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Fifty Shades of Grey
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This article is about the novel. For its film adaptation, see Fifty Shades of Grey (film). For the novel series, see Fifty Shades trilogy.
Fifty Shades of Grey
2012 paperback cover
Author
E. L. James
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Series
Fifty Shades trilogy
Genre
Erotic romance
Published
20 June 2011 (Vintage Books)
Media type
Print (Hardcover, paperback)
Pages
514
ISBN
978-1-61213-028-6
OCLC
780307033
Followed by
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James.[1] It is the first instalment in the Fifty Shades trilogy that traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey. It is notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism (BDSM). Originally self-published as an ebook and a print-on-demand, publishing rights were acquired by Vintage Books in March 2012.
Fifty Shades of Grey has topped best-seller lists around the world, selling over 125 million copies worldwide by June 2015. It has been translated into 52 languages, and set a record in the United Kingdom as the fastest-selling paperback of all time. Critical reception of the book, however, has tended towards the negative, with the quality of its prose generally seen as poor. Universal Pictures and Focus Features produced a film adaptation, which was released on 13 February 2015[2] and also received generally unfavourable reviews.
The second and third volumes of the trilogy, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, were published in 2012. Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian, a version of Fifty Shades of Grey being told from Christian's point of view, was published in June 2015.
Contents
1 Plot
2 Background and publication
3 Reception
3.1 Critical response
3.2 Controversy
3.3 Censorship
4 Media
4.1 Film adaptation
4.2 Film soundtrack
4.3 Classical album
4.4 Parodies
4.4.1 In print
4.4.2 In film
4.4.3 Online
4.4.4 On stage
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Plot[edit]
Anastasia "Ana" Steele is a 21-year-old college senior attending Washington State University in Vancouver, Washington. Her best friend is Katherine "Kate" Kavanagh, who writes for the college newspaper. Due to an illness, Kate is unable to interview 27-year-old Christian Grey, a successful and wealthy Seattle entrepreneur, and asks Ana to take her place. Ana finds Christian attractive as well as intimidating. As a result, she stumbles through the interview and leaves Christian's office believing it went poorly. Ana does not expect to meet Christian again, but he appears at the hardware store where she works. While he purchases various items including cable ties, masking tape, and rope, Ana informs Christian that Kate would like some photographs to illustrate her article about him. Christian gives Ana his phone number. Later, Kate urges Ana to call Christian and arrange a photo shoot with their photographer friend, José Rodriguez.
The next day José, Kate, and Ana arrive for the photo shoot at the Heathman Hotel, where Christian is staying. Christian asks Ana out for coffee and asks if she is dating anyone, specifically José. Ana replies that she is not dating anyone. During the conversation, Ana learns that Christian is also single, but he says he is not romantic. Ana is intrigued but believes she is not attractive enough for Christian. Later, Ana receives a package from Christian containing first edition copies of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, which stuns her. Later that night, Ana goes out drinking with her friends and ends up drunk dialling Christian, who informs her that he will be coming to pick her up because of her inebriated state. Ana goes outside to get some fresh air, and José attempts to kiss her, but he is stopped by Christian's arrival. Ana leaves with Christian, but not before she discovers that Kate has been flirting with Christian's brother, Elliot. Later, Ana wakes to find herself in Christian's hotel room, where he scolds her for not taking proper care of herself. Christian then reveals that he would like to have sex with her. He initially says that Ana will first have to fill in paperwork, but later goes back on this statement after making out with her in the elevator.
Ana goes on a date with Christian, on which he takes her in his helicopter, Charlie Tango, to his apartment. Once there, Christian insists that she sign a non-disclosure agreement forbidding her from discussing anything they do together, which Ana agrees to sign. He also mentions other paperwork, but first takes her to his playroom full of BDSM toys and gear. There, Christian informs her that the second contract will be one of dominance and submission, and there will be no romantic relationship, only a sexual one. The contract even forbids Ana from touching Christian or making eye contact with him. At this point, Christian realises that Ana is a virgin and takes her virginity without making her sign the contract. The following morning, Ana and Christian again have sex. His mother arrives moments after their sexual encounter and is surprised by the meeting, having previously thought Christian was homosexual, because he was never seen with a woman. Christian later takes Ana out to eat, and he reveals that he lost his virginity at age 15 to one of his mother's friends, Elena Lincoln, and that his previous dominant/submissive relationships failed due to incompatibility. Christian also reveals that in his first dominant/submissive relationship he was the submissive. Christian and Ana plan to meet again, and he takes Ana home, where she discovers several job offers and admits to Kate that she and Christian had sex.
