A small girl admired by seeing the beautiful creation of the
world, the flowers, the stars, the sky, the mountains, hills
full of plants and the herbs, the birds flying with cheer in
greenery earth said he above few lines spontaneously one day.
Born in a conservative Muslim society the girl grew up
cheerfully overcoming many obstacles, illuminating life with
knowledge, became the prominent lady writer whose name is
Shakina Khatun.
The forefathers of Shakina Khatun belonged to the
district of Moimon Singh, East Bengal. Her grandfather was
Late Hukum Ali Sikdar and grandmother as Late Amina Khatun.
Daraj Ali Sikdar was the eldest son of Amina Khatun amongst
her five son. He took the title of Sarkar instead of his
father title Sikdar. During the time of his schooling his
fathr died and facing some disaster they came to Assam for
livelihood. After coming to Assam, they lived in a forest land
cleared by them. The land is situated at the Western part of
Hauli Subdivision, of Kamrup district. They named the village
as Raipr, Late Daraj Ali was married to a girl named Sarbot
Bhanu. Sarbot Bhanu�s father was Mahmad Munchi and mother was
Nasrin Nesa. Reading up to Middle English school in Bengali
medium, Sarbot was a good singer of Gazal and Zikir. As she
was childless for a long time from marriage, her husband was
bound to marry second one. But fortunately after few years
Sarbot gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Amongst
them one was Shakina.
In the year 1935, on 13th August,
Sarbot Bhanu gave birth to Shakina whose nickname was Subha.
She was named as Shakina by the Moulobi when she was admitted
to the school. Shakina got her preliminary education at home
from her mother. After that she was admitted to primary
education. After primary education she was admitted to the
Hauli High School. At that time a Muslim girl going to the
school for reading was a shameful matter in the society. So
Shakina had to face some obstacles to do so. She was the only
Muslim girl to go to school for reading. She had to carry
table and chair to the school for sitting. Moreover she had to
listen some unbearable discussions for which she sometimes
decides to leave the school. But her father, against the
conservative society, a dynamic person consoled her to consume
the insults and inspired her for continuous reading. Her
father said to her that, �You are the person that show the ray
of light for changing the society. There will be a day, when
every girl forward equally with the boys. Now the society is
ignorant of the education.� Thus she was braved and inspired
by her father.
Accidentally one day her table and chair were broken
by somebody and she gave up school as a token of sorrow. She
started reading at home and in 1949, she passed Matriculation
examination under Gauhati University at the age of 14. It gave
a great jerk in Muslim society. It was known that in Borpeta
sub division, Khatun was the first Muslim girl to pass the
Matriculation.
The ex- President of India, Fakaruddin Ali Ahmed,
was a close friend of her father. As both were politicians, so
they were political friends and worked for the Congress Party.
As a result of friendship Ahmed often visited her Raipur house
and after getting the information of her success in
matriculation examination, he wrote a letter in English to her
with a valuable note. In his valuable advice one of the
important lines was:
�Tumar ai siksha jen mathu tumar babei nahai, ai siksha
samastha musalman samajar narir babe adarshar swarup hoi.�
Your education is not for you only, let it be an example for
all Muslim women. After Matriculation, she was admitted to
Handique Girl�s College for higher studies and for that she
had to to stay in Satribari �White Memorial� hostel As that
time there was no separate hostels for girls, so students of
different colleges like Cotton College, Handique Girls�
College
etc. were living together in that very hostel, and so the
Hostel Superintend on the first day of her coming announced in
the evening prayer that � �Only one Muslim girl has come to
our hostel. This is our luck, be kind to her.� Fortunately
eminent writer Alimoon Nesa also lived in that very hostel.
Moreover she met Dr. Lakhyahira Das, their outstanding singer
Sudaksheena Sarma, Pranita Talukdar, Hiarnyamoyee Devi and so
many as seniors. But unfortunately, she had to leave the
hostel with sorrow as the Hindu-Muslim communal cash broke out
all over the country. In that very time the houses of her
families were pu in fie and they had to leave the place (Raipur)
and settled at Hawali of Barpeta District. She starts ro read
and write there alone with great courage. As she became a
matured girl her father was discussing about her marriage. But
she could not make herself ready to do so, because she was
afraid of the Muslim society�s atrocities towards the in-laws
of Muslim families.
