|
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 -----
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 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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 :)
On 9/13/06, Chan
Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 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
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
_______________________________________________
assam
mailing list
assam@assamnet.org
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
_______________________________________________
assam
mailing list
assam@assamnet.org
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
--
Manoj Kumar Das
C 172 Gr Floor
Sarvodaya
Enclave
New Delhi 110017
Tel: 91 11 26533824
Telefax: 91 11
26533829
Hand Phone: 91 9312650558
Be so unselfish that
when God writes your destiny; he can be free to ask: What do you want?
_______________________________________________
assam mailing
list
assam@assamnet.org
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
|
