টাই আহোমৰ ধৰ্ম (ধৰিত্ৰী গগৈ ফুকন)

 

 টাই আহোমৰ ধৰ্ম (ধৰিত্ৰী গগৈ ফুকন)

ত্তাঈ আহোমৰ ধৰ্ম কি ? এটা আলোচনা কৰিবলগীয়া বিতৰ্কত বিষয় ।

প্ৰথম কথাটো হ’ল , আহোমসকল বাস্তৱবাদী মানুহ । জীৱিতসকলক পাপ্য অনুসাৰে সন্মান জনোৱাত কোনেও কৃপণালি নকৰে আৰু সম্বন্ধবোৰ সদায় নিয়াৰিকৈ পালন কৰে । যেনে - নিজৰ পিতৃ-মাতৃতকৈ জেষ্ঠ্যজনক আপাদেউ-নিচাদেউ আৰু কনিষ্ঠজনক দদাইদেউ-খুৰীদেউ , পেহীদেউ আদি সম্বোধন , নিজতকৈ জেষ্ঠ্যজনক বাইদেউ-ককাইদেউ আৰু কনিষ্ঠজনক ভাইটি-ভন্টি আদি সম্বোধনেৰে শ্ৰদ্ধা-মৰম প্ৰদৰ্শন কৰে । নিজৰ বংশৰ ডাঙৰ পৰিয়ালৰ হ’লে বয়সত সৰু হ’লেও ডাঙৰ সম্বন্ধ ধৰি মাতে । সৰু পৰিয়ালৰ হ’লে বয়সত ডাঙৰ হ’লেও সৰু সম্বন্ধ ধৰি মাতে ।

দ্বিতীয় কথা হ’ল , আমি আহোমসকল জন্মান্তৰবাদত বিশ্বাসী নহয় । বৰ্তমানৰ মনুষ্য জনমৰ আগতে কিবা জীৱ হৈ জন্ম লোৱা বা মৃত্যুৰ পাছতো কিবা জীৱ-জন্তুৰ ৰূপ লৈ জন্ম লোৱা কথাটো আমি বিশ্বাস নকৰোঁ । এই কথাতে হিন্দু ধৰ্ম আৰু বৌদ্ধ ধৰ্মৰ লগত পাৰ্থক্য পৰিলক্ষিত হয় ।

আমি পূৰ্বজন্ম-পৰজন্ম বিশ্বাস নকৰাৰ প্ৰমাণ কি ?

আহোম মানুহ বুলি নিজকে চিনাকি দি গৌৰৱ অনুভৱ কৰাসকলে বছেৰেকৰ উৎসৱ-পাৰ্বনসমূহত নিশ্চয় নিজৰ মৃত পিতৃ-মাতৃ তথা আইতাক-দৌতিয়েকৰপৰা ঢুকি পোৱা ওপৰলৈকে পূৰ্বপুৰুষসকলৰ উদ্দেশ্যি নিৰ্দিষ্ট উপাচাৰসহ উৎসৰ্গা আগবঢ়ায় । কিয় আগবঢ়ায় ? কাৰণ তেওঁলোকে মনুষ্যশৰীৰ ত্যাগ কৰিলে যদিও শৰীৰবিহীনভাৱেই ঘাইঘৰৰ নিৰ্দিষ্ট স্থানত ৰৈ থাকি ঘৰখনৰ আমি দেখি নোপোৱা অপায়-অমঙ্গলবোৰৰপৰা ৰক্ষা কৰি থাকে । যদি তেওঁলোকে তেনেদৰে আমাৰ ঘৰখনৰ ৰক্ষাকৰ্তাৰ ভূমিকা লয়েই থাকে তেন্তে আন জীৱৰ জন্ম লবগৈ কেনেকৈ ? ৰহস্য ভেদ কৰিব নোৱাৰা সত্যটো যিয়েই নহওঁক , মৃতকসকলৰ অস্তিত্ব আমাৰ বাবে সদায় গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ । তেওঁলোকেই আমাৰ বাবে দেৱতাও ।

আমি যে কওঁ , ফুৰাৰ আৰ্শীবাদ লওঁ বুলি ; সেই “ফুৰা”নো কোন , কি ?

আহোম মানুহে পূৰ্বপুৰুষক উৎসৰ্গা কৰাৰ বাহিৰেও আন এটা অদৃশ্য মহান প্ৰাকৃতিক শক্তিক বিশ্বাস কৰে যিটোক “আল্লা , গড্ , ইশ্বৰ” বা যি বুলিয়েই কোৱা নহওঁক কিয় ! আমি কেতিয়াবা সেই শক্তিক বিশ্বাস কৰোঁ আৰু কেতিয়াবা নকৰিবলৈয়ো বিচাৰোঁ । মানুহৰ আয়ত্বৰ বাহিৰত থকা সেই নেদেখা মহান শক্তিকে আমি “ফুৰা” বুলি কওঁ । গছ-লতা , পাহাৰ-সমতল ,সূৰ্য্য-চন্দ্ৰ ,গ্ৰহ-উপগ্ৰহ , পৃথিৱীকে আদি কৰি যিমানবোৰ জীৱ-জড় আছে সকলো তেওঁৰেই সৃষ্টি বুলি আমি মানো । সেয়ে নিৰ্দিষ্ট দিন-বাৰ অনুসৰি আমি নিজৰ ঘৰত “ফুৰালুঙ” নামেৰে এটা অনুষ্ঠান পাতো যিটো অনুষ্ঠানত সেই মহান “ফুৰা”জনক উদ্দেশ্যি অৰ্চনা-বন্দনা কৰা হয় ।

জীৱিতজনৰপৰা মৃতজনলৈকে আৰু সমাজ-প্ৰকৃতিৰ প্ৰতি সন্মান জনোৱা বা কৰ্তব্য পালন কৰা যি নিয়ম সেই নিয়মসমূহক পূৰ্বতে এটা নিৰ্দিষ্ট নামেৰে নামাকৰণ কৰা হোৱা নাছিল । কিন্তু ৰজাঘৰীয়াৰ আদৰ্শৰে প্ৰজায়ো হিন্দু ধৰ্ম গ্ৰহণ কৰাৰ ওপৰিও বৈষ্ণৱ আদৰ্শ গ্ৰহণ কৰাৰ ফলত সমাজখনত যি ধৰ্মীয় বিশৃংখলতাই দেখা দিলে সেয়া লক্ষ্য কৰি ১৯৭৩চনত “সদৌ অসম মহন-দেওধাই-বাইলুঙ সন্মিলন” আৰু আহোম সমাজৰ শুভচিন্তক বুদ্ধিজীৱীৰ আলোচনামৰ্মে আহোম মানুহে পালন কৰা পৰম্পৰাসমূহক “ফুৰালুঙ” বুলি নামাকৰণ কৰা হ’ল । যদিও ফুৰাৰ অস্তিত্বক মানি লৈ এই “ফুৰালুঙ” নামাকৰণ কৰা হ’ল , শেষতীয়াকৈ দেখা গৈছে আহোমৰ বাকী পৰম্পৰাসমূহ “তাও” দৰ্শনৰ অন্তৰ্গত । সেয়ে কিছুমানে ধৰ্মটোৰ নাম “তাও” বুলি কব বিচাৰে । “তাও” এটা প্ৰাচীন দৰ্শন । অধ্যয়ণ কৰাসকলে মতামত প্ৰকাশ কৰে “তাও”ৱেই হ’ল পৃথিৱীৰ সৰ্বোত্তম বিজ্ঞানসন্মত ধৰ্ম ।

আমাক এতিয়া এটা সদুত্তৰ লাগে যে আহোমৰ ধৰ্মটোৰ নাম কি হ’লে আমাৰ জাতিটোৰ লাভ হব । আমাৰ ব্যক্তিগত পচন্দ-অপচন্দক অগ্ৰাধিকাৰ নিদি আমি জাতীয় স্বাৰ্থক আগস্থান দি উৎকৃষ্ট প্ৰাচীন আদৰ্শক স্বীকাৰ কৰিলে ক্ষতি আছে নেকি ?

এই চিন্তা পঢ়ুৱৈসকলৰ ওপৰত জাপি দি সদুত্তৰ আশা কৰিলোঁ । এই ছেগতে আমাৰ মনোভাৱো ব্যক্ত কৰা ভাল বুলি ভাৱিলোঁ ।

“বৌদ্ধ ধৰ্ম বুলি কলে যিদৰে হীনযান আৰু মহাযান বুলি দুটা ভাগ আছে , খ্ৰীষ্টান বুলি কলে যিদৰে বেপ্তিষ্ট আৰু কেথলিক বুলি দুটা ভাগ আছে , একেদৰে সমগ্ৰ আহোমক “”তাও””ধৰ্মীয়ৰ অন্তৰ্ভুক্ত কৰি ফুৰাৰ অস্তিত্ববিশ্বাসী আৰু বিশ্বাস নকৰা দুটা ভাগ আছে বুলি মানি ললে নিশ্চয় জাতিটোৰ বাবেই মঙ্গল বুলি অনুভৱ হয় । ইয়াৰ জৰিয়তে আমি এতিয়াও বৌদ্ধ ধৰ্ম গ্ৰহণ নকৰা আন তাওবাদী ত্তাঈসকলৰ লগতো এক হৈ যাব পাৰিম ।”

এই কথাখিনি বিবেচনা কৰিলে জাতিটো সুস্থিৰতালৈ আহিব বুলি আমাৰ দুজনৰ ব্যক্তিগত দৃষ্টিৰে লিখিলোঁ ।

Tai Ahom Culture And The Modern World Some Thought By— Dr. Stephen Morey, Professor, Lastrob University, Australia

 

