Padmā Purān as a Literary Source of Assam’s Diverse Socio-Cultural Manifestations

The classics of India, particularly the Puranas, occupy a complex and often contested position within the country’s intellectual and cultural tradition. However, the classical traditions of North East India differ markedly from those of other regions in their relative marginality to Sanskritic canons and their closer engagement with oral narratives, performative traditions, and localized cosmologies. Consequently, North Eastern classics foreground fluid identities, nature-centric worldviews, and community-based ethics, thereby challenging dominant notions of what constitutes the “classical” in Indian literary tradition. According to Emily Greenwood, classics function as foundational or “source” texts for multiple forms and traditions, shaped by existing myths, texts, and modes of reception (Greenwood 43). Among the numerous classics of India, the Padmā purān by Sukabi Narayandeb, not only stands as a classic for its timelessness, cultural centrality and interpretative richness, but also serves as narrative “source” of Assam’s varied socio-cultural practices. The particular research article attempts to highlight how the classic is relevant through sustained circulation—textual, oral, or performative. Key words: classics, Purana, Padmā purān, “source” text.