Krishna, a
Hindu deity – inviting criticism of Goswami from conservative sections of the society.
It remains a classic in modern
Indian literature. It is autobiographical in character as she says the anguish of the main character Saudamini, reflects what she had gone through after her husband had died.
It was also the first novel to be written on this subject. The novel was based on Goswami's research on the place as well as real-life experience of living in the place for several years before she joined the
University of Delhi
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE) ...
as a lecturer.
In Vrindavan she was involved in
Ramayana studies. A massive volume of
Tulsidas
Tulsidas (; born Rambola Dubey; also known as Goswami Tulsidas; c.1511pp. 23–34.–1623) was a Ramanandi Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, but ...
's ''
Ramayana'' purchased during her stay there for just eleven
rupee
Rupee is the common name for the currencies of
India, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, and of former currencies of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (as the Gulf rupee), British East Africa, ...
s was a great source of inspiration in her research. This finds expression in her book
Ramayana from Ganga to Brahmaputra, an unparalleled comparative study of Tulsidas's ''Ramayana'' and the fourteenth-century
Assamese Ramayana written by
Madhava Kandali
Kaviraja Madhava Kandali ( as, মাধৱ কন্দলি) (circa. 14th century) was an Indian poet from the state of Assam. He is one of the renowned poets pertaining to the Pre- Shankara era. His Saptakanda Ramayana is considered the earl ...
.
Life at the University of Delhi
Goswami relocated to
Delhi, India, to become Professor of Assamese in the Modern Indian Languages & Literary Studies (MIL) Department at the University of Delhi under the guidance of her lifelong mentor Prof.
Bhabananda Deka
Prof Bhabananda Deka (19 August 1929 – 4 December 2006) was a pioneer Assam economist and author who conducted novel research on the economy of the far eastern part of India. He was also a leading Indian-Assamese litterateur of the famed 'Awah ...
, who was subservient in the introduction of Assamese Language in MIL Department of Delhi University (DU). While at the university, she wrote most of her greatest works. Several short stories, including ''Hridoy'', ''Nangoth Sohor'', ''Borofor Rani'', used Delhi as the background.
During later part of her life, after she became Head of the MIL Department in Delhi University, she, in collaboration with award-winning Assamese popular short-story writer and novelist Arnab Jan Deka made efforts and persuaded Delhi University to set up a Chair in the name of Middle Age Assamese saint-philosopher-littérateur-artist Srimanta Sankardev. They also convinced the Chief Minister of Assam to make a contribution of Rupees One Million to Delhi University to create the corpus for the proposed Chair. However, Dr Goswami could not see the fruits of her effort during her lifetime.
Her two classics – ''Pages Stained With Blood'' and ''The Moth Eaten Howdah of a Tusker''— were also written during this period. The other books completed while she lived in Delhi were ''
Ahiron'', ''
The Rusted Sword'', ''
Uday Bhanu'', ''
Dasharathi's Steps'' and ''The Man from Chinnamasta''.
In ''Pages Stained With Blood'' she writes about the plight of
Sikhs in the
1984 anti-Sikh riots following the
assassination of Indira Gandhi
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated at 9:30 a.m. on 31 October 1984 at her residence in Safdarjung Road, New Delhi. She was killed by her bodyguards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, an ...
, the
Prime Minister of India. Goswami had witnessed the riots while staying in the
Shakti Nagar area of Delhi. She visited many of the other sites to complete this novel. She even went to
G. B. Road, Delihi's
red-light district
A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light districts are partic ...
, to depict the lives of the prostitutes who lived there which forms a part of her novel.
In ''The Moth Eaten Howdah of a Tusker'' she writes about the plight of Assamese Brahmin widows in
Satra
Satra Corporation was a US trading and metal processing company. It is primarily known in the United Kingdom for its Satra Motors Limited subsidiary, which was the official importer and distributor of Soviet Union cars and motorcycles in that co ...
, religious institutions of Assam. This novel was
anthologised in ''
The Masterpieces of Indian Literature'' and was made into a film, ''Adajya'', which won several national and international
film-festival
A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upon ...
awards. The novel was also made into two television
mini-series;
Nandita Das
Nandita Das (born 7 November 1969) is an Indian actress and director. She has acted in over 40 feature films in ten different languages. Das appeared in the films ''Fire'' (1996), '' Earth'' (1998), ''Bawandar'' (2000), ''Kannathil Muthamittal'' ...
played the role of Giribala in one of the mini-series.
