[Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours

[Rajen & Ajanta Barua]

That is exactly one main point. 
However in this case the suggestion to change the name ASSAM to ASOM was initiated not by politicians but by late Chandra Prasad Saikia ex President of AXX and the Editor of an Assamese literary magazine 'Gariyashi'.  Politicians simply are following the so called Assamese intellectuals.
In my opinion, the Assamese civilization is at such a low point in history today, that there was hardly any strong protests against this move neither by any News Paper Editorials (Assamese or English) nor by any Assamese intellectuals (if there is any of this species left in Assam). Even the educated Assamese and the so called intellectuals are taking a typical Assamese 'Hobo Diok' attitude, ( since it was proposed by CPS the ex President of ASS, let it be, Hobo Diok) and everybody are trying to burry their heads in sand and hoping that by writing ASOM instead of ASSAM, outsiders will pronounce the word as we pronounce it in Assamese word OXOM. (Assamese logic!!)

Historically also there is objection to change the name ASSAM to ASOM. The Assam pronunciation had been in vogue since the advent of the Tai Ahoms to Assam who were called at time by the local people (The Sutias, Kasaris etc) by the name Ashyam. (This is again is derived from the Sanskrit word Shyam as we call Thailand, Shyam dex. There were several Hindu colonies in many of the South  East Asian countries in the past when Thailand derived the Sanskrit name Shyam-dex.)  Anyhow, later the Moghols used that name Ashyam for our land, and eventually the Kamrup was replaced by Ashyam. The British simply changed the spelling to Assam keeping the same pronunciation. These are recorded history.  Thus the Assam pronunciation had an eight hundred old years history.

With due respect, I must say that late CPS is an Assamese literary figure, but he is neither an historian nor a linguist, and he should not have poked his nose on such sensitive subject 

Sensible Assamese should protest this move to change the name of Assam strongly as otherwise our democracy itself is at stake with our 'Hobo Diok' attitude.

Regards
Rajen Barua

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Barada Sarma 
  To: assamonline at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 10:35 PM
  Subject: Re: [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours



  I have not been able to rationalize what difference would be made by spelling the name of the state with different English letters which cannot reproduce the Assamese sound anyway. 

  What is important as far as the future is concerned is the historical name recognition of unique product like Assam tea. Why should we waste our time and energy with completely unproductive issue like english spelling of Assam. Useless politicians love such useless endevors. 

  Barada sarma

  Matiur Rahman <Matiur.Rahman at dal.ca> wrote: 

    I did not quite understand why we need to change the name of our birth state Assam to Asom. It is already there since its inception, in Assamese language we write Asom always and in international language we write Assam. Note that Assam is an internationally recognized trade name. (Assam Tea, Assam's one horn Rino etc.). 

    In Assam: We are Asomiya, `Asom Bani' (Assamese News Weekly) 
    Internationally: We are known as Assamese. `The Assam Tribune'. (The English Language daily Newspaper). It exists for more than a century. 

    These words are already used since the last many years. 

    Matiur Rahman 
    ====================== 
    Re: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/message/2839 



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