Dimasa Tribes, Assam - Informative & researched article on Dimasa Tribes, Assam
  Indianetzone: Largest Free Encyclopedia of India with thousand of articles Indian Tribals


in  
Art & Culture | Entertainment | Health | Reference | Sports | Society | Travel
Forum  | RSS Feeds  | Free E-magazine
Indian Tribals : Indian Tribal Art l Indian Folk Art l Indian Tribal Women l Indian Tribal Society l Indian Scheduled Tribes l Indian Tribal People l Indian Tribal Festivals l Indian Tribal Fashion l Indian Tribal Music l Indian Tribal Performing Arts l Religious Life of Indian Tribes l Indian Tribal Culture l Indian Aboriginal Tribes l Indian Tribes
Home > Society > Indian Tribals > Indian Tribal People > Tribes of Assam > Dimasa Tribes
Dimasa Tribes, Assam
Dimasa tribes are the most widely spread tribal groups in the north-eastern region of India. Dimasa tribal community is said to be a component part of the Bodo-Kachari clan.

Dimasa Tribe,  AssamAs per the history, the Dimasa tribes are said to be the earliest inhabitants of the Brahmaputra Valley and the meaning of the word `Dimasa` is the children of the big river that connotes Brahmaputra River. Dimasa tribes belong to the Indo-Mongoloid group which includes the Bodo Tribe and their allied tribes. They have prominent Mongoloid features with high cheek bones, slit eyes and scant beard. They call themselves Bodo or Bodo-fisa in the Brahmaputra valley and Dimasa or Dima-fisa or `sons of the great river` in North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong District.

Most of the people of Dimasa tribes reside in the Jatinga Valley, North Cachar Hills of Assam. The total population of the Dimasa tribal community constitutes of ten percent, each and every member of this Dimasa tribal society are financially well off. Dimasa tribal community is very much pious and religious minded. Festivals, musical melodies, religious rites and customs too have enriched the culture of the Dimasa tribal community. The supreme deity in the world is the Banglaraja as per the Dimasa tribal community. These tribal people worship several deities like Lord Banglaraja, Sibrai, spirits of ill- will and good wills, Sakainjeek, Madai.

People belonging to Dimasa tribal group believe in the existence of a supreme being Madai - under whom there are several Madais including family deities and evil spirits. The religious practices of the Dimasas are reflected in their Daikho system. A Daikho has a presiding deity with a definite territorial jurisdiction and a distinct group of followers known as Khel. Every Dimasa Kachari family worships its ancestral deity once a year before sowing the next paddy. It is known as Madai Khelimba. This is done for the general welfare of the family. They cremate their dead. The widow does not tie their hair till cremation. The dead body is cremated by the side of a river or stream.

Dimasa tribal people build their houses on hill slopes with a river or streamlet flowing nearby. The houses are generally built on plinth of earth - in two rows facing each other with a sufficiently wide gap in between. An important institution of the village is `Hangsao`. It is an association of unmarried boys and girls of the village. It is organized for the purpose of working together in cultivation and lasts only for one year. Throughout the year, the members of the Hangsao work together in the Jhum cultivation by rotation an area of land at every member`s field.

Music and dance play an important role in the day-to-day life of the Dimasa Kachari people. The Dimasa tribal people celebrate several occasions and festivals namely Bushu and Hangsao with playing instruments, traditional dance. The males and females of this community are dressed in their traditional dresses during these festivals and some of them take part in folk dances. The dance forms of the Dimasa tribe are complex in character. They are strictly dependent on instrumental music. No songs are used. Khram follows the rhythm of the Muri and so also the dancers. Interestingly, there are variations with noticeable microtones for different dance forms. That is why young men practice dancing at Nadrang during leisure hours whereas the village kids follow the rhythm from an early age. By using their traditional musical instruments like Muri, Muri-wathisa, Supin Khram, Khramdubung, they present their traditional dances named - Baidima, Jaubani, Jaupinbani, Rennginbani, Baichargi, Kunlubani, Daislelaibani, Kamauthaikim Kaubani, Nanabairibani and many more.

Among the traditional wears, rikaosa, richa, paguri rimchau and rimchaoramai are worn by men and rikhra, jingsudu, rijamfini, rikaucha, rijamfinaberen, rigu etc. by women. The women of this community wear different ornaments like Chandraral, Jingbri, Jongsama, Kamautai, Kaudima, Longbar, Rongbarcha, Panlaubar, Khadu, Enggrasa, Ligjao. Thus, it is clear that the traditional dresses, costumes and festivals appositely depict the rich culture of Dimasa tribes.

  More Articles in Tribes of Assam
 
Dimasa Tribes Mikir Tribe Bodo Tribe
Deori Tribes Lalung Tribe Rabha Tribe
Dubla Tribe Madari Mishing tribes
Karbi Tribes    
(Last Updated on : 1/12/2010)
Recently Updated Articles in Indian Tribals
  • Bharwad Tribe
    Bharwad Tribe mainly resides in Gujarat and belongs to the Hindu caste. They revere lord Krishna as their main God.
  •  
  • Tribes of Rajasthan
    Tribes of Rajasthan are said to be the original inhabitants of Rajasthan. These tribes of Rajasthan state comprises of about twelve percent of the total population of the state.
  •  
  • Tribes of Maharashtra
    Tribes of Maharashtra constitute are the native residents of this region. Various kinds of tribal groups of Maharashtra with their culture, costume, tradition echoes the colour of the state.
  •  
  • Tribes of Andhra Pradesh
    Tribes of Andhra Pradesh have enriched the ethnicity of the state with their typical tribal culture and tradition.
  •  
    E-mail this Article | Post a Comment
    Forum
    Forum on Indian Tribals

    Free E-magazine
    Subscribe to Free
    E-Magazine on Indian Crafts
     
     
    Dimasa Tribes, Assam - Informative & researched article on Dimasa Tribes, Assam
    Sitemap
    Contact Us   |   RSS Feeds
    Copyright © 2008 Jupiter Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved including the right to reproduce the contents in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of Jupiter Infomedia Pvt. Ltd.