DOCSLIB.ORG

On the Basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
On the Basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) Tradition and Transformation: On the basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) Tradition and Transformation: On the basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati Tutumoni Das Department of Assamese, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India Email: [email protected] Tutumoni Das: Tradition and Transformation: On the basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati -- Palarch’s Journal Of Archaeology Of Egypt/Egyptology 17(7). ISSN 1567- 214x Keywords: Tradition, Transformation, Festival celebrated in Guwahati ABSTRACT Human’s trained and proficient works give birth to a culture. The national image of a nation emerges through culture. In the beginning people used to express their joy of farming by singing and dancing. The ceremony of religious conduct was set up at the ceremony of these. In the course of such festivals that were prevalent among the people, folk cultures were converted into festivals. These folk festivals are traditionally celebrated in the human society. Traditionally celebrated festivals take the national form as soon as they get status of formality. In the same territory, the appearance of the festival sits different from time to time. The various festivals that have traditionally come into being under the controls of change are now seen taking under look. Especially in the city of Guwahati in the state of Assam, various festivals do not have the traditional rituals but are replaced by modernity. As a result, many festivals are celebrated under the concept of to observe. Therefore, our research paper focuses on this issue and tries to analyze in the festival celebrated in Guwahati. 1. Introduction A festival means delight, being gained and an artistic creation. It is an absolute element of folk-culture. The agriculturist celebrates the behavior, manners and customs of the society timely. Festivals are ceremonies celebrated in accordance with certain rules and regulations at a particular time. People organize festivals to celebrate the value of their hard work in the field. This festival takes people away from the flow of normal life and feels them to rejoice for a while. Every festival has a intimate relationship with the transformation of natural elements. In this reference, the following remark has given by Lila Gogoi[1] is seriously considerable- Utsɒwɒr mul utsɒ anɒndɒ. Bͻhagɒt powar prɒyax, asar anɒndɒ, maghɒt powar, pa ixamɒrar anɒndɒ. Ei anɒandɒ prɒkritir anɒandɒ, ziwɒnɒk 7416 Tradition and Transformation: On the basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) upɒlɒbdhi kɒrar anɒndɒ. Ei anɒndɒi krisi ziwi ɒxɒmiyar ɒntɒar spɒrxɒ kɒri ɒnuprerɒnar zowar ane. Festivals that are celebrated for various reasons provide not only pleasure, but it also entertains people. It is an excellent procedure to entertain in relaxation time--the way many people work together for pleasure. Festivals teach people how to behave socially. It is a part of people’s social life since very old times. The festivals celebrated at different times are closely associated with the human life, their existence, activities, culture etc. Culture is meta-morphed. Traditionally celebrated festivals that preceded a wide field of culture change with the passage of time. Tradition and its changes are complementing each other. Change is seen because tradition is prevalent and this tradition is created by human beings. People are again slaves to their own tastes. People’s taste changes from time to time. So its transformation is a spontaneous process periodically. Assam is a confluence of various caste or tribes from old times [2]. The customs, manners, etc, of different ethnic groups have created a tradition whose birth is unknown. But tradition is not always the same. The changing scenario of tradition is very clear in the Guwahati city which is located in the state of Assam. 2. Methodology Analytical and field study methods have been used in the preparation of the discussion of the paper.In view of the specific scope of discussion of our paper, an attempt has been made to capture the essence of a festival celebrated in the city of Guwahati. 