The writer is president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha

Sita Banabash Kiman Sabanu

Lanka Kandohe Bodhiya Hobo

Bhaonar Babe Naat Kiyo Lage

Monor Kothare Bachan Hobo

(How long will you see Sita’s exile

Lanka burning will be fine,

Why do we need a play to stage a bhaona

Our feelings will be the dialogue)

This is one of my favourite songs penned by Nirmalprabha Bordoloi. Maybe because it is one of the few of her poems I have set to tune and sung. The lines are reflective of a great lyricist, who was so aware of the reality around her. Her social consciousness was her hallmark. She did not write just for the sake of writing. Through her words and verse, Nirmalprabha tried to rouse the people from their slumber and fight the great battle called life.

But then, who has fought a more lengthy and harsh battle than Nirmalprabha Bordoloi in life... and won? Married off at the tender age of 11, she became a mother at 13 only to have her husband — a man 23 years older than her — marry another girl. After the tragedy, it was her father, late Dharmaeswar Sarma Bordoloi, who inspired her to live on by thrusting a Gita into her hands. It was the moment of her rebirth and like the phoenix, as she herself admitted later, she rose from her own ashes to soar high. She established herself with great distinction and showed exemplary courage and determination. She will, I am sure, continue to inspire others in the years to come.

Nirmalprabha was, no doubt, one of the most influential and colourful personalities in the fields of literature, culture and academics over for the past four decades. A student of Assamese literature, her creativity knew no bounds and she contributed immensely to various genres like poetry, lyrics, novel, essays and musical dramas.

She also proved to be a very good scholar and produced several works of high value. She was an active, socially-conscious and committed person and was associated with several socio-cultural organisations. Her demise has created a great void in the state.

For the common man who may not be very familiar with her scholarly works, Nirmalprabha will be remembered as the lyricist who added colour to their dreams. With singer Jayanta Hazarika, Nirmalprabha made a winning team. While she churned out beautiful, poignant verses, Hazarika rendered them in his golden voice.

Many are not aware that Nirmalprabha could pen songs in 10 minutes after Hazarika gave her a tune! Yes, her genius lay in her versatility, the ease with which words came to her. Like a magician pulling out rabbits from a hat.

From poems, lyrics, plays, books for children, dramas, treatises, criticism, radio features, novels, translations — Bordoloi wrote them all and excelled in them, too.

My friendship with Nirmalprabha dates back to the late fifties. In 1957, both of us joined Guwahati’s B. Borooah College as lecturers on the same day and were colleagues for some time. Later, we again worked together in Gauhati University for a considerable period of time.

Another thing I had in common with her is folklore. I took up folklore as my subject at the same time she started contributing to the field of folklore studies in Assam.

We maintained contact till the last day. Though I knew that she was not well, I never thought that the end would come so soon. I returned from Silchar last evening after attending some important functions of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, held in the Barak valley for the first time. And when this morning I was informed that she was no more, it was a great shock.

Her death brings to my mind something she had written once. She was aware that death would come one day. She was ready and but wanted to live life to the fullest, as long as the heart was beating. We salute you, dear friend. May your soul rest in peace.

I shall die tomorrow

Let me remain alive today

O my swift-flowing sorrow

Keep flowing

Through the narrow-crested forest

I am not weary.