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TRIBALS IN THE DISTRICT OF lALPAIGURI

Jalpaiguri is situated at the northern border of North Bengal. The

district accommodates about 25% Tribal people who have hailed from

the Mongoloids. They have come to India from Tibet via Nepal and

Moimansingha of Bangladesh. So the people of tribal community are

found living in the district since time immemorial. Among the tribals the

noted are - Rava, Mech, Garo, Hazong, Chakma, Megh, Santhal, Oraon,

Munda, Malpahari, Bhumij, Kheurua, Doha, Kora etc. But the most primitive

tribes in the district are Rava, Mech, Gadura, Toto, Limbu etc. Most of

them live in Jalpaiguri district although some of them are still to be found

in Darjeeling and Kooch Behar districts. These tribal people do not dwell

in any other districts but the above mentioned three districts. However,

before going to discuss the life pattern of the tribal people of Jalpaiguri, it

is essential to highlight some tribal community in this regard.

Rava : According to anthropology, Rava is a special tribal community

among the Mongoloid units. Before the birth of Jesus Christ, the Rava

entered into North Bengal from China through Tibet and Burma (Myanmar).

These primitive inhabitants are founding in Assam, Garo Hills and

Meghalaya. The ancient habitat of the Rava of Jalpaiguri district is Dakshin

Kamakshaguri village of the Kumargram Police Station in the district of

Jalpaiguri. They also live in large at Maddhya Kamakshaguri, Narar Thali,

Radhanagar, Hemaguri, East Shalbari, Mouzar Gram and in the forestry

areas of Jhiltong, Rayduck, Indrabasti etc. They are also round at Sara-

Kalchini and Mendabari of Alipurduar. Some ancient life habit and style

are still clamped with the Rava. They are matriarchal in origin in their
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social set up: The issues_ are introduced in society in accordance with

their maternal clan rather than their paternal race.

After marriage the Rava misses, need not have the change of their

racial lineage. Their racial symbol is marked with animal, bird, tree, mineral

ore, aquatic animal etc. As for example, the clans Mohatak and Gomrei

are symbolised by stag and tortoise respectively. In Rava terminology

Race is termed as Hosuk. In Rava society, Hosuk occupies an important

place which is completely different from that of the other patriarchal

tribes.

Rava society strictly prohibits a marriage not only in their own race

but also in the lineage of their friends and relatives. Pre-wedding discussion

is settled between the bride and groom party through a match-maker

( vuf} To finalise a marriage, a practice - Koo'r is observed in the Rava

society. According to the practice (Koor) - the apparent groom, his

guardian and the match-maker are called upon at brides home. But before

setting out for the bride's house certain practices are made at the groom

house to forbid whether the consummate bond be an auspicious one or

not. In the Koor ceremony a white pugree is bound up. on the groom

head by the bride in collaboration with the priest or Saranga. This Practice

of binding up pugree is called Koor.

On the marriage of Saranga sacrifices hen and putochakat and

performs the puja of house-deity Bontuk on Mychasang. The priest in

their tongue, says, "They are in marital bond from today". To apprehend

the auspiciousness of the couple, a de throated hen is let free before a

cooking pot filled with wine and water. If it found that the right leg of
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dead hen lays spread more longer then the left one then the couple is

considered to be taken as 'auspicious one'

From religious point of view, the Rava are Pantheist. In their term of

deity are Bari and a place of worship of Boridan. There is no place of a

formed deity in their society. Different elements of nature .like tree, stone,

river and stream etc. are invested with the attribute of Deitism/Godliness.

Their prime deity is Rishi. His authority Jog and the house deity in Rontak.

Symbolising Him (Risht) a hen-egg - Jochi is placed on a cooking pot,

having filled it with rice and the pot is kept at Mayachasang, a corn

container of the Rava's house. The female members perform his puja

daily. Their special puja is celebrated in the month of Baisakh. The Rava

call her Dhanlakshi or deity of rice. Of late, the Ravas are being attracted

much by Christianity; Christianism has entered the Rava society. The

Christian Missionaries are converting the under dogged Ravas into

Christianity and upgrading their social, economic and academic status.

