Tributes to ' Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha on ‘Bishnu Rabha Divash’

 Time to time across great personalities were born in undivided India also in present India who are still remembered and events are held as tribute to them. On 20 June 1969, a great human being, patriot, also an artist, actor, painter, music composer, poet and writer of Assam left for heavenly abodes, popularly known as Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha. Such a talented person left for heavenly abode at the age of 60 years at Tezpur, Assam. In commemoration of his death, 20 June is celebrated in Assam as 'Bishnu Rabha Divash (Bishnu Rabha day)'.  Kalaguru (meaning Master of the Arts) was born on 31 January 1909 in ST family in Dhaka (now in Bangladesh), then Bengal Presidency of British India.

Bishnu Rabha’s schooling started at Tezpur Government High School, Assam and later on he went to Calcutta now Kolkata for pursuing higher study. From a young age he proved his talent through his writings. He was in the freedom movement and was influenced by leftist ideology  and ardent supporter of the Communist Party of India. However, when Germany attacked Soviet Union during the Second World War, the leaders of Indian communists decided to support the British Government which antagonised a section of the communist leaders and subsequently they formed the Revolutionary Communist Party of India (RCPI) in 1945 where he joined.    He was a multifaceted artist and revolutionary singer of Assam. His music today is known as Bishnu Rabha Sangeet.

He was associated very closely with theatre movement in Assam and there were many live performances at the Ban theatre in Tezpur which is famously connected to Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha.

     Kalaguru was a genius in creative activities and undoubtedly his enormous contribution no Indian can forget. His work Bano Kobang portrays the life of many indigenous Assamese communities. His other publications inter alia are Missing Coneng, Sonpahi, Axomiya Kristir Hamuh Abhakh, and Atit Axom. He had given music to most of his songs. He was a visionary, and through music, dance, acting, writing, etc., he endeavoured to realize his dream of a greater, prosperous Assamese society with every ethnic group as equal partners. He acted in a mobile theatre group of that time named 'Ban Theatre'. He directed an Assamese film 'Siraj', where he also composed the music. Further, he acted in the movie 'Era Baator Xur'. It may be mentioned  that he was awarded the title 'Kalaguru' by Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan at Varanasi for his enthralling ‘dance of Lord Shiva’. Kalaguru actively worked to popularize Vaishnavism initiated by Srimanata Sankardev (Saint and scholar) in Assam in 15^th century. Kalaguru painted portraits of both Sankardev and Madhavdev with water colours. He was a great human being also and always had feelings for the underprivileged and poor echelons of the society. It is pertinent to mention here that he had given about 2500 bighas (1 bigha is approximately equal to 0.40 acre) to the peasants. He popularised a slogan “Haal Jaar Maati Taar" means "those who cultivate, should own the land".

He passed away on 20 June 1969 but he will be in the hearts of millions for his brilliant activities.

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, 20 June 2021, Hyderabad

The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021: Few Issues

 All living beings for their survival have to eat. For human beings tt may be vegetarian or non-vegetarian foods. Although vegetarian and non -vegetarian foods depend on individual perceptions. Few examples are presented here.  Many eat eggs (duck, chicken or other birds) but not fish or meat as according to them ‘egg is vegetarian’. For Bengali widows garlic, onion and red- gram dal (pulse) are prohibited. Earlier the Bengali widows even did not touch these also.  When I was in Eritrea as an academician many Orthodox Christians told me ‘Milk is non-vegetarian as it comes out of the blood of the animal’.  But for Hindus in general milk is not non-vegetarian. Anyway irrespective of any religious beliefs all across the world eat fruits and vegetables. Based on the publication “FRUIT AND VEGETABLES –YOUR DIETARY ESSENTIALS: The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 Background paper” published by  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , Rome, this article has been written so that readers can get a general idea about the significance of the Year as well as importance of fruits and vegetables. The United Nations has declared 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables with the aims to raise awareness of the nutritional and health benefits of consuming more fruits and vegetables as part of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet and lifestyle as well as to direct policy attention to reducing loss and waste of these highly perishable produce goods. The important point as found in the publication is that there is no widely accepted definition for either fruits or vegetables. The definition agreed to for the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables is as follows. The fruits and vegetables are considered edible parts of plants (e.g., seed bearing structures, flowers, buds, leaves, stems, shoots and roots), either cultivated or harvested wild, in their raw state or in a minimally processed form. The following items are excluded from the category of fruits and vegetables:

Ø   Starchy roots and tubers such as cassava, potato, sweet potato and yams (although leaves of these plants are consumed as vegetables).

