In ‘Glimpses of my past courtesy Covid’ the first part of my discussion was about my forefathers. Now, I want to go into my own voyage. I have mentioned earlier that I was 17-18 years younger to my elder sibling. As per my knowledge I was born on 3rd January 1945.
HAATE-KHORI: Beginning of Education
The vast areas of Kurmali settlements were devoid of schools till India achieved independence. This is because the world of Kurmali people was surrounded only by mud and cow dung as they were mostly agrarian. So wherever they settled they would make the area fertile for agriculture but due to lack of awareness would not give emphasis on cultivating the mind. On the other hand it can be seen that if a village had a few educated Bengali or other settlers, with their own effort they would definitely establish at least a school for imparting education to the younger ones. So it was found that immediately after the independence the educated class started establishing schools. A few Brahmin (Banerjee and Deogharia Brahmins) families settled in Pithajhore village. These people with their own initiative established a pre-primary school named Pithajhore Pre-Primary School just after the independence. It goes without saying that at the tender age of 6 or 7 around 1950-51 this school gave me my Haate-Khori [literally Chalk in hand; it is a ceremony where a young one is taught to write by an educated person in a black slate with a white chalk which marks the beginning of education.]
The school was armed with two teachers. The Head master was Nakul Banerjee who used to live in the Pithajhore hamlet and was known to everybody as ‘Baro Pandit’ [meaning Elder Teacher] and an assistant teacher Gour Das who used to live in a nearby village and was known as Chutu Pandit [meaning younger teacher] . I can still recollect those days when at the very beginning of the class we had to recite the now dysfunctional indigenous system of measurements loudly from a book called Dharapath and those who were unable to do so would receive punishments which could range from a twist in the ear, or twisting the navel area with the help of a pencil, even a tight slap or whipping as the final one. I remember that our school was nothing more than a single roomed mud hut with thatched roof. So on every Saturday all the students used to collect cow dung from nearby playground and used to clean the room. After this activity the teacher used to call it a day. By the way, let me mention it that whatever may be the weather, I used to reach the school by 10 to 10:30 am daily. We were devoid of watches so there was a native way to map time. Let me elaborate the process, I use to stand in opposite direction of the sun so my shadow will be in my front, now I use to measure the shadow of my foot and used to count. It was generally 8 to 10 steps which would give me a fair idea of time. I used to carry a slate and few torn books which were tied by an equally torn cloth and a jute sac which was used as a mat. A half pant and sometimes an unwashed half sleeve shirt was my uniform coupled with barefoot with which I used to walk around a mile to the school crossing a Bohal (low paddy field) . In 1953-54 my studies in this school came to an end as it was only up to third standard. My age was 10-11 so I was the youngest member in the class as others were 2-3 years senior. So naturally I had to be simple and docile.
Upper Primary Education: IRGA Primary School
In 1954, I was admitted to IRGA upper primary school in fourth standard. This school was about three miles from my abode. In this school I had the same uniform and luggage as of my old school, the only change was the slate now being replaced with copies. This school was a bit far so I used to cross the Bakjhore river, two broad playgrounds and a Bohal to reach the school. I still remember those days when innumerable times I used to chase and throw stones to scavengers like jackals, vulture and dogs roaming around the crematorium near Bakhjhore river. In the monsoon, I used to play in the river with my fellow school mates during high tide.
My Days in MALJHORE Junior High
After completing my education up to fifth standard from IRGA Upper Primary School I moved to another far off school which was in southern side of my village. This school was around 5-6 miles far from my dwelling and was established in a Durga Mandir premises. This school was named as Maljhore Junior High English (Proposed) School. There was a forest named ‘Dudhpaniaak jungle’ which stood between the school and Pithajore village. There was a mango tree named Ghorantanga mango tree in the south east corner of the forest which I have mentioned earlier. We were the first batch from this school who qualified seventh standard in 1958.
A Year in Udaipur School
In 1958, I enrolled in Udaipur Junior High School for further studies. The school was around eight miles to the north of Pithajhore; after overcoming many hardships I was successful in passing my Eighth standard examination in 1959.
