Contents Preface v-vi Intangible Cultural Heritage of Assam : An Introduction 1-12 Kishor K. Basa & Birinchi K. Medhi 1. The Intangible Heritage of Assam 13-28 Sankar Kumar Roy & Birinchi K. Medhi Section I : Folk Tales 29-46 2. Folk Tales of Tai Khamtis of Assam : A Brief Comparative Analysis 31-46 Yikham Gogoi Section II : Rituals, Cults and Religious Practices 47-120 3. The Intangible Elements in Karbi-Rituals and The Need for Their Preservation 49-57 Upala Barua 4. Social Practices, Rituals and Festive Events of the Bishnupriya Manipuris 58-63 Shibani Das 5. Rituals Connected with Birth and Puberty Among the Koch-Rajbanshis in a Rural Context of Assam 64-74 Mohendra Gogoi 6. Megalithic Culture of Dimoria 75-88 Kalpana Choudhury 7. An Appraisal of the Mortuary Rites of the Pati Rabhas of Assam 89-95 Monmee Sonozual 8. Worship of the Goddess of Snake in Assam with special reference to South Kamrup 96-107 Anima Choudhury (viii) 9. The Concept of Area God Among the Dimasas of Assam 108-113 D.K. Saikia 10. Indigenous Folk Tradition in the Assamese Sikh Society 114-120 Birinchi K. Medhi Section III : Festivals 121-160 11. Pai-Chankein : The Water Festival of the Tai-Khamtis of Assam 123-128 Bandana Mahan •••'• " ' 12. The Karam Festival of the Tea Workers of Assam 129-142 Banashree Sarmah 13. Festivals and Ceremonies Observed by Sri Sri Iswar Hati Satra and Sankaradeva Mandir in Sualkuchi Village, Kamrup District Assam 143-153 Morotni Talukdar 14. Rituals and Festivals of the Mundas of Upper Assam 154-160 Tultul Baruah Section IV : Music and Performing Arts 161-210 15. An Overview of Folk Musical Instruments of Assam with special reference to Structural and Acoustic Modification of Pepa, Bin and Tokari 163-176 Prashanna Gogoi 16. The Rhythmic Styles in Bihu Dhol of Assam 177-189 Anamika Gogoi Duarah 17. Jagannathar Nam: A Performing Women of Art of North Kamrup, Assam 190-197 Kailash Bhattacharyya 18. Satriya Dance: A Unifying Force 198-201 Tanuja Bora 19. The Bhaira of Jagra Area of Nalbari District, Assam 202-210 Anjali Bhattacharyya Section V : Arts and Crafts 211-240 20. Tradition of Mask at a Vaishnavite Monastery in Majuli of Assam 213-224 Birinchi K. Medhi & Arifur Zaman (ix) 21. The Traditional Brass Metal Craft of the Marias of Assam 225-230 Sandhya Das 22. Intangible Aspects of Pottery in Kamrup District of Assam 231-240 Pradip Goswami Section VI : Culinary Traditions 241-254 23. Intangible Cultural Elements Associated with Food Among the Assamese Hindus of Silsakoo Area of North Guwahati, Assam 243-254 Lipika Sarmah Section VII : Ethnoscience and Conservation of Biodiversity 255-306 24. Intangible Cultural Elements in the Ethno-Medicinal Practices of the Garos of Assam 257-270 Biranchi K. Medhi & Rameeza Hasan 25. Beliefs Integral to Ethno-Medicinal Plants in a Rural Context of Assam 271-282 Chandana Sarma & Birinchi K. Medhi 26. Indigenous Knowledge of the Assamese in the Treatment of Women's Diseases- 283-291 Birinchi K. Medhi & Mahasweta Saikia 27. Traditional Child Care Practices Among the Kaibartas of North Guwahati 292-298 Pixy Bhani Baruah 28. Customary Practices Related to Natural Resource Management: A Case Study of the Hill Tiwas of Assam 299-306 Indrani Barpujari Notes on Contributors 307-308.