FORMATION OF ASSAM AND ASSAMESE PEOPLE

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The creation of a nation is equally related to the material, intellectual, and cultural life of that nation. The development of culture and civilization is often dependent on each other. The Assamese community is also not an exception to this. Many factors contribute to growing people into one community.

LANGUAGE:

Language and literature reflect the thoughts, imaginations, and ethnic feelings of people. Long two thousand years have been spanning to appear Assamese as full-fledged language. But the acquisition of words is much older than that. It has been nearly four thousand years since the immigration of Austroloids. They are aboriginals of southeast Asia. But the modern Assamese language originated in the Indo-Arayan dialect. It evolved from Magadhi Prakrit; many linguists term it the Kamrupi dialect. The foundation of the Indo-Aryan language formed before the 5th century itself in some elite localities of the Kamrupa empire. Austro-Asiatic people were abundant on both sides of the Brahmaputra valley, along with some newly arrived Tibeto-Burman immigrants. The Kamrupi dialect prevailed in western Assam, spread later all over Assam, and was characterised as the language of Assam—eventually Assamese. This claim of Assamese scholars is authenticated from the writings of Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang in the early seventh century. Old Kamrupi, or the origin dialect of Assamese, is found in King Vaskar Varman’s inscriptions. But the differences between Indo-Aryan languages are clear. All other sister languages of Bengal, Oriya, and Maithili have similarity. But Assamese has a history of borrowing or adding many Austro-Asiatic or Tibeto-Burman words to its language.

Before the emergence of the Assamese community in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, Assam was under the rule of different royal administrations. Two prominent powers were available on both ends of Assam: Ahom in the east and Koch in the west. But Assam was not bipolar at all. Many small Kingdoms existed, like Chutiyas at the eastern end (Sadiya), landowners Bhuyans on both sides of the Brahmaputra, and Kacharis in central and southern Assam, which remarkably ruled. Moreover, Muslim aggressors or occupants inhabited many parts of Assam, including the crucial Kamrupa. Under these kingdoms, many sub-communities also lived. Besides their own local dialects, their central communication language was one without a distinctive name. People couldn’t sense the linguistic nationalism or unity then. All these things happened spontaneously until the name Assam or Assamese was born.

ANCIENT ASSAMESE PEOPLE:

Blood and cultural mixtures shape the biological and mental nature of a community. History can only be touched by the reign of the Varman dynasty. The main ethnic groups that migrated to ancient Kamrupa were mainly Alpine, Mongolian, and Caucasian. Another community, namely Veddid, likely to be Caucasian, came to a lesser extent. It is worth mentioning the influence of the monarchy in uniting the said ethnic groups. During the reign of the Varman dynasty, the Brahmaputra valley began to become more liberal and tolerant than elsewhere in India. Generally, in Hinduism, caste division determines the social position among occupational communities developed among the general population. All the professional communities are considered Sudra.

Nevertheless, as a result of Mongolian influence, occupational communities were not identified as separate castes or communities like in the north Indian Aryan belts. Therefore, there is no strict communal or professional distinction among people except for a few classes like sweepers, fishermen, etc. The demographic pattern of the Brahmaputra Valley itself reflects generosity and tolerance. So it is evident that not only during the pre-vedic or vedic periods, settlers in the Brahmaputra valley from North India were Hindus. But also various tribes of Mongolian ethnic communities embraced Arayanized language, religion, and culture. This is the reason behind the lack of ethnological uniformity among Assamese Hindus. Rather, ethnological diversity was conspicuous. This is due to the mixed blood of Alpine, Mongolian, Caucasian, and Veddid people.

MONGOLIAN PEOPLE:

The majority of Assamese people belong to this group. The various vast Mongolian groups known as KIRAT Kacharis arrival was the first of this group. From the eighteenth century on, boro was a term used to describe the identity of these people. The Kacharis, or Boros, embraced Hinduism and were socially and culturally Arayanized during the reign of the Varman dynasty. Historian Edward Gate conceptualised some dynasties, including Salastambha, as converted Arayans, originally of ethnic Kirata. Later, some scholars broadly described them as Indo-Mongolian. The Boro language is derived from the Tibeto-Burman genre of Chinese origin. The languages of Tiwa, Dimasa, Rabha, Hajong, Deuri, Garo.Koch, Karbi, Chutiya, Moran, etc., descended from the greater Boro or Kirata root with the same ethnological background.

Anthropological, linguistic, and cultural evidence has taken the opportunity to conclude that the blood level of the Kacharis is significantly higher among the Assamese population. We have to study the communities during their stay in the Mongolian fold to acquire adequate knowledge of Assamese sub-communities. Maybe, after twelve centuries, whenever the process of assimilation started with Indo-Arayan people, their original distinction, lifestyle, and language were gradually lost. Among many ethnic groups in upper Assam, only the Deoris have been speaking or preserving their language in a limited periphery. Like that, in middle Assam, the Tiwa or Lalung people communicate in their language only among themselves. Tiwas are now recognised as a mainstream Assamese community. The communities in lower Assam like Bodo, Rabha, Garo, and Koch couldn’t sustain a separate national identity other than Assamese. Only the language of the Bodo people is dominant in this comparatively large community in terms of population.

VEDDID: The other three communities of Veddid origin—Hira, Bania, and Koibarta—are Arayanized but accorded lower social status.

NATH: Among the old inhabitants of Kamrupa, the Nath community is also included. They are Arayanized Shaivas, followers of Gorakshnath. The Pala and Salastambha kings are Shaivas but are not related to the Naths. The main occupation of the Naths was to raise moth larvae and make yarn from them. Therefore, he is known as Katini Yogi. They are more likely to be the product of mixed blood from pure Arayan and Arayanized ethnic groups. This is one of the reasons for not having equal social status with Arayan.

