SWETABHUJA Œù´Ó¬ˆ¬≈Ê√± ‘Rangoni-Beltola’ Women Cell Journal Editors Eli Kumari Das Rashmirekha Hazarika 1 SWETABHUJA Bilingual (English-Assamese) Multidisciplinary Annual Research Journal of ‘Rangoni-Beltola’ Women Cell Editorial Editors : Eli Kumari Das Rashmirekha Hazarika A great saying by Swami Vivekananda is- Arise, Awake, and stop not until the goal is reached; so with determination and holistic effort, we started Members : the literary journey to embolden the women segment of our society. With this Bharati Devi purpose, 'SWETABHUJA' came into being. 'SWETABHUJA', is the name Sadhana Kalita of the multi-disciplinary journal of 'Rengoni-Beltola', the women cell of Beltola Mofida Begum College. The present volume is a collection of selected articles of various scholars and writers from diverse fields. This is the first endeavour of the women cell of Beltola College in the literary arena and in compiling this volume we have © ‘Rangoni-Beltola’ Women Cell received very warm co-operation from dignified scholars and other contributors. ISBN : 978-93-83588-09-1 Dr. P C Bhattacharyya, a nonagenarian and one of the most erudite scholar drew a panoramic picture on Assamese culture. Dr. Deepali Ojah First Issue : December, 2015 wrote an article on linguistics. Dr. Hemendra Nath Dutta highlighted on Price : ` 250/- Guwahati city - from prehistoric age to twenty-first century. It is a laudable attempt on the part of Dr. Dutta to trace the antiquity of human habitation Cover : Manoj Agasti and regional concept of ancient Guwahati region including its socio-political development etc. Mrs. Eli Kumari Das has taken an ideal effort about the importance in women engineers in the present era in science and technology. Printed at Mrs Rashmirekha Hazarika and Mrs. Bharati Devi focused on two varied Bhabani Graphics, Rajgarh Road, Guwahati-7 cultural aspects - festival and folk song of two ethnic groups of Assam - and published by Artico Design, Pub Sarania, Guwahati-3 Tiwa and Karbi respectively. Smt Priyanka Basumatary compares the role of Phone : +91 94355 59306, e-mail : [email protected] English literature towards women empowerment. Md. Kamaruj Jaman, Dr. Dixita Devi, Mr. Prakash Mech, Mr. Mrigendra Nath Sarma and Smti Jyotirekha Hazarika has taken good attempt in studying eminent scholars of English and Assamese literature. Mrs Bornali Mohan and Mrs. Priti Rekha 2 3 Bora threw light on value of education as a key factor of women empow- erment for the development of the society. Mrs Lina Deka has taken a critical attempt in drawing a picture of crime against women a universal phenomenon that also includes the issue of child trafficking in Assam. Mrs Mofida Begum highlighted on need of education for children in Barpeta district in Assam with special reference to Sarba Siksha Abhiyan Mission. Mrs. Nashmin Ara Begum put a study on 'feminism'. Mrs. Kabita Das focused on political status of women in Assam in post independent period. Contents Mrs. Sadhana Kalita has taken a novel attempt to show the importance of horticulture in economic field of Assam. She put forward a view that the prospect of horticulture sector in Assam is very bright and hopeful. Miss Liky English Section : Deka highlighted on an interesting feature on river island Majuli's 'Historical Tanks and Ramparts'. Mr. Himangshu Das makes an attempt to throw light Guwahati : From Pre-History to History and its Regional Planning on Historical on present day curse of Assamese society - Witch Hunting and wraps up Background for the 21st century A.D. Dr. Hemendra Nath Dutta 9 with a suggestion that Police administration should play active role and must Immediate constituent Analysis in take the issue sensibly. Mrs. Sampurna Sarmah has written about healing of Assamese Language Dr. Deepali Ojah 17 human body and mind through meditation Miss Labanita Deka discussed Women in Engineering: A global about 'How India become an economic superpower and some problems in perspective with reference to Assam Eli Kumari Das this regards.' Dr. Mrinalini Das 21 We are deeply indebted to all our colleagues and the publishers house WANSUWA - A festival of the artico design that have helped us in every step of this literary effort. Tiwas - A case study Rashmirekha Hazarika 27 Horticulture in Assam : An Analysis Sadhana Kalita 34 Eli Kumari Das Rashmirekha Hazarika A study of residential bridge course centers in mainstreaming the out of school children of Barpeta District of Assam under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan Mofida Begum 39 Crime Against Women and A Study on Child Trafficking in Assam Lina Deka 47 Education: A Key Factor of Women Empowerment Bornali Mohan Priti Rekha Bora 57 Contribution of English Literature to Women Empowerment Priyanka Basumatary 61 A Study on the Historical Tanks and Ramparts of River Island Majuli Liky Deka 69 Scenario of witch hunting in Assam and Concept of Gender Justice Review of the Book : Witch Hunting in Assam edited by P.C. Dash and Tarali Nayak Himangshu Das 75 Feminism Nashmin Ara Begum 80 4 5 Political Status of Women In Assam In Post Independent Period Kabita Das 83 Charles Dickens: His Philosophy of Life and the Reflection of Contemporary Victorian English Society with Special Reference to Some of His Eminent Novels Md. Kamaruj Jaman 93 How Meditation Heals Body and Mind Sampurna Sharma 99 How India can become an economic superpower and some problems in this regards Labanita Deka 104 "The domestic violence in Victorian era reflected in William Morris' 'The Haystack in the Floods' Prakash Mech 115 ’¸˜œ˚˛± ø¬ıˆ¬±· – ’¸˜1 Œ˘±fl¡-¸—¶‘®øÓ¬ ά0 õ∂À˜±√ ‰¬f ˆ¬A±‰¬±˚« 123 fl¡±˝≈ê¬Û±√1 ‰¬˚«±¬Û ¤øȬ ø¬ıÀù≠¯∏̱Rfl¡ ’Ò…˚˛Ú ά0 √œøé¬Ó¬± Œ√ªœ 136 fl¡±ø¬ı« Ê√ÚÀ·±á¬œ1 Œ˘±fl¡·œÓ¬Ó¬ ¶§fl¡œ˚˛Ó¬± ˆ¬±1Ó¬œ Œ√ªœ 142 1±˜ ·Õ·1 fl¡ø¬ıÓ¬±Ó¬ õ∂·øÓ¬¬ı±√œ ø‰¬ôL± ˜‘À·fÚ±Ô ˙˜«± 148 ά±„√√1œ˚˛± Œ¬ıÌ≈Ò1 1±Ê√À‡±ª±1 Œ˜±1 Ê√œªÚ √±À¬Û±Ì ŒÊ√…±øÓ¬À1‡± ˝√√±Ê√ø1fl¡± 156 English Section 6 7 Guwahati: From Pre-History to History and its Regional Planning on Historical Background for the 21st century A.D. Dr. Hemendra Nath Dutta Abstract: The entire landscape in and around the Guwahati city, comprising of both rural and urban habitation is a vast historical document.1 Every bit of land of this region treasures hundreds and thousands of small and large scale acts of change-both natural and human. Many of these activities have changed the historical character of this region. Consequent to this, balance of nature and ecology is lost which is equally imposing a great bearing upon the past history, culture and tradition of the people of the Greater Guwahati region. The ancient glory and the antiquity of this region referred to in historical literature and in the inscriptions as Pragjyotisa- Kamrupa, Kamrupa nagara or as Kamrupa-Kamakhya, have gradually gone into oblivion. Following the purpose of archaeological vision of illustrating and discovering the course of the human civilization of the past, on the basis of archaeological evidence, archaeologist and anthropologists, epigraphists and historians have been trying to review the pre-history and history of ancient Guwahati region and of ancient Assam, for that matter at least from the year 1912, if not earlier.2 But keeping in view of such ancient historical geography or archaeological character, the region of guwahati has not been duly planned in modern days. As a result the city has its lost ancient look and traditional gaiety. Vast archaeological remains that would have eloquently spoken the past history and culture of this region still remain buried underground owing to over population. Many scholars - being Prof. H.D. Sankalia3 one of those, try to identify Guwahati as ancient Pragjyotishpura - Ambari archaeological site in the heart of the Guwahati city being a part of it. In this paper, an attempt has been made to trace the antiquity of human habitation and regional concept of ancient Guwahati region, its socio-political development and regional planning for 21st century A.D. on the basis of archaeo-historical background of the greater Guwahati cultural zone as proposed below. 8 Swetabhuja 9 Introduction: Noonmati and Sonapur. These tools are made of shale and mud stone - The geography of Assam is such that, it promotes regional geo-ethnical occasionally phyllite. The tool kit consisted of mainly tanged or shouldered variations. Such regional geo-ethnical factors seem to have definite contribution celt, flat celt, quadrangular axe, rounded axe, adze and chise.12 to the emergence of six distinct Neolithic cultural zones of Assam.3 During In the period 1967-73 under the auspices of the Anthropology Department historical period the divisions of the Brahmaputra Valley in to prayanta desa of the Dibrugarh University Prof. S.N.Rao explored a Neolithic site at a like Kamrupa and Davaka as mentioned in Allahabad Stone Pillar Inscription4 village called Saruturu at a distance of 25km to the south-east of Guwahati. of the Gupta emperor Samudra Gupta, reference of Uttarkula and The lithic industry recovered from Sarutaru consists of nine ground stone Dakshinakula5 Uparipattana and Pragjyotishapura6, Haddapesvara or celts. These tools are made of slate of grey to black colour and sandstone Harupeswara7 and reference of four ancient portions of Assam viz. of cream to buff colour. These are made by chipping and then grinding. Kamapitha, Ratnapitha, Suvarnapitha and Saumarpitha as mentioned in the Numerous potsherds were also found. These are cord impressed handmade Yogini Tantra8 signify to the development of such regional societies based on potteries13 and could be placed in between a period 5000 B.C.E to 2000B.C.E. regional geo-ethnic features of ancient Assam.