3. Traditionally celebrated festivals and transformations in Guwahati City Guwahati is the nerve-centre of North-East. It is a populous city in view of culture, education and political etc. Of course, the inhabitation and population rate of Guwahati city had low before it becoming the capital of Assam [3]. Guwahati has seen a steady influx of expatriates from all walks of life for the purpose of settlement, business, employment, administrative work etc. Not only the arrival but also the permanently settlement has taken place. Therefore the mixture of various people’s culture and language has shown in the indigenous custom and manner of Guwahati. After being adopted by all the pre-existing custom, hymns, behavior etc., it is accepted in the same way and taken for use. Tradition is created by human beings as a result of having the same purpose at the same time. In a sense, tradition is born in the book of tradition, tradition is absorbed in the book of tradition, and new tradition is created under the auspices of tradition. The living style of the people of Guwahati city is now modern. The modern way of life has mechanized the people of Guwahati. This mechanism is relieved during the festive season. But due to the dense population, the distress area, the modern attitude etc, new additions have been made to the traditionally celebrated festivals. For example- 7417 Tradition and Transformation: On the basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) 3.1Magh Bihu celebration MaghBihu or BhogaliBihu is a winter agricultural festival[4]. In the month of Magh, paddy is harvested and brought to home. So the store house is abundant with paddy. The joy of reaping the crops of hard work is separate. Being happy everyone decorate the Bhelaghɒr(the house made by younger). They take feast in that Bhelaghɒrto promote unity and next day they burn the Mezi in the dawn and pray to the god ɒgɒni (fire). The reason behind this tradition of worship the god ɒgɒni is that there is no danger throughout the year. Of course, modern people are largely unaware of this tradition. Still the people of urban area, they are trying to preserve tradition. And then everyone eats the special dishes of MaghBihu as like pitha(made by rice powder), dai-sira(made by milk) etc. But now in the Guwahati city, a change has taken place in the celebration of MaghBihu. There is no empty paddy field due to the buildings, business works. The trees have been cut down. In this cese too, the tradition of celebrating MaghBihu in Guwahati has not disappeared. The people of Guwahati have been preserving the tradition of making Mezi or Bhelaghɒr with the help of firewood, timber or witted leaf instead of thatching grass.The people in the flats decorate the Mezi with small pieces of wood for the inconvenience of space and worship the god of fire. Some pictures are given below- A 7418 Tradition and Transformation: On the basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) B Figure 1. Part A and Part B shows two types of Mezi made in Guwahati Secondly, different kinds of pitha, coconut-sesames laddu are made in the time of Bihu. Now-a-days there also pomp has taken place. Now there are available different colours of laddu and pitha in every house of Guwahati city. Except these cakes, different types of sweets, snakes are essential item of MaghBihu which is differently celebrated in Guwahati city. Although MaghBihu is traditionally celebrated in Guwahati, there is a kind of aristocracy. Figure 2. Different colors of pitha 7419 Tradition and Transformation: On the basis of Celebrated Festivals in Guwahati PJAEE, 17 (7) (2020) 3.2 Tradition and changes in Bͻɦag Bihu Bͻɦag Bihu is a symbol of Assamese culture. Through this the ideals of the life of the Assamese people are revealed. The Bͻɦag Bihu has been formed in the background of agricultural festivals of various ethnic people who have come to Assam at different times. So it can be said a festival of acculturation. In this context, Nirmalprabha Bordoloi[5] mentions Hayman Drape’s quote the faith of the Naga people’s Bihu celebration- Its (Naga festival) theme is the fertility of the field and the central formula runs: As a woman embraces her lover, so may the earth take the seed of the rice into her womb. The fertility of field and man is closely linked in the