Thengal Kachari people

2022-06-30T04:11:42Z

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{{short description|Indigenous tribe of Assam, India}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Thengal kachari people
| native_name =
| image = A thengal kachari girl.jpg
| caption = A Thengal kachari girl in Muga dress.
| population =
| popplace = Upper Assam
| languages = [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
| religions = {{ubl
| [[Animism]],
| [[Ekasarana Dharma]]
}}
| related = {{hlist |[[Sonowal Kacharis]], [[Boro people|Boros]], [[Dimasa people|Dimasas]]}}
| footnotes =
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
The '''Thengal Kachari people''' are an indigenous ethnic group of [[Assam]], India.<ref>{{harv|Muthukumaraswamy|2006|p=79}}</ref> They are manily concentrated in the [[Jorhat district|Jorhat]], [[Golaghat district|Golaghat]], [[North Lakhimpur]], [[Nagaon district|Nagaon]] and [[Karbi Anglong district|Karbi Anglong]] districts.

== Etymology ==
There are different theories regarding the origin of the term Thengal. As per the census of India, 1891, the Thengal kacharis derive their name from an ancestor who is said to have ascended to heaven leg foremost.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r3WANQEACAAJ|title=Census of India 1891: Assam. Report|date=1892|language=en}}</ref> But according to Jogeswar Borah, earlier the Thengals used to wear ''a pantaloon called "Thenga"'' from which the name has been derived.<ref name=":1">{{harv|Dutta|2010}}</ref>

They are also called as 'Rupowal' from their traditional occupation as silver washers. However, some people in recent time don't prefer this term.<ref name=":1" />

== History ==
Historical accounts on Thengals are very scarce. According to Hiteswar Borbaruah, some [[Sonowal Khel|Sonowals]] used to procure silver in the [[Dhansiri River|Dhansiri]] river and were called Thengals or [[Rupowal Khel|Rupowal]]. But earlier they were known by the name "'''Rupiya thakur'''".<ref>{{harv|Borboruah|1997}}</ref>

== Culture ==
Thengal kachari is a functional group that were '''silver washers''' by profession during the Ahom rule''.'' They practice ''endogamy'' and reported to be inhabiting the eastern portion of the Brahmaputra valley. They are ''advanced Hindus'' than the [[Sonowal Kacharis]], but indulge in forbidden food and drink. They do not worship or sacrifice to idols. Various animistic practices are still prevalent. And they ''engage a brahmin in marriage'', but with the advent of Ekasarna Vaishnavism this practice has declined.

=== Clans ===
Thengals have twenty one exogamous clans each of which was formed according to various occupations. They are 1. Hajowal, 2. Manikial, 3. Muktal or Mukutial, 4. Durrungial, 5. Dalangiyal, 6. Sakuriyal, 7. Haigiyal or Sargial, 8. Xukrial, 9. Hogral, 10. Biyagharal, 11. Kumral or Kumarial, 12. Dekral or Dhekiyal, 13. Nangal, 14 Lathiyal, 15. Neguriyal, 16. Dinkgiyal, 17. Dhuliyal, 18. Formal, 19. Ejmal, 20. Mekheliyal. Marriage within the same clan is strictly prohibited.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Borah|first=Jogeswar|title=Sinar pora Doiyangoloi}}</ref>

=== Language ===
The language of Thengals is [[Assamese language|Assamese]]. However, there are some phonetic variations in their speech due to their [[Tibeto-Burman languages|Tibeto-burman]] background. According to Nanda Bora, the language of Thengal and Sonowal Kacharis is actually Assamese. In the past, their language was under the [[Boro–Garo languages|Boro-Garo]] languages but the circulation of the language is no more present. At present their mother tongue is Assamese.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bora|first=Nanda|title=Asamor Thengal kacharir itibritta}}</ref>

=== Marriage ===
Marriage in the Thengal kachari community involves Vedic rites and rituals. There are basically three types of marriage 1. Bor biya, 2. Abioi Biya or Juron Diya Biya, and 3. Poluai ana Biya.<ref name=":1" />

== Festivals and customs ==

=== Festivals ===

* Suwa utuwa utsav
* Panitula Sabah
* Durga Puja
* Bihu

=== Customs associated with folk belief ===

* Ai Sabah
* Apeswari Sabah
* Mritakok diya
* Shiva worship

=== Customs associated with worship of spirits ===

* Jakh-Jakhini puja
* Ga Dangoria puja
* Bhitar Sokam
* Sani gharar sawul
* Jal Debota puja
* Lakhimi sal
* Tupula Bandha
* Pir diya

== Religion ==
The Thengals are mostly the followers of [[Vaishnavism]] and they were initiated by ''Basudev Gosain'' of [[Satra (Ekasarana Dharma)|Auniati satra]]. Hence they are the followers of [[Brahma Samhita|Brahma Samhati]] and obeys the Vedic rites and rituals and are known as ''Bamonia'' as they engage Brahmin priests in their religious ceremonies or ''Mahekia'' as they conduct funeral feast after a month. Besides, there are two more sections of Thengals, one of which is called ''Nam-kirtania'' or ''Hari-dhanis'' and follows [[Ekasarana Dharma|Eksarana Naam Dharma]] and are under [[Srimanta Sankaradeva Sangha|Srimanta Sankardeva Sangha]] and the other section have taken the ''Ek Saran Bhagabati Dharma'' and initiated into the mode of worshiping of ''Mahapurushiya Dharma'' also called ''Egharoh Diniya as'' they conduct funeral feast after 11 days.

The Thengals are completely Hinduised. However, the Bamunia section are seen to have retained some of their [[Animism|animistic]] rituals.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bora|first=Jyotika|title=The Thengal kacharis of Assam: A sociological study|year=2007}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Sonowal Kacharis|Sonowal kacharis]]
* [[Sonowal Khel|Sonowal khel]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | last1=Bakshi | first1=S.R. | last2=Sharma | first2=S.R. | last3=Gajrani | first3=S. | title=Contemporary Political Leadership in India: Sharad Pawar, the Maratha legacy | publisher=APH Publishing Corporation | series=Contemporary Political Leadership in India | year=1998 | isbn=978-81-7648-008-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L1i51KFUyzIC&pg=PA8 | page=8}}
*{{cite book | last=Muthukumaraswamy|first=M.D.|title=National Folklore Support (India) ''Centre Folklore as Discourse''| publisher=National Folklore Support Centre |date=2006|isbn=978-81-901481-6-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lC6FCZ9VcaAC&pg=PA79}}
*{{Cite journal|last=Dutta|first=Kailash|date=2010-12-31|title=Ethnicity and folklore a study among the Thengal Kacharis of Assam|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/10603/68237|journal=University|language=English}}
*{{Cite book|last=Borboruah|first=Hiteswar|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.451863|title=Ahomar Din Ed. 2nd|date=1997}}
{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kachari}}
[[Category:Social groups of Assam]]
[[Category:Tribes of Assam]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Northeast India]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in South Asia]]

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Thengal Kachari people