A rare book on

ASSAMESE SPIRIT

by, Diganta Oza

Do you know that a book on the spirits of Assam was published long back in 1905? It was written by the then Extra Assistant Commissioner Mr. BENUDHAR RAJKHOWA with an introduction by the then DC of Kohima, Mr. W.J. REID, ESQ. The book, entitled ASSAMESE DEMONOLOGY was printed and published from the Patrika Press, Calcutta. With x+ 43 printing pages (size 12.5cmX 18cm, printing area 10 cm X 15cm, paper back), this book covers almost all ‘indigenous ghosts’ like Bak, Dot, Jakh, Jalnarayan, Burha Dangoria etc. With four chapter and Appendix, ASSAMESE DEMONOLOGY covers the following subjects-

1. CHAPTER I : AN ACCOUNT OF SPIRITS
2. CHAPTER II : INCANTATIONS AND EXPULSION OF SPIRITS
3. CHAPTER III : SUPPLIMENTARY NOTES
4. CHAPTER IV : STORIES

And the appendix covers:

1. Songs of Alakhani
2. Incantation used in Weaving Spectral thread
3. Principal Haunted Places
4. Notable Exorcists

Hence one can easily gauss the historical as well as the cultural importance of this book.

I am going to quote some lines from the preface of the book:

Like all other countries under the heavens, Assam has her indigenous ghosts. These pages are an attempt to describe their ways and habits , according to popular belief, with a view that they may be profitably used by all seekers after truth—the spiritualist and the mystic. They are a faithful record of what has fallen from the lips of the populace, without the slightest varnish of my own.

The Assamese are a Hindu race and as such believe in the numerous Sanskrit deities of the heavens. Some of these deities have been however degraded to the position of hobgoblins…

Definitely this book is now out of print (and rare indeed), but I have its first edition itself. One will get some interesting features about Assamese spirits. As for example, as late Benudhar Rajkhowa was written in his book,

The dot is a slender but tall figure, measuring about 18 feet, with long fingers like spikes. He lives in channels, tanks, morasses, shaded out of the way, places overgrown with water plants. He is jet black in appearance, naked and has the several limbs of the body indistinguishable except the fingers which he exposes very prominently, in order to frighten his victim….

The author had collected some stories related to the spirits and demons form different parts of the state, which were compiled in as I have said earlier, in chapter-iv. Let me quote such a story here:

In Golaghat there is a family whose forefathers were reputed to be ghost-keepers. They are still known as the “house of ghosts”. The matron of the house had charge of them. The ghosts lived in a mango tree in the orchard, and when they came down from it assumed the shape of rats or kindred small creatures, ate food offered by their mistress, all in a pell-mell fashion, and returned to their haunt.

Spirits are no more today. But their impact to our culture remains. That is why such type of book is precious.