ISSN 2229-5399 THE HERITAGE ‹øÓ¬˝√√… The Heritage Multi-lingual Research Journal on Indology Volume-VI, Issue-1, 2015 Aitihya Samstha Kahilipara Colony, P.O. Binova Nagar Guwahati- 781018, Assam India ‹øÓ¬˝√√… The Heritage Vol-VI, Issue-1, 2015 CONTENTS ENGLISH SECTION Revisiting the Rajbanshi Identity Baniprasanna Misra 7-22 Causative Constructions of Sanskrit Language : ‹øÓ¬˝√√… The Heritage Vol-VI, Issue-1, 2015 A Note on Linguistic Studies of West Vishav Bandhu 23-32 Dolyatra Issue Revisiting a Lost Relationship : Envisioning Future (March–April) Connectivity Between Assam and Bangladesh Published by Dr. Pannalal Goswami Abu Nasar Saied Ahmed 33-46 on behalf of Aitihya Samstha, Kahilipara Colony, Guwahati-18 Multilingualism in Indian Literature : A Praxis Through MT Based Reading Problems and Challenges Manan Kumar Mandal 47-56 ¬ı±—˘± ø¬ıˆ¬±· ¬Œ¸Ã¬ı˛ ¬ıÚ±˜ ‰¬±f ¸—¶‘®øÓ¬¬ı˛ ¸—‚±Ó¬ – õ∂Ô˜ ¬Û¬ı« ñ Δ¬ıø√fl¡ ˚≈· ’˜À˘μ≈ ‰¬Sê¬ıÓ¬œ« 59-73 DISCLAIMER ¬¬ı±—˘± ¸±ø˝√√ÀÓ¬…¬ı˛ ’±ø√˚≈· – ¸ÀÓ¬…¬ı˛ ’Ú≈¸g±Ú ’ø˘ˆ¬± √±é¬œ 74-80 The opinions expressed in the articles ά◊øÚ˙ ˙Ó¬Àfl¡¬ı˛ ’¸À˜ ’¬ı±„√√±ø˘À√¬ı˛ ¬ı±—˘±‰¬‰«¬± – õ∂Ô˜ ¬Û¬ı« published in this journal are the opinions õ∂¸”Ú ¬ı˜«Ú 81-96 of the authors. The members of the Editorial Board or Publisher of ’¸˜œ˚˛± ø¬ıˆ¬±· ‹øÓ¬˝√√…-The Heritage are in no way responsible for the opinions ˆ¬±1Ó¬œ˚˛ ά◊¬ÛÚ…±¸1 √õ∂±1y√Ì-fl¬Ô±Ó¬ ’¸˜œ˚˛± ά◊¬ÛÚ…±¸1 ¶ö±Ú ¸œ˜±ôL√ ±¸ expressed by the authors or the 99-110 conclusions deduced by them. Úœ˘˜øÌ Ù≈¬fl¡Ú1 fl¡±¬ı…øÚø˜«øÓ¬Ó¬ ø‰¬Sø˙ä1 ø¬ı˜”Ó¬«Ó¬± – ¤fl¡ ’Ò…˚˛Ú ˜‘≈√˘ ˙˜«± 111-120 ’1n∏Ì ˙˜«±1 ë¿øÚ¬ı±1Ì ˆ¬A±‰¬±˚«í – ¤øȬ ˜Ú–¸˜œé¬±Rfl¡ ’Ò…˚˛Ú ø˘ø¬Ûfl¡± Ó¬±˘≈fl¡√±1, ά±– Ê√˚˛ôL √±¸ 121-129 ‹øÓ¬˝√√… The Heritage ENGLISH SECTION Vol-VI, Issue-1, 2015 ‹øÓ¬˝√√… © Aitihya Samstha Vol.VI, Issue -1, 2015 The Heritage pp 7-22 REVISITING THE RAJBANSHI IDENTITY Baniprasanna Misra Centre for Himalayan Studies, North-Bengal University, Siliguri, West Bengal. ABSTRACT : The Rajbanshis constitute a large community in eastern India spread mainly over northern Bengal and western Assam. The scholars and activists from both within and outside the community have long displayed their keen interest for various reasons in discovering the historical roots of their distinct identity. It is usually Revisiting the Rajbanshi Identity believed that the identity and status of the community became a problem only after the Baniprasanna Misra 7-22 Census operations had begun in late nineteenth century India, when the community happened to be listed in the company of 'Koch' that was recognized as a tribe. The scholars also unanimously agree that the Kshatriya Movement of the Rajbanshis was Causative Constructions of Sanskrit Language : intended to correct this mistake. Here, we find instead that the schism developing A Note on Linguistic Studies of West gradually from early nineteenth century onwards between members of the community Vishav Bandhu 23-32 having royal linkages on the one hand and the lay commoners on the other was the more important determinant of the Kshatriya Movement which itself had two strains, not one, and both continued along two different courses. Revisiting a Lost Relationship : Envisioning Future Connectivity Between Assam and Bangladesh Abu Nasar Saied Ahmed 33-46 I. INTRODUCTION higher altitudes of Meghalaya but including the low-lying bordering areas of the Garo hills).2 It The Rajbanshis, or the Koch-Rajbanshis – Multilingualism in Indian Literature : A Praxis may also be mentioned that the Rajbanshi or the latter term being more popular in Assam, Koch-Rajbanshi is an ethnic nomenclature that Through MT Based Reading Problems and Challenges constitute an important category of people Manan Kumar Mandal 47-56 has been enriched over time through accretion spread over north-east India but especially in of members from other communities. the contiguous areas of north Bengal and The areas inhabited by the Rajbanshi 1 western Assam. The political boundaries of the community were by and large included in the present should not make us forget that the past within the kingdom of Kamatapur, which Rajbanshis are indigenous inhabitants also of had frontiers on all sides without rigorous the erstwhile Rangpur district and other adjacent boundaries, over the ruins of which at a later areas of present day Bangladesh, and parts of date emerged Koch Behar as a mighty kingdom eastern Bihar and Nepal Terai. In short, they challenging the Ahom supremacy to the further appear to be concentrated during the historical east. The discord over succession led to split period between 25° and 26°30′ North latitudes, of the kingdom into two parts - the senior branch and 88° and 92° East longitudes (leaving the of the royal family continued to rule over the ‹øÓ¬˝√√… The Heritage, Vol.V, Issue-2, 2014 ‹øÓ¬˝√√… The