Cultivation is the main source of the Rava's livelihood .. Their economy

is based on farming. From the very origin they have engaged themselves

in farm work. Their ancestors used to plough jhoom-cultivation, following

the Tazia Manner. They drug upon the soil with spade and scattered seed

on them. Later they mounted to the states of a permanent farmer from a

temporary one. The Ravas of Jalpaiguri are classified into two groups

regarding their social and financial plight. The first of them is Rural Rava

Society and the other is Jungle Rava Unit, engaged as labour in forest

department. The labours get a dwelling house and two acres of land each

for cultivation. In exchange they are bound to labour for plantation work

of the Forest Department.

After the partition of country in 1947, when the refugees coming

from Purba Bangia settled down at Duars, the Ravas would have to displace

gradually from their farmland. In recent time of the tribals have got their

land back for the initiation of Tribal Land Transfer Prevention Act and

Sold Land Extradition Act. Besides this, the Ravas have retained some

land for cultivation due to Barga Operation. Owing to the farmers'

settlement in East Bengal and for Intensive Agricultural Work, a great

change has taken place in economy. Now-a-days, the Rava are accustomed

to each and every kind of cultivation work. They sell their harvesting crop

in market, domesticate cattle's and sell meat to concrete the base of

economy. Their children are now much inclined to education. Many of

them, having been qualified, have taken job in both govt. and non-govt.

sector.

Mech 'is a very primitive tribe of North Bengal. The Mech or 'Bodo'

community occupies a paramount place among the different tribal populace

living in the district of Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Darjeeling. According

to anthropological point of view the people of this community is a branch

derived from the Anglo-Mongoloid. The language of the Mech is called

'Bodo' B.H. Hudson has first used the term Bodo to determine an ethnic

language word. Later the term has been used to indicate a nation and a

language. Historian N. Basu opines that the Mech and the Keerats is

descendant of Asur. Once they were Mlech and later the term has been

abbreviated into Mech. They reigned Pragjyotispur for nearly four thousand

years and by the eleventh century they began to die down. From a

description of Pembarton, it is known that they lived at Volehut of Bhutan

Duars, Moynaguri, Chengamari and Gopalganj which now falls under

West Duars of Jalpaiguri.

Dulton in his Descriptive Anthropology of Bengal (1872) writes that

the existence of the Mech could be found then in and around Bhutan

Duars occupied by India. From there, they started living in Jalpaiguri

Duars as permanent inhabitant.

In Census of India - 1891 Gait informed that the 'Bodos', being

displaced from Patkai Hill, came to Assam by the year 1228. From there,

they scattered themselves at different regions like Goalpara, Jalpaiguri

arid Cooch Behar naming as Mech or Mess. According to the Census

Report of 1901, the Mech have been described as the most ancient tribal

by Gait. Inspite of their own mother tongue, they use Bengali language at

present Charu Chandra Sanyal, a famous critique opines that the Mech

belongs to the Mongol. Long before the birth of Jesus Christ, a troop of

Mongol, overtaken the mountain of Patkoi via Sarma, reached north-east

Assam. Gradually dispersed at different places of East and North Bengal.

It is apprehended that the team advanced at three different directions

Kachud and became introduced as Kachadi. The second troop entered

Assam through the Brahmaputra coast and became known as Bodo. Here

they were divided into four units - Mech, Koch, Rava and Garo. One unit

started living by the Mechi River of Nepal. They are called Mechia or

Mech. They are that group who settled themselves in Jalpaiguri, by crossing

the Mechi River. The Mech kings had been reigning the area for centuries.

But the Mech community has no authentic political history. The people of
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the community have beer living in the area from ancient time. The antiquity

of the other communities living in North Bengal is very short in comparison

to the Mech. Yet, the Mech has no script of their own. Many a culture and

heritage of them is lost away in the dark of oblivion.