 Tai Ahom Culture And The Modern World Some Thought By— Dr. Stephen Morey, Professor, Lastrob University, Australia

                   
All around the world communities are trying to preserve and revitalize their unique languages, traditions, songs and stories. In an ago of globalization, where we  can all talk to each on facebook and where we can all listen to the same songs, watch the same movies and eat the same foods.there seems to be a loss of diversity and the richness of the human experience.
Actually there is a nothing new about this - the Tai ahom language, spoken as a mother tongue since the time that Chao Lung Siukapha arrived in assam (1228 AD), ceased to be spoken as amother tongue more than 200 years back, long before hindi films and Facebook. But although the language stopped being used every day,and was not thought by mother's to their children, yet the Tai ahom language does remain today.
The two most important locations of the tai ahom language today are (1)the traditional rituals, such as Me Dam Me Phi, and (2)the many Tai Ahom manuscripts which are preserved by the Deodhai in their homes across the Tai ahom area - but particularly in sibsagar district.
These tai ahom manuscripts cover a large range of different subjects:  The histories (Buranji) are reasonable well know, detailing the story of the Ahom Kingdom from Chau Lung Siukapha up to the 19th century. But there are many other types of manuscripts; some, like the poun ko miung, deal with the creation of the world and the foundation of the tai States form which the tai ahom came. These may be literal histories, or foundation myths, or something in between, but they tell a great deal about the basis of the tai ahom culture are political structures.
Perhaps most of the manuscripts, however, deal with ritual: predictions, spirit calling, prayers and information relating to the traditional calendar (Lakni) .These prayers are in some cases still performed as part of the Me Dam Me Phi Ceremony.
AS far as l have been able to understand, the current practice of celebrating Me Dam Me Phi on 31st January as a public ceremony dates back perhaps 40 to 50 years. Me Da Me Phi pays tribute to the various spirits of ancestors and others whose benevolence is required for the good management of society. I have witnessed prayers, described as Me Dam Me Phi, beng performed in traditional tai ahom houses and including similar prayers to those which will be performed across upper assam on 31 January.
The kitchen of a traditional tai ahom house is a most important location for the family. and a place where the ancestors are honoured. I have observed that in the traditional mud houses. Shoes are to be removed three, even when in the rest of the house they can continue to be worn.This is the location where some of those traditional houses prayers are to be said.
Much more study and research is needed on the contents of the tai ahom manuscripts and on the way in which the tai ahom rituals are performed, as well as the language and meaning of the prayers. Most of the tai ahom manuscripts remain untranslated and their meaning is not fully clear. The revival of the ahom cultural needs to be fully grounded in a clear understanding of all the richness that has been preserved in the ahom manuscripts. Over the last 10 years or so, I have been involved in a project to photograph the manuscripts.  Documenting conserving and archiving the tai ahom manuscripts of assam (http://rap.bl.UK/database/overview_project.a4d? projilD=EAP373), as well as work on the tai ahom dictionary (http://sealang.net/ahimsa). This work needs to go on, because their is much more still to be understood about the traditional tai ahom language, culture and ritual.
As i mentioned at the top of this article, we all face the challenges of globalization and modernization. All culture is undergoing change,and one way of meeting that change is the adapt our traditions to the modern world. So it that Me Dam Me Phi has developed into a public event. I have attended many such celebrations where the traditional rituals are performed, the prayers are intoned, some sacrifice and offering is made. In addition, there may be some show - singing of modern songs in Assamese or in tai ahom are maintaining their cultural uniqueness and adapting to the modern world.
I send my very good wishes to the Me Dam Me Phi committee in Teok. The annual Me Dam Me Phi festivals are an important part of the tai ahom identity. Your tai ahom culture is important. Study it, preserve it, practice it and promote it.

In Search of Ancient Religion of The Tai ණ Dr. J.N. Phukan Professor , Department of History Guwahati University

 In Search of Ancient Religion of The Tai ණ Dr. J.N. Phukan Professor , Department of History Guwahati University

www.TaiAhom.Com

For the past many years it has almost been a fashion to ask the question what major religion, if any, the Tai of Assam, now better known as the Ahom, held when they first came to the Brahmaputra vally in the 13 th century? The attempts made by a number of writters to get answer to this question have resulted in several views which are often conflicting and cinfusing. According to Haliram Dhekial Phukan, who wrote as early as 1829, it was a sort of animism. Acharyya Suniti Kumar Chatterjee told that the Ahoms followed their old animistic religion. Padma Nath Gohain Baruah says on one occasion that the Ahoms were worshippers of Mahavishnu and such they were Vaishnsvas. But another occasion, he says that they were Budhists. The second view was held by Rai Sahib Golap Chandra Baruah in his book " Laitu Ba Laophala " published in 1905 and said that Ahoms were Buddhists and called their God by the name, " Phura Tara Along " . It is however, interesting to note that in the preface to his Ahom-Assamese - English Dictionary published in 1920, he indicated that the Ahoms were not Buddhists when they came to Brahmputra valley. They migrated to Assam before thr Tais were converted to Buddhism. And the Ahoms maintained their own religion in fact till the begining of the 15th century. P.R.T. Gurdon also says that Ahoms were possively not budhists. In Vol.111 OF the Encyclopedia of Religion and Eyhics, J. George Scott in his article, however, says that the Ahoms were Buddhists and established Buddhism everywhere excepts the hills. For four hundred years they maintained themselves and Budhism..... Dr. Surya kr Bhuyan also thinks that the Ahoms were followers of Buddhism and writes that definites traces of buddhist-Hindu influences can be found in the Ahom scriptures which they brought from their original land. Hiteswar BarBaruah in his presidential adress of history section of Assam Sahitya Sabha Session at Nagaon in 1925 maintained that the religion of Ahoms was mixture of Mahayana and Hinayana forms of Buddhism but didnot elaborate what that mixed form was. Purna kanta Buragohain, who spent many years in Burma, in his book, " Amar Adi Buranji " published in 1946 says that tha Ahoms were not Buddhists but followed " Phra long " religion in which animals wete sacrificed. But in 1956 in an article titled, " Tai Jati " published in Tai Sankrity he maintans that the Ahoms were " Ttyiyist " which is also called, " Taioism " . He, however, never explained whether this " Ttaoism " was the same with the " Taioism " of ancient China, and hence left the readers to gusses. Khetradhar Borgohain in his presidential Adress in All Assam Buddha Mahasabha held at Balipathar in 1946, observed that The Ahoms were Budhists of the " pa- kyang " sect and " phura lung " was nothing but a form of Mahayana Buddhism in which Amitava, or Padmapani or Avalokiteswara is prominants. 

Thanuram Gogoi, who was the president of the Buddhist Society of Phra Lung Culture, North East India, in a leaflet publised in 1946, claims the Ahoms were followers of phra long sect which is a section of Mahayana Buddhist and thus they were Mahayanists and the Ahom priests maitained their religion through out the Ahom rule. The Assam District Gazetteer Sibsagar district says that " their original religion approaches Taioism, " . In an article published in 1974, Dr. Lila Gogoi wtote that at the time of of their of coming to Assam, the Ahoms were the followers of a debased or corrupted form of " Tao " or Buddhism. Two years later hr, however, said that the Ahoms were basically followers of Taoism and not are buddhism . Curiously enough, five years later, in another article published in Prakash, he said that the Ahoms were originally followers of Taioism and Phra Tra of the Ahoms are nothing but Tao. But the Ahoms who came to Assam were Budhists, the adoption of the Indian Brahmi scripts, the practice of planting of tree by the Ahoms kings, and the chak-lang marriage form of the Ahoms support this claim. These are all features of Buddhism. Harendra Nath Phukan, in an article published in 1982, thinks that Ahom religion concepted with Mahayana Buddhism. Dr. Padmeswar Gogoi who is the only scholar to conduct a critical study of the problems of the Ahom religion says " The Ahoms of Assam brought with them not Buddhism but their racial religion may be with a mixture of Buddhistics influences. By quoting W.A.R Wood he says that the racial religion was the worshipping of " ths benrficent spirits of the hills, forests and waters and propitiating numerous demons with sacrifices and offering. In 1974, in an article published in the " Journal Of Assam Research Society " he said that it was more probable that the Ahoms were influenced by Theravada Buddhism of Burma which made them perform puja like Phra Long of Lord Buddha. But in 1979 in another article titled " Tai Ahome ki Dharma loi Assamat Pravesh korisil? He said that the Ahoms were Buddhists when they entered Assam. 

During the last ten years there has been a further increase of writting on the Ahom religion at many levels. Many of the writtings are, however, based on rudimentary and popular arguments, and are devoid of acceptable substance. Several of these seem to have written to support a particular form of religion. As a result, the Ahom religion question become more and more conflicting and confusing.

The views of the writters given above sufficiently prove that there does not exist any unanimity among writters about the religion of the Ahoms when they made their entry into the Brahmputra valley in the early 13 th century. In order to arrive at the truth, a historical and scientific approach must be adotedv. It is also essential to make a thorough study of the various religious scriptures of the Ahoms written in the Ahom scripts and language and also study the practices and sacrifices which had been observed by the Ahom priests in propitiating the gods and spirits. Attempts must also be made to draw a comparative study of the Ahom gods and spirits with those in Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. Further, a comparative study of the forms of sacrifices and ritues of the Ahom religion with those in Mahayana Buddhism, if it had any, and in Taoism will greatly correct our views on things. In this context a broad comprehension of the findings of scholars about the religion of the Tais of Burma and Thailand of the same period will be great help , for, The Ahom religious question must not be srudied in isolation. It is accepted by all that before the greatest dispersal of the Tai Fan, like during the 13th century, most of them lived together in southern China and northern Vietnam complex and some in the northern extremity of Burma and Thailand. During the period they held their religion, customs and practices in common.

