Sonowal Kacharis

The 'Sonowal Kacharis' ({{Assamese: সোনোৱাল কছাৰী Devnagari: सोनोवाल कछारी Latin: Sonowal Kachari}}) are one of the royal dynasties of the North East part of India. It is one of a branch of great Bodo-Kacharis, a major tribal community in Assam, and are also found in other states of Northeast India. They are predominantly inhabitants of the Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Tinisukia and Dibrugarh districts of Assam.[1] They are also scattered in the districts of Sibsagar, Jorhat, Golaghat and in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India, also.[2] Their population is estimated at 2.5 lakh. This tribe is second in terms of literacy rate with an excellent 85.4% literacy just after the mizos.

Origins

The Sonowal Kacharis belong to the Mongoloid race[3] of people. Although the origin of all Kacharis is the same, there are many clans of Kacharis, among them ‘Bodowsa’, ‘Dhyan or Dehan’, ‘Lathowsa’, ‘Thawthensa’, ‘Hafalongsa’ and ‘Hammusa’. The Sonowal Kacharis are descendants of the ‘Hammusa’ family.

A folklore of the Sonowal Kacharis relates that:

"Having being blessed by the ‘Khiring Raja’, the god worshipped by the Sonowal Kacharis, the wife of a Sonowal Kachari named Manik gave birth to a cat. The cat was kept in a ‘Hariyahar duli’ (mustard loaded bamboo basket), and the cat turned into a golden cat, surprisingly. On having this heavenly gift from ‘Khiring Raja’, Manik could become the king of Halali. Later he bequeathed his kingdom to his grandson Mukuta."

It may be that there were at least two immigrations from north and northeast into the valley of the Brahmaputra. One entered into Bengal and Assam through the valley of Tista, Dharla and Sonkosh and the other taking its way through Suwansiri, Dibang and Dihong into upper Assam, and the Sonowal Kacharis are possibly from the second group.

Family tree

According to the Haidang Geet, the family tree of the Sonowal Kacharis includes seven major clans or ‘Khels’ which are divided into fourteen subclans or ‘Bongshas’, and the ‘Bongshas’ are again sub-divided into 108 ‘Hons or Pariyals’. The names of the Khels are: 1. Ujani Kusia 2. Namoni Kusia 3. Amorabomia 4. Tipomia 5. Dhulial 6. Siripuria 7. Balikhitiari. These ‘Khels’ are subdivided into fourteen ‘Bongshas’, which are: 1. Madanial 2. Manikial 3. Hogral 4. Muktal 5. Ezmal(Ehmal) 6. Formal 7. Horu Hazual 8. Bor Hazual 9. Lothial 10. Chotial 11. Kumral 12. Bormal(Athuwal) 13. Dongral and 14. Dingial.

However another nine ‘Bongshas’ have so far been found which are merged into the Sonowal Kacharis either from Miri, Dofola, Bodo, Rabha, Dimasa, Naga, Shyam, Konsh or Ahom origin. These are:1. Mukhral 2. Hukral 3. Dekral 4. Chungial 5. Chunial 6. Dhansirial 7. Hakual 8. Dhadumial 9. Dolongrial.

All the ‘Bongshas’ mentioned above are again subdivided into minimum 4 Nos. of ‘Hons or Pariyals’ totaling 108 Nos. These are as follows:1. Guinri 2. Pithari 3. Dakuwali 4. Boglari 5. Lokkhanari/Phetari or Ghorpurari 6. Gaon Khuwari/Hatiri/Pakrari or Ghujiari 7. Balikhitiari 8. Baithoari 9. Akhuari or Bhaktiari 10. Dekari 11. Ujhari 12. Khaniri 13. Loguwari or Swargiari 14. Gelepi 15. Hukuli 16. Muktali 17. Makrari 18. Gejepi 19. Hogun Murari 20. Dhaknari 21. Ezlari 22. Langiri 23. Tuhuri 24. Tepari 25. Lapitri 26. Mukudumi or Kenari 27. Chururi 28. Bormajhiri/Misniri/Nagharari or Udiri 29. Khatuwali 30. Jarlogari 31. Manari or Marari 32. Khotari 33. Nezkatari 34. Phatowali 35. Phalari 36. Laluwari 37. Thakuli or Thakuri 38. Pedari 39. Chelengi 40. Tangiri 41. Kshagunmari 42. Tarari 43. Kedali 44. Hatkhuwari 45. Borghiari 46. Betari 47. Kumrari or Kumari 48. Dhawali 49. Pingrari 50. Duliri 51. Lerangi 52. Jhingiri 53. Akolhoriari 54. Choitari 55. Burha Mudari 56. Mudori 57. Meglari 58. Anthuali or Deori 59. Daphlari 60. Keontari 61. Bagri 62. Likamiri 63. Hagumiri 64. Kolari/Kopowhiri or Hatihilari 65. Turuki 66. Baolari 67. Titari 68. Ganthiri 69. Demari or Doimari 70. Kharghiari 71. Borgiari 72. Kekuari or Tamuliri 73. Horumajhiri 74. Dhenkiali 75. Mukhrari 76. Kheprari 77. Pikrari or Pikari 78. Ghotari 79. Lokri or Kandh Bhongari 80. Ghungiari 81. Gebrari 82. Dhokuwali 83. Kolakhuwari 84. Dekanuwari 85. Nakori 86. Jhoprari 87. Agari 88. Tipamiari 89. Buniari 90. Bailung or Bailungiri 91. Besnari or Changpetari 92. Gherari 93. Polashi 94. Dhemkari 95. Kshadiari 96. Ahoari 97. Lohari 98. Matiari 99. Gohpuriari or Gorporari 100. Dhadumiari 101. Lunpuriari 102. Dhadumial 103. Hazari 104. Kenari 105. Ledhari 106. Teziari 107. Ghuniari 108. Phutkari.

