From the Directors Desk

Activities

Seasons greetings to you all. On behalf of the VKIC I offer

my good wishes on the beginning of the traditional new year,
celebrated by so many communities here in Assam, as in some
other parts of our country. This only amplifies the shared
heritage material and spiritual which is the bedrock of our
cultural identity. It is the same oneness in thought and action,
that has been acknowledged and reiterated by so many of our
saints and seekers.

VKIC Foundation Day 2016

VKIC celebrated its Foundation Day on January
31, in which Mizo preceptor Puitham Rorelliana was
honoured with the prestigious VKIC Sanmaan for 2016.

Among the major indigenous communities of Assam, the

Bodos celebrate this season in their own way, with men and
women showcasing their graceful dances and songs, not to
forget their traditional dresses. It was this communitys
cultural facets, their past and present, which were recently
brought into sharp focus by people who have known and
studied them from very close quarters. A two-day seminar
organized at Kajalgaon by the VKIC in collaboration with the
Bodo Department of the Gauhati University brought together
scholars, local people, and members of the VKIC to reveal
some significant information about the community. Among
the interesting revelations were the intrinsic connections
they have with Nature whether it is in their cuisine, dress
materials, or architecture; the modes of agriculture, including
irrigation which are eco-friendly and sustainable; the
traditional faith and belief systems.

Puitham Rorelliana devoted his life towards

protection and promotion of ancient Mizo wisdom,
culture, and beliefs among his community. In his
endeavour he had to surmount severe hurdles, but his
ceaseless efforts enabled the revival of the early Mizo
belief system which was dying out.

The knowledge that was gleaned by the event posited the

community as an entity that has survived and prospered
despite several odds. Some outer forms of their culture could
have changed over time, but it has retained a strong inner
core, which is inspirational. I thank all those who made the
seminar a success. Here I must also express my gratitude to
the teachers and students of VKV Kajalgaon who went the
extra mile to host the event in an excellent way.

The Sanmaan was presented by Chief Guest of the

function Ranjan Chatterjee, former Chief Secretary of

The VKIC Foundation Day was observed on January 31,

twenty years after the institute moved to its present premises.
The prestigious VKIC Sanmaan for 2016 was bestowed on
Puitham Rorelliana, who has dedicated his life to the revival
and promotion of the ancient faith of the Mizo people. In the
programme, Sri Ranjan Chatterjee, a former civil servant,
delivered a lecture that underlined the need to strike a balance
between developmental needs and environmental security
in the North East region; the identity and wellbeing of which
have deep roots in its tremendous biodiversity as well as its
physical features shaped by a long geological process.
I hope the newsletter is able to inform you about some of
our activities, and wish you would provide us with your
suggestions to redouble our efforts in protecting and
promoting Indias spiritual wisdom.
Dr Parimal Ch. Bhattacharjee
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Meghalaya. The award comprised a citation, a

memento, a shawl, and rupees twenty-five thousand.

Foundation Day lecture

The VKIC Foundation Day lecture was delivered
by Sri Ranjan Chatterjee, IAS, former Chief Secretary
Meghalaya, who had in-depth knowledge of some
issues of the Northeast region due to his different
assignments during his tenure. He spoke on the topic:
"Development Perspectives of Northeast India and
Environmental concerns."
According to him while India has been on a very
high growth rate trajectory in the last decade, and
emerged as the third largest economy in the world after
USA and China, the benefits arising out of the high
growth rate has not percolated down to the entire
country. And a pocket that has remained backward is
Northeast India.

Accepting the award, Puitham Rorelliana

underlined the virtues of his ancient faith. He said that
after the arrival of a newer faith the finer elements of
the earlier way of life were destroyed. He was of the
view that the perennial qualities of ancient Mizo beliefs
should be understood and appreciated by all.

