Koch Dynasty and The Tribe

Article By Surjit Singha

Introduction

Koch is an indigenous Tribe of South East Asia, They are also known as Rajbanshi, Koch Rajbongshi, Koches, in various parts of the world. They are ab-origin Tribe and lives close to nature. Their main livelihood is farming and they depend on forest products for their survival.

Primitively they were Animist and still same significance is prevailing among them. Their dialects may vary from place to place.

Traditional Winter clothing among the Tribe:

During winter more covering is required to protect them from the cold, they use a large homespun cloth prepared from Endi Silk at their home, it got a coarse texture and popularly known as Chaddar or An Emit Gilap.

Traditional Umbrella:

They use sunshade crafted with the bamboo, they call it Toka or cultivators sunshade. Still, the use of the traditional umbrella is in use during cultivation in paddy field to protect them from the direct sunlight, also being used in their Tribal dance and festivals from time to time.

Clothing of women:

Women whether at home or outside are well dressed in their colorful traditional attires. At home and for ordinary wear, they use a piece of cotton cloth called Patani about 5 feet in length, which is wrapped around the body and tucked up above the upper body so as to reach the knee.

Young girls do not use the single Patani, but they have a small piece of cloth about a foot and a half in breadth, with which they cover their upper part of the body, while the Patani is worn around the waist. When going out two pieces of cloth as large as the Patani are worn, one around the waist and the other round to cover their upper part of the body. This latter is called Agran. Girls and young women wear chaddars wrapped cross-wise round the bust.

Holiday Attire:

The holiday and festive attire of the females, Holiday attire, especially of young women, is very colorful and gaudy. Clothes generally colored in red and yellow, are put on, different colors were chosen for the Patani and the Agran. The Koch Rajbongshi/Rajbanshi women go without a veil or any sort of covering for the head.

Attire for Men:

Men generally wear Angsa of bigger size, which is similar to a towel. They also wear dhoti of different colors, most preferred is white dhoti. Angsa comes in different sizes, colors, and patterns.

Hair not Plaited (Tradition):

The hair is combed and kept tied in a loose knot behind the head; it is never plaited. It is considered indecorous to plait the hair.

Use of Vermilion:

The married women use vermilion above the forehead at the parting of the hair.

Traditional Ornaments used by the Tribe:

They also wear ornaments made of shell bracelets called sankha generally on the left wrist. Those who can afford they wear silver ornaments called churis. Mutha, a kind of silver bracelet, is of common use. Other popular ornaments are silver or gold mala or necklace, and silver Hashli for the neck. Anti or Gold earring, nat or nose ring of gold and silver nakful for the nose, and hank-kharu for the ankle-joint. Rings both of gold and silver are also worn in the globe of the ear.

The children are adorned with silver and gold ornaments, a necklace of small silver coins being much in favor with the mass and still, ornaments with coins are prevailing among the tribe.

Food Habits among the Tribe:

The Koch Rajbongshi’s is a good eater and got a very elastic stomach, and when in difficulty can endure hunger with wonderful patience and can subsist upon almost nothing. The ordinary meal consists of bhat or boiled rice and sak or boiled-leaf vegetables, they are fond of fish, they prefer both fresh fish from the rivers or the dried one. Dried fish is used mostly during the rainy seasons when fresh fish are not caught in large numbers. Pani-machh or tortoise is considered a delicacy. The flesh of he-goat is used, but not so frequently as that of the pigeon, and the use of pork meat is also a common practice among the people. Ducks and wild rabbits are relished.

A common Koch Rajbongshi does not know what a good curry means.

Shidal:

Shidal or fermented fish is one of the favorite foods. It is prepared out of the dried small fish pounded with the green stems of Kachu plants into a paste, which is then rounded into small balls. These are afterward dried in the sun, and stored in a handi or earthen pot covered with ashes. These balls are at times taken out, crushed into powder, and cooked with vegetables, commonly with young green leaves of the jute plant. The preparation is salted with Chekka (chheka is obtained by distilling water through ashes of plantain leaves. It is of a reddish color, and very pungent in taste. Formerly, it performed the function of salt in every household of Cooch Behar. It has not yet fallen into disuse altogether. There are still many people who prefer it to salt, at least in some particular dishes.

Sweetmeats:

They prepare country made sweets called batasha and mola are the chief and most commonly in use. Batasha is a preparation of sugar or molasses. Mola is prepared by mixing moori(Puffed rice), chira(rice flake), til and with boiled molasses, and then making the compound into balls, of flattening it into circles and other shapes. Mola is a delicacy with the children considered among the tribe.

