Northeast Region is an Anthropological Museum

Our Correspondent

Silchar: Traditions in cultural spaces provide for cultural productions that underline how indigenous cultural forms and formations take shape and also undergo changes and modifications in adapting to ideas from outside. Both the cultural diversity and also the homogeneity of northeast region are unique in more than one way.

There is a need to focus and put proper emphasis on the varied and diverse aspects of the various cultures of northeast region. In this regard, the Department of English, Gurucharan College, Silchar, began its 2-day international conference titled 'Traditions of Cultural Production in North East India', organized by the Department in collaboration with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Kolkata and the Northeast India Company (NIC), Silchar, supported by the Iravati Memorial Grants 2018-19.

The inaugural session of the conference was held at the college auditorium on Thursday which was presided over the president of the governing body of the college, Prof. Jyoti Lal Chowdhury who is a senior journalist. In his key note address Prof. Kailash Chandra Baral, Department of Comparative Literature and India Studies, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, threw light on the various aspects of culture, cultural crisis, identity crisis, mediated culture, identity structure, singularity, difference, conflicts, art and local and global culture. He also touched upon the topics related to signification of things, subjects, objects and how denotations and connotations of a thing differ from each other.

Prof. Baral who is also the vice chairman of MAKAIAS said how MAKAIAS is trying to stress on the cultural growth and development of northeast region. "Overemphasis has been laid on infrastructure, politics and economy. It is time that we focus on the various cultural aspects of this region. Therefore the importance of this conference cannot be undermined in any way. Seminars and conferences should however be enlightening and meaningful," he added to say. He also urged upon all to participate in the conference as it is an intellectual feast which will throw light on the issues, concerns, problems and matters related to the traditions of cultural production in northeast India.

Guest of honour Dr Sanjib Bhattacharjee, Registrar, Assam University, lauded the efforts put behind making the conference a successful one. "It is an ideal and perfect platform for scholars and intellects to manifest their brilliant ideas and innovative skills. I commend the tireless efforts of MAKAIAS. The topic is also important as culture is a social phenomenon and a product of life lived for a long time. Our identity is our culture," he added to say. He also praised all the sub themes of the conference before declaring the conference open.

Prof Jyoti Lal Chowdhury put forth two invaluable suggestions and said that such conferences and seminars should focus on the issues related proselytization, demographic disturbances and insurgency problems in northeast. "Northeast is different from all other regions. There is oneness and uniformity. But, it has been disturbed by the influx of aliens. There are victims of partition, of migration. Proper emphasis should be put on these issues.

There are 16 tribes in northeast. Northeast is an anthropological museum. Topics can be focused on the various tribes and their way of life and culture," he added to say. Dr Panthapriyo Dhar, head, Department of English, Gurucharan College and also the coordinator of the conference, in his welcome address, said contrary to the belief northeast is an important region of this country and it is not just a periphery of it.

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