Lower Assam

Lower Assam (also Western Assam) is a region situated in Western Brahmaputra Valley encompassing undivided Kamrup and Goalpara regions.

This article is about the western Brahmaputra valley. For the administrative division, see Lower Assam Division.

Lower Assam

Western Assam
Region
Coat of arms
CountryIndia
Population
 (2011)
 • Total11,253,550
Time zoneUTC+5.30 (UTC+05:30 (IST))
Evening View of Bongaigaon
Aerial View of Guwahati

Soon after the formal creation of the British districts in 1833, Lower Assam denoted one of the five initial districts that were created west of the Dhansiri river,[1] which, along with the six paraganas, became a single district of Kamrup in 1836.[2]

Etymology

In the 4th century, the region was mentioned as Kamarupa (Western Assam) in the Prayag stone inscription along with Davaka (central Assam).[3] Davaka was absorbed during the period between the 5th and 7th centuries.[4][5][6]

Medieval Muslim invaders continue to refer the region as Kamrup. Easternmost parts of the region (modern Kamrup) briefly became parts of Koch kingdom, Mughal empire and Ahom kingdom,[7] until annexation of Eastern Assam by Burmese empire.

With British occupation in the nineteenth century, the Goalpara region became part of Colonial Assam, while western Kamrup (North Bengal) was merged with Bengal. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the region became part of the Lower Assam Division, along with Darrang, Nagaon, Khasi and Jaintia Hills. The modern Western Assam and North Bengal, historically Kamrup,[8] was referred to as Western Assam from colonial times and later.

History

Region was mentioned in Hindu epics as Pragjyotisha. Legends of king Naraka, Bhagadatta and Vajradatta has considerable part in Indian mythology. First historical mention of region was found in Arthashastra of Kautilya in 400 B.C., where he mentioned about flourishing trade between Maurya Empire and Kamarupa. Pragya stone pillar mentioned it as frontier kingdom along with Davaka of central Assam. Region served as capital of ancient Kamrup kingdom till its end,[9] centered around modern Kamrup region.

People

Demography

According to 2011 census, Western Assam has total population of 11,253,550; out of which urban population accounting to 1,959,707 while rural population is 9,293,843.

Ethnic division

The ethnic composition of the region is diverse. Hindu caste composed of Kamrupi and Goalpariya people are majority. It has considerable number of tribal population consisting Bodo, Rabha and Koch in the north, south and southwest.

Culture

Villages still contained the traditional Vedic culture, while in case of towns and cities it relaxed a bit. Western Assamese culture largely flourished in the reign of Pushyavarman (350-374), the founder of great Varman dynasty of Kamrup Kingdom which reached its zenith in the reign of Bhaskaravarman (600–650). Scholars believe Kamrupi culture had a distinctive mark in every sphere, whether it be science or literature. Astronomy is a Kamrupi science. Daka, the great Kamrupi poet flourished undoubtedly during the ancient period.[10]

Festivals

Durga Puja, Kali Puja and other Pujas; Diwali, Holi, Janmastami, Shivratri to name a few, are major festivals of the region. Muslims celebrate Eid. There is hardly any dance and music of the Bihu type so common in Eastern Assam, but a special spring time festival of this region is a fair usually held in the first week of Baihag or third week of April. It is known as "Bhatheli" in northern Kamrup, "Sori" or "Suanri" in southern Kamrup.[11] In certain areas the breakers of the "bhatheli-ghar" come from another village, resulting in a sort of mock fight between them and the local youth. In the southern part of Kamrup, where the festival is known as Sori, planting of tall bamboos is not seen, but bamboo posts,with the tuft at the top. People bow before the bamboos in northern Kamrup and they also touch them with reverence, but it does not look like any sort of bamboo worship.[12] The common popular term to designate the three festivals corresponding to Bihu of Eastern Assam, in Western Assam, except in West Goalpara, is "Domahi", e.g., "Baihagar Domahi", "Maghar Domahi" and "Katir Domahi".[13][14]

Religion

Hinduism and Islam are major religions of the region. Hinduism is further divided into Vaishnavism and Shaktism. Hindu way of life can be observed in dressing, food and lifestyle, an important aspect of cultural identity for people of the region.

Hindu kingdoms as political identities made a long-lasting impact on region defining the way of the life. In the early part of second millennium, Islam arrived in the region with Turkish and Afghan invaders.

Languages

Indo-Aryan languages are predominant in the region, Kamrupi and Goalpariya languages are spoken in Kamrup[15] and Goalpara regions and acts as lingua franca among various tribal groups. Bodo, Rabha, Koch are other minority languages used in tribal belts.

Music

The folk songs of Goalpara region is known as Goalpariya Lokgeet, of Kamrup region is known as Kamrupi Lokgeet. Kamrupi dance is a form of dance technique that evolved from Bhaona which is a sophisticated type of dancing.[16]

Cuisine

The food of Western Assam is homogenous to a certain extent with nearby eastern states of West Bengal and Bihar. Mustard seeds is generously used in cooking, while ginger, garlic, pepper, and onions are extensively used. Traditional utensils are made of bell metal though stainless steel is quite common in modern times.