The communities that emerged from the union of Arayan and Arayanized ethnic tribes were intellectually and culturally established as Assamese before the twelfth century itself. However, Assamese is a modern word that was not used then. But these ethnic groups have contributed to the formation of the collective identity of the people we now call Assamese.

Kalita/Brahmin: Vedic and pre-vedic language and culture formed the basis of the primary linguistic and cultural identity of the Assamese people. Among holders of this language and culture, the contribution of the Kalitas of the Alpine group and the Vedic Arayan-speaking Brahmins is undeniable. The Kalitas are the first community to play an important role in the history of the Assamese people. According to the Kalita’s history of Banikanta Kakoty, they are believed to have migrated from their original settlement in the north of Videha or Mithila. It is said that once they were associated with Buddhism also. There is no conclusive definition of how the name Kalita is derived. Their rank is on par with the Brahmins in the Arayan social hierarchy.

GANAK: They are another branch of Brahmins who are basically fortune tellers instead of performing religious ceremonies. Location-wise, their status is different. Vedic Brahmins have not accorded them equal status across the state. Although they were worshippers of planets, not Shakta, they were interested in astrology.

Towards the end of the Pala dynasty, Kamrupa became weak politically, and many small Kingdoms appeared prominently. After the 12th century, the Brahmaputra valley was politically disintegrated and ruled by Kachari, Koch, Ahom, Chutiya, Bhuyans, Gova kings, etc. During this period, two important communities migrated to the Brahmaputra Valley, adding a new dimension to the history of the Assamese people. One is a religious Muslim, and another is an Ahom (a major branch of Mongol).

Islam: The first introduction of the Assamese people to Islam was through the war in 1205 AD. This year, Bakhtiyar Khiliji, sultan of Bengal, invaded Kamrupa. Sultan lost the war and returned with heavy casualties. But in the third invasion, Kamrupa’s king died, and the kingdom’s reign passed to the Muslim aggressor. The historian also indicated that the Sultan took some tribal people with him to help him in the invasion; later, they converted to Islam. Although the number is very small, it has historical significance as it may be the first conversion. After subsequent invasions and conflicts, many Muslim troops flowed into the Brahmaputra Valley and married local women, becoming permanent residents. Many socially inferior classes of Assamese Hindus also converted to Islam and contributed to the growth of Muslims. Therefore, many Assamese Muslims are, by birth, Assamese in terms of language and culture.

SIKH PEOPLE: The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, visited Assam on his way from Dhaka in 1505 AD. He also met Saint Sankerdev. Guru Teg Bahadur first established a gurudwara at Dhubri in the seventeenth century.

Residing mostly in Nagaon district, Sikhs came to Assam as soldiers to fight Burmese intruders. Sent by King Ranjit Singh, a 500-odd Sikh Platoon under the command of Chaitanya Singh entered and settled in 1820. Now they are an integral part of Assamese society as Assamese Sikhs.

MISHING: Mishing is one of the largest Indo-Mongolian ethnic tribes in Assam, after Bodo. They were originally hill dwellers like the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. They generally live along the Brahmaputra in upper Assam.

Their bamboo-made house architecture is unique. Traditionally, the floors of the houses are raised with bamboo pillars. The floor, door, lintel, and staircase are made of bamboo, and the roofing is made of palm leaves. Originally performed animistic rituals but now change with time, gradually merging into Vaishnavite Hinduism. Unlike many Bodo-Kachari or Indo-Mongolian tribes, they preserve their own language despite being identified as Assamese.

AHOM: Broadly, there are two prominent parts of Assam’s history. The first influential period of Assam history was the Varman dynasty, which expanded its legacy until the end of the Pala dynasty. The second period started with the reign of the Ahom dynasty (1228) until the modern period with the arrival of the British (1826). The Ahom is the longest-serving monarchy in history. The positions of Koch, Kachari, Chutiya kings, and other chieftains like Tiwa, Bhuyan, Matak,etc. were like those of kings of the Mlech and Pala dynasties in Varman kingdoms.

The big dynasties, including Koch, Kachari, and Chutiya, could not extend their territories to the entire Brahmaputra valley. However, the Ahom Kingdom, established only in the thirteenth century, occupied the entire Brahmaputra valley at the end of the seventeenth century.

Chutiya Kingdom ended earlier. The Koch kingdom became weak after the death of monarch Naranarayan in 1584 and was divided into two parts: Koch Behar and Koch Hajo. Kachari Kingdom virtually became inconsequential with the fall of Dimapur in 1539, and after 22 years of interregnum, the capital moved to Maibong in 1558. The Ahom persuaded some kingdoms to form alliances and conquered many, where rulers of their choice were appointed. This way, Ahom’s territory extended up to the Ganges.

Virtually the history of Ahom became the history of Assam.

The language and people were known as Assamese or Assam from the Ahom’s period. However, a sense of Assamese nationalism was born with the advent of Birtish. Previously, the name of a country or region was in the name of a community, like Ahom, Koch Kingdom, etc.

Light OF Vaishnavism: Undoubtedly, the second golden age of Assam history can be considered to be the period of the Vaishanava movement initiated by Shankerdev after the Varman period. The Vaishanava ideals and teachings directly or indirectly influenced the people. As a result, a larger sect was created, preaching equality and fraternity. So much so that Assam’s socio-cultural history can be divided into two parts: pre-Sankara and post-Sankara.

ASSAMESE: OMMUNITY OF MOTION

The history of a living race or civilization never ends. Assamese has also been enriching itself with new elements with each passing period. From ancient to postmodern times, influxes of new ethnic, linguistic, and social groups continued assimilation with the Assamese people. Adoption and cordiality towards the new flow are strong formative foundations of the Assamese people for an eternal period.