The Sherdukpens: A Mahayana Buddhist Community of Arunachal Pradesh

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

The book provides a comprehensive account of the history of the Sherdukpens, a small and little known Mahayana Buddhist community of Arunachal Pradesh. The work deals with their political relation with the Ahoms of Assam and the British. The traditional social institutions, political institution and their economic base have been documented and analysed. The Mahayana Buddhism prevalent among them has been studied with reference to art, architecture, festivals, rituals where one can notice the predominance of Tibetan Buddhist elements. The book is a welcome addition to the Buddhist historiography of North- East India.

Dr. Nani Tamang Jose, is at present working as Joint Registrar, Rajiv Gandhi University. He completed his Ph. D on History and Culture of the Sherdukpens, a Buddhist Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. He has published a number of research articles in various research journals, edited volumes and seminar proceedings.

I am delighted to present N.T. Jose's work "The Sherdukpens - a Mahayana Buddhist Community of Arunachal Pradesh" to the scholarly world. This is the first comprehensive work on history and culture of the Sherdukpens. Who had intimate contact with Buddhism of Tibet. On the basis of literary, ethnograhpic and archaeological data, the author has successfully presented a systematic history of the community. The Society, economy, polity, culture, and religious belief system of the sherdukpens are investigate and documented. The sherdukpens relation with the Ahoms of Assam and the British is also taken into account.

The present work is a welcome addition to the growing historical literature on ethnic community of Arunachal Pradesh. The religious culture of the sherdukpens have similarities with those of Bhutan and Tibet which reflect historical and culture linkages of India with these neighbouring countries in historical period. Dr. Jose has successfully provided an in-depth analysis of both tangible and intangible heritage of the little-known Buddhist community of Arunachal Pradesh.

I hope, the present work will serve as a useful reference for the students and scholars working on Buddhism and Ethnic Buddhist communities of North-East India.