But no one can change the fate of any body. Accidentally one day her father met a young man named Saifuddin
Ahmeed. He was the son of local Assamese Muslim Late
Jllaluddin Ahmed of Barpeta. Jallauddin worked as Maharin at
Barpeta court. He had seven children out of whom Saifuddin was
the third one. He was not a Government employee, but earned
many properties through business and contacts. Though he was
in literature, loved songs, finally he lost interest in these
things and wasted money in parties with his other friends.
Khatun was disappointed with these works of her husband and
out of distress she had to leave her husband in 1961 along
with her girl child Saniara (Smriti) She had to manage a job
at Hauli High school, and took a rented house to live in. In
the mean time, her husband married a second wife and her
married life turned to be a miserable one. But as she was so
brave, she could not break down and tried hard to bring up her
child expert in reading, writing, singing, acting and
literature also. She had forgotten her sorrows in her child�s
success. Saniara gave her identity as a talented girl from
early age of life and accordingly scored first class in M.A.
Final Examination with Assamese as her subject. Khatun also
arranged her daughter�s marriage with a educated groom of Madhya
Pradesh without dowry. Saniara�s husband�s name was Muhit Khan,
a master degree holder, doing job in a medical company. They
are happy with two children.
Though Shakina was not happy in her married life,
she did not worry about it. She took pen an paper as her
ornament and proceeded her life with them with great
courage,. She was a lover of nature since her childhood and
admiring nature she sings like that �
�Seujia
Suwani tumi
Nam
tumar Asami-
Bhal pao
tumak moi-
Tomakno
pao kenekoi?
All her poems related to the nature collected in her poetic
book �Kuhipator Sapun� and �Silpir Sapun�. Similarly many
questions were arising in her young age as a result of her
curiosity she write like this �
� Kio
Korile Sristi
Ai
prithibi
Kio
brihot eman
Ai
Sristi?�
But after all she found that Almighty is the Power for the
creation of the world and as such she says that
�Hai Sristikarta tumiye biraji asa
Mayabi Bishwar sristi probahot
Tumar rupar sikha jolise sadai
Akash patal aru seuji dharat�
Facing many obstacles in her life, including the superstitious
beliefs and rules of society basically negligence towards the
life of woman, her mind became a protesting one and as such
she writes like that �
�Hei asikhita bhani jagi ootha.
Akeloge kio thakibanu bohi,
Thakiba aru kiman din,
Kar much sai
Gabhir andhar sahi?�
Sakina also wrote in Bengali. She wrote a Bengali book
named �Mon badhe ke.� But the book was missing after giving its
proof for printing. Practically from 50th century,
her writings were published in magazines, newspapers and
bulletins. Another novel of her, �Udash Prithivi� was also
missing, but fortunately it was found and given to the press
for printing. Her first printed novel was �Keron� published in
1996. Normally we found the social problems, circumstances in
writer�s stories. She was fully successful to reflect the
society in her writings. In her view, for a peaceful human
society there must be a cooperation, tolerance, patience,
courage, deep thinking and research amongst men and women of
the society. Without these, life and society will be paralysed.
�Sanghat� a story belongs to �Keron� is a valued tragic story
where writer depicts how a Bodo woman �Ulupi� shared her
sorrow with her neighbour Amina and and Anima and discussed
with them the social discrimination that took place during the
time.
Similarly, in her story, �Keron� the writer
describes the difference between the rich and the poor, the
greediness towards property and its impact upon families which
make them in severe trouble. �Fatema� was the main role in her
story �Kerone�.
In the view of the literacy critics, literature is
the mirror of the society. So the prime duty of a literature
is to draw pictures of the society in his/her writings, so
that problems can be solved and evils can be eliminated. There
is no sign of imagination in her writings. She basically
writes about the problems of women.The degraded position of
woman in society, negligence are the issues of her novels.
�Silpir Sapun� another novel of the writer, is a high level
spiritual book related to the creation of God. How Adam and
Eve, the father of human being had fallen from the heaven by
eating fruit that was prohibited by God and suffered with so
many diseases, are described in her writings. She expressed
just like Sri Sri Madhab dev in Kirtan that-
� Tumi
Nitya Niranjan Narayan
Amio
Angsha tumaro.�
Similarly, she expressed in her poem like this-
�Khhana
janu nakara tumi
Tumar
Angahak?�
Again
she expressed in another poem like this-
�Tumi
jadi prakit silpi
Antahin
Kalpanar bhab.
�������������
������������..
