Assam is the unequal land known for its bravery, cultures, creativity and art. It is the land of many ethnic groups like Ahoms, Lalungs, Dimashas, Bodos, Rabhas and so on, besides of course caste Hindu Assamese and Bengali population. The Book deals with 50 folk tales and fables of Assam covering various ethnic groups. Therefore the book is not only good for pleasure reading for old and young alike but shall also be useful for research scholars, anthropologists and social scientists.
G. K. GHOSH, a graduate in Chemical Engineering is a prolific writer who wrote over 15 books on environment, anthropology, women development, literature, beekeeping and so on. He had presented over 20 papers in the section of anthropology and archeology in Indian Science Congress. He had also written articles, poems etc., in Oriya, Bengali and English published in various periodicals. He was posted for over four years in North Eastern India therefor he could collect a number of folk tales of the region.
SHUKLA GHOSH, a graduate from University of Calcutta and a graduate in Music from Prayag Sangit Samaj, is a prolific writer who presented four papers in the section of anthropology and archeology in Indian Science Congress. A book on Indian textile jointly written by her published recently. She was in North Eastern India for over four years and collected a number of folk tales which she proposes to publish in series.
Assam is a land unique in its characteristics. The term Assam, according to one theory was derived from the term "Assama" or unequal due to its uneven surface. According to some other it was derived from the term Ahom, a race of Thai origin who ruled Assam from 1228 AD till arrival of the British. They were known as Ahoms due to their unequal bravery who not only defeated the royal army of Koch Kingdom but also mighty Moghul army led by no less than Raja Man Singh. Assam still remembers its leg- endary General Lachhit Bar Phukan.
One must remember Assam is not a land of one race. Apart from caste Hindu Assamese group including Kalitas, Bodos, Dimasas, Lalungs, Karbis, Koches, Ahoms, Shyams, Aitunias, Zeme Nagas and so on with various ethnic origin, linguistic affinities having their own religious beliefs and culture. The resultant culture what we witness today is the result of influence exerted by one race to other as a result it varied considerably from upper Assam to lower Assam.
But diving into the world of their folk tales it gives not only the aroma of the soil but also traces of the original culture. Since these stories were born out of nature and the culture of origin they are obviously ecofriendly in nature.
This book is compiled by the authors who spent over four years in North Eastern India. In this book various folk-tales of various races of Assam are compiled mentioning names of each race in the bracket. Though it is only a drop in the ocean of folk-tales in circulation in Assam, it is an attempt to preserve as many possible. The book, it is hoped, shall be good for pleasure reading for both young and old alike. It may also be useful for research scholars, social scientists, anthropologists who would like to know more about society of various races of Assam during various point of time.
Last but not the least, it should be mentioned that since Assam represents North Eastern India, its folk-tales shall give dimensions of seven sisters with the Mahabharata connection that bridges tribal culture and Vedic culture, these stories may give reflection of India as a whole. Above all since world's all principal races and religions are represented in Assam in some form or other these folk tales perhaps may give us aroma of the soul of entire human culture of the world.
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