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BULLETIN MONUMENTAL - ISSN / e-ISSN 0007-473X http://bulletinmonumental.com/

COMMON FEATURES OF THE RAJBANSHIS OF WEST DINAJPUR: A BRIEF STUDY

Kartick Chandra Barman Assistant Professor Department of History Krishna Chandra college Hetampur, Birbhum-731124

Abstract: The Rajbanshis are the most predominant section of the Hindu communities of West Dinajpur. They are third largest community in . The history of the origin of the Rajbanshis is a mystry and there has been the absence of unanimity on this issue. The Rajbanshis constituting the most numerous group among the autochthons ofthe district went through the parallel processes of Hinduization and Islamization. It is, however, curious that usually Rajbanshis are only and all Muslims referred to as local Muslims are non- Rajbanshis. In this connection it is relevant to note that the Hinduized Rajbanshis from the single largest hinduized social group in the population of the district of West Dinajpur district. However, there is no doubt that the Rajbanshis were the early settlers in North as well as Dinajpur. They were socially homogenous community, in the sense that there was no sub among them. Their religious-cultural practices were simple and free from the Hindus and social organizations were different from the Hindu culture, which ·provided the Rajbanshis a distinct character.1 However, they maintain a separate group identity and over a period of time become distinct .

Keywords: Rajbanshis, Indigenous people, Customs, Foods habits, Ornaments, Titles etc.

Introduction: The history concerning the origin of the Rajbanshis is a mystery. The term Rajbanshi means people of royal lineage.2According to Haripada Bhattarai, the Rajbanshis belonged to the great ‘Bodo family’3 that entered in the 10th century B. C. from the east and settled on the banks of the Brahamaputra and gradually spread over and the whole of .4 Some scholars believe that North Bengal is the homeland of the Rajbanshis and they are the local ethnic community dominating the land over years.5At present, the Rajbanshis of North Bengal are striving to preserve their ethnic identity. They have been striving for it for quitesometime. Over time and space it has evolved a lot.6 The Rajbanshis are found in all districts of North Bengal, some parts of Assam, , Meghalaya, Bhutan and . Besides, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Panchgarh, Thakurgaon, Joypurhat, Gaibandha, Nilfamari, Bogra, Jessore, Mymensingh district of Bangladsh.7 The racial origin of the Rajbanshi is a matter of controversy. Psycho-social identity has even more elusive characteristics, at one subjective and objective, individual and social.8While some group of scholars like Risley, Colonel Dalton, Dr. Latham, and Oldham opines that the Rajbanshi belong to the Dravidian race, on the other group of scholars headed

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by Sir Edward Gait, Sidney Endle, Bryan Hodgson, G. A. Griarson, Waddel, W. W. Hunter and Buchanon advocated that they belong to the Mongoloid stock. Although there is a difference in opinion it can be very well said that the Rajbanshis belong to the Mongoloid race as per their religious beliefs, rites, social manners and customs, speech and their physical features. But in due course of time with the gradual intermixture with the Dravidians, it paved the way for the evolution of a mixed type the Mongoloid-Dravidian type in which the characteristic feature of both the races was found. According to Strong, writer of the Gazetteers of Dinajpur“The Typical Rajbanshi has a short broad figure, broad across the shoulder and cross the claves of the legs, the nose is broad across the nostrils, the the eyes are long and narrow and the check bones high and the general appearances shows unmistakable signs of Mongolian strains, the Koches, the Rajbanshis and the Paliyas have the same general appearances.”9 W.W.Hunter opines thatthe Rajbansis and the Paliyas were the offshoots of the Koch tribe. The Koch tribe first came to prominence by the close of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century when they established the powerful Koch Kingdom. During the reign of Viswa Singha, Brahmanism was introduced and the people including the king and his officers embraced the new religion. They abandoned the name ‘Koch’ on their conversion to and took the name Rajbanshi which literally means ‘Royal Race’ was adopted by the cultivators and respectable men and Koch being restricted to labourers and especially tothe palanquin bearers. Hunter places theRajbanshis under ‘semi-Hinduised aboriginals.10

Physical Appearance Generally, the Rajbanshis have darker skin and some are black. The common thing is nose, which is flat, and short height, high cheek bones and thick lips, the eyes are generally small andslightly oblique. Actually, the Rajbanshi community was formed by various castes, creeds, clan from immemorial times. So, the appearances of the Rajbanshis are not the same. It varied from place to place. Obviously, it depends on the location, environment and socio- cultural affairs. Sometime, it might be possible for the next generation due to inter-caste marriage. Yet, they are belonging to the Hinduism and their activities are all of same to Hindus.