Heritage, Vol.VI, Issue-1, 2015 Baniprasanna Misra Revisiting the Rajbanshi Identity as Rabha if the situation so permits. Sometimes Company. Ratiram said,4 western part from Koch Behar, while the junior Districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao), the Rajbanshis living in Meghalaya also veer branch to the east of river Sankosh was known Meghalaya, and West Bengal. Thus, Koch and ¬ı˛ÀÌ ˆ¬e ø√˚˛± Œ˜±¬ı˛± ¤À√À˙ ’±˝◊√√¸±øÂ√ around the nomenclature - Koch. But since as Koch Hajo. The expansion of the Ahoms and Rabha, though not held to be identical, are Rabha has a wider circulation as a recognized ˆ¬e é¬Sœ ¬ı˛±Ê√¬ı—˙œ ¤˝◊√√ Ú±À˜ ’±ø the intervention of the Mughals in their affairs both recognized as scheduled tribes in tribe in all the three states of West Bengal, destroyed the glory of Koch Hajo to all intents Meghalaya. Notwithstanding the claim made It is noticeable that this was the emic Assam and Meghalaya, the nomenclature and purposes. These caused split of Koch Hajo by Rabhas, the Koch however consider perception during as early as the last quarter of Rabha enjoys a premium at present over Koch. into several principalities, with varying degrees themselves in parts of Meghalaya to be the eighteenth century. The descriptive terms Such a syndrome also exists elsewhere in the of control under the Ahoms over some of them. superior to the Rabhas, though in West Bengal like 'Bhanga Kshatriya' and 'Rajbanshi' were north-east, as a further example of which one The Mughal governors from Dacca also and areas to the north of the Brahmaputra in already in vogue at that time. But, these epithets may cite the case of some of the Kuki groups incorporated a large part of Koch Hajo into erstwhile Goalpara district of Assam, the are not to be found in the older Persian records, like the Moyans or Monsangs in Manipur Bengal. As far as Koch Behar was concerned, Rabhas, while enjoying their scheduled tribe or in the foreign accounts, or in any of the shifting from Kuki to Naga identity in an effort 5 the Moghuls and the Bhutanese occasionally status, continue to consider themselves as a dynastic epigraph of the time. The terms are that may possibly be explained in terms of made inroads over the same but the kingdom branch of the Koch people. also conspicuous by their absence in the political pragmatism. continued to flourish and end up under the During the medieval period a considerable Darrang Raj Bangshabali (c.1798) that was British rule as a princely state with a 13-gun amount of both sacred as also secular literature In this presentation the existential composed at around the same time on the salute was written in the language variously called encounter with the present leads us to northern banks of the Brahmaputra in Assam. In West Bengal, at present, the 'Rajbanshis' Kamarupi or Kamatapuri, the local language undertake a critical re-examination of the In the course of his survey conducted during and the 'Koches' are recognized by the state of this region that is claimed by the Rajbanshis dynamics of the Rajbanshi identity formation 1807-14 in what can be identified as the as two independent 'Scheduled Castes'. In to be their own. However, in course of time, in history, particularly during the British rule. Kamrup-Kamata region, Francis Buchanan had Assam, on the other hand, the 'Koch- the Rajbanshis and others have been drawn The Kshatriya movement of the Rajbanshis, observed that the title of Rajbangshi was being Rajbanshis' are jointly enlisted as one single largely within the fold of modern-day Bengali aimed at differentiating them from the Koch applied for themselves by a large number of entity under the 'Other Backward Classes' and Assamese. This has happened because of during its origin, is proposed to be re-examined Koch people on the basis of (a) their 'pretended category,3 and there are no scheduled groups several reasons one being the fact that they live by drawing a wider canvas of the historical descent' from the Kshatriyas fleeing from using the exclusive appellation of either Koch within the politically demarcated state- process. In the next section, we shall present further west to Kamrup and the adjacent or Rajbanshi. In Meghalaya, 'Koch' taken boundaries where these latter languages are those facts of history that would help us to territories to escape from the wrath of singly without its correlate is however officially recognized within their respective appreciate the circumstances under which the Parashuram, as per the accounts furnished in recognized as a 'Scheduled Tribe', but 'Koch- territories. community was led to enquire about its own the Yogini Tantra, and (b) also on the basis of Rajbanshi' or simply 'Rajbanshi' happens to All these factors have simultaneously identity, and become truly self-conscious.