BODOS: The Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes Amendment Act, 1976, specifies 14 tribes in the two Autonomous Hill Districts viz. Karbi-Anglong and the North Cachar Hills and nine in the plains districts of Assam as Scheduled tribes.  Numerically, the Bodos-Kacharies are the largest group among the plains tribes. The Northern part of the Darrang district which touches the fringe of Bhutan Hills is mostly populated by the tribes viz; the Bodo-Kacharis, the Rabhas, the Madahis  the Saranias, the Mahalias, the Koches and a small number of Garos. Besides the above mentioned tribes, the Nepalis, the ex-tea garden labourers, the Muslims – both Assamese and Bengali, the Hindu Bengalis, the Hindu Assamese, the Buddhists have been living in this region since the coming of the British. Therefore, this region may be called the cauldron or the melting pot of different races having different languages and customs.

Long before the arrival of the British, the population of this region was scanty but after the British took over the charge of this district, the tea-tribes and the Bengali people had migrated to this region as labourers and clerks respectively. Apart from this, owing to inter-district migration also the population of the region rose up. The local people particularly the Bodo-Kacharis began to feel that they had been exploited politically, socially, economically, linguistically, and culturally by the outsides. The Bodos-Kacharis are numerically the largest plain tribe of this region.

The word, ‘Bodo-Kachari’ is used to include the splinter groups like Sarania, Mahalia, Sonowal-Kacharis, Thengals, Brahmas and the Burmans. The Bodo-Kacharis of Assam belong to the Tribeto-Burman group of the Indo-Chinese race. Similarly, the other tribes of Assam belong to the Mongoloid stock expect the Khasis who speak a language of Monkhomer group of Australia. The Rabhas, the Garos, the Koches, the Tiwas – all belong to the Mongoloid stock. The Assamese call them Kacharis and they are known as Meches in Bengal. The word ‘Bodo’ has been derived from the word ‘Bod’ which means Tibet.

Most probably, the people of this region entered this region through Bhutan passes. They are called Kachari because they lived in the ‘Kassar’ or below the Himalayan range. Originally, the Bodos were a linguistic group and the word ‘Bodo’ is used in ethnic sense also. The Bodos had no script of their own. Therefore, their language remained as a dialect but since 1930 their language has been developing faster. The Government of Assam introduces Bodo M.I.L. in the Higher Secondary level in 1930. The Gauhati University introduced a Diploma Course in the Bodo language. Recently, Bodo-MIL was introduced in Cotton College also. Though, the Bodo-Kacharis, the Rabhas, the Garos, the Hajongs belong to the Mongoloid stock, their morphological features are different from one another. The Kacharis are the tallest and have a medium face while the Rabhas have a broad face. Besides, the Rabhas and Garo noses are much more broad than those of the Kacharis.

The Bodo-Kacharis of Darrang district are, to some extent different from those of other districts, according to the famous scholar Rev. S. Endle. As stated by Rev. S. Endle, the Bodo-Kacharis of Darrang district were not tall or handsome. They almost looked like the Nepalis who are shorter and stouter. They were fit to work in the field or factory. They were not capable of performing intellectual activities. They also lacked sharp memories. But all these views were expressed by Endle nearly a century ago. At present his views do not hold good, as many changes have taken place in many respects.

Secondly, the same author is of the opinion that the Bodos of this region were very sincere and truthful. In his book entitled, The Kacharis, the author records the case of a Bodo Peasant of Mazikuchi Mouza who killed a co-worker out of rage. He appeared in the Court and as there was no witness, he was asked by the magistrate to deny his guilt, but the accused refused to do so.

The Bodo society is patriarchal with some features of matriarchal society. For example, if a man dies without paying the bride-money, the daughter in absence of the wife or wives can inherit the property of the deceased. Unlike the general caste people, a groom did not go to the bride’s house. But now-a-days, this system has become obsolete. ‘Donkharnay Haba’ and ‘Raikhas Haba’ are no more amongst the Bodo-Kacharis. The non-tribals never agree to offer a girl for marriage to a boy or a different religion but the Bodo-Kacharis recognize a marriage between Hindu and Christian Communities. Moreover, as the Bodo-Kacharis of this region have been living along with the non-tribals generation after generation, they have been influenced by the non-tribals and vice-versa. The non-tribals have accepted many ingredients of the Bodo culture. Originally, the Bodo marriage continues for seven days and seven nights and so soon as the marriage ended the family had to face abject poverty. They overspent money for eating and drinking. But now-a-days the Bodos do not overspend. The marriage ceremony according to Braha Cult is very simple. The Bodo priest performs the marriage ceremony reciting the mantras written in the Bodo language. In the wedding ceremony of the Brahmas only tea and sweets are served to the guests. Like the caste-Hindu people they also arrange feast at night for the groom and his party.