Ø   Dry grain legumes (pulses) unless harvested when immature.

Ø   Cereals including maize (corn), unless harvested when immature.

Ø  Nuts, seeds and oilseeds such as coconuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

Ø  Medicinal or herbal plants and spices, unless used as vegetables.

Ø   Stimulants such as tea, cacao and coffee.

Ø   Processed and ultra-processed products made from fruits and vegetables such as alcoholic beverages (e.g. wine, spirits), plant-based meat substitutes, or fruit and vegetable products with added ingredients (e.g., packed fruit juices, ketchup).

It is observed from the publication that women produce much of the world’s fresh products, and "they are often responsible for the harvesting, marketing and processing. As consumers, they often choose what items to buy and how to cook them. But women face disadvantages at all stages in the chain – as producers in their ability to access land, inputs and advice, as entrepreneurs in getting finance to develop their businesses, as workers in terms of fair payment for their work, and as consumers in terms of education about food and nutrition". The high value of fruits and vegetables and the potential for innovation open exciting opportunities for young people to become involved in production and other aspects of the value chain as observed in the publication.

Before conclusion, the FAO Director-General may be quoted from the publication, “When we think of healthy eating, the first food items that often come to mind are fruits and vegetables – colourful, vitamin-, mineral- and fibre-rich, they are vital for the proper functioning of the human body. The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables as part of a nutritious diet are vast. Fresh produce items are not only beneficial to consumers, but they also benefit the food system. The fruit and vegetable sector contributes to increasing biodiversity, generating environmental sustainability, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and employees operating along the value chains”.

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad, 11 June 2021

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Lokenath Baba, A Great Saint: Survived up to 160 Years

 

Time to time in India many saints in different religions were born. They have enlightened human beings to survive in the best possible way with the feeling of humanity. I will present here the case of one famous saint known as Lokenath Baba who enlightened those days all human beings by saying "Whenever you are in danger, - whether in the middle of the ocean, or in the midst of the battlefield, or in the deepest jungle - think of me and I will deliver you to safety."  Still many Indians believe this saying. And in West Bengal many houses his photo may be seen as I visited the nook and corner of the State for academic works and observed the same. Even many cab drivers keep his photograph in the taxi. Loknath Baba survived 160 years as he was born in 1730 and left for heavenly abode on 3 June 1890 (aged 160). And many believe that those days even the British respected him for his spiritual activities. Baba did not marry and severely practised spiritual activities in different places including jungles so known as Lokenath Brahmachari. Lokenath Brahmachari was the fourth son of Ram Narayan Ghosal and Kamala Devi. Ram Narayan was an extremely religious person and had decided that his first son would be dedicated to the life of austerity. But Kamala Devi did not agree and she could give up neither her first born, nor the second born, not even the third born. While Lokenath Baba was born she observed his body was glowing with a divine glow so she let him follow the path of spiritualism as a saint. In the adjacent village Sri Bhagwan Ganguly, a saintly person but staying at home was living.  The father of Lokenath Baba approached him to become the Guru (Acharya) of Lokenath Baba and also requested him to perform the sacred thread ceremony. So, Ramnarayan (father of Lokenath Baba) handed over the responsibility of his son to a renowned Vedic scholar Bhagwan Ganguly, who, realizing the divine wisdom of Lokenath’s birth, initiated him and his playmate Benimadhav, who also insisted on becoming a sannyasi (Saint).  Guru ji (Bhagwan Ganguly) prepared the two boys for the hard life of austerity and renunciation and under his guidance, the disciples, in addition to practice meditation, also observed various fasting vows that lasted - from a single day - to two days, then for three, five, nine and twelve days and then a fortnight. Anyway it is believed that after enlightenment, Baba had travelled all over South Asia and Southeast Asia on foot. By leaving narrow boundaries of faith and religion, he visited many holy sites of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.  Baba travelled to Mecca, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Palestine, and other regions of western Asia and Middle East.  

He loved all irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Although he passed away on 3 June 1890 by leaving his mortal but Baba left a message to all of us,

 “I am eternal, I am deathless. After this body falls, do not think that everything will come to an end. I will live in the hearts of all living beings in my subtle astral form. Whosoever will seek my refuge, will always receive my Grace.” I extend my respectful Pronam to this great saint, a Brahmachari.

The following websites have been consulted while writing the article

1)      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lokenath_Brahmachari

2)      http://www.loknathbaba.com/english/aboutus.htm

3)      https://babalokenath.org/about-baba-lokenath/#

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad