User:Janak jhankar narzary/sandbox

Phase I. Janak Jhankar Narzary an internationally acclaimed sculptor was born at Moided Khoro (hatimatha) village adjacent to Kokrahar, the then a small market town of Goalpara District. His date of birth remained to be unknown, when he was admitted in a lower primary school, his father failed to remember the date and year of son's date of birth, the Head Master fixed thedate of birth at his discretion. his father was a farmer owned a small plot of agricultural land. He was the youngest male child of the family, father wanted him to inherit his profession of farming, at least to take care of the land and house hold properties. Father had least interest for Janak's education, but   mother insisted for his study  up to matriculation. his eldest brother quit home at the age of about 15 years old, struggled to survive his own at Shilong, learnt typography and worked in a printing press, later he learnt photography and commercial art, lately he came back at home and started his own commercial studio of photography and sign board /hoardings at Kokrajhar. During his school days Janak used to do painting in his studio. His Middle brother Charan Narzary was a Professor, Advocate turned to be a political leader, founder secretary of Plains Tribal Council of Assam (PTC), took the leadership for Udayachal statehood movement, demanded a separate state for the plain tribes of Assam. He did his graduation from Cotton College, and did MA and LLB from Gouhati University. His third brother also studied in Cotton College, was a school teacher and retired as Head Master from the same school. Janak studied in Kokrajhar Govt. school, but he had to be with father to work at home and paddy field in the morning before the school and after the school.He was fortunate that he was blessed by the God with an unyielding will power and imagination, he had energy to work consistently from morning 4 AM to  till 12 midnight. Working with father at home and paddy field was his duty, but study for school examination, reading of literature, mainly stories, novels, great men’s biography and travel stories in Assamese and Bengali was his pleasure.he had an inherent interest for painting, music, dance and dramatic performance. He had no sources to learn all these subjects. His eldest brother had a commercial studio ( Chitralekha studio) to use brush and colours for his paintings, He learnt to play harmonium and to sing from beisagu janai, and domashi janai. later at the support of his school  Head Master Janak along with few class mates initiated for a music class under a private tutor in  class room after the school period. He had a rhythm to dance and could perform instantly the traditional Bodo dance. He tried Bharat Natyam personally and later under a Manipuri danceteacher privately. Fortunately he found some school teachers like Shasanka Chakrabarti and Padma Kataki, who directed them  to stage some full length dramas like D L Roy’s Shah Jahan ( Assamese translation), Phani Sarma’s Kiyo ? ( why) and few more. He stared writing One act Plays since his class eight level, wrote more than 20 one act plays both in Bodo and Assamese and staged them more than 40 times all together. Before he left for Santiniletan Janak was already an acclaimed theater person. His seniors and friends strongly discouraged him to start a new at Santiniketan. At Kokrajhar and around Janak is still known only as a man of theater. He loved to sing from Nileswar Brahma’s recorded music, he composed background musics for his plays. He performed his own composed music in many public programmes. He composed a modern music to break way from traditional tune for an opening chorus song of All Assam Bodo Students Union conference held at Kokrajhar in 1965?. It was a pioneering step to set a new trend of Bodo modern song inspired from the rhythm of Hindustani music “ be mulukhw jwng gia, be jwnwmau jwng jwng jena, be jwnwmau jwng theia….” It was broadcast from Gouhati Redio Center. Since his school days after he joined in Bithorai Afat ( a student club) more chorus and solo songs composed by him, had been  broad cast from Gouhati Radio center. One of most modern songs composed by Prasenjit Brahma was also popularly performed by him and it was also broadcast from the Radio center. After his BA examination his parents advised him to study MA in Gouhati Universty. he was in dilemma, to continue with theater in professional level is a kind of industry, needs a strong collective team work and a patron of private or government organization. He was aware of what Ratan Thiyam, wellknown Manipuri play writer and theater person was doing at Imphal. Janka started theater performance since 1960, He wrote a full length drama in Assamese “Xopon Dekhicho Moi” when he was studying in class five. He joined in the first one act play conference at Tinchukia when he was studying in Kokrajhar College. In 1965, his one act play “He Pralay Nami Aha” was selected by Gouhati Redio Center for Radio broadcast. Basically Janak is an individualist, theater is a team work needs an infrastructure, like fully equipped auditorium etc. He was not confident to administer a team of theater ina professional level with a full modern infrastructure. One of his theater partner (Assamese actress) advised him to go