Over the next few days, Ana receives several packages from Christian. These include a laptop to enable her to research the BDSM lifestyle in consideration of the contract; to communicate with him, since she has never previously owned a computer; and to receive a more detailed version of the dominant/submissive contract. She and Christian email each other, with Ana teasing him and refusing to honour parts of the contract, such as only eating foods from a specific list. Ana later meets with Christian to discuss the contract and becomes overwhelmed by the potential BDSM arrangement and the potential of having a sexual relationship with Christian that is not romantic in nature. Because of these feelings, Ana runs away from Christian and does not see him again until her college graduation, where he is a guest speaker. During this time, Ana agrees to sign the dominant/submissive contract. Ana and Christian once again meet to further discuss the contract, and they go over Ana's hard and soft limits. Christian spanks Ana for the first time, and the experience leaves her both enticed and slightly confused. This confusion is exacerbated by Christian's lavish gifts and the fact that he brings her to meet his family. The two continue with the arrangement without Ana's having yet signed the contract. After successfully landing a job with Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP), Ana further bristles under the restrictions of the non-disclosure agreement and her complex relationship with Christian. The tension between Ana and Christian eventually comes to a head after Ana asks Christian to punish her in order to show her how extreme a BDSM relationship with him could be. Christian fulfils Ana's request, beating her with a belt, and Ana realises they are incompatible. Devastated, she breaks up with Christian and returns to the apartment she shares with Kate.
Background and publication[edit]
E. L. James in 2012
The Fifty Shades trilogy was developed from a Twilight fan fiction series originally titled Master of the Universe and published episodically on fan-fiction websites under the pen name "Snowqueen's Icedragon". The piece featured characters named after Stephenie Meyer's characters in Twilight, Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. After comments concerning the sexual nature of the material, James removed the story from the fan-fiction websites and published it on her own website, FiftyShades.com. Later she rewrote Master of the Universe as an original piece, with the principal characters renamed Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele and removed it from her website before publication.[3] Meyer commented on the series, saying "that's really not my genre, not my thing... Good on her—she's doing well. That's great!"[4]
This reworked and extended version of Master of the Universe was split into three parts. The first, titled Fifty Shades of Grey, was released as an e-book and a print on demand paperback in May 2011 by The Writers' Coffee Shop, a virtual publisher based in Australia.[5][6] The second volume, Fifty Shades Darker, was released in September 2011; and the third, Fifty Shades Freed, followed in January 2012. The Writers' Coffee Shop had a restricted marketing budget and relied largely on book blogs for early publicity, but sales of the novel were boosted by word-of-mouth recommendation. The book's erotic nature and perceived demographic of its fan base as being composed largely of married women over thirty led to the book being dubbed "Mommy Porn" by some news agencies.[7][8] The book has also reportedly been popular among teenage girls and college women.[8][9][10] By the release of the final volume in January 2012, news networks in the United States had begun to report on the Fifty Shades trilogy as an example of viral marketing and of the rise in popularity of female erotica, attributing its success to the discreet nature of e-reading devices.[11][12] Due to the heightened interest in the series, the license to the Fifty Shades trilogy was picked up by Vintage Books for re-release in a new and revised edition in April 2012.[13][14] The attention that the series has garnered has also helped to spark a renewed interest in erotic literature. Many other erotic works quickly became best-sellers following Fifty Shade's success, while other popular works, such as Anne Rice's The Sleeping Beauty trilogy, have been reissued (this time without pseudonyms) to meet the higher demand.[15]
On 1 August 2012, Amazon UK announced that it had sold more copies of Fifty Shades of Grey than it had the entire Harry Potter series combined, making E. L. James its best-selling author, replacing J. K. Rowling, though worldwide the Harry Potter series sold more than 450 million copies compared with Fifty Shades of Grey's sales of 60 million copies.[16]
Reception[edit]
Fifty Shades of Grey has topped best-seller lists around the world, including those of the United Kingdom and the United States.[17][18] The series had sold over 125 million copies worldwide by June 2015 and has been translated into 52 languages,[19][20] and set a record in the United Kingdom as the fastest-selling paperback of all time.[21]
Critical response[edit]
It has received mixed to negative reviews, with most critics noting poor literary qualities of the work. Salman Rushdie said about the book: "I've never read anything so badly written that got published. It made Twilight look like War and Peace."[22] Maureen Dowd described the book in The New York Times as being written "like a Bronte devoid of talent," and said it was "dull and poorly written."[23] Jesse Kornbluth of The Huffington Post said: "As a reading experience, Fifty Shades ... is a sad joke, puny of plot".[24]
