The Hour Before Dawn

Bhabendra Nath Saikia

Bhabendra Nath Saikia, a versatile writer in Assamese literature is also known for the Silver screen translations of his novels. He is considered as an outstanding film maker also, having won the Rajath kamal award in 1985 . He was honored by Kendra Sahithya Academy in 1976 and also awarded with Padma Sri in 2001.

The Hour before Dawn is the translation of his novel ‘Antoreep’, originally written in Assamese. In the words of Mamony Raisom Goswami ( Known as Indira Goswami to the readers in English),” it gives a rare glimpse of Assamese society, portrayed with deep understanding and love by a master Craftsman”. Reading the novel, I felt like the balancing of chemical equations. He tried to balance equations on human predicaments, human emotions, inevitabilities, greed and disasters uncovering the subtleties of human behavior. The portrayal feminine mind in its most rude forms and the insights into the darkest corners of self destructive journeys of life are providing un fathomable dimensions to this novel.

The tale of Mohikanto is similar to the ‘The Mayor of castorbridge’ of Thomas hardy .His rise and fall and his ego about his wealth which ultimately leads to his doom are depicted in very convincing manner. He has a wife ‘Menoka’ is the central character of this novel. After living with her for eleven years, he decides to marry again another woman ‘Kiran’. The disastrous consequences shatter his family life and the lives of people around him. His eldest son Indro tries to find his own path, wants to heal the wounds of yesteryears, but fails miserably. The story repeats in itself.

Menoka tries to reason with her conscience the un -pardonable fault of Mohikanto and finds a new way of life to take revenge on him. The story explores the stubbornness of her character and her ways of controlling the people around her. Mohikanto shifts his residence to a new place.His second wife develops mental illness and his life moves from one catastrophe to another. Even the attempt of Indro to treat his step mother in Kolkota turns in vain.

The novel depicts the customs, the relations and the under currents of village life in Assam.It is a novel worth reading