[Assam] Book on life, ideals of Sankaradeva released(The Assam Tribune, 1...

Fri Sep 15 00:39:24 EDT 2006

Thank you Manoj:
The word 'Assam' is a contribution of the Tai Ahoms who has in fact united the land of Assam and ruled for six hundreds years. In fact today we call ourselves Assamese because of the Ahom rule. We donot need to change this age old word Assam and change it to an Aryan (Sanskritized) word Asom.

In Assamese we say it Oxom or Okhom. 

Similarly, we should leave the spelling of our cultural Guru as Sankardev and not change it to Sanskritized Sanakaradeva.  

Like the Ahoms, Sanakardev is the other factor who have g united the Assamese people and has given us the cultural and religious unity.

Rajen Barua

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Manoj Das 
  To: Ram Sarangapani ; assam at assamnet.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 10:56 AM
  Subject: Re: [Assam] Book on life,ideals of Sankaradeva released(The Assam Tribune, 1...

  Hello Ramda

  Being from Upper Assam with a "daath jeeva"- it's really difficult for me and likes of me to pronounce the xangskritised Axomiya language, as done by say, Hironda (Hiron Dutta) of All India Radio. I personally would have been more comfortable with something "bechi gaonlia' like "Okkhom". 

  Nonetheless we needn't have changed "Assam" to "Asom"- which is a very old brand. The equity of that brand is as strong as "India". Some words get evolved over time and are best left as it is. A change will simply create confusion or erode the equity. 

  MKD

  On 9/13/06, Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com> wrote: 
    C'da,

    Bhuban da and Manoj do make some good points. Yes, you and Barua are probably right about the 'subject mentality' and also how 'Assam' got mis-transliterated.

    Like it or not, OXX has been bestowed the 'literary authority' as it consists of most of the famous literary figures in Assam. 
    Now, you can say -why should we listen to the dictates of OXX or the GOA etc? Well, the question can be turned around and the common man on the street can well ask why they should follow your or my path to spellings and transliteration. 

    Now, (even if they are all wrong, and say you, Barua, and some others are right), how would non-literary types like myself (or Monoj - sorry Monoj) propose a drastically different spelling or go against the best literary minds in Assam? 

    >the ignorant public takes it lying down,

    Never thought, I would hear that from you? What then, do you recommend that this public do?

    >It is those who have no self esteem, continue to kow-tow to >superior language gods, be it Xongskrit, be it English.

    So, this is really NOT about transliteration at all, is it? It is more about the Assamese identity. Why not sell that idea straight out of the box, instead of mixing it up with transliteration - after all the common man is ignorant :). 

    You know, some of us actually took out an online petition against this name issue. Want to know the results?

    Well, 5 voted for it, and no one else cared one way or the other. There was absolutely NO interest  - even from those who were touting opposition to the GOA's changing the name to Asom, ga-ga -ing all the way, and egging us to start the petition. 

    Well, I just reminded, once again, some of us were taken for another ride. I am still sore from that rough ride :)

    --Ram

    On 9/13/06, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net > wrote: 
      Dear BK:

      I can't see HOW the Oxom Xahityo Xobha could become the sole custodian of the Assamese language or the Assamese identity.

      It is typical of desi-demokrasy, where elections seem to bestow dictatorial/monarchical powers to bureaucrats and elected reps., and the ignorant public takes it lying down, while the intelligentsia, similarly clueless remain invisible and silent. 

      >Rajen ought to get a full hearing as anybody else.

      *** It is NOT just Rajen's pet peeve. It is an issue for all Assamese who care about its 'ostitwo', its claim to an identity all its own, without apologies, without having to bow to ANYONE.

      It is those who have no self esteem, continue to kow-tow to superior language gods, be it Xongskrit, be it English.

      *** About the 'Sankaradeva' spelling for example, could it have been that when the first British colonial masters transliterated the name, were also people who
      were Xongskrit learners, and could not separate the Assamese  from its Sanskrit
      connections? Thus they chose to Sanskritize an Assamese name, when they transliterated them in English.

      Once that happened, the subject people, and even their intellectuals albeit similarly burdened by a subject mentality, could not imagine transliterating Xongkordev. Instead they followed the steps of their colonial masters. 

      And to this day, some, including for example the AT, cannot imagine breaking from that tradition of colonial servitude, just like many of Assam's intelligentsia.

      But why should WE?

      Best.

      c

      At 9:56 AM -0400 9/13/06, BBaruah at aol.com wrote:
        Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
        Content-Language: en

        Dear MKD/Mike et al

        It appears the State Government sought Asam Sahitya Sabha's views on the matter of renaming Assam. It is possible without the benefit of wide discussion and debate the Sahitya Sabha recommended the change to Asom and the State Government accepted it. 

        Perhaps even now Asam Sahitya Sabha can take up the matter again. It is not too late as the necessary Constitutional amendments are yet to take place. Rajen ought to get a full hearing as anybody else. 

        Regards

        Bhuban

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