[Assam] About the Name Assam
Chan Mahanta
cmahanta at charter.net
Sun Mar 8 20:49:45 PDT 2009
At 9:45 PM -0500 3/8/09, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
> >Could it be that "Oxom" came from "Ohong", as in arrogant, proud,
>conceited, vane or haughty? :-)
>>Just a fleeting thought. :-) :-)
>
>This is getting good, Dilip da. Can't wait for a rebuttal from the Ozarks.:)
> I'm enjoying the exchange.
**** I can imagine how the neo-Owners of Assam would wish to change
its name :-).
>
>--Ram
>On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 9:34 PM, Dilip and Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>> The omniscient is aware of that. He has some Ahom friends who pronounce
>> "xo" as "ho".
>> Then again, he also has other Ahom friends from Guwahati who wouldn't be
>> caught dead with "ho" in their breath.
>> Thus, your proof is not infallible. In fact it brings us closer to "Oxom"
>> being from "Ahom". Now you tell me how the word "Ahom" was formed and I'll
>> call you an ace.
>>
>> Could it be that "Oxom" came from "Ohong", as in arrogant, proud,
>> conceited, vane or haughty? :-)
>> Just a fleeting thought. :-) :-)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
>> To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world <
>> assam at assamnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, March 8, 2009 10:10:59 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Assam] About the Name Assam
>>
>> > whereas we know for sure the local people at that time as now
>> >called the land "Oxom",
>>
>>
>>
>> *** You do?
>>
>> So much for the certitude of the omniscient!!
>>
>> Did you know that the Ahom people, by and large, cannot pronounce the
>> 'xo' sound and pronounce it as 'ho' or 'kho'?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>***************************************************************************************************************
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> At 2:02 PM -0700 3/8/09, Dilip and Dil Deka wrote:
>> >".......an invention of an European, and thus not credible?" - I am
>> >not suggesting that at all. I am not Europhobic. :-)
>> >
>> >Let's take the British days - the maps and the official records
>> >meticulously prepared during that time called "Oxom" as "Assam"
>> >whereas we know for sure the local people at that time as now called
>> >the land "Oxom", the big difference being the sound of "x" versus
>> >"s". What credibility would you give to the authenticity of the name
>> >"Assam" used by the British?
>> >In the same token, why would I accept "Asam" as written by a Dutch
>> >in 17th century as an authentic name? The Dutch, just like the
>> >British cannot pronounce "Oxom".
>> >If you accept "Asam" as in Dutch map as the original name, when did
>> >it change to today's "Oxom" and who changed it?
>> >
>> >I still say "Assam" is anglicized and "Asam" is Hollandized. Boy!
>> >that sounds too much like Hollandaise sauce.
>> >I am surprised there was no comment on the rest of my email.
>> >Dilip
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >________________________________
>> >From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
>> >To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the
> > >world <assam at assamnet.org>; adhazarika at yahoo.com
>> >Sent: Sunday, March 8, 2009 4:25:08 PM
>> >Subject: Re: [Assam] About the Name Assam
>> >
>> >
>> >> 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
>> >>> _______________________________________________
>> >>> assam mailing list
>> >>> assam at assamnet.org
>> >>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
>> >>> assam mailing list
>> >>> assam at assamnet.org
>> >>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>> >>>
>> >>_______________________________________________
>> >>assam mailing list
>> >>assam at assamnet.org
>> >>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet..org
>> >>_______________________________________________
>> >>assam mailing list
>> >>assam at assamnet.org
>> >>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>> >
>> >
>> >_______________________________________________
>> >assam mailing list
>> >assam at assamnet.org
>> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>> >_______________________________________________
>> >assam mailing list
>> >assam at assamnet.org
>> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> assam mailing list
>> assam at assamnet.org
>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>> _______________________________________________
>> assam mailing list
>> assam at assamnet.org
>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>
>_______________________________________________
>assam mailing list
>assam at assamnet.org
>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
More information about the Assam
mailing list