Tripuri people

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Tripuri people
Tipra People
Traditional dress of Tripura.jpg
Tripuri woman and man in traditional attire
Total population
1.2 million (2011)
Regions with significant populations
Flag of India.svg  India 1,011,294 [1]
           Tripura 950,875 [1]
           Mizoram 32,634 [1]
           Assam 22,890 [1]
           Meghalaya 2,735 [1]
           Nagaland 350 [1]
           Gujarat 239 [1]
           Manipur 208 [1]
           Jammu and Kashmir 190 [1]
           Rajasthan 169 [1]
           West Bengal 120 [1]
           Maharashtra 118 [1]
           Karnataka 114 [1]
Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh 156,578 (2021) [2]
Languages
Kokborok (Tripuri)
Religion
Majority
Om.svg Hinduism (93.6%)
Minority
Christian cross.svg Christianity (6.4%)
See Tripuri people's Religion
Related ethnic groups

The Tripuri (also known as Tripura, [3] [4] Tipra, Tiprasa, Twipra, Tipperah) are a Tibeto-Burman-speaking ethnic group of Northeast Indian state of Tripura. They are the descendants of the inhabitants of the Twipra/Tripura Kingdom in North-East India and Bangladesh. The Tripuri people through the Manikya dynasty [5] ruled the Kingdom of Tripura for ~450 years until the kingdom joined the Indian Union on 15 October 1949.

Contents

Etymology

History

A Risa pattern. Traditional Bru Risa.jpg
A Risa pattern.
Map of the Languages and Dialects of the Bara or Bodo Group of the Tibeto-Burman Family (cropped).jpg
Distribution of Tipra, as reported in the Language Survey of India 1903

Tripuris are the native people of Tripura having its own unique and distinct rich culture, tradition, and history. They were able to expand their influence as far south as Chittagong Division, as far west as Comilla and Noakhali (known during the British period as "plains Tipperah") and as far north as Sylhet Division (all in present Bangladesh). Chittagong Hill Tracts was the part of Tipperah Kingdom till British took control of the Indian subcontinent. In the year 1512, the Tipperas were at the height of their supremacy when they defeated the Mughals. The ruling dynasty passed through several periods of history and ruled Tripura for several centuries until the 18th century, after which Plain Tippera became a colony of Britain and Hill Tippera remained an independent princely state. On 14 October 1949, Hill Tippera was merged into the newly independent India as Tripura State.

Language

The Tripuri people speak Kokborok (also known as Tipra), a Tibeto-Burman language. Tripuri is the official language of Tripura, India. There are estimated to be more than one million speakers of the dialects of Tripuri in Tripura, and additional speakers in Mizoram and Assam in India, as well as Sylhet and the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. It is also spoken in Feni.

There are three main dialects of Tripuri, though the central dialect of the royal family, DebBarma (Puratan Tripur), is a prestige dialect understood by everyone. It is the standard for teaching and literature. It is taught as the medium of instruction up to class fifth and as subject up to graduate level in Tripura.

Historically, Tripuri was written in native Tripuri script known as Koloma, the earliest known writing in Tripuri dates from the 1st century AD, and was written in Koloma. The script was replaced by an alphabet based on the Eastern Nagari script. Currently the revival of ancient Koloma script is in process.

Some of the most notable Tripuri historical literary works, written by court scholars, include:

Culture

Festivals

Buisu

The Buisu [6] is the new year festival [7] of Tripuri/Tripura People in India and Bangladesh. This Festival is the traditional New Year's Day which falls on 13 or 14 April.

The Buisu Festival begins with Hari Buisu [8] which is the first day. In Hari Buisu Tripuri People clean up their houses and decorate their houses with different flowers. They pray a special prayer in the evening in their houses and temples. The next day is known as Buisu which is the main event, where people visit each other's houses. During this main Buisu, people actually socialize with each other. People cook different traditional foods along with others.

Goriya

It's the seven day long festival, where Tripuri god Lord Goriya is worshipped starting from Buisu to Sena.

Sena

It's the last day of Goriya worship, where Lord Goriya gives all the household work back to Goddess Mailuma & Khuluma.

Kharchi

Kharchi mwtai is the worship of the dynasty deity of Tripuri people, the fourteen gods. It is performed in the month of July August on the eight day of new moon. The fourteen gods are worshipped by the royal priest Chontai.

