Skip to content Skip to navigation

Tai Khamyang scholar Deben Chowlik passes away

Renowned Tai Khamyang scholar, 84-year-old Deben Chowlik, passed away last Wednesday due to age-old ailments at his residence situated in Bhittor Powai, Powaimukh, Margherita, Tinsukia . He was an expert in the Tai Khamyang language from the great Tai Khamyang community and had been struggling to keep this language alive as one of the knowledgeable members of the Tai Khamyang community in Powaimukh Tai Khamyang village under 124 Number Margherita Constituency of Tinsukia District.

He was one of the very few people who could speak the Tai Khamyang language, so his death is a irreparable loss not only to the Tai Khamyang community, but to all of us. He has a vast storehouse of traditional knowledge of the community. I was fortunate to have worked with him closely during my effort to document this language in the process. I was able to record some stories and narratives that he spoke in his mother tongue. There was always so much more to learn from him.

As the old man passed away, there were only a few elderly people in the community who were still holding on to their language. This is a stark reminder of how fast language endangerment is happening fast. Unless and until the young members of the indigenous communities make conscious efforts to keep their languages alive, we will lose many languages along with their cultural, traditional and other indigenous knowledge/ information in the coming days. Manash Pratim Gogoi, Journalist of Margherita said.

With every language lost, the world becomes poorer with regard to linguistic and cultural diversity and knowledge of high value, said a scholar.Bhaskar Sharma MLA of 124 Number Margherita Constituency is the son-in-law of Tai Khamyang scholar Deben Chowlik. He left behind his wife, five daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren and many relatives. Margherita Journalists Association, Margherita Senior Citizens Association, Purvanchal Bhikkhu Sangha and many other organizations of Margherita condoled the death of renowned Tai Khamyang scholar Deben Chowlik and conveyed deep condolences to the bereaved family members.

Author info

Mithun Baruah's picture

Mithun Baruah reports from Margherita.

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Students urged for active role in nature conservation

25 Apr 2019 - 9:27am | AT News
“The idea behind celebration of World Earth Day was to create awareness about the need for preserving and renewing the threatened ecological balances upon which all life on Earth depends. However,...

2 ULFA cadres arrested

16 Jul 2015 - 6:25pm | Hantigiri Narzary
Security forces apprehended two hardcore cadres of the ULFA(I) from Dongagaon village under Bijni police station of Chirang district of Western Assam, early this morning and recovered huge arms and...

Here comes the polls: Modi tells Assam BJP legislators

25 Sep 2017 - 2:39pm | AT News
BJP leadership at the Centre have asked the party leaders in Assam to gear up for the next Lok Sabha polls with clean image and dedication for the common people. In his address at the party...

Judicial custody for ONGC GM

9 Feb 2012 - 3:26am | editor
A CBI special court in Guwahati on Wednesday sent PK Bora to judicial custody for 14 days a day after the ONGC general manager was arrested for taking a bribe of Rs 40,000 from a contractor. CBI...

