Sonowal Kacharis
The Sonowal Kachari (pronunciation: 'Xonowāl Kosāree') are one of the Indigenous peoples of the state of Assam in Northeast India. They are of Tibeto-Burman origin, and are closely associated with the other ethnic groups of Assam which are commonly referred to as Kachari. (first classified by S Endle)
Total population | |
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235,881[1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Predominantly in Upper and Central Assam; urban areas across Assam, India | |
Languages | |
Assamese | |
Religion | |
Related ethnic groups | |
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The name Sonowal comes from the word 'Son' which means gold in Assamese.[2] The traditional occupation of the Sonowal kacharis was gold panning, that is extracting gold from the riverbeds.[2][3][4]
They are predominantly inhabitants of Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts of Assam, along with pocket populations in Jorhat & Golaghat districts. The Constitution Order (Scheduled Tribes), 1950 had listed the Sonowal Kachari as a Scheduled Tribe as per the Constitution of India in the state of Assam. The headquarters of the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council is at Dibrugarh.
Notable people
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sonowal Kachari people. |
- Sarbananda Sonowal, politician and chief minister of Assam
- Jogesh Das, prominent writer, recipient of Sahitya Academi Award
- Jogendra Nath Hazarika, chief minister of Assam (1979)
- Jitul Sonowal, singer, music director, composer, lyricist and entertainer in the field of Assamese music since 1992.
- Lohit Sonowal, inspector of Commando Battalion of Assam Police, awarded the Kirti Chakra military decoration
References
- Sonowal, Ripunjoy. (2014). Some Folklore Medicines of the Sonowal Kachari tribe of Upper Assam, North East India. Scholars Academic Journal of Biosciences. 2. 541-543.
- "Sarbananda Sonowal, 'national hero' who struck gold for BJP in Assam". Hindustan Times. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- Baruah, Amlan; Choudhury, S. B. Roy. Assam State Gazetteer. Editor-in-Chief, District Gazetteers, Government of Assam. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- sonowal kachari gold panning - Google Search. p. 353. Retrieved 12 August 2020.