Material Culture of the ‘Saraniya-Kachari Tribe’ of Assam

The Saraniya-Kachari tribe is one of the sub-section of the greater Bodo group. Their common identity is kachari, who belongs to the mogoloid stock of people. The different group of ‘Kirat’ or ‘Mongolia’ ruled in different parts of ancient kamrupa since the time immemorial. The word Saraniya may be born out of the concept of ‘Saran’. That is taking shelter in vaisnisism. The tribal group of people who were hinduised by taking ‘sarana’ under vaisnava saint (or ‘gosai’) were later known as ‘Saraniya-Kachari’. It includes Bodo, Rabha, Moran, Chutia and any other tribes of Assam. The saraniya-kachari used to write ‘Saraniya’ as their title after initiation of vaisiniva faith and religion. These people live in different parts of Assam, but their highest population is found in Baska and Odalguri. On the other hand they live in Darrang, Bongaigaon, Barpeta and Nalbari in a few villages. This paper deals with the material culture of the saraniya-kachari people of Assam.