Saintly mission

THERE'S NO trace of a grim expression as Janice Darbari nonchalantly talks about the hard realities of life, ills plaguing our society, self-realisation and moksha. There's only an uninterrupted, cheerful smile that holds your eye. As if reading your mind, she quips, "It's not difficult to smile if you see problems as challenges and are eager to rise up to them''. And then she comes up with the usual refrain, "any way what is destined to happen will happen".

Her latest book, Srimanta Sankaradeva — The Living Legend quite justifies her attitude. Having spent most of her life in Delhi and London, it was during a chance trip to Assam as part of the `Save Majuli' campaign that her life took an eventful turn.

Majuli is the biggest river island in the world and is always under the threat of being submerged by the mighty Bramhaputra. So, along with a few friends, Janice went there. However, Assam was not new to her. She was there during the students' movement in the 1980s. But it was only during the Majuli trip that she came to know about Srimanta Sankaradeva. "Sitting on the banks of the Bramhaputra, I went into a trance and encountered the spirit of the 15th Century saint, philosopher, social reformer, dancer, singer, theatre artiste and poet". Many may have laughed it off. But Janice took the divine order seriously, forgot all about the campaign and headed straight to the saint's abode in Patbaushi Sattra in Assam's Barpeta district.

Thus began her spiritual odyssey in the north-east that took her to all the 665 Sattras of Sankaradeva enabling her to unravel a unique culture.

The Sattras are religious places, which house no deities but are places where people can interact. They along with Namghars gradually became cultural centres where the saint's verses were sung and danced to by his followers or Bhagats. "I was amazed to see how Sankaradeva is deeply ingrained in the minds, thoughts and actions of the Assamese. How to this day, they see him as their sole guide, who sets the pattern of their life. And I decided to explore the world of Sankaradeva".

After two years, Janice was back in Delhi to pen her experiences and to tell the world about this revolutionary Vaishnavite saint. Besides, she also brought to light the treasure of talent confined to the saint's Sattras by arranging performances for the singers and dancers living here. The recent one was in Chennai. "I am even planning to take them to London''.

Yet, this is not all about Janice, who has earlier written books on Indira Gandhi and the Commonwealth and Nehru. A trained Odissi and Kathak dancer, her first love however has been theatre, in which she dabbled as a youngster. As a journalist, she has had her share of exciting experiences. A television compere, Janice has interviewed General Zia-ul-Haq, Yasser Arafat and many other Heads of States.

She was also appointed special emissary for the Republic of Macedonia in 1995. She is now fighting hard her business-related legal cases, determined to expose corrupt lawyers, government officials and the decaying administrative machinery. In a way, exploring both the metaphysical and the material world.

CHITRA SWAMINATHAN

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