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 2.8 - Sacramental festivals (of the Thengal Kacharis)
All the communities living in Assam have some festivals which are occassionaly celebrated.
The life cycle rites differ from society to society. The Thengal Kacharis also have their rites related to birth, puberty and death. The birth of a child brings mirth, happiness and enjoyment in a family. The function of ‘Jaal diya’ on the third day of a child’s birth, there is a custom of bringing the child to the outdoors to face the sunlight as soon as the umbilical cord falls.
As Rev Endle observes,
“For about a month or six weeks after giving birth to a child, the mother is held to be technically ‘unclean’ and is subjected to certain social and religious limitations. For example she cannot approach the domestic altar commonly found inside a Kacharis dwelling house and on who she is ordinarily in the habit of making offering of egg, chicken etc. in times of troubles.”[1]
This period of uncleanliness is removed by ceremony known as ‘Suddhi Sabah’. Nowadays another function ‘Annaprasanna’ is very much seen to be celebrated among all the communities, when a child completes six month. A feast is given to the relatives and the friends. Attaining puberty of a child is an important stage of a girl’s life. This ceremony which they term as ‘tuloni biya’ is an initiation ceremony of a girl to the state of womanhood. Various custom and rituals are related to this ceremony. Ceremonious bathing on the seventh, ninth or eleventh day, as per convenience they celebrate the marriage ceremony inviting relatives and friends. A feast is given to all those present on this day.
Death ritual on the third day of the death of a person is ‘tilani’. Family members remain in fasting for the three days. After the rituals of ‘tilani’ completes they have some boiled food without adding any spice and oil. ‘Doha’ is the tenth day function and on the eleventh day or sometimes after a month ‘Kaaj’ is done. That night itself is another ceremony ‘matsyaspassa’ is performed and the family members are allowed to have fish from that day onwards.
These festivals celebrated by the Thengal Kacharis with different customs and rituals are the sacramental festivals.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Op. Cit. Endle, 1997, P 42