Development (d): Mongoloid Influence

It is an acknowledged reality that the culture of Assam or NE region is heavily influenced by the Mongolian culture. Thus, it is the observation of many renowned scholars that the Assamese culture exhibits numerous tribal influences, assimilated over time. The Chinese or Tibeto-Burman elements heavily influenced the Assamese Folklore and Culture. It is because, many centuries before the Christian era, Assam had link with the people and southern regions of China (Barua:1975). As the different sources suggest, there were successive waves of migration of the Indo-Mongoloid people to the region. Such migration of the Indo-Mongoloid stock possibly started in the prehistoric period, at least two millennium years ago, that continued to the 19^th C. Such early migration of the Mongoloids, and their probable encounter with earlier stock and culture eventuated the acculturation. Such a situation naturally led to the percolation of elements of the dominating culture into the fold of the less dominating culture. However, it seems might not have been the one-way flow, rather reciprocal phenomenon that led to percolate Mongoloid elements to the presumably influential Austric-Caucasoid culture. Such cultural and linguistic contribution is well-scrutinized and well-accepted fact.

The vernacular architecture traditions of the Indo-Mongoloid populations of the state exhibit an interesting phenomenon. It may be logically assumed, as stated by Gogoi, that all the Mongoloid communities of state once lived in the stilt architecture (Gogoi:2006:108). The topography, climate, and environment of their original habitat or even the present habitation of the Mongoloids prompted the development of the silt architecture (changghar). Thus, the stilt variety of architecture, prevalent exclusively among some tribal communities and partially among other communities, is beyond doubt is a Mongolian contribution and culture. Many Indo-Mongoloid groups are continuing the tradition of the stilt architecture in contemporary time also. However simultaneously, certain IndoMongoloid communities of the region, especially of the Kachari group, have adopted the earth-fast architecture. On the other hand, the Tiwas live on earth-fast architecture but simultaneously possess the tradition of the stilt variety as prevalent in their Bachelor dormitory. Thus, it appears that the exchange and percolation of housing tradition happened because of acculturation or circumstantial demand, but the stilt architecture is a primarily Mongolian contribution in the development of the Assamese vernacular architecture tradition.

Simultaneously, the architecture type of Chora-ghar, which is an integral element in the assembly of the typical Assamese vernacular architecture, might also be a Mongolian contribution. The present earth-fast Chora-ghar might have derived and developed from the Bachelor dormitory (deka-chang), which is predominantly a tribal or more specifically a Mongolian feature. There are certain clues that lead to such a conclusion when we scrutiny the form and function of the Chora-ghar and the deka-chang of different communities. Both of these architectures are primarily meant for the accommodation of the unmarried youth or a guest. Thus, though the deka-chang of different tribes is primarily a stilt architecture, usually without enclosing wall, but it is also prevalent as an earth-fast architecture. Thus, the Dimasa deka-chang of Nodrung or occasionally the un-walled Chamadi of Tiwa is constructed on ground. Contrariwise, certain Mongoloid groups do not possess the architecture of deka-chang but have the architecture of Chora-ghar. Thus the Sonowal Kacharis, who neither possess stilt variety of architecture nor the deka-chang, but have the architecture of Chora-ghar. Their Chora-ghar used to be an architecture without the enclosing walls like dekachang, as if moved into the orbit of individual household. Simultaneously, the Choraghar of the Ahom people was an architecture, half of which was walled while other half was kept open without enclosing walls in some instances. Thus, there is ample possibility to think that the Chora-ghar and its concept, as it is prevalent among different tribal as well as non-tribal communities, gradually developed from the dekachang. An interesting living example may be the Garo Bachelor dormitory of Nokpante, which used to be a community architecture is now practically found within the individual homestead playing role and place of Chora-ghar. But still they call this unit of architecture of their homestead as Nokpante, as witnessed among the Garo population of Jonai area.

Simultaneously, the term Chora-ghar also indicates to such possibility. It is because the term “chora” in Assamese denotes “high” or “height”. And since the architecture of deka-chang were of conspicuous height, so the architecture with similar function constructed on ground were also designated or referred by the term denoting height i.e. c hora. Thus, it indicates to such a possibility that the name, form, and function of the Chora-ghar might be a Mongoloid contribution. In the similar line, there is scope to think that the architecture of the Maral Ghar, as it name and function suggest, may be derivation of the Girl’s dormitory or Gabharu Chang. The term “maralghar” may be the corruption or may have developed from the term “morang ghar”, used to designate a bachelor dormitory across different tribes.

Conversely, the prevalence of the separate architecture of the byre among different Indo-Mongoloid group might be a Caucasoid influence. It because, the Mongoloids primarily live in stilt architecture and uses the basement of the architecture for domesticated animal. The use of the basement of their stilt residential architecture for domesticated animal is a Mongolian culture (Barua:1975).