“My father Sir Keith Cantlie served in the Indian Civil Service from 1910 till his retirement in 1947. So, in a way I consider myself daughter of Assam, a land of outstanding natural beauty with distant views of the snow and Himalayas”
With her disarming smile simple down to earth and smiling manner the bespectacled Dr. Audrey Cantlie welcomes you with a big smile at her door at Oxford street as if somebody of her own. She has an emotional bond for Assam and the Assamese people.
I still remember the day I met her sometime in September, 1998 at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, London) I introduce myself as an Assamese I could see the sparkle in her eyes: said to me "How many Assamese people are in London? I love to meet them". Dr. Audrey Cantlie was born in Shillong in 1923. She spent her six years in Jorhat where her father was Deputy Commissioner. So, in some ways she consider herself a daughter of Assam.
After taking a degree in Sociology at the London School of Economics, she returned to Assam for fieldwork and carried out a study of a village near Jorhat, which was later published under the title of ‘The Assamese’. It is perhaps the only intensive work done in the plains of Assam and I like to think of it as a small contribution to understanding a unique way of life and, more particularly, the religion founded by Sankardeva.
After working on the staff at the London School of Economics. She moved to the School of Oriental and African Studies where I still teach part-time to the present day.
Few weeks after we have organized the 550th Sankar Jayanti at Wembley when we invited her as our chief guest. The speech she delivered about Sankardev was so informative. Since then Dr. Cantlie always shares every Assamese Community function in London. Her guidance and support is very valuable to me at my work in a women oriented matter.
From studying, Sociology at the London School of Economics and to teach at (School of Oriental and African Studies. Her beautiful past as an Assamese is still in her mind. She wrote “The Assamese” dedicated to the memory of her father Sir Keith Cantlie who served 40 years in the state of Assam. How beautifully she expressed the qualities of Assamese people in this book.
Call her a professor, teacher, academician for rest of our Assamese society in London she is just our “Cantlie baidew”
During her stay at Guwahati, we have organised an interactive session with teachers, academicians, journalists and students at Sudmersen Hall, Cotton College on Wednesday 13 February, 2008 at 4:00pm.
PermalinkSubmitted by Utpal Hazarika on Sun, 16/11/2008 - 01:32
I am from BANI MANDIR, a publication house from Assam since 1949. Many people want to buy this book, but due to the price 99% people cannot effort. If I get the publication right I can reprint the in Indian cheaper price and most of the people can buy and can preserve the book. I tried with the author but could not contact. Can anybody passon this message to the author of the this book.Thanks.
Utpal Hazarika
banimandir@gmail.com
13 Apr 2018 - 11:36am | AT News
GUWAHATI: A one day Counselling programme was organized by “PRAYASH, Beyond the boundaries: Xikim aru Xikam” of Nabajyoti College, Kalgachia on 10th April, in collaboration with “Helpline...
21 Jul 2009 - 9:32am | editor
Women taking their meal under a tree after sowing paddy in their paddy field in a hot day in a village in Bongaigaon District of Assam on July 21.
Photo: UB PHOTOS.
25 May 2018 - 9:20pm | Akshaya Pranab Kalita
Two students from Namrup’s BVFCL Model High school secured 8th and 10th position in the HSLC 2018 examination declared on Friday. Ashish Handique secured 8th position (Maths- 100,...
13 May 2017 - 3:55pm | AT News
A hardcore GNLA rebel laid down his arms before BSF in Meghalaya on Friday giving the security forces a sigh of relief. According to BSF, identified as Marus Ch Sangma, who was trained up...
More trouble awaits the Asom Gana Parishad hardly a year before the Assembly polls. The tussle between Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Atul Bora seems to have posed a serious threat to the regional party’s poll prospect.The widening difference between the former chief minister and one time loyalist and working president Atul Bora takes the centrestage of a simmering conflict within the regional party.Senior party leaders told Assam Times that Mahanta’s loyalists what the founder president should be restored six months after he went on leave. They further claimed that the party’s general council allowed the former chief minister to go on leave only for six months. Then the council...