Some 45 years ago Reginald LE May in his work " The Culture of South-East Asia " raised the question about the religion of the Siemese ( now Thais) and wrote " but what religion, if any, they held when they first came to Siam is not established "( p. 154) . Besides LE May's answers to this question have been attempted by several renowned scholars like Phya Anuman Rajadhan, H.G. Quaritch Wales, Professor Rong Syamanand and several others. All of them agree that the Thais of Thyland adopted Hinayana form of Buddhism after they were in the Menam valley when they came into contact with the Mons and the Khmers. According to Prof. Syamananda, they followed Mahayana Buddhism which they had adopted before their change over to Hinayana Buddhism. Prof. Saeng Chandragram of Chiangmat University also holds the views that when the Tais came from Southern China to the Menam Vally they brought with them Chiness Mahayana Buddhism. According to Phaya Anuman Rajadhon " it is not known what religion was in their homr land before their exodus from their original home into Thailand and before they become forerunners of the present day Thai. It is almost certain that animism formed the part of the early belief and there maypperheps have some tracrs of Buddhism through Tibet and China. According to H.G. Quaritch Wales, ," the religion is not known, butvit is probable that they recieved Mahayanism at a fairly early period. He also says that Thais must have been animist. According to Erik Seidenfaden, the original religion of the Tai probably was animism, perhaps coupled with ancestor worship. Another Thai scholar, Luang Suryabongsa also thinks that thecreligion of the Thais when they lived in Yunnan was animism and ancestor worship. These are some of the views of the scholars on the religion of the Thais before they adopted Hinayana Buddhism in the Menam valley. 

Turning to the Shans of Burm a similar question has been raised.It is well known that the Tais of Burma who are better known as the Shans adopted the present form of their religion only during the 14th century. It is believed that the Tais of Burma had definite influence of Mahayana Buddhism. Erick Seidenfaden, however , thinks that prior to their arrival in the Shan Land, the Tai Yai were animism and perhaps few of them have imbibed the tanets of Taioism and Mahayana doctrines.

A correct answer to the problem of the Ahom religiom can be had only after a critical and thorough study of the all the different situations and sources. Till then any sweeping observation or view will be, at best halg truth, if not distorted.

The Belongings carried by Chao Lung Suo Kaa Faa — Chao Nagen Hazarika

 

 The Belongings carried by Chao Lung Suo Kaa Faa — Chao Nagen Hazarika

    Chao Lung Suo-Ka-Fa came to mung kla (Bai Sa Li according to same tai Buddhists) or summer, not to conquer this land but with a view to migrating form mung mit (Mung Mow Lung under the present day P.RC) and so  settle here per manently. According by he was accompanied by not less than nine thousand followers of both sexes and different age and various labours. This is necessary along with the migrants for their living in the new place or migration and so also the companions of Chao Lung Suo Ka Faa carried along with them th mimimum belongings necessary of their living in this new place.
Books of history such as the Ahom buranji edited by Rai Saheb Gopal Chandra Boruah,tells us that ai khum lung and ngi khum lai the ancestors from Mung fie to Mung Ri Mung Ram, bought with then the following animals - alligators, bears, tigers, sarpents,monkeys, seven crowa,nine hogs and ten lizards. What more were carried along with them were - Somdeo (Chao Fra Rung Seng Mung)  a magic sword (Henge Dang) ywo drums, four heavenly cooks,guns (Pasupat), laws and rules, royal umbrella, throne, gold mat, silver mat,big drum,ryal stick, instrument of punishment, pu fie -suo, the god of forest to rule over the forest by living on a Tung Rung Rai (thee),one big elephant etc. etc.
   Such was the case with Chow Lung Suo Ka Fa who carried all that he required for him and his companions in the new land. Now the question naturally arises as to what were those belongings. Form inferences and historico-empirical generalizations made from different traits and writinga ,we may say that the following among many others were brought to and introduced in Assam by Chao Lung Sou Ka Fa.
   (1) Water rich cultivation - Historical evidence reveal to us that there no sail kheti (water rice cultivation) in this north east part of present days geographical India prior to the advent of Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa. What there was only kheti (winter rice cultivation)  here made by splash and burn. It is Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa who brought with him sali paddy and introduced sali kheti culture in Assam. One of the varieties of sali paddy, carried by him is til now called ahom sali, the other varieties of paddy carried bya Chao Lung Su Ka Fa, as know, were khati neuli,borax and borbora paddy (to prepare luk lau = rice beer,khow mung = adhesive rice which is so popular in Yunnan and other areas of tai inhabitation) .Hol pona paddy, Sarag Fata paddy (Fa-La is an ahom term, Fa = Heaven,  La= to be born, to happen and 'Fa-La' if Assamecised becomes 'Saragar para ana' on to have been brought from heaven and here the Assamese word 'Sarag' is led to co-exist with the ahom term 'Fa-La' to imply the same meaning)  etc.
For talking up water rice cultivation, Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa brother with him a much improved varity of buffalo,  called in Assam the 'Asamia Moh''( Assamese buffalo) and aslo the buffalo.It is to be seen that the variety of buffalo found in lower Assam in of lower programs and ploughing is made with two Buffalo,  and the Tai people have the civilisation of ploughing with one buffalo only.  Moreover the culture of construction of embankments (Mo-Thap-U-Ri) for flood protection and of cutting carals for Saki Kheti were --
 (2) Ramie - Popularly known as 'Chinese Grass' Ramie has its origin in China. It was  carried to Assam bya Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa. It being the strongest and the most long lasting Fabre was used in Assam prion to the advant of the British in preparing Fa Bin Bai Ram (Tongali on Lavas) , ropes for cattle and elephant, fish nets, nets to catch tigers, in making bridges over small rivers, in preparing montars (coment)  popularly known as hon sufa for brick construction etc. Above all Chao Lung Suo Kaa Fa used ramine fibres in constructing rope bridges for crossing the hilly rivers as traditional folk- lores tell us.  Ramine in Assamese is called Riha pat.
 (3) Jute - (Corchenus Capsularis/Corcherus Olitorius) - Jute is found growing wild in Yunnan faling under the then Mung Mow Lung. It is said that Chao Lung Suo La Fa bought this botane form there with him and from Assam it went to Bengal. The land producing the highest quality of jute. Ramie is comparatively superior or ramie. Moreover the specious of Mitha Mora (edible non - better jute plant).Tenga Mora (ahom meat and) were brought to Assam by Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa as vegetables,
   (4) Som on Chom tree and Mugabe Silk- The Assamese word 'Chom' or 'Som' is derived form the ahom word 'Chom' meaning 'to get attached to (something); In other cases of sericulturing, the food leaves are plucked and supplied to the silk worms an vessels but in case of Mugabe the silk worm is had attached to the tree containing the fead leaves and therefore the tree is called in ahom language 'Tun Chum ' (Tun = Tree) . Chum tree (Antheraea Assam) and 'Muga ' cultivation were brought bya Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa to Assam from his 'old country ' and therefore it was called ' Mung Kow ' (Mung = country,  Low = old)  and the Assamese word 'Muga' is a derivating of 'Mung Kow'.Putnam Kant's Boragohain While travelling in Yunnan of P.R.C found in tun hung village a tree called 'Chum Fet' which is but chum tree of Assam, and it was till few years back used for production of silk. This produces an evidence for the coming of the chum tree and the coming of the chum tree and the Muga culture to assam form Mung Mow Lung. Besides the silk culture and the erendi silk culture were brought to assam by Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa. It was after seven hundred years that in 1905 A.D. Mr. Lafroy scientifically cultured erendi and mulberry silk and India after coliecting from Assam and introduced in kashmir, Mysore, Kanchipur and other place of India. ''The ahom introduced into Assam silk like = Muga and pat ...."
 (5) Orange - (Mak Dow in Ahom)  The original abode of orange is China, Shan states, kohima, China etc. India is known to have imported orange form the first time in 1852 A.D .Only from Malta for ultivatime in northern India but before that is 1828 A.D, Oranges were expected from Assam to Europe. It is futhuer known that some of orange is sylhet And at the foothills khasi - Jayantia hills in 1830 - 35 A.D .in an area covering about 100 square miles and as per C. Brownal's report (1869 A.D ) orange is abundance were produced there and in 1902 - 03, a quantity of 74,000 manunds of orangea (worth of Rs 28,000/=) was exported out of undivided assam.
     The above shows that orange was cultivated in Assam muck period to 1826 A.D .when it was aunexed to British India. In Assam orange is known as  Sumthira Tenga, Kamala, Narangi (Bihari Hindi) Santra ( Urdu/ Hindi) etc. ''Sumthira ' appearing to be an Assamese word is actually a derivatives of ahimsa words Sum+Thiu+Ra (Sum=sour on soy fruit, Thiu = good testing,  good looking,  Ra = Much, meaning - very good looking good testing sour fruit)  and the people of upper Assam generally use the word "Sumthira Tenga " for orange more than there of lower Assam. In ahom orange is also called Mak Dow as found in ahom Laxicons (DHAS) which was compilshd in 1795 A.D .In view of the above and also in view of the original abode of orange bring China. It may be empirically generalised that Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa brought this species of botane Wit him from Mung Mow Lung.
 (6) Ahom Bagari (Ahom Plum) - The name itself implies that this type of plum (presently) was of ahom belonging. It was bought to Assam by  Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa. Tho plum is very delicious and ahoms have a respect of this tree, may be due to the fact that Lao Tse,  A Tai fore father and Scholar was born under and ahom Bagari tree. The fire wood made of this tree is very suitable for preparing duck roast and the refore till today. Packing duck (Beijing Duck) is roasted in this fire wood and sold in the main gate of the forbidden city of Beijing. Beside they ahom plum,  the Nora plum (Nora Bagari)  was bought along win Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa from the Shaw states.
 (7) Other Botane - Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa brought with him also the following - (a) Takou (A kind of plum tree called 'Tongkou ' or Tun - Nyto Tong ' in ahom)  tree to use the matured leaves for roofing. (b) Tea plants ('Tun -Cha' in ahom)  to use as medicine and preparing intoxicating beverage. (c) Nefafu ('Neu Fak Fu 'in ahom)  to use as medicinal vegetables to take Wit park and bef in orther to keep boold pressure right. (d) Sinkara flower plant (Blok - Sing -Far in ahom language, meaning the sacred flowers of Haven which is compulsory used in all the religious fictiona of the ahoms). (e) Raidang (Rai = Shine,  dang = big stik)  cane, (f) Thorny bamboo to plant on the ramparts and fort's.  (g) HUN DA banana called HUNDA KAL or Baratmani banana in Assamese.  (h) MONICHAL tree (Soap nut tree)  called TUN MAK SAK in ahimsa. (I) The culture of eating of matural betelnut  after soaking for month together,  Jaba (JA+FA=Ahom tree) , Kopou phul (ahom orchid).
 (8) RIHA MEKHELA - "The Riha Mekhela ensemble, specialiy the Ribs was introduced with other Tai races of Thailand and Indo - China " This waste carried by the women companions if Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa along with other stihed garments of Chap-kon  pot -lung, khip-Tin, etc. And untitched garments like,the Stiched garment cultural us Chaos Lung Suo Ka Fa's contributions.
 (9) FIRE ARMS - "Its is belived that it is the same people who in ancient time first discovered gun powder and guns which passed from assam to pegu,  and from pego to china. This is the reason why this discovery is generally ascribed to the Chinese.
  (10) OCTAGONAL PLAN IN ARCHITECTURE .....it's octagonal plan is definitely an ahom innovation, not to be found in any of the earlier structure, indigenous on exolice ...." The octagonal plan of architecture is a contribution of Chao Lung Suo LA Fa along with dragon culture in architecture.
 (11) DANCE AND MUSIC - Warrior are always culture of dance and music and so were also like ahom. Car rying of KONG (drum) from fie to mung ri  mung ram by the tais is a history. What were brought with Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa were - the bihu DHOL, bihu dance, bihu songs, TOKARI (Tuk Kai) , BHOR TAL, PEPA made of Buffalo horn TOKA (Tong -ka) , TEMEKA (Teu-Me-Ka) , Dhun Tuk (DUn -Tak)  and what rot which were later on adopted by other communities of Assam. lai lung kham other dances within ahom fold.  Meji (Me+ji) culture is choa lung suo ka fa's contribution.
  CONCLUSION  :  what else were carried by Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa along with him on his way to MUNGLLA can not be hastily Summarized without doing a thought research. In shot the present a though reachers. In short the present day "Assamese culture " is but the contribution this great explore who carried these culture traits alone with while being to Mung Dun Sun Kham. However we may refer to the following which were carried along with Chao Lung Suo Ka Fa ----(1) Writing on Sanchi Pat (cahn+chi=ahimsa term) and preparation of it (2)prose writing (3)writing history (4)Bamboo culture (5)Japi (head cover made of bamboo sticks and Tokou leaves and other materials)  (6) Road network culture (7)Nag pota, placing while digging tanks (8)Ramparts (9)Veterinary medicine booka (Lit Sang Sang Sa Ri on Hastividyarnava Ghora Nidan on Lit Sang Sang Sa Ri Ma) , (10) Planned homestead,  planned village paik system of administration (11) Production of mortar (cement)  by mixing molasses, matimah (Phaseolustraditions) line Bonali fish, duck egg, mustard oil,  resin,milk, Bora rice powder, limestone and Rami fiber etc.  (12) Upswept cave in architecture,  (13) Moidam (Moy + Dam = Ahom term) ,(14) Some science,  (15) Coinage and owing culture, (16) Ban Bati, Ban Kanhi, Mai Hanger ,(17) Brick culture (18) Bronze culture, (19) Jade and Jang Fai culture, (20) Dragon,  (21) Collection of gold particles from river sands etc. And above all SECULARISM and a DEMOCRATO MONARCHY.