The authentic proofs of the Mech's have been unearthed with the

discovery of Kumar Vaskar Barman's Dhubi and Nidhonpur Copper

inscription. The genealogy of the forefathers of Vaskar Barman is found

in the inscription. Pushya Barman formed the Mech family at about fourth

century. Kumar Vaskar Barman· was the most successful king of this race.

During his tenure, the Chinese ascetic Huen Tsang came to Kamrup on a

trip. That Kumar Vaskar Barman was a leading king in seventh century

India was left with no doubt. After the demise ofVaskar Barman, Salstamva

Mech ascended the throne of Kamrup in 664 A.D. The greatest king of

this lineage was Shri Harish or Shri Hotta.

The people of Mech community are primarily the worshiper of nature.

Their chief deity in Bathou or Bathhau Siju tree is the symbol of Bathou

that is placed at the north-east ward of each and every Mech's house.

Their chief goddess is Mainow whose position is in the kitchen. Puja of

Bathou is celebrated with offering sacrifice on the month of Baisakh every

year. Goddess Mainow is the god of Bishahari and corn. The god is

worshipped on the occasion of marriage Annaprashan, Nabanna,

cultivation etc.

To perform a puja the Mech possesses personal family priest called

Rosa. Jou or wine is an essential compound for any puja. Many of them

have not accepted Christianity. Those converted to Christianity do not

perform their old religious rituals. Another one branch of the Mech

performs the Brahma etiquettes initiated by Kalicharan Mech.

The prime means of subsistence of the Mech community is cultivation.

Even today their farming operation are going on with bull plough, ladder

etc. But now-a-days, they are as interested in the cultivation of Aman,

Aous, and Boro as active in the farming of winter corns. The people of

this community are honest, simple and industrious. The Mech women

cooperates the male in the field of production. Not only that the Mech

women are too much expert in Endi-cultivation and handloom woven.

With the advancement of education, they have taken up the calling of

government service and many other professions.

The religion of the Mech is based on five principles: Bathou, Mainow,

Saris God-Goddess, Mahesh Thakur, Bishagari, and Kalietc. are worshipped

at home and the village or public deities are worshipped on a public after

outside home.

Both their domestic and public pujas are celebrated on first Baisakh,

the Bengali New Year. Though non-sacrificial pujas were prevalent in the

ancient era, sacrificial systems have been started in the Dapar Age. Both

the two systems of worships are on now-a-days in their society. The

social conventions of the Mech were not so hard and fixed earlier and

even today, Keran puja is the greatest celebration of the Mech. This

worshipping is of three types, such as (i) Eye Keray, (ii) Madai Keray, (iii)

Garja Keray. The third one is the most important of them because of its
unanimous/combined celebration by some villages.
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Regarding the matters like land-heritage, marriage etc., the Mech

primarily follows the conventions set by their parental society. Like the

other tribal societies, their social set up is formed consisting of different

Ari's or groups. The groups, in their term, are called Foroihol. The groups
generally found in West Bengal and Ishwarari, Champromari, Hazoari,

Bodgoari, Bosumatari and Mochahari. There is no distinction of high and

low in Mech society. Different tribal groups have different totems or symbol

of group.

Though, caste-marriage was prohibited in the Mech society, with the

development of education the system has gradually been loosened. The

practice of child-marriage cannot be seen in the society. Dowry was given

to a bride in the past but now dowry is given to the groom. Polygamy

was out of touch. When the son or daughter grows to wedding-age, bride

or groom is looked for. A marriage is settled through Gadoa or a match-

maker. At first, the match-maker talk to the brides family and fix up a

date on which the groom's guardian go to take betel leaf, betel nut, some

cash money and perform a puja for the Home Deity placed under a Sizu

tree. If the bride party disagrees, the things are taken back. And if they

agree the same things (betel leaf, betel nut etc.) are sent to the bride's

home repeatedly. Final date of a marriage is fixed up, be seated on

Goigawna with two party's. There is no season bar of marriage over the
year. Marriage ceremony is celebrated on Bathou.