mind of the Nagas; they are the different expressions of the same force and the prosperity of the village depends on its abundance. Bͻɦag Bihu is celebrated also in Assam in the same background. The tradition of Bͻɦag Bihu is well known to all of us. Uruka is also celebrated in the Bͻɦag Bihu. On that day the people of Assam bath the cow and worship the cow in the evening with a new titting. The next day is ManuɦBihu. On that day Biɦuwan (special cloth of Assamese people) is given to elders and the younger one takes blessings from the elders. This is how the Bihu lasts for seven days of the month. This is the tradition of Bͻɦag Bihu. But in Guwahati, the tradition of Bͻɦag Bihu has undergone many changes. At the root of this change is the strong attraction towards non-Assamese culture. News channels have also played a significant role in transforming the Bͻɦag Bihu celebrated in Guwahati. The seven-day Bͻɦag Bihu in Guwahati has been going on for almost a month. Moreover, the unenclosed BͻɦagBihu was transformed into stage performance or Bihu. Popular lyricists are now appearing on the stage of Bihu instead of Bihu songs, Hunsuri etc.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Numbers in Bengali Language
    NUMBERS IN BENGALI LANGUAGE A dissertation submitted to Assam University, Silchar in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Masters of Arts in Department of Linguistics. Roll - 011818 No - 2083100012 Registration No 03-120032252 DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS SCHOOL OF LANGUAGE ASSAM UNIVERSITY SILCHAR 788011, INDIA YEAR OF SUBMISSION : 2020 CONTENTS Title Page no. Certificate 1 Declaration by the candidate 2 Acknowledgement 3 Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1.0 A rapid sketch on Assam 4 1.2.0 Etymology of “Assam” 4 Geographical Location 4-5 State symbols 5 Bengali language and scripts 5-6 Religion 6-9 Culture 9 Festival 9 Food havits 10 Dresses and Ornaments 10-12 Music and Instruments 12-14 Chapter 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 15-16 Chapter 3: OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY Objectives 16 Methodology and Sources of Data 16 Chapter 4: NUMBERS 18-20 Chapter 5: CONCLUSION 21 BIBLIOGRAPHY 22 CERTIFICATE DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES ASSAM UNIVERSITY SILCHAR DATE: 15-05-2020 Certified that the dissertation/project entitled “Numbers in Bengali Language” submitted by Roll - 011818 No - 2083100012 Registration No 03-120032252 of 2018-2019 for Master degree in Linguistics in Assam University, Silchar. It is further certified that the candidate has complied with all the formalities as per the requirements of Assam University . I recommend that the dissertation may be placed before examiners for consideration of award of the degree of this university. 5.10.2020 (Asst. Professor Paramita Purkait) Name & Signature of the Supervisor Department of Linguistics Assam University, Silchar 1 DECLARATION I hereby Roll - 011818 No - 2083100012 Registration No – 03-120032252 hereby declare that the subject matter of the dissertation entitled ‘Numbers in Bengali language’ is the record of the work done by me.
    [Show full text]
  • Formation of the Heterogeneous Society in Western Assam (Goal Para)
    CHAPTER- III Formation of the Heterogeneous Society in Western Assam (Goal para) Erstwhile Goalpara district of Western Assam has a unique socio-cultural heritage of its own, identified as Goalpariya Society and Culture. The society is a heterogenic in character, composed of diverse racial, ethnic, religious and cultural groups. The medieval society that had developed in Western Assam, particularly in Goalapra region was seriously influenced by the induction of new social elements during the British Rule. It caused the reshaping of the society to a fully heterogenic in character with distinctly emergence of new cultural heritage, inconsequence of the fusion of the diverse elements. Zamindars of Western Assam, as an important social group, played a very important role in the development of new society and cufture. In the course of their zamindary rule, they brought Bengali Hidus from West Bengal for employment in zamindary service, Muslim agricultural labourers from East Bengal for extension of agricultural field, and other