Dear Mayur,
>Honestly speaking, I am not aware of the history of the term HOBO DIOK on Assamnet.I used the >word as it described our attitude nicely.
No harm done, but, if I am correct, it been bandied around for a couple years now. It may even have been 'copyrighted' :).
Perhaps, C'da (Chandan da) would like to explain why, someone like you, who hasn't had the Assamnet experience would use the term?
My question is, why is the term & the meaning of Hobo diok pervasive? I agree, some might not like the label, but, nevertheless, somehow, outside the confines of Assamnet it seems to have stuck around.
>I am tempted to say that our failure to propagate the
>contributions of our literary and cultural stalwarts
>starting from Bhattadev, Sankaradeva, Madhabdeva to Dr
>Bhabendranath Saikia, Homen Borgohain etc in the
>outside world (outside means outside Assam) is a big
>weakness.
>contributions of our literary and cultural stalwarts
>starting from Bhattadev, Sankaradeva, Madhabdeva to Dr
>Bhabendranath Saikia, Homen Borgohain etc in the
>outside world (outside means outside Assam) is a big
>weakness.
I have a slightly different take on this point. For the propogation of literature a couple of things need to be in place. Quality or excellence alone is not sufficient in this day and age.
(a) readership or a large population that will sustain and propogate such literature
(b) IMHO, sometimes an attitudinal problem exists in some societies. A good example is for a long time, Indians had a subservient attitude toward anything Western.
Until the bogah sahib said something was excellent, it didn't pass muster, then of course it would get the Booker prize or the Nobel. And once that happens, then we are all agog of the recognition.
(these are just cases one sees often, surely there are genuine deserving cases)
(c) Lastly, I am not sure IF any good literature needs propogation? What is the need for such acknowledgement and recognition? I am not saying literature shouldn't be translated for the ease of others, but propogation? If its excellent, why can't it make it on its own through normal marketing routes?
>Furthermore, some of the attributes that you might present as
>positive, could very well be negative, depending on who is doing the
>grading. There are no RIGHT/WRONG, GOOD/BAD measuring standards for
>them. Any qualifying is entirely subjective.
>positive, could very well be negative, depending on who is doing the
>grading. There are no RIGHT/WRONG, GOOD/BAD measuring standards for
>them. Any qualifying is entirely subjective.
I agree with C'da here. But just because they are subjective (or measured against some standard) we cannot just ignore them.
>Ultimately it all boils down to individuals in a certain group acting
>to preserve and promote one's own unique needs, with the resources
>available, within their various constraints and under the
>circumstances they are in.
>to preserve and promote one's own unique needs, with the resources
>available, within their various constraints and under the
>circumstances they are in.
That is a mouthful. I had to read it twice to get to the essence. Then it struck me, of course, this is a great excuse for any problem- a one-stop solution. All we have to do is apply this reasoning, and one can always find one reason or another for any of our ills.
>In Chandigarh, Assam is generally identified with
>violent activities like no of deaths at the hands of
>police/army forces or insurgents.
>violent activities like no of deaths at the hands of
>police/army forces or insurgents.
Actually, taking C'da's 'solution', you could have explained to the people in Chandigarh why that kind of labeling is not warranted........:)
Ram
Dear Ram
At the outset, I must thank you for your prompt and
detailed reply to my mail. Honestly speaking, I am not
aware of the history of the term HOBO DIOK on
Assamnet. If I have hurt the sentiments by using the
word, I am very sorry for that. I used the word as it
described our attitude nicely.
You are very right. Frequent Bandh called by any Tom,
Dick and Harry is the anathema for the state. As of
religious tolerance, it can be attributed to the
religious tachings of Mahapurush Sankaradeva in the
15th century. Moreover, due to the same reason, caste
barriers are not that strong in Assam compared to
other 'mainstream' states of India.
I am tempted to say that our failure to propagate the
contributions of our literary and cultural stalwarts
starting from Bhattadev, Sankaradeva, Madhabdeva to Dr
Bhabendranath Saikia, Homen Borgohain etc in the
outside world (outside means outside Assam) is a big
weakness. I wonder what would have happened had
Sankardeva been born in some other state like west
Bengal.
In Chandigarh, Assam is generally identified with
violent activities like no of deaths at the hands of
police/army forces or insurgents.
Looking for a healthy debate on the entire gamut of
issues.
Mayur
At the outset, I must thank you for your prompt and
detailed reply to my mail. Honestly speaking, I am not
aware of the history of the term HOBO DIOK on
Assamnet. If I have hurt the sentiments by using the
word, I am very sorry for that. I used the word as it
described our attitude nicely.
You are very right. Frequent Bandh called by any Tom,
Dick and Harry is the anathema for the state. As of
religious tolerance, it can be attributed to the
religious tachings of Mahapurush Sankaradeva in the
15th century. Moreover, due to the same reason, caste
barriers are not that strong in Assam compared to
other 'mainstream' states of India.
I am tempted to say that our failure to propagate the
contributions of our literary and cultural stalwarts
starting from Bhattadev, Sankaradeva, Madhabdeva to Dr
Bhabendranath Saikia, Homen Borgohain etc in the
outside world (outside means outside Assam) is a big
weakness. I wonder what would have happened had
Sankardeva been born in some other state like west
Bengal.
In Chandigarh, Assam is generally identified with
violent activities like no of deaths at the hands of
police/army forces or insurgents.
Looking for a healthy debate on the entire gamut of
issues.
Mayur
On 9/13/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hello Mayur:
Welcome to assamnet.
I am delighted to see a newcomer starting out not only participating,
but taking a lead on a discussion. That is very commendable. I hope
you will continue to be a contributing member. I also invite all the
others to participate as well. The net, after all, is what WE make of
it.
