‘Akhon Asustho City Bus’

By: Dr. Ratan Bhattacharjee

“Poetry is not limited by any boundary and I am always in a mood to bring newness in my poems,’ said Nilim Kumar. “I cannot keep on penning the same things again and again. That is not art. I admit that at times my experiments may not bring fruitful results, but that does not stop me.”

But this creates sometimes fierce controversy about his poems. Controversy is not new in a poet’s life but if the poet is Nilim Kumar, then this is the most frequent occurrence in his poetic life. But this time Nilim Kumar finally had to come out to explain the meaning of his own poem which is usually unexpected from the readers. The poem ‘Akhon Asustho City Bus’ that Prantik published on July 1 was the trouble-shooter. Nilim Kumar, who is acclaimed as a trendsetter in Assamese poetry is trying to tackle the situation by giving his interpretation. According to the poet Sukaphaa, as the bus driver, was allegorically imagined as the most important person in leading the Assamese people in the right direction and Gadapani, being the handyman, was entitled in making the necessary decisions. Nilim Kumar clearly said that the Sukaphaa and Gadapani are imagined as allegorically the most important persons in the lives of the Assamese community and their significance can never be decreased ever.

But the Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad weren’t happy with the explanation. They feel Nilim Kumar wounded their community sentiment nay Assamese Nationalism in a broader sense. They are now fully at cross with Nilim Kumar over the poem ‘Akhon Asustho City Bus’ (A Sick City Bus). They will not only lodge FIR against Nilim Kumar and many started claiming his head. Experiments have landed poet Nilim Kumar often in trouble. But he claims that he was unstoppable.

What is so objectionable in ‘Ekhon Ashustha City Bus’ that it wounded the Tai-Ahom sentiment and sparked off state-wide controversy for which Nilim Kumar himself had to give explanation? It is alleged that the poem which Prantik published on July 1 ‘A Sick City Bus’ contained objectionable ideas and images which wounded the Tai Ahom community. Chaolung Sukaphaa is the leader of 600 year old dynasty and Nilim Kumar imagined him the driver of a broken city bus and Gadapani, a handyman of that bus. Many intellectuals and poets organizations are roaring fiercely against the poet and even ULFA too came forward with vehement protest. Mrinal Hazarika the leader of ULFA sought clarification from the poet on the theme of the poem. Bolin Deuri, the author of ‘Hunting the Hunters’ tried to analyse that even if it is true that the poet wanted to depict the Assamese society through this poem he should explain why he dared to bring the names of Sukaphaa the leader of 600 year old dynasty and in what capacity.  Bolin Deuri was very critical of Nilim Kumar because he unnecessarily brought the name of Sukaphaa who never told a single word on Assamese nationalism. Why he brought Gadapani in the same bus imagery. He taunted that Nilim Kumar did not have the guts of using the name of Sankardev and Madhavdev or Lachit – Bezbaruah who represent Assamese nationalism. Many think it is a ‘publicity stunt’ of Nilim Kumar as in recent times after his illness his poetic ability is on the wane and he wanted to come to limelight by sparking off a controversy in his poems. The Ahom community is proud of Gadadhar Singh who is made Gadapani by Nilim Kumar very purposively in the poem. So the city bus poem fails to signify Assamese nationalism.

Many are interpreting the poem as an outcome of Nilim Kumar’s  perverted mentality for which he was condemned earlier too for many of his poems. Only a few months ago Nilim Kumar came under the scanner of Assam government for participating in anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protests and writing poems slamming the Act. After the protest he was transferred to Sonari Sapori PHC in Dhakuakhana in Lakhimpur district from his earlier posting at Deomornoi Community Health Centre in Pahtarighat in Assam’s Darrang district. Wide controversy over the poem is growing stronger even in the lockdown period and the poet is forced finally to justify his poem saying it is misinterpreted. He was at fault as he was not able to put his views concretely.

It is true that Nilim Kumar’s poems are a clear reflection of his undying love for the city of Guwahati. His poem ‘Guwahati’ was included in Signatures a collection of works of 100 modern Indian poets edited by K. Satchidanandan long ago in which his love for the city and the Brahmaputra is so beautifully revealed:

“Just remember / Was there anything he did not like about you? / He always bathed in the Brahmaputra flowing through your bosom / He was always waiting at the ferry ghat to watch the corpse of the red sun coming trembling down the fishermen’s net….” the graphic imageries in the poem remind us of A.K. Ramanujam’s ‘The River’. Nilim Kumar remembered all that was good and gay about Guwahati. In the present poem on ‘City Bus’ the poet’s heart is tormented by traffic snarls, bad roads full of potholes, and the urban environs and all this picturisation of Guwahati which once  made him a household name in Assam especially since his poem Aprajanan was published in 1994. Widely appreciated, he never minced his words in inviting stark criticism for experimenting too much and bringing mundane subjects and he can devote an entire poem to a trifle thing. He himself repented that his experiments did not often bring him desired results but he was the Mr. Unstoppable. Winner of the Uday Bharati award, his most talked about poetry collections include Jonak Bhal Puwa, Tirotajoni, Prostitute Moon, Panit Dhou Dhoubur Mach, Kailoi Pora Aponak Bhal Pam, Aoshinar Aosouk, Saponor Railgari, Tuponir Bagisa, Nilim Kumaror Premor Kabita etc in which Guwahati and urban environs came again and again.

Even if we fully support the critics of Nilim Kumar yet we should not forget that in criticizing a poet one should not cross the limits of decency. There can be intellectual arguments but threats and intimidation to gag the voice of the poet, writer and journalist can never be accepted. Personal attacks are not desirable when the poet himself interprets his own poem to prove his good intention. At the same time one poet should also take care of the sentiments of the people whom he depicts in his poems. This is called ‘Responsibility of an Artist or Poet’. However it is better to accept the poet’s own interpretation that the objectionable points used in the poem are an allegory having a much deeper meaning. The earlier peace prevails, the better for poetic creativity and peace in Assamese life.