Hindusthani people for the purpose of military and other services. Most of them were allowed to settle in their respective estates, resulting in the increase of the population in their estate as well as in Assam. Besides, most of the zamindars entered in the matrimonial relations with the land lords of Bengal. As a result, we find great influence of the Bengali language and culture on this region. In the subsequent year, Bengali cultivators, business community of Bengal and Punjab and workers and labourers from other parts of Indian subcontinent, migrated in large number to Assam and settled down in different places including town, Bazar and waste land and char areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Cosmopolitan Consciousness of PC Barua
    E-CineIndia: Jan-Mar 2021/ Parthajit Baruah 1 Article Parthajit Baruah The Question of Assameseness: Cosmopolitan Consciousness of P.C. Barua Still from Barua’s film Mukti An extensive discussion has been made on the made Devdas in three Languages - Bengali (1935), biographical sketch and works of Pramathesh Hindi (1936) and Assamese (1937). Likewise, World Chandra Barua, one of the leading pioneers of India Heritage Encyclopedia, cinema. But the aspect that has hardly been found a bollywoodirect.medium.com, amp.blog.shops- space in the writing and discussion at the national net.com and numerous sources carry the same narrative is why Pramathesh, being an ardent lover of incorrect information stating that Assamese Devdas Gauripur, Assam, did not make an Assamese film in made in 1937 was Barua’s last of the three language the span of two decades of his cinematic journey. versions of the film. Wikipedia misleadingly Displeasures across the state of Assam in the 1940s mentions that Bhupen Hazarika was the playback was seen, and many termed Barua as ‘anti nationalist’ singer of the film. It is pertinent to mention here that in Assam. Ibha Barua Datta, scion of the Barua when Jyoti Chitraban film studio was established in family, says that she is disheartened to read the sharp Guwahati and became functional from 1968, Dr. criticism on Pramathesh in the Assamese newspapers Hazarika proposed the Government of Assam to for not making an Assamese film. name the studio’s shooting floor after Pramathesh Ch. Barua. Bhadari by Nip Baruah was the first film, shot Some erroneously claim that Barua made three at Pramathesh Ch.
    [Show full text]
  • An Introduction to the Sattra Culture of Assam: Belief, Change in Tradition
    Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics 12 (2): 21–47 DOI: 10.2478/jef-2018-0009 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SATTRA CULT URE OF ASSAM: BELIEF, CHANGE IN TRADITION AND CURRENT ENTANGLEMENT BABURAM SAIKIA PhD Student Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore University of Tartu Ülikooli 16, 51003 Tartu, Estonia e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT In 16th-century Assam, Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449–1568) introduced a move- ment known as eka sarana nama dharma – a religion devoted to one God (Vishnu or Krishna). The focus of the movement was to introduce a new form of Vaishnava doctrine, dedicated to the reformation of society and to the abolition of practices such as animal sacrifice, goddess worship, and discrimination based on caste or religion. A new institutional order was conceptualised by Sankaradeva at that time for the betterment of human wellbeing, which was given shape by his chief dis- ciple Madhavadeva. This came to be known as Sattra, a monastery-like religious and socio-cultural institution. Several Sattras were established by the disciples of Sankaradeva following his demise. Even though all Sattras derive from the broad tradition of Sankaradeva’s ideology, there is nevertheless some theological seg- mentation among different sects, and the manner of performing rituals differs from Sattra to Sattra. In this paper, my aim is to discuss the origin and subsequent transformations of Sattra as an institution. The article will also reflect upon the implication of traditions and of the process of traditionalisation in the context of Sattra culture. I will examine the power relations in Sattras: the influence of exter- nal forces and the support of locals to the Sattra authorities.
