| November 16 2012
We have been seeking help in finding out about the history of Goriajan Club and
we owe our good thanks to Ajit Saikia for coming up with the interesting and
amusing note on the subject
Thank You Ajit Saikia
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Ajit Saikia tells us of his memories of Goriajan and other clubs in Assam
Goriajan Club by Ajit Saikia
Since I was a member of this club only for a very short period during the early
sixties, I feel that I am hardly the person to talk much about this once joyful
watering hole. That honour should go to one Allen King who was its life and soul
for many years . As for myself I can only talk about my experiences!
I do not possess much knowledge about the history of Goriajan Club but I
presume it got started around the same time as Golaghat Club, Kakodoonga
Club ,and Dhunsiri Club and out of the three only one is limping away for
survival!
My four years in Deepling situated in far off Sonari District, had left me rather
battered and it was a relief to get away from this estate located at the back of
beyond, and I had welcomed my transfer to Rungagora in the Golaghat District,
happily.
However, there was just one problem- I had no friends in that area and a " non-
club going" manager did not help matters. While in Deepling, it was somewhat
of a "Hookum Hai" go to the club on Wednesdays for tennis, and on Saturday
nights for the film. I might perhaps mention here that the road to Sonari Club
was not a tarmac one and one had to cross the river Desang with a loaded car,
aboard Captain Ahab's little dingy which was tied to an overhead wire rope
which slid along another rope anchored on two posts stretching from one side of
the river to the other. We sort of floated across hanging on and depending
entirely on the strength of these wire ropes! Those of you who had the
opportunity to experience the thrill of this journey will certainly realize what I am
talking about. (Dacre Mogg will agree, I am sure). But despite the hazards, we
never missed a club night , and although at times during the rains when the
roads were muddy and slushy, and Mr. Warburton, our manager, insisted on
driving us to the club in his old Singer car, we really had to keep our fingers
crossed! You see, old Warby's car was fitted with a steering wheel which had a
play of about 360 degrees and as the jalopy swerved from one side of the road
to the other, he, Mr. Warburton , would take both his hands off the steering
wheel and ignoring our plight, only smile under his moustache!
Anyway, it must have been around the third or the fourth day of my arrival in
Rongagora when I was lazily enjoying a cuppa towards evening, when a
somewhat noisy and battered red Standard Herald roars into my compound
carrying two individuals whom I had not met earlier.
They barged into my sitting room without invitation , made themselves
comfortable and barked at the bearer to fetch some glasses and promptly
opened a bottle of Hayward's gin!
They poured liberal measures into the glasses, offered me one and the plumpier
one said "You drink, don't you?
"Yep, said I "
"OK then Cheers"
It was only then that they considered it appropriate to introduce themselves to
me
Plumpy said "I am Fergus Macmillan and this is my mate Allen King. We are
from your next door garden Badlipar T.E. and we have come to claim you for
membership into Goriajan Club"
I hadn't the faintest idea where Goriajan Club was located and said so . King
said it did not matter and all I had to do was to come to Fergus' bungalow which
was on Bonn T'E. situated only half a mile away from Rungagora.
Thereafter, we became friends and till today I can only think of these two
individuals with great fondness and respect.
Saturday night in Goriajan Club was a WOW!
I was introduced to senior members Mr. Crabb, Geoffrey Duncan and Douglas
Tochar and the portly Jock Hay. Mr Crabb was the Superintendent of Badulipar
Tea Company and presided over most of the Octavious Steel Gardens located
in the Golaghat District.
I also met other members like Majidullah, Khoka Thakur, Prafulla Phukon, Dip
Phukon, personnel officer Ramesh Jaitley and medical officer Doc Lahiri. A few
years later I came across Chand Khanna, who was a very good tennis player.
When Doc Lahiri retired, the practice was taken over by Doc Verma who also
was an excellent tennis player and in partnership with Chand , won many laurels
in the tennis courts. As a matter of fact there were very few who could get the
better of Dip Phukon/ Dennis Sharp combination or Chand Khanna/ Doc Verma
tie up in the tennis courts of Zone II ABITA!
However, It was apparent that Goriajan Club was the bastion of Octavious
Steel Company and it was their patronage which kept the club going.
This point of patronage is worth noting because every club throughout Assam
had one main supporter. For example, Doomdooma Club had The Doomdooma
Tea Company as its main patron, the Jorhat Club was heavily supported by The
Jorehaut Tea Company , Thakurbari and Bisnauth had Williamson Magor ,
Nazira belonged to The old Assam Company and Singloo sponsored Sonari Club.
