Scroll.in ·
Travel memoir: Assamese political activist Khairun Nessa Choudhury recalls her Hajj trip
An excerpt from ‘Her Hajj Story: Travel Diaries of Women Pilgrims From Assam’, translated by Teresa Rehman.
Nilufar Majumdar, a professional cake decorator, has treasured memories of her nani (grandmother), Khairun Nessa Choudhury. She shared a special bond with her and imbibed her nani’s creative and aesthetic instincts passed down through quiet moments, observation and an affectionate and trusting relationship. Nilufar chuckles, “I was expecting my first baby and was rushed to the hospital. I was having labour pains and I was happy to see my nani by my side. She kept her hands on my forehead and urged me to calm down. Then, she told me about a poem she had written about the angst of childbirth. In the poem, she had questioned why only women bear the pain of childbirth. Men should also bear the strain of labour pain. I was amused then and later, when I read the poem, I was intrigued by her sweeping feminist ideas.”
At a later stage, when she was old and not keeping well, all of her six children and grandchildren went to see her. She was happy to see everyone taking care of her. At that time, Khairun Nessa told Nilufar about another of her poems titled, Mitthe noi sristir bedona, the pain of creation did not go in vain. “She meant that the pain of childbirth was worth it. She realised that in old age, she had so many people to take care of her because she had undergone the ordeal of labour pain,” Nilufar recalls.
There was a profound intergenerational influence of her nani on her. She was inspired to appreciate, read, enjoy and write poetry from her nani. “I used to read and recite poetry in school and college. I have read each and every poem of my grandmother. My nani’s poems were beyond ethereal and were more of an expression of contemporary realities. I used to discuss poetry with her. She had always encouraged me to pursue politics as I was a very good debater. She used to give me tips to improve my oratory skills. I was married before I could complete my undergraduate education. However, she did not stop my early marriage as she did not want to go against her son-in-law, my father. She was a real politician,” grins Nilufar.
From being married young, raising six children, fighting for her education, writing poetry, to contesting elections and engaging with the community through social work – Khairun Nessa’s life had seen several twists and turns. She saw her journey away from the angst of the early years as an inevitable evolution. Witty and wise, she proudly called herself a ‘self-made woman’. Khairun Nessa wore several hats – poet, author, social worker, politician. In her writings, she explored an array of subjects, from childbirth to migration and motherhood. She does this in a language that is functional but also incredibly beautiful. She was born on January 29, 1933, in a village called Rangauti in Assam’s Hailakandi district. Her father, Dr Sajidur Reza Laskar, acquired his Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences degree from Kolkata and joined the government service as a veterinary surgeon. He was on a transferable job and little Khairun Nessa moved with her parents and learnt about new places, forged new friendships and soaked in new ideas.
Khairun Nessa had her primary education in a Bengali medium school in Jagannathpur, Sylhet, in undivided India. She also had a keen interest in books from her early years and used to write poems. Back then, girls were not encouraged to study and were married off early. It so happened that her elder sister died, leaving behind two children in the year 1947. Thereafter, her family got her married to her brother-in-law, Abdus Sattar Choudhury, who worked in the state transport department. She had to bear familial responsibilities at the tender age of thirteen.
Leading a plain and unadorned life for several years, she often felt that her greatest drawback was her lack of formal education. All hope of completing her education was swept under the carpet when she got busy with the weight of domesticity. She used to be a voracious reader and that made her curious and eager to learn about the world. But, as her children grew older, she became persistent in her demand to be educated. Her son Imran Hussain Choudhury recalls, “My mother kept asking my father to hire a tutor for her. But he did not pay heed to her pleas. Then, one fine day, we were all surprised when she launched a hunger strike at home. She insisted that she should be allowed to continue her studies. For three days, she locked herself in a room and did not have her meals. My father tried hard to persuade her. It was then that he conceded to her appeal. He engaged a private tutor for her. And since she had her primary education in Bengali, she had to start from scratch and learnt the English alphabet. She finished her household tasks and managed to create time to study under a private tutor for three to four years. She was a fighter.” Finally, she passed her matriculation alongside her second son in 1965. She was so determined that she also managed to go to college and complete her graduation in humanities from Darrang College, Tezpur, under Gauhati University.
It was in Tezpur, a pocket-sized town on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, that she started working for social causes. She started the Nari Shilpa Samiti, an organisation to develop the skills of women and she was also one of the founding members of the Tezpur Mahila Samiti (TMS), a women’s organisation. The TMS was founded at the initiative of prominent women leaders like Kironmoyee Agarwala and Chandra Prabha Saikiani in 1919. Since its inception, it has taken many measures for the uplift of women. In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Tezpur marked an important point in the evolution of the Samiti.
