Barak Uppatyakar Sthannaam Kosh (Bengali Version)

Book Details

• Author: Ramakanta Das
• Publisher: Bangiya Sahitya Samsad
• Language: Bengali
• ISBN: 9789385131806

About the Book

Barak Uppatyakar Sthannaam Kosh (Bengali Version) is a pioneering reference work that explores the rich and diverse place names of the Barak Valley, a geographically and culturally significant region comprising three districts in southern Assam. Through the systematic study of toponymy—the scholarly study of place names—the book uncovers layers of history, culture, language, folklore, and social memory embedded within the names of towns, villages, rivers, hills, and settlements across the valley.

Place names are far more than geographical labels. They often preserve traces of forgotten histories, migration patterns, local legends, economic activities, linguistic transformations, and the cultural practices of the communities that inhabit a region. Recognizing this significance, Ramakanta Das has compiled an extensive dictionary of place names that serves as both a linguistic resource and a valuable historical archive.

The book demonstrates how the study of place names can reveal insights into the evolution of societies and cultures over time. Through detailed entries and analysis, readers gain access to information about the origins and meanings of place names, along with the historical events, folklore, and cultural traditions associated with them. Many of these narratives and traditions have remained undocumented or scattered across oral sources, making this work an important contribution to regional scholarship.

A notable feature of the volume is its ability to illuminate aspects of the Barak Valley’s unrecorded history and lesser-known cultural heritage. The book highlights the contributions of diverse ethnic, linguistic, and social groups whose interactions have shaped the identity of the region. By examining place names within broader social and cultural contexts, the author provides a deeper understanding of the valley’s complex historical development.

As the author’s second major work on the place names of the Barak Valley, this volume reflects extensive research and sustained engagement with the subject. It serves as an indispensable resource for historians, linguists, folklorists, geographers, researchers, students, and anyone interested in the cultural heritage of North-East India.

Combining linguistic inquiry, historical investigation, and cultural documentation, Barak Uppatyakar Sthannaam Kosh offers a unique window into the memory and identity of the Barak Valley through the fascinating study of its place names.