Interaction Interaction From Writer to Peace Maker Dr. Indira Goswami permanent. And for a permanent IG: Yes, it has definitely helped a lot in the solution she decided to start writing. On 14th November, 1942, on Children's upliftment of the state of woman. But at the Day, the birth day of first prime minister same time, my senses and experiences In her novel Ahiron and Chenabor Srota, of India-Pt.Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira made me to perceive a separate view she depicts the life and culture of Goswami was born in Guwahati. She did point on feminism. It is founded on the Madhya Pradesh and Kashmir, where her schooling in Pine Mount School, woman's thirst for freedom. It is basically her husband worked as an engineer. Her Shillong. She completed her studies the struggle for her rights and for teacher Upendra Chandra Lekharu from Cotton College, Guwahati with enhancement of better conditions for advised her to visit to Vrindavan for honours in Assamese Literature. herself. peace of mind. In Vrindavan she involved in research on Ramayana Indira Goswami, popularly known as 3. Have you ever affected by any criticism literature. Her experiences as a widow Mamoni Raisom Goswami in Assam, due to your brave style of writing or bring as well as a researcher finds expression showed literary talent in her early age. In social issues like sacrification in temple, in her novel The Blue Necked Braja 1. Your life is full of sorrow, from your early 1962, while being a student she the plights of plight of the Radheswamis of (Nilakanthi Braja), which is based on the age, from the time of your father's death published her first collection of short Vrindavan etc. into light? plight of the Radheswamis of Vrindavan you have been struggling and meeting the stories called Chinaki Morom. who live ordinary lives and save money harsh realities of life in the every step of IG: Where there is no criticism, there is no by sacrificing on their food so that they your life. Where did you get the inner In the literary circle, she is one of the growth. I believe that a compassionate can have a decent, ritualised cremation strength to fight against such ups and most excellent contemporary Indian criticism can do a lot of good to a writer. after their death. She exposed this hard downs of your life? writers. She is known for her fresh and But on the other hand, a critic can also realty of Vrindavan, the city of Lord original style of writing with novel issues. destroy a writer. A good criticism help a Krishna. It remains as a classic in Indian Indira Goswami (IG): When I was very Her literary contribution, mainly short writer his path, to make him more explicit Literature and the first novel to be written on this subject. young, my father died. My husband left for stories and novels set in different locales and touching. I have been personally heavenly just after eighteen months of our of India, offer her readers a real taste of benefited by the criticisms of some of the From tough issues of urban and rural marriage. In my autobiography- different lives of India. In her works, the great contemporary Indian writers. lives, the harsh lives of animals, and the Adhalekha Dastaveja (Unfinished way of expressing anger or indignation plight of widows in Vrindavan and other Autobiography) I candidly mentioned at forced rituals and oppressive social 4. As a writer you portray the socio- parts of the country, Goswami displays about my state of mind after life being customs is very delicate and well economic issues of our society in a great empathy and compassion. In fact completely ruined. It developed suicidal guarded. creative way. How do you assess your readers find her confidence, courage tendency in the early part of my life. But as responsibility as a writer? and determination in reflecting the I grew up I realized that life is stressful, She lost her father in very early age. And social-evils of different places of India. solitary and directionless and I to have the death of husband just after eighteen IG: A writer always tries to portray the real fight against all odds. I decided to start months of marriage, her life was image of the society. For this he has to Dr Goswami's voluminous works on the writing to make myself alive. And it c o m p l e t e l y s h a t t e r e d . I n h e r keep his eyes and ears open. He must Assamese and Hindi Ramayanas have became my inner strength to fight against autobiography- Adhalekha Dastaveja protest against the evil forces. In the same won her many laurels including the all ups and downs of my life. (Unfinished Autobiography translated time, he should praise the society for all International Tulsi Award, 1999, given by into English by Prafulla Kataki), she constructive efforts. I always try to fit Florida International University, Miami. mentions about her growing suicidal 2 . Yo u a r e a w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d myself in the mentioned role. For her critically acclaimed novel- tendency during the early part of her life. contemporary Indian female writer. Do you Mamare Dhara Tarwal, she received the She also mentioned about the regular think that the rise of the concept of 5. You have been playing the role of key Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983. Her doses of sleeping tablets which she feminism has helped in the overall mediator between ULFA and the Central other widely read novels are Dontal Hatir used to consume to keep herself alive. development of women? Government. From writer to mediator, Une Khowda Howda, and Tej aru Dhulire But effect of sleeping tablets was not what made you to make this transition? Dhusarita Prshtha. 22 Vol 2 No. 1 July - Sept 2008 23 Vol 2 No. 1 July - Sept 2008.