Princeton professor April Alliston wrote, "Though no literary masterpiece, Fifty Shades is more than parasitic fan fiction based on the recent Twilight vampire series."[25] Entertainment Weekly writer Lisa Schwarzbaum gave the book a "B+" rating and praised it for being "in a class by itself."[26] British author Jenny Colgan in The Guardian wrote "It is jolly, eminently readable and as sweet and safe as BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) erotica can be without contravening the trade descriptions act" and also praised the book for being "more enjoyable" than other "literary erotic books".[27] The Daily Telegraph noted that the book was "the definition of a page-turner", noting that the book was both "troubling and intriguing".[28] A reviewer for the Ledger-Enquirer described the book as guilty fun and escapism, and that it "also touches on one aspect of female existence [female submission]. And acknowledging that fact – maybe even appreciating it – shouldn't be a cause for guilt."[29] The New Zealand Herald stated that the book "will win no prizes for its prose" and that "there are some exceedingly awful descriptions," although it was also an easy read; "(If you only) can suspend your disbelief and your desire to – if you'll pardon the expression – slap the heroine for having so little self respect, you might enjoy it."[30] The Columbus Dispatch stated that, "Despite the clunky prose, James does cause one to turn the page."[31] Metro News Canada wrote that "suffering through 500 pages of this heroine's inner dialogue was torturous, and not in the intended, sexy kind of way".[32] Jessica Reaves, of the Chicago Tribune, wrote that the "book's source material isn't great literature", noting that the novel is "sprinkled liberally and repeatedly with asinine phrases", and described it as "depressing".[33]
The book garnered some accolades. In December 2012, it won both "Popular Fiction" and "Book of the Year" categories in the UK National Book Awards.[34][35] In that same month, Publishers Weekly named E. L. James the 'Publishing Person of the Year', a decision whose criticism in the LA Times and the New York Daily News was referred to by and summarised in The Christian Science Monitor.[36] Earlier, in April 2012, when E. L. James was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World",[37] Richard Lawson of The Atlantic Wire criticised her inclusion due to the trilogy's fan fiction beginnings.[38]
Controversy[edit]
Fifty Shades of Grey has attracted criticism due to its depictions of BDSM, with some BDSM participants stating that the book confuses BDSM with abuse and presents it as a pathology to be overcome, as well as showing incorrect and possibly dangerous BDSM techniques.[39][40]
Coinciding with the release of the book and its surprising popularity, injuries related to BDSM and sex toy use spiked dramatically. In 2012, the year after the book was published, injuries requiring Emergency Room visits increased by over 50% from 2010 (the year before the book was published). This is speculated to be due to people unfamiliar with both the proper use of these toys and the safe practice of bondage and other "kinky" sexual fetishes attempting what they had read in the book.[41]
There has also been criticism against the fact that BDSM is part of the book. Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati said in an early February 2015 letter, "The story line is presented as a romance; however, the underlying theme is that bondage, dominance, and sadomasochism are normal and pleasurable."[42] The feminist anti-pornography organisation Stop Porn Culture called for a boycott of the movie based on the book because of its sex scenes involving bondage and violence.[43] By contrast, Timothy Laurie and Jessica Kean argue that "film fleshes out an otherwise legalistic concept like 'consent' into a living, breathing, and at times, uncomfortable interpersonal experience," and "dramatises the dangers of unequal negotiation and the practical complexity of identifying one's limits and having them respected."[44]
Several critics and scientists have expressed concern that the nature of the main couple's relationship is not BDSM at all, but rather is characteristic of an abusive relationship. In 2013, social scientist Professor Amy E. Bonomi published a study wherein the books were read by multiple professionals and assessed for characteristics of intimate partner violence, or IPV, using the CDC's standards for emotional abuse and sexual violence. The study found that nearly every interaction between Ana and Christian was emotionally abusive in nature, including stalking, intimidation, and isolation. The study group also observed pervasive sexual violence within the CDC's definition, including Christian's use of alcohol to circumvent Ana's ability to consent, and that Ana exhibits classic signs of an abused woman, including constant perceived threat, stressful managing, and altered identity.[45][46]
A second study in 2014 was conducted to examine the health of women who had read the series, compared with a control group that had never read any part of the novels. The results showed a correlation between having read at least the first book and exhibiting signs of an eating disorder, having romantic partners that were emotionally abusive and/or engaged in stalking behaviour, engaging in binge drinking in the last month, and having 5 or more sexual partners before age 24. The authors could not conclude whether women already experiencing these "problems" were drawn to the series, or if the series influenced these behaviours to occur after reading by creating underlying context.[47] The study's lead researcher contends that the books romanticise dangerous behaviour and "perpetuate dangerous abuse standards."[48] The study was limited in that only women up to age 24 were studied, and no distinction was made among the reader sample between women who enjoyed the series and those that had a strong negative opinion of it, having only read it out of curiosity due to the media hype or other obligation.[49]