The Final Days of My School
In 1959, I took admission in Shib Narayan High English School located under Para Police Station at a distance of about 10 miles from Pithajhore. My maternal uncle used to stay in Rangamatiya, a village in the northern side of Pithajhore. I stayed mostly in my maternal uncle’s house and used to continue my schooling from there as it was seven miles from my school and also due to financial stress in the family. It was a joint family; there were 5-6 of my cousins who were also studying in different schools. I accompanied a group of 10-12 boys who used to march from the Rangamatiya to Para but in the monsoons when the Harai river overflowed, we used to miss the school. I stayed in hostel for the final year and thus battling difficulties I cleared my school final examination.
Stop-Gap for University Entrance
I was admitted in J.K. College of Purulia town from where I completed my University Entrance Examination (one year programme) in 1962-63.
Degree from Dhanbad
My elder brother was working in Dhanbad Civil Court when I qualified my U.E.C. He took the initiative to admit me in 3 year degree course in P.K. Roy College in Dhanbad. But my brother used to live in the quarters of Bhuli Township which was around 6-7 miles away from Dhanbad Civil Court. The distance between my college and brother’s quarter was about 10 miles, so mostly I had to walk along the Gumo-Dhanbad railway line to reach my college, I can still recollect those days. While I was in final year my elder brother shifted to Hirapur Quarter in Dhanbad which reduced my misery and I could complete my college. I obtained a Second Class Degree in B.A. (Honours) in Bengali in the year 1966.
Disasters in Life
Let me refer in this context that in 1964 after the demise of the family elders who were of my grandfather’s generation, the family split and caesed more economic distress. My father and two uncles also got separated. In these tough times my father who was of 64-65 years got the charge of cultivating our lands. So I used to help my father whenever I had holidays. My father was unable to undertake heavy toil required for agricultural work so most of it was dependent on male labourers who use work on daily wages. The amount of agricultural produce was mostly utilised as food and payment of male labourers who used to work on yearly contract and on female daily labourers who used to look after the implantation of paddy, safe transportation of paddy to my house and then extracting the paddy from paddy straw using a native technique. I have experienced this myself that when father ran out of cash, he used to collect money from the village money lender in which the contract was that, with the principal amount a certain quantity of paddy which was arbitrary in nature was to be given, this is called as 'Dhansud' in our colloquial tongue. This is a brief note about the conditions of my family in the village.
On the other hand the financial conditions of my elder brother working in Dhanbad Civil Court was not sound but sustainable which I have felt myself because we were nine members living together. My elder brother and my sister-in-law, their five children along with my younger brother Giridhari and I were all dependent on my elder brother’s income. Other than the expense of education for my nephews and nieces, my brother also bore mine and of Giridhari. My brother also enrolled himself in B.A. programme in P.K.Roy College (Evening) and paid the course fees.    
Post Patna: Mahata Becomes Master of Arts
I left the dream of higher education due to the disastrous economic situation of my family. In course of time when father came to know that I have ambitions of studying higher he took a pause and agreed with a smile. This is because he also carried my grandfather’s DNA who also had a knack for education and when I told him about the financial condition which was preventing me from doing my M.A., he assured me, ’Just a two year study, I will manage that.’
I took admission in the Department of Bengali language and literature of Patna University for 1966-68 session. Our classes were held in Darbhanga Building which was located beside the Ganges in South of Patna Science College. During free time on the riverside I used to have a chit chat with my friends. Being a villager I had the habit of swimming in rivers and dams, as I used to bath in the Ganges often and swam occasionally. Everything seems fairytale now. The University hostel was my residence during my postgraduate years.
I can still recall the maiden day of my M.A. class which aroused mixed emotions in me. Being the son of a poor farmer I was doing post-graduation which overwhelmed me with happiness. The famous linguist Dr. Satyadrenath Ghosal was our Head of the Department. He gave a brief academic lecture, welcomed and wished us for days ahead. Really my heart was saturated with joy but after the class when I came in the porch I saw 5 to 6 students of my class peeping at me. I was unaware of their behaviour, later my friend Bhutnath Das, who was also from Dhanbad College, told me that my rural background plus my dull and poverty stricken clothes was the reason of their mockery. In Dhanbad College my dress was a Chinese Shirt, a pyjama and a pair of slippers, so for my inaugural day at Patna University I came wearing those outfits. I could never forget that day when I was looked down upon by these elitist students of Patna. But on the advice of Bhutnath Das, a shirt along with a full pant was my dress now. Let bygones be bygones.
