Social Folk customs of the Sonowal and Thengal Kacharis
by Suravi Gohain Duwarah | 2022 | 50,902 words
This essay studies the customs and folk traditions of the Sonowal and Thengal Kacharis of Assam—both of Mongoloid origin and part of the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family. These tribes possess rich customs, traditions, and oral histories. This study explores the similarities and differences between the Sonowal and Thengal Kachari tribes by emphasizin...
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Part 1.9 - Description of Khin Bhonga Puja
Khin Bhonga Puja is performed to sanctify the house of the Sonowal Kacharis. They believe that all the ‘Sua’ (impurity) would away if this puja is done. So they conduct this puja at the beginning of the new year for the wellbeing of the family. This custom can be said to be a sanctification ceremony of this community. The custom of celebrating the festival differs from place to place. Before the celebration of this puja, they sanctify the house by washing clothes and cleaning the house. After cleaning, they start the custom of the puja. They make a ridge of earth in the projecting edge of the roof. Some pithaguri is sprinkled over the ridge of the earth and a hedali is placed. Over this hedali an agoli kolpat is spread and a kolor thari is kept to touch the roof of the house. A koldil is made shape of an ‘owl’ with two dung. There is a custom of offering oblation to Basumati on the earth and then seven shares are made above the hedali. In the part which is offered to Basumati, an egg is also given. They also have the custom of preparing Xanti jol mixing water with cow dung and rice in a copper container and from the roof of the house seven solu of water is poured and then this water is again put in the vessel and ‘Xanti jol’ is again prepared by dipping dubori bon, har kota bon, hohoya bon. This water is sprinkled in the house to sanctify the house.
The pujari while sprinkling the ‘Xanti jol’ utters,
“sapkhini, hudukhini, phesakhin, kukurkhin, mekurikhin, houkakhin lagise, khin bhangibo lage’, Kar kodom maina oi letherike jauna hei’, Aji, uttering the day, khin dangoria ahise letheri koi jauna hei.’
Then the pujari asks ‘goisene’? A person within the house replies ‘goise’. Pujari asks ‘Bhagisene’? Then someone from inside says ‘bhagise’. Then there is a custom of breaking the egg offered to ‘Basumati’ along with all the items offered in the ceremony kept in tiniali and they believe that they should not turn back and see those items. In this way ‘Sarukhin bhonga’ puja is performed.
The custom of ‘borkhin puja’ is celebrated using the above items offered, and together with these, some other items like a kukura and Madhopurukhor ras is required.’ A deodhoi, one randhoni, akhirbodiya is present in this celebration. After performing like the Sorukhin puja the deodhai takes the hen in his hand and narrates the tale of ‘Aina burha-burhi’. The tale says that once a brother and a sister went to search for a thereju fruit. While doing so they somehow they were attracted towards each other and when the society came to know about their relations and were kept in exile. They pleaded Lord Shiva to save them. Lord Shiva gave a means to them. He asked them to stay in the ‘panipota’. If a house becomes impure then they can enter in that house and if they sanctify the house they will have to come out from that place. Saying this story the deodhai sacrifices the hen and the petu are hung in the khuta. The meat is cooked and all have a meal. The items offered are again left at the tiniali.
The custom of the same puja is informed to be performed in a different way as narrated by an informant. He informed that while doing the puja they have to narrate the story of the owl. She said that the custom celebrating this puja in their village. They belong to Ujari sect and in their house they wash and clean their house. They use kesa pitha, modor mera, korkora bhat, patot diya pitha, nephaphu patot diya in this puja.
Then in the projection of the roof they make a ridge of earth and pitha guri is sprinkled, a ladder made of banana ridge, is placed. Two divisions are made one is for Basumoti and the other one in the ladder is for Indra. The puja is performed by the head of the family and tell the story to the gorokhiya lora. This puja is celebrated before any special occasion of the house. After performing the rituals of this puja they can conduct the other ceremonies in the houses.[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Informant: Debalata Saikia