A Namghar is the inclusive community prayer house of an Assamese village. More than a reverent place of worship, a Namghar is a common place of gathering for the community in Assam, a state in India's Northeast. 

It was Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva, the 15th century social reformer and religious preacher who initiated this institution. Srimanta Sankardeva was one of the greatest communicators on earth who laid the foundations of Assamese literature. He introduced different forms of performing arts such as Borgeet, Bhaona, Ankiya Naat, Gaayan-Baayan , etc. to popularise the Bhakti Movement in Assam through the institution of Namghar.

The doors of a village Namghar are open to individuals across caste, creed and gender.

A Namghar plays a key role in leading the village in a multitude of activities. These include   designing costumes for bhaona, making various musical instruments and arrangement of lights among others. It is the villagers who are involved in these year long activities. Some of the villagers may also be involved in making of the Guru Asana or Singhasana. The Guru Asana is the object of reverence which is an ornamental seat kept at the Sanctum Sanctorum, the Manikut.

The day-to-day affairs of a Namghar is run by a Managing Committee elected democratically. Only the deserving ones are entitled to occupy the positions.The persons occupying the positions are merely office bearers and do not enjoy any special privileges on account of their positions. Also, even the wealthiest in the village is supposed to abide by the office bearers of the Namghar.

This is the first episode of a special podcast on Namghar produced and hosted by Abhilash Bapanasha, a student of M. A. (3rd Semester) at the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Tezpur University as part of his Summer Internship at NEZINE.

Music - Priyanuj Parasar 
Special thanks to Puranimati Bhakatgaon Namghar and Nathgaon Namghar,  Dergaon, Hironmoy Nath, Bishal Nath, Shivo Hazarika and Niranjan Bora. 
Photo - Hironmoy Nath 

Support the show

Download NEZINE App to keep listening to NEZINE's podcast

One of Assam’s influential rural libraries- Prerona Puthibhoral’s innovative approach of combining book reading with activities that imbibe social responsibility has helped breaking the stereotype about reading habits among younger generation. Founded by Dwijendra Narayan Sarma at Bihampur in Nalbari district in 2000, Prerona Puthibhoral is also making efforts to make people realise the importance of collective labour which is a rarity in capitalist economy. In this podcast in Assamese, Anghsuman Sarma, a Ph D Research Scholar in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, explains how the Prerona Puthibhoral showcases “collective labour” to make people realise that there is happiness in contributing labour for public interest by rising above individual interests.   

Narration: Manisha Kalita 
Photo - Dwijendra Narayan Sarma 

অসমৰ এক প্ৰভাৱশালী গ্ৰাম্য পুথিভঁৰাল - প্ৰেৰণা পুথিভঁৰালে গ্ৰন্থ অধ্যয়নক সামাজিক দায়বদ্ধতাৰ পাঠ শিকোৱা কামৰ সৈতে অভিনৱ সংযোজন ঘটাই নতুনচামৰ মাজত গ্ৰন্থৰ সমাদৰ বৃদ্ধি কৰাৰ ক্ষেত্ৰত এক সামাজিক বিপ্লৱৰ সূচনা কৰিছে। ২০০০ চনত নলবাৰী জিলাৰ বিহামপুৰত দ্বিজেন্দ্ৰ নাৰায়ণ শৰ্মাই প্ৰতিষ্ঠা কৰা প্ৰেৰণা পুথিভঁৰালে অসমৰ গ্ৰাম্য জীৱনৰ হেৰাই যাব ধৰা 'সমূহীয়া শ্ৰমৰ' পৰম্পৰাকো পুনৰোদ্ধাৰ কৰাৰ প্ৰয়াস কৰিছে । প্ৰেৰণা পুথিভঁৰালে চাৰি দিনীয়া কাৰ্যসূচীৰে পুথিভঁৰালৰ সদস্য সকলৰ শ্ৰমদানেৰে বিষ্ণু ৰাভা দিৱস আয়োজন কৰাৰ মাজেৰে সমূহীয়া শ্ৰমৰ গুৰুত্ব আৰু সামাজিক শ্রমত থকা সৃষ্টিৰ আনন্দৰ বিষয়ে জনসাধাৰণক সচেতন কৰাৰ প্ৰয়াসৰ বাখ্যা কৰিছে জৱাহৰলাল নেহৰু বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ৰ গবেষক অংশুমান শৰ্মাই এই পডকাষ্টৰ জৰিয়তে । 

বিৱৰণী : মণীষা কলিতা   
ফটো - দ্বিজেন্দ্ৰ নাৰায়ণ শৰ্মা

Support the show

Download NEZINE App to keep listening to NEZINE's podcast

Internationally acclaimed wildlife expert Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar explains the significance of this year’s theme of the World Environment Day – “Beat air pollution” and what we can do to achieve the goal. Dr Talukdar is the CEO & Secretary General of Aaranyak, a society for biodiversity conversation in India’s northeast and internationally acclaimed for his expertise on Asian rhinos. Photo- courtesy - Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar 

Support the show

Download NEZINE App to keep listening to NEZINE's podcast

Renowned cancer activist and Founder Chairman of Deepsikha Devasish Sarma speaks on why it is important for India's Northeast region to observe the World No Tobacco Day. A senior official of the Assam Government Sarma is currently the Additional Resident Commissioner, Assam Bhawan. Deepsikha is known for its path-breaking initiatives for cancer care in Northeast region. Photo- courtesy Devasish Sarma

Support the show

Download NEZINE App to keep listening to NEZINE's podcast

Baikho puja is a pre-harvest festival of the Rabhas in Assam during which they pray to their deity of wealth to bring sufficient rains for a bumper crop. In this podcast in Assamese anchored by Kathabandhu Manoj Kumar Deka, Rabha traditional priest Bhupen Rabha Dwinang narrates the folklore and cultural practices associated with Baikho Puja. Photographs used in this podcast were taken by Pranjal Baruah, a freelance photojournalist based in Guwahati

Support the show

Download NEZINE App to keep listening to NEZINE's podcast

An oration on and performance of Music Maestro Bhupen Hazarik'a songs in Assamese by Dr. Sankar Patowary- renowned scholar and performer of Dr Hazarika's songs. Dr Patowary presented this oration and performance at Tezpur University in Assam. The occasion was observance of the 7th death anniversary of the music maestro organised by Tezpur university on November 5, 2018. Audio recording and photographs of the programme courtesy - Tezpur University. Anchoring- Kathabandhu Manoj Kumar Deka 

Support the show

Download NEZINE App to keep listening to NEZINE's podcast