for Puna Film Institute,it was a good idea, he needed a professional training even for theater performance. The School of Drama of New Delhi was not been established at that time. After completion of his BA examination he appeared an interview at Kolkata to get admission in Puna Film Institute. Rhittik Ghotak (film director and Principal of Film institute) and Pahari Sanyal ( actor) were in the jury panel. There had been only two candidates, Bhaskar Choudhury and Janak Jhankar. Nipan Goswamy ( his actor friend informed him that  Bhaskar is close relative of Pahari Sanyal, and he is going to be selected. After knowingthat Janak quit the interview and went to Indrapuri studio to see the shooting of Nipan Goswamy. After seeing the film shooting he realized, theater  is an art of life performance, its impact on audience is direct and subjective, the performer and audience physically live closely in a same space,  while film is an art of movie camera, its impact on audience is objective and purely  visual. He got his  return train from Howrah station, and travelling on the away to Kokrajhar. He was thoughtfully looking for his next option. It was music, to study in the Bhatkhande Music College. Few of his close friends like Swaswati and Bhaswati Bhattachary, Rita Das used to advise him for fine art study at Santiniketan. Santiniketan is on his way, three hours from Hawrah station, He got down at Bolpur/santiniketan station, took a rikshow for Kala Bhavan. It was 12 noon, hot wind of May was burning him. The faculties are closed on summer vacation, He found no one on the road and campus of Santiniketan. Fortunately he found one gentleman walking with his umbrella who gave him the direction of Principal’s quarters. The Principal ( Sukhamay Mitra) was kind to him, gave some time to see his sketch book. The Principal directed him to see him next day in the Office, also advise him to meet Dhiren Devbarman, a teacher of Kala Bhvan. Next day morning he went in the Principal’s Office, filled out an application form for admission. The Principal told him that an invitation letter for admission test will be sent to him, and advised him that he should come with bag and baggage so that he can stay back at santiniketan if he is selected for admission. His parents were against of his all options, they just said artists die bagging. He ignored their threatening. Finally when he got interview letter from Kala Bhavan, his father said that he had no money to support him financially. He went to his middle brother Charan Narzary, he also said, “see now I have no source of income” It was true, he just left his professorship and advocate practice to establish his new political party PTCA, he was fully involved in political movement for the statehood of a tribal land known as Udayachal. Janak was determined to join in Santiniketan, finally Charan Narzary agreed to send one hundred rupees per month. Janak sailed for his new journey in the hope to become a painter.

Phase III. Janak Jhankar Narzary had been teaching art history in Kala Bhavana (Fine Art Faculty) of Visva Brarati University since 1978. He had retired  in February, 2013 as Professor from the Department of History of Art. He had been continuing his creative work as a professional sculptor.He had degrees, BFA in sculpture from Visva Bharati and MFA in sculpture from MS University. He had been appointed to teach art history despite no degree in Art history  except a  one year Non degree course  from Boston University USA  on his  Fulbright Scholarship, that was  after he joined in Visva Bharati. He was doing research work with UGC Fellowship for his Ph.D degree,and published few articles on art in journals like MARG, Mumbai Art Jounal and others. Besides art history teaching he was continuing his practice of creative sculpture. By 2005 he had been graced by few important wards including National Academy award and Triennial- India International award in 2001 and 2005 respectively. He was participating in international events of monumental sculpture creation on invitation, had opportunity to make monumental sculptures in steel and stone around the world, in Italy, Germany, Mexico, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan,China, Bangladesh, Turkey, and in India. He is a member and Indian agent of the Association of International Event of Monumental Sculpture (AIESM) head office in Italy. AIESM collaborates with Government and private organizations, help them to get works by renowned international sculptors in lower price by organizing sculpture symposiums. Till now the AIESM had been working in collaboration with various organizations of more than 30 countries of the world. In India Janak had organized such two International sculpture symposiums for a sculpture museum park of Uttarayan Art Foundation at Baroda in collaboration with AIESM.Janak Jhankar have come long way of his journey of life, started at zero point, nothing was ready and smooth for, but never cared for what had have, never looked back for what he left behind. He was romantic and passionate but introvert by nature, his childhood was guided by emotion and imagination, he was gifted by unyielding energy and will power to overcome all the misfortunes. It is not easy for any body to brief about his career from childhood  till date.