A hundred years ago, there was not much difference between the tribal people and the low caste Hindus so far as their habits of drinking and eating were concerned. The tribal people of this region rear pigs, cocks, hens, etc. But the Hindus do not. Of course, piggery and poultry farms are run by the Hindus on commercial basis. At present, both the tribals and non-tribals like fish, meat, roasted fish, dried fish. The Bodo-Kacharis do not take beef. Even killing or injuring cows is regarded as an offense in their society. However, some of the Christian Bodos take beef. Both the tribals and the non-tribals accept ‘Kharicha’, ‘Kahudi-Kharali’, chewing of ‘Tamol Pan’ (beetle nut) with lime, varieties of creepers such as ‘Vadailata’, ‘Lai’, ‘Babori’, ‘Khutora’ the offshoots of pumlin and bottlegourd creepered as present the menu.

There is still an aversion to milk among some Bodo-Kacharis. This aversion is due to the fact that milk has an opposite and harmful reaction if taken along with rice-beer. They have a weakness for rice-beer which is not harmful. This is mainly served at the time of marriage, at the Bihu festival and at the time of planting and harvesting. They also take ‘Phatika’ or distilled rice-beer.

Fifty years ago, the Bodo-Kacharis of this region were very backward. There were no roads, no schools, no colleges, no hospitals, no drinking water. The people took water form ponds and rivers. Therefore mortality rate was higher. Malaria and Kalazar (black fever) were the killer diseases of an area. There were only two roads – one is Mangaldai – Bhutiasang road the other is Makenzi road. The British constructed these roads only to approach the tea gardens. There were no village roads to reach the main roads. The cultivators could not bring their products of agriculture to market. The village ‘Mahajans’ (merchants/landlords), who are mainly outsiders purchase their goods at a throw-away price. The Bodo women are generally illiterate. But they are very good weavers. They still make ‘Gamocha’ (sort of Towel), ‘Urnai’ etc. in their handlooms.

At present the literacy percentage of Bodo women is increasing. After independence, the number of Lower primary Schools stand at 226. There are 4 colleges, 6 Higher Secondary Schools in the Sub-division of Udalguri. Though the numbers of qualified Bodos has, no doubt, increased but for want of job opportunities they have become frustrated and rebellious. Actually after the Fifth Five year Plan both the Central and State Governments have laid much emphasis on the development of the tribal people. An integrated development project was opened at Udalguri to accelerate the development of the tribal people. The Tribal Development Authority is there at the State level to extend financial assistance to the tribal people. Apart from these, tribal sub-plans have been envisaged for the development of the tribal people.

The tribal people of this region have been given security in connection with their land. Previously, one could easily purchase tribal land and got the mutation of land. But at present, the Government of Assam had made the original Act of Land Revenue Regulation of 1886 (amended by Gopinath Bordoloi’s Ministry) more strict by another important. Now, non-tribals cannot purchase land from tribal people without the permission of the Deputy Commissioner. Similarly, tribal people also cannot sell land to non-tribal people without the permission of the Deputy Commissioner. These strict rules were necessitated to protect the tribals from the onslaught of the non-tribals. The non-tribal both Assamese and non-Assamese managed to acquire tribal land by different means. In short, the relentless demographic pressure created by large-scale and continuing immigration has depressed the rural economy of this region. Therefore, it has identified the twin problems of poverty and unemployment.

But there is no denying the fact that in spite of different schemes envisaged for the development of the tribal people, the tribal people of this region have not yet made satisfactory progress. In this entire area, there are six tribal doctors, one engineer, two officers of ACS rank, a few lecturers and a few government employees of third grade. The political consciousness of the tribal people of this region arose during the British rule. It was Rabi Ram Kachari from Harisinga who become the first tribal MLA of this region. He is well known for his courage. After him, seven persons became MLAs from this community.