From: pcalvert@nyx.cs.du.edu (P. Calvert)
Subject: ASSAM O GOJONJI (DO YOU KNOW ASSAM)
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 92 23:22:58 GMT



The following article was not written by me.  I am posting it as a favor
to the author.
 
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Appeared in a magazine called JIDAIZING in September 1992, OSAKA, JAPAN
      (appeared both in Japanese and English at the same time)
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TITLE: ASSAM O GOJONJI (DO YOU KNOW ASSAM)
       by Sanjib Barman
 
 
``GAR FIRDAUS BAR RUYE ZAMIN AST -HAMIN AST -HAMIN AST
-HAMIN AST''--If there is a paradise on earth, here it is,
here it is, here it is!
 
 
Assam is undoubtedly a natural paradise spoonfuls of lovely scenery and
wild life.  There is rich variety and colourfulness in her natural
beauty and cultural treasures of the people that inhabit it.  Nowhere
else are these traditions so living and so dynamic as in this lovely
cultural corner of north-east India, and the state of Assam.
Assam is an enchanting country with lush green plains, blue hills,
exotic wild life and a rich heritage which she shares with the rest of
India.  Here one can catch glimpses of the glory of a culture, and the
life style of the people in her sacred temples, places of pilgrimage,
ancient relics, arts and crafts and in the brisk and gay folksongs and
dances.
 
Spread beneath the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and sharing
boundaries with the other north-east states of India, lies Assam.  The
state Assam is dominated by the mighty river Brahmaputra, and has a
history dating back to the vedic age.  Both tantric hinduism and later
on vaishnavism flourished in the valley of the mighty river Brahmaputra.
Assam has the largest number of tribes within their variety in
tradition, culture, dresses, dances and exotic way of life.
 
The northern part and some eastern parts of Assam are bordered by the
country Bhutan and Arunashal Pradesh, the land of Adis, Dafflas, Miris,
Mishimis and Appatanis--all hill tribes of mongolian origin.  Coming
from the east along the southern boundary lies the land of the brave and
sturdy Nagas, the Nagaland.  To the south-east of Nagaland is the
ancient {\em hindu kingdom} of Manipur.  To the extreme south of Assam
is Mizoram, the land of Mizos.  To the south-west lies the state of
Meghalaya, land of Khasis with Shillong, ``the Scotland of east'' as her
capital.  The entire north-east India is presently a combination of
seven states and these are Assam Arunashal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur,
Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura.  Tripura was the native land of the
Tripuri tribes of mongolian origin.  Once upon a time these all states
were parts of an independent country.
 
Surrounded by a ring of blue hills, Assam has two largest valleys, the
Brahmaputra Valley and the Barak Valley where the main body of the
people of Assam live, the people with history dating back to ancient
vedic era.  In ancient days, Assam was known as Kamrup where according
to legend, Kamdeva, the God of love was reborn. The state capital of
Assam, Guwahati, known in ancient time as Pragjyotishpura (the eastern
city of light) was the capital of Kamrup which finds frequent mention in
the Mahabharata and other Epics and historical lores.
 
 
``GAR FIRDAUS BAR RUYE ZAMIN AST -HAMIN AST -HAMIN AST
-HAMIN AST''