• DR. MD. AYNUL HOQUE

COLONIAL BARAK VALLEY: A SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECT Dr. Md. Aynul Hoque, Lecturer in Education and Head, Department of D.El.Ed. Patharkandi College of Education, Patharkandi, Karimganj, Assam (India) Email id: aynul09@gmail.com, Mobile No.: 7002376424/ 09854404160 Abstract Barak Valley, the southernmost region of the state of Assam bears a rich socio-cultural heritage. The region is at present comprised of three districts viz. Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. The major portion of the region was under the suzerainty of the Kachari rule during the pre-colonial period. The society in Barak Valley was agriculturist in nature, which follows a well maintained hierarchy of workers at different grade and collection of land revenue was the main source of income. Owing to the internal conflicts in the Ahom rules, the Burmese invaded Assam, of which Cachar was a part. The Burmese invasion, though short lived but it was marked by the total ruin of the country and its people. The situation ultimately attracts the attention of the British to oust the Burmese from Assam and accordingly began the Anglo-Burmese war in 1824, which was ended with the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826. According to the terms of this treaty, the Burmese renounced their rights on Assam as well as the neighboring kingdoms of Cachar, Jaintia and Manipur. Thus, the introduction of British rule brought some qualitative changes in the socio-economic life of the people of Assam in general and Barak Valley in particular. The old pattern of administration got changed, the revenue system was revived, educational establishment began its journey, new opportunities opened up on a large scale, facilities for trade and commerce increased, middle class emerged, the means of communication gradually improved, opportunities for jobs opened up etc. of course with the motive to consolidate their own position in India by the British. However, in order to understand the contemporary society and issues involved therein, it is imperative to look into the relevant past. Hence an attempt is made here to look back into the past, particularly into the nature of society in the colonial Barak Valley. It is expected that, this study would enable us to understand the forces that facilitated the rise of nationalism, particular kind of regionalism and multiple varieties of localism and how and when these forces contradicted one another and how and when they worked in unison as the situation so demanded and the influence of these processes on the progress of this region. Keywords: Society, Culture, Colonialism, Transition, British, Nationalism, Regionalism etc.

Society, Culture, Colonialism, Transition, British, Nationalism, Regionalism etc.

"COLONIAL BARAK VALLEY: A SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECT", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.538-543, June 2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907832.pdf

"COLONIAL BARAK VALLEY: A SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECT", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp538-543, June 2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907832.pdf