It was early Nineties, when I was assigned to report about a theatre production at Tezpur, small town in central Assam. I was then a novice journalist and when my editor CP Saikia asked me to cover the play by Dipak Mahanta, I agreed readily. Tezpur, a cultural center of northeast India, was around five hours drive from my workplace in Guwahati. I started my journey by a morning bus to arrive there by noon on the day of performance.
The play was an Assamese adaptation of Arthur Miller’s classic play ‘All My Sons’. Mahanta directed the all-time great American literary piece, whose story is based on the post-Second World War era. The production was a refreshing experience for me and I tried my level best to appreciate the play with all authenticities for our Assamese newspaper.
Slowly I became more familiar to Mahanta and his family. Life went on accordingly. After years of print journalism, I was offered to work for a newly launched satellite news channel. When I went to join the channel as its roving editor, a pleasant surprise was in store. It was Dipak Mahanta, whom I found as my new colleague with few others.
We spent several enjoyable months in the Assamese news channel right from its beginning. We used to visualize, portray and debate before going for some fine productions in the channel. I always acknowledge that many promos and short features, which were conceived and produced by Mahanta single-handedly for us, turned out to be instantly popular among viewers.
My engagement with the channel was however cut short due to some unsavory circumstances. I departed with a heavy heart, for I was leaving behind some of my finest friends and well-wishers there. But Mahanta continued to be a close acquaintance for me even though we met infrequently thereafter.
Later Mahanta too left it and joined another satellite news channel as a senior producer. In the course of his work, he went to Jamugurihat, which is nearby to his residence at Tezpur, with a shooting schedule.
On his return journey with three other colleagues to Guwahati, their vehicle met with a tragic accident on 2 December 2015 past midnight at Deoshal near Jagiroad. Seriously injured Mahanta was taken to Guwahati Medical College Hospital, but the doctors declared him brought dead. The accompanying three co-workers namely Ajmir Saikia, Pradesh Rabha and Atul Morang, however, survived the road mishap with minor injuries.
The sad news broke the next morning. All of a sudden, the region lost a hugely talented playwright who excelled in preaching serious messages with an unparalleled comic touch. A dedicated theatre director, an eloquent performer, a passionate cultural worker and a sensitive journalist ended his material life before the dawn turned-up.
A journey that began on 14 November 1961 at Sonitpur culminated untimely in Guwahati. But with the short span of time, Mahanta penned, designed and directed a number of Assamese plays including ‘Ulanga Roja’, ‘Malati Mem’, ‘Holi’, ‘Pinhole Camera’, ‘Gajapuria’, ‘Bhotaram Totaram’, ‘Aadipath’, ‘Dhaniramor Theatre’, ‘Kurma Avatar’, ‘Tejimola’, ‘Dhodar Alir Tender’, ‘Jadughar’ etc.
He also prepared scripts for many documentaries relating to various socio-cultural issues. Graduating from Biswanath College in 1979, Mahanta was partially involved with the profession of journalism during his productive days through different newspapers like ‘Mohajati’, ‘Agnigarh’, ‘Boodhbar’, ‘Natun Dainik’, ‘Dainik Pratibimba’ and ‘Asomiya Pratidin’.
A soft-spoken gentleman, Mahanta was even put behind bars for his active involvement with the student’s movement in late Eighties against illegal migrants from Bangladesh to India. But he did not join active politics, unlike many of his contemporary student leaders of Assam, only to remain active in the cultural field.
Mahanta left behind his wife Kalpana Sarma, only son Parthadeep Mahanta and a host of relatives and well-wishers. He was paid rich floral tributes by numerous colleagues on his last journey from the hospital to the cremation ground at Tezpur. Hundreds of media-persons and cultural workers joined in his funeral procession with brief stopovers at PratidinTime (formerly NewsTime Assam), AssamTalks and Guwahati Press Club.
On his Adyashraddha on 12 December, Mahanta’s family and close relatives observed the rituals at Tezpur, where as his colleagues and admirers paid tributes to the departed soul at a memorial meet in Guwahati. The speakers including Manas Kumar Mahanta, Raman Bora, Sanjib Phukan, Mrinal Bora, Rupam Barua, Jagadindra Raichoudhiry etc, while paying homage to Mahanta, emphasized on collection & preservation of his entire creations for the benefit of future generation.
Rest In Peace, Mahanta
(Nava Thakuria is a senior journalist based in Guwahati)
