[Assam] About the Name Assam

[Chan Mahanta]

>  But I wouldn't use these books nor a book written in another 
>European language (Dutch) to prove that >Assam is an indigenous word.


*** Why? Are you suggested the Dutch traveller who prepared the map where
Assam  is recorded as "Asam" was likely an invention of an European, 
and thus not credible?






At 12:50 PM -0700 3/8/09, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:
>Kamal,
>In today's parlance, you are absolutely correct. The local people 
>call the land "Oxom" and, themselves "Oxomiya". When those words 
>are written as "Assam" and "Assamese", it is an attempt to anglicize 
>the locally used words.
>
>Now whether Oxom was derived from another word that was local to the 
>area and non-Sanskrit in its origin is another issue.
>As we all know the region (at least the western part) was called 
>Kamrupa in ancient literature. For the name Kamrupa to change to 
>Oxom, it is almost impossible. There is no resemblance between the 
>two words. So the natural assumption would be that the 
>transformation to Oxom did not happen with the so called Hindu 
>settlers of Assam from the west. It is more likely it happened with 
>the domination of Assam by the Ahoms, who for the first time in a 
>long time brought the people of the region under one rule through 
>political acumen.
>
>I have in my possession books written/compiled by British officers 
>where the word Assam is used. But I wouldn't use these books nor a 
>book written in another European language (Dutch) to prove that 
>Assam is an indigenous word. There needs to be more research done by 
>Xahitya Xobha, digging into the Buranjis of the Ahoms and whatever 
>remains of the Ahom language.
>
>I am told by my Ahom friends that many Buranjis were burnt during 
>the waning years of Ahom rule. I am also told many Buranjis are 
>still available in the Ahom villages kept as family heirloom. Does 
>anyone know how to read and decipher these tomes?
>Isn't there a scholar in all of Assam who could trace through the 
>transformation of Ahom language from 1228 to the British days
>to see if the name Oxom was coined by the Ahoms to describe their kingdom?
>
>When I am on a roll, let me also ask how the Shans from Burma 
>renamed themselves as Ahoms and when it happened.
>If all of this is known to some netter, please publish it, so that 
>some of us not exposed to recent findings in Assam can learn and 
>stop arguing over a name.
>
>Dilip Deka
>
>
>
>
>
>________________________________
>From: kamal deka <kjit.deka at gmail.com>
>To: adhazarika at yahoo.com; A Mailing list for people interested in 
>Assam from around the world <assam at assamnet.org>
>Sent: Sunday, March 8, 2009 10:23:39 AM
>Subject: Re: [Assam] About the Name Assam
>
>In my humble view,the very word " Assam" is an Anglicised one.As an
>adjective," Assamese " pertains to the characteristic of the people of
>Assam and their culture.As  a noun,it means the native of Assam or the
>language of Assam.
>In view of the above fact.Assam Sahitya Sabha may not be in error.
>Kamal
>
>On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 9:47 PM, Ajoy Hazarika <adhazarika at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>  Dear Oxom Xahityo Xobha:
>>
>>
>>  I agree with Chandan Mahanta.  If you do not know anything about it,
>>  an article written by H. Borgohain.  I could not find the article,
>>  otherwise I could have forwarded to you.
>>
>>  Hi Chandan, Rajen, if you have that article please forward that to . Oxom
>>  Xahityo Xobha
>>  Oxom Xahityo Xobha.  It will also help if Oxom Xahityo Xobha study
>>  the Bodo language.  There are other historical facts.  Chandan and Rajen
>>  can help.
>>
>>  A. D. Hazarika
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  --- On Mon, 3/2/09, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>>  From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
>>  Subject: [Assam] About the Name Assam
>>  To: info at axomxahityaxobha.org
>>  Cc: assam at assamnet.org
>>  Date: Monday, March 2, 2009, 9:05 PM
>>
>>  Dear Oxom Xahityo Xobha:
>>
>>
>>  >In 1917 the Asom Sahitya Sabha was formed as a
>>  >guardian of the Assamese society and the forum for the
>  > >development of Assamese language and literature.
>>  >The word Assamese is an English one, built on the same
>>  >principle as Cingalese, Canarese, etc. It is based on the
>>  >English word Assam by which the tract consisting of the
>>  >Brahmaputra valley is known.
>>
>>
>>  *** It is pretty sad that you don't know the origins of the name
>>  Assam, that you claim is an English name.
>>
>>  It is such display of ignorance of our history and an absence of
>>  intellectual curiosity to know what it truly is, that makes the likes
>>  of Oxom Xahityo Xobha irrelevant to our cultural heritage
>>
>>  Sondon Mohonto
>>
>>  USA
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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