SACRED PLANTS OF SONOWAL KACHARIS
Sumit Das
The Sonowal Kacharis are one of the earliest known indigenous tribes of Assam.
They are a branch (Thal) of the great Bodos. Sonowal Kacharis are mostly common tribe with colorful culture and traditions.
The core group of this tribe that traditionally lived in Sadiya, also called Sadiyal Kachari and Around the 12th century, they established a great powerful kingdom called Halali (Ha:land and Lali:rich in crops) i.e.,Land of fertile soil and controlled a large area in easternmost Assam.
The Sonowal Kacharis are also described as the people who mined gold and its ore from the river sands of Upper Assam and hence the prefix Sonowal(gold washer) was added to identify them. Currently, Sonowal Kacharis live mostly in the districts of Upper Assam, including Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, with some in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Golaghat districts. In addition, the population is scattered in Arunachal Pradesh.
They belong to the Indo-Burmese language stock. Agriculture is the main economy of the people and rice is their staple food. The Sonowal Kacharis maintain their primitive indigenous religious rites and practices which include the worship of Khring Khring Baithow. Most of the tribe are staunch followers of Hinduism and Neo-Vaisnavism.
The ethnobotanical knowledge of Sonowal Kacharis is very rich. Their constant research into the rich medicinal plants of the neighboring forests led to their development of indigenous folk remedies to treat various ailments and diseases. In addition, they used various plants in traditional rituals, religious prayers and ceremonial practices.
They consider bamboo one of the most sacred plant species. Bambusa tulda Roxb. (poaceae) Ass: Jati Banh, commonly grown in every rural household in Assam. A freshly cut long bamboo with 9, 11 or 13 knots is used as an instrument in Husori on the eve of the annual Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu festival. which marks the Assamese New Year and the beginning of the crop planting season.
The name of this unique musical instrument is Toka,which is placed on a bamboo stand 2-3 feet above the ground. Husori performers beat the toka with a small bamboo stick known as a toka-mari, sing Husori geets (songs) and dance .Other plays musical instruments like Dhol (drum), Khuti-tal (metal cymbals) and bahi (flute). In the Husori group, all households use the same stick.
On the last day of Bihu, or a suitable day after the presentation of the Husoris. The Tokas and Toka-maris are ceremoniously brought out into the open. It is called Bihu uruwa or the end of the bihu festival. Cinnamomum cecicodaphne Meissn (Lauraceae) Ass: Gondhsoroi Goss, a large evergreen tree that grows to a height of about 15 m, the tree yields valuable wood, the bark is light brown, the tree is durable.
The trunk of this tree is symbolically worshiped as the supreme deity of their religious beliefs – Baithow, who is formless, omnipresent and omnipotent. The trunk of the tree is strengthened like the central pillar or post of the Baithow Sal (Hal). the sacred pillar is curved in the shape of a banana flower (Kol-dil), which is considered as a symbol of male fertility.
Imperta cylindrica (L.) Raeusch (Poaceae). Ass: Ulu Kher, A perennial herb 2 to 10 feet tall that grows in open sandy habitats, usually along riverbanks. The leaves are about 2 cm wide near the base and narrow at the tip. The edges of the leaves are finely serrated, covered with silica crystals, which make them sharp.
On the grand evening of Khring Khring Baithow Puja, a ritual called Deo nomowa (ceremonial invocation of the gods) is performed. For this, Ulu kher leaves are used to tie nine separate packs of betel nut(Areca cathechu L.) which are locally called tamul panor topola and are offered to four deities namely Baithow, Gojai, Monai, Bhuruli, Phulkonwar and four deities of Sadiya (Sari Sal Gosani) namely Burha – Burhi, Kechaikhaiti, Tamreswari, Bolia Baba and Pator Sal.
Syzygium jambolanum (Myrtaceae) Ass:Jamuk. The black plum is a medium-sized tropical evergreen tree, its height can be up to 30 m, dense leaves provides shade, the wood is hard and durable and waterproof.
This tree is considered sacred because in the mythical imagination of the Sonowal Kacharis, it was in the forest for their traditional deities and Madhopurush(One form of Lord Shiva). Thus, the tree is symbolically present in the form of a pillar that is worshiped during the Baithow Puja.
Sumit Das, Saikhowa Ghat, Assam (India)
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