Human beings have been engaged in a magical activity called communication from the very moment they arrived on this planet. As the human race flourished and multiplied, this concept of communication too began expanding, resulting in what we today know as mass communication. This activity called mass communication is (i) continuous, (ii) personal, (iii) circular in motion, and, most importantly (iv) irreversible.

India, this land of ours, is an independent, sovereign, democratic nation and there could be no two opinions about that. All the said aspects of this identity carry specific meanings. A distinct geographical boundary and a national culture give this identity a speciality. But, yet, this identity was jolted in the course of the last century.

Preserving and promoting the ancient traditions of various communities, while continually emphasizing the significance of safeguarding one's customs and heritage to the younger generation, has been the mission of The Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture since its establishment. In line with this goal, the subject I am presenting here focuses on the material culture of one community, which is an integral part of their age old identity.  The creation of pottery, a form of material culture within a community, dates back to the dawn of human civilization.

Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari, Assam Prant, Kamrup Vibhag, Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture (VKIC) organized the 13th Vedanta Vachaspati Radhanath Phukan Memorial Lecture on the topic “Practical Vedanta of Swami Vivekananda” in Guwahati on 4th January 2025. More than 85 people attended the event.

Our sojourn to the venerable Basistha Mandir Transpired on the auspicious 20th of March, 2024, wherein I engaged in lettered discourse with the venerable Pujaris, stewards of the Mandir, delving into the annals of its storied past.

I would have very much liked that I got associated with you during a meeting that was more real than virtual but I think the problems of poverty have deprived us of that opportunity. We are trying to adjust to these new realities.