During the period 1981-1991 if one considers the

condition of the states which were known as BIMARU
states - Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
and considers the Northeastern states which have also
remained backward, some things come to light.
During structural economic changes in the initial
period the share of agriculture in the GDP decreases
and corresponding share in non-agriculture sector
increases. But the agriculture sector continues to draw
more and more people into it contributing to per unit
income which is less. This creates a structural economic
imbalance resulting in low agricultural productivity
and a very high income inequality and consequent
political instability.

He thanked the VKIC for conferring him the

award and said that the honour was not for him alone
but for the entire Mizo community. He made an
appeal to forfeit violence and embrace peace for the
good of all.
The programme concluded with a cultural
presentation by a troupe belonging to the Nocte
community of Arunachal Pradesh. They enacted some
scenes associated with the birth rituals in a traditional
Nocte community.

Looking at the same states - if the secondary sector

data is seen it is found that the manufacturing sector
in the Northeast has actually declined whereas it has
doubled in that of the BIMARU states; so the
agricultural income comes down, but the
manufacturing income comes up; at least there is an
alternative which was there for the BIMARU states.
But these States did not pay any heed to
environmental concerns. "All the filth that you see in
the Yamuna, all the filth that you see in the Ganges, a
river that is considered to be sacred, and the description
of India in the international media as India being a huge
dustbin. These are all criticisms, these are not my views.
Where have all these come from? These have come from
the least concerns to environmental factors in the whole
country, particularly in these BIMARU states."
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are happening. It is my contention that much of it is

because of the misplaced autonomy given by the
Constitution to these tribal areas which are coming in
the way of spending money for the poor people who
are badly in need of development.

Some of the traditional institutions of the

Northeastern states are irritants against the growth
engine. Large areas of the Northeastern States are not
covered by the 73rd and 74th amendment of the
Constitution. There are several states which have
Autonomous District Councils and also have their own
Legislatures. Members of the Autonomous District
Councils and Members of the Legislative Assembly in
Meghalaya are representing the same set of people.
Who's bigger?

Today there is no Special Plan Assistance after the

14th Finance Commission. And it is said that this
amount has been subsumed in the award itself and the
Ministries are saying that they do not have any special
funds for the Northeastern states as was there before.
The discretionary fund available with the Planning
Commission is no longer available now. The critical
issue here is that there is a further imbalance between
the Northeastern society and the rest of the country.

They are all competing with each other in so far as

the people are concerned and they do not have any
reason for existence. No reason either why the District
Council should continue over there. These provisions
are basically for safeguarding the traditional tribal
institutions, the culture and the land tenure
administration system. While these provisions provide
protection under various articles of the Constitution,
the real problem is the devolution of funds for
development at the local level. That is getting affected:
the flow of money to these Council areas and to the
village level.
Resource poor states primarily depend on two
sources of development. That is devolution of funds
from Finance Commission and Plan allocation. As far
as the Finance Commission is concerned, they come
periodically, that is their task. As per the Constitution
they do give some weightage to the forest areas, on
poverty index, and also recognize the development
requirements of local bodies. But with regard to
Exclusive Areas, there is nothing much. Finance
Commission is not making provisions for these areas
since they are outside its purview. There is a suggestion
for considering the requirement for these areas - that
there should be State Finance Commission as the
appropriate forum instead of the Central Finance
Commission. But states in the Northeast being so
resource poor there cannot be a State Finance
Commission. It is either defunct or non-existent.

One of the major problem areas in the NE is the

multiplicity of the organisations that have been
entrusted with the task of development. There needs
to be a good marriage between DoNER and the North
Eastern Council. They need to be organically linked.
Secretary DoNER should be the member of the NEC.
The huge technical manpower which is available with
NEC secretariat for handholding with the states and
for enabling the states to conceive of the new projects
which they can take up that is getting completely
getting lost sight of.
A study by Spondon Borbora in 2014 found that
60 per cent of Northeast India is poor, based on a multidimensional poverty index which was developed by
the Oxford Poverty and Human Development
Initiative, and the study says that due to that the private
sector investment has not picked up the potential. So
the region is dependent on the resources from the
government. Elsewhere the money which is coming
from the private sector is shy over here. And due to
the under employment and seasonal under