Custom of Housing: Vastu is an ancient traditional practice followed in the erection ofdwelling house in India. It is based on a sort of rigid religious commandassociated with it. Vastu is a word meaningresidence.11 In vastu-sastra emphas is laid on five basic elements. They areBhumi (Land).Jal (Water), Vayu (Air), Agni (Fire) and Akash (Sky). The traditional vastu concept in terms of the vastu-system as followed in the commune of Burima or vastu Buri, who will keep the house peace, reflects the vastu-concept and its transition in the Rajbanshis community. According to the vastu-sastra the prayer house should be in the north-east, kitchen in the south-east, bed-room in the south-west and the granary is to be located in the north-west side of the house. The four rooms in the four sides of the Brahmasthanam are used for different purposes. According to the Hindu vastu sastra different deities have their own seats

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in different sides of the house, and they are the lords over different elements of nature. Their positions are as follows: In the North located Kuber, the Lord of wealth, in the South located Yama, the Lord of death, towards East, located Indra, the sun of God and other his name is Adity, towards West, there located Barun, the Lord of water, in the North-east, there located Shiva, in South- east, there belonged Agni,12 the Lord of fire, in the North-west, there belonged Vayu, the Lord of wind, in the South-west, there belonged to Nirathi, the representative of the fore-fathers and in the midst of the house, there belonged Brahma the creator of universe. The Rajbanshis build their houses to keep the position of the Gods there is a direction in the scripture regarding the placement of the different rooms in the house: North is Treasury, North-east is Temple, East is Bathroom, South-east is Kitchen, South is Bedroom, South-west is Weapons store, in the West Dining and North-west is Cattle-shed. When constructing a Rajbanshi Jotedar house, Pazier13 does not build a house without verifying the quality of the Vastu (Vita). Even when buying a place for home, he checked the place with the pazier. If there is any fault in the place or there is a ghost or demon, then there is no house built there. Many times, the quality of the house for the construction of a cluttered house can be verified. Only if a Home priest permits, a Rajbashi people started the work of building houses. Regarding the creation of the houses of the Rajbanshis, a proverb is prevailing among them which are followed by the Rajbashis in the time of house making. Uttare Guya-Arcca on the North Dakshine Dhuya-Open on the South Pube HaaDucks pond on the East Pacchime Bas-Bambo on the West. Translation There is duck in the East, In West the bamboo tree is the Best. In north the betel nuts is there, The South is bare14 Towards North of the homestead there would be a garden betel nut, in the South of the homestead there would be open land, in the East portion of the house there would be a pond where sweeming ducks and in the Western side of the house there would remain bamboo tress. The Rajbanshis set the auspicious day by observing the calendar for fear of the house, and on that day some places were worshiped in the east. Then four small kettles on the four corners of the room were to be tied with thick jute rope. The walls of the house are given out of the rope just outside the wall. The purpose of the rope to make the wall is not to wallow inside or outside the house. The Rajbanshis built different type of rooms of the house, especially the Jotedar families of West Dinajpur.Such as, Vastu Ghar(There is more than one bedroom. But these should never face the east.The door or jhap of the room is bamboo-made. The roof is made of straw, Darighar (This is a sort of drawing room to entertain the guests and however, is sometimes used to provide accommodation to the members of the family also), Thakuranir Ghar (This is located outside the darighar in one comer of the outer yard of the house.there

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lived Godees of Buri or Vastu Buri) and Uthan (The well-off householders among the Rajbanshis leave a space of around one or one and a half bigha of land for the courtyard.)