At the peak of her literary career she wrote the controversial novel ''The Man from Chinnamasta'', a critique of the thousand-years-old tradition of
animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice is the ritual killing and offering of one or more animals, usually as part of a religious ritual or to appease or maintain favour with a deity. Animal sacrifices were common throughout Europe and the Ancient Near East until the ...
in the famous Hindu
Shakti temple to
Kamakhya
Kamakhya, a mother goddess, is a Shakta Tantric deity; considered to be the embodiment of ''Kama (desire)'', she is regarded as the goddess of sex. Her abodeKamakhya Temple is located in the Kamarupa region of Assam, India."Seated on top of ...
, a
mother goddess
A mother goddess is a goddess who represents a personified deification of motherhood, fertility goddess, fertility, creation, destruction, or the earth goddess who embodies the bounty of the earth or nature. When equated with the earth or t ...
, in Assam. Goswami reported that there was even threat to her life after writing the novel. In this novel she quotes
scripture
Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pra ...
s to authenticate the argument she puts forward in the novel – to worship the Mother Goddess with flowers rather than blood. She said in an interview, "When the novel was serialized in a popular magazine, I was threatened with dire consequences. Shortly after this, a local newspaper, ''
Sadin'', carried an appeal about animal sacrifice, which resulted in quite an uproar—the editor was
gherao
Gherao, meaning "encirclement", is a word which denotes a tactic used by labour activists and union leaders in India; it is similar to picketing. Usually, a group of people would surround a politician or a government building until their demands a ...
ed and a
tantrik warned me. But when the appeal was published, the response was overwhelmingly in favour of banning animal sacrifice. I also had to contend with rejection from a publisher who was initially keen and had promised me a huge
advance, but who later backtracked, offering instead to publish any other book of mine. But the rest, as they say, is history and ''Chinnamastar Manuhto'' went on to become a runaway bestseller!"
Another major piece of her fiction during the period was ''Jatra'' (''The Journey''), based on the problem of
militancy
The English word ''militant'' is both an adjective and a noun, and it is generally used to mean vigorously active, combative and/or aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in "militant reformers". It comes from the 15th century Latin ...
/
secessionism that has affected almost the entire
North-East India frontier ever since Indian independence.
Mamoni Raisom Goswami died at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital on 29 November 2011.
Literary works
Novels
* 1972 ''Chinavar Srota'' (''The Chenab's Current'')
* 1976 Neelkanthi Braja (''The Blue-Necked Braja''), translated by Gayatri Bhattacharya; Zubaan Books, 2013)
* 1980 ''Ahiron''
* 1980 ''Mamore Dhora Tarowal aru Dukhon Uponyas'' (''The Rusted Sword and Two Other Novels'')
* 1980 ''Budhosagor Dhukhor Geisha Aru Mohammed Musa''
* 1988 ''Datal Hatir Une Khowa Howda'' (''The Moth Eaten Howdah of a Tusker'' translated by the author, Rupa Publications)
* 1989 ''Udaybhanur Choritro''
* ''Nangoth Sohor''
* 2001 ''Tej Aru Dhulire Dhusarita Prishtha'' (''Pages Stained With Blood'')
* ''Dashorothir Khuj'' (''Dashorothi's Footsteps'')
* 2005 ''Chinnamastar Manuhto'' translated as (''The Man from Chinnamasta'' translated by Prasanta Goswami, Katha)
* 2009 "Thengphakhri Tehsildaror Tamor Taruwal" ("The Bronze Sword of Thengphakhri Tehsildar") translated by Aruni Kashyap, published by Zubaan Books, 2013)
Autobiography
* ''An Unfinished Autobiography'' (
Assamese: আধা লেখা দস্তাবেজ)
* biography's new pages (
Assamese: দস্তাবেজ নতুন পৃষ্ঠা)
* biography's new pages (
Assamese: অপ্সৰা গৃহ )
Short stories
* ''Beasts''
* ''Dwarka and His Gun''
* ''Parasu's Well''
* ''The Journey''
* ''Sanskar''
* ''To Break a Begging Bowl''
* ''Udang Bakach''
* relive
Poetry
* ''Pain and Flesh''
* ''Pakistan''
* ''Ode To A Whore''
Non-fiction
* ''Ramayana from Ganga to Brahmaputra'', Delhi 1996. (Research work on
Saptakanda Ramayana)
Online works
"The Journey"(short story)
Awards
* 1982 –
Sahitya Akademi Award (for ''Mamore Dhora Tarowal'')
* 1989 – Bharat Nirman Award
* 1992 – Sauhardya Award of Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan of Government of India.
