This article needs additional citations for verification .(August 2020) |
Total population | |
---|---|
235,881 [1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Predominantly in Upper Assam; | |
Languages | |
Assamese | |
Religion | |
Ekasarana Dharma [2] | |
Related ethnic groups | |
The Sonowal Kachari are one of the indigenous peoples of the state of Assam in Northeast India. They are of Tibeto-Burman origin, and are closely associated with the other ethnic groups of Assam, which are commonly referred to as Kachari.
They are predominantly inhabitants of Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts of Assam, along with pocket populations in Jorhat, Sivsagar, Golaghat district of Assam and in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The headquarters of the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council is at Dibrugarh.
The name Sonowal comes from the word 'Son' (Assamese : Xon) which means gold in Assamese. [web 1] The traditional occupation of the Sonowal kacharis was gold panning, that is extracting gold from the riverbeds. [web 1] [3] The Kacharis those were appointed as gold-washers by the Ahom kings were organised into Sonowal Khel. These Kacharis came to be known as Sonowal Kacharis. [4]
Assam is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of 78,438 km2 (30,285 sq mi). It is the second largest state in northeastern India by area and the largest in terms of population, with more than 31 million inhabitants. The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur to the east; Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh to the south; and West Bengal to the west via the Siliguri Corridor, a 22-kilometre-wide (14 mi) strip of land that connects the state to the rest of India. Assamese and Boro for Bodoland Territorial Region are the official languages of Assam. Meitei (Manipuri) is recognised as an additional official language in Hojai district and for the Barak Valley region, alongside Bengali, which is also an official language in the Barak Valley.
Dibrugarh district (Pron:ˌdɪbru:ˈgor:) is a district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located within the city of Dibrugarh.
Tinsukia is an industrial city. It is situated 480 kilometres (298 mi) north-east of Guwahati and 84 kilometres (52 mi) away from the border with Arunachal Pradesh.Tinsukia serves as the headquarters of the Moran Autonomous Council, which is the governing council of the Morans.
Dhemaji is a small town and the headquarters of the Dhemaji district in the state of Assam, India. It is situated on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River and serves as an important administrative and commercial centre for the surrounding area.The town is known for its serene environment, traditional Assamese culture, and proximity to natural attractions like hills, rivers and forests.
Dibrugarh is a city in Upper Assam with sprawling tea gardens. It is located 435 kms East from the state capital of Dispur. It serves as the headquarters of Dibrugarh district in the state of Assam in India. Dibrugarh serves as the headquarters of the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council, which is the governing council of the Sonowal Kachari tribe. The historic town of Dibrugarh was formally announced as 2nd City of Assam on 7 March 2024 with the formation of Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation by dissolving The Municipal Board
The Moamoria rebellion (1769–1805) was an 18th-century uprising in Ahom kingdom of present-day Assam that began as power struggle between the Moamorias (Mataks), the adherents of the Mayamara Sattra, and the Ahom kings. This uprising spread widely to other sections of Ahom kingdom including disgruntled elements of the Ahom aristocracy leading to two periods in which the Ahom king lost control of the capital. Retaking the capital was accompanied by a massacre of subjects, leading to a steep depopulation of large tracts. The Ahom king failed to retake the entire kingdom; a portion in the north-east, Bengmara, became known as Matak Rajya ruled by a newly created office called Borsenapati, became a tribute-paying but virtually independent territory.
Barua is a common Assamese surname shared by the Assamese communities much like Aroras of Punjab.
Sarbananda Sonowal is an Indian politician who has served as Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways since 2021. He also has been the Member of the Rajya Sabha representing Assam since 2021 and also a member of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs since 2021. He previously served as the 14th Chief Minister of Assam from 2016 to 2021 and as a member of Assam Legislative Assembly for Majuli from 2016 to 2021 and for Moran from 2001 to 2004. Sonowal earlier served as the Assam state unit President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2015 to 2016. He also served as the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India, from 2014 to 2016 and the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development from 2014 to 2014 and the member of the Lok Sabha from Lakhimpur from 2014 to 2016 and from Dibrugarh from 2004 to 2009. He was also the member of the Asom Gana Parishad from 2001 to 2011.
