Dhritimoni Mahanta and Debahuti Das

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA will facilitate research and creation of multiple outcomes by studying the historical evolution and present condition of selected colonial-era buildings in Jorhat. By undertaking archival research, field documentation and community-sourced materials the research project attempts to understand how residents of Jorhat perceive and interpret colonial era buildings and what role do these perceptions play in shaping collective urban memory. Relying on diverse research methodology the project will attempt to understand how integration of oral histories, archival records and museum materials generate new narratives about the city’s architectural past; why are certain colonial structures preserved and celebrated as heritage while others are neglected, repurposed or allowed to decay and what factors influence these outcomes; and how do repurposed colonial buildings function in contemporary Jorhat and what emotional, symbolic and cultural meanings do they carry. This project is in collaboration with Vintage Hub, in Jorhat, Assam. Located in the heart of Jorhat, Assam, Vintage Hub is a vibrant cultural place that has a diverse collection of archival materials and objects pertaining to Jorhat, in an attempt to gather the many histories of the city which rests with its people. The primary vision of the space is to conserve and disseminate resources related to the history of Jorhat and Assam, offering open access to both researchers and the general public. Dhritimoni Mahanta and Debahuti Das are the Coordinators of this project. 

Dhritimoni Mahanta and Debahuti Das hailing from Morigaon and Jorhat in Assam have been working in the area of social issues, identity and statehood. Dhritimoni is currently pursuing her PhD at the Department of English, Cotton University. She has previously worked as a field assistant for NE India project of Humanities Across Borders (HaB): Asia and Africa World Programme (IIAS, Leiden - Mellon) titled Where Women Make Another Tribe (Area of Research: Nagaland). She has a post graduate diploma in Gender Studies, Centre for Women’s Studies, Cotton University, Guwahati. Dhritimoni has also worked as independent research consultant for North East Network (NEN). Debahuti Das is a doctoral student of Political Science at Dibrugarh University in Dibrugarh, Assam. Her academic scholarship has been published across various platforms and journals. In addition, Debahuti has presented at various national and internation conferences. Both of them demonstrate strong scholarly acumen. Given their research interest and scholarly accomplishment, Dhritimoni and Debahuti are best suited to be the to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA. 

The name Jorhat derives from a pair of hats or markets that once stood side by side. These two markets, Chokihat and Macharhat, no longer exist, yet the idea of their joining carries forward: a meeting point of routes, ideas, and cultures. Historically, Jorhat was a key stopover for journeys into the surrounding hills—for British expeditionary forces, Baptist missionaries, and countless others. It thus grew into an important watering place, and more significantly, into the last capital of the Ahom kingdom. Parallel to this, Jorhat also emerged as the heart of Assam’s tea industry. Emergence of Jorhat as the hub of the tea economy was significant in its growth as an urban centre whose modern identity was shaped heavily during the colonial period. As a key administrative and commercial hub of British Assam and the heart of the expanding tea industry, the town developed a distinctive architectural landscape with tea garden bungalows, clubs, schools, courts, offices and civic structures that continue to define its spatial and cultural character. In this project, the Project Coordinators will look at a selected few colonial structure in Jorhat to understand how these structures have progressed through different stages of relevance, acquiring new functions and meanings as the city grew. The study of these buildings is not merely a documentation of heritage, but an examination of how these structures remained within larger changes, how their continuous presence, alteration or disappearance conversed with the shifting urban sensibilities. Combining archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, oral histories and cultural-postcolonial analysis, the study investigates how residents perceive and engage with these structures, what narratives they assign to them and how these buildings mediate relationships between the city’s past and present. Focusing on themes such as preservation versus neglect, postcolonial repurposing, identity and memory-making and the role of archives as mediators of public understanding, the project aims to produce a critical, community-centered account of Jorhat. 

To start off, Debahuti and Dhritimoni have listed a few prominent structures like : Colonial-era administrative quarters (DC office complex), Doss & Co Building (commercial history), old court building, Jorhat Govt. Boys’ High School, Normal School (Now B.Ed College), Maktab School, Prince of Wales, Jorhat ITI, Bahadur Gaonburah Jorhat Dargah, Jorhat Tennis Court, Mission Hospital and church, Tea estate bungalows, clubs, factories, Railway remnants, cemeteries, old post office buildings and civic structures, Old Jorhat Gymkhana Club, Thengal Manor, Jorhat Central Jail, Toklai Research Centre, Old Circuit House, Cinnamora Tea Estate original Bungalow primarily among all others. These buildings not only have diverse origin and utility, but also present moments to understand tensions between heritage and decay, the study of symbolic meanings and emotional responses to colonial structures. 

The project speaks to the vision of the Archives and Museums programme of IFA and responds to the impulse of the collaboration between IFA and Vintage Hub. Vintage Hub in Jorhat seeks to activate the city of Jorhat as a space where collective lived histories are gathered, questioned, contested and shared. One of the key focuses of the Vintage Hub has been to gather community driven archives and memory-based collection in order to build a “City Archive.” This project is a deliberate attempt towards this endeavour. Through multi-pronged approach to look at colonial buildings, the project will hopefully encourage the citizens of Jorhat to see their immediate location more than just sites and backdrops to history, but as sites where collective lived histories are questioned, contested, and at times erased and silenced. 

Debahuti and Dhritimoni have divided the project in five phases, with specific outcomes in mind. In the first phase, the coordinators will identify selected colonial-era neighborhoods in Jorhat, conduct limited archival research, and meet local residents, institutions and community groups. This focus on relationship building is crucial for the sustenance and longevity of the project. In this phase, Debahuti and Dhritimoni will also identify the respondents for the oral history collection and a simple framework for the Community Memory Archive will also be designed. In the next phase, work towards collecting community materials such as photographs, personal stories and documents will be initiated through small meetings and home visits rather than large-scale campaigns. Oral histories will be recorded gradually and basic digitisation of materials will start. Field photography documenting key buildings and streets will also be undertaken. The third phase will prioritise organising and cataloging of the collected material to strengthen the Community Memory Archive. Heritage Walks and Memory Trails will be conducted on selected routes to test public interest, which will be refined and launched for the public. Simultaneously, Storytelling Sessions will be organised with limited participants to record narratives and encourage intergenerational exchange.  The fourth phase, will be dedicated towards creation of Travelling Displays, that would showcase archival materials, community narratives and photographic documentation. The Travelling Display will be taken across selected spaces in Jorhat as well to educational institutions. The Project Coordinators will also start their work on the Photo Essay. The concluding phase will work towards compiling and presenting project outcomes across different modalities, e.g.  The Community Memory Archive will be organised on a web-based platform for public access, and the completed photo essay will be prepared for exhibition, digital display and publication. 

The outcome of this project will be Heritage Walks and Memory Trails, Travelling Displays, Community Memory Archive, Storytelling Sessions and a Photo Essay. The Project Coordinator’s final deliverables to IFA, along with the reports will be a web-based Community Memory Archive, recorded oral histories, images and communication materials from curated heritage walks, documentation of the storytelling sessions, a photo essay, and copies of the travelling display panel.

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm and document it through an Implementation Memorandum. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.

This project is supported by Tata Trusts.