For
the Assamese version, please click here.
Na Hanyate (The Indestructible)
How do you measure how
influential a person is? Through wealth, intellect, educational qualifications
or political connections? Today, I am going to write about a person who
probably did not have any of the above but still his life, his ways will remain
a big influence for a person like me and many others.
Sanjib Bordoloi – my mama (maternal uncle). With a hefty,
healthy, well-built body, he was known as ‘Palowaan’ (the strong man). He was
an active social worker, a very good player, a person who would do anything for
the greater family, a sincere employee – in short an extra-ordinary ordinary
man! A friend in need, a go-to-man for
all.
We were eight nephews and nieces for one mama (mama here is
always maternal uncle, never ‘mother’ mamaJ).
But every one of us was equally immersed in his ocean of love. He was like ten
mamas into one. But this is just one aspect of his persona. From where to start
and where to stop !
Who are Kohli, Tendulkar ! Sanjib mama is our most
beloved cricketer !!
I like
Virat Kohli. I am a
die-hard fan of
Sachin Tendulkar.
But it is Sanjib Bordoloi who comes to our mind first when we think about cricket.
Mama was a very good batsman, bowler and a part-time wicket keeper of the
ONGC
(where mama worked) regional cricket team. He was the saviour of his team with
the bat and the ball on many occasions. He was handy as a wicket keeper too.
Once, he gave his team a vital wicket of the opponent by diving and catching
like
Dhoni
behind the stumps. But while doing so, he strained his waist and the pain
therefrom kept bothering him on and off for many years. In our childhood,
whenever he used to get this trouble, of course, we felt bad but there was
still a sense of pride in it. After all, that was no ordinary pain. Our ‘flying
Bordoloi’ earned it like ‘
the flying Sikh’!
He too took it in his stride. For, he was a
man with true sportsman spirit and it was reflected in everything that he did
in his life.
The ONGC bicycle
Before buying a motor scooter and a car afterwards, Sanjib
mama used to cycle to work. With a feeling of ‘
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
- the world is one family’, the idea of
locking the bicycle was foreign to him. So, very soon it became ‘the ONGC
bicycle’. Someone from the office needed to run errands – this ‘public’ bike
came to the rescue. One day, after office, Sanjib mama came to the cycle stand.
He saw that someone is about to go in his bicycle. He asked the stranger,”I
need it now.” The other man replied, “I came first, so it’s my turn.”
Mama asked, “Whose bike is it?”.
Pat came the reply, “Don’t know. It’s always
here.”!
O’ Sanjibda
(O’ brother Sanjib !)
Nikunja – a playful, expert in household chores, full-of-life
young girl. She used to stay in our grandparents’ house. Sanjib mama treated
her like his younger sister. One day, while playing with her friends, she met
with a grievous accident. Mama rushed her to doctor, did everything he could to
get the best treatment. He would by her side day and night. He forgot his
sleep. Despite all these, Nikunja left all for heavenly abode. Her father too
was by her side. Even in that moment of grief, he told mama that he (mama) did
more than a father for his daughter. That was Sanjib Bordoloi !
Jiska koyi nahi, uska toh Sanjib Bordoloi hai yaaron
(Those who don’t have anyone in this world, have Sanjib Bordoloi)
I needed a good cricket bat. Where did it come from? Of
course, Sanjib mama.
Someone is rendered helpless by his or her near and dear
ones. Who came forward to help them ?
Sanjib Bordoloi. If needed he would give them shelter in his own house –
not for a day or two, not even for a month or two – but for years together.
Once upon a time, when music cassettes were well in use, I
was riding pillion in Sanjib mama’s bicycle. Suddenly, a voice came out from
across the street, “Dada (Big brother)! New cassettes have arrived.” Our mama
replied, “Keep them packed.”! No need to
see whether those cassettes are good or bad. Probably he thought that whatever
be the quality, it would be a help to the shopkeeper, who was like his brother.
There is some function in the village – Call Palowan – he
would take care of the event! A deceased needs to be cremated – Palowan takes
lead. Someone’s wedding – thousand guests are invited – Sanjib Bordoloi would
ensure that everyone gets the right care and attention that everyone dined well
and on time! There is some issue in some ONGC drilling site in the vicinity,
Sanjib Bordoloi to the rescue!
I was a small child then. So were my cousins. We all met
once in Mama’s house. Someone gave us toffees. Everyone relished their toffees
already but I increased my joy by keeping it in my pocket. Suddenly, one of my cousins
burst out crying saying that her toffee was bent! She ate it, enjoyed it and
then she did this! She was inconsolable. Very unwillingly, I had to give mine to
pacify her as there was no toffee left. It was a matter of one toffee – others
probably did not even notice that I was upset. But Mama did. Next day, he took
only me to the store for the much needed compensation!