Ker

Ker mwtai is celebrated 14 days following the end of Kharchi mwtai. It is the strictest puja ever performed by Tripuri people. It may be mentioned here that no puja or worship is so strictly performed as is the Ker of Tripuri people, by any section of the people in the world. In this also all the gods of Tripuri people are worshipped at a time.

Osa

The worship of Tripuri Goddess Ama Osa.

Mamita

Mamita festival is the harvest festival of Tripuri people where the worship of goddess Ama Mailuma takes place. The Mamita festival is held during the time of Osa Mwtai.

Hojagiri

Tripuri festival of lights where goddess Ama Mailuma & Ama Khuluma are worshipped. It is said that it the festival was stated during the reign of Tripuri King Subrairaja to create awareness among the Tripuri people during that era.

Hangrai

Hangrai [9] is a harvest festival and one of the main festivals of Tripuri people. This festival is very meaningful to Tripuri People. The Tripuris celebrate Hangrai with a festive way. [10] People start taking preparation of Hangrai which begins 4-5 days before. The younger generation make Nowshah, small huts made of bamboo and paddy husks. They gather for picnic where hot rice cakes and different foods are served. Elders would remain at home and take shower early in the morning and wear fresh clothes. They gather around and share their Awangs, Moi or Curries and rice-based alcohol Arak or chuwak. They enjoy the entire day until midnight.

In this festival Tripuri People visit holy places, worship God and perform individual sacrifices and rituals. [11]

Religion

Religion among the Tripuri

   Hinduism (93.6%)
   Christianity (6.4%)

In the 2011 census, 93.6% of the Tripuri people followed an admixture of Hindu and folk religions and 6.4% were Christians (mostly, Baptists). Tripuri Hinduism is a syncretic religion, melding traditional folk religion with Hindu elements, commonly found in northeastern India. [12] A minority of the Uchoi clan of the Tripuri are Buddhist. [13]

Gastronomy

Tripuri people loves to eat different types of fresh vegetables from hill. In their food menu, Bamboo Shoots are one of the traditional dish which they call "Muya" [14] in their Kokborok Language.

The use of dry fish is common in their daily cuisine. Sticky rice which is one of the traditional food of Tripuri People and they eat sticky rice in different ways including Awang Bangwi/ Awang Bwthai,Awang Sokrang, Awang Phanswi, Phap ni Awang and Awang Belep [15]

Eight Traditional Recipes or Cuisines which Tripuri People eat in their daily life. [16]

  1. Chakhwi [17]
  2. Gudok
  3. Bermabwtwi
  4. Mosdeng
  5. Awandru
  6. Mwkhwikwtwi
  7. Serma
  8. Thokmui

Awang Bangwi

Awang Bangwi or Awang Bwthai [18] which is one of the traditional food of Tripuri People. This cone shaped rice rolls in Lairu or banana leaves for steam which is loved by Tripuris. Awan Bangwi which is a rice cake prepared by Tripuris including sticky rice,butter or Ghee, reisins, nuts, ginger and onion. [19] Awan Bangwi is the national food of Tripura State. [20]

Bamboo Chicken/Pork/Fish

Using bamboo for cooking chicken or pork or fish is popular and traditional way of cooking process of Tripuri People. The process is simple. Marinating chicken or pork or fish with different ingredients and stuff the chicken/pork/fish inside the bamboo with little water. Then cook it for 40-50 min on Charcoal.

This Bamboo Chicken [21] /Pork/Fish is widely popular among Tripuri People.

Tripuri games and sports

"Pait" one of the ancient Tripuri brain game Tripuri game.jpg
"Pait" one of the ancient Tripuri brain game

Like many parts of the world the Tripuri has traditional sports. It is common in almost all the clans of Tripuri. They are called thwngmung in Tripuri.

Kinship

The main Tripuri clans are:

Society

A rignai pattern. Rignai Chamathwibar.jpg
A rignai pattern.

