Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Directorate of Archaeology, Assam, under the umbrella of the Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture Department, organised an International Seminar on “Recent Archaeological Pursuits in Burial Traditions of South Asia and South East Asia” on May 25 and 26 at a resort in Sonapur, near Guwahati.
The welcome speech was delivered by Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam, Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture Department, Ranjan Sharma. He said that the main objective of the seminar is to discuss the diversity of burial practices and funerary rituals, followed by an investigation of the cultural, social, and religious significance of burial traditions. “In addition to these, we needed to analyse the impact of external influences on burial practices in these regions; furthermore, we needed to explore the role of archaeology in understanding the evolution of burial traditions in South Asia and Southeast Asia; and finally, we needed to identify gaps in current research and propose future directions for the study of burial traditions in these regions,” Sharma said.
The Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, Y.S. Rawat, graced the occasion as the chief guest. He stated that burial traditions have played a crucial role in the cultural and social fabric of societies in South Asia and Southeast Asia for thousands of years. By exploring recent pursuits in this field, as researchers, we can gain a deeper understanding of the diversity and complexity of burial practices in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
On this occasion, the keynote address was delivered by Prof. J.N. Phukan, Padmashree awardee. The Guest of Honour was Janhwij Sharma, Additional Director General (Conservation, World Heritage, NCF) of the Archaeological Survey of India, and the Distinguished Guest was Dr. Anura Manatunga, Professor University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and Dr. S.K. Manjul, Additional Director General (Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology, and Iconic Site), Archaeological Survey of India. The seminar was attended by Dr. K.C. Nauriyal, Cultural Expert to the Govt. of Assam, Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture Department, along with delegates and scholars from Thailand, Sri Lanka, and different parts of India. The seminar was also attended by Nandita Garlosa, Minister of the Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture Department.
Additionally, an online session had also been organised where scholars from Afghanistan, Czech Republic presented their research works. This seminar ensured deliberations among various scholars from different parts of the world and proved to be fruitful in broadening our understanding of the different types of burial traditions present across the world and their subsequent co-relation with the Moidams—the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, Charaideo, Assam.
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