International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Agrarian Folk Culture in Transition: A Mixed-Methods Study from Rural Assam

Assam, a culturally plural state in northeastern India, harbors one of the subcontinent's most layered agrarian folk cultures — spanning traditional agricultural implements, seasonal festivals, ritual customs, folk beliefs, specialized agricultural vocabulary, attire, folk songs, indigenous food systems, and ethnomedical knowledge. The present study examines the multidimensional transformation of this heritage under the combined impact of modern science, technology, and globalization, and systematically identifies its principal determinants. Drawing on a major field-based study conducted across five districts of Assam — Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Majuli, and Sonitpur — the research employs a mixed-methods design integrating structured questionnaire surveys (450 respondents across 32 villages), 96 in-depth interviews, 18 focus group discussions, participant observation, and transect walks. The study documents: substantial displacement of draft-animal tillage by mechanized implements; progressive detachment of agricultural festivals from their agricultural content; marked erosion of agricultural folk speech and oral tradition; widespread substitution of commercially produced garments and food items for traditional counterparts; and accelerating attrition of indigenous medical knowledge. Primary determinants are analyzed under three categories — economic, intellectual-educational, and social. Findings reveal sharp generational discontinuities in cultural knowledge, pointing to a risk of irreversible heritage loss without deliberate conservation measures. Evidence-based recommendations are offered for policy and community action.