The blue sky and the early morning breeze augured well for my journey both across time and space. The crowded bus creaked into a start on its journey to Dhing from Nagaon town. As we passed the town and the paddy fields started, my mind left the hustle and bustle of my co-passenger and I remembered how it all started. It was on my last journey to Bardowa that I met that bhakat with an altruistic spirit to serve and guide. His age was difficult to guess and his eyes told a tale of pain and hope. I spent four hours with him, enthralled by what he shared. He had a message for me. An ancient message, a divine message lying dormant for the right moment; waiting for eons to be passed to me. Everyone we meet is destined to pass a message to us. His message was simple yet profound in its implication, he said in his deep rolling voice, “You should go to Alipukhuri – Patekibori, the birth place of the divine Guru” “But it is already afternoon”, I had gladly responded, “Will it be possible to reach that place now?” “You will visit and return too.” he had assured. And I had set out as directed by him. And I did reach Alipukhuri. I was happy. I had offered my prayers. “Do you also have any puthi (manuscripts) here, atai?” I had asked. The bhakat had actually showed me a manuscript. A manuscript in the divine Guru’s own writing. A manuscript that is four centuries old. A manuscript both divine and valuable. My heart was beating fast holding on to the feeling of a connection; a romance and a thrill ran through my veins. But my trained mind had alerted me, “What are we doing? What is happening here? In this lonely forsaken place, I am holding a treasure. How do these innocent yet devoted disciples protect this treasure both from the hands of cruel time and scheming people? They know the divine worth of this holy object but do not know how to preserve and conserve it for the future.” The sudden halt of the bus jerked me out of my thoughts. I alighted and walked towards the house of advocate Lalit Chandra Bora, the president of Alipukhuri Than and a man with a missionary zeal that has not been diminished by the more than seven decades of service rendered for the good of the Than. The president had promised me a visit to Alipukhuri along with a few other concerned people. After a sumptuous jalpan (breakfast) at the president’s house we started on our journey to Alipukhuri. Shri Devendra Nath Hazarika, an octogenarian and a repository of almost extinct and esoteric knowledge and crafts of yore accompanied us. The energetic and intelligent Mridu Mousom Bora a young professional studying manuscripts and an able photographer represented the future generation. We also enjoyed the company of Shri Shasi Bora , the General Secretary of the Than, and Shri Khagen Kalita, a Secretary of the Than, both selflessly devoted and diligently tied to the Cause and toiling hard to ensure the smooth running of the Alipukhuri-Patekibori Than.
The road reminded us that it was mid-monsoon and I thanked the rain gods for the brief respite. Yet the pathetic condition of the road, where it existed, made apparent how we neglect our heritage and civic duties. It was difficult to imagine that we were traveling to a place that was the bustling capital of the Bhuyan territory of yore. Srimanta Sankardev had transferred his capital to Bardowa from Alipukhuri-Patekibori, where he was born. Historical documents report that a road used to exist between the two places, remnants of which can still be found in places. Why have we not tried to develop these heritages? Why has it not occurred to anyone that a heritage tourism complex can be built to highlight these gems of spiritual splendor?
Finally we reached the birth place of the great saint marked at present by a Namghar surrounded by ancient pukhuri (pond), presenting a sublime and sad atmosphere again reflecting the nonchalant and indifferent attitude of ours and many past generations. Yet the spiritual simplicity of the people and the inherent divinity of the place inspired us. I tried to imagine how Srimanta Sankardev must have played as a child in these holy grounds under the supervision of that grand old lady – Kherxuti. The Guru must have spent his youth here pondering about art and culture, the society, and life. The seeds of the new thoughts must have been planted here to take root throughout the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra. His observations and experiences here must have influenced the great concepts that changed the Assamese society. I also tried to imagine what the great saint must have felt when he transferred his capital from Alipukhuri-Patekibori to Bardowa nine kilometers away?
We offered our prayers. It was a somber atmosphere. We sat in two lines on both the sides of the Manikut and offered the praxad – that simple yet meaningful mix of maah, magu, and banana, sprinkled with pieces of coconut, a whiff of aromatic ginger, all mixed on a fresh banana leaf. The two bhakats and the sattradhikar sat in the center and sang out a heart touching hymn. Tears came to my already misty eyes and I offered a silent prayer of gratitude for allowing me this opportunity to serve in my own miniscule way.
I shared my knowledge about handling and preserving manuscripts with my companions. My training at National Research Lab for Conservation of Cultural Property in Lucknow, National Mission for Manuscripts at New Delhi, National Museum at New Delhi, and in many other centers of excellence across the country came handy, as if destiny had prepared me for this moment. The sincerity and devotion of the bhakats were displayed in the rapt attention they paid me and in the eagerness to learn from a young man much younger in age. Mridu Mousom Bora and I then started to photograph each and every manuscript page, handling the pages with gentleness. The state of some of the pages saddened us. Water and insects had destroyed the writings at many places. Watermarks and stains had hidden many of those writings in Brajalipi. Time has taken advantage of our neglect and played its destructive role. We came across a sketch of Chaturvuj Vishnu with a smile more enigmatic than Mona Lisa. Awe filled my mind. Is this sketch not a part of the culture that is our identity? Should we not make efforts to save it for the future generations?
