Bodo people
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The Bodos, also called the Boros, are an ethnic community that is concentrated mostly in the north-western parts of Assam in India. They are said to belong to a larger classification of ethnicity called the Bodo-Kachari. The nerve center of the Bodos is Kokrajhar town.
The Bodo-Kachari
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The Bodos form the largest ethnic group in the Bodo-Kachari umbrella group, classified in the late 18th and 19th century. These groups are settled in most areas of North-East India. Some in this group like the Koch, the Saraniya etc. are non-tribal and together these groups form a continuum between the tribal and non-tribal groups.
The Bodo People
The Bodos are the largest tribe of the Brahmaputra valley. They are divided into a number of clans such as Basumatary,Bodosa, Boro,Brahma,Bwiswmuthiary,Dwimary, Goyari,Ishlary,Ishwary,Khaklari,Mushahary,Narzary,Owary, Sargwary,Sibigri and Wary. Though the numbers are in dispute, the census report from 1971 state the Bodos as being the 8th largest tribal group in India, with Bodo being spoken by about 0.8 million people.
The Bodo language is part of the Tibeto-Burmese family of languages. The tribe recently adopted the Devanagari script formally, although the Roman script has also been extensively used particularly due to the influence of Christian missionaries in that region. Assamese script was also used in the past. According to some scholars, the Bodo language had a script of its own called Deodhai.#redirect
The Bodos are thought to have introduced rice cultivation and silkworm rearing to the region. The traditional favourite drink of the Bodos is Zu Mai- Zu meaning beer, and Mai meaning rice. Rice is a staple of the Bodos and is often accompanied by a non vegetarian dish such as fish or pork. Bodos are traditionally 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 are taught to weave from a young age, and no Bodo courtyard is complete without a loom. Most women weave their own Dokhnas (the traditional outfit of the Bodo women) and shawls. The Bodos are also expert craftsmen in bamboo products.
Religion
The Bodos practice a number of religions, with Bathow being the primary faith, along with Hinduism and Christianity.
Bathouism is not strictly animism, though it has been thought as such by outsiders. It is based on the belief of an infinite and eternal god called Obonglaoree. Legend has it that the infinite god became tired of his formless existence and shaped himself as a human being called Jiw Borai, or Old Soul.
Efforts have been made to identify Jiw Borai with the Hindu God Shiva. Several elements of Hinduism have been incorporated in the Bathou religion over time.
In the Bodo Language Ba means five and thou means deep. Five is a significant number in the Bathou religion.
There is no fixed place of worship for the Bodos. The altar is placed in any convenient location around the household, usually in the courtyard. For the Kherai Puja- the most important festival of the Bodos, the altar is placed in the paddy field. Other important festivals of the Bodos include Garja, Hapsa Hatarnai, Awnkham Gwrlwi Janai, Bwisagu and Domashi.
Despite the advance of Hinduism amongst the Bodos, Hindu practices such as caste and dowry are not practiced by the majority of Bodo Hindus.
The Bodos Now
The Bodos began their struggle for self-determination in earnest in 1989 under the leadership of Upendra Nath Brahma, who is now regarded as the father of the Bodos (Bodo-Fa). After a prolonged struggle to promote and develop Bodo culture and identity, the Bodos have today been granted the Bodoland Territorial Council, an autonomous administrative body that will have within its jursidiction the present district of Kokrajhar and adjoining areas. The movement for autonomy was headed by the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and an armed militant group called Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT). Following the establishment of the BTC, the BLT have come overground.In 2006 Assam Assembly elections, the former BLT members under Hagrama Mohilary formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and came to power in Dispur.
In addition the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) demands secession from India, to form an independent state of Bodoland and is still active in certain regions against the Indian government.
See also
References
- The Bodos: Children of the Bhullumbutter, edited by Thomas Pulloppillil and Jacob Aluckal, first published 1997
- Bodo-English Dictionary, by Moniram Mushahary, 1981
External links
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