Compiler's Few Words By:- Lila Gogoi.

COMPILER’S FEW WORDS

The Tai Khamtis, culturally a very rich tribe, who live in Arunachal and Assam, have their brothren in Bor Khamti Long in Burma and Yunnan, a Chinese province. They have their own prosaic records called chyatuie. They immigrated into Assam in 1750-180 following one after another horde. They have their own script and a well-developed language including innumerable literary works. The english scholars and administirators recorded about the Khamtis’ life and position in the political sphere of those days. A few lines are also written in modern times in the context of the discussion of other relevant subjects. No comprehensive book or monograph on the Tai Khamtis have so far been published. I have visited a few Khamti villages and studied about them, and I am very much impressed about the social and cultural heritage rich in many ways. Apart from my personal investigation. I have gone through a number of works written by different English writters in the nineteenth century. I have brought some infromation to the notice of Chowkhamoon Gohain, Ex-M.P., an uncrownod king of the Khamtis, who immediately expressed his desire to publish a book, if it is written. I proposed to him that a volume could be compiled with materials available in the published works. Accordingly, I have collected all available extracts and prepared this compilation. This is not a commercial venture but a commemorative one. This is done out of keen aptitude in the subject. This is, of course, a tough job for me with my limited knowledge of English.

This compilation could not have been prepared without help and guidance from Chowkhamoon Gohain, a worthy descendant of his ancestors—brave, cultured and intelligent. Chow Cheniya Gohain, A.C.S., another worthy descendant of the Khamtis of Narayanpur, who helped me in many ways in writing out the Introduction. I am really grateful to them. I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to those writers and scholars from whom I have taken the extracts. I have also expressed my hearty gratefulness to Dr. M. Neog, M.A., D.PHIL.; Dr. P. Gogoi, M.A., P.PHIL.; and my colleagues Dr. S.N. Goswami, M.A., D.PHIL.; Dr. K.N. Deva Goswami, M.A., D.PHIL.; Sri S.N, Bharali, M.A. and Chow Chandret Gohain, M.P., T.K.M. Barua, Cultural Research Officer, NEFA. Lohit, Sri Kula Gogoi, M.A., H. Barman, B.A. for their help and wise suggestions. Thanks and also due to my wife Mrs. Chandraprava Gogoi, Sir J.N. Barman and Sir. S.N. Barman who helped me in preparing and comparing type-scripts and relevant works.

At the end, I owe my apology to the readers in general, and writers particularly, for any error that may have crept into the volume, and expect necessary guidance and instruction to do further research on the subject.

25^th November, 1971

Dibrugarh, Assam.                                                             By:- Lila Gogoi.