Goora (Powder):

Barley or wheat powder is used in a peculiar way. It is never cooked or made into chapati. The grains are fried and then crushed into small lumps and are technically known as goora. The Goora is also prepared from rice, kaon, and other food-grains in a similar way.

People take two meals:

Generally, two meals are taken: one at about mid-day, and the other shortly after nightfall. In the morning chira(rice flake) or goor(Jagiri) is generally eaten.

At harvest time, when the food is to be in plenty, there is no end of meals. In times of dearness and scarcity the case is the reverse, and one meal in 24 hours is considered quite enough.

Sweet milk is used among the masses by the children. The adults prefer sour or curded milk called dahi. Dahi and Chira with a little salt and a couple of green chilies is a favorite food and is often preferred to rice.

Dishes at a feast:

During feasts large quantities of dal and fish and a sour curry are consumed, dahi or curd being an indispensable item of the menu.

Use of betel and nut is universal:

The use of betel and nut is extensive, especially among women. Dried nuts are very seldom used, and are not much liked. Green nuts and, more commonly, maja(Fermented) or preserved nuts, are preferred. The nut is divided into four pieces length-wise with a small katari or knife, and each is taken with one or two betel leaves added to a bit of lime, and the whole is then chewed. Gach-pan or leaves of the betel creeper growing on the tree, as opposed to barui-pan or betel is commonly used. In fact the preserved nut suits the gach-pan better than the barui-pan. When going out a man carries his batooya or small cloth bag, which among other things is sure to contain a chhilum, some tobacco leaves, some nuts, and betel-leaves. The woman carries small bundle tied in one end of her wearing cloth, containing betel-nuts and betel-leaves, while a Katari is carried in her hand.

Education:

A Koch Rajbongshi prefer to be educated in their mother tongue but since there is no provision available for it, they prefer or choose to be educated or get enrolled in a medium other than their own language.

Recognition of the Language:

Koch Rajbongshi Language or Kamatapuri Language, Koch Hills Language is yet to be recognized in India, Under 8th Schedule of the constitution and also to be recognized under the state of both Assam and West Bengal. A Language bill needs to be passed in both the Lower and Upper house of the Parliament in order to recognize their language constitutionally. Education in own mother tongue is the birthrights of every human being and we need to adore and encourage that.

Occupation of the Tribe:

Koch Rajbongshi Tribe is totally dependent on farming, fishery, animal husbandry, weaving of clothes, milk production from animals, Pig farming, Crop cultivation, and most importantly since they are very close to nature they also depend on the forest products for their daily usages like firewood for cooking, wild fruits, and plants for consumption, wild grass for the consumption of domesticated animals, wild bamboos and wood for the construction of their house.

Habitat:

Koch Rajbongshi Tribe can be found in various countries which they consider it to be their homeland, they are found in Assam, North Bengal, Meghalaya, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Rongpur part of Bangladesh and other countries too.

Status:

The Koch Rajbongshi’s of Assam consider themselves as Tribal by birth because that is the reality and fact, The government of India had recognized them two times as Schedule Tribe under the special ordinance, but subsequently, it has lapsed because no further bill was introduced in the parliament as of now.

Collection of Patani, Agran, Angsha, Traditional Ornaments and various traditional attires of the Koch of Meghalaya, attires of Koch Rajbongshis’ of Assam and North Bengal, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Koch of Meghalaya and various traditional attires, Koch of Meghalaya are recognized as Schedule Tribe (ST) by the Government of India. Koch Hills language is recognized in the State of Meghalaya.

Below: Koch Rajbongshis’ of Assam

Below: Koch Rajbongshis’ of Nepal ( Koch Rajbongshis’ are mainly inhabited in the parts of Kochila Province (Sunsari, Morang, Jhapa) now in Nepal, Koches of Nepal are demanding a separate Homeland called Kochila or Koch Land either as Sovereign Nation or a Separate Province. Koch Rajbongshis’ of Nepal are recognized as “Adivashi” in the Nepal Country.

Koch Rajbongshis’ of Undivided Goalpara Province Presently it is a  part of the State of Assam

Koch Rajbongshis’ of Assam

Reference:

Chaudhuri, H. (1903). The Cooch Behar State and its Land Revenue Settlements. Cooch Behar City, Cooch Behar State: Cooch Behar State Press.

Last Updated: 08 October 2018

Project: Koch