A Study of History & Archaeology of the Kamrupa District Kamrup district (25.46 and 26.

49 north latitude and between 90.48 and 91.50 east longitude) is bounded by Udalguri and Baska District in the north, Meghalaya in the south, Darrang District and Kamrupa Metropolitan district in the east and Goalpara District and Nalbari District in the west. The reference of Kamrupa is first found in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta (AD 335-75) where Davaka and Kamarupa are mentioned as the frontier kingdoms of the Gupta Empire. The place Kamarupa is now identified with modern Assam. Literary reference of Kamarupa Pragjyotisapura can also be found in the epics and the classical Sanskrit works of Kalika

Purana and Yogini Tantra.

Some of the important dynasties who ruled ancient Kamarupa are the Varman dynasty, Salastambha dynasty and the Pala dynasty of Assam ruled in the early historic period. In the medieval period, the Ahoms and some other dynasties contemporary to them ruled different parts of Assam. The proposed research area is the protected archaeological monuments in the Kamrup district. The monuments/sites in these area is potentially rich which comprises of temple, temple ruins, sculptures, rock carvings, masonry remains of stone and brick temples etc. Some of the monuments are the Ambari Archaeological site, rock carving at Urvasi Island, Umachal Rock Inscription, Kamakhya Temple, Madan Kamdev etc. Statement of the problems: Only few scholars have work in these areas and no detailed published literature and systematic documentation of these monuments has been carried out till date. Therefore we have scope to extend our knowledge about kamarupa and its cultural heritage with systematic field work and literature survey.

Objectives:
1) Systematic

record

and

documentation

of

the

protected

archaeological

monuments to understand their significance. Our ancient monuments have suffered damages and sometime found untraceable through natural calamities, disaster, neglect and urbanization. Therefore, a proper detailed documentation is required to records the archaeological monuments, rock carving, inscription which include the history, location, architecture style, period, description of the structure, protection, conservation, plan/elevation and photographs etc which can provide information for academic study as well as for safeguard for the future generation.
2) To create a uniform database of the monuments/sites from published and

unpublished sources and to investigate the historical and archaeological significance of the site.
3) To record the legends and beliefs and practices associated with the monuments/

sites.
4) To study the conservation problems of the monuments/ sites of the proposed

area.

Literature review: In the field of historical archaeological only few scholars have work in a systematic and a scientific method. P.N.Bhattachary edited the Kamrupa Saraswati in Bengali which included the inscription which were known during their time, P.M Nath has published in his book Background of the Assamesse culture only few sculptures of the medieval period, P.C.Choudhury has very briefly described about the archaeological remains of the region in his book. The scholar has emphasis more on the published data without much field work. R.D Choudhury has carried out an extensive study on the Archaeology

of the Brahmaputra valley his work is undoubtly a pioneer nature but his study is confined to the Brahmaputra valley; Nishipada Dev Choudhury has briefly worked on the Historical Archaeological of Central Assam and comparative study of the archaeological remains of central Assam with the archaeological remains of the other part of the country. Methodology: The following research methodology will be undertaken for the proposed research

To explore and survey the protected archaeological monuments and systematic collection of archaeological data will be an important part of the research strategy.

Collection of data from various museums and Departments of Archaeology. Efforts to be made to document both the published and unpublished materials and used that as an important source of my research.

Consult various publication, including research articles, unpublished PhD theses, and books published on the subject and gather relevant information for the study purposes.

Conduct interview of scholars, historian and archaeologist who have done some work in the region and also with the local people of the proposed area.

The proposed research proposal may result through field exploration, survey of the monument, scientific excavation if required and record the beliefs and practices associated with the monument/sites in the proposed research area. The data of the monuments/ sites are lying scattered either partly documented or undocumented some of the importation monuments are untraceable in our region. The Tamreswari temple in Sadiya is untraceable which is associated with Deoris tribes due to the change of the course of the river but no proper record of the monument is available today. An attempt has to be made to document the monuments/sites in a uniform

database with the help of field survey, reports, literature, drawing, photographs, record the history, location, detailed description, present condition and various conservation problems etc which can provided a detailed information, record for future study and for the posterity of our future generation.