Since the ‘Bongshas’ and the ‘Honses’ are blood relatives, marriage among the same ‘Bongshas’ and ‘Honses’ is strictly prohibited. Monogamy is the prevailing tradition but having more than one wife is not a social bar. Widows can remarry if both the parties agree. The Sonowal Kachari people suffix their ‘Hons’ with their names and they have their titles like ‘Saikia’, ‘Borsaikia’, ‘Hazarika’, ‘Borah’, ‘Baruah’ ‘Dekabaruah’ and ‘Das’ also. Although the Sonowal Kachari people do not have their own language at present, yet they have their own dialect and they speak Assamese mainly. However, some of the dialectal words they use are not available in the Assamese Dictionary.

Food

The habitual food of Sonowal Kacharis comprises savoury rice items alongside with a variety range of traditional vegetarian dishes. They love to add a few spices and chilies in their daily diet. The food habits reflect the unique cultural traits and traditional legacy of the sonowal people. In some cases, the old men are not subjected to any kind of social taboo. (They do not prefer too much spicy food.) Sonowal Kacharis have also a habit of taking various light repasts (Jalpans) like, ‘Komol Chaul’, ‘Chira’, ‘Pitha’, ‘Chewa Diya Bora Bhat’, ‘Chungat Diya Bhat’ etc. People prepare several drinks from rice and fruits. Some of the varieties of indigenous drinks of Sonowal Kacharis are: - Mod, Ruhi Mod, and also Serap, from fruits and molasses.

Textiles and ornaments

People often prefer to wear colorful tribal outfits, with ‘Dhuti-Kurta’ and decorated 'Phulam-Gamusa’. Weaving is a traditional art handed down through generations among the Sonowal Kacharis. The women are very expert in weaving with their self made looms. When a girl marries, it is almost compulsory for her parents to give her a loom. Warm and colorful embroidered hand-woven items such as ‘Ari-Sadar’, ‘Muga-Sadar’, ‘Borkapur’, ‘Mugar-Mekhela’, ‘Mugar-Sadar’, ‘Kopahi-Mekhela’, ‘Kopahi-Sadar’, ‘Riha’, ‘Dhuti’, ‘Gamusa’, ‘Tiyoni’, ‘Ekathia’, and ‘Seleng Kapur’, make magnificent souvenirs. Sonowal Kachari women always use a 'Tokoya' to cover their head. The majority of the Sonowal Kachari population is engaged in farming and weaving. Sonowal Kachari women are very fond of their traditional ornaments, which are called ‘Gam-kharu’, ‘Hansor Mora Kharu’, ‘Keru’, ‘Thuria’, ‘Zangphai’, ‘Biri’, ‘Kongkon’, dugdugi, latumoni etc.

Religion

The traditional religion of the Sonowal Kacharis is animistic, though conceptions of a supreme creator and an afterlife are in existence. Nature is seen to be alive with invisible forces, minor deities, and spirits with which priests and medicine men mediate. A portion of Sonowal Kacharis still follow the ancient religion of Animism. According to the principles of animism, the followers worship their ancestors, who are believed to help them from any kind of difficult predicament. Prior to the advent of the Satra Sanghati, the Sonowal Kacharis believed in ancestor worship. In the 17th century, with the advent of Satradhikaries, Vaishnawi was introduced, as a result, the population now is predominantly Vaishnawi. Every Sonowal Kachari village has an identical Namghor that follows strict religious rituals and customs.