At the beginning of the media hype, Dr. Drew and sexologist Logan Levkoff discussed on The Today Show[50] whether the book perpetuated violence against women; Levkoff said that while that is an important subject, this trilogy had nothing to do with it – this was a book about a consensual relationship. Dr. Drew commented that the book was "horribly written" in addition to being "disturbing" but stated that "if the book enhances women's real-life sex lives and intimacy, so be it."[51]
Censorship[edit]
In March 2012, branches of the public library in Brevard County, Florida, removed copies of Fifty Shades of Grey from their shelves, with an official stating that it did not meet the selection criteria for the library and that reviews for the book had been poor. A representative for the library stated that it was due to the book's sexual content and that other libraries had declined to purchase copies for their branches.[52] Deborah Caldwell-Stone of the American Library Association commented that "If the only reason you don't select a book is that you disapprove of its content, but there is demand for it, there's a question of whether you're being fair. In a public library there is usually very little that would prevent a book from being on the shelf if there is a demand for the information."[52] Brevard County public libraries later made their copies available to their patrons due to public demand.[53]
In Macaé, Brazil, Judge Raphael Queiroz Campos ruled in January 2013 that bookstores throughout the city must either remove the series entirely from their shelves or ensure that the books are wrapped and placed out of the reach of minors.[54] The judge stated that he was prompted to make such an order after seeing children reading them,[55] basing his decision on a law stating that "magazines and publications whose content is improper or inadequate for children and adolescents can only be sold if sealed and with warnings regarding their content".[56]
In February 2015, the Malaysian Home Ministry banned the Fifty Shades of Grey books shortly after banning its film adaption after permitting them for three years in local bookstores, citing morality-related reasons.[57]
Media[edit]
Film adaptation[edit]
Main article: Fifty Shades of Grey (film)
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were cast in the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, respectively.
A film adaptation of the book was produced by Focus Features,[58] Michael De Luca Productions, and Trigger Street Productions,[59] with Universal Pictures and Focus Features securing the rights to the trilogy in March 2012.[60] Universal is also the film's distributor. Charlie Hunnam was originally cast in the role of Christian Grey alongside Dakota Johnson in the role of Anastasia Steele,[61][62] but Hunnam gave up the part in October 2013,[63] with Jamie Dornan announced for the role on 23 October.[64]
The film was released on 13 February 2015,[2] and although popular at the box office, critical reactions were mixed to negative.[65]
Film soundtrack[edit]
Main article: Fifty Shades of Grey: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
E. L. James announced the film's soundtrack would be released on 10 February 2015.[66][67] Prior to the soundtrack's release, the first single, "Earned It", by The Weeknd, was released on 24 December 2014.[68] On 7 January 2015, the second single, "Love Me like You Do" by Ellie Goulding was released.[69] Australian singer Sia released the soundtrack's third single, "Salted Wound", on 27 January 2015.[70]
Classical album[edit]
An album of songs selected by E. L. James was released on 11 September 2012 by EMI Classics under the title Fifty Shades of Grey: The Classical Album, and reached number four on the US Billboard classical music albums chart in October 2012.[71][72] A Seattle P-I reviewer favourably wrote that the album would appeal both to fans of the series and to "those who have no intention of reading any of the Grey Shades".[73]
Parodies[edit]
The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has inspired many parodies in print,[74][75] in film, online, and on stage. In November 2012, Universal Studios attempted to prevent the release of Fifty Shades of Grey: A XXX Adaptation, a pornographic film based on the novel, citing copyright and trademark infringement. Smash Pictures, the porn producer, later responded to the lawsuit with a counterclaim that "much or all" of the Fifty Shades material was placed in the public domain in its original Twilight-based form,[76] but later capitulated and stopped production of their film.[77]
In print[edit]
Amazon.com lists over 50 book parodies, e.g.:
Fifty Shades of Oy Vey (2013)[78] by E. L. Jamesbergstein
Fifty Shames of Earl Grey (2012)[79] by Fanny Merkin (a.k.a. Andrew Shaffer)
In film[edit]
Fifty Shades of Black (2016)
Online[edit]
Parodying the fan fiction origins of Fifty Shades of Grey, Ivy league MBA students have created Erotic FinFiction, a blog containing steamy entries written in business jargon.[80]
On stage[edit]
Stage productions include:
50 Shades! The Musical Parody[81]
Cuff Me: The Fifty Shades of Grey Musical Parody[82]
Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody
See also[edit]
United Kingdom portal
2010s portal
Novels portal
Pornography portal
Maestra, a 2016 novel frequently compared to Fifty Shades of Grey
BDSM in culture and media
Sadism and masochism in fiction
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Jump up ^ Goodstein, Jack (15 September 2012). "Music Review: Fifty Shades of Grey: The Classical Album". Seattle PI. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
Jump up ^ "18 things you don't know about Fifty Shades of Grey: The Parody Books Keep Coming". CBS News. 17 February 2015.
