>I AM SURE EVERYONE WOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR
>THE DEEP DARK SHORTCOMINGS OF KHARKHOWAS FROM YOU.
Kharkhowas and shortcomings? and that too in Chandan-da's book? no way! It is just like some, I repeat, 'some' parents who do not see any faults with their children.
Hello Mayur, it's been nice hearing from you running a very interesting debate, and a belated welcome to the group.
Regards,
- A. Sarangapani
Houston, Texas.
BTW: the "Caps Lock" key on your keyboard is on. :-)
From: mayur bora <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED],[EMAIL PROTECTED]
CC: HIRANYA NATH <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Loken Das <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,Assam Organisation <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Assam] ASSAMESE - STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 23:48:16 -0700 (PDT)
>HI MAHANTA DA
>
>STARTLED BY QUITE A FEW POINTS OF YOUR LATEST MAIL.
>NEVER DID I SAY THAT ONE CULTURE SHOULD PLAY SECOND
>FIDDLE TO THE OTHER WHETHER IT IS IN ASSAM, BANGLADESH
>OR USA. HAD I THOUGHT ON THOSE LINES, I WOULD NOT HAVE
>CATEGORISED IT AS A WEAKNESS AT THE FIRST PLACE.
>
>SECONDLY, I AM NOT ASHAMED OF TAKING ANTIDOTE FROM A
>LEARNED MAN LIKE YOU. FOR THAT MATTER, I CAN TAKE IT
>FROM ANYONE. FORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE A MISPLACED
>SENSE OF EGO TO PREVENT ME FROM TAKING IT FROM ANYONE
>PROVIDED I GET A MEANINGFUL ANTIDOTE. BUT I AM NOT
>COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT I AM ASHAMED OF SOMETHING
>WHEN I AM ACTUALLY NOT. SO PLEASE DON'T FOIST ANY
>DISCOMFORT DOWN MY NECK WHEN I DON'T FEEL ANY BEING IN
>CHANDIGARH AMIDST PUNJABIS AND HARYANVIS.
>
>CATALOGUING OF DIFFERENT FEATURES OF ASSAMESE WOULD
>DEFIINITELY HELP IN INTROSPECTION AND REFLECTION. IT
>IS LEFT TO THE PEOPLE. IF WE CAN MOTIVATE EVEN 1% OF
>PEOPLE TO REFLECT ON THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES,
>IT WOULD BE OUR SUCCESS.
>
>REGARDING BENCHMARK, YOU ARE AWARE THAT IN ARTS OR ANY
>BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, BENCHMARK IS SUBJECTIVE. IT WOULD
>BE INVIDIOUS TO COMPARE AN ARCHITECTURUL BENCHMARK
>WITH THAT OF SOMETHING IN ARTS. NO ONE CAN QUANTIFY A
>BENCHMARK WHILE TRYING TO DETERMINE THE BEHAVIOURAL
>TRAITS OF ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE. IT IS OUT AND OUT A
>SUBJECTIVE ISSUE. GENERALLY IN LIFE ALSO, THERE IS NO
>BLACK AND WHITE ON ANY ISSUE. THERE ARE BOUND TO BE
>INNUMERABLE SHADES OF GREY IN BETWEEN. BUT IN STEAD OF
>GETTING PERPLEXED BY THE GREYS, DON'T YOU FEEL IT
>WOULD BE WISER TO BE ENLIGHTENED BY THEM ?
>
>LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, I AM AMAZED AT YOUR HONESTY.
>HONESTY TO STICK YOUR NECK OUT AND ANNOUNCE THAT YOU
>KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR WEAKNESSES THAN WE CAN IMAGINE.
>YOU MUST BE SENIOR TO ME IN AGE AND DEFINITELY MORE
>EXPERIENCED IN LIFE.
>
>I AM SURE EVERYONE WOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR
>THE DEEP DARK SHORTCOMINGS OF KHARKHOWAS FROM YOU.
>
>THANKS ONCE AGAIN. I AM GETTING LOT OF FOOD FOR
>THOUGHT, I MUST ADMIT.
>
>REGARDS
>
>MAYUR
>CHANDIGARH
>
>--- Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > Hi Mayur:
> >
> > First off, I congratulate you on a finely composed
> > response.
> >
> > Next, allow me to get some extraneous matters out of
> > the way so we can
> > get back to your original aim of cataloguing the
> > "--strengths and
> > weaknesses of Assamese people--".
> >
> >
> > > > Whether you accept it or not, academic
> > >discussion sometimes gets stifled under the weight
> > of
> > >its high sounding words.
> >
> > *** I am neither an academic nor am I into throwing
> > around
> > high-sounding words regardless of meaning or
> > context. I am not a
> > literateur, not a linguist, not a devotee of
> > language purity. For me
> > language, first and foremost, is a tool for
> > communication. With that
> > intro. I must say I have no clue about what you
> > write above.
