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“Watchers of the Sky”
-Story adapted from Alfred Noyes epic verse trilogy “The Torch Bearers”
Hundreds of moons ago, on an island faraway, near Elsinore, lived Tycho Brahe the astronomer. The island was a gift from his benevolent king to do the work he’d dreamt of all his life. There, on his island, for twenty five years. he toiled every night, watching the skies and recording star upon star. Alas, the benevolent king passed on and the new king was poisoned by his courtiers against Tycho. His officers marched onto the island and knocked on his door.
“For twenty five years you’ve been draining the king’s treasury, doing the same thing night after night, with nothing to show for it,” they said. “But I’ve been watching the skies!” said Tycho and then showed them his tables of the stars. Seven hundred of them, each noted in its place with exquisite precision. “And is this all?” they said. “Not all, I hope,” said Tycho, “for I think, before I die, I shall have marked a thousand.” “To what end” said the officers. “Show us its uses”. For these were men who could not understand. “In time to come,” said Tycho Brahe, “long after we are gone, someone someday will discover the meaning of the universe and I would have saved them 25 years of labour so they can begin where I leave off”…..
Centuries later, astronomers used Tycho Brahe’s star charts to find their way to the moon.
People have memories. These memories are at the very heart of stories that bear witness to lives with intangible wisdom and heritage to pass on. But someday, the stories and their story tellers will disappear.
The River Project/Nodi Prokolpo is “A Peoples’ Biography of Rivers” of North East India. It is an attempt to record stories passed down through oral retellings, music, drama, customary rituals, dance and sound. We are guided by story tellers who have been watching the skies for many decades. Like Tycho, they are the true watchers of the sky, unseen and unheard, toiling away at recording valuable histories of their own past, present and future. We are a collaboration of people as diverse as the stars in the sky.
Artists, storytellers, fisherfolk, boatmen, pastoralists, farmers from riverine communities come together to share their collective histories in their own voices. Together we record them down through new forms of story telling. So that in years to come, someone else can begin where they leave off…..
© 2021-present The River Project, All Rights Reserved
VANDANA MENON
I’ve always lived between two worlds. The first one is reality which is complex and at times dark. The second one I inhabit is the rich world of stories. To paraphrase Godard, stories give reality some form. The characters in books, cinema, music, dance and drama proved to be incredible teachers.
Over the past decade and a half, I have been privileged to be able to bring both my worlds together. Through collaborations with film makers, playwrights, dancers, musicians and software engineers, I found a way to tell stories through different mediums instead of limiting myself to one. I was able to give reality and its senselessness some form.
Traveling far and wide, in India and abroad, has been a sublime journey so far. Stories have now brought me here, to the North East and its many rivers. I will always be grateful to the storytellers who open up their hearts and homes for me. They help me find the extraordinary in the ordinary. And so, The River Project adds a new chapter to my story. For, in the end, stories make all of us who we are, not the other way around.
DEBASHISH NANDI
I grew up in a small town called North Lakhimpur in Assam. I moved to Tezpur to do my degree where I met the Brahmaputra River in all its glory. I spent most of my mornings and evenings photographing it. I didn’t understand my obsession of photographing the same river and people over and over again. Gradually, I realised that I was building a relationship with the river. Ever since then I wanted to do something with the river and its people although I didn’t know in what form.
Growing up in Assam meant, there has always been in me a fear: a fear of water and death. Then Morisika: The Story of the Boatman took shape and took me on a journey. A journey which transformed this fear into love. Love for the river and the many stories it holds which have gone unheard. I feel honoured and excited to be a part of The River Project and to be able to tell more stories of our land.
GAURAB TALUKDAR
I am a storyteller, an observer of life and a birdwatcher from Assam, India. From the moment I could walk, I found solace and inspiration in the embrace of Mother Nature. Growing up amidst the rustling paddy fields, the ever flowing river Kopili and the enchanting forests, I found my playground in nature chasing birds and butterflies- learning the secrets of the natural world.
I did my masters in economics. Simultaneously I volunteered at a grassroots organisation in human elephant conflict mitigation. That’s when I started taking photos; to document not just the beauty of nature, but the stories of people too. I learnt that there is a symbiotic relationship between humans and their environment.
I embarked on a new chapter of my life for it was at the Green Hub that I found a home for my creative spirit. I immersed myself in the art of filmmaking and delved deeper into the interconnected worlds of conservation, storytelling and community engagement. For me, storytelling is not just a profession; it is a calling, a sacred duty to give voice to the voiceless and shine a light on the wonders of the natural world. Through the visual medium, I seek to bridge the gap between people and nature, fostering empathy, understanding, and action towards conservation.
I believe that storytelling has the power to ignite change, to inspire reverence for our natural heritage and to preserve indigenous knowledge for generations to come. Thus, with The River Project we will be able explore stories and possibilities around rivers and lives connected with rivers, for ourselves as much as for future generations.
ARGHADEEP BARUA
I am a storyteller from Assam. Born and raised by the banks of Gadadhar, Gauripur, I was privileged to experience the cultural diversity and harmony of our region from a very young age. Storytelling has been an integral part of our upbringing be it in the form of grandma’s lullabies or baba’s lunchtime or bedtime stories.