Now, I want to conclude the discussion about the journey of my education with a brief note. While I was doing my post-graduation in Patna, a boy named Shiraz Ahmed became my friend who was from Rampurhat, Birbhum. He was then studying B.L.(Bachelor of Law) in Patna Law College along with M.A. The classes were held in the evening. So following the footsteps of Shiraz Ahmed I also enrolled for the course. The monthly fees for M.A. and B.L. were 12.5 rupees and 15 rupees respectively. I also had other expenses like the hostel fee, groceries, stationeries as well as my visits in the village during vacations. Truly speaking, I had to run on a tight budget in Patna due to financial problems in my family. I also had a diary where I used to record the expenses on a daily basis. If I try even today I think a torn page of that diary could be found. My monthly expense was between 125 rupees and 150 rupees. During the period of 1966-68 a merit-cum-poverty scholarship was awarded to me by Ranchi University which was of 50 rupees. In addition to it my elder brother also provided the lion’s share of the remaining 100 rupees. Moreover my father also contributed by borrowing money from the village money lender. In addition to it I gave tuitions in the house of Mrs. L.K.Ghosh who was a Professor of our department and was famous among students by the name of ‘MASIMAA’. In 1969, my arduous journey for education reached its climax when I received by M.A. (second class) and B.L. degrees. Frankly speaking my grandchildren get amazed when they hear about my past impecunious life. The present generation, equipped with internet and modern gadgetry, thinks about my bygone reality as some kind of a fiction which is quite normal. This is called generation gap which cannot be brigded.
Life As a Lawyer: My Professional Life Begins
In 1971, my professional life began as a junior lawyer in Dhanbad Civil Court under the aegis of renowned politician and lawyer Binod Bihari Mahto who was famous as ‘Binod Babu’ among people irrespective of caste, creed and religion. After practising for 4 years in Dhanbad Civil Court, I started practising in Purulia Court in 1975 which was 15 miles from my residence so that my aged parents could be taken care of as the burden of the household would be mine. My father was already 70 years old then. My career was assuming a good shape.
My Second Innings: Joining Chas College
If I put it bluntly, the job of a lawyer was not natural to me as manipulation was not in my nature. So I joined as the Head of the Department of Bengali Language and Literature in 1976 after the formation of Chas College in Bokaro Steel City. My heart overflowed with euphoria when I started teaching. My knowledge about the importance of literature, language and culture of marginalised people expanded gradually. During the course of my teaching career I had the privilege to know what language is, about its origin and its relation with culture. What is literature? How by analysing literature, language and culture the independent history of aboriginals could be traced?
Honestly speaking, if I had limited myself to the role of a lawyer, I would have spent it on selling lies. As my unlettered ancestors could never know about their primordial and traditional history, my life would have been the same had I not entered into the arena of academia. I can say with conviction now that after knowing myself I am proud of it.
My Mysterious Past Intertwined in Oral Traditions and Memory
Humans have an indomitable spirit to know the unknown. Truly speaking around 40 years ago I also started the quest to acquire knowledge about my primitive clan and its ethnic origin. In a word, I wanted to discover my identity in this world and for that I made every effort under the sun. Many questions used to poke me and increase my confusion. “I am a member of Kurmali clan, what is my accurate ethnic history? Who am I? What am I? What is my language? What about literature? What is my faith? What is my religion? What is my occupation?”
I am a Kurmali, then why am I called a Mahata? People also attribute me as a ‘Dhor Kurmali’. But why? Why? And why? These questions used to pop up in my head and by getting the appropriate answers of them I found at last, ‘My mysterious and glorious past intertwined in oral traditions and memory’ and all my ideas and understanding of the Kurmali language, literature and culture was chronologically compiled. I created the unique research .‘The Origin and Development of the Kurmali Language, (A Brief History)’ into a book. In this frame of reference let me mention that I could never have done this monumental work without the blessings of  Dr. Golok Bihari Banerjee who was the then Head of the Department of Bengali Language and Literature of P.K. Roy College, Dhanbad and Dr. Satyadrenath Ghosal who was the then Head of the Department of Bengali Language and Literature of Patna University. My real academic knowledge is all that I have learned from them.
This is an excerpt from the autobiography of renowned Kurdmali scholar Anadi Nath Mahata (Kairda-aar) 
*Translated into English by Bitan Modak.