Titles or Surnames of the Rajbanshis: The names of Bengalee Hindus living in are very diverse, as is the practice of religious caste system, and it is customary to adopt traditional profession as a designation. In ancient times there was no ‘title’ of any man or women. The ‘title’ or ‘surname’15 was created only about 800 years ago. Ballal Sen first introduced the ‘title’ through the introduction of the Kulin rule in Bengal society. The was first introduced the ‘title’ as designation among the Bengalee Hindus. has changed their positions many times, sometimes for professional reasons, sometimes for conversion, or sometimes as part of the so-called upper castes. The history of Bengali descent is not very ancient. In the middle Ages, feudal socialism seems to have evolved into a Bengali position in parallel to the permanent settlement of the British period. Most people have attached designation at the end of the name. Such designation or genealogical names are commonly called surname or title. At the end of the original name of the Bengali, there is a tradition of using the surname of family, profession, place of residence etc. In many cases the designation of land and accounting is associated with feudalism. However, most of these titles are passed on to the clan, but the status quo has no social value. It is customary to adopt the traditional profession as a designation, just as religious casteism prevails here. At that time, no man had a title in society. So naturally the gods do not even have the title. The gods are human beings. In the subsequent social life, the identity of the occupation became associated with the name of the caste. The title is actually the identity of our profession.16 In modern times, the Rajbanshis have evolved much in the context of colonial mentality and partisanship. Under British rule, the colonial rulers have repeatedly divided the Rajbanshis with the help of scholars and British loyalists in the country to establish their rule and provide security. Very carefully and, to say the least, the simple, uneducated, agrarian villagers have infiltrated various ethnic groups, castes, tribes etc. As a result, there was disunity among the Rajbanshi Kshatriyas, once who were the director of the Kingship, was divided into different branches today and became increasingly weak. So, today the Rajbanshis divided in any titles such as Barman, Ray, Ray Barman, Dev Barman, Burma, Raychaudhury, Mandal, , Sinha, Pramanik, Roy Pramanik, Sarkar, and Roy Sarkar among the Rajbanshi Kshatriyas. He has also taken up his position in various administration and professional fields in ancient and middle ages. Over time, the titles of the Rajbanshis have changed. Today more than 100 titles are associated with the Rajbanshis of North Bengal, such as Raypodran, Raikat, Rana, Singha Roy, Raut, Pakhira, Ray Barman, Patoyari, Ray Pramanik, Raypatra, Jana, Chowdhury, Dev, Adhikari, Adak, Dev Singha, Basunia, Maiti, Midda, Biswas, Pandits, devotees, Singha sarkar, Lashkar, Santara, Haldar, Dev Sharama, Manta, Joardar, Patra, Mahapatra, Bhowmik, Mistry, Sen, Hazra, Senapati, Dev, Das, Madhi, , Dutta, Dakua, Roy Patra, Roy Kongar, Majumdar, Sardar, Dhara, Malakar, Sikdar, Narayan, Nayak, Paul, Ojha, Khan, Jamadar,Giri, Ishore, Karal, Gayen, Ghorai, Dhibar, , Moulik,Moral, Sardar, Santra, Bag, Sapui,Sana, Senapati, Hem, Deb Saran,Sen, , Mondal, Ray Naskar, Bar, Singha Sarkar, Ray Basunia, Majhi, Haldar, Saud, Prodhan and so on.17 Most of the titles are relatively new to Rajbanshi Kshatriyas. But

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in this context, it is important to remember that not all of these designated people today are Rajasthani Kshatriyas and they are known as different communities in different places. These communities were created by the religious or marital sources of people of other ethnicities and associated with the Rajbanshi Kshatriya. For a long time, the Rajbanshis have been isolated from the mainstream of the Kshatriyas and many have adopted separate ethnicities in terms of the evolution of the caste system. As a result, they are not known today as the Kshatriyas. Although the actual Rajbanshi was become different from the Kshatriyas in view of their physical appearances, body, noses and eyes but the rituals of the Rajbanshi culture could not be completely changed. The Rajbanshi Kshatriyas are the third largest community among the peoples of North Bengal.18 Bengali culture is much richerthan Rajbanshi Kshatriya culture of entire North Bengal. As a result, the Rajbanshi Kshatriyashas followed the culture of other Bengalees.

Process of Name Giving The name of any person is the permanent identity of human society. The process of name giving is different and it is varied from caste or community to community. In the present study, name giving process of the Rajbanshis is different from other communities of West Dinajpur. The name represents the characteristic feature of a person. To think future of the child the elders have given an ideal name for him. Most of guardians prevailing social trend and dominant ideals during the time of name giving the child. Name is chosen in a peculiar manner. Children are given pet names associated with the physical appearance of baby. Sometimes, it has given the name of the day on which the baby is born. Moreover, the name of the children is given according to the affection or the love of the parent or relatives. In some case elders of the family are fully authorised to select the names of the children according to their own choice. In the case of educated the formal names of their children are given by themselves without consulting others. Naming ofa Rajbanshis is initiated according to the Bengali birth day of the child, such as if the child is born in Sombar (Monday) then the name of the child may be Sambaru (for male child) and Sambari (female Child), if the day is Mangolbar (Tuesday) then the name of the child will be Manglu for male child and Mangali for female child, birth day is Budhbar (Wednesday), the name of the child wold beBudhu (male child) and Budhi (female child), the name of the child is Bishu for birth day of Brihaspatibar (Thursday), if the birth day isShukrabar (Friday) the name of the child will be Shukaru for male child and Shukhi for female child, the name of the child will be Shanu for the birth day of Shanibar (Saturday) and lastly, if the birth day of a child is Rabbar (Sunday), the name of the child will Rabbaru.19 Naming processing among the Rajbanshi children, according to the name of the birth month (Bengali month), if the birth month of a child is Baishagu,then the name of the child may be Baishagu for male child and Baishaki for the female child. The name, Jathu is for birth month of Jaistha,Asharu for the birth month of Ashar, Saunu, for the birth month of Shrabon, , for the birth month of Bhadra, Aswini, for the birth month of Arshin, Kartik, for the birth month of Kartik, Aghrani, for the birth month Agrahayan, Pushu, for the birth month name of Poush, Falguni, for the birth month of Falgun, Chatu or Chaitali for the birth month of Chaitra.