Rongjeng, the name of a tiny spot atop the East Garo Hills in Meghalaya seems to have dressed afresh. People in this beautiful place are busy with preparing for the Rongjeng Festival slated to begin from March 20.The two days event, first of its kind in this place aims at showcasing their produces, wares, handlooms and handicrafts before the tourists of the country and abroad.Ethnic culture and cuisine of the people are expected to steal the focus in the market.Entrepreneur from Assam and Nagaland are also expected join the event. Several state government departments have confirmed participation in the first village trade fair by holding stalls to make the people aware of the schemes...
Jorhat turns into a hotspot for business tycoons from many parts of the globe as the international trade fair is underway. Business tycoons from Afghan, Myanmar, Nepal along with other parts of the world are attending in the mega commercial event which got off to a colourful start on Thursday.In his opening speech, chief minister Tarun Gogoi tried his best to woo the investors citing comfortable situation and potentials.Nepal’s Acting Ambassador to India Krishna Prasad Dhakal Ambassador to India from Shaida Mohammad Abdali, Myanmar’s Sagaing Region Minister for Electricity and Industry U Kyaw Win were among those who listened to Gogoi.Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stressed investment...
Hours after Tarun Gogoi allocated portfolios to his new council of ministers, the chief ministers exuded his confidence on Monday that the ministers would deliver the goods. Talking to reporters in Guwahati in the afternoon, Gogoi said that he reposed full faith on the new council of ministers.He however, has kept social welfare with him apart from retained home, finance portfolios.
Rongson Das is disappointed on the day of Magh Bihu. The local resident of Aahotguri area in Morigaon district spared no pain to train up his buffalo to be fielded in the fight on Thursday. Till Tuesday he was confident that his animal would steal the show. But the things have taken an unexpected turn. There would no buffalo fight this time. The Assam Government has restricted the game scheduled for Thursday and Friday.“I am totally disappointed. What I left undone to help my animal win this time. But of no avail. Today I am not joining the festival when I got the details of the government instruction,” the 50 year old told Assam Times.Same it is in the case of Bihuwa Kalita whose...
Defying a biting cold wave mejis were burning bright to mark the magh bihu celebration across the state on Thursday.Amid traditional pomp and gaiety, people in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat districts lit up the wooden mejis early in the morning after the whole night feasting and merriment.Traditional straw mejis were lit up in Kamrup, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Barpeta, BTAD areas along with other parts of the state offering pujas to the god of fire. Local people in large thronged the burning mejis seeking divine help from the fire god. Cultural programmes, traditional games and competitions and are lined up for the entire day. Home made sweets, beaten rice, pastries are...
Yet another chance awaits the North East to showcase its culture, tourism potential and exclusive traits in New Delhi. The national capital is all set to host a mega North-East festival in April.Tour operators, travel agents, cultural troops, film and television industries have eince keen interest to hold the event in the national capital. Steps are also on to finalise a brand ambassador for the region.
Hari Shankar Brahma is taking over as Chief Election Commissioner succeeding VS Sampath who retires on Thursday. Brahma, who hails from Assam is taking oath from president Pranab Mukherjee at a brief function. Brahma’s tenure as the chief election commissioner will end in April this year.
Supreme Court on Wednesday talked of two options before the government to end the decade old Assam-Nagaland border row. Taking up a petition in the apex court, a division bench headed by Justice TS Thakur said the dispute could be resolved either by deciding the 1988 law suit filed by Assam or by referring the matter for arbitration.The court further asked the Assam counsel to file the list of its witnesses along with their testimonies in the form of affidavits with the apex court registrar within three months. It directed the Registrar General to conduct the trial in the lawsuit on "day-to-day" basis from April 20 and said the witnesses, whose affidavits will be filed by Assam, will have...
At least ten people sustained injury when security forces sprang upon a huge crowd in Sonitpur district on Wednesday. The incident that sends shockwaves across the state on the eve of the bhogali bihu took place in Rongapara when local residents in large number thronged the police station in the morning demanding immediate release of a youth who was allegedly arrested as NDFB-S rebel during the ongoing joint operation.Senior police official tried to quell the protesters who refused to bend and struck to the demand. Police resorted t lathicharge and blank firing following an altercation. All the injured were rushed to the hospital. Several parties, organizations and individuals...
Comments
Pages
Add new comment