Press,
Uttam Bathari, who belongs to the Dimasa tribe and teaches History of Medieval and Modern Assam in Gauhati University, lays out the complex ground realities and historical injustices that the governments of the past have overlooked.
Assam would be one of the most socially, ethnically diverse states in the country. Do you feel that, for example, when you are on a university campus or in a government office in Guwahati? Do you see the state-level politics of Assam being representative of its diversity? Does the public discourse reflect that diversity?
Diversity and its celebration in India begins and ends in rhetoric, and does not get translated into action. For instance, in spite of the linguistic diversity, there is a constant push for Hindi as the national language. Another discriminatory example is the Eight Schedule of the Constitution that recognizes only about a couple of dozen languages. On the other hand, hundreds of languages are languishing due to lack of sup
The Adivasi Mela 2021 that kickstarted on the Republic Day at Adivasi Exhibition Ground, provides a platform for tribal women to sell their produces
The Adivasi Mela 2021 that kickstarted on the Republic Day at Adivasi Exhibition Ground, provides a platform for tribal women to sell their produces. At the same time, this annual fair helps city residents get some authentic and unadulterated farm and forest products.
Though the Adivasi mela, this year, lacks the grandeur and razzmatazz of previous years due to the Covid-19 restrictions, it has not affected the enthusiasm among city people. In previous years, there used to be six-seven segments in the exhibition ground including display of tribal hurts, lifestyle and sale of tribal cuisines along with cultural programmes at the central stage.