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The naming among the Rajbanshis, sometime depends on the time of birth of a child, such as, the birth time of a baby is in the Sakal (morning), than the name of the child will be Sakali,if the time is Durup (noon), than the name of the child will be Duparu, birth time of a child is Sandhya (evening) then the name of the child will be Sandhya or Sanju, born in the time of Arati, name of the child will be Arati, born in Ratri (night), the name will be Rata, born in Bhor or Poyat (dawn), the name will be Poyatu.20 According to lunar cycle, the name of the child among the Rajbanshis is Jonaki or Jyostna (moonlight), Purnima (Full Moon), Andharu (New Moon), Sukla or Krishna (Luner day). Sometimes, name giving depends on the Puja (worship) fair and fesitivals either local or national, like Jhapri (Japri is a local fair of Tapan Block of West Dinajpur District), the name of the child is Jhapru according to the local fair, Nabanu, according to the festival of ,Pushu, according to Pushuna or Poush Parbon, Rashmoni or Rashu, according to Rash or Rash Purnima, during the time of Basati Puja, the name of the child may be Basanti, Sital, according to the Godess of Sitala, Masna for name of the Godess of Masan or Masna, Manashi according to the Goddress , , according to the Goddess, Durga, , according to Parvati or Durga. Sometimes, naming of the Rajbanshi child, according to the Bengali Ritu (season) like, in the Barsha Ritu (mansoon), name of the child may be Barsha,if the child is born in Sarat Ritu (Autumn), than the name of the child may be Sarat, born in the season of Hemanta (Prevernal), name of the baby will be Hemanta, born in the Basanta Ritu (Spring), name of the child may be Basanta. Moreover, the name after relation relation itself becomes name. A person called Chotda by all and no question whether he was a younger brother to anyone or not. This was Chota-dada, bara-dada, bara-beta,jetho-dada, sajhiyan-beta etc.

Food Habits Food habits of the Rajbanshis are same to the people other communities but some of the food preparations are distinct from others. Most of the Rajbanshis have prepared folk food in their houses to eat. Folk food is a special aspect of folk culture. It is known through this food that the use of rituals is related to the . Other delicious vegetables of the Rajbanshis are Lapha Shak (spinach). Among the Rajbanshis, there are some types of food which cannot be noticed in other communities, such as-

Siddol: Siddol is made by crusing of small dry fishes, spices, and turmeric and chilly. Siddol is favorite food of the Rajbanshis. The method of preparation of this food is to create small pistachios are mixed together with black cucumber data and to make mud. After that, add mustard oil and turmeric powder and mix it in a keen roast. After drying, the Sidolal21 sticks are covered with clay brackets and kept at least one month. Then the color of the syndrome comes and then it is cooked. The habit of eating sidol is got not only in West Dinajpur but also in whole North Bengal and North- as well.

Tokarai: Many people of Bengalee community used to eat Tokarai or Jhiluk,Gugali. However, most of the Rajbanshis eat mussels. They are available in cultivation or in the pond during rainy season. The snails or Tokrai have to open the lid and mix well with lime and cook it well.

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Palca:Pyalka is a preparation of leaves of different species of plant including tender leaves of Sajne data, pui and arum. Especially, the palca contain sajana leaves or jute leaves. Cut the leaves into pieces and cook it by mixing chilli, salt and onion. Tamarind powder is usually not used in Palca. Many others cooked soda mix and cook. The key ingredients are drumstick leaves, garlic, chilly, small fishes, and Chhyaka. It is one important nourishing food and they used to eat Pyalka after prolonged illness to regain the taste. It also helps to cure acidity.22

Chhyaka: Chheka is one of the delicious foods of the Rajbanshis, which is coocked by different types of vegitables specially mixing with one kind of soda. Itis the key ingredient of most of the favourite preparations of Rajbanshi people. It is an alkaline liquid. The principal ingredients of Chhaka preparation are the small pieces of rhizomes and pseudostems of Musa balbisiana. Those are cut into small pieces and dried in the Sun. Then burnt to ash with mixed clean water and stirred thoroughly and then strained into a perforated coconut shell and jute fibre. The filtrate is the Chhyaka. In some cases a few dried fishes are added. The prepared curry is more mucilaginous and softer, practically viscous fluid.