What is important is that is the 10 per cent of the

budget of every Ministry is earmarked for the
Northeastern states. Now that means for 56
departments the current years amount is Rs 28,000 crore
for the Northeastern states. But the offtake is very little.
Up to the end of January 2016 the offtake has been only
50 per cent. By the end of March perhaps it will be 60
per cent or 70 per cent. Thirty per cent will go down
the drain. There is a need to look at why these things
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employment the adverse effect is more pronounced in

rural Assam as per the study. Besides, there has been a
declining attractiveness of agriculture.

generation opportunities. Particularly in Arunachal

Pradesh, Sikkim and Meghalaya. The total potential is
estimated over 58,971 MW. Here detailed
environmental studies are a must. "Environment
Impact Assessment studies have to be done over
prolonged period. It has to be done in a sustained
manner by at least watching the water during three
seasons. And only then will you be able to say whether
it is to be there or not."

According to this study farmers sell to close by

dealers, buyers, middlemen, mostly after harvesting when
the price is less instead of trying to find the best markets
and the opportune time to sell their products. This is the
position in the Northeastern states including Assam. Even
the Planning Commission has found that the lack of
market and storage facilities is a major problem afflicting
agriculture in Assam. In 1995 Assam had only 34 regulated
markets whereas Punjab had 667 and a small state like
Haryana had 273 regulated markets. What is important
is the disparity. There is a need to develop good
infrastructure for the farmers to carry their products. The
chain has to be built with producers and traders - all
important parts of the value chain

Why are these projects only for power and not

multi-purpose projects? Bhakra Nangal and other
projects initially when they were started were multipurpose projects. And those, who are critics, they say
that hydro power projects exclusively, when in large
scale, often reek of unsustainability. It's a point of view.
But there has to be a proper study. If it is a multi-purpose
project then the local people stand to benefit much more.
There has to be a proper dialogue with the end users.
The 2000 MW Lower Subansiri project is also felt by the
critics that it suffers from a legitimacy deficit.

The Vision Document of 2020, which was done

when Mani Shankar Aiyar was the minister for DoNER,
mentions clear stories of communitisation of rural
livelihood systems, and the focus on high value tourism
including work with the people. Hill tourism, river
rafting, cultural festivals, food carnival it's a long list.
"Why can't we pick up some of these things and
encourage some people to start in these areas? These
are the things where we should concentrate on rather
than trying to build mills and factories which may work
or may not work. At least we know these things will
work in the service sector."

Implementation of plans to improve the socio

economic structure of the Northeast region by 2021-22
can be done if the human resource skills can be suitably
developed. If the Northeast is expected to emerge as
one of the fastest growing regions of the country, can
contribute substantially to the GDP, then this region
may become a hub of connectivity and commerce with
the Southeast Asian region. What is most important -

Skill development is also important in the

manufacturing and tertiary sectors to create a pool of
employable skilled manpower which will attract
private investment. In Orissa for instance there are
villages after villages where they are training people
only to become plumbers so that if one goes to
Bangalore, one will find that there are plumbers from
Orissa. And then through these people others from
Orissa find employment outside the state.
There is a KPMG study on Northeast India. The
emphasis, they have said, should be on comparative
advantage - which lies in horticulture, handloom,
handicrafts, rural industries and tourism. "We talk of
Make in India. An extension of this is Make in
Northeast and that would be a good slogan to boost up
trade with South East Asia."

the region's integration with national economic and

cultural mainstream is a prerequisite. "Only when you
have that will all these things take place and Northeast
India shall become an effective gateway to South East
Asia in the true sense of the look East Act East Policy. It
is only then that acche din for Northeast region will
emerge." u (Edited and abridged)

Another area touched upon in the vision document

is the energy sector. The region has perennial rivers
and water bodies. The region has great power
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Seminar on Bodo Culture at Kajalgaon, BTAD

A two-day seminar on Traditional Systems of the
Bodo Community - Change and Continuity took place
at the Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Kajalgaon (VKV)
ground on October 31 and November 1, and brought
together intellectuals, academics and members of the local
Bodo community.
During the programme they discussed issues related
to the history of the community and their possible
migratory routes into present settlements located both
on the North and South banks of Assam. Today, the Bodos
are among the largest indigenous communities in
Northeast India, and are known for their intrinsic
connections with their natural environment.