The decision to take up storytelling seriously happened once I completed my Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism and joined Greenhub for its year long fellowship. It exposed me to a lot of new ideas and people. One of the key ones being the role of filmmaking in conservation. I had amazing mentors who collectively shaped my storytelling journey. After graduating, I went to Delhi to assist Nitin Das sir in his documentary film, ‘India’s Healing Forest’.
Then, Aamis happened. Aamis helped me grow as an artist and I got an opportunity to work in more films such as Emuthi Puthi, Guwahati Diaries, Mur xekh gaan, etc. With each project my hunger as an artist grew and with it my roles kept changing from actor to writer to cinematographer. But, I do truly feel I am just a humble student who still has a lot to learn.
Along with my quest to learn and unlearn the art of storytelling through films, I kept doing music. Music has always been fuel for my soul. My band Bottle Rockets India helps me in my search to find new melodies.
Currently Gaurab, Seemanta and I are trying to grow a production company called Broadleaf with the aim to produce films and curate mindful journeys in the North East.
I have known Debashish from the Greenhub days and his work always inspired me. So there were no second thoughts about collaborating on Morisika with Vandana and him. It has been a fantastic journey. A journey that gave me a chance to get closer to my family and for which I will be forever grateful to The River Project. It has helped rekindle the child inside.
I have always wanted to erase the gap between fiction and nonfiction in films, and I am still trying to figure it out. With Nodi Prokolpo, I wish to keep my search alive. The spirit of being a fellow voyager will be cherished forever.
DHAN BAHADUR PRADHAN
I grew up in the jungles on char-chaporis that dot the Siang, Dibang and Luit in the upper reaches of Assam. I grew up in a Khuti (cattle camp) and I’m still here. The river and the natural world are a part of me and I am a part of them.
When I was young, it was tradition that at night, we’d gather by the fireside and listen to stories by our elders. So stories have a special place in my heart.
Things are no longer the same. The grasslands, the forests, the fish in the rivers are all disappearing. The river is life giving and that is also changing. Khutis are slowly vanishing. In Upper Assam, I am probably one of the last few pastoralists still living a life from a different time. Through Nodi Prokolpo, I’d like to share what I know of the forests and rivers. I also hope that I can tell the story of my people and our way of life. So that future generations will know that we were once here and this is how we lived.
JEEB DAS
I was born and brought up in Tezpur. I went to school and college right here.
We belong to a fishing community known as the Kaibortas in Kolibari, which is by the river Brahmaputra. I am in the fishery business. I have done farming and served in tea plantations. I have also been involved in the tourism sector.
From when I was a child, I was fond of the outdoors and wilderness. I am a nature lover and an avid wildlife enthusiast. I’m interested in the history and folklore of my place. Stories of the bygone era which people have lost touch with. It would be great to revive them for the new generation and open new avenues for going back to our roots.
The Brahmaputra holds a very special place in my heart and I consider myself very fortunate to have lived by its side. For me it’s a living identity, a source of life and abundance. Over the years a lot has changed. It is no longer the same river. It makes me sad to see the river stripped of it’s grandeur and life. If this continues the Brahmaputra will eventually cease to exist oneday.
It’s time to take a call and save what is left of our life source, to ensure that it flows endlessly for generations to come. It is upto to us to decide whether we live with the river or without it.
Storyteller- Jeeb Das
31st January 2022, Kolibari Fishing Village, Tezpur
Sessa and Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh connect to Nameri National Park and Kolibari in Assam by the banks of the Brahmaputra. This connection forms an animal corridor. Wildlife often use the Nameri river to cross the border of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The year 2024 was a year of unprecedented incidents of extreme weather globally. The North East witnessed flash floods, landslides and heatwaves that broke previous records. Climate change is upon us. A People’s biography of rivers is incomplete without the telling of these events. These stories now hold an important place in the environmental history of this region. As the world grapples to adapt and survive in a new normal, our story tellers chart a course of resilience, adaptability and hope.
A year of extreme weather. Never before has there been such an urgency to understanding climate adaptability and resilience.
So as always, a story to teach us old ways for a brave new world.
Way before there were concrete monoliths holding civilisations upright, traditional hanging bridges over ferocious rivers were used by indigenous communities.
In many parts of the North East, they continue to build and use them. The Lepchas of Dzongu, Sikkim are one such community.
With virtually no news of Dzongu, the Lepchas had taken to social media to report on the damage.
Since then, different villages have mobilised to start cleaning up landslides, build a zip line for essential supplies and a foot bridge to Mangan. The people of Dzongu look after their own, together, as one…very much as they did in October 2023 after the Chungthang dam burst.
It finally stopped raining on 21st June 2024 which gave them some respite.
Storyteller- Bokul Saikia Das
22nd May 2022, Kolibari Fishing Village
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala was a noted Indian playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and filmmaker from Assam. Sonitkowari was his first play written when he was just fourteen years old.
Food; a need as basic for survival as the air we breathe and the water we drink. Cooking; a practice passed down through generations that holds cultural and political significance. Our story tellers in their infinite wisdom, teach us how to transform the elements of nature into something good to eat. They take us back to the basics: to cook with what is available, to cook with fire, water, air and earth.