After her husband’s retirement as the head assistant of the district transport office, they returned to their native place. Here, Khairun Nessa set up girls’ schools in Matijuri village in Hailakandi district of Assam.
She was keen to be a part of the public space and thereafter joined the Congress party as an advent to her political career. She was a dynamic member of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee in the seventies and had even contested in the elections in 1978 from Hailakandi, but she lost. She was convenor of the Mahila Congress for 25 years. She was the president of the Mahkuma Parishad of Hailakandi from 1992 to 1997. She was also a member of the Social Welfare Board of Assam. In 1980, she went on a tour of eight European countries with a group of female social leaders.
She started off her literary career by writing poetry since her early childhood and gradually her works came to be richly savoured. Her writings were never cluttered or confusing. They were evocative and have been written with warmth and understanding. She became well-known as an exceptionally gifted writer in the literary circles of Barak Valley in Assam and had many accomplishments to her credit. She could tease and provoke everyday objects into witty and surprising stories. She had published books of poems, travelogues and write-ups in newspapers and a magazine called Ishara and had even been felicitated by the Banga Sahitya Parishad. She was recognised by the Government of Assam for her literary endeavours and was selected for the state literary pension in 2004. She was also a governing body member of almost all institutions of Barak Valley, including Silchar Medical College and SS College in Hailakandi. She was a life member of literary organisations like Assam Sahitya Sabha and Bangiya Sahitya Sabha. In a compiled book called Ananya, literary stalwarts from all over Assam wrote about the life and works of Khairun Nessa Choudhury.
As a believer, she tried to find an explanation for the way things are. Once her belief was reaffirmed, she set out for Hajj on March 23, 1997, with her elder daughter Fatima (Renu) and son-in-law. The seeds of this lovingly produced Hajj memoir in Bangla titled Marudeshe Shantineer (Peace Abode in a Desert) were sown in the deserts of Arabia. The memoir was not only a practical guidebook, but it was also tinged with nostalgia and wistfulness for the days spent in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Khairun Nessa was pragmatic and emphasised that one should travel light. She had made a list of essential items that one should take for Hajj.
“The flight to Kolkata was very quick. It took us 45 minutes. After landing at Kolkata airport, we were taken to the Musafir Khana. I have been in politics for quite some time now and so I was quite well-known. As a political activist, I had been a member of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee and several social and literary organisations. I was not surprised when the Haj Committee members came and enquired about me. They asked me if I had faced any difficulty and if I needed any kind of assistance. A friend came and met me and took us to an acquaintance, Shaikh Abdul Hannan’s house in Park Street. I was relieved to have a comfortable stay with their family. They were very warm and hospitable. I enjoyed their home-cooked meals.”
After a three-day halt in Kolkata, they were ready for departure.
“As I was standing at a counter in the airport, the man at the counter sounded inquisitive and was asking too many questions, much to my discomfiture. After my security check, I sat down on a chair. The room was full of people and I was looking for familiar faces. The same man at the counter approached me again. I was surprised when he gave me some money and asked me to offer puja on his behalf. I told him that no puja is done there. I wrote down my address and gave it to him. He introduced himself as NK Roy, a Customs official and said that he felt a sense of reverence towards me. He was of my son’s age. Meanwhile, my son-in-law announced, ‘She is a writer!’ I told the customs official that I will definitely pray for him. The man smiled and resumed his work.
I was waiting to wash my feet in the crammed washroom of the airport. Just then, a young woman came, took water in her hands and washed my feet. I was pleasantly surprised and tried to stop her. But she insisted and said that it is her duty to serve the elderly. I started feeling guilty. I thought, ‘We are busy with ourselves. We are often selfish. This lady’s deed made me feel so small. We forget that we will have to answer for our deeds on judgement day.’”
While wearing her ihram, she thought of NK Roy and that woman who washed her feet and had tears in her eyes. She had many thoughts when she started off for the much-awaited destination. She could not eat much. She missed her kith and kin in the midst of the swarm of pilgrims.
Excerpted with permission from ‘The Land of Peace in the Desert’ by Khairun Nessa Choudhury in Her Hajj Story: Travel Diaries of Women Pilgrims From Assam, translated by Teresa Rehman, Speaking Tiger Books.