The Tripuri people consist of clans, each with its own elementary social and administrative organisation starting from the village level and up to the chieftainship of the whole community. [22]

Tripuri couple in traditional attire The traditional Tripuri attire. The girl is seen here wearing a "Rigwnai" or more specifically "Chamathwi baar".jpg
Tripuri couple in traditional attire
Tripura girls in their traditional attire Tripura girls in their traditional attire.jpg
Tripura girls in their traditional attire

These indigenous communities enjoy their traditional freedom based on the concept of self-determination. The relation between the king and the subject communities was as Maharaja (king) of Tripura-Missip or liaison officer Roy or headman of the community – Sardar the chief of the village – the individual. Earlier, only the Debbarma or Tipra ethnic group was included in the Tripuri Kshatriya group. Later, the Raja included other groups like Reang, Jamatia and Noatia as well, in an attempt to foster a sense of kindness among the people under his region. [23]

The Tripuri people have a rich historical, social, and cultural heritage which is totally distinct from that of the mainland Indians. Their distinctive culture – as reflected in their dance, music, festivals, management of community affairs, dress and food habits – has a strong base. Kokborok, the lingua franca of the 12 largest linguistic groups of the indigenous Tripuris and other dialects spoken in Tripura are of the Tibeto-Burman group and distinct from those spoken in India. There is no influence from those spoken by other peoples in the north-eastern region.

Calendar

The Tripuris follow a traditional luni-solar calendar Tripurabda, which has 12 months and a 7-day week, like the Gregorian calendar.

The Tripura Era's New Year is on the 1st of Vaishakh which corresponds to 14 or 15 of April of Common_Era, depending on whether that year is a Leap year or not. The months are named in pan Indian months, time since its inception 1419 years back by Tripuri king Hamtor pha alias Himti pha alias Jujharu pha in 512 Saka Era.

Notable people

Indian

Bangladeshi

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tripura</span> State in northeastern India

Tripura is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers 10,491 km2 (4,051 sq mi); and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 3.67 million. It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east and by Bangladesh to the north, south and west. Tripura is divided into 8 districts and 23 sub-divisions, where Agartala is the capital and the largest city in the state. Tripura has 19 different tribal communities with a majority Bengali population. Bengali, English and Kokborok are the state's official languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agartala</span> Capital city of Tripura, India

Agartala is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Tripura, situated on the banks of Haora/Saidra River, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the border with Bangladesh and about 2,499 km (1,552 mi) from the national capital, New Delhi. According to 2022 AMC data, Agartala is the third most populous city after Guwahati and Imphal in Northeast India. It is India's third international internet gateway and being developed under the Smart Cities Mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Liberation Front of Tripura</span> Militant organization

The National Liberation Front of Tripura is a banned Tripuri nationalist terrorist organisation based in Tripura, India. It has an estimated 550 to 850 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kokborok</span> Sino-Tibetan language spoken in India and Bangladesh

Kokborok is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Indian state of Tripura and neighbouring areas of Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tripura Baptist Christian Union</span> Christian denomination in India

The Tripura Baptist Christian Union (TBCU) is a Baptist Christian denomination in Tripura, India. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital. The TBCU is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF) and the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). It is also a member church in the North East India Christian Council (NEICC), a regional church body of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kokborok literature</span>

Kokborok (Tiprakok/Tripuri) is the native language of Tripuri people in present Tripura state in Northeast of India. During the 20th century many of Royal family and its officials contributes to develop the Kokborok language in many ways.

Drama was brought into the Kokborok-speaking population by the Yatra (Jatra) performers of Bengal. The rulers of Independent Tripura were the first to present and perform drama in Tripura. Though in the beginning the presentations of yatras (jatras) were limited to the Royal Compound, in course of time it came out of the royal compound and mass people also began to enjoy it and join it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbarma</span> Family name

Debbarma is the main clan of Tripuri community, predominantly in state of Tripura, India and Bangladesh who speak Kokborok, a Tibeto-Burman language.

Reang is one of the Tripuri clan of the Northeast Indian state. The Reangs can be found all over the Tripura state in India. However, they may also be found in Assam and Mizoram. They speak the Kokborok language.

The Twipra Kingdom was one of the largest historical kingdoms of the Tripuri people in Northeast India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bir Bikram Manikya Debbarma</span> Maharaja

Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur was a king of Tripura State.

