Tea World

Lesson 027

Tea Labour Communities

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The labours imported from different parts of India which has constituted the tea labour community of Assam belong to different castes and tribes of India. Both the castes and tribes of the tea community are composed of more than a hundred sub-castes or clans. They are- Aryamala, Bhakta, Bhuyan, Bediya, Beldar, Basor, Bonjara, Bhatt, Basphor, Dandori, Dondosh, Dushad,Gond, Ghanshi, Hari, Molar, Klut Khatuwa, Khodal, Kohar, Komar, Koiri, Lohar, Madari,Mirdha, Majubor, Nunia, Nath, Jolha, Pashi, Paidu, PSnikS, Pano, Rajwar, Turi, TeJi, Chamhar, Patro, Tanti, Bodi, Asur, Boiga, Bhumij, Binsia, Birhod, Birjia, Chero, Chik, Baraik, Dhanuwar, Gaud, Gorait, Kuwar, Karmali, Koruwa, Kol, Kharia, Kherwad, Koya, Kondpan, Kishan, Khonyor, Lodha, Mahli, Malpahadia, Manki, Munda, Nagasia, Nagbanshi, Orang, Porja, Prodhan, Sabar, Sawra, Santhal, Gada, Kurmi, Mahato, Abhir, Gowala, Chowdhri, Badhoi, Bhonda, Mudi, Telenga,Tosha, Tontubai, Pantanti, Pouri, Karmakar, Ghatwar, Lodhi, Gonju, Poran, Rajput, Karan, Khondait, Mohanti, Patnayak, Nayak, Nag, Sahu, Mohapatra, Behera, Pator etc.

The present condition of these castes and tribes is in most of the cases unidentifiable as they are already mixed up to each other and very few can say about their individual identity. This is the result of the registration of their names in the plantation records not by caste or tribe but with the family identity of husband and wife. The other cause was that the identification as caste or tribe had not yet recognized by the Government when they were immigrated.

In course of time,these people from different parts of India forgot their roots and through a process of influence and counter influence with the local Assamese community,a unique culture evolved and they became an integral part of the greater Assamese community. However, in spite of passage of time, they are still in the process of assimilation of the society due to a number of factors like lack of proper education, their reluctance to seek employment out side the gardens etc.

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