* 1993 –
Katha National Award for Literature
* 1996 – Kamal Kumari Foundation National Award in 1996
* 2000 –
Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature". Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian w ...
* 2002 – D Litt Degree from Rabindra Bharati University, West Bengal
* 2002 – Mahiyoshi Jaymati Award with a citation in gold by Ahom Court of Assam
* 2002 –
Padma Shri (She refused to accept)
* 2007 – D Litt Degree from Rajiv Gandhi University
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh (, ) is a state in Northeastern India. It was formed from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region, and became a state on 20 February 1987. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares int ...
* 2008 – D Litt Degree from
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Indira Gandhi National Open University, known as IGNOU, is a Central University located at Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, India. Named after former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of 20& ...
* 2008 –
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar CIE ( bn, ঈশ্বর চন্দ্র বিদ্যাসাগর; 26 September 1820 – 29 July 1891), born Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay, was an Indian educator and social reformer of the nineteenth century. ...
Gold Plate from
Asiatic Society
The Asiatic Society is a government of India organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research", in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions. It was founded by the p ...
* 2008 –
Principal Laureate Prince Claus Award
* 2009 – Krishnakanta Handique Award, Asom Sahitya Sabha
* Awarded the Ambassador for Peace from the Inter Religious and International Federation for World Peace
* The International Tulsi Award from Florida International University for her book, ''Ramayana From Ganga To Brahmaputra''
*
Asom Ratna
Asom Ratna (অসম ৰত্ন) is the highest civilian award in the State of Assam, India. It is being conferred for outstanding contribution in literature, art and culture and social service. The award is offered by the Government of Assam. I ...
– the highest civilian award in the State of Assam, India
See also
*
1984 anti-Sikh riots
*
Assamese literature
Assamese literature ( as, অসমীয়া সাহিত্য, translit=ɔxɔmiya xaɦitjɔ}) is the entire corpus of poetry, novels, short stories, plays, documents and other writings in the Assamese language. It also includes the liter ...
*
Bhabananda Deka
Prof Bhabananda Deka (19 August 1929 – 4 December 2006) was a pioneer Assam economist and author who conducted novel research on the economy of the far eastern part of India. He was also a leading Indian-Assamese litterateur of the famed 'Awah ...
*
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala (2 July 1903 – 17 January 1951) was a noted Indian playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and film maker from Assam. He was considered as Assamese cultural icon, deeply revered for his creative vision and output and is pop ...
*
Krishna Kanta Handique
Krishna Kanta Handique (20 July 1898 – 7 June 1982) was a Sanskrit scholar, an Indologist and philanthropist from Assam. He was a recipient of the civilian honour of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
Biography
Krishna Kanta Handique was ...
*
Laxminath Bezbarua
*
Literature from North East India
Literature from North East India ( as, উত্তৰ-পূৱ ভাৰতৰ সাহিত্য, mni, Awāng Nongpok Bhāratkī Loinasinlon) refers to literature in the languages of North East India and the body of work by English-langu ...
*
Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva
*
Music of Assam
The music of Assam consists various genres of folk and modern music, drawing its artistic basis from the history of Assam, from Assamese culture and its ancient traditions. In recent times, starting from the late eighties, popular artistes have mo ...
*
People's Consultative Group
*
List of Indian writers
This is a list of notable writers who come from India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous dem ...
References
External links
* The 'Peace-Mediator' rests in peace: Indira Goswami (1942–2011)Amitav Ghosh on Indira GoswamiObituary in The Hindu : A beloved daughter of Assam, writer, peacemaker
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goswami, Mamoni Raisom
1942 births
21st-century Indian women writers
21st-century Indian novelists
Indian women activists
Indian women academics
Recipients of the Jnanpith Award
People from Kamrup Metropolitan district
Writers from Guwahati
People from Mathura
Delhi University faculty
Indian women poets
Women writers from Assam
Assamese-language poets
2011 deaths
Cotton College, Guwahati alumni
Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Assamese
20th-century Indian poets
20th-century Indian women writers
20th-century Indian novelists
21st-century Indian poets
Activists from Assam
Assamese people
Novelists from Assam
Women educators from Assam
Educators from Assam
Writers from Assam
Writers from Northeast India
People associated with Shillong