    [Show full text]
  • Empire's Garden: Assam and the Making of India
    A book in the series Radical Perspectives a radical history review book series Series editors: Daniel J. Walkowitz, New York University Barbara Weinstein, New York University History, as radical historians have long observed, cannot be severed from authorial subjectivity, indeed from politics. Political concerns animate the questions we ask, the subjects on which we write. For over thirty years the Radical History Review has led in nurturing and advancing politically engaged historical research. Radical Perspec- tives seeks to further the journal’s mission: any author wishing to be in the series makes a self-conscious decision to associate her or his work with a radical perspective. To be sure, many of us are currently struggling with the issue of what it means to be a radical historian in the early twenty-first century, and this series is intended to provide some signposts for what we would judge to be radical history. It will o√er innovative ways of telling stories from multiple perspectives; comparative, transnational, and global histories that transcend con- ventional boundaries of region and nation; works that elaborate on the implications of the postcolonial move to ‘‘provincialize Eu- rope’’; studies of the public in and of the past, including those that consider the commodification of the past; histories that explore the intersection of identities such as gender, race, class and sexuality with an eye to their political implications and complications. Above all, this book series seeks to create an important intellectual space and discursive community to explore the very issue of what con- stitutes radical history. Within this context, some of the books pub- lished in the series may privilege alternative and oppositional politi- cal cultures, but all will be concerned with the way power is con- stituted, contested, used, and abused.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Folk Customs of the Hajongs
    JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 6, 2020 SOCIAL FOLK CUSTOMS OF THE HAJONGS Nandita Devi1 1PHD Research Scholar, Gauhati University, Dept of MIL&LS, Assam, India. I. INTRODUCTION A study of our unknown or little known neighbors is a stepping stone for national integration through proper understanding of the cultural parameters which govern the more or less self-managed tribal communities. The study of the socio-cultural life of small communities has drawn the attention of the researcher. In studies of the Indian small scale tribal and peasant community, the socio-cultural structure and its peculiar characteristics have been investigated by the researchers for over the last two decades. Yet there are few studies concentrating on the social and cultural conditions of tribal societies. When one further delimits the area and considers the North-East India, the study of sociocultural structures appear to be very few and far between. Hajongs believe that they are the descendants of Kartayabirjarjun, one of the greatest Khastriya kings of Mahabharata era. The great saint Parasuram who vowed to annihilate all the Khastriyas from the earth primarily for taking revenge on king Kartyabirajun who was accountable for killing his father Jamadagni ultimately had killed the king in the process. His queen Swarupa Devi was pregant at that time. The queen fled away form the capital and took refuge in the hermitage of the sage Kamdatta in ancient Kamrup. She gave birth to a son who came to be known as Padangsku. Padangsku occupied the ancient Hajo township including the temple there.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Pdf File
    International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 3, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2017 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 Impact Factor: 1.585 Religion and Social Change among the Ethnic Communities of Assam Juri Saikia Assistant professor, Department of History D.D.R. College, Chabua, Dibrugarh, Assam ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT : Every ethnic group of Assam have some individual cultural characteristics. But in the age of globalisation it is impossible to remain within the boundary of own culture. On the other hand the greater Assamese culture is formed by the contributions of all the ethnic communities. Various socio- cultural processes like acculturation, assimilation, progressive absorption, fusion, aryanisation, sanskritisation etc. has influenced upon almost all ethnic communities. Religion is one of the important organs of society. It brings new elements to society and culture and a society is depended in large scale on religion in the maintaining of social norms and value. In the present scenario, religion and social change has become a common feature of every society. This is seen in the societies of the ethnic communities of Assam also. Keywords: Chaturbarna , Deka chhangs ,Neo-Vaishnavite, Society, Thaans. ___________ _______________________________________________________________________________ I. Introduction: The kings of Kamrupa established the Brahmanas in different parts of the country. Thus Vedic culture spread in ancient Assam. To assimilate the non- Aryans, the Aryans had to change their own cultural outlook. As a result Vedic culture took a new form with both Aryan and non-Aryan elements. Fetishism, animism, cult of fertility, human sacrifice, ancestor worship etc. as elsewhere in India, passed on to Hinduism, and moulded its character which became manifest in new local forms.[1] There were Saivism, Sakti worship, Tantrik Buddhism, Sun worship in the society of the ancient Assam.
