Autobiography of an Old Fig Tree of Gauhati

-Dilip K. Sarma

The Holy Fig Tree (Ahot Gos) at Barowary, Uzan Bazar

I have heard that you people are listening to stories of Old Gauhati from this Dilip Sarma guy. Huh! What he knows! I have seen much more. I am nearing 100 now. May be I have crossed 100. I don't know. Let me take you today zip passed 100 years of what I have seen from where I stand at Barowary, Uzanbazar. Not "lahe lahe" like this "know nothing" guy! Oh! I have forgotten to introduce myself.

Hi Guys! I am Ahot Gos, the holy fig leaf tree. Dude, you must be wondering how a 100 year old could use such cool lingo. Well, I have picked up from girls & boys from all over Assam, Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur and a few from Meghalaya, Mizoram & Sikkim too staying at the PG accommodations near me and either studying or trying to make a life. I really like them.

Almost 90 years back, in 1930s and 40s, another set of young people stayed near me in jointly rented accommodations called Mess. And in those 20 years, they changed the world around me! I was told they brought freedom to people. For a long time, I was wondering why whites were no longer travelling past me to Gauhati Club. And why those friendly people with British government had suddenly started frequenting the Congress Press, the second house from me, where this now not-so-young anymore gathered in the late afternoons and early evenings.

Mid 196Os, I saw engineers, master degree holders not getting jobs and bringing the first auto-rickshaws under my shade. I also had seen long queues in front of ration shops for rice. Even the middle class had to queue for it. It was scarce and I overheard that this supply was US aid under PL 480. I suddenly started seeing red flags in the 70s. Of course, it was not new to me. In the sixties, I saw communists being elected to parliament from here.

With the turn of 70s to 80s, I saw miles and miles long processions of young people again. After few years, I saw some of them moving around in white ambassador cars. I gathered they had become corrupt. It made me sad. I always liked young people, you see. Nearing 90s, self-imposed night curfews came due to ULFA and anti-ULFA operations. I saw near me some of these ULFA members, again young people, staying incognito and pretending to be vegetable vendors, or newspaper stall owners.

Then on the night of 31st December, 2000, I saw you young people - hundreds of you- celebrating coming of 2001. I had a hunch that something good was going to happen! And yes, after few months government changed. No self-imposed night curfews anymore. I started seeing more of you. I saw a conservative middle class locality accepting new norms. Girls coming out in shorts, having their evening snacks sitting at small food stalls around me.

But soon I was not very happy. I don't like infringements. I just like to watch from a distance. But they chopped off my branches to put power-lines. They made a concrete platform around me. I could hardly breathe. However, I used to like when during Christmas, they had lights and a big Santa Claus decorated under me. Suddenly someone put a Trishul under me and put a holy red cloth around me. It must be around 2007-08. I am not good with dates, you see. Soon a black cloth was also put around me and a Sani Mandir came up. I didn't mind. But they put railings around me and I missed you young girls and boys, sitting under me. I adapted as always. I was happy seeing you from a distance now.

However, I have been worried of late. I see one single woman and a couple vending vegetables & selling tea on the street near me. They look like middle class. Not that I have not seen poverty. But middle class being forced to do that makes me really worried.I like to remember that those young people of 1930s & 40s built houses near me. May be you, the present lot, staying in PG accommodations, would eventually start staying near me. There are many high-rises coming up. I don't like them. But I would tolerate because you would stay there.

But I am really feeling left out without you people. The colour is missing. I heard colleges would reopen soon. You come back and I wish to hear your shouting, giggling and see you just doing nothing.

I have a secret hope though! I have not told anyone!! May be you young people could take care of my worries and stop all the infringements and give me life & freedom again. Like those guys of 80 - 90 years back. That time it was predominantly boys. I have a feeling this time it would be girls!

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