Ashesh
dukh ashaya jantana
Bukut
saboti, manar ah
Pahari,
bisare tuamakei
Santi
paboloi.�
�Mon Nijara� is another book of Shakina Khatun. It is a book
of songs. In her songs she describes about the beauties of
nature, the Universe, the villages, the rivers, fountains,
etc. Moreover, she also describes about the evil activity of
woman that destroys the homes of people and as such she writes
like-
�O
Rupahi sora
Samratuhe boga
Naktuje
Khoraa.
Khoj
kahote bhori doliowa
Kothai
poti ooth kopua
�����������.
�����������
Gopote
thai nai,
Misate
ofandi mora.�
Again
she writes ironically like that
�Oh dhum
koli
Eshopa
rong ghohi ghohi
������������.
�����������..
Ghorai
laj pai
Hai
tumar song bong
Rupahi
huwar dhong.�
There is no man who does not love songs and flowers. People
who do not like it, is cruel minded man. Shakina obsessed with
songs, gets eternal peace in her broken heart. So her heart is
full of song and as such she composed many songs of her own.
Song
Sun sore
godhuli mon bhora gitali
Prakitir
chande chande
Bananir
randhre randhre
Jonakar
dewali.
��������������..
��������������
Kar sabi
othis rong dhari.�
Though her parents and family members were tolerant and
considerable, her father and mother in laws were not
considerate and she had to write at night time only. She was
very desperate and performed her duties with courage. Her
husband also give obstruction I her writings.
In 1985 her husband died. In the mean time, after 34 years of
service she got retirement in 1993 and make herself free to
write continuously, solely. She was also busy by doing hand
making objects like tailoring and embroidering clothe, etc.
Moreover, she was busy in school works, meetings like Barpeta
Zila Mahila Samittee, Lekhika Somaroh Samitee, Barpeta sahitya
Sabha, etc. She also gave free home treatment to the poor.
Khatun also translated a children story book.
�The folktales Of Punjabi� from Punajami named as �Pnjabor
Sadhu� in 1965. In 1976, she published a novel �Silpir Sapun�
and in 1979 �Jibanar Pat.� She published �Kahipator Saapun� In
1988.
In 1991, her published collection of songs �Mon Nijara� and In
19993, collection of stories called �Kerone�. Furthermore her
social novel is �Andhar Bhagi Jao� and collection of poems
�Atmar Nishabdha krondon are at press for printing. Shakina
Khatun�s stories, articles and poems are published in
different papers, journals like �Jagaron�, �Satpat� (from
Calcutta), �Bishwadut� (from Dhubri), �Sarathi� (from
Dibrugarh), �Amar Pratinidhi� (from Guwahati), �Abgunthikaa�,
�Lekhika�, �Sulekhika�, �Barpat�, �Borpith�,�Mejangkori� (from
Kamrup), etc.
She published some articles in �Agradoot� and �Azir
Asom�. The title of the articles were � �Bilasitar Dhout Manab
Jatir Kokbokani�, �Jubamanashikota Sudha Korar Dayeetwa kar?�,
�Madhyamik Starar Sikshanta parikahr tittinar har nimnagami
kio?�, �Nari Sangathanor Dayeetya� etc.In this way the write tries to promote the society and refects
her views to the world. In her opinion, the things, which are
universal, secular and integrated will be acceptable by every
one. We can see a mind having minute observation along with a
feeling of nationalism in her writings
During the time of Assam agitation she wrote an article named,
�Jui Jole Kio�? . The article gets a huge support from the
people and Barpeta student union published it like a
bulletin.
There are many articles which are yet to be published due to
lack of money. But she is waiting with hope and aspiration
that a day will come when all her writings will be published .
From the very young age Khatun had an inquisitive mind . So
she always asked herself why there are struggles, fear,
deprivation arises in society in society as well as in human
life. Why there are humanity and beastly nature goes side in
society. She was always in search of reason behind the
creation of world, and the nature. She also asked herself
about her past life and so writes like this-
�Ki palu jibanot
Hridoyor klanata sat bahi,
Hisabor par khuji moru
Ulati chao akow
Bishal atitoloi
Napaluwe ba ki?
Kolaguru Bishnuprasad Rabha in the preface of �Silpir Sapun�
said that he was admired by her language and advised her not
to be disheartened . He also advised her to give the real
picture of her imagination with the help of her pen.
Lastly, we are hopeful about her continuity in writing and
wishing her to make Assamese literature rich through her
writings . At the same time we wish her a healthy and peaceful
long life. God bless her all the way . We conclude the
biography of Shakina Khatun�s with a poem of her own-