Fokdoi: The key ingredients of Fokdoi are rice powder, ginger, garlic, green chili, onion, mustard oil etc. then, smashed to dough in a wooden mortar-pastel with mixed clear water. In addition, banana leaves are used for packing. Chhyaka is not used in this preparation.

Sukati:It is an oil-free food-item prepared of dried jute leaves. First, jute leaves are dried up in the sun and then adding some spices like green chili, garlic and table salt are used to make it tasty. Sometime, Sukati is used to mixe with pulse.23As usual, Chhyaka is an important ingredient of Sukati.

Rice Cakes:Rajbanshi women are mostly associated with domestic works and food preservation techniques.The rice-rice cake interrelation shows the entrepreneurial capabilities of Rajbanshi womenfolk who treat rice cake as Vapa Pitha. 24Husked rice powder is taken in a small bowl, wrapped with a small piece of cotton cloth after placing a small crystal of sugarcane cake on it, and finally the filled- up bowl is inversely placed on a vapor chamber for a few minutes. It is the vapor that saturates the bowl of rice powder into a semi-solid stuff. In this way the rice cake is produced and consumed hot.

Tarir Payesh:Payesh is produced from freshly taken juice from date-palm. The fresh juice localy called is Tari. It is very sweetest to drink. The juice is heated in kadai (pan) with milk, coconut and rice for sometime. After boiling the rice, juice, milk and coconut has mixed with rice and finally prepared ‘Tari Payesh’ to eat.

Chira: Coated rice is here put in water for the whole night or for some days so that the seed coat would be loosened; then they heat the same in mild temperature for long but under strict observation; control the flame and lastly, husk it in husking machine with the help of a wooden beam continuously and only then some kind of pressed rice or chura is produced. The pressed processed rice, chura, is usually served with card (dahi). Dahi-chura is one of the most delicious food items to the Rajbanshis.

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Muri:Muri preparation needs an oven. The uncoated and uncooked rice is kept in salted water for the whole night or two to make it softened and diffuse the salt particles into the grains. Then on the open-air earthen stove, these rice particles after this salt treatment in the presence of sand and controlled fire is baked for several times. These rice particles in the earthen or iron pot with heated sand are constantly stirred with bamboo sticks. In this way, salted rice becomes heated, softened, aired and puffed.

Khoi: first os all, paddy is heated in earthen or iron pot (karai) with continuous stirring by bamoo stick on high flame and eventually the crunchy soft rice grains are jumped out of the paddy seed coats. This white colored food item (khoi) is another form of rice preservation. Most of the Rajbanshi families used ti produce ‘khoi’in their own house.

Gaoya Ghee: Rajbanshis women have produced ‘Gaoya Ghee’ in their own house. They warm the milk daily and take off the upper creamy layer. After a week later she stired the collected creamy layer of the milk vigorously and a sticky matter is developed. This sticky amount is then warmed up and the upper yellowish unsaturated fatty layer therefore formed is taken out as ghee. Mango Pickles: The vegetables and fruits are here to be cur into pieces and after removal of the seed portion and fruit coat dried in the sun for a week. Then salt, turmeric, oil, chilli, ginger and some other spices are added to this. Pickles may be of chilly itself.

Rice grain (Atop Rice): The Rajbanshis either keep the coated rice in water for the whole night or heat in regulated flame to some extent; both types are then husked to get decoated rice grains. The rice produced by water treatment of the paddy grains is little bit thinner and softer. It is called atop rice. This thin rice is easy to cook of variety foods and used in festivals. Sometimes, the rice dust is taken for painting the floor with designs, called ‘alpona’.

Panta Vat: The cooked rice is kept in water throughout the night and only when the in the early morning of the next day, the Rajbanshis do their breakfast with this watery rice after putting a pinch of salt in it. Once, most of the Rajbanshi families were used to eat the ‘Panta Bhat’, especially those who were working in the agricultural field.

Chalvaja: Rajbanshis take fried uncooked (non-boiled) rice with tea in the early morning in their breakfast before getting involved in their daily work. Most of the Rajbanshi families were used instead of parshed rice (muri), especially, poor Rajbanshis. But,everybody used chalvaja as food on the night of Puja (Goddess of Kali) in Bengali month of kartick.

