The Bodo

 The Bodo

Assam the centre of the North-East India is the settling ground of many civilizations. They have come here in Assam through different routes as it was connected by land to many states and country. The largest population of Assam is belongs to Bodo-Kachari group. The Bodo-Kachari is divided into 18 ethnic sub-groups. Some of these sub-groups are Bodo, Mech, Dimasa, Hojai, Sonowal, Mishing, Thengal etc. the Bodo-Kachari group of Assam speaks in Tibeto-Burman languages. They were first classified by S. Endle as Kacharis. Bodo of “Bodo-Kachari” is derived from Bod means Tibet and Kachari is derived from Kassar meaning the foothills of the Himalayas. They have reached in Brahmaputra valley of Assam via Tibet and settled in the foothills of the Eastern Himalaya. They spread all over the foothills of the Eastern Himalayan range, which includes most of the areas of North East India, North Bengal and parts of Nepal and Bangladesh. Among them the Mech settled in western Assam, the Dimasa and Hojai to the Cachar Hills, the Bodo in central Assam and Sonowal and Thengal in the Eastern part of the Brahmaputra River. Some of the 18 ethnic sub-groups within the Bodo-Kacharis group have been hinduized (e.g. Koch, Sarania) and some of them have developed separate identities (e.g. Garo). Major tribes of Assam earn their livelihood through agriculture and by selling their handicrafts. Different types of Tribes are famous for variety of handicrafts. Some are famous for handloom and some have mastered in metal of pottery works. Their languages too differ according to their place of origin.

The Bodo: -

The Bodo represents one of the largest ethnic and linguistic groups of Brahmaputra valley. Bodo people were one of the earliest tribes who move to Assam. Today they constitute a large part of Assam population. According to the 1991 census, there were 1.2 million Bodos in Assam which makes for 5.3% of the population in the state. They are not restricted to any specific area and are found in almost all parts of Assam. The Bodos are recognized as a plains tribe in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Language: -

They have their own specific language known as Bodo (pronounced as Boro) language. The Bodo language is derived from Tibeto-Burmese family of languages. At first the Bodos used Roman script and Assamese script but recently they have adopted Devangiri Script. According to some scholars, the Bodo language had a script of its own called Deodhai.

Lifestyle: -

The Bodo are very hard laboured people. They are mainly engaged in cultivation. It is believed that the Bodos have introduced the rice cultivation, tea plantation, pig and poultry farming and silkworm rearing in the North-east region. It is seen that the Bodos are very self dependent, most of the things of day today life, they use to produce of their own. Bodo girls are very good weaver, they learn to weave from young age. Weaving has become a known culture of Bodos. They weave their own Dokhnas( a traditional dress of Bodo women), shawls, Gamucha (sort of towels), Urnai (a kind of muffler) etc. The Bodos are expert in craftsmen in bamboo products. Traditionally the Bodos are non-vegetarians. Rice is the primary food of the Bodos, besides this they like fish, meat, roasted fish, dried fish. Pork is very popular among the Bodo. They do not take beef, even killing or injuring cows is regarded as an offence in the Bodo society. However, the Christians among the Bodos take beef. Samuk (a kind of snail) and Crabs are also very popular among the Bodo. They have weakness for rice-beer known as Zumai (Zu means wine, Mai means rice) which is harmless. This is mainly served at the time of marriage, at Baisagu festival and at the time of planting and harvesting.