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Contributions of Char-Chapari Dwellers Towards the Assamese Language-Literature-Culture and Enrichment of Social Life

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Contributions of Char-Chapari Dwellers Towards the Assamese Language-Literature-Culture and Enrichment of Social Life JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN-2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 10, 2020 Contributions of Char-Chapari Dwellers towards the Assamese Language-Literature-Culture and Enrichment of Social Life Dr. Rehna Sultana Independent Researcher, Ph.D from the Department of Assamese, Gauhati University, Assam, India in 2020 Her research interests include linguistics, folklore, history etc. Abstract: Char area of Assam is situated in the river bank of Brahmaputra and its tributaries. There is no char area in the Barak Valley. The char areas of Assam are scattered over 14 districts of the Brahmaputra Valley. As for inhabitants of char areas, are generally meant those people who came from erstwhile East Bengal of undivided India before independence. They are popularly known as Charua, Pamuwa, Na-Asamiya, Miya or Maimonsingiya. The Miyas are well known as one of the diligent ethnic groups of Assam. These people constitute nearly 14% of the total population of Assam. They have accepted the Assamese language and culture without hesitation and thus extended whole hearted contribution towards forming the Assamese speaking people majority in the state.From Assamese language, culture and literature to economic and agricultural development of Assam, the contribution of these people is significant. Now, they have become the part and parcel of the greater Assamese ethnic and ethnicity. This research paper intends to provide a broad outline about the different and significance contributions of the char dwellers towards the Assamese society and its language and culture. Keywords: Assam, Char-Chapari, Char dwellers, Muslim, Brahmaputra Valley, Contribution, Social life,Agriculture, Language, Literature, Culture. Materials and Methods: The study is descriptive and qualitative in nature. Both primary and secondary data are collected for this study. Primary data has been collected from number of books, journals, local news papers and government reports. The secondary data is based on personal field investigation and interview carried out in different char villages of Brahmaputra Valley.Observation and interview guide are used for data collection. Introduction: Assamese people are not a special group of people within the geographical boundaries of Assam. From the ancient times, Assam has been a melting-pot of various cultural communities and races. The society of Assamese consists of different social groups having diverse religion, culture, language and ways of life. Different languages, customs, ethics, literature and culture have entered Assam from different regions at different times and have submerged into the greater Assamese Society, which has a long history of prosperity through the Characteristics or elements of different ethnic groups. The contribution of char dwellers towards Assamese society, Literature and Culture is very prominent among all. ‘Char’ means sandy or alluvial soil in the middle of the river bed. ‘Chapari’, on the other hand, refers to the vast expanse of land on the banks of the river. From this perspective, Brahmaputra valley includes Char- Chapariareas of Sadiya to Dhubri, but from a practical point of view, Brahmaputra valley mainly signifies Majuli and many other smaller Char-Chapari areas of lower Assam region. In the Char areas of upper Assam, including Majuli, there are settlements of Kaivarta, Miching, Deori, Nepali and other communities. On the other hand, there are Hindu Bengali, Kaivarta, Bihari, Shudra and other communities in the Char-Chapariregion of lower Assam, although the Char-Chapariareas are predominantly inhabited by Bengal or East Bengal origin Muslims. The Char-Chaparidwellers, who are popularly known as Charuwa, Pamuwa, Na-Asamiya, Miya or Maimonsingiya, are the latest component of Assamese society who are mostly lives in the char areas of Brahmaputra. Most of this category of people came to Assam from different parts of undivided India during the second half of nineteenth century and the first half of twentieth century. This study makes an attempt to find out the different and significance contributions of the char dwellers towards the Assamese society and its language and culture etc. Aim and Scope: The contribution of the people of Char-Chapariareas to the prosperity of the social life of Assam is immense. Their contribution in all aspects of Assam's agricultural economy, language, literature and culture is no less essential. This study has painted and highlighted a logical discussion about how the Char- 6218 JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN-2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 10, 2020 Chaparidwellers are fused into main