The Bodos (pronounced BO-ros) are an ethnic and linguistic community, early settlers of Assam in the North-East part of India. According to the 1991 census, there were 1.2 million Bodos in Assam which makes for 5.3% of the total population in the state.[1] Bodos belong to a larger ethnic group called the Bodo-Kachari. The Bodos are recognized as a plains tribe in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Udalguri and Kokrajhar are considered the center of the Bodo area.
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The Bodos represent one of the largest of the 18 ethnic sub-groups within the Kachari group, first classified in the 19th century.[2] Bodos have settled in most areas of North-East India, and parts of Nepal.The BODO People constitute a diverse range of the Indigenous people of North-east india .The overarching term "BODO" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term embraces many distinct populations, societies, and ethnic groups like Dimasa kachari, sonowal kachari , Mech kachari , Rabha kachari , Thengal kachari etc who each have their own particular traditions, language ,cultures, and historical identity.The BODO word is nothing but merely a male Clan of Royal Dimasa Kachri Race. The first Raja of Dimasa Kachari kingdom was belongs to BODO Clan.so Bodo never be a tribe. There is no history in the world that A clan of a tribe can become a community. If it is so then is a distortion of the History Among the 18 groups mentioned by Endle, the Mech in Western Assam, the Bodo in central Assam, the Sonowal and Thengal in the eastern part of the Brahmaputra river are closely related. The others have been either Hinduized (e.g. Koch, Sarania), or have developed separate identities (e.g. Garo).
The Bodos represent one of the largest ethnic and linguistic groups of the Brahmaputra valley. Typical Bodo last names (surname) are , Brahma, Boro, Basumatary, Dwimary, Swargiary, Goyary, Khakhlary, Mushahary, Narzary, Iswary,chamframary, hajowary. The 1971 census report indicated Bodos being the 8th largest scheduled-tribe (ST) group in India. Close to 1 million people speak Bodo language.
The Bodo language is a member of the Tibeto-Burmese family. The Roman script and Assamese script were used in the past. Recently, Bodos adopted the Devanagari script. According to some scholars, the Bodo language had a script of its own called Deodhai..
Very early on, Bodos may have introduced rice cultivation, tea plantation, pig and poultry farming, and silkworm rearing in the North East India. The traditional favourite drink of the Bodos is Zu Mai (Zu: wine; Mai: rice). Rice is a staple of the Bodos and is often accompanied by a non vegetarian dish such as fish or pork. Traditionally Bodos are non-vegetarians.
Weaving is another integral part of Bodo culture. Many families rear their own silkworms, the cocoons of which are then spun into silk. Bodo girls learn to weave from a young age, and no Bodo courtyard is complete without a loom. Most women weave their own Dokhnas (the traditional dress of the Bodo women) and shawls. The Bodos are also expert craftsmen in bamboo products.
In the past, Bodos worshipped their forefathers and followed animistic traditions. In recent years, Bodos practice Bathouism, Hinduism and Christianity.Among Christian groups some belong to the Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Bathouism is a form worshipping forefathers called Obonglaoree. The sijwu plant (belonging to the Euphorbia genus), is taken as the symbol of Bathou and worshiped. In the Bodo Language Ba means five and thou means deep. Five is a significant number in the Bathou religion.
A clean surface near home or courtyard is considered as an ideal place for worship. Usually, a pair of arecanut called 'goi' and betel leaf called 'pathwi' could be used as offering. On some occasion, worship offering could include rice, milk, and sugar. For the Kherai Puja, the most important festival of the Bodos, the altar is placed in the rice field. Other important festivals of the Bodos include Hapsa Hatarnai, Awnkham Gwrlwi Janai, Bwisagu and Domashi.
The Bodos led a gory struggle in the name of self-determination in late 80's under the leadership of Upendra Nath Brahma, who is now regarded as the Father of the Bodos (Bodo-Fa). After a decade of long agitation, the Bodos have been granted the Bodoland Territorial Council(BTC), an autonomous administrative body that will have within its jurisdiction the present district of Kokrajhar, Darrang and adjoining areas, and some parts of Kamrup and Nalbari. The movement for autonomy was headed by the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), an outfit believed to have undertaken many extremist activities in bodo dominated areas. The BSF, Boro Security Force, an underground organization of the bodos, now known as NDFB, National Democratic Front of bodoland, is still involved in insurgency. Following the establishment of the BTC, the BLT have come overground.
During the early 1990s, the Bodo's insurgency had a significant impact on forests and wildlife populations in the Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3] The poaching of rhinos and swamp deer, in particular, severely diminished the stocks of these endangered species, to the point where they are said to locally extinct.[4] The damage caused by the insurgency is the main reason why the wildlife sanctuary has been on the World Heritage Council Danger List since 1992.[5]
In 2006 Assam Assembly elections, the former Bodo Liberation Tigers(BLT) members under Hagrama Mohilary formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and came to power in Dispur. Educational and job opportunities remain the biggest problem for Bodos.
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