Census of India 1961 Assam Phongjangre village survey

Phongjangre, a secluded Mikir village in one. of the most inaccessible areas of Assam, has been selected for the purpose of conducting socio-economic enquiries. The main purpose for the selection is to find out how far the wind of change has affected the village, and to assess whether planned economy has had any impact in this tribal village. Census data have been collected for this village during the Enumeration, but the purpose of this survey is also to try to invest the dry bones of village statistics with flesh-and-blood accounts of the social structure of the village.
2. The village presents an interesting picture of the social and economic life of the Mikirs, one of the major tribes of Assam, whose history is embedded in the misty tradition of the Naga Bodo Sub-Group whose dominion once exten ded over most parts of northern Assam in the not-too-distant past. The survey shows that due to its isolation, the Mikir people of this village still retain much of the characteristics of the old-type Mikir village, their mode of life still being shaped and directed by ancient tradi tions. This is in sharp contrast to other more sophisticated Mikir villages lying in the eastern part of the district where the people have been subjected to the impact of the cultures of their Assamese and Bengali neighbours. Modern civilisation has touched only the fringe of the culture of these people who still breathe the freedom of the mountain air, who still drink the clear water of the fountains regardless of its contents, and to whom the world at large is not much beyond the horizon. With apologies to Goldsmith, it may be said that little do these people want nor want that little long. When one visits this village and tries to identify him self with these people, one has a feeling of being drawn into the vortex of an eerie world where woods and stones seem to speak, and nature cuddles one into its own bosom. It is an escape from the madding crowd.
3. In this monograph, every care has been taken to probe into the social and economic life of the people with the hope that it may bring to light some fundamental aspects of the traditional way of life of the Mikir people and the slow advent of changes brought about by modern developmental activities. It is a study of a village where personal observations are brought to bear on the interpretation of statis tics to find out how much of the village is still static and yet changing and how fast the winds of change are blowing and from where.

4. Prior to the formation of the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills district, this village was situated in the Jowai subdivision of the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills district. That association has had certain permanent effects on the people as is evidenced by the fact that certain words like "kur', 'laisnem' and 'duwan' are used and understood in the same manner by the people of this village as by the Pnars.
5. The survey of this village was completed in about one week, from the 10th of January, 1963 to the 16th of January, 1963 by Sarvashri K. S. Lyngdoh and A. B. Pugh, Economic Investigators; accompanied by Sri J.L. Timung, Supervisor. Photographic work was done by Sri S. K. Datta, office Photographer, and the cover page, the village map and the house plan were prepared by Sri D. Fraser, draughtsman, while Sri T. Tlinga, another draughtsman, prepared the sketches. Materials from house hold schedules were compiled by Sri 1. Khyriem, Supervisor. A word of thanks may be said of Dr. B.K. Roy Burman, Officer on Special Duty of the Registrar General's Office, for offering valuable suggestions in improving the draft before the monograph is sent for printing.