Bonaz

The Bonaz people (Bengali: বোনাজ, Odia: ବୋନାଜ, romanized: Bonaj) are an Odia diaspora community that live in Srimangal, Bangladesh and Tripura, India.

Bonaz
Total population
4,400
Regions with significant populations
Srimangal (Bangladesh) - 4,000
Tripura, India - 400
Languages
Bengali and Odia
Religion
Hinduism (majority), Christianity (handful)
Related ethnic groups
Indo-Aryan peoples, non-resident Odias

In the nineteenth century, the British brought them over from Odisha to work as tea garden labourers in the Sylhet region. They are Hindus and maintain a distinct identity in addition to their Bangladeshi identity, due to cultural, linguistic, geographical and historical reasons. Many have adopted the Bengali language; although only 10% of the community are actually literate in the language. They celebrate Phagwah and Durga Puja, and have managed to preserve some of their ballads and folk-tales orally as well as through performing cultural festivals. They are led by a leader known as a Behera and split into eight clans: Nag, Khanda, Tanidiya, Dudhusha, Rakta Kushila, Suryabamsa, Baghabamsa and Mahanandiya.[1] A few of the minority that live in Tripura have forcefully been evangelised by the Joshua Project.[2]

See also

References
  1. Jengcham, Subhas (2012). "Bonaz". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  2. Joshua Project. "Bonaj in India Ethnic People Profile". legacy.joshuaproject.net. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
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