North-East India: Interpreting the Sources of its History

North-East India is no longer a terra incognito to Indian historiography. Thanks to the efforts of various agencies and departments, there has been considerable progress in the historical research of this region. These researches have brought to light evidences of past cultures of North-East India. However there is a need to sustain this enthusiasm and also study and interpret the different sources of the history of this region. The book also emphasizes on the need to explore non-conventional oral sources as an alternative and/or supplementary to the conventional recorded sources. The oral sources (folklore, folksongs, beliefs and superstitions, ceremonies, rituals, etc.) are very important to study history as they reflect on the problems, needs and aspirations of the masses at various points of time. The interpretation of the source is also as important as its identification. The present volume aims to interpret and analyse these sources and thus paces the way for further research to put the history of the area in its correct perspective.