Sapatgram College

Now I had to see Sapatgram College with my own eyes. I had heard of this place as it was the home town of the Assistant Headmaster of my school. Mr Monoranjan Bhattacharji left for this place after he retired. I had to see what was the impact of the ongoing agitation, spearheaded by the All Assam Students Union, in this place. On my return from Shillong on way to Tukrajhar I paid a visit to Sapatgram. It was a small place. I met the Principal-in-Charge, Mr Shakti Mukherji (I am not too sure of the name) who took me to a PWD Inspection Bunglow (IB). I had never been to an IB before. I wasn’t sure if I could pay the rent. I wasn’t carrying enough money. So, I thought I might have to take a loan from the principal, that means I was already stuck in Sapatgram. A mild Hindu-Muslim prevailed there. Hindus mostly lived on one side of the railway tack while Muslims lived on the other. I had chosen the date in such a way that the next day happened to be general strike (Bandh) called by the said Students’ Union. The Principal later took me the President of the Governing Body, who happened to be a timber merchant. In the evening he took me to a pharmacy owned by Dr Kar, who happened to be the uncle of a classmate of mine. There I met some teachers of the college. A heated discussion was going on. A teacher of Bengali used to teach English in the absence of an English teacher. A student had gone to watch the ASIAD Games in Delhi. After his return he entered the class with a tie round his neck. He was asked to leave the class by this teacher. I was unnerved. I was wont to wearing a tie and also preferred a coat at my back. Would I also be not allowed inside the class? Everything else was fine though. The next day was the ‘bandh’. I went to the college a met lot of other people. The ‘bandh’ had an effect – mostly in the outskirts though. I stayed two nights there. When I was about to leave in the morning I asked the attendant how much I had to pay. He talked of a register to be signed. When it was brought I repeated my question I got an answer by thought I hadn’t heard it properly. So once again I repeated my question and got the same answer. Disbelieving I gave him a five rupee note. The attendant said he didn’t have the change. I was too happy to ask him to keep the change. My room rent was one rupee a day. Of course I had spent for the food separately. Even the food he used to bring was plenty – most of it had to be returned. At last I returned to Tukrajhar not to return to Sapatgram again. I was not happy about the ‘bandh’ situation. I preferred joining Assam Rifles Public School in Shillong