A few years ago I was reading Mario Puzo's The Godfather (Part 3). The scene 'Michael Corleone's death' made me cry profusely. I was weeping as if I knew that person. Michael's love for his family, his old man, his old town, the village - it all resonated with me. At that moment the only person I could think of was my Uncle. My father's beloved older brother who we fondly call as 'Doita'.
Doita (and we) have no similarities with the Corleone family, but his love for his parents, his siblings, his wife, kids, nieces, nephews, extended family made me think of only him when I read that touching scene from the famous novel.
The world knew Doita (Biraj Kumar Sarma) as a great statesman, social worker, patriot, revolutionary and a selfless leader. He had a stellar career as the co-founder of the AGP (Assam's greatest regional political party), one of the three signatories of the Assam Accord, and a two-time cabinet minister. Aside this, he was a serial social worker and philanthropist. He loved working for the common man. He was empathetic towards their problems and worked incessantly to bring a smile on their faces. He referred to them as his 'people' - and his people were everything for him. Undoubtedly (and very rightly so) he was known by all as the "People's Leader".
We lost Doita on Tuesday, 15th January 2019. He was only 70.
Everyone knew him as a popular political figure, but very few of us had the privilege of knowing him as a family man. To start with, Doita was a doting son. He lost his mother very early in life, but there was hardly a day that he wouldn't mention or remember her. His father (my grandfather) was also a great man and his political guide for many years. Politics was discussed in our house everyday, but that didn't stop him from focusing on his family life. My father was Doita's greatest fan. Both the brothers were strikingly similar in looks, but very different personalities. My dad was the introverted one. Doita would often tell us funny stories of their childhood days. For my father, 'Dulu' was a hero and role model. He always encouraged us to be a leader like him. He had godly respect for Doita, and pure, unconditional love.
Doita loved his brothers and sisters dearly, and all of us nieces and nephews. He was a talkative person, and his stories were endless and amusing. He had tremendous life experiences. It was always delightful to have a chat with him, very informative and engaging - like a living encyclopedia.
Doita was the life of a party. He loved family gatherings and celebrations, and enjoyed spending time with all of us. He was the 'glue' that kept the family together. My fondest memories from childhood are the ones during Christmas holidays. He would always bring a large Christmas cake and all of us kids would be eagerly waiting to dig in. During Durga Puja, he started the tradition of distributing Jalebis and Samosas on Dashami at our Silpukhuri ancestral home. I thoroughly miss those days...
He was a 'big' personality. There was a larger-than-life aura around him. The men in our family were forward thinking and much ahead of their times - very modern in outlook, liberal, and feminists. Doita was no different. We are a family of (mostly) girls. He was proud of the girl power and encouraged us to think big, work hard and focus on excellence in whatever we do. He was a religious, god-fearing man, and strongly believed in karma.
Doita was very excited about the next generation of kids in the family. He loved his grandson, and had the good fortune of meeting/playing with some of the other kids too (albeit for a short period). Recently when he met my little son Rey, he gave a big wide smile of approval. He was very happy; his eyes were beaming, as if he could see through the future.
Today as I write this memoir, my heart pains in deep grief and my tears roll down the cheeks. But I do feel content to think that Doita led a complete life. He got the opportunity to serve his people, and build a family that shall forever cherish his memories. I'll always remember the philosophies he stood by, and I promise to hand it down to the next generation.
He must be celebrated! It's been a glorious life...
Rest in Peace you beautiful soul!
