BOOK REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Lokoshilpey o Ganajagaroney Grambangla (Village of Bengal in the light of folk art and public awareness)

Shanti Sinha, Sakalbela Rabibar, 22 january, 2012, 7 magh, 1418, Page 4.

Getting the book on “Anti-Witch Movement of Purulia,” living in Purulia for 41 years, a special chapter came up in my mind.  The dense forests that encircle the mountains from Bandowan to  Maanbazaar, Hurakashipur, Baghmundi, Jhalda, Raghunathpur, Hetjari, Ragoonkodor, Barabazar, etc. and other remote areas, the densely populated area have superstitions of the Middle Age lifestyle.  It is a preplanned story of calling a woman as a witch and pointing some men as wizard in the public life.  We are against the dangerous social evil and a protest has been started once by Saradaprasad Kisku in Darikadoba village who was a teacher and poet.  Mahadev Hansda became their co-warrior, teacher-poet Gomosta Prasad Soren, Poet  Kalendra Mandi, Maheswar Besra, poet-dramatist Rupchand Hansda, teacher Manmoth Baskey, poet Baleswar Soren, etc. are the creative minded citizens.  Mahasweta Devi, a writer and a social worker from Kolkata, journalist Niranjan Haldar, in the style of a journalist Bikraman Nayar , journalist Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar went to the spot many times.  Then the exploited tribals required support and he gave resignation and worked in the tribal regions of Purulia, Bankura and devoted his life in this work.  These incidences occurred 20 years ago.

Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar was connected with the tribal development since then.  A service center has been set up in the red soils.  I have seen his social work through my own eyes.  He has written a documentary book  on anti-witch movement.   On the basis of a population census and by interviewing those who were exploited as witches, this is a true account.  In the trial of the murder of Lakshman Tudu, the verdict of Sudhir Milan Tudu in the court of Purulia, the leader of the anti-witch movement, the social unrest leading to the news  of Jagaran Soren, the biography of sarada Prasad Kisku and his letters have been  compiled in the book.  At the beginning of the book, the emergence of the Santals and their migration, hunting festival, folk belief on witch cult, the women’s right in Santal society and the history of the anti-witch movement has been explained in simple words along with photographs has been discussed.  Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar   has been connected with tribal population for a long time and on the basis of population census, he wrote this book.  His dedication, honesty and personal touch is really praiseworthy.  In this type of primary source book, many editions are really painful.  I feel the future editions of the book will be better.  

PURULIAR DAINI BIRODHI ANDOLAN (THE ANTI-WITCH MOVEMENT OF PURULIA), LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR, SANCHAYAN PRAKASHANI, Rs. 200.

BOOKS OF MR. LAKSHMINDRA KUMAR SARKAR AND THEIR REVIEWS IN BRIEF

ESSAY

SANTALI BHASHA LIPI O SAHITYACHARCHAR AETIBRITTO (THE ORIGIN OF SANTALI LANGUAGE ,SCRIPT AND LITERATURE)

Picture:  Debabrata Ghosh

Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged

The second edition of this book is filled with more facts than the first edition.  There are many biographies of poets and writers and their poetries.

_________________________________________ In Santali Language and their translation in Bengali

We will come to know the various journals on Indian tribes in different parts of India.  In the same way, you will be able to read and learn the Santali language.  Many pictures.  You will come to know the young and old poets as well as the young and old writers.  We will come to know the dispute over the script “Olchiki” through debate.  This book is an important document to those who  are linguist, writers and poets.  You will come to know the opinion of the experts regarding the script and future of the language.

This book discussed the different aspects of the life of the poets and writers.

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Paschim Simanta Anchaler Lokshilpo o Shilpi (Folk Culture and Artists of Western Frontier Region)

Picture:  Tapas Sarkar

The places in different districts that we have chosen in the western frontier region are as follows:

1.  West Bengal’s Bankura, Purulia, Medinipore.

2.  Different regions of Chotanagpur in Bihar.

3.  Mayurbhanj and Baripada of Orissa.

We have mentioned in detail the folk culture of the above-mentioned regions.  The present status of the regions, the description of their folk culture, their economic status, present status of their work of art, etc.  It is a very important collection of unknown facts and figures.

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Going to be published soon!

Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar’s

Revolutionary Poet

Saradaprasad Kisku

Picture:  Debabrata Ghosh

Saradaprasad Kisku is an important personality in the Santal society.  The President award winning poet has played an important role.

The present generations are inspired by the works of Saradaprasad Kisku.  There were many incidents of an attempt to murder Saradaprasad Kisku who is fighting against the problems of the tribal society.  He was luckily saved.  The biggest problem in the Santal society is the witch cult.  Saradababu acted as a leader in this problem.  It is very hard to find a person who is playing an active role against the fight of social evils like murder in the name of witch cult, torture.  The writer Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar has studied Saradaprasad Kisku for 12 years.  The writer has played an active role in different protests along with the anti-witch movement.  From this book, you will be able to understand a rare personality.

The following personalities have watched Saradababu closely.  They are:

1.  Mahasweta Devi.

2.  Niranjan Haldar.

3.  Bikraman Nayar.

4.  Dhirendranath Baskey.

5.  Mahadeb Hansda.

6.  Maheswar Besra.

7.  Baleswar Soren.

8.  Gomosta Prasad Soren.

9.  Rupchand Hansda.

10.  Kalendranath Mandi.

11.  Chandranath Murmu.

12.  Domon Sahu etc.

They have expressed their opinions.

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LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR’S

NIRAPARADH BANDINI (INNOCENT PRISONER)

Picture:  Debabrata Ghosh

Price:  Rs. 40/-

Many women were confined in different jails of West Bengal.  There were no accounts of them.  It tells us the inside story of how a young lawyer Shibshankar Chakraborty took them out of prison and there are many vital information packed into it.  The author Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar was present in the trials of the court in different times and in different places and compiled the facts and figures for writing this book.

LAKHSMINDRA KUMAR SARKAR’S

NIRJATITO SHISHURA (EXPLOITED CHILDREN)

Price:  Rs. 25/-

There was no other book like this before on child labor.  What are the laws directed to protect them?  How the Indian children are exploited though there is a law.  A detailed description of the exploited children in different areas of Kolkata.  The author went as far as Canning to collect the information on child labor.  Many unknown facts have been highlighted in this book.  Many pictures are there as evidence.

Novel

Jeevan Nadir Tirey (On The Banks of The River of Life)

Picture:  Abhijit Sarkar

Lakshmindra Sarkar is a young writer and journalist.  In “Jeevan Nadir Tirey,” the author has described an unusual background while writing about the life of an ambitious individual’s life.  In the work, the hard life of the minorities and the stories of the bright and dark sides of the tribal people’s life has been mentioned.  The life of the inhabitants of the Sundarban region has been beautifully described through the mouth of the protagonist of the novel, Shantanu who is a journalist.  The author has shown a spontaneous pace in the life of the people.  From this point of view, we can say the novel is worth reading.  But that way of thinking forces the readers to think.

We will be happy if the writer’s first novel is taken into the literary discussion of the readers.  We wish a continuous advancement of the author in the days to come.

Written by Rabidas Saha Roy.

On the Jamteria Adibasi of Tripura

A new type of story

Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar’s

SUKHARAMER JHUM CHASH (JHUM CULTIVATION OF SUKHARAM)

Picture:  Abhijit Sardar

“Sukharamer Jhum Chash” is a different kind of writing --- in this book, the daily life of Sukharam and simultaneously an interesting description of Jhum cultivation is given here.  The way in which the good and bad times of the tribes of Tripura have been mentioned shows the concern of the author about the tribal people’s life.  As he is concerned about the tribal people’s life and activities, so there is a great expectation of new information related to the tribe.  But while giving the information, he has not spoiled the main story line.  For this reason, we thank the author.  To the modern youth, it is an ideal example of a person who got engaged with the villagers leaving the city behind while working in a government job.  We hope he will write more novels on tribal life that is neglected by the Bengali literature.

Written by Barun Mondol

INAUGURATION FUNCTION OF ADIBASI SAMBAD

L.K. SARKAR FELICITATED “ROY MONGOL SRADHANJALI” TO THE FOLLOWING PERSONALITIES:

1.  MAHASWETA DEVI.

2.  SINDHUBALA DEVI.

3.  GAMBHIR SINGH MURA.

4.  SARADA PRASAD KISKU.

5.  RUPCHAND HEMBRAM.

6.  MOHAN KHERIA.

LAKSHMINDRA KUMAR SARKAR – THE CREATOR OF HIS OWN DESTINY

LAKSHMINDRA KUMAR SARKAR – THE CREATOR OF HIS OWN DESTINY

By Amrit Ghosh ( Freelance Journalist)

-Stand up, behold, be strong, take the whole responsibility on your shoulders and know you are the creator of your own destiny.  All strength and succor you want is within yourself.  Therefore make your own future.”    SWAMI VIVEKANANDA.