The seminar focused on several issues related to Bodo

culture in its widest manifestations in an area in which
many of the Bodo cultural traditions and mores are intact,
and have added to social cohesion and inclusive
development.
A researcher underlined how nearby cultural forces
from their East as well as West are shaping the cultural
milieu of the Bodos residing in Assam's Northwestern
Part.
Delivering the keynote address distinguished
intellectual from Arunachal Pradesh, Dr Joram Begi
appreciated the strengths inherent in Bodo culture and
their varied expressions in their society as well as in
southern parts of Arunachal Pradesh. The Bodos
maintain cordial relations with neighbouring tribal
people for whom they also produce some essential
items.

Participants in the seminar dealt with the early

customs and traditions, of which some still continue,
albeit with changes over time. Customary laws were also
examined in a few of the papers presented.

The Bodos are among the earliest original inhabitants

of the region, and they have retained many significant
features from the past. A keen appreciation of Nature, a
dependence on natural resources, mutual collaboration,
and a pride in their pristine culture defines the
community. The large population has also accepted
changes that have come their way over time.

One of the significant issues a conjoining thread in

many of the research papers was the links of the
community with Nature in its animate and inanimate
forms. Their knowledge and use of trees, herbs and shrubs
was highlighted by several participants. The common
grounds from which Bathou and Brahma beliefs emerged
were also discussed in some detail.
The seminar was organized by the Vivekananda
Kendra Institute of Culture, Guwahati in collaboration
with Department of Bodo, Gauhati University. Sri Jiten
Borgoyary, Chairman of the managing committee of VKV
Kajalgaon, presided over the programme. Borgoyary had
during his service worked as a DC in the area and he had
overseen developmental plans for the region. He shared
his insights about the local community.

He valued the community's efforts to retain and

celebrate some fine cultural traditions from their
ancestors. The development of their language over the
years, their skill with traditional weaving styles and
materials are exemplary, according to him.

He committed a sum of Rs 5 lakh for the development

of the Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, which he
commended for its efforts in promoting quality education
in the area.
Academic sessions were attended by scholars and
researchers from Gauhati University and several colleges.
The first session chaired by Dr Bhupen Narzaree was on
Oral history, Gods and Goddesses, Bathow rituals,
Kalicharan Brahma and Brahmanism, and Kherai ritual.
It emerged that the traditional mode of worship reveres
the five elements of Nature. A Bodo elder mentioned that
the number five had deep significance in their community.
Even the Siju plant (a type of cactus) has five angles in its
stem and branches.
The second session was on the subject: Family and
kinship, Traditional self- governing institutions, and
Marriage system. The papers submitted were on Family
and kinship, Customary law of the Bodos, Bathou
marriage system, Brahma marriage system. It was chaired
by Dr Anil Boro.

However, no culture can flourish without it being

dynamic. The Bodos should also accept changes wherever
they deem it fit, while holding on to those which are for
their advantage. He referred to a very small community
in an island in the Andaman archipelago whose numbers
have sharply declined within a span of three decades. The
reason was that they had resisted any interaction with
the world outside.

Dr Leeladhar Brahma chaired the third session on

Community festivals and village organisation. The papers
presented included Seasonal and religious festivals of the
Bodos, Role of bamboo in religious and other festivals,
and Traditional village organization.
The fourth session on Divination was chaired by Sri
Toren Boro and comprised papers on The Bathou Divinity
and Brahma Divinity. The worship of the entities is not
mutually exclusive. A Bodo even though practicing
Bathou can revere the principles of Brahma.