Though the Sonowal Kacharis have faith in the Vaishnavas Nam Dharma which is completely against the worship of any other God or Goddess with or without sacrifice, yet they cannot entirely abandon their religious systems. They still continue to hold sacrificial worship to their traditional deities. They have traditional beliefs about some animals, birds and trees which they worship for the welfare of the society.

There are two kinds of worship, community worship and household worship. They worship household deities to maintain peace in their family and community worship for the welfare of the society. ‘Baitho Puja’, ‘Baghdeo Puja’, ‘Gatigiri Sabah’, ‘Gojai Bhoj’, ‘Sorogdeo Puja’, ‘Gokalika Puja’, ‘Jolkhai Puja’, ‘Kula Samon Puja’, ‘Ronga Samon Puja’, ‘Bor Samon Puja’, ‘Kshetra Puja’, ‘Kechaikhati Goshani Puja’, ‘Achar Kota Puja’, ‘Tapsiling Puja’, ‘Burha Burhi Thanar Puja’, ‘Baliya Baba Thanar Puja’, ‘Bhuruli Habuki Thanar Puja’, ‘Koli Ai Thanar Puja’, ‘Lokhimi Tola Sobah’, ‘Bhur Utua Sobah’, ‘Bali Sobah’, ‘Chengeli Machar Sobah’, ‘Nora Chiga Sobah’, ‘Batar Sobah’, ‘Phol Mular Sobah’, ‘Mithoi Bota Sobah’, ‘Bor Sobah’ are the main community worship of the Sonowal Kacharies. Other household worship are – ‘Khin Bhonga’, ‘Burha Puha’, ‘Chaul Khowa’, ‘Morak Diya’, ‘Piri Diya’, ‘Na-puruhor Sokam’, ‘Lokhimi mota’, ‘Bari Chukar Sokam’, ‘Ayuh Tola Sokam’, ‘Ai-mota’, ‘Apeswari Soba’, ‘Batoruwa Sokam’, ‘Gorokhiya Sobah’, ‘Ga Soloni Diya’, ‘Ujan Mach Dhora Puja’, ‘Dangar Goch Kota Puja’, ‘Habi Jui Joluwa Puja’, ‘Chitika Pota Puja’, ‘Kacha Ghans Kota Puja’, ‘Chumoni Puja’, ‘Kochu Kowanri Puja’, 'Dangoriya Puja' etc.

Festivals

Bohuwa Dance

The Sonowal Kachari community celebrates its own array of festivals with extreme devotion and enthusiasm. ‘Bihus’ are the main festival of the Sonowal Kacharis. Three Bihus, i.e. ‘Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu’, ‘Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu’ and ‘Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu’ are celebrated by the Sonowal Kacharis with great enthusiasm. Festivals, marriages, harvests, or just the joy of the moment - are occasions for the Sonowal Kacharis to burst into dance.

Marriage systems

Monogamy is the most popular form of marriage but acquiring more than one wives is permissible if the first wife gives her consent to it due to some reasons. The practice of inter-caste marriage is not rare. Though this system of marriage is generally not supported by the parents yet it is seen that there is no hard and fast rule regarding this matter. In case, a Sonowal Kachari girl marries a boy of other caste then their society accept them easily. Nowadays bride-price among Sonowal Kacharis is not accepted. In the present day society, five type of marriages are performed among them. These are (1) Santi Biya, (2) Nowa Dhowa or Borbiya, (3) Gandharba Biya and (4) Rabha Sarakai Diya Biya.

Language

The Sonowal Kacharis have completly lost their language. They have no own mother-tongue. Currently they are speaking Assamese language. The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) hailed the move of the Sonowal Kachari community to adopt the Bodo language as a subject in schools and to use it as speaking language within the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council.

Leadership

Much like other village communities of the northeast, there are some similarities in the social structure of Sonowal Kacharis. In a village administration headed by a ‘Gaon Burha’ there are some office bearers. These are known as Rajaguru, Pujari, Deori, Mojindar, Barik, Bhorali, Geetghai, Tikadhara, Muradhara, Tamuli, Bilonia, Randhani, Barhoni, Medhi, Bayon, Patheki, Ashirbodia, and so on. The Sonowal Kacharis have a very special type of mutual help and co-operation among them which they called ‘Hari or Haori’ where the inhabitants of a village put their hands to a job without remuneration, for those who ask. The invitee, of course, has to entertain them with food and drinks.

Famous People

References

  1. ↑ Allele Records site
  2. ↑ Srimanta site
  3. ↑ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoloid
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