[Assam] A Poetic Monologue (The Sentinel,Melange,22.10.2006)

[Buljit Buragohain]

A Poetic Monologue:
    He dons many roles — writer, actor, academician, and administrator. Meenakshi Gautam churns out the cream from the life of Amarjyoti Choudhury
You wonder whether you will come across a man who plays various roles — writer, actor, academician, administrator and one who loves to recite poems. Well, you are surprised when one of them surface, all you have is a man whose simplicity simply sweeps you off your feet not that you did not expect it but still you are pleasantly surprised. He says he is not a hypocrite and you know that one can vouch for it but as you try to probe there are layers in those blue eyes and in turn the academician, writer, the man who recites all emerge, sometimes separately and sometimes together. You are again pleasantly surprised by the compactness of this man who has integrated different roles, and different forms of knowledge. But wait, if you feel as a man his simplicity can be taken for granted and again you are pleasantly surprised for he himself claims that a soft exterior does hide a man of steely determination and foresight and his better half more than vouches for it. It is never a
 hypocritical stance, you indeed see simplicity that comes from knowledge, compassion and a deep-rooted desire to do something to better the lot of humanity and that is why he is perhaps rightly appointed as the vice-chancellor of Gauhati University. Meet Amarjyoti Choudhury (AC) the man, the performer and an academician who speaks out his mind in conversation with Meenakshi Gautam (MG).
  MG: It is said a rolling stone gathers no moss. Do you believe in the proverb.
Ans: Yes, a rolling stone gathers no moss and one has to move with time. Today, the world is constantly changing and along with it the body of knowledge is constantly expanding and a whole new world of opportunities are opening. Knowledge is said to be doubling every 3 or 4 years. So, how can one continue doing the same thing. In today’s changing times can one afford to be stagnant? I taught Instrumentation, then Electronics and reverted back to Physics. These different bodies and areas of knowledge enriched me and there was also a harmony in all of them. Life in its different forms and aspects excite me. In a sense I have found it more complete.
  MG: When did Physics meet poetry?
AC: At one time, I felt that both in Physics and poetry there was a language crisis. Whether describing the absurd or problems of Existentialism on one hand and Quantum Mechanics, the modern face of Physics on the other hand language has faced problems and there the twain meet. Nature of poetry in modern times and modern Physics are both similar in the sense that both question set patterns and set beliefs and another thing both have in common is the element of unpredictability which is very exciting. It opens infinite possibilities in front of us. Uncertainty in Quantum Mechanics and uncertainty of life both matched. Both the poet and physicist can now dream of the infinite both in terms of matter and spirit.
MG: Is poetry meant to be read or recited. Can one add dimensions apart from that of the poet while reciting. What is your own mental preparation?
AC: When you recite you can definitely add new dimensions in terms of pause, silence, gesture, intonation. If the words are loosely structured then you can take liberties of adding new nuances in terms of your own interpretation. It is not only that the poet has something to say even the one performing has something to convey. When there is a harmony between the one reciting and the poet, I personally feel a kind of spark and somehow a bridge is being built. But sometimes there does exist an inadequacy in the poem itself. Sometimes, there is quite a bit of struggle.
Initially, I liked reading poems alone, recite it at all times, sometimes passionately sometimes dispassionately. It is with me at all times. New meaning arises besides the traditional ones. As to what kind of poetry can be recited, I like to choose poems with contents which help me build bridges with the audiences. Sometimes very well-known passages may not excite me, poems should touch people’s heart. I have no fear whether audience will be there or not, I am confident of touching their heart and soul and building a bridge. Earlier poems were recited in rhythmic patterns and in monotones but I prefer a conversational method. Poetry should evolve from life, speak of our aspirations and inspirations and that too in a common man’s language. Poetry should never be mere decorations. Sometimes in reciting when a technique emerges I do not prefer it. My own writing of poetry occurred when I found a gap between what the poet was saying and what I want to convey. Without being
 hypocritical today I say that I enjoy doing my own stuff. Reciting is an extension of acting but it is more challenging because you do not have support of light, costumes, set, character etc.
As far as trends are concerned very little has changed except perhaps the emergence of the conversational method. I like to follow it and go closer to the audience even to the extend of literally touching them as if to feel their pulse. I like doing it across the table rather than sitting on the stage and distancing myself from my audience. 
The seeds were defiantly sown by my father. He had even written pieces for us to perform but my mother was a better teacher for she was at it continuously. For me poetry is meant for recitation, it is a source of my creativity. Sometimes, I have felt that recitation has carried me forward instead of it being the other way round. You arrive at a point which you never perceived before. At times you bond so well with your audience that I had people following me out literally. Those are rare moments, moments which I call my ‘Magic Moments’ otherwise life is mostly spent in monotony and routine drudgery. I have never found my scientific tendencies a constraint for today you require imagination in every sphere of life, that is how we constantly evolve for life is full of possibilities. I prefer doing solo performances because I do not believe in set patterns rather in breaking the mould. In a sense, acting, can also be limiting as you are enacting somebody else’s vision. An actor
 is like an emperor with light, set, music dialogue, costume and character to pamper and support him.
  MG: Does Physics explain God?
AC: Suppose we define God as knowledge. If God is seen as energy i.e. in terms of it being a higher level of consciousness. Then it can mean one set of energy being in harmony with another set of energy. It is called Resonance in Physics. In that sense my own higher level of consciousness can connect with God. Scriptures have also described God as being He who has no beginning and no end and who cannot be created and destroyed. In that sense men with very high level of consciousness can also be termed as God. My teachers who has shaped and moulded me are God to me. But Physics is still groping in the dark, one can take the example of the three blind men describing an elephant. Each describing it differently because each is holding a different part of the elephant.
We are heading towards creating a super human being. There would be so much perfection. I think life would become dull and boring. It is said in Bharta Natyasastra that drama emerged because the devtas in heaven were bored. Our Vedas have contributed lot to modern science. Something like the Big Bang theory is also mentioned in the Vedas.
  MG: This is an age of quick-fix and ready-made, an instant age. Do you think creativity will suffer?
AC: I believe in the new generation. I feel that life occurs in cycles. Life is a living organism. So, everything be it nature or man, recycles itself. Today’s generation has an edge. People speak of lack of dedication but the phenomenal amount of knowledge and collective information will definitely work in their favour. But only to an extent. Dedication, concentration and labour will always have its own merits.
  MG: You are a poet, actor, academician and now you don the mantle of an administrator. Will the actual Amarjyoti Choudhury stand up?
AC: As an administrator my prime focus will be towards the examination system, providing placement to our educated youth. I plan to introduce counselling and also pay attention at the undergraduate level by introducing appropriate courses. 
As a human being I am a simple man without trying to sound hypocritical. I enjoy the different facets of life which I feel has greatly enriched me. As a parting shot he does add that he could prove to be steel hand inside a velvet glove. He speaks too of grit, determination, of focus and above all a vision. A vision, he wishes to share with the people with whose consensus he believes to carry forward his new responsibility of being the vice chancellor of Gauhati University. He speaks of building an open forum where society will not only hear him but also guide him and criticize him when required. 
I feel as if I am in the midst of a play enacting different roles enjoying and getting enriched by each of them and each fulfilling me as a human being.
  


 				
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