Jump up ^ Rachel Kramer Bussel (22 April 2015). "In the wake of 50 Shades of Grey, what's even better than sex? Ridiculous sex". Salon.com.
Jump up ^ Gardner, Eriq (4 March 2013). "'Fifty Shades' Porn Parody Countersuit Claims Books Are In Public Domain (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
Jump up ^ Romano, Aja (12 March 2013). ""Fifty Shades" porn parody lost its lawsuit, but everyone wins". Daily Dot.
Jump up ^ Jamesbergstein, E.L. (2013). Fifty Shades of Oy Vey: A Parody.
Jump up ^ Merkin, Fanny; Shaffer, Andrew (2012). Fifty Shames of Earl Grey: A Parody. ISBN 0-306-82199-0.
Jump up ^ Edwards, Peter (17 December 2013). "Business students steam up spreadsheets with 'Fifty Shades of Grey' treatment". The Star. Toronto.
Jump up ^ Webster, Andy (14 March 2014). "If a Book Annoys You, Ridicule It in Song: '50 Shades! The Musical' Parodies That Erotic Best Seller". The New York Times.
Jump up ^ Cuff Me: The Fifty Shades of Grey Musical Parody. Broadway.com. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
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Culture of Assam
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Part of a series on the
Culture of Assam
History[hide]
Protohistoric
Pragjyotisha Kingdom
Danava Dynasty
Naraka Dynasty
Ancient
Davaka
Kamarupa
Medieval
Ahom Kingdom
Chutiya Kingdom
Kachari Kingdom
Kamata Kingdom
Baro-Bhuyan
Colonial
Colonial Assam
Assam Province
People[show]
Ahoms
Assamese Brahmins
Muslims
Assamese Sikhs[1]
Kalitas
Kaibartas
Sutiyas
Tribes
Bodos • Deuris • Dimasas • Karbis • Koch Rajbongshis • Misíngs • Rabhas • Tea tribes
People of Assam
Languages[show]
Asamiya, Bodo
Script
Dialects
Goalpariya
Kamrupi
Traditions[show]
Bihu
Gamosa
Kirtans - Namghars
Lagundeoni
Pujas
Satras
Xorai
Zikir
Cuisine[show]
Rice
Poitabhat • Jolpan
Fish
Masor Tenga
Sweets
Narikol'or Laru • Til'or Laru
Snacks
Pitha
Sauces
Bilahir top
Drink
Assam Tea
Festivals[show]
Ambubachi Mela
Ahoms: Me-Dam-Me-Phi
Bihu
Durga Puja
Sahitya Sabhas
Religion
Art[show]
Cultural Development of Kamarupa
Literature[show]
History
Beginnings
Orunodoi Era
Jonaki Era
Archives
Charyapads
Kotha Ramayana
The Orunodoi
The Jonaki
The Hemkosh
Kodom Koli
Genres
Poetry
Novels
Folk literature
Institutions
Assam Sahitya Sabha
Oxomiya Bhaxa Unnati Xadhini Xobha
Awards
Assam Ratna
Asam Sahitya Sabha Award • Kamal Kumari Foundation Award • Krishnakanta Handique Award
Music and performing arts[show]
Music
Performing arts
Media[show]
Cinema
Joymoti - the first motion picture
Assam portal
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This article contains the Asamiya / Assamese alphabet. Without proper rendering support, you may see errors in display.
The culture of Assam (Assamese: অসমীয়া সংস্কৃতি অথবা অসমীয়া লোক-সংস্কৃতি) is traditionally a hybrid one, developed due to cultural assimilation of different ethno-cultural groups under various political-economic systems in different periods of history.
