A three day workshop on ‘Philosophy and spirituality of eternal, primordial religion and culture and the janajati people of north-east India’ organised by Janajati Faith and Culture Protection Forum will be held at Guwahati. Explaining the objective behind the workshop and discussion on the theme, Jaleswar Brahma, general secretary of the Forum, said the eternal or primordial religion of janajatis are most scientific, eco-friendly and most ancient inherited from the forefathers from generation to generation through oral traditions, in most of the cases.
Some literatures are found in the case of a few janajati communities but that appears to be incomplete but have some scope for further expansion and improvement. However most of the janajati communities lack such literature which is well documented, authentic and perfect in every aspect. Because of this, there exists a state of confusion and dilemma for those who take interest in the study of the faith and culture of janajatis. However, he said, a written theology perfect in all respects from literary point of view, authenticity and precision of the contents as well as related to each janajati community is of prime importance. Dr Jogesh Pego, programme coordinator, said that since sufficient literature about the janajatis is not readily available, requisite information has to be acquired and collected through discussion with priests, village elders and other resource persons. The purpose of the seminar is to compile the collected information in the form of research papers.
Taking into consideration the importance of such compilation, the Forum which has been working in this field is hopeful that the ensuing workshop will be an exercise to explore many of the unexplored facts about janajatis. The attempt to be made by selected experts and others with deep knowledge of the wide spectrum of tribal life will prepare a well documented papers on the theme that will be taken up for presentation at the workshop and followed by indepth analysis and deliberation.
Takeing Jeme, joint coordinator, pointed out a renaissance is sweeping across the janajati people of north-east. It is a movement for the revitalisation of the eternal religion and culture. There is now a growing realisation among the religious leaders to preserve their identity and culture in view of the onslaught by the Christian missionaries for proselytisation. The revitalisation movements as pointed out by him are the Seng-khasi movement of Meghalaya under the leadership of HO Onderson Mowri and Hipson Roy, Donyi Polo movement in Arunachal Pradesh under the leadership of Talom Rukbo, Zeliangrong Heraka movement under the leadership of Rani Gaidinliu and NC Zeliang, Zeliangrong Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak in Manipur and Rangfraism in Arunachal Pradesh as well as many other such movements.
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