Socio Economic Conditions of the Tribal People of Assam A Study of the Thengal Kachari Tribe in Jorhat District of Assam

Abstract

This is a socio economic study of the Thengal Kachari Tribal community living in the Jorhat district of Assam. The study covers 200 households of 4 villages spread over 4 Gaon Panchayats of Titabor Development Block and Bag Chung Development of the district. Thengal Kachari tribe is a branch of the great Bodo group of the Mongoloid family. They have never been enumerated as a separate group in any of the six Census operations conducted in Assam 1951,1961,1971,1991, 2001 and 2011 since independence. The presence of three types of elements namely the elements of tribal culture, elements of traditional Hindu culture, and growing value of modern culture inculcated by them through their exposure to modern education media etc. makes it all the more important to document the socio economic conditions of the Thengal Kachari tribal people. The study is a result of the same. Ethnic consciousness among the Thengal Kacharis is a recent phenomenon, although it is worth mentioning that their identity movement is quite peaceful in nature, and they stand in complete cooperation with the other communities of Assam. Although the Thengal Kacharis have never demanded a separate State for themselves outside the State of Assam, primary demand of the Thengal Kachari identity movement is the re introduction of the word Thengal in the list of Scheduled Tribe Plains of Assam. As of now, the forerunners and torchbearers of the community along with the Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council are trying their best to revive the old customs and traditions of the community.