ITANAGAR, March 14 — Prof MGS Narayanan, Chairman, Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR), was said historical records by British officials on North-east were devoid of a historical perspective, reports PTI. Inaugurating a three-day national seminar here on ‘Sources of History of Arunachal Pradesh’, Prof Narayanan said much significance cannot be attached to the British records on the region as they were not based on source materials like archaeological finding and has neglected the oral history of the people and their cultural aspects.
Anthropological findings by the British had a colonial approach, the ICHR Chairman said, adding that accounts by tourists, festivals, archaeological remains, oral literature and mythological relics could be used as sources for writing history. The seminar by ICRH, North East Regional Centre, Guwahati and Arunachal University was organised with a view to bringing Arunachal Pradesh into the country’s mainstream, he said.
ICHR’s Member Secretary Dr R C Agarwal referred to the archaeological remains found at Bhismak Nagar in Lohit district’s Debang valley and said since Buddhism’s Mahayana and Hinayana sects flourished in Arunachal Pradesh and a majority of the population were worshippers of Donyi-Poloism (Sun and Moon Gods), these connected strongly this area with the rest of the country in the matter or religion and cultural heritage.
Former vice-chancellor of Tripura University Prof J B Ganguly termed as tragedy the neglect of tribal people’s history and was appreciative of the belated efforts though by the ICHR to undo the wrong done to them. Arunachal Pradesh Minister for Revenue, Excise and Urban Development TC Teli said smudging of tribal history over the years was the reason behind the people of the region feeling alienated.