The Centre for Studies in Local Languages & Cultures at North Bengal University has launched a project to carry out researches on some of the primitive tribes in the region and prepare monographs for the conservation of their language and cultural heritage.

“We have planned to prepare monographs on different languages spoken by some communities, including a few primitive tribes in north Bengal. Some of these are endangered languages spoken by communities like Dhimal, Toto, Mech and Rajbanshi,” said Koushik Joardar, the director of the centre.

Monographs are detailed documents which carry illustrative and other details of any language and culture.

For this purpose, the varsity has planned to host workshops where faculty members and experts would congregate to provide inputs for the monographs.

On Friday, a three-day workshop commenced at the centre to collect details of the language spoken by Dhimals, a community that dwells in the Naxalbari block of Siliguri.

Linguists, researchers, faculty members from different departments and some members of the community are attending the workshop.

“After the workshop, we will prepare a monograph on the Dhimal language and culture. It would be an important document for the community in future,” Joardar said.

The experts will also visit respective localities where the communities live.

“During the study, we will try to find out why these languages are endangered. There will be comparative studies, vis-à-vis, the status of other languages, along with geographical status and other details of each of these communities,” said a source.

The initiative has been welcomed by members of the community.

“We have been seeking the Scheduled Tribe status. The monograph, we feel, can act as an important document for us,” said Garjan Mallick, a senior member of the Dhimal community.