A rebel and an Raichowdhuryiconoclast, a radical thinker and a progressive reformer, a fire brand patriot and brilliant writer, Ambikagiri Raichowdhury’s life was like a meteor streaking across the sky. All his life he had to fight a two-pronged battle – one against the injustice of fate in personal life and the other against the oppression of foreign rulers in national life. In his zeal to free his captive motherland, he decided to use both the pen and the sword. Thus the hand that placed a dynamite to kill the British Lieutenant Governor also wrote the play Bandini Bharat which the British promptly proscribed. It has been a long time since this heroic son of Assam passed into immortality, but his ideals and dream of a resurgent Assam live on in the minds of countless fellowmen. Among them is Bhabagiri Raichowdhury, his son, who speaks with affection of his famous father. Sri Raichowdhury, a respected former professor of English at B Barooah College, Guwahati becomes nostalgic. “I have never felt overshadowed by my famous father. I have always felt it is my sacred duty to carry forward his ideals. All my life it has been my endeavour to participate in public affairs of the state but in an apolitical way, just as he, my father, never hankered for power. And being his son, people have given me so much love and respect. When I was translating the biography of Lokmanya Tilak, I found a lot of similarities between this great son of India and my father. And yet, I was never overawed by my father, though he did cane me once or twice for disobeying him. He has taught me the importance of truth and simple living. Though he was very loving as a father, he could be rather uncompromising on his beliefs. But what moves me powerfully even today is the inspirational tone of his wonderful songs which are so relevant to our times too. I still remember my sister Suchibrata and I singing his songs at Sudmerson Hall. I was so proud that I was given the privilege of singing his compositions. As we grew up, he revealed his democratic spirit by consulting us even in public affairs. This showed that he respected our opinion and that made us feel valued. But towards the end of his life, when he saw the State splintered, it broke his heart and he felt the sacrifices of the past had come to naught.”

Bhabagiri Raichowdhury recalls two stories related to the life of his father. “After completing his primary education in Barpeta, my father came to Guwahati in 1899. He was then fourteen and was travelling in a passenger steamboat along the Brahmaputra. The steamer was carrying long distance passengers from Calcutta, and he was in the midst of a motley crowd on the deck. Then an interesting incident took place. Two men got down to buy fruit from a woman hawker. When one of the buyers refused to pay the actual price, the old woman protested loudly. One of them kicked her on the forehead and she started bleeding. Ambikagiri watched this incident and angered, hit the erring passenger. The British captain of the ship heard both the parties and sided with Ambikagiri. This showed that my father had a strong sense of justice and fairplay from an early age and was not afraid to put himself at risk when the occasion demanded. I was also fascinated to hear how my father got involved in terrorist activities. On a certain day in 1905, he was entrusted with the task of placing a stick of dynamite on the Shillong-Guwahati road. The idea was to kill Sri Bompfylde Fuller, the Lieutanent Governor of East Bengal and Assam. Sri Fuller was to travel along that road on that very day. My father placed the dynamite as directed. But somehow it failed to ignite. However, he was given another assignment, which was to set fire to the European club at Guwahati. This he managed to do and it was completely gutted.”

From his father, Bhabagiri learnt that one’s life had to be lived for society and ultimately one was judged by one’s service to the people. Today, he loves to quote profusely from his father’s songs and believes these lyrical compositions embody the true spirit of the Assamese identity.

Read Ambikagiri Roychowdhury by Maheswar Neog