    [Show full text]
  • Religious and Cultural Depiction in Buddhism: an Impact in Assam
    Religious and Cultural Depiction in Buddhism: An Impact in Assam Guptajit Pathak* & Pranita Baishya** *Assistant Professor, Department of History, Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Geetanagar, (Affiliated to Gauhati University), Guwahati, Assam **Assistant Teacher & Independent Researcher, Barihat Higher Secondary School, Mirza, Assam ABSTRACT: It is very significant that Buddhism has made a significant role to the enlargement of Indian civilization and evolution. The furthermost impact of Lord Gautama Buddha was the concern of well-liked, simple, comprehensible and easy faith. Gautama Buddha prearranged a straightforward system of ethics for his followers. Assam is a ground of Brahmanical faith from very Ancient time and existence of Buddhism was not an especially trouble-free way in that time. The role of Buddhism in society and life for the people is very obvious. KEY WORDS: Religious, Cultural, Depiction, Buddhism, Impact, Assam. FOREWORD: The initial inhabitants of Assam were the presenters of the Indo-Chinese language of the Mon- Khmer family which has been featured by Schmidt as the Austric family of languages. The very significant tribe belonging to this group is the Bodos and therefore the most basic inhabitants of Assam were the Non-Aryans and their language belongs to extra-Aryan families of language. By means of the development of Aryan colonization Naraka and his descendants transplanted to ancient Assam the Aryan civilization counting its language that is Sanskrit. BUDDHISM AS A SOURCE OF CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: 1. Buddhism is a simple way to follow divine enlargement leading to imminent into the factual nature of realism. 2. Buddhism started in India 2500 years ago and remains the dominant humankind religion in the East.
    [Show full text]
  • Spatial Distribution of Tribal Population and Inter Tribal Differences in Population Growth: a Critical Review on Demography and Immigration in Assam
    IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (JHSS) ISSN: 2279-0837, ISBN: 2279-0845. Volume 3, Issue 3 (Sep-Oct. 2012), PP 23-30 www.iosrjournals.org Spatial Distribution of Tribal Population and Inter Tribal Differences in Population Growth: A Critical Review on Demography and Immigration in Assam 1Sailajananda Saikia, 2Bishmita Medhi, 3Bidyum Kr Medhi 1Centre for Studies in Geography, Dibrugarh University: 2Research Scholar, NEHU.Shillong, 3M Phil. Student J.N.U Delhi Abstract: Assam holds and supports a large proportion of tribal population, highly differentiated in terms of ethno-lingual characteristics as well as economic responses to their habitats. Ethnic violence, which has become endemic to the states of postcolonial Northeast India especially Assam, has often targeted people of migrant origin as foreigners or illegal immigrants to sent them back to their lands of origin. The Muslim and Hindu Bangladeshi migrant who have been migrating to Northeast India since the colonial times have mingled with the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society of the region. Settled in almost all the states of the region they have, in recent times, been frequently identified as foreigners as their growing numbers have become a threat to the ethnicity. Immigrants from both Nepal and Bangladesh have created a cause of concern for the indigenous ethnic tribal population in different sphere. An attempt is made in this paper to examine different growth pattern among the tribal living in the state and also the migrated population which is growing in an alarming rate. This paper looks at the conflict-induced displacement of the Bangladeshi in Assam.
    [Show full text]
  • Village & Town Directory, Goalpara, Part XIII-A, Series-3, Assam
    CENSUS OF I'NDIA 1981 SERIES-3 : ASSAM DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK PART XII[-A VILLAGE & TO\VN DIRECTORY GOALPARA DISTRICT N. K. CHOUDHURY of the Indian Administrathc Sl'nice DIRECTOR OF CEl"SUS OPERATIONS ASSAM P/.jntqd at " ., t_ , .G/RI,JA PRINTERS & PUBLISHERS Kahilipara. Guwahati-781 019 CONTENTS Pages Foreword I-II Preface III 1, Map of District 2. Analytical Note V-XXII 3. Village Directory 1-419 Note explaini.ng the codes used in the Village Directory (3) 21_41 P. s. - Alphabetical list of Villages (7) Amenities and land used (10) Gosaigaon P. S. - Alphabetical list of Villa­ ges (21) Amenities and land used (26) Kokrajhar P. S. Alpha­ betical list cf Villages (52) Amenities and land used (58) Sidli P. S.-Alphabetical list of Villages (S4) Amenities and land used (S8) Bijni P. S.-Alphabetical list of Villages (104) Amenities and land used (lOS) Golokganj P. S.-Alphabetical list of Villages (131) Amenities and land ust:d (134) Bilasi­ para P. S-Alphabetical list of Villages (152) Amenities and land used (160) Dhubri P. S.-Alphabeticallist of Villages (207) Amenities and land used (210) South Salmara P. S.-Alphabe­ tical list of Villages (233) Amenities and' land used (238) Mankachar P. S.-Alphabetical list of Villages (270) Amenities and land used (17:') Bongaigaon P. S.-Alphabetical list of Villages (281) Amenities and land used (284) Abhayapuri P. S. -Alphabetical list of Villages (296) Amenities and land used (302) Lakhipur P. S.-Alphabetical list of Villages (340) Ameni­ ties and used (344) Goalpara P. S. Alphabetkal Ii~t of Villages (372) Amenities and land used (376) Dudhnai P.