{{Infobox officeholder | name = Pradyot Bikram Manikya DebBarman | image = File:Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarman.jpg | caption = Bubagra Pradyot Manikya in 2024 | birth_date = 4 July 1978 | birth_place = New Delhi, India | religion = | office = Chairman of Tipra Motha Party | termstart = 24 December 2019 | preceded = | office1 = Member of District Council of TTAADC | termstart1 = 19 April 2021 | constituency1 = Takarjala-Jampuijala | preceded1 = Ramendra Debbarma | party = Tipra Motha Party | otherparty =

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Tripura</span>

The culture of Tripura is distinct and a bit similar to other people of Northeast India. However like Assam, Manipur, Burma and Southeast Asia culture of Tripura is characterized in small portion where people live in plain and hill areas. Tripura is a state in North East India. In the 2001 census of India, Bengalis represented almost 70% of the population and the Tripuri population comprised 30% of Tripura's population. The Tripuri population comprises some clans and ethnic groups with diverse languages and cultures. The largest native group was the Tripuri who had a population of 543,848 in 2001 census, representing 16.99% of the state population and 54.7% of the scheduled tribe population. The other group of people in order of decreasing population were Chakma (6.5%), Halam (4.8%), Mog (3.1%), Munda, Kuki tribes and Garo Hajong. Bengali is the most spoken language, due to the dominance of Bengali people in the state. Kokborok (Tripuri/Tiprakok) is a common language among Tripuris and lingua franca in Tripura. Several other languages belonging to Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan families are spoken by the different tribe

Tripuri Kshatriya is a Vaishnav caste group which encompasses almost all the members of the Tripuri, Reang, Jamatia and Noatia ethnic groups, most of whom live in the Indian state of Tripura. The Tripuri Royal Family belonged to the Tripuri ethnic group, from the Debbarma clan. Originally the term "Tripur Kshatriya" was used to denote the Tripuri ethnic group only, but in due time, the Maharajah included the remaining three ethnic groups as well, in an attempt to foster a sense of kinship among his people. With the influx of the Bengali immigrants from neighboring places, the Tripuris lost their majority in their own kingdom and the Maharajah's power was taken away by the Indian government. Formerly, the community was organized under the Tripura Kshatriya Samaj, which was headed by the Maharajah of Tripura himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tipraland</span> Proposed state in India

Tipraland is the name of a proposed state in India for the indigenous Tripuri people in the tribal areas of the Tripura state. They demand the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council and some surrounding areas to be made into a separate state from Tripura. The proposed state covers 68% of the total geographical area of the Tripura and is home to over one-third of the total population of Tripura.

Kokborok Day is a festival celebrated in the Indian state of Tripura to celebrate the development of the Kokborok language. It is observed on 19 January every year. The Kokborok language is an official language in Tripura. This day is chosen to commemorate its initial recognition as an official language in 1979. The activities include cultural programmes and literary activities.

Maharaja Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya DebBarma Bahadur was the 185th and last King of Tripura, a princely state in northeastern India. His formal coronation was held in 1941, but he never gained the powers of a king.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kokborok Cinema</span> Kokborok language film industry

Kokborok Cinema refers to the Kokborok language film industry in Tripura, India and among the Tripuri people. Tripura's Kokborok film industry began in 1986 with Longtharai (1986) directed by Dipak Bhattacharya adapted from Bimal Sinha's novel Karachi theke Longtharai depicting the struggle-ridden life of jhum cultivators in the rural hills of Longtharai followed by the Kokborok film Langmani Haduk (1993) directed by Ruhi Debbarma can be read as a critique of the modern regime. The Kokborok film Mathia (2004) directed by Joseph Pulinthanath, is the first International Award-winning Kokborok film.