Patronage of clubs located in the tea districts of Assam suffered a lot
during the mid sixties when many of the tea companies were sold off
and none suffered as much as the clubs located in the Golaghat area.
The first casuality was Kakodoonga Club, then it was the turn of
Golaghat Club which was situated bang in the heart of Golaghat town.
The shutting down of Golaghat Club gave rise to a period on animosity
between members of Dhunsiri Club and Goriajan Club and for years
there ensued periodic debates as to who should have received the bulk
of its members. That point of course was never settled but it was
Goriajan who acquired most of the members by virtue of the fact that
most of the gardens belonged to The Octavious Steel Group. Thus it
was that executives from Wokha T.E., Doyang T.E, Rungajaun T.E.,
and Marangi T.E. , became members of Goriajan Club.
And with the introduction of people like Bob Wood (Wokha), Charles Ingram
(Marangi), Dennis Sharp and Dip Phukon (Rangajaun), and Doc Beletty
(Golaghat Medical Practice), Goriajan Club was really swinging!
But things did not remain in this rosy condition for long as Companies
started selling off their properties and slowly but steadily Goriajan Club
started to lose patronage and over a period of time most of the earlier
members were gone.
And when Badulipar Tea Company also changed hands, the Club
became a one company club and although some of its executives
continued to go to the club, there was an absence of the old gaiety
much associated with tea clubs.
And then suddenly The Assam Agitation took over and things got very difficult
for tea planters all over and the Goriajan club building which was sparingly used
was requisitioned by the government for use by paramilitary forces. The building
came into disrepair and suddenly one day a fire broke out in the office room and
destroyed all documents comprising of AGM Minutes and other details
pertaining to club activities .
For the Sunday golf , it was my duty to bring with me one large Borali or Sole
fish which I would deposit with the club cook . By the time we returned to the
club house and were bending elbows in the bar, a huge plate of fish and chips
were placed before us! This was possible, because fish was dirt cheap around
Rangogora those days!
Somebody has opined that it was a shame that the planters employed by tea
estates located around the club did not try to maintain it. I agree, but what
planters? There are hardly any ABITA gardens left in that area and most of
those affiliated to other associations do not have employees belonging to the
club going community. It is precisely because of this that out of the four clubs in
the Golaghat district, only one is functioning and that too in a most half hearted
manner! On a recent visit to this club sometime in the month of July this year, I
could not believe that this was my old club. It presented a most depressing sight
and possibly it is only a matter of time when this club might meet the same fate
as Gariajan, Golaghat and Kakodonga.
Since Goriajan is located on Koomtai Land (Badlipar Tea company), the owners
tried to keep it going for a while but it was too much for one single company to
maintain a club. They have now planted out the golf course and rightly so, since
for long, this stretch of undulating land interspersed with hoolas remained
unutilized and it would be only a matter of time when encroachment would start.
I have only fond memories of Goriajan club. For me it was a place of gaiety,
friendship and camaraderie. I have played on its golf course and have won the
prestigious Craig Cup on two occasions, I have played in the Hay -Mulvey Cup
golf matches, held in alternate years at both Dhunsiri and Goriajan clubs. ( I
wonder where are these cups now!). Yes, we had everything which went
towards making a successful club, we had a big club house, we had a massive
dance hall which housed a piano, we had a swimming pool , we had a golf
course and lovely tennis courts and above all, we had people who would attend
a managers meeting on a Friday and return home two days later after spending
their entire time at the bar!
As an addenda to our discussions Ajit makes a very good point
I forgot to mention that there was a time when the members of Dhunsiri and
Goriajan Clubs discussed about combining both the clubs which would have
been the proper thing to do. But personal egos came in the way and prevented
this from happening. The result is for everyone to see!
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Original comments by Pratyush Parasar Sarma asking for the history of Goriajan Club
Pratyush does not know when it was founded and who was the founder of such a beautiful club. It was known for its Polo Ground.with Tennis Court, Golf Course, and swimming pool plus the Bar and Library. But now it is only a skeleton of the old Club.
The golf course has had tea planted on it and from the photographs one can see that the Club building has declined over the years
.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
The golf course has had tea planted on it, and from the photographs one can see that the Club building has declined over the years
If anyone has any information or memories of the Club can they please contact either Pratyush or the Editor with their information which will be shared through the web site
Please contact either the editor at [email protected]
or Prakyush at [email protected]
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