Mango Pulp or Amsatta: First, Mango juice is extracted from ripened fruits and dried under the sun for 2-3 days. A thin layer is thus formed and on that layer some extra juice is added and sun dried. This layer after layer formation is a constant and lengthy process. As a result, a thick layer is produced. This preserved form of mango bar is known as amsatta. Green mangoes are also converted into pickles. The Rajbanshi women makes mango pump in their own house. Another habit of the Rajbanshis is to eat Pan-Supari or Gua-Pan (betel nut and betel leaves). They maintain the honou of the guests by offering of Guya-Pan at the initial stage.

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Most of the Rajbanshi men and women always keep this Guya-Pan in their pocket or in the container. They gradually eat Guya-Pan after some duration. Nowadays, these practices have seen in other communities either Hindu or Muslims of West Dinajpur.

Costume & Ornaments As an inhabitants of the same region, most of the caste and tribes were wored the same dresses. A common Rajbanshi male cultivator is happy with his loin cloth (mantle) keeping the buttocks fully exposed and a thick short strip of the loin cloth hangs in front up to one and a half foot from the waist.25 The Rajbanshi men used to wear dhoti, lungi, pajama, pants, ganji, shirt, Punjabi etc. Winter wear sheets, sweaters, wool hats, coats etc. Women used to wear Sarees, Blouses, Salwar Kameez Etc. However, these garments were generally not able to wear the men and women of common families. Even, it could not be seen in the market. There was no large store or showroom anywhere today. They have to buy all these items in the market. The middle and rich family members used to wear only good clothes. But Rajbanshi families used ordinary clothes in low income rural areas. Not everyone had the luxury to wear lungi instead of dhoti, men used to wear small clothes like three or three hands or dhoti, which was called ‘markin’ in the local language. Rural women wore saris with a single color-colored Saru. And older women wore a piece of ‘markin’ or lungi called buki or ‘Bukni’. Sometimes, she tied her baby into the linen ‘bukni’ or ‘patani’26 and working continuously. Even, she has done all home works as well as agricultural related works in the field. Many women used to wear small pieces of patni or ‘phota’. Women wore ‘Agaran' and ‘phota’, two pieces of cloth upper and below. Poor Rajbanshi men wear a piece of small cloth named ‘lengti’. The only educated Rajbanshi youth of the village used to wear pants and shirts. In winter, the thin cotton sheet kept on keeping the body. Among the rich Rajbanshi families, wearing Dhuti upto kneeand hinge coat. In the rainy season, Rajbanshi men used towels to wear and use 'head' for head to avoid rain. The poor Rajbanshi family was not supposed to wear shoes on foot. The upper middle-class family members used wooden ‘Kharam’ as a shoe. The women of the Rajbanshis could not use either petikot or Blousdue to lack of proper consciousness of garments.In the next decade of independence, the use of paticot or blouse was practiced for lower class families. Even in the sixties, the girls of the general family would are free at the party without a peticot and blouse. Petikot or Blouse was the only run of rich Rajbanshi families. The use of gold ornaments in the general family was very low. Rajbanshi poor women wore rugs of coral and necklaces in the neck. Middle- married women wore silver ornaments. Among other ornaments, there were footpaths, sticks, stools, rugs, bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, nose, Kanpasha, Jhumka, and Nakamati etc. Women of the rich Rajbanshi families used to wear heavy gold ornaments.

Practices of Intoxicating Consumption of one or other form of intoxicating substances has been present throughout the history of the world. Most of the illiterate men and women of the Rajbanshi community involved in the practices of intoxicate more or less. The habit of ‘pan’(betal leaves) chewing, using of hooka and tobacco leaves (khaini), smoking of ‘biri’ as well as

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drinking ‘hariya’ or ‘tari’ from palm threes etc. ‘Pan’ (with betal nut) chewing is very special feature of the Rajbanshi people. Men and women of the Rajbanshis chewing ‘pan’ and always reserved that (betal leaves) in their own houses. Comaparatively, old women of the Rajbanshis are using tobacco leaves as ‘khaini’ and ‘biri’, though the number of those women is too low. Old men of the Rajbanshis smoking ‘hukka’ after taking meal. A piece ofrope is lit with fire for ready use of the smokers to start a new chilim (anindigenous earthen smoking pipe) replenished with fresh tobacco. Womenfolk too indulge in smoking without any social restriction. A few Rajbanshi youths drinks ‘hariya’27 and ‘tari’28(juice of palm tree) from another house. ‘Tari’ is seasonal but hariya is available all round the year in tribal villages. The habit of puffing ganja is also prevalent and the novel gives an attractive description of the use of bhang. Bhang addiction probably develops a tendency of cropping jute and the practice of consuming bhang as recreational drug creates a lot of fun for the non-addicts. Wine prepared from rice, known as pachani, is the favourite drink among the Rajbanshis. They do not do the brewing themselves, but buy from the market. Pachai is sold at the markets mostly visited by the tribal and the tea-labourers.29 Recently, the process and ingredients of intoxicating has changed but the tendency has not change among the rural Rajbanshi community. The habit of drinking leads to neglect of family, forgetfulness of all social duty, distaste for work, theft and crime. It leads at the very least to the hospital for alcoholism causes a great variety of diseases, many of them most deadly.30