> >
> >
> >
> > > >The first weakness indicated
> > >earlier is nothing but a testimony of my deeply
> > >ingrained belief that whatever is observed in the
> > >relationship between the Assamese speakers and
> > other
> > >tribal groups is grossly unjust and unacceptable.
> >
> >
> > *** I am not going to speak here for Utpal, but my
> > reaction to the
> > 'mainstream'( dominant) and its essential but
> > unspoken companion/s --
> > obscure/subordinate -- characterization in the
> > context of comparing
> > ethnic/ cultural traits is an unacceptable premise
> > at the get-go;
> > your denial of intent not-withstanding, even though
> > I believe you
> > completely.
> >
> > For the same reason Ram's defense of your premise is
> > akin to
> > comparing apples and oranges. Ram cites his own
> > comfort-level with
> > his cultural identity being an obscure or
> > sub-ordinate culture to the
> > 'main-stream' American culture as justification.
> > That is his choice.
> > But why does a Bodo, or a Mising or a Karbi have to
> > accept that in
> > the Assam context, which, as I explained earlier, is
> > very different
> > from the American context.
> >
> >
> > >I failed to understand how Ram's analogy is not
> > >tenable as per you. In American social milieu also,
> > >everyone sees the ghost of the 'past' very
> > frequently
> > >and they can't be brushed aside as sporadic or
> > >isolated occurrences. I think Ram's analogy is
> > fairly
> > >valid.
> >
> >
> > **** You mean Latino or African American cultures to
> > be presented as
> > sub-ordinate or obscure is an acceptable format to
> > compare ethnic
> > traits in the USA? You gotta be kidding me. Where
> > did you learn that?
> > Would Ram, as a long time US resident, propose that
> > or support that?
> > I think not.
> >
> >
> > > >The very fact that you are attributing some
> > traits to
> > >the people of Haryana goes a long way to show that
> > you
> > >also probably suffer from the same syndrome which
> > you
> > >are consciously trying to dilute or should I say
> > >demolish.
> >
> >
> > **** I don't go about judging or labeling whole
> > groups of people from
> > the actions of a few. I know it is a common
> > cultural habit among
> > Indians to do so, including the Oxomiyas. But it is
> > a simple-minded
> > trait, an unsophisticated one. I made my comment in
> > light of your
> > making an issue of it. Obviously you spoke of it
> > because it made you
> > you uncomfortable or ashamed. I just provided you
> > with a suggested
> > rebuttal, an antidote.
> >
> > But now I see that you really don't want to use my
> > antidote to your
> > feeling of discomfort. That is fine. But do you
> > believe that those
> > Haryanis are right in their perception? If they are
> > wrong, what do
> > you plan to counter it with?
> >
> >
> > > >I am startled by your argument that to see
> > something
> > >>good in others signify your insecurity vis a vis
> > them.
> >
> > **** I made such an argument? That is news to me.
> > Care to explain how
> > you came to that conclusion?
> >
> >
> >
> > > >Going by that logic, a secure individual is one
> > who
> > >always criticises others.
> >
> >
> > **** Nothing can be farther from the truth. However
> > to embark on a
> > mission to to catalogue Oxomiya ethnic
> > shortcomings--or assigning
> > labels on the basis of a few examples ( the
> > 'lahe'-lahe' epithet for
> > example) as a reaction to others' ignorant
> > generalized view (as those
> > Haryanis for instance) implies what?
> > I can't think of anything other than your own
> > insecurity. But I will
> > stand corrected when you proffer a better
> > explanation.
> >
> >
> >
> > > >Misconception about NE is so well
> > >entrenched in people's minds that, to dispel it
> > fully
> > >is a herculean task. I sincerely believe that given
> > a
> > >chance, one should try to demolish those
> > >misconceptions.
> >
> >
> > **** I agree with you. But how is your cataloguing
> > effort going to
> > assist you on this?
> >
> >
> > > >I am afraid I have a very strong view.
> > >I am aware of my shortcomings. I do try to rectify
> > >them sometimes. But never ever I let those
> > weaknesses
> > >to give a feeling of inferiority complex vis a vis
> > >others.
> >
> > **** That's my man! A kharkhowa after my own heart.
> > All power to you!
> >
> >
> > > >----you can't wish away benchmark to judge
> > >them.
> >
> >
> > **** On the contrary I was only emphasizing the need
> > for that
> > benchmark, which by definition has to be definable
> > and/or
> > quantifiable. Unfortunately the benchmark you were
> > going to
> > use--other peoples of India-- is an undefinable one.
> > A highly
> > nebulous one. The rubber-scale of architects. I was
> > challenging you
> > to be able to define your benchmark. And the
> > challenge still stands.
> >
> > I will give you a little clue here: I am not one to
> > go about
> > challenging people, unless I know I have solid
> > grounds to stand on.
> > So go at it my friend. Prove your mettle. Define
> > your benchmark, and
> > I promise to assist you with all the deep dark
> > shortcomings of your
> >
>=== message truncated ===
>
>
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