THE JOURNAL OF THE ASSAM RESEARCH SOCIETY Nos.1&2 1995 BHARAT RATNA LOKAPRIYA GOPINATH BORDOLOI COMMEMORATION VOLUME KAMARUPA ANUSANDIIANA SAMITI (ASSAM RESEARCH SOCIETY) GUWAHATI: ASSAM Go le UNI E KAl\,tARUPA ANUSANDHANA SAl\!IITI (.'\SSAl\'I RESEARCH SOCIE'r\') EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President • l)r P. C. Bhaltacharya • Vice-President • l)r S. N. Gos~ a111i 1 • Secretary • l)r N. J>. Dev Chouuhury • Jt. Secretary • Or Gajcndra Adhikari • Asst. Secretary • Shri Bhuban Ch. l.,ahkar • Treasurer • Dr (Miss) Bharati Barua • Editor, J.A.R.S. • £>rot'. B. P. c:haJiha • !VI embers • Shri .latin Goswan1i • Shri K. C. Shanna c:. Dr A. Ohuyan Dr D. Chutia Shri K. C. Deka Shri N. R. Patgiri Dr R. C. Thakuria Shri J. N. Bhuyan Internal Auditor • Shri H. K. Bhuyan • THE JOURNAL OF, THE ASSAM RESEARCH SOCIETY EDITORIAL BOARD [)r R . .D . ,Choudhury Shri C. D. Tripathi Dr (Miss) Bharati Barua Dr A. C. l1huyan Dr H. N. l)atta Shri G. N·. Bhuyan Prof. B. P. Chaliha. Editor Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN THE JOURNAL OF THE ASSAM RESEARCH SOCIETY V(JL. XXXIV No.1&2 1995 - BHARAT RA TNA LOKAPRIYA GOPINAT H BORDOLOI COMMEMORATION VOLUME F.ditor Prof. Bhaba Prasad Olallba Associate F.ditors Shri Kanak Chandra Shanna Jltendra Nath Bhuyan I - - - KAMARUPA ANUSANDHANA SAMITI (ASSAM RESEARCH SOCIETY) GUWAHTI : ASSAM ·2001 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN .At>'/ ·1S ~ The Journal of the Assam Research Society, a research journal of the Kamariipa ,, .:,·.,; AnusandMna Samiti (Assam Research Society), Volume·XXXJV, Nos. 1 & 2. published by Dr N. P. Dev Choudhury, Seaetary, for and on behalf of the Samiti. Editor : Prof. Bhaba Prasad Chaliha, Associate Editors : Sri Kaoak · Chandrda Shanna and Jitendra Nath Bhuyan. Guwahati, ~~am, January, 2001. © Kamariipa Anusandhana Samiti (Assam Research Society) Guwahati-781001, Assam Price : Rs. 350.00 only Printed at : Baniprokash Mudranee Pvt. Ltd. 5, Industrial Estate, Bamunimaidam Guwahati - 781021 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Foreword The Executive Committee, KAS, decided to publish this issue as a commemorative volume on Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, the first Premier of the state of Assam after independence. Gopinath Bordoloi played a crucial role during the period on the eve of and immediately after independence, making a tryst with destiny. Being the fonnost Leader of Assamese resurgence, he was instrumental in saving Assam from the clutches of the obnoxious Grouping System of .the Indian states. Besides, the Lokapriya had versatile and mani-faceted personality which e.arned him the name and fame as the 'beloved of the people'. • In Part-I of this volume, the four essayists have articulately highlighted such aspects hitherto unknown and unexplored through their scholarly pen. This volume should have been published sometimes two years back but for the financial constraints. Thanks to the National Museum of India, New Delhi, particularly to its Director General, Dr R. D. Choudhury who took keen interest but for whose initiative and drive, this volume would not have seen the light of the day. We record with deep gratitude and thanks to Shri Gunin Bhuyan, Retired Director of Archaeology, Assam, who went through almost all the manuscripts and rendered valuable service., in bringing out this volume. Shri Kanak Chandra Sharma, retired Deputy Commissioner, Dhubri District, Assam, also rendered selfless service ungrudgingly while Jintendra Nath Bhuyan, retired Director of DHAS, Guwahati, left us at a time when the editorial works were in full . swmg. Last but not the least, we. thanJc the Management and workers of the Baniprokash Mudranee Pvt. Ltd., Guwahati-21, for printing out this volume in time. Nishipada Dev Choudhury 18 January 2001 Secretary, KAS Guwahti-781021 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN • • • Go gle Oig1t1zed by Or•ginal from UNIVERSITY Of MICHIGAN Editorial . The Kimarupa Anusandhana Samiti (Assam Research Society) is the pre mier institution of the people of Assam devoted to the study and research on history, archaeology, ethnography, language, culture and such other oriental subjects. Although christened as the Assam Research Society the sphere of its activities covers almost the ,vhole of North-East India. Established in 1912 it is the earliest research institution in the entire North-Eastern region. 