Cultural Linkage of TheAhom with the Tais of Southest Asia: A case study of Ahom— Thai Linkage ණ....Dr. Girin Phukan, Moran

 

 Cultural Linkage of TheAhom with the Tais of Southest Asia: A case study of Ahom— Thai Linkage ණ....Dr. Girin Phukan, Moran

     The Ahoms are an offshoot of the Shan Branch of the Tai family of Southeast Asia. Originally they migrated from Yunnan of China though upper Burma (now called Myanmar) where they established a group of small kingdoms. Sukapha crossed the patkai hills around 1228 A.D. and established his new kingdom in the Brahmaputra valley of present Assam. Eventually, they acquired the local name 'Ahom' for which in the course of time,  the Brahmaputra valley came to be know as, 'Assam' more importantly, in due course, the ahom made formidable contribution in the consolidation of composite Assamese society and were virtually absorbed into the Hindu social structure. Therefore some scholars call the 'homs' as the 'Assamese Tai '.
   The Ahoms were free from religious inhibition and caste prejudices. They were prepared to receive whatever they found suitable for them  -  man,materials, ideas, customers and the like. In fact, the ahoms had tremendous qualities of adaptability. Thus they were practical, unprejudiced and tolerant of others. Gradually, they therefore, came under the influence of Aryan culture and become ardent and liberal patrons of Aryan language and religion and had greatly contributed to the growth of a composite Assamese society and culture. It may however be noted that long before the ahoms came to the Brahmaputra valley, the processes of aryanization was started. As such most of tribes conquered by the ahoms already adopted the aryan culture. Due to absence of caste rigidity in the social organization, the ahoms married non - ahom girls, mostly form the aryanized chutias, kacharis and koches.In fact, the ahoms found it difficult to administer the huge country with a small number of their own people who came with the first conqueror 'Sukapha'. Perhaps, they were compelled to increase their number by marrying form the non Ahoms or Hindu families and by conferring upon some non ahom families the privileges and status of the ruling race. These new entrants were assimilated with the ahoms and they and their descendants could also hold high offices and enjoy privileges like other ahoms. Obviously theirfore, maintenance of matrimonial relation with the non ahoms and accommodation of non ahoms families into the ahom fold made the later to leave their traditional religion, customers, language and other practices in favour of Aryan language and culture. This is, however, not imply that the ahoms had completely abandoned their traditional cultural traits. In fact, there had also been and indelible impact of the Tai - Ahom language and cultural on the Assamese society. Although since the late sixteenth century, along with the monarch, a larger section of the tai ahoms started adopting Hindu rites, customers, even then the Mohan. Deodhai and Bailong (M'-Hung, M'-Sham and M'- Plang), the priestly families of the ahoms, remained outside the purview of Hinduism and continued to profess their own traditional culture and ritual of practicea.Even today, along with the priestly class, many ahoms strictly adhere to their traditional tai cultural which is almost simlar to those of the tais of southeast Asian countries. Since the early seventies of this country, their has been and awareness among the ahoms to revitalize their traditional language and culture. Nevertheless, it is great interest to note that amongst the traditional ahoms, particularly those who live in relatively isolated villages, their still survive old cultural practices which undoubtedly represent the Tai - culture.
                                   II
  Like the ahoms, another section of the Tai generically closer to it,moved to the Chao Phraya valley to the mainland of Thailand. In both the Brahmaputra and Chao Phraya valleys, the tais were not restricted by mountains and they were interacted with long established civilization much large extent than other tai in southeast asia. In the chao phraya valley, the tai built up state known as Siam, and in doing so they transformed much of their original tradition under the influence of that of the khmer and to a leaser degree of that of the Burmese. Thus the process of the spreading tai culture must be seen as a two way traffic. While the tai elite influenced local indigenous cultures, the local culturals left their mark upon the tai. By and large, the tai who derived their culture from the rural agro - based culture from the, started migrating to different places in southeast asian in search of plain land suitable for cultivation.In the subsequent period, they moulded their culture within the framework of the new geographical environment. At any rate, there has been a greater degree of similarity of culture of the tai tai people of the world. In fact, basic ingredients of tai cultural have still been retained among the tai farmers of the rural areas of different countries. This paper is however limited to understand the cultural similarities between the tais and the ahoms. It is generally believed that traditional tai culture is intimately connected with rice - growing low land. The tai therefore, most likely chose the relatively safe edges of the low land where irrigation was simply a matter off topping mountain streams in the direction of small level fields, each surrounded by a small dyke.whatever the tai people dominant, there appears to be the cultivation of glutionus rice in proportion of the field available for cultivation of glutinous rice in proportion of the field available for cultivation. It is indeed, difficult to find oriza gluttonous in areas where no tai live. The tai people thus appear to have spread this type of vice over mainland southeast Asia in Assam. It is, therefore oblivious that another name of tai cultural is agrarian culture. It view of this, while delaing with the culture affiliates between the Thais and the ahoms, we will mainly confine to the agricultural based traditional culture of both the tai families.
   Thailand is a country where two world's meet; the world of traditional thai - culture and the world of modern global culture. To day, there has been the influence of the industrialized western culture on the younger generation of Thailand. Global media international economics and tourism carry western clothing, music, food and ideology to youth all over the world. The Thais are not exception to it, many aspects of the traditional Thai culture, however, have been heavily influenced by interaction with global culture. Naturally therefore, imported technology, tourism, trade and foreign values have radically altered the traditional way of life. Despite such influence, there is still a distinctly Tahi stam to much of the country's culture. A bulk of the rural Thais continue to use traditional Thai values, ideas and morals to make sense of the rapidly changing circumstances that affect the setting of their every day lives. Almost a similar kind of situation obtains in the Tai Ahom society of the Brahmaputra valley.
                  The valley are basic unit of the Thai social system, the people's habits and customs are based mainly on agricultural amd religion. Almost each village has Buddhist monastery and a shrine for a village deity unlike the ahom villages in Assam. The monastery series their spiritual as well as the people's!education. All arts, erafts, and learning emanates from the monastery. But there is no influence of Buddhism on the ahoms. However the agricultural is the main source of living of the large majority of the rural Thai and the ahoms is agriculture. In order to understand deeply their culture, it is necessary to know the crop cultivated, folklore and rites related to it. Like the ahoms, rice has been closely associated with the Thais It is a major economic and staple food crop too. In fact has been an important factor, responsible for creating a cultural identity and determining the social values and way of life of the people. By and large, the Thai culture as well as the ahom culture is the agrarian based culture.
               The rites and folk lore related with rice reflects a way of life of the people in both the thai and the ahom society. Geographical conditions, water sheds, climate, type of crops and traditional beliefs are the important factors similarising agricultural culture in both the rural Thai society and the ahoms. The traditional rites related with agricultural both in Thai and the ahom societies are quite similar in nature which may be broadly divided into five categories such as rites performed for the purpose of (I) praying and imploring (ll) cultivation (lll) maintenance (iv) harvesting and (v) celebration. Prior to cultivation and during cultivation rite is performed for the purpose of praying y Gods, sacred things amd ancestors soul and imploring them to protect the prayer agonist all hazards to life and properties and to blessing and richness in all dimensions as well as beg for luck, good opportunity and confidence in living life all the year round. Beside, rain - begging rites (khor phone)  are also very prominent among the cultivators of both of the Thais and the ahoms. In addition to those, there are number of similar ceremonies among them such as farm land fertilizing ceremony, first rice growing ceremony, rite to get rid of paddy enemies and many others. Thus the agricultural culture contributes to a wide range of diverse culture aspects of both of the Thai and the ahoms. The festival 'pay - chiang - can ' in Thailand and the Bihu in Assam are the manifestation of the agricultural culture of these two groups of people respectively.
                The traditional ploughing instruments used by the cultivatos are quite similar in nature. Ploughing with, buffaloes is considered more convenient than with bullocks. The use of bamboo fencing with peculiar technique of the making to protect the paddy fields from cattle, fashing equipment made of bamboo and yarn, tools of handlooms are another kinds of affinity of agricultural culture. It is interesting to note than bamboo is used very extensively by both the ahoms and the thais in their day to day lives such as making house, fancing, fishing equipments, musical instruments and so on. Therefore, the bamboo culture is a inseparable part of large tai culture.
           Beside agricultural rites, there are number of other ritual ceremonies which are common to both the thais and the ahoms. For instance, ceremony loke 'Rik Khan ' performed by the ahoms is also found among the Thais of Thailand particularly in the traditional Thai villages. In ahom language 'Rik' means 'to call; 'Khan' 'implies vitality;  Therefore, this ceremony is observed in other th gain new life or to obtain longevity. It is performed thought a peculiar method in Tai language on many occasions such as when a person has had a person had a severe shock or fright and also during marriage ceremony. Almost a similar kind of what in Thai language pronounces - "rik khwan " is performed in most of the rural areas of the northern Thailand "to make people secure and confident to set the mind at place lf one is sick,  it is believed, he will recover from disease after performing this rite.
                 There is a great deal of affinities of style of living house. Like the rural Thai people of Thailand, the house of rural ahom families have been made of wood, bamboo and two roofs are typically designed by the thatching  grasses.  Every families orchard and plough land are situated near their house. The houses of the inhabitant have been built in scattered fashion within the bamboo groves. At one time, The ahom built their house on still called Ren Huan (Chang Ghar ) with about two metres high above the ground level like traditional Thai families. They live in houses made on raised floors for reasons of security and hygiene. Wild animals and enemies generally can't attack such houses from which the ladder for climbing is kept away at night. Moreover pigs and poultry's!kept bt these people as domestic animals can't make such raised floor dirty and unclean. More importantly, most of them use the open space beneath the main house for the cattle. A portion of it is also used for weaving activities of the women folk. Gradually, however, they have been changing to modern type of house.
                      As is well known the food habit is one of the important variables of culture. Most of the ahoms particularly in the rural areas, still maintain a traditional menu of their own food like the Thais. Rice is the staple food and Nam - lao (home made rice beer)  is traditional drinks. They used to take Khar  (Alkaline separated from banana bark and ripe banana pales)  betgaj (cane's lips)  and many there naturally grown plants as vegetables which possess medicinal substance. Besides, they prepare a number of food items from rice almost similar to the Thais. Some of them are Handhahguri ( a kind of specifically prepared fried rice powder)  Sewabhat (Vapoured rice ) chunga cliawa ( sticky rice cooked in a immature bamboo popes)  ,Till pitha ( prepared from sticky rice powder) , Horoom,  a special treated fried rice which is very light and easily digestible. The process of preparation of this item was quite unknown to population other than the ahoms and the Thais,  Kumal chawal (unboiled soft rice prepared from a special variety of sticky rice with a unique technique ), Tupula Bhat ( Kind of rice cooked packing with a particular kind of plant leaf with good smell called, 'tara pat' and preserved bamboo sauce are some of the favorite food items of the ahoms which are almost similar to the traditional diet of the thais. Besides, porks, chicken, duck, frogs, many kind of fishes, hukati fish (dry preserved fish mixture)  Muga lata (Cocoon seeds of endi and muga worms)  eggs of red and their typical items of dishes. Even, some kinds of insects are also good food, for the ahoms. Like the thais, the ahoms prefers to take boiled food having no spices and directly burnt fish, meat and vegetable like brinjal, tomato etc. The ahoms also ate beefs till the influence of Aryan cult on them. But now, only few ahoms take it.