Inaugurating the seminar, Chief Guest Sri Chandan

Brahma, MLA, praised the VKIC and Gauhati University's
Bodo Department for organizing the event at Kajalgaon
with which he has had a long association, especially in
regard to the developmental activities of the area.

After each of the sessions interactions took place in

which the speakers exchanged views with other
participants as well as people from the Bodo community
present in the venue.

In his address, he referred to some aspects peculiar

to the Bodo community, which show their understanding
of Nature, their architecture, farming system, and healthy
lifestyle.
Some cultural aspects of the Bodos need more studies,
and can be used to initiate positive economic changes for
the larger welfare of the community. As an example, he
pointed to Bodo food ingredients which were organic and
hence healthier than food produced through artificial
fertilizers.
Brahma mentioned Bodo traditional architecture that
used locally available materials which created an
ambience very comfortable in summer heat. Their design
was such that they kept the interiors well ventilated
without having to take recourse to modern technology.

In the valedictory function, Mananeeya Nivedita

Bhide, Jeewan Brati Karyakarta of Vivekananda Kendra
and at present its Vice President, expressed her reverence
for the Bodo and other tribal communities. She felt that
the actual idea of Bharat can be realised in these very
communities.

congregated and sang devotional songs accompanied by

a traditional drummer.
A one-day exhibition showcasing Bodo material
culture was also organised. A number of handicrafts were
on display revealing the best of Bodo textiles and
garments. Food items along with the traditionally used
plant and meat products were available for tasting.

She appealed to the Bodo community not to lose sight

of their ancient roots. But while we are rooted in our
culture, we should also enlarge and enhance it. Our outer
forms of culture may change, but the inner core should
not.

Photography Workshop
at Arya Vidyapeeth College
Recognizing its proven expertise in cultural
documentation activities with highly skilled manpower,
young students and scholars have been taking training
from VKIC from time to time.
In a recent development, the Arya Vidyapeeth
College of Gauhati and VKIC have agreed to collaborate
to enhance the overall skills sets of students. This formal
agreement will enable students, as well as teachers, to
receive support from VKIC in areas of mutual interest.
A Yoga Centre has already been launched in the
College, which will enable members of the Arya
Vidyapeeth fraternity to learn about yoga and associated
subjects.

Manaeeya Bhide made the observation that the Bodo

with other indigenous communities reveal a sense of
gratitude towards Nature, something we all need to have.
The people also has strong sense of fellow feeling and
are exemplary in their social cohesion.

The VKIC in February also successfully organized a

photography training camp at the College premises where
close to two hundred students took a crash course in
theoretical as well as practical photography.
Vinayak Ranade, a photographer and skill
development expert from Mumbai, took tutorial classes
in the College and also in real life situations outside the
campus. The students expressed their satisfaction over
the programme, and some of them also felt that they will
be more confident in using photography as a tool while
carrying out academic assignments in the field.

Even though there have been some sporadic clashes,

which often are exaggerated, most indigenous people
have lived in peace among themselves and with their
neighbouring communities.
Dr Parimal Chandra Bhattacharjee, Director of VKIC's
Research Advisory Council, was of the opinion that the
outside world had much to learn from the traditional
knowledge and practices of the community that knows
how to benefit from a deep understanding of nature in
its many forms. He hoped that the community in course
of time will establish links with appropriate groups which
will enable the world to learn about many things,
including sustainable living and environmental security.
A highlight of the seminar was a representative
Bathou worship. A priest of the community and two
associates demonstrated how a Siju plant is worshipped
in an area measuring about 12 feet by 24 feet. They
chanted mantras through which the Bathou divinity is
propitiated. The next day at the same place the faithful
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Yoga Activities off VKIC

New Publication

Thoughts for the Modern Woman Inspired by the

Holy Mother Sarada Devi

u VKIC regularly conducts Introductory Yoga Courses

of 10 days at VKIC Yoga Hall in Riverside, Uzanbazar

every month. From October 2015, the Institute has
conducted nine such courses and has trained 298
persons. The theme of the course is - Yoga the way of
life based on the vision of Oneness.