Contents
[hide]
1 Historical perspective
2 Composition and characteristics
3 Elements
3.1 Symbolism
3.2 Festivals
3.3 Music
3.4 Traditional crafts
3.5 Paintings
3.6 State anthem
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Historical perspective[edit]
The roots of Assamese culture go back almost two thousand years when the first cultural assimilation took place between Austro-asiatic and Tibeto-Burman groups. There were three waves of cultural assimilation in Assam. First, it was the Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups which had arrived from Tibet, Yunnan and Sinchuan provinces of China who mixed with the scarcely present aboriginal Austric people like the Khasi and Jaintia. Then there was a wave of Indo-Aryans from Northern India, which brought the Vedic culture and Hinduism into Assam. The last wave of migration was that of the Ahoms(Tai/Shan) who added another chapter to the Assamese culture. The Ahoms later on brought some more Indo-Aryans like the Assamese Brahmins and Ganaks and Assamese Kayasthas to Assam.[2][better source needed][3]
Actors of Abinaswar Gosthi performs the play"Surjya Mandirot Surjyasta"
According to the epic Mahabharata and on the basis of local folk lore, people of Assam (Kiratas and Nishadas Dasas) probably lived in a strong kingdom under the Himalayas in the era before Jesus Christ, which led to an early assimilation of various Tibeto-Burman and Autro-asiatic ethnic groups on a greater scale. Typical naming of the rivers and spatial distribution of related ethno-cultural groups also support this theory. Thereafter, western migrations of Indo-Aryans such as those of various branches of Irano-Scythians and Nordics along with mixed northern Indians (the ancient cultural mix already present in northern Indian states such as Magadha enriched the aboriginal culture and under certain stronger politico-economic systems, Sanskritisation and Hinduisation intensified and became prominent. Such an assimilated culture therefore carries many elements of source cultures, of which exact roots are difficult to trace and are a matter for research. However, in each of the elements of Assamese culture, i.e. language, traditional crafts, performing arts, festivities and beliefs, either indigenous local elements or the indigenous local elements in a Sanskritised forms are always present.
It is believed that Assamese culture developed its roots over 750 years as the country of Kamarupa during the first millennium AD. The first 300 years of Kamarupa was under the great Varman dynasty, 250 years under the Mlechchha dynasty and 200 years under the Pala dynasty. The records of many aspects of the language, traditional crafts (silk, lac, gold, bronze, etc.) are available in different forms. When the Tai-Shans entered the region in 1228 under the leadership of Sukaphaa to establish Ahom kingdom in Assam for the next 600 years, again a new chapter of cultural assimilation was written, and thus the modern form of Assamese culture developed. The original Tai-Shans assimilated with the local culture, adopted the language on one hand and on the other also influenced the culture with the elements from their own. Similarly the Chutiya kingdom in eastern Assam, the Koch Kingdom in western Assam and the medieval Kachari and Jaintia kingdoms in southern Assam provided stages for assimilation at different intensities and with different cultural-mixes.
The Vaishanav Movement, a 15th-century religio-cultural movement under the leadership of Srimanta Sankardeva and his disciples, have provided another dimension to Assamese culture. A renewed Hinduisation in local forms took place, which was initially greatly supported by the Koch and later by the Ahom Kingdoms. The resultant social institutions such as namghar and sattra - the Vaishnav Hermitage have become part of the Assamese way of life. The movement contributed greatly towards language, literature and performing and fine arts. On many occasions, the Vaishnav Movement attempted to introduce alien cultural attributes and modify the way of life of the common people. Brajavali, a language specially created by introducing words from other Indian languages, failed as a language but left its traces on the Assamese language. Moreover, new alien rules were also introduced changing people's food habits and other aspects of cultural life. This had a greater impact on the alienation of many local ethno-cultural and political groups in the later periods.
During periods when strong politico-economic systems that emerged under powerful dynasties, greater cultural assimilation created common attributes of Assamese culture, while under less powerful politico-economic systems or during political disintegration, more localised attributes were created with spatial differentiation. Time-factors for such integrations and differentiations have also played an important role along with the position of individual events in the entire series of events.
Dunori from Assam.
Traditional painting of Assam.
Asamiya textile print design of Gamosa.
Tamul-paan of Assam.
A Bihu dancer with a horn.
With a strong base of tradition and history, modern Assamese culture is greatly influenced by various events those took place in under British rule of Assam and in the Post-British Era. The language was standardised by American Missionaries according to that of the Sibsagar District, the nerve centre of the Ahom politico-economic system while a renewed Sanskritisation was increasingly adopted for developing Assamese language and grammar (ব্যাকৰণ). A new wave of Western and northern Indian influence was apparent in the performing arts and literature.
Due to increasing efforts of standardisation in the 19th and 20th century, the localised forms present in different districts and also among the remaining source-cultures with the less-assimilated ethno-cultural groups have seen greater alienation. However, Assamese culture in its hybrid form and nature is one of the richest and is still under development.
Composition and characteristics[edit]
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Assamese culture in its true sense today is a 'cultural system' composed of different sub-systems. It is more interesting to note that even many of the source-cultures of Assamese culture are still surviving either as sub-systems or as sister entities. In broader sense, therefore, the Assamese cultural system incorporates its source-cultures and However, it is also important to keep the broader system closer to its roots.
Elements[edit]
Symbolism[edit]
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Xorai, a traditional symbol of Assam .