       Another very important ingredient of culture is the type of cloth worn by the people. In fact, peoples style of dress is a reflection of many aspect of their lives depending on wearer's society and the place of the wearers within a particular social setting. Dress is often used and perceived as a maker of identity and as such traditional textiles commonly identity them according to their groups identity. By and large, clothing serves as an indicator of identity in terms of culture, gender, class and age.
          But in modern Thailand, there has been a considerable western influence on thai dress. This influence dates from the reign of king mongkut in the mid nineteenth century although it did not really become significant until the period of king culalongkorn. The village handicraft diminished if not died out as people bought imported goods like cloths and tools instead of making themselves. To wear western style dress is viewed as modern. But to wear more traditional types of dress is seen as old fashioned and only for those who could not afford to wear more westernized commercial cloth women's turbskrits or 'Pha - Sin ' for example came to be associated as suitable clothing for servants and poor people or for leisure were around the home. In fact, rapid economic growth in Thailand in recent decades has caused the decline of weaving by hand, which has, however, survived mostly in the north eastern style dress has came to dominate in all regions of the country among all sections of the society. Although it is apparent to any observer at western style dress in now almost universally worn in Thailand, it is equally apparent to day that there has been a growing interest in wearing more traditional types of dress as well.  This tendency has become especially noticeably within the past couple of years among elite and middle class Thai women. By and large, as in the past contemporary Thai clothing fashion reflects the nature of modern Thai society as people adopt to a globalize world. The westernization of Thai fashion has indicate an eagerness to be a part of the larger contemporary world, while recent traditional fashion has, at the same time indicate the desire on the part of many Thais to ensure that they retain something that is distinctly Thai. Therefore, perhaps, some Thais use traditional dress on a festive occasion which helps to define their 'Thaines's within the globalize context.
        On the other hand,  similar impact of western style dress on the ahom society is not visible, particularly among the women folk. They still maintain their traditional dress to a considerable extent. The excellence and special character of texting such as the homespun dresses made from cotton, muga silk bear the testimony of Thailand's textile culture among the ahoms. Weaving beings a way of life with the ahom society, every rural girl is adopt in weaving silk, cotton and endi cloth. Thus like the Thais, the ahoms are adopt in making thread from Muga and Endi - worms. This practice of sericulture and rearing Endi - worms is quite, similar to the traditional Thai agricultural society The rural manfolks of the ahoms wear 'dhuti ' or Phanoi (lungi) and tight fiting jacket called, chapkon made of cotton or mugasilk. The ahom women wear mekhela woven with Muga silk or cotton and 'Seleng sadar ' and a third piece called 'Reha " which is worn such a way that it serves as a breast band. The use of 'Reha' as an out fit is increasingly falling into disuse giving way to blouse and brassier .In rural areas most of the ahom women wear black 'Mekhala' it may also be noted that some of the ahom women, who are not completely influenced by hindusim, do not use 'orani' (veil) and keep their head bare and do not use vermilion like that Thai women.
       The language is yet another determinant of the nature of any culture. The tai and spread so widely that because of geographical factors and political circumstances, the various Tai groups have lost contact with each other. Obviously, therefore, the Tai language spoken by different Tai groups also it's homogeneity. However, despite this fact, all present day tai language has been closely related to each other. Those Tai speakers who have mastered a relatively, pure from of Tai have little difficulty in understanding other traditional tai language. Thus even,  ahom tai language which has been mostly confined to a handful of ahom people belonging to the priestly class for some time, is more closely related to other tai languages. It is however, it is mainly used in traditional religious ceremony. In fact, the ahoms have lost the skill of speaking tai long back and only a few amongst them can decipher the old books and chronicles pertaining to their history. Therefore the ahom language is not as pdeveloped as the Thai of Thailand. Therefore, both these tai groups can hardly understand each other in their own language despite having lot of similarity of meaning of different tai words.
            Beside these affinities between the ahoms and the Thais, another interesting point of similarity between them is their primogenitural system. The ahoms like the Thais, cling th their clannish behavior based on primo genitural system in identifying the families relation where seniority and respect to elders are based not on age consideration but on familial lineage. It also remarkable that in both the society, the status of women is higher as they are considered as symbol of creativity, women are not only given of spring, they are also associated with various agricultural activities. The absence of dowry system in Assamese society can be ascribed to ahoms influence. It may also be noted that the general nature and appearance of the ahoms are similar to those of the Siamese Thailand. In fact, facial characteristics of the ahoms indicate a link with the Thais particularly of northern Thailand. Short and blunt nose, elevated bone of the cheeks and erect hairs are some such characteristics of those people.
             Another outstanding common feature between the rural Siamese cultivators of Thailand and the ahom cultivator is collective manner of working. The villagers of both of the communities stand unitedly in time of rejoining and merry making. Co villagers are invited at the time of building house and in time of harvesting to perform these jobs collectively. The same collective approach is noticed even in the time of fishing and hunting. Significantly, the consciousness of social distinction based on caste, creed and social status, which is a predominant trait of the people of Aryan origin, is completely absent among them. As such they have no taboos and they are free from caste prejudices and untouchability.
       Unsubmissiveness in matters of prestige and self respect is another remarkable trait in the character of the ahoms and the Thais. They never yield before others. Nor do they make any pledge without thinking seriously. Once a pledge is made it is never left unfulfilled. They are steadfast and resolute in their views and opinions. Both of them are simple by nature and are very hospitable land they can create confidence easily. However, the ahoms are not having smiling faces like the Thais.
                                  IV
 From the above account in appears that the basic traditional traits of Thai culture survive among different tai groups who now inhabit the South Asian countries. As they lost contact with each other since the days of their migration, there is, however, no longer complete homogeneity in the Tai culture maintained by them. It became apparent mainly due to the fact that most of them, in the course of time, come into contact with the respective indigenous cultures which influenced them considerably and vice - versa Nevertheless, basic cultural affinities between the ahoms and the Thais are still prominent despite the influence of western culture on them in recent times. It may confidently be observed that there is no direct or indirect contact between the rural Siamese farmers in control Thailand and ahom farmers in assam. Yet they share certain common cultural values and to the smallest details. Agricultural ceremony, ploughing, fishing, equipment, tools of hand looms, textile culture, way of life, food - habits, marines and names of paddies, tree, creeps, and rivers reflecting the common ancient faith of the Tais are eloquent testimony of common cultural heritage.
       Unlike tile ahoms, the Thais are dominant in Thailand which facilitated them to maintain their basic traditional cultural traits though with a sense of dynamism. Perhaps, one of the reasons for dynamic traditionalism is Thailand's ability to have escaped from foreign colonial rule. This has allowed Thailand to enjoy and develop is own culture without interruption and to be more selective in regard to foreign influences. From the stand point of culture,Thailand is a good example to the world of how different it is when a country remains free from external political control. Though traditionally, present cultural life of the large majority Thais centred around the wat - the Buddhist temple monastery, Thailand has been experiencing rapid cultural change as the process of modernization has been taking place since last few decades. As a society linked to an international economy, tile way of life, education system and even rural formers are inevitably affected. Introduction of western thought, mass media and popular cultural all have far - reaching consequences on culture. The ahoms are also not exception to this trend though there is a difference of degree only.
    Notes and References:
*Most of the facts stated in this paper is mainly based on personal experience and observation.
1. The Tais migrated from their original homeland to make new ares of settlement. There settlements accredited them with appellations. Thus the Tais are called Shan in Burma,  Siamese in Thailand. Pai in Yunnan and ahoms in assm.
2.Historical evidence indicate that before the advent of the ahom this land was known as pragjyotishpur and it became 'Assam'   during the ahom rule. Alexander MacKenzie observers that Assam is commonly supposed to be derived from A-Sam -A, - the unequalled and ahom is said to be equipment assam see Alexander Mackenzie history of the relations of the government with the hill tribes of the northeast frontier of Bengal, calcutta, 1884,p. 2.Gunabhiram status that when the Tai - Ahom entered this land, they occupied the territory of the chutias and the borahis without shedding a drop of blood. Therefore, they called them A- ham, or unparallel from which the Assam originated (see,gunabhiram boruah / assam buranji, guwahati, 1972. Pp.  9-11. A.K Bhuyan also holds this view (See, Sk Bhuyan;  Anglo - Assamese Relations (1771 - 1826), Guwahati 1974, p.5.1.
3.See B.j. Terwiel:  The Tai of Assam and ancient tai Ritual volurne 1, 1980  (Center for southeast Asian studies, Gaya) . It may be noted that besides the ahoms, there are number of shan tribes who had at different times moved along the some route and made their settlement in various places of eastern Assam. They are the khamtis the phakes, the Turungs, the khamyangs and aitons. These Shan tribes are Buddhists and some of them still maintaining their language and culture infact. This fact shows the perhaps the ahoms migrated to Assam before the tais were converted to Buddhism. However, along with the ahoms are also called Assamese tai as they have apparently absorbed into the Assam society accepting the language from communication and medium of instruction.
4.Padmeswar Gogoi. The tai and the tai kingdom (Guwahati university, assam 1968 p. 272)
5.B.K boruah, Assamese language and early Assamese literature,  aspect of the heritage of Assam  - a souvenir, Indian history Congress, 22nd session. (Guwahati, 1959) p.64 .
6.B.J.Terwiel, op, cit, p.7.
7. Ibid, volume  11,p.6.
8.Ibid ,p.2.
9.In this study, however, the Thai is mainly used to nean the rural Siamese farmers of mainland of Thailand and the ahom is to mean the farmers of traditional ahom village.
10.  P Suratanakavikul, Thai Agrarian culture, proceeding of the sixth international conference on thai, volume II, 1996(Chiangmai university, Thailand)  p.501.
11. Detailed discussion on all the ceremonies will be beyond the scope of this pepper,
12. B.J Terwiel, op. cit.  Volume I, p. 75, also see, A.J Tambuah;  Buddhism and the spirit cult in northeast Thailand, Cambridge university press, 1970, p. 58.
13.  In fact, liquor made from rice is widely used almost in all social and religious functions. To entertain quest and people invited for the purpose of house building, harvesting and ploughing with liquor and feast is a common practice. More importantly home made rice beer is a symbol of social status of the traditional ahom.
14. Michael  C. Howard,  Identity and traditional tai textiles in contemporary thai society. Proceedings of the sixth international conference on thai studies chiangmai university, Thailand 1996,  volume, l.p. 173.
15. Ibid
16. Ibid
17.It needs to mention that ahom women's dress is not typical in the sense that is has been recognized as the dress of the Assamese as a whole.
18. The tai people extremely wide spread they live in tile plains of southern chaina, in tile valleys of northern Vietnam, then are dominating people laos and Thailand's, they inhabit most of the low laying areas of northern burma and several tai groups have also settled in Assam, India.
19.For example, a yuan speaker can communicate with any tai southern chaina and a shan feel at home in laos.