Can the modern woman find inspiration

from someone from a different era
altogether? Can she find a meaningful,
peaceful and joyful life inspired by someone
who led an austere life away in a corner of
India?

u Recently Vivekananda Kendra conducted a session

According to Madhuri Santanam Sondhi,

that is possible when one learns from
Sarada Devi, the wife of Ramkrishna
Paramahansa, and loving mother for many
who came to her contact.

and interaction on Yoga and Meditation in IASST,

Boragaon with the Scientists and Research Scholars of
the Institute. The session was conducted by Sri
Subhabrata Mukerjee and Dr. Jnanjyoti Sarma,
Karyakarta, Vivekananda Kendra.

This book brings into focus some issues

which involve the modern women, and solutions to which can be
gleaned from the ideals and enunciations of the Holy Mother, who
embodied noble qualities of head and heart.
According to the author, Sarada Devis insights into human
dilemmas and her exemplary guidance for us to enjoy a serene
existence are of perennial value for men and women even in the
21st century. The seeker, whom her husband revered as a divinity
within a physical form, is seen as a true modern not in the details
of her dress and conduct, but in the essentials of the thought and
freedom which lay behind her choices in behaviour.
(ISBN No. 978-93-83079-13-1, Price : Rs 40/-)
The Author: Madhuri Santanam Sondhi, is a highly regarded
intellectual who did her MA with Honours in Philosophy from the
University of Edinburgh. She has been the recipient of several
academic honours from both Indian and International institutions.
A member of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Sondhi is
the founder member secretary of the Forum for Independent
Research Scholars, Delhi.

u A session on Yoga and Swasthya was organised in

Reserve Bank of India under Integrated Staff

Development Programme. It was an awareness
programme with practical and theory sections to give
a basic idea how regular yoga practice can improve
health and efficiency. Sri Ajay Agarwal, Smt. Bharati
Nandi, Sri Rupak Das and Smt Swapna Goswami were
the resource persons from VKIC.

We are born to do great work in Bharat

- Swami Vivekananda
Calling healthy, selfless, educated, young men and women
under 30 years of age (relaxable), free from family
responsibilities, to join as Jeevan Vrati / Seva Vrati to fulfil this
dream of Swami Vivekananda. Join Vivekananda Kendra, a
Spiritually-Oriented Service Mission, Founded by Mananeeya
Eknathji Ranade in 1972. It is not a career but a Mission.

u VKIC organized a seven-day Introductory Yoga

Course for research scholars and students of Gauhati

University. Basic yoga skills and concepts to make yoga
a way of life was discussed in the course. A team of
trained Karyakartas of VKIC conducted the course.

For more details : Contact any branch centre of Vivekananda

Kendra or write with self-addressed stamped
envelope to
The General Secretary
Vivekananda Kendra
Vivekanandapuram,
Kanyakumari - 629 702

u Another yoga camp was organised in Yoga Satra Varga

Prashikshan at VK Panbazar in presence of Kum Meera

Kulkarni, Prant Sangathak Vivekananda Kendra,
Assam Prant. The prashikshan was conducted for
more practical and conceptual clarity related to yoga
practice and implementation of yogic vision in ones
life. Next Prashikshan is scheduled on 5th June at VK
Panbazar with this group of Karyakartas. u

To
From :
Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture
Riverside, Uzan Bazar, M. G. Road, Guwahati - 781001
Ph. 0361-2510594, 2736945. E-mail : info@vkic.org

Published By :
The Secretary, VKIC, Guwahati - 1
Editorial Team : Kum Sujatha Nayak, Prabal Kr. Das, Wahengbam Sushma Devi,
Kunal Choudhury, Rima Nath and Ramani Deka

Visit us at : www.vkic.org
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