X CULTURE

The Tripuri people have a rich historical, social and cultural heritage which is totally distinct from that of the mainland Indians, their distinctive culture as reflected in their dance, music, festivals, management of community affairs, dress and food habit has a strong base. Kokborok, the linguafranca of the twelve largest linguistic groups of the indigenous Tripuris and other dialects spoken in Tripura are of the Tibeto-Burman group as distinct from those spoken in India. There is no influence whatsoever of from those spoken by other peoples in the North-eastern region.

A diverse ethnic element among the people of Tripura is that - there are two major racial elements, namely, the Indo-Aryans represented by the Bengalese and the Indo-Mongloids represented by a few communities like the Tripuris, the Reangs, the Jamatis, the Noatias, the Kukis, the Halams, the Chakma, the Mogh and the Lushai. Besides these nine major tribes, there are ten more tribes. All the nineteen tribes are classified as 'Scheduled Tribes'.

The Tripuris also called Tripuras or Tipras are the original inhabitants of the state. They constitute about a little over 16 percent of the total and 57% of the tribal population of the state. The formal rulers of the land is believed to be the descendants of the Kshatriyas. In course of time, a section of this community came into close contact with the Bengali settlers, and was much influenced by their language, culture and custom.

A few among the Tripuris who were close to the royal family (Known as Thakur) settled in and around Agartala. They are quite advanced in education and general enlightenment. High public officials, writers, musicians, engineers and doctors are found among them.

The other group who live on the hill-slopes have not shown any improvements regarding their economic status or nature of occupation. They practice jhooming (or shifting cultivation), they fetch wood from the forests, sell vegetables and bamboos. The women help men in jhooming, weave cloth on their traditional loin looms and take care of pigs, fowl etc. Their houses made of bamboo, are built five to six feet above the ground to avoid hazards from wild animals.

Reangs, the tribal group constitute about 14% of the tribal and 4% of the total population of the state. They are broadly divided into two groups. Meksha or Mechka and Marchai or Malchai. The former is again sub-divided into Masha, Raichak and some other sub-groups, while the principal sub-groups among the latter are Apet and Champung. The community is governed by a well-defined hierarchical institution while the chief enjoys the title Rai.

The Reangs are considered as one of the strongest pillars of the states military forces. The Reangs are Hindus and generally believers in the Sakti cult. Like other tribals they also believe in animism.

Another section of the Tripura community is known as Jamatia - the term seems to have originated from jamayet, which means a gathering or mobilization. Like the Reangs, the Jamatias also constituted the fighting force during the time of Tripura King. Their system of worship comprises both Hindu practices and animistic rites. