The Evolution of Assamese Language and Culture

Assamese is an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. It is the official language and the lingual franc of the region. It has over 15 million speakers and a rich literary tradition that dates back to the 9th century. Assamese culture is influenced by diverse ethnic, religious, and linguistic backgrounds. These influences have shaped its history and identity over the centuries. In this article, we will examine several key aspects of Assamese language and culture. We will trace its evolution from its origins to today.

The Origins of Assamese Language

Assamese originated from the Kamarupi dialect of Eastern Magadhi Prakrit. This Middle Indo-Aryan language was spoken in the ancient kingdom of Kamarupa. This kingdom covered most of today’s Assam and parts of neighboring states. Kamarupi Prakrit evolved from Old Indo-Aryan dialects. Indo-Aryan speakers brought these dialects to the region. They migrated from the northwest around the 4th-5th century CE. These speakers settled in urban centers and along the Brahmaputra river, surrounded by Tibeto-Burman and Austroasiatic communities. The interaction between these linguistic groups led to the development of a distinctive vernacular. This vernacular gradually differentiated itself from other Eastern Magadhi dialects.

The earliest forms of Assamese literature are found in the 9th-century Buddhist verses called Charyapada. These verses bear affinities with Assamese, Bengali, and Odia. These verses belong to a period when Prakrit was at the cusp of differentiating into regional languages. The Charyapada reflects some unique features of Assamese phonology, morphology, syntax, and vocabulary. These include the use of glottal stops, retroflex consonants, and nasalization. It also includes verb-final word order, honorific forms, and loanwords from Tibeto-Burman and Austroasiatic languages.

The Development of Assamese Language

Assamese language underwent several stages of development during its history, influenced by various political, social, and cultural factors. Some of the major stages are:

– **Old Assamese (1200-1400 CE): This stage marks the emergence of Assamese as a distinct literary language from Kamarupi Prakrit. It is characterized by the adoption of Sanskrit as a source of vocabulary and grammar. The influence of Vaishnavism, a sect of Hinduism, also played a significant role. This sect became popular in Assam under the patronage of the Ahom kings. The most notable works of this stage are the poetry of Sankardeva. Madhavdeva also contributed by composing devotional songs called Borgeets in praise of Lord Vishnu. They also wrote plays called Ankiya Nats that merged Sanskrit and Assamese elements.  

Middle Assamese (1400-1800 CE): This stage marks the expansion and diversification of Assamese literature in various genres and styles. It includes Persian and Arabic words due to contact with Muslim invaders and rulers. It is also influenced by regional dialects and folk traditions. The most notable works of this stage are the prose chronicles called Buranjis. These chronicles recorded the history and culture of the Ahom kingdom. The poetry of Lakshminath Bezbarua and Hemchandra Barua expressed patriotic and romantic sentiments. Folk literature, like proverbs, riddles, legends, ballads, and fairy tales, reflected the life and wisdom of the common people.  

– Modern Assamese (1800-current): This stage marks the standardization of the Assamese language. It also shows the modernization of Assamese in response to various challenges and opportunities. This era is characterized by the introduction of the printing press and newspapers. These advancements facilitated the dissemination and preservation of Assamese literature. The influence of English education and Western ideas stimulated social reform and literary innovation. Additionally, the emergence of nationalism and regionalism fostered linguistic identity and diversity. The most notable works of this stage are the novels of Rajanikanta Bordoloi and Bina Barua that depicted realistic portrayals of contemporary society, the poetry of Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnu Rabha that expressed revolutionary zeal and cultural pride, and

the short stories of Lakshminath Phukan and Bhabendra Nath Saikia that explored psychological themes and human relationships.  

The Status of Assamese Language

Assamese language has faced several challenges in its history. These include the threat of domination by other languages and the lack of official recognition and support. There is also the decline of literary production and readership. Moreover, there is the loss of speakers due to migration and assimilation. However, it has also shown resilience and vitality in overcoming these challenges and maintaining its existence and relevance. Today, Assamese language enjoys a high degree of prestige and popularity in Assam and beyond. It is the official language of the state and is used in administration, education, media, and literature. A large number of people in other states of India speak it. These states include Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and West Bengal. It is also spoken in neighboring countries, like Bangladesh and Bhutan. It has a rich and diverse literary heritage that spans over a thousand years and covers various genres and styles. It has changed with the times and needs of its speakers. It has done this by adding new words, expressions, and forms from other languages and sources.  

## The Diversity of Assamese Culture

Assamese culture is a mosaic of diverse ethnic, religious, and linguistic influences. These have contributed to its richness and uniqueness over the centuries. Some of the major aspects of Assamese culture are:

Ethnicity: Assam is home to a large number of ethnic groups that belong to different racial stocks, such as Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, Austroasiatic, and Dravidian. Some of the major ethnic groups are the Assamese (the largest group that speaks Assamese language and follows Hinduism), the Bodos (the largest tribal group that speaks Bodo language and follows Bathouism), the Karbis (a tribal group that speaks Karbi language and follows animism), the Mishings (a tribal group that speaks Mishing language and follows Donyi-Poloism), the Rabhas (a tribal group that speaks Rabha language and follows animism), the Dimasas (a tribal group that speaks Dimasa language and follows Bathouism), the Tiwas (a tribal group that speaks Tiwa language and follows Hinduism), the Deoris (a tribal group that speaks Deori language and follows Dibongiyaism), the Koch-Rajbongshis (a group that speaks Kamtapuri language and follows Hinduism), the Ahoms (a group that speaks Assamese language and follows Hinduism), the Chutias (a group that speaks Assamese language and follows Hinduism), the Morans (a group that speaks Assamese language and follows Hinduism), the Kacharis (a group that speaks Assamese language

and follows Hinduism), the Tea Tribes (a group that speaks various languages such as Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Nepali etc. and follows various religions such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam etc.), the Muslims (a group that speaks various languages such as Assamese, Bengali, Urdu etc. and follows Islam), the Christians (a group that speaks various languages such as Assamese, English, Khasi etc. and follows Christianity), the Buddhists (a group that speaks various languages such as Monpa, Sherdukpen etc. and follows Buddhism), the Sikhs (a group that speaks Punjabi language and follows Sikhism), the Jains (a group that speaks various languages such as Hindi, Gujarati etc. and follows Jainism), etc.  

– **Religion:** Assam is a secular state where people of different faiths coexist peacefully and harmoniously. The majority of the population follows Hinduism, which is practiced in various forms such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, etc. The most prominent religious figure in Assam is Srimanta Sankardeva, who founded the Ekasarana Dharma or Neo-Vaishnavism in the 15th century. He preached a monotheistic doctrine based on devotion to Lord Krishna and rejected caste system, idol worship, animal sacrifice, etc. He also established institutions called Satras or monasteries where his followers performed religious rituals such as Naamkirtan or chanting of God\’s name. He also composed Borgeets or devotional songs in Assamese language. His disciple Madhavdeva continued his legacy by composing more Borgeets and Ankiya Nats or one-act plays based on Hindu mythology. The Satras are still active today as centers of religious and cultural activities in Assam.  

Other religions such as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism etc. are also practiced by different communities in Assam. Islam was introduced in Assam by Muslim invaders from Bengal in the 13th century. Today there are two main groups of Muslims in Assam: the indigenous Muslims who are descendants of local converts or intermarriages with Muslim settlers; and the immigrant