Symbolism is an important part of Assamese culture. Various elements are being used to represent beliefs, feelings, pride, identity, etc. Symbolism is an ancient cultural practice in Assam, which is still very important for the people. Tamulpan, Xorai and Gamosa are three important symbolic elements in Assamese culture.
Tamul-paan (the areca nut and betel leaves) or guapan (gua from kwa) are considered as the offers of devotion, respect and friendship. It is an ancient tradition and is being followed since time-immemorial with roots in the aboriginal Austric culture.
Xorai, a traditional symbol of Assam, is a manufactured bell-metal object and an article of great respect and is used as a container-medium while performing respectful offerings. It is an offering tray with a stand at the bottom similar to those found in East and South East Asia. There are xorais with or without a cover on the top. Traditionally xorai are made of bell metal although nowadays they can be made from brass and/or silver. Hajo and Sarthebari are the most important centres of traditional bell-metal and brass crafts including xorais. Xorais are used:
as an offering tray for tamul-pan (betel nuts and betel leaves) to guests as a sign of welcome and thanks.
as an offering tray for food and other items placed in front of the altar(naamghar)for blessing by the Lord.
as a decorative symbol in traditional functions such as during Bihu dances.
as a gift to a person of honour during felicitations.
Gamosa, an honorary piece of cloth commonly used for Felicitation in Assam very similar to other traditional headgears of East and South East Asia.
The Gamosa is an article of great significance for the people of Assam. Literally translated, it means 'something to wipe the body with' (Ga=body, mosa=to wipe); interpreting the word “gamosa” as the body-wiping towel is misleading. It is generally a white rectangular piece of cloth with primarily a red border on three sides and red woven motifs on the fourth (in addition to red, other colors are also used). Though it is used daily to wipe the body after a bath (an act of purification), the use is not restricted to this. It is used by the farmer as a waistcloth (tongali) or a loincloth (suriya); a Bihu dancer wraps it around the head with a fluffy knot. It is hung around the neck at the prayer hall and was thrown over the shoulder in the past to signify social status. Guests are welcomed with the offering of a gamosa and tamul (betel nut) and elders are offered gamosas (bihuwaan) during Bihu. It is used to cover the altar at the prayer hall or cover the scriptures. An object of reverence is never placed on the bare ground, but always on a gamosa. One can therefore, very well say, that the gamosa symbolizes the life and culture of Assam.
Significantly the gamosa is used equally by all irrespective of religious and ethnic backgrounds.
At par with Gamosa, there are beautifully woven symbolic clothes with attractive graphic designs being used by different cultural sub-systems and ethno-cultural groups as well.
There were various other traditional symbolic elements and designs in use, which are now found only in literature, art, sculpture, architecture, etc. or used for only religious purposes (in particular occasions). The typical designs of assamese-lion, dragon, flying-lion, etc. were used for symbolising various purposes and occasions.
Festivals[edit]
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There are several important indigenous traditional festivals in Assam. Bihu is the most celebrated festival among all. Indigenous traditional festivals are celebrated every year around different corners of Assam.
Main article: Bihu
A group of Bihu dancers.
Youth wearing Assamese traditional costumes
Bihu is a series of three prominent festivals of Assam. Primarily a festival celebrated to mark the seasons and the significant points of a cultivator's life over a yearly cycle, in recent times the form and nature of celebration has changed with the growth of urban centers. Three Bihus are celebrated: rongali, celebrated with the coming of spring and the beginning of the sowing season; kongali, the barren bihu when the fields are lush but the barns are empty; and the bhogali, the thanksgiving when the crops have been harvested and the barns are full. Rongali, kongali & bhogali bihu are also known as 'bohag bihu', 'kati bihu' & 'magh bihu' respectively. The day before the each bihu is known as 'uruka'. There are unique features of each bihu. The first day of 'rongali bihu' is called 'Goru bihu' (the bihu of the cows). On this day the cows are taken to the nearby rivers or ponds to be bathed with special care. Traditionally, cows are respected as sacred animals by the people of Assam. Bihu songs and Bihu dance are associated to rongali bihu.
Main article: Bwisagu
Bwisagu is a very popular seasonal festival of the Bodo of Assam. Bwisagu means start of the new year. Baisagu is a Boro word which originated from the word "Baisa" which means year or age, and "Agu" that means starting or start
Main article: Ali Ai Ligang
Ali-Ai-Ligang is the spring festival of the Mising people of Assam, India. The name of the festival is made up of three terms, 'Ali', root and seed, 'Ai', fruit and 'Ligang', to sow.
Main article: Bohuwa dance
Bohuwa dance is festival of Sonowal Kacharis of Assam, India.
