against injustice and caste discrimination, and to continue his studies.  




...Krishna...


( NOTE-   The life of the Late Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia is very hard to narrate in writing. Thus, we are trying to cover some of the incidence from the life of the Late Pandit in parts. In this part, we have tried to throw light into the childhood of Pandit Chutia. The next part will be be published shortly)

Monday 4 February 2013

The last journey of our Baap- Late Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia

At Jorhat Court field






Bhaktas gather at the residence of the Late Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia






At the temple- Srimanta Sankaradeva Sangha Jorhat zila naamghor, the bhaktas bow in respect to the Almighty Hari and the Late Vaishnava Pandit 


The Vaishnava Pandit is being taken from the temple to the Court field


The last journey of our Baap -Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia (we love you now and forever)




The procession






Respected Rana Goswami sir paying floral tribute to the Late Vaishnava Pandit (in the residence of the Pandit)


The procession



Living in our hearts, you makes us feel your presence in form of tears. 
Your memories will remain in our heart, And your teachings will remain in our mind forever...


Krishna

The Light is gone..... Vaishnava Pandit Sonaram Chutia passed away



30th January 2013, eminent Vaishnavite scholar, educationalist, social reformer, and freedom fighter Pandit Sonaram Chutia passed away because of old-age ailments at Jorhat Medical College Hospital at around 09:30 pm. 

The death of Pandit Sonaram Chutia is a big loss to the entire nation, especially to the Vaishnava people and humanity.

The Vaishnava Pandit was 98 and is survived by three sons, four daughters and his grandchildren.

The Jorhat District administration had kept the body of the late Pandit at Jorhat District Sports Association field to enable the people to pay their last respect to their guardian angel- Pandit Sonaram Chutia. His body was brought to the field in a procession.

The demise of the Pandit was mourned by the Government of Assam and many other organizations like Assam Sahitya Sabha, Jorhat Municipality Board, Jorhat District Administration, All Assam Student Union, Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad. 

Ajanta Neog, State PWD Minister and Rana Goswami, Jorhat MLA paid floral tribute to the late Pandit on behalf of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on 31st January 2013.

On 1st February 2013, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi paid his tribute to the late Pandit at Jorhat District Sports Association field, and the mortal remains of the Pandit were consigned to flames at Tarajan cremation ground with full State honours.

In his last journey from the Court Field to the crematorium, the Late Vaishnava Pandit was accompanied by 
Jorhat MP BK Handique, the MLAs of Teok, Jorhat, Mariani and Dergaon LACs and officials of the Jorhat district administration and many others.