Template:Infobox ethnic group
Assamese Brahmins are the Brahmin community present in the Assamese society. There they have historically promoted knowledge and religion, including branches such as literature, astronomy, and philosophy.[1] The Brahmins migrated to Assam from Videha (Mithila), Kannauj, Bengal (Gauda) and many other places.[2]
History
The earliest historical evidence of settlement of Brahmins in Assam comes from various epigraphic sources of the Varman dynasty (350–650).[3] In the late medieval period beginning with the early 16th century, a number of Brahmins from Mithila, Benaras, Kanauj, Bengal and Puri (Srikshetra), were settled in western Assam by the Koch kings for performing Brahminical rites.[4][5][6] During the reign of Nara Narayan (1554-1587) of the Koch dynasty, two Brahmins named Siddhantavagisa and Vidyavagisa were brought from Gauda and Siddhantavagisa was responsible for the spread of Hinduism in the Koch kingdom[7] Even during the reign of Koch king Prannarayana (1633-1655), Brahmins were brought from Mithilia to serve in the Koch kingdom[8] and this process was later continued by the Ahom state especially under the Tungkhungia Ahom kings with Siva Singha donating 19 out of the 48 landgrants by the Ahom kings to Brahmins.[9] The migration of Brahmins into Assam took place from Central Himalayas as well.[10] Most of these migration took place due to the foreign invasions in North India and on the invitation by the local rulers.[11] Traditionally these Brahmins held the highest positions in society.[12]
Tradition and culture
Lagundeoni/Upanayana
Traditionally, the ceremony of Lagundeoni – one of the samskaras or rites of passage marking acceptance of a student by a guru, is a quite prevalent ritual within the community.[13]
Death rituals
Brahmins of the Assam valley follow a different death ritual as opposed to the other indigenous communities in Assam. A religious rite, known as Caturthā is performed on the 4th day of a person's demise unlike Tiloni, performed on the 3rd day of person's demise by non–Brahmin indigenous communities.[14]
Lifestyle
Although in general Brahmins observe all the customary rituals, they appear usually less rigid[15] in some of their traditional lifestyle choices, such as they may eat meat, fish, unlike their counterparts in other parts of India like the North and the South.[16][17]
Present
The Brahmins constitute one of the Forward classes of Assam based on the classifications of Government of India, although the recent trend on economic condition has not been very well within the community. Assam's former Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi announced setting up of development councils for several communities in the state, including Brahmins.[18]
Notable people
| Name | Portrait | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anundoram Borooah | India's 1st Indian District Collector, 6th Imperial Civil Service officer & 1st Graduate from Assam/Northeast India. | ||
| Hem Barua (original name was Hem Chandra Sarma Barua) | Former 3 times Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Assam. | ||
| Lakshminath Bezbarua | |||
| Bijoy Chandra Bhagavati | Former Union Minister of State in Second Nehru ministry | ||
| Gopinath Bordoloi | 1st Chief Minister of Assam & 2nd Prime Minister of Assam | ||
| Himanta Biswa Sarma | Chief Minister of Assam | ||
| Jaimini Bhagwati | Indiam High commissioner to United Kingdom | ||
| Phani Sarma | |||
| Bijoya Chakravarty | Former Member of Rajya Sabha | ||
| Zubeen Garg |
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See also
References
- ↑ Template:Harv
- ↑ Template:Harv
- ↑ "On the other hand, this story may reflect the historical process of the expansion of agrarian settlements of the brahmanas which has been recognized from the Bhauma-Varman dynasty." Template:Harvcol
- ↑ Template:Harvp: "It is suggested that under the Koch kings, patronage of brahmans began earlier and more vigorously than in the Ahom kingdom. Encouraged both by the Koch kings and the regional bhuiyan landlords, a number of brahmanas from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal migrated into western Assam in the sixteen century"
- ↑ Template:Harv: Apart from this Maharaja Biswa Singha (Koch dynasty) invited a large number of Brahmins from Kanouj, Benaras and other learning places and provided them rent free lands to perform religious practice. He also appointed Ballabhacharya, the chief priest of Kamakhya Temple to Koch Kingdom."
- ↑ Template:Harv: "He (Biswa Singha) brought some learned Brahmanas from Mithila, Benaras, Kanauj, and Srikshetra (Puri) to his kingdom in order to perform the Brahminical rituals"
- ↑ Template:Harvcol
- ↑ Template:Harvcol
- ↑ Template:Harvp: "The practice of giving grants to gain religious merit can be seem in full blossom in Ahom times"
- ↑ Template:Harvcol
- ↑ Template:Harvcol
- ↑ Template:Harv
- ↑ Assam State Gazetteer Vol. 1, page 317 – Government of Assam(1999). Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ↑ Template:Harv
- ↑ Template:Harv
- ↑ Assam Government Withdraws Meat Sale Ban at Cultural Festival After Social Media Outcry. The Wire. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
- ↑ Fragmented Memories: Struggling to be Tai-Ahom in India{{#if:Saikia|, Saikia}. Duke University Press(2004-11-09). ISBN 978-0-8223-8616-2
- ↑ Gogoi announces development councils for Brahmins, others. India Today(January 2016). Retrieved 2023-08-09.
Further reading
Published-sources
- [{{{url}}} Towards a History of the Brahmins]. American Oriental Society.
- Yoni, Yoginīs and Mahāvidyās: Feminine Divinities from Early Medieval Kāmarūpa to Medieval Koch Behar, Studies in History. Studies in History({Template:Year).
- [{{{url}}} Development of Saiva Cult in Koch Kingdom Under Maharaja Biswa Singha (1496-1540).].
- Engraved Histories: A Study of Legend of Naraka and Political Legitimacy in the Kamarupa Region. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress({Template:Year).
- The 16th century Koch kingdom: Evolving patterns of sanskritisation. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress({Template:Date).
- Nalinibala Devi{{#if:Barua|, Barua}. Sahitya Akademi(2000). ISBN 9788126009169
- North-East India: Land, People and Economy{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Springer Science & Business Media(2013). ISBN 9789400770553
- Social History of Assam: Being a Study of the Origins of Ethnic Identity and Social Tension During the British Period, 1905-1947 – Pre–British History and Society'{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Concept Publishing Company(1989). ISBN 9788170222248
- Socio-economic profile of Rural India (series II) – Roots'{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Concept Publishing Company(2011). ISBN 9788180697241
- Among the Luminaries in Assam: A Study of Assamese Biography{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Mittal Publications(1990). ISBN 9788170992073
- Sword and Words: A Conflict Between Kings and Brahmins in the Bengal Frontier, Kāmatāpur 15th-16th Centuries. Journal of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums({Template:Year).