Other Contents by Author

On Tuesday, the Assam Tea Tribes Student Association (ATTSA) and Assam Tea tribes Women Association (ATTWA) Margherita Branch Committee jointly staged a dharna  for two hours in front of the General Manager's office about various burning issues with Margherita Tea Estate Workers. Mukundor Gowala, President in Charge, and Nuwel Patra, General Secretary of ATTSA Margherita Branch Committee, led a Dharna protest for two hours. More than 2000 Tea Garden workers from Margherita Tea Estate were present and gave slogans such as ATTSA long live, Tea workers long live, BJP government Murdabad, Narendra Modi Murdabad and Himanta Biswa Sarma Murdabad. Pranjal Baraik, Central Executive...
The Child and Adolescent labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act,1986 which was enacted by the Parliament of India and the Ministry of Labour and Employment states no child under the age of 14 can work at any business establishment or workshop. Despite this, the illegal coal trade is rampantly going on in Margherita Sub division and coal thieves hire school dropouts between 11 and 13 years old to work at Tirap, Tikak, Ledo 6 Number line, Paharpur, Baragolai coal mines area where they are paid a small amount of money. It may be mentioned that North Eastern Coal fields Coal India limited Margherita has kept Private Security and Assam Industrial Security Force but in the name of Security...
After 75 years of our country's independence, where the BJP government at the union and state level are celebrating "Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav," petty vendors in Margherita Town are putting their lives at risk by sitting near railway tracks to sell their products. Daily trains such as the Intercity, Demo, and other express move from Ledo to Tinsukia between Margherita town. Arun Rastogi, president of Bajrang Dal, Margherita Unit, said that after 75 years of our country's independence no government has been able to build a permanent market shed at Margherita town, which is very unfortunate where regularly 1,000 petty traders and hawkers by taking risk sell their products near railway...
The holy festival of Islamic people, Eid-ul-Fitr, is being celebrated on tuesday around the world, as well as in Margherita, marking the completion of a  holy month of Ramadan, a month where Islamic religious people fast from dawn to dusk.   There has been a positive spirit among Muslim religious people after two years of pandemic.  Hundreds of people gathered in Nuri Jame Masjid, Margherita on tuesday morning for Namaz as due to heavy rainfall Namaz couldn't be held at Central Margherita Eidgah Maidan.  After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Islam people gathered at Nuri Jame Masjid, Margherita  to pray together. People greet one...
A joint extensive search, patrol and raid was conducted by Margherita and Digboi Excise Circle. The raid happened in areas such as Lakla (Jagun), 6th Mile under Lekhapani Police Station and Margherita Bazaar, under Margherita Police station of Tinsukia district. 51.84 Litres of IMFL, 62.4 BL of Beer (for sale in Arunachal Pradesh), 7.8 BL of Beer (for sale in Assam), and 10 Litres of Illicit Distilled Liquor were seized and destroyed.
On Thursday at Ledo Tea Estate under Tinsukia district an awareness program on NALSA scheme has been organized by District legal Service Authority, Tinsukia. Papu Sah President of Children friends club moderated the whole program and prominent persons including Nayan Jyoti Dutta Secretary of District legal service Authority, Tinsukia, Debojit Bose Advocate from Tinsukia, Jyotish Phukan incharge of Ledo police outpost, Jiten Deka factory manager of Ledo Tea Estate, Ram Prasad Ambedkar veteran journalists and Advisor of Margherita Journalists Association, Mitali Roy principal of Roots 2 Fruits pre school Ledo, CP Gautam Noted Social worker of Ledo, Mithun Baruah treasurer of Margherita...
On Tuesday, the Samanmay Social Welfare Youth Organisation, Margherita Committee organised a One Day Rongali Bihu celebration and felicitation programme at Margherita India Club. Lakhikanta Borah President of Samanmaya Social welfare youth organisation Margherita central committee unfurled the organisation flag, followed by members planting saplings. Dr Ranjit Dutta noted social worker, celebrated writer and poet of Ledo, Margherita, presided over the Rongali Bihu celebration where Bihu dance and songs from various parts of Margherita were performed and enthralled the whole audience. An open session was held, presided by Dr. Ranjit Dutta, where distinguished persons of Margherita...
On Thursday, Poi Sangken holy new year festival of Buddhist devotees  celebrated at Margherita Buddha vihar. Bhikkhu Gyanowada Mahathera, chief monk at Margherita Buddha Vihar, inaugurated the festival where Buddhist devotees pour water at a statue of Lord Buddha. Bhikkhu Gyanowada Mahathera said Poi Sangken is a new year festival of Buddhist devotees that begins April 14 to April 16 all over the world. Statues of Lord Buddha are kept outside for 52 hours at Buddha Vihar compound so Buddhist devotees can come and pour water on the statues of Lord Buddha.  
The Margherita Regional Student Union staged a protest at NH315 Block Tiniali Margherita on Wednesday, against the sky-rocketing price of essential commodities. Chintu Gogoi and Rupam Baruah said the BJP's prime issue was price rises before the elections. They added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured everyone that happier days would come before the 2014 Lok Sabha election. However, the happiest days have come for only Capitalist and Corporate houses such as Adani, Ambani, and Tata where middle-class people are suffering due to sky rocketing prices of everyday essential commodities.
Tapur Das (18) from Ledo, Margherita won the Gold medal in the junior category (63 kg) of the 2nd State Arm Wresting Championship held on March 31 to April 1 at Ban Theatre Auditorium in Tezpur. Pappu Saikia, team manager, said it was a proud moment for us where many of our students won medals at the 2nd state Arm Wresting Championship. Among the women's teams, Tapur Das was first, Dimpi Baruah was second, Anita Guwala was second and Gitali Moran was second.  Among the men's teams, Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia was second and Partho Pratim Baruah was third.  ​Pappu Saikia said everyone qualified could participate in the National Games which will be held at Goa from 18th...