The National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT) in Nagpur is the alma mater for all Indian Revenue Service officers in the country. Established in the 1980s, the academy has honed the skills of some of the brightest tax officers. It was a matter of great pride for me when I entered the hallowed portals of the NADT on December 14, 2014.
Later that evening, I was in for a surprise. At the entrance to the NADT mess stood a big xorai – an artefact made of brass which holds a prominent place in the hearts and minds of people in Assam. I can never forget how instantly gratified I felt to see it showcased in such a prestigious institution.
That is what symbols do for us. Yes, at times some use symbols can be identified with malice, as history has proven, but mostly symbols are a reflection of who and what we are; a sense of pride at our belonging, our roots and our connection to the things we hold dear. This pride is not in conflict with any counter narratives.
Yet, Amlan Das in his piece ‘The Gamusa at the Cricket Ground – The Insecurity Within Assamese Identity‘ failed to see the nature of this pride and honesty with regard to the gamusa. The author, while recognising the place the gamusa holds in our heart and minds, calls out Hima Das and spectators of the India-West Indies cricket match for trying to assert their identity too hard. He claims that this is borne out of insecurity about the ongoing National Register of Citizens process, which is making Axomiya people feel like they must cement their identity.
In my view, this is a gross misjudgment of the whole scenario. For a state that has witnessed three decades of violence, it is only now it has started finding its place under the sun. For a long time, while a generation was growing up, the only shot at success was getting out of the state. Despite the history of the proud Ahom and Kamata kingdom, culture of Sankardev, Azan narrative and the literature Axomiyas, it could never achieve what it wanted. There were sparks of brilliance in sports, cinema, arts and theatre, but they never seemed to affect the popular mood.
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And then things changed. A Hima Das went tearing through a track and field event. A Rima Das showed the world the beauty of the Assamese countryside. Jitendranath Goswami was the chief scientist on a mission to the Moon. Assamese dancers, poets and performers were on the national screen like never before. Our politicians were more visible in the national arena and so were our identities and our symbols. And this was perhaps the moment all Axomiyas had been waiting for – a sense of hope.
This sense of hope has not come easy; it has had its costs and will likely continue to do so. Yet the Axomiya are not afraid anymore. And a part of that courage is expressed in the form of the revered gamusa. The gamusa is not just a towel or piece of cloth, as the author himself admits, rather it is an emotion. It brings with it the sense of home while not being at home. It is not that the gamusa has made a comeback with Axomiya people – rather it is that the Axomiya are beginning to find their place under the sun, and the humble gamusa is making the journey with them.
The second part of the author’s argument I broadly agree with. The question is, are Axomiya only about the gamusa, then? No, absolutely not. The new Axomiya consciousness has moved from being about the Assamese alone to being an “Axombakhi”. This trend is visible in art, culture and other literary forms. If the author would have heard Joi Barua sing ‘Deori Bihu’ or Zubeen Garg singing Bodo songs, he would perhaps have been convinced that there is a movement underway too. No northeastern festival or Assamese festival today is complete without the aronai or the rishhah.
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Yes, the journey of integration is not yet complete. An arduous path lies ahead, but a large group of Axomiya today do understand this phenomenon and are seeking to promote it. These are not the 1960s anymore, when there were efforts to force the Axomiya language down the throats of tribes. Rather, these are the times when across political boundaries, a Bodo leader assures people that if there is ever a Bodo state, Assamese will continue to be recognised. A Bodo-origin actor Kenny Basumatary (Kenny Da) is the darling of the urban youth today because of his unique movies and his skills as a filmmaker. Culture is evolving and so are the Axomiya, and the author seeks to wish it all away.
The gamusa is not a reflection of the NRC or a desperation to cement identity. The gamusa, aronai and rishhah are all firmly etched in the identities of the Axomiya. To juxtapose this against certain political events is perhaps a disservice to lakhs of people by failing to recognise what they truly feel. Not everything and every action in this world is political. Some are just failings of the heart.
Ibu Sanjeeb Garg is an assistant director of income tax and posted in Delhi.