stream Assamese society and started contributing to the prosperity of the socio-cultural lives of Assam amidst their own language and culture.This study aims at imparting an understanding and creating an awareness among the people regarding the Char-Chaparidwellers of Assam and their contributions towards the whole Assamese society and the socio-economical and cultural life of Assam. Results and Discussions: Contributions of Char-Chaparidwellers towards Assamese Language: It is a well-known fact that the period from 1836 to 1872 was the time of extreme gloom for Assamese language. This is because instead of Assamese language Bengali was newly introduced at the schools, offices, courts, etc.This crisis lasted for Assamese language till 1872 AD. However, from the very onset of the re- introduction of Assamese language the migration from East-Bengal started. It is important to note that the re- establishment of the Assamese language was preceded by the migration of the East Bengal people to Assam. From the beginning of the migration, this group of people took part in reinforcement and popularization process of the Assamese language. In 1873 AD, Bengali language was replaced by Assamese language in schools and offices in Assam, although in reality the status of Assamese language remained the same. During the census of 1931, 56 years after the restoration of Assamese language in schools and offices, the number of Assamese speakers was still insignificant. The number of Assamese speakers in this census was only 36 percent.At that time, the Assamese language was adopted by the East Bengal Muslims living in the Char-Chapari, although they didn’t declare their mother tongue as Assamese. However, in the census of 1951, the Muslims living in these areasclaimed thattheir mother tongue is Assamese and as a result the number of Assamese speakers exponentially increased from 36 per cent to 62 percent. Before that, Assamese was the ‘minority’ language in Assam. Apart from this, during the ‘Language Movement’ of 1960 and the ‘Medium Movement’ of 1972, the Muslim community played a vital role. In both these movements, the Muslim community presented fondness towards the greater Assamese society and also established few examples of the ultimate sacrifices of their lives. Omar Ali from Kharupetia and MozammilHaque, the sons of a neo-Assamese Muslim were martyred in the 1972 ‘Medium Movement’. (Hussain 2013 :1) It is important to note that at a time when other ethnic groups in Assam were not showing their zeal to continue the Assamese language. Instead they were demanding protection of their own language, literature and culture. In such crucial time, the people of Char-Chapari’s were taking-up initiative to open many schoolsfor the wide spread and preservation of Assamese language; abandoning their own identity. It is really significant that Bengali medium schools are not yet to be found in the Char-Chapariregion of Assam, the main settlement of East Bengal Muslims. In this way, the people of Char-Chaparihave contributed to the prosperity and development of the Assamese language. Even though, it is not known exactly about the beginning of establishment of Assamese medium schools by the Muslims of Char-Chapari, but it is considered that Osman Ali Sadagar was the first to open a freeMoktab school in 1902 in Ali Tangani, Nagaon district. In 1910, it was renamed as 265 No. Assamese Medium LP School. In 1913, an Assamese medium school was established at Rangapani in Barpeta district, in 1921 at Chakla and Helapakuri, and in 1928 at Gunialguri. In 1925, the Assamese medium primary school was established in the old village of Sontoli. Other Assamese medium schools were established in kujarpani 1928, in Dhakua 1929, in Alopati Char 1934 and in Andabhanga 1937 etc., respectively which helped in up-keeping Assamese language. Contributions of Char-Chaparidwellers towards Assamese literature: Using a language for day to day business and using it for creative writing and literary composition are poles apartideas. There could be some restrictions on the use of a language for the general purpose, but for literary terms one must have a passion and assimilation with the language. In the case of Assamese language as well as in the field of Assamese literature, the people of Char-Chapari have shown unity and attachment with the language. They have a significant role to play in Assamese language as well as Assamese literature.With the adoption of Assamese as their mother tongue and as a medium of instruction, they have not only continued to establish Assamese medium schools but have also gradually started to invest themselves in the upliftment of Assamese language and literature. Their literary pursuits are entirely Assamese language-centric which have enriched the language itself as well. In every aspects of Assamese literature,Char-Chaparipeople have marked their notable presence. It is important to note that the literary pursuits of Char-Chapari
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