   

 Revitalization of Endangered Language and Culture of the Ahoms: The Background, Problems and Prospects ණ...Chao Medini Mohan Gogoi, Cheraidoi

Introduction:
                    The Tai Ahoms are one of the westernmost Tai ethnic groups whose language belongs to the Southwest group of the Tai branch of the Tai-Kadai language family. According to the written evidence found in the historical chronicles,the Tai Ahoms,under the leadership of the king Chao Lung Duo Kwa Faa, entered into Muong Dun Sun Khan from the great Tai Kingdom Muong Mao in 1228 AD and made the glorious history of reigning continuously for almost six hundred years.
                      The Ahoms have a very rich treasure of their literary, linguistic, religious,and cultural heritage,in spite of having this enormous heritage,due to unavailable breakdown of political scenario, cultural and religious switching gradually led it's heritage towards the verge of extinction.
               At present very few people are remaining who know their classical Tai Ahom language to some extent, and know their original cultural and religious principles perfectly. In the other words, all aspects of the Tai Ahom language, cultural and religion are critically endangered at present.
               ln this paper, an endeavor would be made to examine the background reasons of Tai Ahoms linguistic and cultural decay, and the efforts of the Ahom people to revitalize their language and culture, and their problems and prospects.

Analysis:
               Background :  The term Tai denotes a race of Tai-Kadai speaking people (consisting of more than 93 enthic groups) of Mongoloid origin who live in the large tracts of China and Southwest Asia.The maximum area in which the Tai-Kadai languages are spoken stretches from southern China (chiefly Guanxi,Guizhou,and Yunnan)to Thailand,Laos,and the northern part of Malay Peninsula,and to the northern sections of Myanmar and Upper Assam in India1.One of them is the Tai Ahoms, whose language belongs to the Southwest group of the Tai Ahom is in Muong Dun Sun Khanm,the present day Assam,situafed in the north-eastern part of India.
                      According to historical records,the Tai-Ahoms came from Muong Mao (Yunnan Province in the present-day China) in the year 1211 and reached Assam in 1228 AD2. The Tai Ahoms have their glorious history of reigning continuously for almost 600 years before the final subjugation of their country in the Indian subcontinent.
                         Many present day scholars and historians opine differently regarding the etymology of the name Assam.But, looking into the primary and genuine written resources, many modern researchers, including this researcher,fell that this land was
not know as Assam before the arrival of the Tai speaking Ahom language,we will find the use of the literal meaning Muong Pa Kan Ban Tuk Nuk Non Nam instead of the word Assam3. In the history it is written that king Suo Kaa Faa descended from Muong Mao with his 9000 followers 14 or 15 years before entering into the Brahmaputra valley in 1228 AD. In the long period of 600 years reigns,the culture of the Ahom people was intermingled with the cultures of the indigenous Tibeto - Buman Moran, Borahi etc.people,and later in the pre and post - British period it was overpowered by the cultural and religious principles of the Hindu Aryans.
             Though they had their own distinct literary, linguistic, cultural,and religious heritage which was prevalent during the reign of the Ahom kings were gradually replaced by the Assamese language and cultural,and excluding the three priestly clans,most of the Ahom people were converted to Hinduism.'The language today is used chiefly for liturgical purpose.It retains cultural significance and is used for religious chants and to read literature'4. Though,there are different socio - cultural and political factors responsible for this change, yet it seems that the Arabization of the Ahoms was one of the major reason behind their inclination or proclivity towards the Assamese language and cultural.
                       Normally.in a living society,the process of linguistic and cultural shifting occurs very slowly so that people can rarely recognize it. lt happened in the case of the Ahoms.In the process of socio-cultural assimilation,the Ahoms enriched their competenc in Assamese language and most of them accepted Assamese culture,and were converted to Hinduism.But,in turn, unknowingly they had to sacrifice almost all the aspects of their own enormous ethnic heritage.
                   Though most of the Ahoms gradual negligence on their own enthic language and cultural for a long period resulted in the loss of the spoken form of their tonal language,and led their cultural heritage to an endangered state,yet there were few people who dedicated themselves for the revitalization of their long abandoned language and cultural.At present also there are so such people,but the numbers are relatively few.
                    Historical evidence reveals that the Ahom king Gaurinath Shingah, having seen the gradual decreasing linguistic competenc of his people,sent a team of Ahom pundits to Muong Mao to develop their linguistic skills and cultural-historical knowledge with an aim of developing their literary and cultural heritage afterwards.The compilation of Lik Om Ruu Lung, popularly known as Bor Amra - written by Tengai Mohung - and Lik Om Ruu Lot li popularly known as Loti Amra - written by Ramakanta Boruah -,and the Buddha Jataka stories Ne Mi Mang Phura, Alika Phura etc.can be considered as a result of this endeavour.
                 Then,the later period was not favourable for the literary development.The Muwamoriya revolt,the war with Burmese,and then British rule continuously created havoc and altered the environment forever.However ,the Mo-Lungs of the priestly clan of the Ahoms did not stop their endeavour for revitalizing their own language and cultural.In this period, many Ahom manuscript were re - copied by the Mo Lungs with the aim of preservation of their literary heritage to the future generations.Out of them,the most noteworthy mo lung was Mo Kham Phu Ke, who wrote a historical manuscript, entitled,Ku Muong Ku Wan, which reflects the socio-political events of that period.Another noteworthy mo lung was Ratan Bahtoliya Phukon,who has started a Tai school and wrote several manuscripts in Ahom language,out of the which the manuscript "Lik Son Kham"5 is worth for mentioning in this context.
              The importance and essentially of dictionary and grammar in language revitalization cannot be denied.In the last decade of the 19th century and in the early part of 20th century, under the guidance of the American Baptist Missionaries an attempt had been done for revitalization of Ahom language.The fruit of this endeavour resulted in ahom-english-assamese dictionary in 1920,and the English translation of Ahom Buronji in 1930.
                    Simultaneously,"On July 18,in 1894 AD, Charles Lyall,the 'time has come for q sustained and systematic endeavour to arrest the process of destruction of such historical manuscript are still survived in the province".His views were endorsed by Edward Gait,the then census commissioner of India,who was at that time compiling materials for his work,which prompted him to submit a "Report of the process of historical research"in Assam, which was was published in 1897.
                 Both gait and Lyall felt the necessary of establishing a separate department for pure historical studies in the province of Assam, which had no university.John Richard Cunningham,the director of public instruction of Assam submitted a formal proposal, which was accepted by the governor of Assam.Thus the Department of Historical and Antiquarian studies (DHAS) was established in 1928 in Assam6. 'Though this institute was made for studying pure history,yet it produced two important books (Ahom Primer by Ghanakanta Boruah in 1935 and Ahom lexicons by B Boruah and N.N Deodhai Phukan in 1994) which,to some extent,played and important role in the linguistic revitalization of the ahoms, although these two have lots of shortcomings.
              ln the post British period when Assam was included as a part of Indian subcontinent,the central Tai principal-cum-Tai language teacher of this academy was Sai Long Let Gohain.Our respected Mo Lung Jonathan Chain Phukon,Mo Lung Puspa Mohan,Mo Lung Shiva Mohan etc.were the students of the first batch of that academy.7 After teaching Tai language for one year.Sai Khong Let Gohain could not continue his job for financial reason and returned to his native village.Then,Mo Lung Shiba Mohan and Mo Lung Jonathan Phukan took the charge of the principal and vice-principal respectively.Mo Lung Jonaram Philanthropy is the one of most respected Mo Lungs who dedicated his life for the development of Tai Ahom language.Culture and religion.He wrote many books , articles on ahom language for revitalizing our long abandoned heritage.
                  In 1973, a Tai language wing was established under the Department of Assamese in Dibrugarh University.From 1974 to 1991 the University offered one year Tai language Diploma course to the students.And from 1992 it was upgraded to an integrated two year Tai language diploma course.The whole wing has been run by appointing two research assistant from Tai speaking group on contractual basic. In 2010, a Three month certificate course on spoken Tai languages was introduced and in the same year,the tai language wing was upgraded to the centre for students in Language.From the time of introduction of tai language in 1974,the Dibrugarh University has been producing it's tai language diploma in almost every year.
Another two noteworthy Tai language teaching institutes are the institute of Tai studies & Research (ITSAR) established in 2001,Moranhat,and the Purnakanta Buragohain institute of Tai and Southwest Asian languages, established 2011, situated in Bhetapara in Guwahati.ITSAR is an affiliate autonomous institute under Dibrugarh university and offers a one year Tai language diploma course and a three month certificate course in spoken Tai affiliated to D.U, Where the P.K Buragohain institute is a totally autonomous institute and offers a foundation course in Tai language of nine months duration of their own.Moreover,the institute of Tai studies & Research is a purely academic institute dedicated to promoting knowledge about various Tai people in the world.
                Other then these institutionalised endeavors,the individual contributions of the Ahom scholars and mo lung are also noteworthy.Some of the Ahom scholars and pundits who has their noteworthy contributions towards the linguistics and cultural revitalization process of Tai Whom are - Late Tengai Mohan,Late Sikiri Logan,Late Ramakanta Molai Ghoriya Boruah,Late Lepeshwar Hatiboruah,Late Pancharam Philanthropy,Late Gudam Phukan,Late Ratan Bahtoliya Phukan,Late Ramakanta Boruah,Late Gandheshwar Deodhai,Late Mo Lung Nanda Nath Deodhai Phukan,Late Mailing Dambaru Deodhai Phukon, Late Mo Lung Tileshwar Mohan,Mo Lung Bimai Borpatra Gohain,Mo Lung Baparam Hatiboruah,Mo Lung Harbeshwar Hatiboruah,Ghana Kanta Boruah,Dr.J.N.Phukon,Ye Hom Buragohain , Dr.Nomal Gogoi,Dr.Puspa Gogoi,Dr.B.K.Boruah, Dr.Girin Phukon,Chao Nagen Hazarika, Mo Lung Rajen Boruah,Mo Lung Cabin Buragohain,Mo Lung Nagen Borgohain, Mo Lung Purandar Konwar, Dibya Chetia, Phanldhar Phukon, Jnyana Nanda Changbun Phukon, Nang Tilu Hatiboruah, Nang Hemalata Borghain , Nang Debajyoti Phukon, Babul Phukon, Medini Madhav Mohan, Late Gopal Borgohain, Mo Lung Bishwa Changbun Phukon, Late Binanda Mohan, Late Nakul Mohan, Bhadreshwar Deodhai Phukon, Laxman Boruah, Karuna Changbun Boruah, Dina Changbun Boruah, Moni Deodhai Boruah, Bani Deodhai Boruah, Nripen Mohan,Dipen Hatiboruah,Kamal Chandra Mohan, Pabitra Mohan Phukon, Horen Mohan Phukon, Dhamen Phukon, Chao Naben Mohan, Anupom Gogoi,Manchu Charmua,Phani Gogoi,Sidhi Charingia, Manik Charingia,Jayguru Ligira, Nandeshwar Phukon,Dulen Phukon,Medini Mohan Gogoi,Rana Mohan, and few more. The contributions of Mahendra Shyam Fa Lung,Sai Khong Let Gohain,Ai Miya Khang Gohain, Nabin Shyam Falung, Rajat Namsom, Ngi Pe Thon Gohain,Am Son Gohain,Ganesh Lozon,etc.from the Tai-speaking groups of Northeast India,and foreign schoolars Dr.B.J Terwil,Dr.Stephen Money etc.are also worth for mentioning in this context.
              Besides these, however, Ahom unions such as all Assam Ahom Sabha,ATASU,TAIPA etc.are currently working in the political ground, whereas Mohan Deodhai Bailing Sanmilon, Tai Ahom development council, Ban Ok Lik Muong Tai etc.are giving a platform for nourishing and developing Tai Ahoms' linguistic and culture heritage.
                 With the advent of information technology, it becomes possible to change the traditional teaching-learing environment.By using the platform of Facebook, created by Mark Zuckrberg,some young Ahom scholars and learners are trying to spread the boundary of learning Tai Ahom Language and Culture.Out of which the most noteworthy and activate group for language teaching is Ahom scholar Medini Mohan Gogoi's group Tai Ahom words (Dectionary).Other Facebook groups which trying to spread the information of Ahom language and culture are universal Tai Ahom association,Tai Ahom Ami, Tai Ahom Jagaran Mancha,We the Mighty Ahoms, etc.But,the administrators of these groups are young learners, hence,new learners,who has little or no knowledge on Tai language and culture are advised to accept the available data with caution to minimize the error in learning.However,two active societies,STAR and Doi Paat Kai were born through Facebook who are currently contributing a lot for the revitalization of Ahom language and culture.
           Problems: The revitalization process of long abandoned Ahom language and culture by the ahoms is in fact an emotional decision.Starting from the middle period of ahom reigns, excluding the three priestly clans, most of the Ahoms were gradually converted to Hinduism,become multilingual but they lost competence in their own mother tongue, adopted Aryan culture,and from their mind and heart they become totally Hindu.They started seeking recognition as Kshatriyas amongst the Hindus.But, contray to their expectation,when they did not get such recognition (because, normally the converted people get the lowest rank in every religious hierarchy.), they tried to revitalize their long abandoned heritage.In this process, they started working too fast to recognize the possible errors.8 lt is a human characteristics that no people can recognize his own mistake as soon as he committed it .Hence, it is essential for every work to be peer reviewed.
                 Let us now see how the foreign scholars express their opinion regarding the errors made by the Ahom. Dr.B.J Terwiel,a professor of Thai and Lao language in Hamburg university, rightly pointed out this fact―
"During the last one hundred and fifty years our knowledge of the contents of documents in the Ahom language has not advance much.Recently,it has been argued that this lack of progress is not primarily caused by a lack research tools, such as such as sources describing Ahom script,the structure of the language or dictionaries,but almost paradoxical,by publications on this topic which may have hundred the satisfactory decipherment of Ahom.During the late 1890s it was decided to include a treatment of Ahom in one of the monumental Linguistics survey of India and, according, certain samples of the language were solicited.The person who was asked to supply this basic material,a G.C. Boruah,knew the Ahom script quiet well,but apparently he was still unable to understand any of the many Ahom documents around him.Instead of admitting that he was not capable of handling the allotted task,he deliberately concocted some samples of his own accord, apparently assisted in his task by the incentive use of some word lists,the grammar of the Assamese languages and a lively imagination.The principles of the Ahom language,as published in the linguistics survey,in the Zeitschrift dear Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft and in the introduction to the Ahom-Assamese-English dictionary,are largely based upon an analysis of these fanciful,if not outright decetiful, samples."9
                   "In 1930 there appeared in book-form the translation of a major Ahom text entitled Ahom Buronji.The translator was the same Golap Chandra Boruah who,some thirty years earlier,had been unable to furnish the translation of a genuine Ahom text .... since only Ahom pundits could read Ahom script and because they were generally unable to decipher English,it was not until more than fifty years later that a beginning was made on a critical appraisal of whom buronji (by professor Prasert Na Niagara)....There can be no doubt that Praset's translation is close to what the ahom document intended and and that Barua's effort hardly warrants begin called a translation."10
     Prof. Terwiel again wrote -"The unwary who wishes to make a tentative word by word translation of an Ahom text will find that available dictionaries will not be helpful.The first Ahom Assamese English dictionary appeared in 1920.lts compiler was non other than Golap Chandra Boruah,whose proficiency in ahom was at best questionable."11 here,Prof.Tenwiel brilliantly expresses how the misinformation was being projected by hands of an aspiring but incompletent job seeker.
    #From the description of Prof. Terwiel on G.C Boring we can find out the problem of studying or translating Ahom document properly lives in the unavailability of up to date and well researched dictionary and grammar,luck of language teaching material for the beginner, intermediate,and advance level students.
         ln the 14th year Dr. Lila Gogoi Memorial lecture,Dr. Bhimkanta Boruah, Professor Emeritus,Dibrugarh university.said about the Tai entnic groups of North East India in his lecture that he has seen in his entire academic life that the Tai people who can speak Tai language cannot read Tai script,and those who can read It script cannot speak Tai language."This is in fact a major problem indicated by professor Boruah.
             Another problem was rightly mentioned by Prof. B.J. Terwlel years before.That is the creation of pseudo Ahom structures. When he first came to Assam for his research purpose on Ahoms,he was supposed to see the use of Assamese grammatical structures in the Ahom sentences uttered by the Ahom revivalists.
             "The fact that when, during the subsequent interview,the priest mentioned some of the ingredients,he arranged the Ahom words in Assamese fashion,for example,'there ducks'eggs' were designated as 'sam khai pit', whereas any Ahom speaker or person familiar with Ahom ritual texts would have said khai pit sam bai,or khai pit sam luk."12
           "A few examples should suffice to show that the religious chants used in Chaklong are no more than a series of Ahom sounding words strung together by people who have no idea about Tai Grammar and who has simply used dictionaries in an attempt at word for word translation. On p.81 of Gogoi's description (1976) we came across the sentence khung lu mao cao kao di khap ao jao, which is translated as"l respectfully accept your order",The most probable dictionary equivalents of these words are: khrueang lu 'offering; ma chao 'priest; kao 'l; di di 'very good;sia 'a suffix; hap 'to accept; ao to take; and jao 'frinished; These words can all be found in Ahom Lexicons (Boruah and Pukaon 1964). To any Tai speakr, however,it is gibberish."13
      #In general all Tai language are tonai.Having been a member of the Tai Kadai language family,Ahom also highlights itself that it was once a tonal language at least before the loss of its spoken form.Now, nobody knows what the tones of classical Ahom language were.In this situation,how can a teacher teach the tones of ahom to the beginners!
          #Non-employability is one of the major problems for the Tai ahom learns.After spending two or years in the name of studying,the students have to remain jobless.Hiteshwar Saikia,the ex-prime minister of Assam,had created 300 posts of Tai language teachers for primary schools.Out of these 300 posts 200 teachers were appointed but the remaining 100 posts are not yet opened for same unknown reasons. In this situation, students who learn the beginners 'level course do not want go for the next level.
         #Lack of well equipped and well trained teacher is also can be considered as another major problem.
         #Lack of well translated and high quality material is also another problem for up gradation of course content/syllabus or staring a new course.
         #Lack of well trained person for reaching Ahom culture.