Music[edit]
Main article: Music of Assam
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Assam, being the home to many ethnic groups and different cultures, is rich in folk music. The indigenous folk music has in turn influenced the growth of a modern idiom, that finds expression in the music of such artists are Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Bishnuprasad Rabha, Parvati Prasad Baruva, Bhupen Hazarika, Nirmalendu Choudhury & Utpalendu Choudhury, Pratima Barua Pandey, Luit Konwar Rudra Baruah, Parvati Prasad Baruva, Jayanta Hazarika, Khagen Mahanta, Beauty Sarma Baruah. Among the new generation Zubeen Garg, Angaraag Mahanta, Kalpana Patowary, Joi Barua, Jitul Sonowal and Manoj Borah are well known.
And other than traditional assamese music assam's capital city Guwahati have become country's capital for rock music other than Shillong. A number of talented rock bands have formed showcasing their talents around the world.
Traditional crafts[edit]
See also: Assam silk and Textiles and dresses of Assam
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Mekhela, the traditional attire of women in Assam.
Pictured, one of the most exclusive variants, Muga Mekhela.
Assam has maintained a rich tradition of various traditional crafts for more than two thousand years. Presently, Cane and bamboo craft, bell metal and brass craft, silk and cotton weaving, toy and mask making, pottery and terracotta work, wood craft, jewellery making, musical instruments making, etc. are remained as major traditions. Historically, Assam also excelled in making boats, traditional guns and gunpowder, colours and paints, articles of lac, traditional building materials, utilities from iron, etc.
Cane and bamboo craft provide the most commonly used utilities in daily life, ranging from household utilities, weaving accessories, fishing accessories, furniture, musical instruments to building construction materials. Traditional utilities and symbolic articles made from bell metal and brass are found in every Assamese household. The Xorai and bota have been in use for centuries to offer gifts to respected persons and are two prominent symbolic elements. Hajo and Sarthebari are the most important centres of traditional bell-metal and brass crafts. Assam is the home of several types of silks, the most prominent and prestigious being Muga, the natural golden silk is exclusive only to Assam. Apart from Muga, there are other two varieties called Pat, a creamy-bright-silver coloured silk and Eri, a variety used for manufacturing warm clothes for winter. Apart from Sualkuchi, the centre for the traditional silk industry, in almost every parts of the Brahmaputra Valley, rural households produce silk and silk garments with excellent embroidery designs. Moreover, various ethno-cultural groups in Assam make different types of cotton garments with unique embroidery designs and wonderful colour combinations.
Moreover, Assam possesses unique crafts of toy and mask making mostly concentrated in the Vaishnav Hermitage, pottery and terracotta work in Western Assam districts and wood craft, iron craft, jewellery, etc. in many places across the region. However we can see assam populated because of these.
Traditional clothes and fabric of the Assamese include Suriya, Pirawn, Gamusa, Jaapi, Mekhela Sadawr, Riha, Tongali.
Paintings[edit]
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Painting is an ancient tradition of Assam. The ancient practices can be known from the accounts of the Chinese traveller Xuanzang (7th century CE). The account mentions that Bhaskaravarma, the king of Kamarupa has gifted several items to Harshavardhana, the king of Magadha including paintings and painted objects, some of which were on Assamese silk. Many of the manuscripts available from the Middle Ages bear excellent examples of traditional paintings. The most famous of such medieval works are available in the Hastividyarnava (A Treatise on Elephants), the Chitra Bhagawata and in the Gita Govinda. The medieval painters used locally manufactured painting materials such as the colours of hangool and haital. The medieval Assamese literature also refers to chitrakars and patuas. Traditional Assamese paintings have been influenced by the motifs and designs in the medieval works such as the Chitra Bhagawata.
There are several renowned contemporary painters in Assam. The Guwahati Art College in Guwahati is the only government institution for tertiary education. Several art-societies and non-government initiatives exist across the state and the Guwahati Artists Guild is a front-runner organisation based in Guwahati along with the Guwahati art college. There is a Department of Fine Arts in Assam University Silchar, a central government organization, and its thrust area concentrates on the art and craft of north east India with special reference to Assam.
State anthem[edit]
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Main article: O Mur Apunar Desh
The song O Mur Apunar Desh (অ’ মোৰ আপোনাৰ দেশ) (O my endearing country, 'desh', phonetically 'dex', with a talôibbô xô=country), composed by Rasaraj Lakshminath Bezbaroa, is popularly accepted as the state anthem of the state of Assam.
See also[edit]
Ambubachi Mela
Jonbeel Mela
List of Ancient games of Assam
References[edit]
Jump up ^ "Meet the Axomiya Sikhs". The Tribune. Chandigarh. 24 March 2013.
Jump up ^ "Assamese Culture".
Jump up ^ "Assamese People and Their Culture".
External links[edit]
Official website
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