Food of Eastern Assam has much tribal influence instead of pan-Indian, like usage of bamboo shoot both fresh and fermented.[17]

See also

References
  1. "The territories on the west of the river Dhansiri were to be divided into five districts: (1) North-east Rangpur of Goalpara; (2) six paraganas of Kamrup, roughly corresponding to the present district of Barpeta including Bagarberra; (3) Lower Assam with twenty parganas, mostly on the north and the nine duars on the south; (4) Central Assam comprising Naduar, Charduar and Darrang on the north, Nagaon and Raha on the south of the Brahmaputra; (5) Biswanath, from the river Bharali to Biswanath on the north together with the territory known as Morung, extending from Kaliabor to the river Dhansiri." (Banerjee 1992, p. 53)
  2. "By 1836 the districts assumed names which became familiar in later years: Goalpara, Kamrup, Darrang and Nagaon." (Banerjee 1992, pp. 53–54)
  3. Suresh Kant Sharma, Usha Sharma (2005), Discovery of North-East India: Geography, History, Culture, Religion, Politics, Sociology, Science, Education and Economy - Volume 3, p. 248, Davaka (Nowgong) and Kamarupa as separate and submissive friendly kingdoms.
  4. Kanak Lal Barua (1933), Early history of Kāmarupa, Page 47 "in the sixth or the seventh century this kingdom of Davaka was absorbed by Kamarupa."
  5. "It is presumed that (Kalyanavarman) conquered Davaka, incorporating it within the kingdom of Kamarupa." (Puri 1968, p. 11)
  6. (Sharma 1978, p. 305) While Umachal inscription stands as an index to the spread of the Aryan culture up to the Gauhati area and the Barganga inscription speaks of the spread of the Aryan culture up to the Dabaka area, the present inscription stands as an unquestionable testimony to the spread of the Aryan culture up to the Sarupathar area of upper Assam as early as in the early part of the 5th century A.D.
  7. "In the Battle of Itakhuli in September 1682, the Ahom forces chased the defeated Mughals nearly one hundred kilometers back to the Manas river. The Manas then became the Ahom-Mughal boundary until the British occupation." (Richards 1995, p. 247)
  8. Upendranath Goswami (1970), A Study on Kāmrūpī: A Dialect of Assamese, Page iii
  9. Sharma, Sharma, Suresh Kant, Usha (2005). Discovery of North-East India. Mittal Publications. p. 265.
  10. Barua, Prafulla Chandra (1967), Fragments of a lost picture, Page viii
  11. Goswami Upendranath (1970), A Study on Kāmrūpī: A Dialect of Assamese, p. 13
  12. Goswami Praphulladatta (1966), The Springtime Bihu of Assam: A Socio-cultural Study, P 25
  13. Bīrendranātha Datta, Nabīnacandra Śarmā, Prabin Chandra Das (1994), A Handbook of Folklore Material of North-East India, p. 158
  14. Śarmā Nabīnacandra (1988), Essays on the Folklore of North-eastern India, P 64
  15. Baruah, P. N. Dutta (2007). A contrastive analysis of the morphological aspects of Assamese and Oriya. Central Institute of Indian Languages. p. 10.
  16. Banerji, Projesh (1959),The folk-dance of India, Page 72
  17. Das Jyoti (2008), Ambrosia, from the Assamese Kitchen

Bibliography
  • Banerjee, A. C. (1992), "The New Regime, 1826-31", in Barpujari, H. K. (ed.), The Comprehensive History of Assam, IV, Guwahati: Publication Board, Assam, pp. 1–43
  • Puri, Baij Nath (1968). Studies in Early History and Administration in Assam. Gauhati University.
  • Richards, John F. (1995). The Mughal Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521566037. Retrieved 26 January 2013.

Further reading
  • Vasu, Nagendranath (1922). The Social History of Kamarupa.
  • Tripathi, Chandra Dhar (2008). Kamarupa-Kalinga-Mithila politico-cultural alignment in Eastern India : history, art, traditions. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 197.
  • Wilt, Verne David (1995). Kamarupa. V.D. Wilt. p. 47.
  • Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1977). Ancient India. Motilal Banarsidass Publications. p. 538.
  • Kapoor, Subodh (2002). Encyclopaedia of ancient Indian geography. Cosmo Publications. p. 364.
  • Sen, Sailendra Nath (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 668.
  • Kapoor, Subodh (2002). The Indian encyclopaedia: biographical, historical, religious, administrative, ethnological, commercial and scientific. Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd. p. 320.
  • Sarkar, Ichhimuddin (1992). Aspects of historical geography of Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa (ancient Assam). Naya Prokash. p. 295.
  • Deka, Phani (2007). The great Indian corridor in the east. Mittal Publications. p. 404.
  • Pathak, Guptajit (2008). Assam's history and its graphics. Mittal Publications. p. 211.
  • Samiti, Kamarupa Anusandhana (1984). Readings in the history & culture of Assam. Kamarupa Anusandhana Samiti. p. 227.

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