justread’s blog

IT WAS A PLEASANT MORNING AND I GOT A CALL FROM A FRIEND OF MINE THAT GREAT ENGLISH \ ORIYA WRITER SRI MANOJ DAS IS COMING TO VIZAG ON26-10-06 ON  HIS WAY TO DAMANJODI (ORISSA).I DID NOT WANT TO MISS THIS OPPERTUNITY TO MEET MY WRITTING GURU,IDOL AND CONTEPORARY   LEGEND .NORMALLY HE LIVES IN PONDICHERRY IN THE AUROBINDO ASHRAM.I THOUGHT I WILL ASK HIM SO MANY QUESTIONS JUST LIKE A KID.THE DELAYED FLIGHT ARRIVED AT 12.40 PM AND I RECEIVED HIM.AFTER GIVING A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF MYSELF WE STARTED FOR HOTEL .HE WAS CLAD WITH A SIMPLE WHITE KHADI KURTA,BLACK PANT AND A THICK  READING GLASS WITH A KHADI BAG HANGING FROM HIS SHOULDER.WE HAD LUNCH TOGETHER AT HOTEL GREENPARK,DURING THAT TIMEI STARTED TALKING TO THE LEGEND.HERE IS SOME OF OUR INTIMATE TALK.(A-MYSELF,MD-MANOJ DAS)

A)FIRST PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT YOUR  CHILDHOOD AND YOURSCHOOLING ?

M.D-I WAS BORN IN A SMALL VILLAGE IN BALESORE DIST IN NORTH ORISSA(BHOGARAI).MY PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS FAR OF FROM MY HOUSE.I DID THE MINOR SCHOOLING AT JALESWARPUR.MY HIGHSCHOOL WAS OF COURSE AT BALESORE.

A-WHAT ABOUT COLLAGE ?

MD-I DID MY INTER FROM FAKIRMOHAN COLLAGE ,BALESORE (HIS BROTHER IS GREAT HISTORIAN PROFESSOR MANMATH DAS,WAS LECTURE AT BALESORE)AND IN MY GRADUATION 4TH YEAR WAS AT PURI SCS COLLAGE.AFTER THAT I DID MY LAW FROM MADHUSUDAN LAW COLLAGE CUTTACK.

A-ANY MEMORABLE INCIDENCE DURING COLLAGE TIME ?

MD- THE DAY I HAD COME FOR ADMISSION TO CUTTACK,ONE PHOTO WAS PUBLISHED IN STATESMAN FRONT PAGE SHOWING ME WITH OTHER CPI LEADERS GHERAOING SOME BUILDING.THE PAPER WAS ON PRINCIPAL’S LAP  &  AND HE NOT AT ALL IN A MOOD TO GIVE  ME ADDMISSION.SOMEHOW I GOT IT.

A-HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO JAIL?

MD -(LAUGHING)YES, I HAVE NOT COUNTED.I WAS A COMUNIST ACTIVIST,BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WAS DOING THIS BORDER DISPUTE ANDOLAN,I WAS CAUGHT BY THE POLICE.

A-WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST AWARD ?

MD- ON  THEDAY I WAS ARRESTED FIRST TIME,IN THE POLICE AUTHORITY’S HOUSE I WAS SERVED WITH DELICIOUS FOOD ITEMS.I ASKED,WHETHER ALL THE UNDERTRIALS GET THIS FOOD;HE REPLIED,MY WIFE HAS SENT ALL THESE FOOD AFTER KNOWING THAT YOU ARE HERE,AS SHE IS YOUR GREAT FAN.THIS WAS MY FIRST AWARD.

A-DOSE STAYING AT ASHRAM HELP YOU IN WRITTING  AND WHAT IS THE SPECIAL FEELING ?

MD-YES ,IT IS MY SOURCE OF ENERGY,URGE,PRERANA.THE FEELING CAN NOT BE TOLD,BECAUSE SPIRITUALITY HAS TO BE FELT BY THE INDIVIDUAL.DIFF PERSON HAS DIFF FEELING ABOUT SPIRITUALITY.

AD-WHAT IS YOUR OTHER HOBBY ?

MD-ONLY WRITTING AND CREATIVE WRITING .IT IS SO VAST HOBBY THAT YOU HARDLY FIND ANY TIME FOR OTHER HOBBY .BUT I LIKE PAINTING AND MUSIC ALSO.

A-WHAT ABOUT FANMAIL ?

MD-YES I GET PLENTY.NOW SO MANY ARE COMING IN E-MAIL.STILL LOT OF POST AND PARCELS IS RECIVED BY ME EVERYDAY.

A-DOES IT BOTHER YOU BEING A GREAT WRITER ?

MD-IT WAS INITIALLY.BUT NOW I AM MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE,I HAVE GOT THE ART HOW TO HANDLE IT.

A-ANY EXPERIENCE ?

MD-ONCE I WAS IN CALCUTTA AT STATESMAN OFFICE.ONE BOY WITH FULL AMERICAN ACCENT WAS ASKING ME SOME ADDRES,WHILE SOMEBODY CALLED MY NAME.SUDDENLY THIS BOY BOW DOWN AND TOOK MY BLESSING AND TOLD ME THAT AT HIS AMERICAN UNIVERSITY ONE OF MY ENGLISH BOOK WAS IN THEIR COMPULSORY COURSE.IT WAS A SURPRISE TO ME.

