DIVERSIFICATION OF CULTURAL PRACTICES AND SOCIO-CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AMONG THE TEA GARDEN WORKERS: A CASE STUDY OF AMLUCKIE TEA ESTATE IN NAGAON DISTRICT, ASSAM (INDIA)

The tea plantation in Assam occupies an important place in the economy, culture and polity of the state as it contributes the country's 53.97 per cent area and 52.04 per cent in tea production. During the British colonial rule the onset of tea plantations has not only changed the landscape of Brahmaputra valley through green tea bushes being nourished by tea tribes from east and central parts of India. Therefore growing tea tribe population along with the continuing socio-cultural interaction and embracement with the host community has had significant bearing in forming the present social fabric of the greater Assamese society. With this background the present study made an attempt to assess the cultural diversification and associated socio- cultural transformation of the tea workers in the study area. Hence, the study is based on primary data and total numbers of 100 respondents have been surveyed through schedule-cum- questionnaire by field survey. The data so collected have been processed and analysed using appropriate cartographic techniques.