The establishment of Cotton College in the year 1901 heralded the dawn of a new era in the annals of undivided Assam. In the same year, the First Mess (old Hindu Hostel) of the college, too, came into being to cater to the needs of outstation students. It was an Assam-type building with thatched roof. Prof Indu Bhusan Brahmachari of Cotton College was appointed as the hostel superintendent, who served in that capacity till his retirement in 1905. Since there was no separate quarter for the hostel superintendent, Prof Brahmachari used to live in a spacious room at the end of the hostel.
One of the first batch of recorded boarders was Uma Nath Gohain from Nagaon, who, in his later life was appointed to the post of Sub Deputy Collector. Ram Kumar Baruah of Sivasagar, too, lived in the same hostel (1901-03). Uma Gohain too joined his hostel in 1908 and retired as Sub Judge.
Some of the illustrious boarders of First Mess were Sarbeswar Baruah (North Lakhimpur), Bharat Chaliha, Tara Prasad Chaliha, Narayan Baruah (all from Sivasagar) and Indreswar Borthakur (Jorhat), all of whom joined the First Mess in 1907 and went on to establish themselves as outstanding personalities of Assam.
Sailadhar Rajkhowa, an eminent poet of Assam, narrated in his autobiography that he joined the Mess in 1909 and his roommates were Dr Surjya Kumar Bhuyan (Nagaon), Bhuban Ch Gogoi (Sivasagar) and Debeswar Baruah (Jorhat). The year was 1909. Dhani Ram Talukdar (Barpeta) was senior to them by a few years. He, too, lived in the same hostel. Siddheswar Gohain, a brilliant Cottonian who became the Deputy Commissioner of Jorhat, had been a boarder of the First Mess since 1908. Dr Bani Kanta Kakati, the first Assamese to get doctorate from the Kolkata University, was a boarder of this Mess from 1911 to 1913. Kumud Borthakur of the Golai series fame was also a boarder from 1911. KK Handique (VC) lived in this hostel from 1913 to 1915. A few other boarders were Tapeswar Sarma of Mangaldai (1912-16), Professor Chandra Nath Kalita and Headmaster Dina Nath Saharia (1924-28) and Dr Suren Das (1931-33).
The building of this hostel was renovated in 1913. Prof LN Chatterjee Vedshastri served as the Hostel Super, perhaps from the year 1923. He also lived in the middle portion of the hostel building. During his stint, the hostel building was gutted in an accidental fire. The government immediately replaced the thatched roof with CI sheets, which still continues.
Some other prominent boarders of the First Mess were writer Panchanan Saharia, Prof Hari Prasanna Das, librarian Kali Prasad Sarma, Narayan Nayak, Chittaranjan Borthakur who settled in the UK. Alas, all of them are now dead and gone.
So far as my humble self is concerned, I was a boarder of this Mess from 1952 to 54. Some of my senior fellow boarders were Prof Tarun Bharali, Tridilesh Bhattacharya, ACS, and Principal Chandra Medhi. They all have left for their heavenly abode. But, some of those who are still living are Dr Bhumidhar Barman (former Chief Minister), Dr Nirmal Chaudhury, former VC, Dr Nirod Baruah, who has settled in Germany, Ruchi Kakati (tea executive) and Dr Dina Nath Bordoloi. I am happy to state that Dr Dulal Ch Borkataki, who has completed more than nine decades of his life, is now the oldest living boarder of the First Mess.
In November 1952, Dr Bani Kanta Kakati suddenly breathed his last. It was 9 O�clock in the morning when the sad news reached us. Dumbfounded, we, the boarders, rushed to Rehabari where the deceased had lived. The public life of Guwahati came to a standstill as a mark of respect to this great scholar. A few days later, a public condolence meeting was held in front of the Curzon Hall Library, which was presided over by Dr Surjya Kumar Bhuyan. Those who spoke in the meeting were Justice Holi Ram Deka, Nila Hazarika, father of Dr Bhupen Hazarika, advocate Jagadish Medhi and Principal Hem Baruah. Dr Bhuyan ended his speech with the following words � �Books were his Dukedom�. I was fortunate enough to attend that memorable meeting since the First Mess was not very far from the venue.
Freshmen�s socials as well as parting socials held in First Mess are worth mentioning. Dinners were sumptuous. The invited guests were Uma Kanta Goswami, former DPI, Prof Bazi, principal Hem Baruah, Justice Holi Ram Deka, Prof Bhabananda Dutta, etc. They are no longer alive. In fact, Principal Hem Baruah was a darling of the students. He kept us all spellbound with his brilliant speeches. We felt that he possessed all the qualities of a speaker, as mentioned in Cowper�s letters to his son.
The picnics organised by our hostel were all memorable events. Picnics were held in the countryside full of splendid scenic beauty. We enjoyed the mirth and merriment tremendously.
I have been prompted, as it were, to write this article in consonance with the ensuing 117th establishment day programme of the First Mess � now rechristened as KK Handique PG Boys� Hostel � being organised by the Cotton College First Mess Alumni Association on January 20 and 21 next.