A book titled “Pragjyotish Kamarupa’: An Archaeological History” was released under the initiative of the Intellectual Forum of Northeast (IFNE) at the District Library in Dibrugarh on Tuesday.
The book was edited by Dr. Manzil Hazarika and Yashodhara Sarathi Sanatan, Assistant Professor, Cotton University. It was unveiled by Suresh Soni Senior Pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, who was the chief guest at the event.
“We have collected, studied terracotta, pottery and bricks of hundreds years to write this book. We have visited many places of Assam before writing the book. Their are total 12 chapters in the book,” said Dr Manzil Hazarika.
Dr. Hazarika, editor of the book, revealed that the political, economic, cultural and social aspects have been covered in this book on the basis of the archaeological material in Pragjyotish-Kamarupa i.e. the Empire of Old Assam.
“We should go for primary source to know the actual incident. Some of our histories were distorted wrongly interpreted. The scholars should take initiative to rewrite the history which are wrongly written,” said Suresh Soni
Vice Chancellor of Auniati University Prof. Dombrudhar Nath was present as guest of honour in the programme.
Dr. Sangita Gogoi, Director, Department of History and Archaeology, Assam graced the occasion as the special guest at the function.
In the broader context of Indian history, Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa holds a significant position, marked by the rule of three major dynasties – the Varmana, the Salasthambha, and the Pala dynasties. The book explores the unique imprint each of these dynasties has left on the kingdom. The Brahmaputra River, flowing through the heart of Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa, emerges as a central player in shaping the destiny of the kingdom, influencing settlement patterns, economic activities, and cultural exchanges.
This book offers a comprehensive survey of the historical and archaeological panorama of the Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa. The articles span a diverse range of topics, from the ancient roots of Pragjyotisha- Kamarupa to meticulous examinations of archaeological remains in various areas of the valley, such as Guwahati, Mayong and Goalpara. Apart from these exploratory results, there are specific studies on the pottery and terracotta objects from explorations and excavations, iconographic studies of Surya sculptures and astrolatry in the Brahmaputra Valley.
Extending its reach to contemporary challenges, the book also includes studies on the prospection of natural- disaster-threatened archaeological sites in the lower Brahmaputra River Valley. Other topics include fauna in the sculptural art of early medieval Assam and the rock-cut sculptural tradition in the Brahmaputra Valley. The book encapsulates a vast temporal and thematic expanse of the region’s archaeology and history.