Houshold Materials Household materials are emerging out of the peculiar life-style and social practices of a particular community. These materials reflect the distinctive traits of the community using it. The household materials are seen in the house of Rajbanshi community. Such as utensils, agricultural tools, fishing, hunting and using tools of everyday life. Utensils are most important of every human communities of the world. These are necessary not only for cooking of food and its offerings, but also for its preservation. These are Hari or Hadi (cauldron): It is a round earthen pot. The Rajbanshis use it for multiple use. Besides cooking it is used for many other purposes. Dheg (cooker): It is also a round pot, a very important article in kitchen. These are both earthen as well as metallic. The author describes it mainly as one meant for rice boiling. Chuka: It anearthen pot and used for preservation of drinking water or water for coocking. It is a small pitcher for preservation of water.

Ghara or Kalshi(pitcher): Ghara is made by brass or any other metals. A narrow necked pitcher made of metal or clay.The pitcher (kalshi) is comparatively bigger, and it has a covering with a dish.

Paila:It is an earthen pot and uses for water preservation or any other works of the kitchen, it may be to keep cury or pulse.

Ghoti: A metallic pot used for drinking or keeping water. The metal is both Bell metal and aluminum. It is of different size. Most of the old people of the Rajbanshis used ghoti for drinking water and any other purposes of their daily life.

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Thala: Thala, that is, platter is made of metal, chiefly of aluminum; in the well to families it is of bell metal. In the modem time, however, steel-platter is also used. Its chief use is in eating rice.

Pauli:It is a metallic water pot. It is the system in the aristocrat Rajbanshi family to offer respected guests molasses in a platter of bell metal, and water in a pouli of bell metal.

Glass:It isused for drinking and made either metallic or earthen. Sometimes, they are used bamboo tube or Donga as glass for drinking. They used banana leaves as Thala; especially during the occasion of their house.The metals used are bell,steel and aluminum. Aluminum is most commonly use. The Rajbanshis are agricultural people and they preserved agricultural tools in their home like, Langal (a plough is a tool or farm instrument for cultivation. Plough is traditionally drawn by the bullock and in front of the plough contained iron to fertile the land.) Jowal (it is made by bamboo and connected between two bullock to control the plough), Moi(a piece of equipment consisting of a series of bars or steps between two upright lengths of bamboo used for climbing up or to plain the agricultural land or down something.) Buk (Buk is made b y bamboo to carry something from one place to another place) Teka (teka is made by bamboo and used to carry seedling rice from one land to another agricultural land) and Ish (it is made either bamboo or wood and used to control between plough and Jowal). The fishing tools are Dharki (It is made by bamboo sleeve wired by sting either nylon or jute and used to case fish from drain or in the agricultural field. Fish can enter in easily but do no exit to outside from that), Doksa ( it is a bamboo made cane shaped trap with a bamboo cylinderattached to the other end and placed against running water.Fish entering into it are caught.), Deuli (It is a rectangular bamboo trap having several chambers inside. It is placed against the stream of water. Small fishes are caught.), Tora Jal or Jati Jal (According to Sanyal, ‘A cotton string or ramie string net of 4 inch to 6 inch squires fixed to a bamboo cross and tied to a bamboo pole. It is used to catch small fishes in shallow water or dipped from the bank near the edge of rivers.’), Ghuki Jal or Ber Jal (It is a small round net. It is used to catch fish in a well.). Other wooden tools are Sam, Uron, Pira, Chair, Table, Stool,Gochha, Fouri And Bamboo Tools Are Mora, Dalajhuri, Jharu,Baron, Chaloon,Kula, etc. in addition to these, some tools are made by Jute fibre, like ,, Chhala, Madur,Starinchi As Well As Metal Made Tools Such As Box,Trunk, Tub of Well, Karai, Khunti, Hata etc.