SIMILARLY ONCE MARIO MIRANDA(CARTOONIST) TOOK ME FOR LUNCH AT MUMBAI,AND TOLD ALLWAYS YOU ARE TAKING VEG ONLY.I TOLD .’I DON’T HAVE ANY TABOO REGARDING NONVEG,AND I CAN GO FOR FISH”.THE NEXT DAY INDIA TODAY THERE WAS A CARTOON DEPICTING ME AND A CAPTION”MANOJ DAS DOES NOT HAVE A TABOO FOR HIS FRIEND”.

THE CHAT WENT ON AND ON WITH HIM SO DOES THE LUNCH.I CAME TO KNOW THAT HE STAYED DURING HIS COLLAGE TIME AT GREAT ORIYA FREEDOM FIGHTER AND WRITER LATE ‘FAKIR MOHAN SENAPATY’S HOUSE.I FELT PREVILAGED TO TALK TO THIS SIMPLE GREAT MAN.THE CHARM WITH THIS MAN LIES IN HIS SIMPLISITY.THE KNOWALADGE IS AS THICK AS HIS READING GLASS.HE HAS A NICE GRIP ON ANY SUBJECT HE TALKS,THE VOICE ONLY ADD HIS SPEECH.I WAS MESMOMERISED.

GUESS WHAT PRIZED POSSESION I GOT FROM HIM ?YES I GOT HIS AUTOGRAPH,AND HAVE PHOTO WITH HIM. I WILL KEEP IT WITH ME FOR LIFE.I WILL REMEMBER THIS AFTERNOON  FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE.

ARAVINDA

NOW  EVERYDAY  WE ARE READING NEWS  ABOUT RAGGING AT DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES.EVEN SCHOOLS ARE NOT SPARED.GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN  ONLY  IN SOME TECHNICAL  COLLAGES  IT  WAS  A KIND  OF FUN TO  WELCOME THE FRESHERS BY THE SENIORS .NOW  IT IT HAS  GONE TO   HORRIBLE  LIMIT.NOW  IT PRACTICALLY  TORTURE,BOTH MENTALLY & PHYSICALLY  BY THE SENIORS .RECENTLY A STUDENT WAS PUSHED  FROM TERRACE IN BHUBANESWER;NOW HE IS STRUGLLING FOR HIS  LIFE.GOD KNOWS  WHETHER  HE WILL BE ABLE TO STAND ON HIS FEET,AS HE HAS HIS SPINAL CORD OPERATION AT BANGALORE.
TO ADD SALT TO THE SITUATION COLLAGE MANAGEMENT AND SOME STUDENTS ARE TELLING ON THE TV CAMERA THAT THE BOY NOT SOUND IN MIND.”WHAT A RUBBISH ?”
A MENTALLY UNSOUND BOY WILL QUALIFY  AN  ENTRANCE  AND STUDY ENGG AT A REPUTED INSTITUTION ?NOW THAT BOY IS TELLING THAT HE CAN IDETIFY THE CULPRITS IF HE WILL SEE THEM.
HENCE NOW IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY  OF THE MANAGEMENT TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND BRING THE CULPRITS TO CORT,TO GIVE JUSTICE TO THE BOY.THEY SHOULD NOT BE BUSY  IN CHUCING OUT A PLAN HOW TO SAVE THE CULPRIT,GIVE THEM COVER OR HUSH UP THE MATTER ERASING ALL PROOFS.THEY ARE ASKING FOR CONCRETE EVIDENCE  TO  THE BOY.WHAT A SHAME ?DO YOU THINK A BOY WILL GO TO TORTURE ROOM  WITH FULL PREPARATION TO COLLECT EVIDENCE ,LIKE EQUIPPED WITH VIDIO CAMERA  OR  WITH A TEAM OF NDTV STAFF TO RECORD IT LIVE.
THE GOVT HAS  TRANSFERED  THE PRINCIPAL.BUT IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT.ALL CULPRITS SHOULD BE PUNISHED.
SAME IS THE CASE OF STUDENT  THE  STUDENT OF RAJAM (ANDHRAPRADESH- GMR COLLAGE).PATHETICALLY HE WAS  SEXUALLY ABUSED  BY SENIORS AND BELEIVE IT OR NOT IT WAS VIDIOGRAPHED BY A CELLPHONE.
WHY THE GOVT IS NOT COMING UP WITH STRONG BILL IN PARLIAMENT OR ASSEMBLY TO PUNISH SERIOUSLY  THESE OFFENDERS.ALL PROFESSIONAL COLLAGE SHOULD  HAVE SOME PSYCOLOGIST  FOR BEHAVIOURAL  ANALYS OF  STUDENTS AND TO HELP THEM IN BUILDING A STRONG AND FAITHFUL  RELATION IN EVERY CAMPUS.SENIORS SHOULD LEARN AND UNDESTAND THAT THEIR JOKE OR MOMENTARY PLEASURE  MAY TURN FATAL .
“SAY  NO TO RAGGING”
ARAVIND