Storyteller- Nilakanta Das
The story of Jamadagni, Parshurama and Renuka transcends borders and gender. This is the version told in the North East. Parshurama Kund in Arunachal Pradesh on the Luit River (Blood red in Assamese) is a religious site for Hindus. It is believed that one can wash their sins away at this site.
Storytellers- Prabir Barua, Bablu Chandra Roy & Arghadeep Barua
Dotara, literally mean two strings. Although the Dotara in Goalporia Lokgeet has four strings, it is called thus because the four form a pair each of equal pitch.
A unique feature of this instrument is that it is made differently to accompany male or female voices. The male one has lower notes than the female one. The body of the Dotara used to be made of the skin of monitor lizards but now it is made of goat skin. Hard wood has replaced buffalo horn for the plectrum.
Bablu Chandra Roy continues to craft these instruments by hand and also holds workshops for those interested.
Storyteller and Vocals- Mohan Das
21st July 2022, Brahmaputra River
Before the advent of radio and television, companies would hire men who would travel around, more often than not dressed up in costumes and sing songs. These were the very first versions of advertising jingles in this country.
Caution- Cigarette smoking is injurious to health.
Storyteller- Jeeb Das
27th January 2023, Kolibari Fishing Village
Bhupen Hazarika (8th September 1926 to 5th November 2011)
Bhupen Hazarika, musician, journalist, writer, politician, and so much more was born in Sadiya; a small town by the banks of the river Brahmaputra. He documented momentous happenings in the land of his beloved Luit, as he always called this vast river, the Brahmaputra. His songs and writings appealed to the masses.
He was fondly referred to as the ‘Bard of the Brahmaputra’.
Storyteller- Bokul Saikia Das
22nd May 2022, Kolibari Fishing Village, Tezpur
The Indo-China war was an armed conflict between India and China between October & November 1962. The war took place primarily in Arunachal Pradesh then known as the North East Frontier Agency or NEFA in the high Himalayan passes of Se La. & Bomdi La.
The 1962 war resonates in the song Koto Juwanor Mrityu written by Assams favourite bard Bhupen Hazarika.The song speaks of war as a waste it always is. A waste of human lives, the promise of an entire nation being ravaged senselessly. For the people of Assam, and what is now Arunachal Pradesh, this song embodies the reality of a war that was fought at their doorstep.
When we look at a river, it might look all the same. On the surface, a steady flow of water and currents beneath, some parts rocky, some sandy. But for the people who live by or on it, see something different. They say, ‘this is my river’. A river that has shaped lives, morphed stories, witnessed history by flowing through different lands, hearts and minds.
Each video here is a representation of someone’s river.
So what does your river look like? Wouldn’t you also like to share with us?
Vocals: Mohan Das
21st July 2022, Brahmaputra River
Many often, songs of the river were passed down orally through generations. Paar Kori Diya is one such song passed down from Mohan Das’s mother to him. The song is a melancholic lament of a lover asking the boatman to not cross the treacherous river.
During World War 2, Tezpur, by the banks of the Brahmaputra in Assam, was the western terminus of an Allied airlift to Kunming, China, over the “hump” of the Himalayas in the China–Burma (Myanmar)–India theatre of war.
Storyteller- Bokul Saikia Das
22nd May 2022, Kolibari Fishing Village, Tezpur
Gangaram Das, husband to Bokul Saikia Das and father to Jeeb Das was instrumental in shaping the identity of contemporary Kolibari fishing village. He ran a Mohaldari (fishery business) from Kolibari. A compassionate man, his stories are legendary in the locality.
During the Indo-China war in 1962, the Chinese army crossed over from Arunachal Pradesh and were at the gates of Tezpur. There was mass panic and the army, government officials evacuated. The gates of the prison were thrown open and the people of Tezpur were told to leave as soon as possible.
Storyteller- Bokul Saikia Das & Jeeb Das
22nd May 2022 and 27th January 2023, Kolibari Fishing Village, Tezpur
In 1959, when the Chinese invaded Tibet, His Holiness The Dalai Lama escaped and made his way through the snowy mountain passes to reach Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. From there, he and many Tibetan refugees poured in through Tawang and other routes into the Brahmaputra Valley. Shelter was a priority and the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) officials arranged transport for women, children and the disabled, and built temporary transit camps along the road. The Missamari transit camp in Sonitpur district close to Tezpur became a temporary place of refuge.
Storyteller & Boatmaker- Mohan Das
May 2022, Kolibari Fishing Village
When the rains come and the river swells, currents become treacherous, the fisherfolk along the banks of the Brahmaputra take pause. Unable to go into the river, they work on their boats, fixing old ones, building new ones.
The river has for centuries been used to navigate especially to parts of Assam where roads do not exist. Boats have been crucial for survival, allowing them to tame a moody river. Boat making therefore is a specialised craft. Boats were always made from trees that were sourced locally. Long hollowed trees were used to construct different kinds of boats used for different purposes. In the past few decades, this skill is slowly disappearing and will soon exist only in memories.