Nikumoni Hussain. Picture by UB Photos

It was a heavenly feeling two years back when I arranged for a meeting between baideo and the man with whom she had a court marriage years ago. The man, a marine engineer, was overwhelmed when he saw Mamoni baideo. At the fag end of his life he realised that he could have never found such a good and innocent girl like Mamoni baideo in the world.

On February 4 this year, baideo called me to her house, Goswami Villa, in Guwahati. I went and was in for a pleasant surprise. She gave me a gorgeous shawl that she took out from her wardrobe. Her eyes were sparkling and she wore a smile as well as she made the gesture, saying it was a gift to me from her. She expressed her gratitude for helping her meet the man whom she had once married.

But what touched me was a confession she made. Baideo said her conscience always pricked her, for not being able to spend her life with this man. She said she felt as if she had cheated him. Baideo also said she felt like she could die in peace after meeting him. She kissed me, hugged me and blessed me. For Mamoni baideo, life was not about living, but loving.

For me, Mamoni Raisom Goswami is omnipresent. And more than Dr Indira Goswami, the writer, she was like a family member. She had an endless list of friends and fans. But I considered myself fortunate as Mamoni baideo had shared some of her deepest feelings and secrets with me. So the real Mamoni, who was hiding inside her, was very close to me.

I salute Mamoni baideo’s mental strength and her zest for life, because of which she could conquer many of her personal tragedies. Her literary creations were so great that no award or recognition were befitting of those. Baideo took her personal tragedies as an inspiration for her creativity. Because of her work, baideo got some rare opportunities to meet and share thoughts with many renowned personalities in India and abroad. Her writings were translated into English and many other Indian languages.

For baideo, humanity was the lone identity and love was the only religion. Mamoni baideo had a court marriage with a man several years back. Baideo’s family, however, did not accept the marriage since the man was an Ahom and she was a Brahmin. Later, the family arranged baideo’s marriage with an engineer, Madhavan Raisom Iyengar. But Iyenger died in a car accident after only 18 months of marriage.