1ne Assam Research Society, as its Constitution declares, primarily strives for implemen tation of its plans and schemes on the following lines : 1. to carry on researches in matters relating to history, archaeology, ~og raphy, culture, language and other oriental studies, etc.; 2. to publish a journal and other works; 3. to collect books, manuscripts, coins, copper plates, statues, carved stones, anthropological articles, etc.; and to record aJI inscriptions and to take proper steps to decipher them; 4. to arrange seminars, lectures, excur sions, tours and aJlied matters; 5. to create and confer titles and 6. to carry on such other activities in promoting the interest of the Sarniti. With the aim of establishing a museum of its own the Samiti started collect ing antiquities for the purpose and housed them in its office-cum-library build ing. The present Assam State Museum was established in 1940 as a result of the strenuous efforts of the Samiti and with the antiquities collected by it. In 1933 the Samiti started to publish a research journal, the ' JournaJ of the Assam Research Society/(JARS) which is still continuing its publication. Besides its Journal the Samiti has so far published a good number of scholarly works on the. history and culture of Assam. The Samiti has also organised seminars, lectures and workshops on important topics and the discussions have been published in book fonn. The library of the Samiti contains a large number of rare books and manuscripts. The book 'A Descriptive Catalogue of Manu scripts' ( 1984) published by the Samiti contains vaJuable infonnation about the manuscripts preserved at the Kamarupa Anusandhana Samiti. The Journal of the Samiti (JARS) has achieved intemationaJ recognition as a standard re search journal of the country. Dedication of the present volume : The Kirnarupa Anusandhana Samiti in a meeting of the Executive Committee decided to dedicate the present volume of the joumaJ to the memory of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, one of the greatest nationaJ leaders of India and a great patron of the Kimarupa Anusandhana Samiti, on the occasion of the confennent of 'Bharata Ratna' to him in 1999 posthumously for his manifold services to the country, particularly to the North-Eastern region. Bordoloi a vaJiant freedom fighter, a great \\'35 politician and statesman, a litterateur and one of the pioneer architects of modem Assam. As a frc;edom fighter, Bordoloi suffered imprisonment for about three years. Temperamentally an educationist, he fathered a nmnber of Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN educational institutions, the most outstanding one being the Gauhati University - the first university in the entire North-East. As an administrator holding the reins of governance of the State from 1938 till his death on August 5, 1950. barring tke years ,,·hen he ,vas in the vortex of the freedom struggle, Bordoloi laid the foundation of a New Assam. As a devout follo\\·er of Gandhiji, he enjoyed full trust of the Mahatma who chose him to be the first individual Satyagrahi of Assam in 1941. His interests in sports, music, literature and culture were all well-known. Gopinath Bordoloi's concept of a New Assam was not just a geographical entity but an integrated State in which all sections of the colourful population, irrespective of religion, language, ethnicity, hills and plains, would live in har mony and peace to make Assam the real and strong sentinel of North-E.ast India. J3ut the most outstanding achievement of Gopinath Bordoloi was re flected in saving Assam, in fact the entire North-East, from the disaster posoo by the British Cabinet Mission proposal of May I 6, I 946, under which the region was to be a part of Group 'C' ,vhich would bring Assam under Pakistan after partition. Bordoloi was the only leader in India who in his foresight saw in the proposal a mischief and fought it tooth and nail with Gandhiji 's blessings as his forte. Had he not provided a unique