Our good friend, and often my adversary in many a debate,Ram
Sarangapani told you "---I am sure you are going to get a earful,
specially regarding the negatives,". Obviously he was alluding to my
positions :-). He may be right, under certain circumstances. But he
is wrong in its essence.
Be all that as may be, while I appreciate your efforts at cataloging
our ethnic attitudinal traits, I will be remiss if I did not point
out one fundamental fact about such attempts at attributing qualities
to a group of people, be it positive, be it negative or be it
neutral: There rarely is any scientific or rational basis to such
labeling. Why I say that is this:
Almost all of the positive and most all of the negatives too, could
be attributed to any other group of people in the south Asian
sub-continent with about the same degree of accuracy.
Furthermore, some of the attributes that you might present as
positive, could very well be negative, depending on who is doing the
grading. There are no RIGHT/WRONG, GOOD/BAD measuring standards for
them. Any qualifying is entirely subjective.
Allow me to give some examples:
Among the pluses you put forth:
Strength of Assamese People / Assam
1. Diverse and rich literary and cultural traditions
2. Favourable climatic condition
3. Healthy and relatively spice less cuisine
4. Great hospitality and relative simplicity of people
5. Fertile land
6. Rich flora and fauna
8. Major producer of tea and oil
9. Tremendous tourism potential
10. Absence of dowry
**** Items 1 thru 4 could apply to any other group depending on who
is doing the grading. Item 5 may or may not be applicable to all. But
there might be other
equally useful attributes to make up any land fertility deficiency,
such as rich in minerals. 6 thru 9 also could have parallel other
attributes to make up for.
While absence of dowry in Assam USED to be an unique characteristic
to the region, from what I hear that it changing rapidly now. Is that
true? Even if it is not so, still out of ten, only one attribute
could be solidly presented as an unique positive quality of the
people of Assam.
Similarly on the negatives. I could examine those too. But in order
not to scare you off with an earful hat Ram warned you of :-). I
would let you and others think that thru.
Ultimately it all boils down to individuals in a certain group acting
to preserve and promote one's own unique needs, with the resources
available, within their various constraints and under the
circumstances they are in. In that the qualities could not be
attributable to everyone else in that group as a group
characteristic, is how I see it.
But it is an enjoyable exercise. Certainly no harm in tossing them
around, unless they are used for promoting a particular political
agenda in the guise of a cultural study, like some of our friends
sometimes tend to do. I have no reason to think that you would
attempt any such devious tactic to peddle something instead of
presenting them in a forthright manner, should such a need arise.
Best to you.
cm
At 10:17 AM -0700 9/13/05, mayur bora wrote:
>Dear Friends,
>
>I am new to the mailing list of [email protected].
>Some of the debates among the netizens on issues
>concerning Assam are really interesting. I am sure we
>would be able to provide a new perspective on some
>issues in respect of Assam with the help of our
>collective wisdom. One of the most important issues
>crossing my mind is to find out the relative strengths
>and weaknesses of Assamese people in relation to other
>people of India. I am trying to list below the
>strengths and weaknesses of Assamese people and
>solicit your opinion on that. I am using the word
>Assanese in a broad sense encompassing all those
>people whose mother tongue may not be Assamese, but
>they have some concern for the state. Moreover the
>traits indicated below are general in nature and
>exceptions are not ruled out. The objective of this
>exercise is to find out whether our weaknesses
>outweigh the strengths resulting in the current
>condition of the state vis a vis other states of the
>country.
>
>Strength of Assamese People / Assam
>
>1. Diverse and rich literary and cultural traditions
>
>2. Favourable climatic condition
>
>3. Healthy and relatively spice less cuisine
>
>4. Great hospitality and relative simplicity of people
>
>5. Fertile land
>
>6. Rich flora and fauna
>
>8. Major producer of tea and oil
>
>9. Tremendous tourism potential
>
>10. Absence of dowry
>
>Weaknesses
>
>1. Alienation of tribal people from the mainstream due
>to the cavalier attitude shown by caste Hindu
>Assamese. This has resulted in disunity and a sense of
>mutual mistrust among different tribes. (I am a caste
>Hindu myself)
>
>2. Emotions getting precedence over logic in the minds
>of the people
>
>3. Public memory is always short-lived. It seems
>shorter in case of Assamese.
>
>4. Inclination to take things lying down. Chalta hai /
>hobo diok attitude.
>
>5. Havoc caused by the annual floods
>
>6. Poor law and order condition due to activities of
>different insurgent groups.
>
>7. All pervasive feeling of tension and terror in
>different parts of the state
>
>8. Lack of business sense and entrepreneurial skills
>
>9. Aversion for many forms of manual labour and over
>dependence on others
>
>10. Indifference to explore different legal ways of
>making money like trade in equities, derivatives etc.
>
>11. Disturbed demographic composition due to unabated
>immigration of Bangladeshis
>
>12. Divisive vote bank politics of all political
>parties
>
>13. Govt apathy and indifferent bureaucracy (This is
>more or less common for all the states of India)
>
>14. Peculiar tendency among Assamese people to
>denigrate or denounce any other Assamese who has
>achieved something. Soku saraha sabhab
>
>15. Poor connectivity
>
>16. Infrastructural bottlenecks
>
>17. Lack of industries.
>
>18. Overdependence on the traditional methods of
>agriculture and lack of mechanisation.
>
>The list is only indicative not exhaustive. You are
>most welcome to add, modify or delete any trait as you
>deem fit. Moreover, it has been listed out randomly
>and not as per increasing or decreasing order of
>importance/priority.
>
>Looking forward to your valuable opinion on the issue.
>
>Mayur Bora
>Chandigarh
>13 Sept 2005
>
>
>
>
>__________________________________
>Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005
> http://mail.yahoo.com
_______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
