The stories contained in this volume were originally in Assamese by Sri Prafulla Konwar, a noted writer of Assam. Most of these stories had been published during the last two decades of the twentieth century, while a few others are of very recent publication. The writer, a civil engineer by profession, is an excellent storyteller as the stories in this volume will show. Though long retired from service, the writer has not capped his pen as yet.
Sri Konwar is a serious writer with a purpose. It is not art for arts' sake with him. Most of the stories have a social content with a good share of humour in the bargain. The writer builds his stories upon the various different people he has met in life, their joys and sorrows, hopes and fears and even cynicism and despair of some of them. He shows empathy with wide range of characters drawn from almost all segments of life. His canvas has a wide variety of situations drawn from contemporary Assamese life, yet all of these have a wide human appeal. He has keen sense of the ingredients that go into the making of a readable short story. It will not be an exaggeration to say that he can create a story out of almost nothing. For an example we can mention the short story "A Matter of Relationship". The settings. Jonai, a sleepy township in upper Assam where nothing spectacular ever happens yet here he discovers an illicit but funny love affair between a young muster roll worker and the attractive wife of a drunken driver of the Public WorksDepartment. "Love in the Evening" is a story of mistaken identity which leads to the discomfiture of an old gentleman. Stories like "An Earnest Request", "A Confidential Message" and "Blood-Bathed Times" compel our interest for the atmospheres create. The same can be said about the "Value of a Vote" and "Foundation Stones" which present two venerable Gandhians.The writer has presented a wide range of characters drawn from different walks of life. We come face to face with poor farmers, angry students, student leaders turned powerful ministers, young insurgent suffering from mental conflict, retired officers, unemployed youth, housemaids and even two old Gandhians-remnants of a dying race. The writer generally present his characters, good and bad in an objective manner, but we know where his sympathies lie. In presenting some characters, notably unscrupulous politicians and professional people, he indulges in good humoured caricature. But he does not impose his judgement upon the readers except in a few stories, where he is apt to turn a bit didactic.
The bleak future of unemployed youths, the dilemma of young insurgent, despair of the old generation, the plight of poor villagers in the face of competition-these and many other problems have been presented tersely by a few master stories or well-constructed dialogues. All stories, laced more or less with human exude the writers abiding human sympathy. Though the background of most stories is Assam reeling through poverty and insurgency, they all have a wider appeal.I am happy to introduce Sri Prafulla Konwar who hailed from Ahom aristocratic family to readers outside Assam and I do hope that they will find his stories enjoyable.
The writer of this volume of short stories Mr. Prafulla Konwar comes of a royal family, of Ahom dynasty who reigned continuously for six hundred years in greater Assam and its glorious and golden days still remembered by every Assamese people that enriches the history of Assam. He was born at Konwargaon, a famous village situated near the Amguri town. His father late Nabin Chandra Konwar was a distinguished Gandhian, freedom fighter and social worker, who had received the Tamrapatra from the Government of India for his contribution to the struggle for Independence. His mother late Labanyalata Konwar was an accomplished lady, well-versed in the Vaishnava culture. Mr. Prafulla Konwar passed the Matriculation Examination in the year 1960, the Intermediate Science Examination in 1962 and took his Engineering Degree in 1966. In the same year he began his distinguished career in Assam PWD as an Assistant Engineer, and served at different places of Assam and retired from service in 2002 as an Additional Chief Engineer of the Government of Assam. He is now settled in Dibrugarh.Even from his school days Mr. Konwar evinced an abiding interest in creative writing. He has to his credit a good number of short stories, some poems and plays, a novel, miscellaneous articles and memoirs. His contribution to contemporary Assamese literature is something to be reckoned with Shy of publicity, Mr. Konwar has taken up writing as a s duty. He is one of the few contemporary Assamese writers who been able to touch the heart of the readers. His short stories, mosty published in newspapers and periodicals are full of a wide human appeal. Besides a novel and a book of reminiscences, several collections of his short stories have been published. A civil engineer by profession, passing most of his time in the midst of files, drawings, construction materials, officers, contractors and labourers, he kept his creative talent alive. Despite his declining years he still keeps writing and enriching Assamese literature.
Even from my student days I have been writing in Assamese. Being born and brought up in a green rural environment, I always drew a kind of hear only bliss from sight and sounds of nature. Later in my college days, I had the good fortune to come into personal contact with a number of distinguished Assamese writers and that inspired me to take up writing seriously. I still remember those revered writers with a sense of gratitude and respect. As an engineer by profession, I served at different places in Assam in the beginning of my career, and retired a few years ago as an Additional Chief Engineer under the Government of Assam. After my retirement I brought out a number of short stories, novels and poems which have been well received by the readers.In the midst of our rambling conversation one day, Mr. Satyabrata Goswami, a distinguished Engineer and great lover of literature, who is like an elder brother to me, mooted the idea of translating to me, English some select stories of mine and publishing them in a volume. He also discussed the matter with his sister, the renowned Assamese author and Jyanpith Award winner Dr. Indira Goswami. I also know her personally. I shared with her my wish to bring out an English version of some of my stories. For dearth of good publishers, writers in Assam often face difficulties in getting their books published. Respected Dr. Indira Goswami, who is like a sister to me, readily agreed to arrange a publisher for me andencouraged me to go ahead with the translation. As I was not sure of my own English, I requested my young friend Mr. Durga Borthakur, a social worker of Dibrugarh, to find a good translator. He requested Mr. Sunil Kumar Borthakur, retired Principal of Manuhari Devi Kanoi Girls' College of the town to take up this strenuous work which he did to my great relief and satisfaction. It is also great pleasure to me that Dr. Indira Goswami wrote a few words about me and the book for which I ever remain grateful to her.For the English version of those short stories, I express my deep and heartfelt sense of gratitude to Mr. Satyabrata Goswami, Respected Dr. Indira Goswami and distinguish educationist with an extraordinary personality, Mr. Sunil Kumar Borthakur. I also thank Mr. Durga Borthakur for his valuable help. A story is a story-a piece of fiction after all, but all the short stories in this collection are based on events that have actually happened in different places of Assam. If there is any play of imagination, it is in presenting them.
Dr. Indira Goswami was pleased to contact for me the Delhi based publisher Sri Praveen Mittal, I thank Mr. Mittal and M/s. B.R. Publishing Corporation for bringing out this beautiful designed and printed volume in keeping with my wish in a short time. I hope that in future too they will extend a similar helping hand to me.
It goes without saying that creative writing is not an easy job an indolent person that I am. Luckily, however, my wife Mrs. Queen Konwar, my only daughter-in-law Mrs. Pubali Konwar and son Dr. Nilim Konwar always keep me engaged in writing by their constant exertions and encouragements. I also thank them for their abiding interest in my creative efforts.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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