Bodo-Kachari is a generic term applied to a number of ethnic groups living predominantly in the Northeast Indian states of Assam, Tripura & Meghalaya, that speaks Assamese and Boro-Garo languages, some of who possibly have shared ancestries. Many of these peoples formed early states in the late Medieval era of Indian history and which came under varying degrees of Sanskritisation. It has been suggested by different linguists that the proto-Boro-Garo language was a lingua franca of the region to which non-native speakers had shifted. Bodo language, one of the languages in the Boro-Garo group, has been recognised as an eighth scheduled Indian language in 2004. They are considered to have reached the Brahmaputra valley via Tibet and settled in the foothills of the eastern Himalayan range which includes the whole of Assam, Tripura, North Bengal and parts of Bangladesh. The belief that Bodo-Kacharis were early settlers of the river valleys is taken from the fact that most of the rivers in the Brahmaputra valley today carry Tibeto-Burman names—Dibang, Dihang, Dikhou, Dihing, Doiyang, Doigrung etc.—where Di/Doi- means water in Boro-Garo languages. Some of the groups, such as Moran and Saraniya consider themselves as Hindus under Ekasarana Dharma. Other groups, such as the Garo, Rabha, Lalung and Hajong have established separate identities. With the exception of the Garo, which is still a matrilineal society, the other groups do not follow rules of matrilineal society. The Mech in Western Assam, the Boro in central Assam; the Dimasa in Dima Hasao District formerly North Cachar Hills, Cachar district and Nagaland state and the Sonowal and Thengal in the eastern part of the Brahmaputra now represent the Kachari.
The term Bodo finds its first mention in the book by Hodgson in 1847, as a term of self-designation of the Mech and Kachari peoples. Grierson took this term Bodo to denote a section of the Assam-Burma group of the Tibeto-Burman languages of the Sino-Tibetan family, which included the languages of Mech; Rabha; Lalung ; Dimasa ; Garo Tiprasa and Chutiya. In modern usage, the umbrella-term Bodo is more anthropological and linguistic in its usage. Modern historian Jae-Eun Shin use the Bodo as a linguistic group to include cognate groups. This umbrella-group includes such sub-groups as Mech in Bengal and Nepal; Boros, Dimasa, Chutia, Sonowal, Rabha, Tiwa in Assam, and the Kokborok people in Tripura and Bangladesh. This is in contrast to popular and socio-political usage, where Bodo denotes the politically dominant sub-group—the Boros—in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts. In general, the Boros or Bodo people means Boro people and scholars use the term Bodo to name the linguistic and anthropological group. The term Bodo generally stands for man in some of the cognate languages but not in others. According to historians, the word "Bodo" is derived from the Tibetan Hbrogpa. The umbrella name "Bodo" is resisted by numerically smaller groups such as the Dimasas.
Kachari
On the other hand, the term Kachari has been used through much of history to denote the same people. One of the earliest usage can be found in the 16-th century Assamese languageBhagavata. Kachari is pronounced as Kachhāri or Kossāri. The origin of the name is most likely a self-designation korosa aris that is found in a very old Kachari song: Pra Ari, Korasa Ari Jong pari lari lari
Ethnic groups
Boro
The Boro people, also called Bodo, are found concentrated in the duars regions, north of Goalpara and Kamrup. The origin of Kachari term was unknown to Boro themselves, but known to others. They call themselves as Boro, Bada, Bodo, Barafisa. Barafisa translated as Children of the Bara.
Mech
The Mech are found in both Assam and Bengal. Hodgson wrote as "Mech is name imposed by strangers. This people call themselves as Bodo. Thus, Bodo is their proper designation" They speak mainly the Bodo language J.D Anderson wrote, "In Assam proper Hindus call them Kacharis, In Bengal they are known as Meches. Their own name for the race is Boro or Bodo."
Dimasa
The Kachari have a ruling clan among themselves who are termed as Hasnusa. Some Dimasa scholars opined that they were also known as Hasnusa at some point of time in History
Chutiya
Among Chutias, Burok means noble/great men. The Buroks formed a major part of the tribe. The Chutias who were thought to be healthy and strong was termed as Burok and took up the administrative and military roles in the Chutia kingdom. All Chutia royalty belonged to the Burok clan. Even the Motok king Sarbananda Singha belonged to the Burok Chutia clan. Surnames like Bora, Borha, Borua have their origins in the Chutia kingdom and are related to Bara/Bodo/Buruk only. There is mention of Manik Chandra Barua, Dhela Bora, Borhuloi Barua as commanders of Chutia army. Later the Ahoms adopted the title after the downfall of Chutias.
Moran
The Morans called their leader/chief as Bodousa where 'sa' means child or son in Moran language. The origin folklore of the Morans is same as that of Boruk Chutias which indicate that they were a faction which split at an early time. They were also known as Habungiya or earth-folk or autochthones which means son of soil
Deori
The Deoris also have the Burok clan among them.
Twipuri
The Tripuris often call themselves Boroks and their language is called Kokborok.
Origins
They were first classified by S. Endle as the Kacharis. They are considered to have reached the Brahmaputra valley via Tibet and South China, and settled in the foothills of the eastern Himalayan range which includes the whole of Assam, Tripura, North Bengal and parts of Bangladesh. That the Bodo-Kacharis were early colonizers of the river valleys is taken from the fact that most of the rivers in the Brahmaputra valley today carry Tibeto-Burman names – Dibang, Dihang, Dikhou, Dihing, etc. – where Di- means water in Bodo/Deori-Chutia, Moran, Dimasa, other dialects Bodo languages.. There are many places name given by Bodo-Kachari people are Dispur, Dinajpur, Dimapur, Dibrugarh, Hajo, Mongoldoi, Diphu etc.
Groups
Based on an 1881 census, there were 19 groups within the Kachari classification:
Tiprasa – Bru, Jamatia, Uchai, Noatia, Debbarma, Murasing, Roaza, etc.
Some of the groups, such as Moran and Sarania consider themselves as lower-caste Hindus. Other groups, such as the Garo, Rabha, Lalung and Hajong having been isolated from the parental stock, have established separate identities. With the exception of the Garo, which is still a matrilineal society, the other groups have given up the rules of matrilineal society. The Mech in Western Assam, the Boro in central Assam; the Dimasa in Dima Hasao district formerly North Cachar Hills, Nagaon district, Cachar district & Nagaland state and the Sonowal and Thengal in the eastern part of the Brahmaputra now represents the Kachari.
History
The Tripuri, Chutia, Koch-Mech and Dimasa had established powerful kingdoms in the past. The Tripuri kings had even defeated the Mughals and the Burmese kingdoms in the past. Today, the Boros, the Tripuris, and the Garos have established a strong political and ethnic identity and are developing their language and literature. The Sonowal Kachari is also a branch of greater Kachari. They live in the districts of Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Golaghat and Jorhat.