The lives of the Mech are rich in diverse culture. They observe the

New Year's Day Baishagu in a festive manner. This is the greatest festival

of the Mech's. The important dances of the Mech are Bugromba, dance of
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spring festival, Baishagu Gele Nai, Nagur Nai, Chalthungri Mogha Nai,

Sotrali Mogha Nai etc. The ancient Kerai dance is now in the way of

extinction. Their marriage song Haba Methai and marriage dance Bairati

Mogha Nai are mention worthy.

When someone in Mech society died, he or she is dumped into the

ground. After the burial everybody offers a fist of soil in the grave. On

the eleventh day Afchhgar Nai, the ceremony of purification and obsequial

ceremonies are performed. The obsequial ceremony, performed with fish

and meat, are called Machhogarnori and the one with veg is called

Bangarnai.

Multilingual and multicoloured tribal commu,nities like Mech, Rava,

Garo, Santhal, Mund, Oraon, Lepcha, Toto, Limbu, Khadia have been

living in Duars area between the Tista-Torsa catchments at the hill of the

Himalaya in Today's Jalpaiguri. Specially the Mech, the Rava, the Garo,

the Limbu are most ancient occupant/inhabitant of the area. Their

language, literature, culture and behaviour have cast greater influence on

the other tribal occupying places. They have advanced much than before

in the sphere of education, culture, economy etc. Exercise of Literature

among the Mech and the Rava has gained enough fame in the world of

literature. Many people of these communities are found professing

government service at different offices of North Bengal. This sets an

evidence of their advancement in education. But the statistical analysis of

Census Reports shows that their numbers, without increasing, are

decreasing fast from the last 100 years, a table chart of which is shown

below.
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Year Population of Population of Population of .

1891 21,608 3,778

1901 22,350 342 557

1911 19,893
1921. 10,777

1931 9,510 379 77

1941 6,886 272

1951 10,507 224 56

1961 13,178 237 153

1971 10,387 253 68

1981 9,210 190 50

1991 8,101 140 40

Regarding the Census of lowering the population, the following causes

can be held responsible:

(i) In 1950, the British entered the Terrain Region and adopted tea

gardening in such an intensive way that the jingle worlds were

shattered havoc. As a result, the people dependent on forest became

utterly helpless.

(ii) Frequent changes in Land Management System and increasing of tax

(iii) People coming from North East began pouring in East, while the rest
started living in British India as the out-comers/foreigners.

(iv) There had been a severe scarcity of Mech Land, centring round

preparing the tea gardens by 1874.

(v) An ever-growing pressure from the outsiders was always on.

(vi) During the preparation of tea garden in 1860, a huge amount of

land was forcibly acquired from the Mech Rava and the other tribes

by virtue of Waste Land Act.

(vii) The then British introduced Tenancy Rule for which lands could be

easily bought and sold, causing a havoc infiltration of Bihari, Marwari

and upper caste Bengali Hindu etc. in their native land that resulted

extreme oppression, exploitation and deprivation.

(viii)With the extending of Tea Gardens between 1860 and 1930, the

local tribals were beginning to be displaced from their own land.

The tribals revolted a·gainst the British. for this.

According to a Report prepared by Sarder Saheb twenty thousand

acres of land were earmarked for tribal people at southly under the P.S.

Kalchini. As a result, people of Mech and Rava community went away to

some other places. The other observations and field survey reveal that

many people of Mech and Rava have been converted to Hinduism or

Christianity. They speak Bengali. Though they follow the tribal conventions,

many of them are still introduced as Kudi-while many other have assumed

the title Mondal in Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar Sub-Division. This is why the

Mech and the Rava always maintain a greater imbalance with the whole

state regarding their population statistics.

West Bengal Human Development Report 2004