 Prospects :
              Though the spoken from ahom language has been lost, culture is endangered,yet there are many scope and prospects for studying ahom language and culture.
              ln the first place, Ahom language was remained completely isolated from other Tai groups for several hundred years.Hence,it cannot be denied that the language displays certain archaic features,and the knowledge of ahom language can help a research to understand the words of other Tai languages whose meaning has been changed in due course of time. For example, Baan means house in standard Thai,whereas Baan means village in Ahom.It shows the old and original meaning of the word Baan remains in Ahom.
                   Secondly, Ahom is free Khmer,and pail loan words unlike the Thai language.The study of Ahom language can help to identify the proto type of Ahom language.
               Thirdly,the study of Ahom language may help in the reconstruction of 'Proto-Tai' language to some extent.
                Fourthly,Ahoms were ancestor worshipper,and the followers of animistic beliefs.A comparative study of Ahom culture followers of animistic beliefs.A comparative study of ahom culture Will be value for a deeper understanding if Tai culture in general.A comparative research on ahom cultural may revel some old tradition, custom and belief of Tai people.
            Fifthly, According to Prof.Bhimkanta Boruah,the Tai language, including Ahom,can be the link language for Southwest Asia for business purpose.Just we have to develop it to that extent.
               Sixthly,the spreading of the use of the Ahom language can economically benefit a person who knows to some extent and knows to type Ahom fonts in computer. Through this knowledge he can either work as a Ahom proof reader or a DTP operator. Though, by doing so, in the present scenario, one cannot earn his living, but he may think it as a part time earning.
                 Seventhly,if anybody learns ahom culture,and can teach ahom music/ahom dance.He may also earn some amount of money by working as a music/dance teacher.But,to be a complete professional,he must have to improve is skills and knowledge.
               Eightly,after learning ahom language and ahom culture properly, one can also develop Tai music videos,mp3,etc,and published books, charts etc., or can make sculptures for this economic benefit.
             Conclusion : From the above study,it can be realised that Ahom language and culture is worth for studying in the higher academic level.The study and research on Ahom language and culture can open a door for the comparative and contrastive research with the other Tai language and cultures of Southwest Asia.Or it can be also used for economic benefit by those who do not go for academic purpose.
               Though there are many problems,yet there are a lot of prospects.If the Ahom people really want to revitalize their own ethnic language and culture properly and perfectly,then they must overcome all the problems.And the research is also hopeful that,by doing so,the Ahoms will definitely create a new history in near future.
           In fact, problems are not seen as problems by the opportunists.They every problem into opportunity.

  Footnotes :
       1.See Wichasin,2012,P98
       2.See Boruah,1930,P44-47
       3.See Boruah,1330.P.44
       4.See Konwar,Anita
       5.a copy of Lik Son Kham Tai Ahom is preserved in the manuscript section of the library of the institute of Tai studies & Research.
         6.The Telegraph, Saturday,May 15,2004. http:;/ www.telegraphindia.com/10405/asp/guwahati/story_3240039.asp
         7.Interview with Mo Lung Jonaram Changbun Phukon on 14.04.2012
          8."The chief problem appears to be that the leaders of the Ahom revivalist movement have to had the opportunity to see the results of our work with old Ahom documents.They have impatiently forged ahead and moved along the first steps of the path to create a form of neo-Ahom language that bears little or no resemblance to Ahom as it was once spoken."P.60,Ahom Ritual: A brand new ancient tradition,B.J. Terwiel,in Indian journal of tai studies,volume.V.2005.
          9. P.1. Introduction, Terwiel,1992
         10.P2.Introduction,Terwiel,1992
         11.P3.Introducation,Terwiel,1992
          12.P,15, Terwiel,2002
          13.P17,Terwiel,2002.