Many years after that - I was going to appear for my 10th
standard exam – one of the most famous exams in India. Doubt, anxiousness, a
bit of fear all were playing in my head. On the day before the exam started,
Sanjib Mama came to our place travelling 200 kilometers (do keep in mind,
commuting was not that smooth those days) just to be my side, to wish me well
and to give me courage and positivity without saying much. It is said that
empathy is the mother of all emotions. Sanjib Mama had an ocean of empathy
inside him. Just like Mahatma Gandhi. It was shown very well in a scene in the
movie ‘Gandhi’ by Richard Attenborough. Nehru, Patel et al was visiting Gandhi
in Sabarmati Ashram to discuss some important matter. Bapu conversed with them
with utmost sincerity and concentration. At a certain point, he stood up and
said, “I need to go now. A small girl’s goat is injured and I promised to go at
this time to take care”. Probably that is why, 22 years back, when I ‘got
caught’ by him dating my girlfriend, I behaved in the same way as I would do if
it was a friend in place of Mama. If you are from outside India, this may sound
bit strange but dating is not so ‘social’ not at least in those days.
I was with my girlfriend in the famous Nehru Park in
Guwahati (Girlfriend 1.0 then. Upgraded till version
7.0. Then the same was repackaged as ‘Wife’ and installed. Version 16.0 of the
same software is currently running in my system). Suddenly, I spotted Mama,
Mami (Mama’s wife) and their son at the gate. Instead of running away from
there, I could gather the courage to go and introduce her to them. Later I got
to know from my youngest maternal auntie that Mama really liked the way I
handled the situation. It was actually inspired by him, by his simplicity,
honesty.
Bihu, Bhaona, Theatre,Cinema
The Bihu festival, the integral part of Assamese ethos, was
very close to Mama. He was a very good Bihu dancer. Even today, probably the
photos of ‘Bihua Bordoloi’ is adorning his house.
And Bhaona (a classical form of theatre introduced by 15th
century saint Srimanta Sankardev) !
Because of his ‘palowan’ built-up, this eternally kind, ever empathetic
person would always get the roles of through and through satanic demons. And,
he would love every bit of it. His dialog delivery with roaring laughter at the
top of his voice was always one of the prime attractions of the spectators.
Because of this, his voice would become hoarse towards the end of Bhaona which
typically goes till the wee hours of next day, but his enthusiasm was never
dented a bit. He showed the same skills in modern day theatre as well.
It would be an injustice not to write about cinemas while
writing about Sanjib Bordoloi. At one time, he probably never left a single
movie in all the movie halls in his area. And if you missed a movie – not to
worry – Mama could narrate the story in such a way that you could picturize
almost the entire movie. In our childhood, whenever we visited him, it was an
unwritten rule that we must watch one movie. This rule was never broken. Later
came VCP/VCR – and immediately our one-movie-rule got changed to ten !
Na Hanyate (The Indestructible)
Our Mami was suffering a lot from diabetes and kidney
related ailments. As a true partner, Mama devoted himself whole heartedly into
caregiving. Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Bangalore,Chennai – he took her to
many places to get the best of treatment. When the phase of dialysis came, he
would drive Mami in his car for 8 hours per day for twice a week to the nearest
best facility for dialysis, not to mention the gone-to-the-dogs road
conditions. It was during one such fateful journey that a vehicle from a wrong
direction hit Mama’s car rendering him severely injured. Great sportsman that
he was, he fought bravely for life for around two weeks and finally embraced
death.
Good things happen to good people – so say people. Is this
example of ‘good’ ? He dedicated his entire life doing good for others and then
left this world before he turned sixty. Was not he entitled to some more
happiness and peace ?
But no – to harbor such thoughts will be to disrespect
Sanjib Mama. Just a month before his death, we went to see him and Mami to show
our sympathy because Mami was not keeping well at all and Mama was going
through hell managing house hold chores, office work and taking care of Mami
almost all by himself. But when we met him, he gave us so much inspiration to
lead good life despite any challenges that we completely forgot that we were
there to console him. Such was his positive attitude. On his demise, it is
natural for us to feel devastated but being negative will be really
disrespecting his persona.
I thought of touching his feet to take his blessings, when I
saw him last. But he created such a nice and easy atmosphere, I completely
forgot about this touching-feet type of a serious matter. One or two days after
his death, Sanjib Mama came to my dream. I touched his feet to take his
blessings. Normally, one doesn’t feel touch in dream but I really felt his
toes. I am a firm believer in science so I don’t believe in miraculous things.
But the dream that day brought peace to me.
Sometimes, I think -
is Mama really no more ? No – Sanjib Bordoloi has not died. People like
Sanjib Bordoloi don’t die. They are always alive through the good, noble deeds
of people. He is true to his name – Sanjib which means ‘Giving life’.
I still hear sometimes – as if Sanjib Mama is calling me, “O’
Xuntu !” (“O’ Gold” - as he used to
call me and all my cousins lovingly).
