Preface The present volume aims at covering a systematic study of Aryan culture in Assam from the earliest known period to present era in its different phases. This is a revised version of the dissertation submitted to and approved by Rabindra Bharati University for the award of the Ph.D. Degree.

The work has been divided into ten chapters beginning from the traditional indications of the introduction of Vedic culture in the state upto its present cultural trend noticeable in manifold media. The work, along with, contains contents, introduction, conclusion, appendix and bibliography.

In respect of reference numbers of the citation from. The Mahabharata, its critical edition (B.O.R.I., Poona) has been faithfully followed in the present work to the best of my ability and opportunity. In this connection, I frankly admit that despite my utmost efforts in defiance of manifold unavoidable hindrances, I could not overcome the gap lying between desires and capabilities.

I take the privilege of thanking in this opportunity, the almost spontaneous co-operation extended to me by the Department of History and Antiquarian Studies, Govt. of Assam, Guwahati. I acknowledge herewith the lump financial assistance of University Grants Commission which has partially helped in implementing the scheme of the work.

My heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Biswanarayan Sastri for sometime unfolding to me woth loving kindness the long chronological history of culture in Assam, which greatly contributed towards my sketching in the work an accredited cultural graph of Assam leading to the success of my mission.

Introduction Culture is the total of the inherited habits, beliefs, values of knowledge which constitutes the common, mutually adopted and shared base of the people and their civilisation. It is dynamic and not static. It improves, changes and continually renews itself either consciously or unconsciously to grapple with the problems and questions of everyday-life constructively creatively.

The term "culture" signifies manifold meanings. Thus social and religious aspects, intellectual attainments and excellence - everything is denoted by this term. Different scholars have interpreted this term from different angles of vision.

Out of so many definitions differing mildy or sharply from one another, we can summarise on the whole, the concept of culture in the following language:

"Culture is the some total of man's ideas, customs and habits and more explicitly, as the totality of mental and physical reations and activities that characterize the behaviour of the individuals composing a group collectively and individually in relation to their natural environment to other individuals of the relation to their natural environment to other individuals of the same group to other groups, to the world of the mind and to the supernatural world"'.

Thus culture signifies or symbolizes all the aspects of an individual or his society starting from his social institutions, family, clans, customs and ideas - both social and religious, viz. the customs of his birth, marriage, property, rights, inheritance, death, funeral and his spiritual attainments.

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