Yarwng is a 2008 Kokborok feature film produced by Don Bosco Sampari Pictures Tripura, written and directed by Joseph Pulinthanath. The story of the 95-minute feature film revolves round the large-scale displacement which happened in Tripura state, in northeast India, when the newly built Dumbur dam (1970s) submerged huge areas of arable land in the fertile Raima valley about 40 years ago. The film won the first national film award for Tripura at the 56th National Film Awards in (2008)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Distribution of the 99 Non-Scheduled Languages- India/ States/ Union Territories-2011 Census" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. pp. 48, 49. Retrieved 10 April 2021. Look for "92. TRIPURI", total number of Tripuri speakers in India given as 11294 on page 48, then state wise break-up on page 49
  2. ↑ "Table 1.4 Ethnic Population by Group and Sex" (PDF) (in Bengali). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2021. p. 33.
  3. ↑ Hasan, Nur; Jahan, Rownak (2014). "A survey of medicinal plants used by the Deb barma clan of the Tripura tribe of Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh". Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 10: 3–19. doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-10-19 . PMC   3996145 . PMID   24502444.
  4. ↑ Ahmed, Sazdik; Ravhee, Shahla (2020). "A Study on the Settlement Morphology of Tipra (Tripura) ethnic group in Sreemangal, Bangladesh". Journal of Recent Activities in Architectural Sciences: 3–19. doi:10.46610/JoRAAS.2020.v05i01.003. S2CID   234648795.
  5. ↑ Jain, Anshika (11 June 2019). "Tripura's Ujjayanta: Seat of the Manikyas". Live History India. It rose like a phoenix out of the ashes, quite literally. Situated in the city of Agartala is the exquisite Ujjayanta Palace, home of the Tripura royals and also a state museum. This delicate beauty was built in the late 19th century by Maharaja Radha Kishore Manikya of the Manikya dynasty, after a devastating earthquake flattened Agartala, the capital of Tripura. It went on to become a symbol of a modern phase in the Kingdom of Tripura. You may not have heard of them but the Manikya dynasty of Tripura is one of the oldest continuously reigning dynasties of India. The exact date of its founding is shrouded in legend – the Rajmala, a 15th century chronicle of the kings of Tripura, traces the history of the dynasty to the Mahabharata. But, historically speaking, the dynasty is said to have been founded by Ratna Manikya in 1267 CE. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "Buisu Festival: Govt's emphasis on cultural development quality living of tribals". Tripura Net. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  7. ↑ "CM to inaugurate 20th state-level Buisu Festival". The Rise East. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "How And Why A Handful Of Rice From Each Household Is Essential To Celebrate Tripura's Garia Puja". Advasi Lives Matter. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Debbarma, Baby; Kaipeng, Ramengzaua (2022). "A STUDY ON THE FOLK FESTIVAL OF TRIPURA TRIBALWITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO-DEBBARMA, REANG AND JAMATIA" (PDF). The International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT). 10. ISSN   2320-2882.
  10. ↑ "Makar Sankranti 2023: When to celebrate Makar Sankranti". The Times of India.
  11. ↑ Jamatia, Neha (14 January 2022). "A Festival Where Young People Construct Bamboo Huts Only To Burn Them The Next Day". Adivasi Lives Matter.
  12. ↑ "Tripura" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
  13. ↑ "Buddhist monk from Tripura elected secretary general of the International Buddhist Confederation". 15 December 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  14. ↑ "Food And Local Cuisines Of Tripura". Tripura Online.
  15. ↑ Debbarma, Anuprava (23 September 2022). "Five Ways In Which Tripuris Enjoy Their Traditional Food, The 'Sticky Rice'". Advasi Lives Matter.
  16. ↑ CHAKRABORTY, DIPANNITA; DAS NAYAK, RITA (2022). Transitional Aspects of Indigenous People: North East India. EBH PUBLISHERS. p. 26-29. ISBN   9789392038419.
  17. ↑ "Chakhwi: A Tribal Curry From Tripura Made With Baking Soda". Slurrp. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  18. ↑ "Regional Indian dishes that are prepared in the most unique and unbelievable manner". Times of India. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  19. ↑ "Cakes and Bakes". Tripura. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  20. ↑ Chopra, Natasha. "Regional Indian dishes that are prepared in the most unique and unbelievable manner". NDTV. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  21. ↑ "Bamboo Chicken: The Famous Traditional Food of Tripuri People". Naver Daily.
  22. ↑ "Tripuri community has started reviving its traditional bodies in Tripura". www.sentinelassam.com. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  23. ↑ Asian Studies, Volume 4 by Netaji Institute for Asian Studies, p.4
  24. ↑ "Asiad: Somdev Creates History, India Retains 8th Spot". Outlook. 23 November 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  25. ↑ "Somdev receives Arjuna Award". Hindustan Times. 20 September 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  26. ↑ Agencies, New Delhi (20 September 2011). "Somdev Devvarman receives Arjuna Award". The Indian Express. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  27. ↑ "Kidambi Srikanth, Somdev Devvarman receive Padma Shri awards; Padma Bhushan for Dhoni". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
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