    [Show full text]
  • Identity and Violence in India's North East: Towards a New Paradigm
    Identity and Violence In India’s North East Towards a New Paradigm Sanjib Goswami Institute for Social Research Swinburne University of Technology Australia Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2016 Ethics Clearance for this SUHREC Project 2013/111 is enclosed Abstract This thesis focuses on contemporary ethnic and social conflict in India’s North East. It concentrates on the consequences of indirect rule colonialism and emphasises the ways in which colonial constructions of ‘native’ and ‘non-native’ identity still inform social and ethnic strife. This thesis’ first part focuses on history and historiography and outlines the ways in which indirect rule colonialism was implemented in colonial Assam after a shift away from an emphasis on Britain’s ‘civilizing mission’ targeting indigenous elites. A homogenising project was then replaced by one focusing on the management of colonial populations that were perceived as inherently distinct from each other. Indirect rule drew the boundaries separating different colonised constituencies. These boundaries proved resilient and this thesis outlines the ways in which indirect rule was later incorporated into the constitution and political practice of postcolonial India. Eventually, the governmental paradigm associated with indirect rule gave rise to a differentiated citizenship, a dual administration, and a triangular system of social relations comprising ‘indigenous’ groups, non-indigenous Assamese, and ‘migrants’. Using settler colonial studies as an interpretative paradigm, and a number of semi-structured interviews with community spokespersons, this thesis’ second part focuses on the ways in which different constituencies in India’s North East perceive ethnic identity, ongoing violence, ‘homeland’, and construct different narratives pertaining to social and ethnic conflict.
    [Show full text]
  • SUB-REGIONAL NATIONALISM in ASSAM PRINT MEDIA by Joydeep
    Commentary-2 Global Media Journal – Indian Edition Sponsored by the University of Calcutta/www.caluniv.ac.in ISSN 2249 – 5835 Summer& Winter Joint Issue/June- December 2015/Vol. 6/No. 1& 2 SUB-REGIONAL NATIONALISM IN ASSAM PRINT MEDIA by Joydeep Biswas Associate Professor Cachar College, Silchar, Assam University email: [email protected] Abstract – The genesis and growth of the nearly 170-year-old Assam print media is intricately linked to, and shaped by the sub-regional Assamese nationalism. Since the time when the first Assamese news periodical, Orunodai, was brought out under the aegis of the American Baptist Missionaries from Sibsagar or much later down the line when the first daily, Dainik Batori, began to be churned out from the outskirts of Jorhat in 1935 till the fag end of the last century when in 1995 the highest circulated Assamese daily, Asomiya Pratidin, was first published, Assam print media journalism has always rallied around Assamese nationalism. The birth of the Assam Tribune in 1939 and the Sentinel in 1983-both English dailies-and their subsequent rise to prominence also could not alter the trend. While such nationalist journalism at the formative stage of construction of Assamese identity is understandable, not unheard of also in other provinces of colonial India, and justified as well, continuation of the same strand even after 1947 and, in fact, till into the present time, has worked against some key principles of journalism like objectivity, accuracy, fairness and impartiality. Evidence of such journalistic aberration in Assam print media is particularly visible vis-à-vis the issue of rights of the Partition victim Bengali settlers in Assam.
    [Show full text]