leadership in that grave crisis, the North-East would have r.eased to be a part of India. Bordoloi was not just a political leader, he indeed was a symbol of unity and amity among the people in the hills and the plains by virtue of which he is known as 'Lokapriya'. in the true sense of the term. We are happy that the government of India conferred, , albeit belatedly, the highest honour of 'Bharat Ratna' on him. The Assam Research Society pays its homage to late Gopinath Bordoloi by dedicating this issue of the Journal to the memory of this great son of India. I take this opportunity to offer my grateful thanks to the learned contributors whose papers have brought prestige and dignity to the Journal. I also thank the members of the Editorial Board as also of the Executive Conunittee, particu larly the President, Dr. P.C.Bhattacharya and the Secretary, Dr N.P.Dev Choudhury for their ungrudging help and guidance in the publication of this volume. My thanks are also due to Dr. R. D. Choudhury, Director General of National Museum, Government of India, for his help in many ways. I am particularly grateful to Shri Gunin Bhuyan and to Shri Kanalc Chandra Shanna and Jitendranath Bhuyan (who died suddenly on 29th August, 2000), the two Associate Editors of the Journal, for their help in .the work of editing and reading proofs of the Journal. I, however, owe an unstinted apology to al) concerned for all sorts of omissions and commissions in the publication of the Journal in spite of my sincere efforts. Long live Assam Research Society. Department of Assamese Gaubati University Bhaba Prasad Chaliha 12 January 2001 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN -CONTENTS Part-I 1. Literary Contributions of c. Bharat-Rama Gopinath Bordotoi ........ Dr P. Bhattacharya 1 2. Proposal of the Cabinet Mission and the Historic Rote of Gopioath Bordoloi ........ K C. Shanna 5 3. 1arunram Phukan and Goplnath Bordoloi-A study in Leadership ........ Dr A C. Bhuyan 20 4. G. N. Bordoloi Museum : nue Dream Comes ........ Dr R. D. Choudhury 27 5. Fresh Light on the History of Prigjyotisa : -~awranao w~ Son • • of Naraka ........ Prof A. M. Shastri 32 • Part-II 6. Manusaipt :Reading ........ Dr R. Thakurta 36 • 7. The Kavikautiibaiam : An Introductory Note ........ Dr D. K Sharma 42 8 Prince Prinanarlyana of the Mughal • • Court and Prlnabbarana Klvya - ........ Dr B. N. Shastri 48 • • . . . 9. Relevance of Cllappatikaram in the New Millennium ........ Dr V. Balambal 55 10. Loni §1va and Siva Icons in Assam ...... Dr N. P. Dev Choudhury 65 11. A Rare Icon of Surya from Dhajanagar ........ Milan. K Chauley 81 12. Temples and Shrines in and around Guwahali : Some Sociological Observations ........ Dr A. CbJudhury 84 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 13. Function and power of~ Daloi in the Temples of Kamrup ........ Dr G. Adbikari 102 . . 14. Recent Archaeological discoveries in the North-East Region ........ Dr G. C. Cbauley 108 • 15. Archaeological Objects Collected from Lakbimpur District ........ Dr Sarbaruddln Ahmed 115 v ~ 16. Sri Varmaaa and the ., Political Histay of Ancient Assar:i during 400 c.AD. . ....... Dr H. N. Dutta 120 17. Primate Studies and the Tuntric . Cult: An Anthropological Analysis of J-lnman Play ........ Dr Prem Saran 126 18. Dbarma : An Obscure Cult in Auam ... Dr R. N. Choudhury J .40 ~3ftJil 19. The Goddess in the F.pic and the Purinic Literature ........ Dr Manjula Devt 147 20. A Study on the Uving·Megalithle Culture of North-East India ........ Dr T. C. Sharma 155 • 21. Impart 'lf Colonial Rule on the Socio- Cultural Structure of the N. E. ntbes .. N. C. Das 166 22. A Demog,aphic Profile of • North-F.ast JndJa ........ Dr M. Taber 173 23. Hajo : A Cross-Cultural Heritage ........ Dr D. Patbak 186 24. Pre-Aryan Toponyms and Riwz Name., of Assam ........ Dr B. Maral 197 . 25. Cultural Interaction between the Assamese and tbe Dimaqs ........ Dr N. C. Sanna 216 26. Folk Theatre of the B<XOS Pal¥iri 225 ········ Dr Ja&adish 27. Boro and Garo Phonology : A Brief Note ........ Swarna Prabba. Cbalnarv 229 • 28. Some Observations on the Assamese Zikirs ........ Bbaba Prasad rbaJiba 237 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - - -