We are highly surprised over the statement of Banwarilal Purohit, the honourable Governor of Assam in a public meeting at Maniyari near Barpeta. He has said in that meeting that Srimanta Sankaradeva did not do any thing to remove the malaise of child-marriage. This is an offensive statement to say the least. The Governor should have known that the saint reformed the entire society in Assam and brought the ethnic groups together by a unified cultural bond. Srimanta Sankaradeva worked in the arena of child marriage also. In fact he took a revolutionary step while marrying Kalindi in 1503, because she was then fifteen year old. His first wife Suryavati, whom he had married in 1471 was also fourteen year old at that time. Fourteen or fifteen years was considered as too high an age for a girl to get married in those times. So this itself was a call against child-marriage during those times. Child marriage even now means the age before puberty. Teenagers were certainly old enough in the fifteenth century, rather so old that they did not find match for marriage. We should remember that social context is relevant in any issue. Three or Four decades ago girls used to get married around 20-25 years of age. Two or three decades ago girls used to get married around 25-30 years of age. Now the common age is around 30-35 years. That does not mean that 20th century people were backward than the 21st century people.
The statement of the honourable Governor Banwarilal Purohit reflects the sad lack of his understanding about life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva. The saint revolutionised the way of life in Assam and for that matter in some parts of North India too. The Yatra movement of Bengal was influenced by his Ankiya plays. The Bhagavat Tungi institution of Odisha came up after the pattern of Namghar. The Manipuri dance has been developed after the Sattriya dance created by the saint. Such a creative genius should be adored by the entire nation. It was he who revived the Vedic music in the form of Bargeet. We request the honourable Governor and through him every one to study the life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva so that no such distortion or misrepresentation occurs in future.
4 Mar 2012 - 3:35am | editor
Security forces in Dibrugarh district seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition were on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, troops of 18 Jat Regiment conducted a search operation at Kochunio village...
3 Jan 2009 - 12:02am | editor
Home Minister P Chidambaram says strengthening infrastructure will help Assam ensure development.Inaugurating the State Bank of India's 11,111th branch in Sonapur, he said bank loans meant...
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Over 20 hours have passed since Kaushik Bora went misisng. But there is no trace of the Digboi Refinery executive director who is beleived to have been kidnapped on Sunday. The top IOC officer’s...
24 Sep 2015 - 9:07pm | Momina Wasim
In major relief for the flood-hit people in Dibrugarh, two non governmental organizations have set up three camps to help these lot get out of the blues. Educated Unemployed Welfare Society...
The prestigious Golok Samman for 2023 has been announced, honoring four distinguished young individuals for their exceptional contributions in the fields of art, translation, research, and environmental activism. The award, instituted by the UD Foundation in memory of the noted translator and social worker Golok Chandra Datta, celebrates those who have made significant cultural and social impacts in Assam.
This year’s recipients are Dr. Sanjeev Bora, a renowned artist; Avantika Parashar, a noted translator; Rajesh Dattabaruah, an environmental activist; and Dr. Baburam Saikia, a Sattriya dancer and researcher.
Recognizing Talent in Art and Visual Media
Dr. Sanjeev Bora has been...
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Guwahati, September 18: Aaranyak, in partnership with the Namdapha Tiger Reserve Authority and supported by the Arcus Foundation, has initiated a groundbreaking Hoolock gibbon conservation education program in the fringe areas of Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh.
This initiative, which commenced on August 22, is the first of its kind in the state and aims to create a community of young conservationists who can actively contribute to the protection of this endangered primate. The program has reached 17 schools in the Miao subdivision, covering students from upper primary to higher secondary levels.
The sessions, conducted by the Primate Research and...
Diets rich in ultra-processed foods have long been associated with a myriad of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and even premature death. However, the vast category of ultra-processed foods encompasses a wide range of products, from seemingly benign options like whole-grain bread and plant-based milk to more obvious culprits like hot dogs and sugary sodas.
A recent groundbreaking study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has shed new light on the specific types of ultra-processed foods that pose the greatest risk to heart health. This comprehensive study, published in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas, analyzed data...
Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its one-horned rhinoceros and diverse ecosystems, is at a critical crossroads. Known for its rich biodiversity and the harmonious coexistence of local communities with nature, Kaziranga's landscape and social fabric are under threat. The Assam government's push to boost tourism by transferring land adjacent to the park to private hospitality industries has sparked significant controversy, raising concerns over the rights of indigenous communities and the ecological future of the region.
The Push for Luxury Tourism
Today marks a significant step in the Assam government's tourism agenda, with the signing of another...
The mid-20th century in America was a time when smoking was as normal and ubiquitous as eating. Picture this: in 1956, the average American smoked about 4,000 cigarettes a year. That’s a half-pack a day, for everyone—men, women, and even some children were all puffing away, encouraged by a relentless media, celebrities, and even health professionals. Fast forward to 2019, and while smoking rates have plummeted, a new health crisis has taken its place—our diet.
Today, the leading cause of death and disability in the United States is not smoking; it's what we eat. The Global Burden of Disease Study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, identifies poor diet as the #1 cause of...
A day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that he "will take sides" and "will not let Miya Muslims take over all of Assam," opposition leaders filed a police complaint on August 27 accusing him of promoting enmity between different religious and ethnic groups. The complaint was lodged at the Dispur police station by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and Assam Jatiya Parishad's Lurinjyoti Gogoi, representing the United Opposition Forum, a coalition of groups opposed to the BJP and its allies.
The complaint, supported by Independent Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan, Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia, and Congress...
During our school days, when the historic Assam agitation broke out, we used to go to Tihu town in western Assam for joining various protest demonstrations against the outsiders (read non-Assamese Indians) and the movement was initially known as ‘Bohiragata Kheda Andolan’ (literary meaning agitation to deport outsiders) to create a prosperous Assam for the indigenous population. Later it was redefined as the agitation against illegal migrants (read Bangladeshi/East Pakistani nationals) by the intellectuals and media barons in Guwahati, the virtual capital of northeast India. Simultaneously an armed movement also surfaced with an initial trigger from the economic domination of Hindi...
The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP), a prominent national social organization representing Gorkhas across India, has expressed its gratitude towards the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for issuing a notification that resolves the longstanding NRC Biometrics-Aadhaar linkage issue. This development is expected to bring relief to nearly 9.35 lakh individuals in Assam, including over one lakh Gorkhas who have been affected by the issue.
Nanda Kirati Dewan, the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, Assam State Committee, expressed appreciation for the MHA’s intervention. He noted that the BGP has been actively engaging with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)...
Guwahati: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) has expressed serious concerns over the ongoing Meitei-Kuki-Zo ethnic conflict, which began on May 3, 2023. Despite maintaining a stance of neutrality, the NSCN has been closely monitoring developments and is alarmed by the increasing violence, particularly against Christians.
In a press statement released today, the NSCN highlighted a disturbing trend of harassment and physical assaults against Christians by the militant group Arambai Tengol. The NSCN identified the group's strong convictions and extreme principles as the driving forces behind its radical socio-political reforms.
"The violent extremism followed by Arambai...
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