References:

1. Adhikary, Madhab Chandra. Identity Cricis:A Study of the Rajbanshis of North-Eastern India(1891- 1979),Delhi: Ayu Publications, p.35. 2.Khan, Samsujjaman. ed.Bangladesher Lokosanskriti Granthamala-Dinajpur,: , p.65. 3.The generic term of ‘Bodo’ seems to have originated in Tibet and it was first mentioned by B.H.Hodgson in his group of languages, which conrfirmed by G.A.Grearson in his linguistic Survey of India,vol,iii,pt.ii,1903. 4.Bhattarai,Har P. The Rajbanshis of Rajbandh Community adaptation in the Environment of Eastern , Occassions, p.55.

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5.Ghosh Bhattacharya.M. Rajbanshis: The Deprived People of North Bengal (In the State of West Bengal), International Journal of South Asian studies,vol.2,no.2, 2009, p.242. 6.Singh,S.Urirei. Identity Crisis of The Koch Rajbanshi, Golden Research Thoughts,vol.4,issue-9,2015,p.1. 7.Roy, Jitesh & Roy,Rattan.Uttar Banger Rajbanshi Samaj 0 Sanskriti Kichhu Prasangik Bhabona, : Sopan, p.25. 8.Bhattacharya,Tapodhir. Deshvag Nirbasiter Akhyan, Kolkata: Sopan, 2016,p.50. 9. District Gazetteers: Dinajpur, Dhaka: Ministry of Establishment, p.51. 10.Hunter,W.W. A Statististical Account of Bengal, Delhi: Concept, rpt. vol.X, 1974, pp.255-56. 11., Avijit. Social Life Of Tista Based Rajbanshi Community As Reflected in The Works Of Debesh Roy,p.99. 12.‘Agni’ is the God of fire which the name carrid away by the Western Aryans. see in details, in Bhattacharya,Hansanarayan.,Hibduder Devdevi: Udvab 0 Kromovikash,vol.I,Firma,K.L.M,Kolkata,1982,p.95. 13.‘Pazier’ means who can identify towards good or bad sides of a man or a family by the help of Almanac Resister or . Most of the Rajbanshi jotedar families obeyed the instructions of Panjika or Paji, when they goes to start new work either home festivals or establish new house and that maintains other community of Hindu people as well. 14.Barman, Ranjit. Environment Protection through Ethnic Taboo: A Case Study of Rajbanshi Community in North Bengal, International Journal of Research in Social Sciences,8(11),p.347. 15. Surnames, it reffered to as the last name of the people. It usually placed at the end of of a person’s full name, after given any names. 16.Bandopadhyaya,Anirban. Padabinama: Bangali Jatir Padabi-Bibortan Ebong Padabi-Itihaser Chalchalan,source,Web. 17.Kundu,Santosh Kumar. Bangalee Hindu Parichoy, Kolkata: Presidency Library, pp.248-49. 18.Sarkar,Ichhamuddin. Sanskar Andolon Theke Prithak Rajyer Dabi:Uttar Banger Rajbanshi Samajer Kamtapuri Andolon Prosanga,in Bhoumik, Sekhar.ed. Samprotik Itihas Charcha, Kolkata: Indira Prakashani,p.107. 19.Those information was collected from Anubala Barman, age, 67, Vill, Nedair, and West Dinajpur, dated on 12/02/1999 from her house. 20.Those names collected from Chitra Barman, age 82, Rajapur, Tapan, and West Dinajpur. Date of collection 2005 from her house. 21.Roy,Susmita & Das,A.P. Some favourite Rajbanshi cuisine from the northern part of West Bengal,East Himayan Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy, 9(2),2015,p.476. 22.Ibid., Some favourite Rajbanshi cuisine from the northern part of West Bengal, ,p.475. 23.Information collected from Jharna Barman, age,48, Vior, West Dinajpur. 24.Das Gupta Ashok. Indigenous Knowledge and Women Entrepreneurs among Rajbanshis:A Case Study, International Research Journal of Social Sciences,2(2),p.16. 25.CC,Sanyal.The Rajbanshis of North Bengal, Kolkata: Asiatic Society, 1965, p.27. 26.Ror, M & Mondal,B. Aprobe into the Sociall Life of the Rajbanshis in North Bengal(1947-2000 A.D.),International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention,2(4),2013,p.2. 27.’Hariya’ is a locally brewed rice beer prepared in homes, sold in the market, consumed by everyone from children to the aged and even given to deities. ‘Hariya’ is the intoxicating drink, makes the tribals blessed with joyful.internet.com 28. ‘Tari’ is a juice of palm tree,which produce manually by some processing and at last collect juice from the plam tree in mud contains. 29.Chakraborty,Avjit. Social Life of Tista Based Rajbanshi Community as Reflected in the works of Debes Roy’s Novel “Teesta Parer Brittanta”. p.46. 30.Raghavan,Vijaya. Drinking habits in ancient India, Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 2016,p.1.

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