“I did not get down to this mission after going through there text of Swami Vivekananda.  Trudging through the forest, hills and crossing numerous rivers and streams  of Bengal andBihar.  I had the opportunity to see the shocking distress poverty, illiteracy and superstation among the tribal people.  The son of the soil are crying for succour instantly.  I decided to do something for these neglected people.  I want to lead them to a kind of life that is brightened with independence, freedom and happiness.  I may not get anybody in the noble endeavour.”  Yet I will march forward keeping in mind Rabindranath Tagore – “If nobody response to your summons move ahead alone.”

CONSCIOUSNESS WAVE AT THE FAR SOUTH OF BANKURA

 Crossing through the newspapers we frequently came to know the unprecedented success of left front government in its 24 years rule.  But monumental failure of the left government are swept under the earpet as no newspaper comes out with the truth.  People are kept in the Dark with all politeness.  I humbly want to drive home a few short coming of left government to chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee and his cabinet colleagues.

In the 24 years of left front rule ,the benefits of education,  health , electricity, irrigation and road communication, eludes thousands of villages living in hundreds  of villages.  Particularly the negligence of tribal areas are really eye soring.  The nontribals through their maneuvering capacity manage to get their demand fulfilled.  But who can fight for these poverty stricken, illiterate, depressed tribals? Who lend voice for these voiceless people.

Yet not only many nongovernment organizations but a few persons have already been working sincerely for the upliftment of these backward hopeless people setting aside their own career and personal comfort and pleasure.

Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar one of them who is born (01.04.1956) at Kolkata and brought up in Kolkata.  But the pitiable condition of the tribal people moved him so hard that he repeatedly reached the far flung areas of Rural Bengal and brought to the light the plight of these downtrodden people in different daily newspapers through his lively description and incisive criticism of the government.

Sometimes he had to walk 18 km at a stretch to reach one tribal village to another, swam across river only to reach and collect news about their culture, custom and literature and the eminent personalities among them.  Mr. Sarkar   did not wash his hands off on penning his experience in newspaper.  He has deeply involved himself with the Noble Task of usher in light of Development in tribal society.  Mr. Sarkar joined, the Bengal Daily.  “Aajkaal” in the year 1981 from it very inception.   Earlier he worked under a publication concern (name is Eastern Law House 54 Ganesh Chander Avenue, Kolkata -13).

He had the opportunity to spend a few months at the Law books publications, ‘Dariagunge’ office in Delhi.  During that time he developed a good relation with the Bengali Community of the area.  Basically relinquished the job fulfill his long cherished dream of becoming a journalist.

Finding no job at hard he started visiting the tribal areas of Bankura, Purulia, Sundarban and Chotanagpur district of Bihar.  Being a freelance journalist he wrote a series of report the exploitation of tribal in ‘Aajkaal’ patrika.  No other journalist in the history of journalism did so much for the downtrodden denying on his own personal life.  His parents (Mr. Manindra Kumar Sarkar and Srimati Laksmi Sarkar), and cousin sisters Miss Kabia Barai, Mrs. Dolan Mitra and renowned journalist Mr. G.V. Nair and brother ex-national football player,  Mr.  Bratin Sarkar encouraged him in this noble endeavour.

 Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar did research work on folklore and life of tribal.  He is 47.  Already four books, i.e.

1.        Santali Bhasha, Lipi O Sahitya Charchar Eatibritta.

2.       Puruliyar Daini Birodhi Andolan.

3.       Swadeshi  Dakat Mohan.

4.       Jiban Nadir Tirey.

These books are authored by Mr. Sarkar from his vast experience has created sensation.  Work on another 18 books on tribal life he completed.  Mr. Sarkar’s other books which are in great demand such as:

1.        Loko Silpa o Silpi.

2.       Niraparad Bandini.

3.       Sisu Niryatan.

4.       Left Front government and Adibasi Samaj