Sunday, August 26, 2007 

:Diversion ahead::

Sunday, August 26, 2007 | |

Thursday, August 23, 2007 

:All not quiet on the Eastern front::



Gosh that was some effort. In the past few hours read quite a bit, and myth busted (Discovery Channel effect). The end result Assamese and Bengali are two separate entities with a common origin and not as I have been hearing people say that Assamese is a derivation from Bengali. I came across this post Mind In Your Language yesterday while I was browsing the net. So this afternoon I thought let's try and find out the truth. I will have something to do instead of my futile attempts to learn German.

Well it's no doubt both these languages spoken in Eastern India derive their words from sanskrit, consequently you'll find similarities. Both the languages' script is based on the
Eastern Nagari script. Hence there is a similarity too in the way they are written. These similarities gave the impression that Assamese was just another variation from Bengali.

In the dissertation "Assamese: Its Formation and Development" by Dr. Banikanta Kakati (accepted by the University of Calcutta in 1935), it is discussed that both the languages had parallel devolpments. The Following were some of the points he discussed in the disertation:


  • For many sanskrit derived words in Assamese, the corresponding Bengali words are quite different. Example: For fire and water, the Assamese words are 'Zui' and 'Paani' respectively and the corresponding Bengali words are 'Aagun' and 'Jol'.

  • Assamese and Bengali have contrasting systems of accentuation. Assamese follows the pan-Indian system of penultimate stress and Bengali has an initial stress. (I had to say out loud a few words from both to actually get this point)

  • Assamese definitives (the Assamese for 'THE' which can be tu, jan, jani, janaa, daal, khan, jupaa, etc.) have no parallels in Bengali. Kitaap-khan, Gos-jupaa and Esaari-daal are respectively definitives for book, tree and stick, in Assamese.

  • The type of vowel-harmony seen in Assamese is quite different from that in Bengali. Vowel-harmony means how pronuciation of a vowel in a word is modified by the presence of other vowel(s) in the word.

For more:: Click Here

Well now if someone says that Assamese is just an extension of Bengali, then he'll be in for a long discourse from me. Though the Assamese language bears similariities with the North Bengal dialect. Assamese language is the simplification of the kamrupi dialect. The Kamrupi dialect was spoken from Koch Bihar, Rongpur, Jalpaiguri to Assam. Historically, ancient Assam (Pragjyotish) covered from koch Bihar to present west Assam. One of the comments from my read went as follows:

"Kamrupi dialect of Assamese and North Bengali are quite similar. In fact, the similarities between Assamese (standard as well as Kamrupi) and North Bengali are much more pronounced than the similarities between Standard Bengali and North Bengali. North Bengal was the seat of Assamese studies under the Koch kings. But, history has taken North Bengal away from Assamese culture altogether."

The Indian languages have their origins in sanskrit, so no wonder there are similarities between them. Even Dravidian languages are influenced by sanskrit. Such a fantastic common thread is woven into our social fabric still there's regionalism and anti-Hindi sentiments particularly in South and North East India. What if Sanskrit would have been our national language, Would then there would have more of closeness between the North & South. Though for the development of the nation I still believe English holds the key.

That was quite a bit of work out mentally, and I started Gym too today. Lot of energy wasted, better I go off to sleep.

Gute Nacht.

(Good Night in German)

PS: I am learning to write Assamese and trying to speak a decent Bengali. German, I think I'll leave that for the future.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 | |

Tuesday, August 21, 2007 

:JSR Revisted:: 14-19 Aug

Last week I went to Jamshedpur for a small reunion. What else to do, some of my friends were there and then my joining is in september. Initially I was reluctant to go, tired of making train journeys & that too alone. After lot of phone calls from Raj, Dion & Shayon, I finally gave in to them.


The journey was very costly. I paid a fine 0f Rs 334 to three TTEs. That incident really taught me a few lessons. I was made a fool by the TTEs. The train had very few passengers and when I asked them to give me a berth. They fined me for travelling with a General ticket. The main TTE sided with these three TTEs in case they do prepare a report against him. I was furious at them and I think if I would have said sorry and given them lot of respect they would have left me. As they did not fine another man who was buttering them. Truly "kabhi kabhi gadhey ko bhi apna baap banana padta hai". I would have saved my money had I gone by Mama's age-old saying "Don't believe in the strangers". Had I not gone by the Main TTE's words and made the ticket then itself while boarding or else I would not have gone furious and begged for a berth, I would have saved my money.


So I reached Tatanagar with an entire sleeper bogie to myself at Rs 447, it was not that bad a deal, isn't it?? So first night, Raj & Dion gave a treat at Red Chillies. I must tell you in Jamshedpur You have got a lot of options to eat out (except don't go to Franks). After that we returned to Raj's Tata Motors' flat. It was the 'stroke of midnight' on 15Aug when Naidu (a 2k2 senior) turned up at the flat with his new Indica xeta. Next?? well we went on a test drive. Naidu forced a Scorpio to race with us. Naidu clearly emerged as the winner after he'd turned left & right at 100kmph and burned a lot of rubber after the car had skidded on the turns. I was all thrilled by the ride but was worried for a couple of two wheelers that came on our way. At the end it was a sardar on an old-scooter who overtook both the Indica & the Scorpio. Actually both the cars had slowed down. Both?? Then I realised the Scorpio was actually following us. Near Raj's flat as we slowed to give pass to the Scorpio. It stoped infront of us and one-by-one 4-5 healthy guys came out of the Scorpio. Naidu said sorry a few times or else we definitely would have been on hospital beds if there would have been a fight. They seemed like some political goons. So in 12 hours I realised the power of SORRY and RESPECT, not that I don't know about it but I don't use them when it's needed.


On 15th, Karma joined us. That day I spent most of the time with my junior friends. At night in Raj's flat, we brought a cake from our favourite Brubeck's bakery and Dion had brought a bottle of wine from Goa. So we got into a small celebration on our Reunion. The next day I was in college for a small work. Thanks to the Profs, it was done only the next day ie on 17th.


I was to leave on 17th but as my train got late. My friends thought why not I stay for a couple of more days. So they took my ticket & cancelled it. I didn't regret that as Shayon would pay for the balance of my refunded money. The next two days went by going for Chak de India, attending a party at GT hostel of Tata Steel and watching FRIENDS. One night Shayon prepared a delicious chicken dish for us. I must admit he's a fine cook. For that we made Raj to buy the essentials for cooking. I think his first month salary will not last a month. I'll not have the luxury of spending like him when I join in less than a month. Hopefully our package is revised in a year, fingers crossed.


So after all that fun with my close buddies, I am back at home and next destination, to God's own e-state.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007 | |

Monday, August 13, 2007 

Proud to be an Indian..

Monday, August 13, 2007 | |