We made arrangements to ensure the minimum level of precautions necessary for the manuscripts and went around looking for the other wonders that might be lying around. A damaged wooden table that the great saint had used to write caught my eyes. The artistic ability and the imaginative creativity of the Assamese craftsmen of past was still marked on each and every preserved aspect of the table. Whatever has escaped from the cruel hand of rust and neglect - the beautiful peacock on the doorway and the other wooden crafts lying here and there - told the same story; a tale of past excellence and of a civilization of glory. The wooden crate used to store manuscripts also had its own stories hidden in layers of overlapping paints. Why cannot we use the modern techniques to find out the mysteries between these layers?
With the sun on top, the bhakats started cutting mangoes picked from the trees of the compound. They carefully picked out the damaged or black parts and laid the fresh yellow fruits on green banana leaves with a pinch of salt by the side. The atmosphere suddenly became very sanguine. The taste of the mangoes, the humbleness of the bhakats, the eagerness of the villagers who were patiently waiting and watching, the sunny day in the midst of a ravaging monsoon – all encouraged me and filled me with hope.
We went out to look around the tanks with new enthusiasm and vigor. I met the villagers, simple minded farmers, who had settled here decades ago. They wanted the place to be preserved and in their own simple way knew the importance of the saint born so near to their abodes. The neglected banks of the ponds were littered with broken pieces of dated articles that were witness of our historical past. I collected some of these. But who can tell there tales? What battles, festivity, famine, flood, and changes these articles have seen? Where are the archeologists to test and date them?
Three large stones caught my eye. A stone inscribed with messages that has almost been eroded was lying next to an ancient stone grinder. The identity and purpose of the third stone, smoothened by wind and rain, was difficult to guess. The people around told me about another stone script that was taken from the compound two decades earlier by a person and that was still lying in the open. It is an antique and a state property, not to mention the religious aspects. Therefore, it is a serious crime to remove it. But are we even aware of the graveness of the crime? Do we even think of it as a crime? The Bhuyans had invited many potters to Alipukhuri to make rings of baked clay (patt) and build wells on a high land (bori). Thus this place got the name Patekibori. And I did spot an ancient well, filled with dirt and surrounded by an overgrowth. We decided to pull up our sleeves and get into action. We gathered a few villagers who stopped their own work to help us in our endeavor. We cleaned the overgrowth and dragged a concrete culvert to ensure the safety of the well. The still visible baked clay rings are fragile and can be broken by innocent actions of even the children who play around. The villagers also helped us carry the valuable stones to the Namghar and place them on a brick stage that we erected. The stones were put on sacks and tied to a bamboo pole for all of us to carry the heavy load.
On the invitation of the bhakats we sat down for a simple yet delicious meal laid on banana leaves. It was a satisfying meal – a meal so tasty I can remember only few to match.
My companions promised to send me the photographs that we had taken. They also promised to provide me with historical documents and reference materials. I in turn promised them to try my best to take their message to all I can. Their aspiration to endow Alipukhuri- Patekibori with its deserved place as a spiritual and historical monument of significance cannot be denied. Isincere efforts and the blessings I will be able to contribute through my efforts for preservation and development of this place. I know that we are all proud of our heritage and culture. I am, therefore, hopeful that many will come forward to contribute - in their own ways, by their own means.
As the Sun set in the west, the message I received was not of darkness, but of the new morning that will bloom again with the first rays caressing the sleeping earth to wakefulness. Indeed there is hope. The glory of the past will regain its lost grandeur. The Great Guru will shower his blessings on us in our effort.
As an appeal to all people who are concerned, here we are stating
some of the requests put forward by the Alipukhuri Than committee:
1) The proposed project will help in performing regular and yearly functions and rituals of the Sattra like, bhaona, Sattriya dance, Tithi of Mahapurushas and create a congenial atmosphere for regular study and practice of vaishnavite literature and culture in this remotely located Sattra.
2) The project will also help in collecting and studying old manuscripts and puthies of medieval times and artifacts lying unnoticed in and around the Alipukhuri village since the days of Mahapurushas.
3) Proper investigation, survey and excavation works will unearth some undiscovered history of Neo-vaishnavite period. This will enrich the present archives cum library of the Sattra to draw the attention of the visitors.
4) With the commencement of development works the number of religious devotees and tourists will increase resulting in the revival of original charm and dignity of the historic Sattra as well as economic development of the area in course of time.
5) Construction and beautification of the old buildings, roads and tanks will definitely attract the attention of the visitors.
6) Above all, the development activities undertaken at the Sattra will make a bridge between the two communities living in the area since long past. Mentionably 98% inhabitants of Alipukhuri village is Muslims, who are interested in the reconstruction and beautification of this historic and religious site and shows keen interest in helping the concerned authority.
Bijoy Bhuyan, New Delhi
(Bijoy can be reached at: puthipateki@yahoo.com)
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