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A Study on the Deori Women of Assam in India

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A Study on the Deori Women of Assam in India CRITIQUE: An International Interdisciplinary Research Journal ISSN: 2454-1419 Volume: 1(October, 2015) Issue: III Article: 16 Continuity and Change: A Study on the Deori Women of Assam in India Guptajit Pathak Assistant Professor in History Kanya Mahavidyalaya (Government of Assam) Guwahati , Assam, India & Ph. D. Research Scholar Department of Women’s Studies Magadh University Boodh Gaya, Bihar, India ABSTRACT: Generally speaking, every patriarchal society treats women as weaker and inferior to men. They are not given the equal status in economic, social, cultural religious fields. Though they play a vital role in preserving the human race, yet they are treated as commodity to use and throw, they are remaining as vulnerable and deprived even today. Urbanization or Urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as an outcome of global change. Urbanization is closely linked to viva modernization, industrialization, globalization and the Sociological process of rationalization. As more and more people leave villages and farms leave in cities, urban growth results. The Deoris in the 21st century witnessed social and cultural transmission due to the modernization and globalization. Hence, they like the changing scenario. The above text is published by Critique ©Critique-iirj.com CRITIQUE: An International Interdisciplinary Research Journal ISSN: 2454-1419 Volume: 1(October, 2015) Issue: III Article: 16 Change is the law of nature. Numerous factors brought changes into the socio-cultural life of the Deoris. There has been a shift from joint to nuclear family. The status of the Deori women has changed. Key Words: Deori, globalization, industrialization, modernization, women. Introduction: Urbanization, Modernization and globalization are the multidimensional and complex process, occurs in all societies irrespective of their structure, compactness, integrity and stage of development. For a change to be termed development, it must occur continuously in a desirable dimension and direction. These desired aims are specified by the values and needs of the society concerned. While change results in modification or alteration of the old by the new ones, development aims to achieve human well-being and enhance the quality of life. The tribal, ethnic community of Assam, located in India‟s North East, is witnessing the spirit of social change and development due to a variety of factors. Having diverse ethnic origins, representing racial stock from Proto- Austroloid to Mongoloid, with a distinctive socio-cultural system, own cultural ethos, a unique way of adaptation to different ecological niches and a distinctive social structure of their own, these tribal communities seem to respond to processes of social change and development quite differently compared to other communities. In this arena the role of women is vital as women are an active agent of change. The method of social change and development is no way uniform throughout the state. It is different among different tribal groups and in varying spatial contexts. The effects of change also seem to assume different orders and pattern. An attempt is made in this research paper to understand the patterns of social change and development among the Deori ethnic women. The above text is published by Critique ©Critique-iirj.com CRITIQUE: An International Interdisciplinary Research Journal ISSN: 2454-1419 Volume: 1(October, 2015) Issue: III Article: 16 Statement of the Problem: The deori women of Assam have their unique identity even they have been able to maintain their old traditions, which is a subject of research. Aims and Objectives: The main objectives of the study are: 1. To find out the level of social change and socio-economic development among Deori women as reflected through different demographic and socioeconomic attributes in varied spatial contexts in Assam. 2. To explore the dynamics of social change and development as reflected in the nature and extent of change among the women of different tribal groups. 3. To study about the Continuity and Changes in the form of social transformation among the Deori women due to urbanization, modernization and globalization. Rationale: Assam is a land of a multiplicity of cultures, tribes and religions. While discussing about the standpoint of Tribal Women in India we have to speak in relation to the unique reflection of the Deori Women of Assam. Hypothesis: In the socio-economic aspects, the deori women are of great value towards continuity and changes . The above text is published by Critique ©Critique-iirj.com CRITIQUE: An International Interdisciplinary Research Journal ISSN: 2454-1419 Volume: 1(October, 2015) Issue: III Article: 16 Database and Methodology: The research paper is basically a descriptive cum survey method. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. Data for understanding the average condition of demographic, social and economic characteristics have been collected from the district census handbook. The secondary sources are mainly books, articles, journals, magazines, newspapers, periodicals, research paper, pamphlets, paper clips, internet, websites and different types of collections. Primary data have been taken from Deori villages of Assam and secondary data has also been used in making some statements. In order to have detailed information on various aspects relating to demographic, economic, socio-cultural characteristics and cultural preservation and social change among Deori women household survey has been conducted with the help of a well-designed questionnaire. Continuity and Transformation of the Deori Women of Assam in India: Generally speaking, the level of social development is a complex, dynamic and multidimensional term. It is viewed in a relative context. Combining the individual values of change meaningfully towards getting the overall dimension of change is really a difficult task. This is more so due to considerably a large number of indicators involving contrasting nature of the data and units of measurement. Among the different measures of determining change index, although the range equalization method developed by UNDP for determination of Human Development Index is found to be highly useful both for socioeconomic change and develop the meaningful consideration of minimum and maximum values for some attributes is quite difficult, if not impossible. North East India is a „Paradise for Travelers‟ and one of the most significant regions of South Asia, in terms of availability of natural resources, scenic beauty and rich culture and tradition. Assam is the entryway to NER of India. „Peerless land‟ as that is what Assam means, is known The above text is published by Critique ©Critique-iirj.com CRITIQUE: An International Interdisciplinary Research Journal ISSN: 2454-1419 Volume: 1(October, 2015) Issue: III Article: 16 the seeding ground for many civilizations. Many tribes came to Assam from different regions, brought different life styles and made Assam a mirror of different civilizations and cultures. The Deori Community has Mongolian Characteristics on them. Racially they belong to the Indo- Mongoloid stock on the one hand and linguistically to the Tibeto-Burman family of language on the other. Deori Tribe is found in the states of Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. They speak both Assamese and a Tibeto-Burman language called Deori (Chutiya). The name Deori derives from the word „Deva‟ which means „God.‟ This tribe comprises three distinct groups or „khels‟ namely Dibongia, Tengapania and Borgoya. Trade and commerce play an important part in the economic life of a tribe or people. This is no exception to the Deoris of Assam. They have trade relations with the people living around them. The Deoris sell and buy many things in the markets. The following are the lists of articles bought and sold by the Deoris in the markets. Articles Bought: Salt, kerosene oil, dry fish, match, soap, pen, paper, pencil, lime, hoe, knife sickle, flash-lights, mirrors, sandals, sewing machines, bi-cycles, umbrellas, plastic combs, plastic stools, candles chairs and mustard oil. Articles Sold: Lady‟s finger, chili, ginger, garlic, potato, tomato, turmeric, banana, pineapple, different kinds of vegetables, fowls, pigs goats. The above text is published by Critique ©Critique-iirj.com CRITIQUE: An International Interdisciplinary Research Journal ISSN: 2454-1419 Volume: 1(October, 2015) Issue: III Article: 16 In the present scenario lot of changes have been found in dress pattern and social life as well as in education and also medical practices. Various groups of Deori people have settled amicably at different places of Assam. Regarding weights and measures nothing is properly known. Possibly like other people, the Deoris used the same weights and measures, chiefly current among them in the past. Now-a-days modern tools or instruments have been used by the Deori women in buying or selling their goods. Change is the law of nature. Different causes have brought changes in the socio-cultural life of the Deoris. Modernization has affected their cultural traditions of the past because many people of the Deori women as are already mentioned that they are working in urban areas and coming to rural areas with an advanced view. This has affected old traditions and culture of the Deori ethnic group. There has been a shift from joint to nuclear family. The urbanization as is known to create nuclear families in the 21st century advanced world, some Deori women after living in urban areas opt for the nuclear family system
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