Suklingphaa, or Kamaleswar Singha, was a king of the Ahom kingdom. He came to power when he was a toddler, and died in his teens during a small pox epidemic. The de facto ruler during his reign was Purnanada Burhagohain, who was able to consolidate power after installing him on the throne; and his parents Kadamdighala and Numali also were very powerful. Kamaleswar Singha's reign witnessed the suppression of Moamoria rebellion and restoration of Ahom rule over Upper Assam. The Dundiya Revolution in Kamrup was also suppressed during his reign. In Nagaon, the Ahom army also managed to defeat a coalition of Moamoria rebels and the Kacharis of Kachari Kingdom. Much of this was the handiwork of Purnananda Burhagohain and not Kamaleshwar Singha.
The Chutia kingdom was a late medieval state that developed around Sadiya in present Assam and adjoining areas in Arunachal Pradesh. It extended over almost the entire region of present districts of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Tinsukia, and some parts of Dibrugarh in Assam, as well as the plains and foothills of Arunachal Pradesh. The kingdom fell around the year 1524 to the Ahom Kingdom after a series of conflicts and the capital area ruled by the Chutia rulers became the administrative domain of the office of Sadia Khowa Gohain of the Ahom kingdom.
Hazarika was a Paik officer under the administration of the Ahom kingdom and Koch kingdom. The commander over 1,000 (Hazar) paiks was known as a Hazarika. As it was a purely administrative position, the title holder could belong to diverse ethnic groups and religions.
Saikia was a Paik officer of the Ahom militia who led a hundred paiks. The Koch kingdom had a similar system in place. As it was a purely administrative position, the title holder could belong to diverse ethnic groups or religions. Today, this title is used as a surname by Assamese people of various ethnic origins. The post of Saikia in the Paik system was higher in rank to the Bora but lower in rank to the Hazarika.
Bhogeswar Baruah is an Indian former-athlete and coach. He was one of the first Assamese to win gold at an international event, winning a gold medal in an 800-metre running event at the 1966 Asian Games. He also won a silver medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay in the 1970 Asian games. He is a recipient of the Arjuna Award and is the first Assamese to obtain the Arjuna award.
The Chutia people are an ethnic group that are native to Assam and historically associated with the Chutia kingdom. However, after the kingdom was absorbed into the Ahom kingdom in 1523–24, the Chutia population was widely displaced and dispersed in other parts of Upper Assam as well as Central Assam. They constitute one of the core groups that form the Assamese people.
The Thengal Kachari people are an indigenous ethnic group of Assam, India. They are a part of greater Bodo-Kachari family. They are mainly concentrated in the Jorhat, Golaghat, North Lakhimpur, Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts.Their traditional festival is "Tora Chira" bihu. They commonly known as "Kachari" people.
The Moamoria were the adherents of the egalitarian, proselytizing Mayamara Satra of 18th-century Assam, who initiated the Moamoria rebellion against the Ahom kingdom in the 18th century. The rebellion weakened the Ahom kingdom to such an extent that the kingdom became vulnerable to repeated Burmese invasions of Assam and the subsequent colonization by the British. The Moamorias were also called Mataks. Over time, the main groups that had supported the Ahom kingdom came to owe allegiance to the Moamara sattra: Morans, the Sonowal Kacharis (gold-washers), Chutias, professional castes such as Hiras (potters), Tantis (weavers), Kaibartas, and Ahom nobles and officers. The largest group among the Mataks were the Morans, followed by the Chutias.
The Moran are an ethnic group found in the northeast Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. They are of Tibeto-Burman origin and belong to the Kachari family. They speak Assamese language, though they used to speak Moran language which was alive until the early 20th century and was closely related to the Dimasa language. They once shared the same allied customs with other Kachari groups, but after their conversion to Vaishnavism, the customs began to diminish, but still, those customs can be seen intermixed with Vaishnavism.
Sonowal is a designation of the gold-washers of Assam. They were previously addressed as Xunia thakur.
Matak rajya or Matak kingdom was a 19th-century autonomous region within the Ahom kingdom in Assam. It was governed by the Barsenapati.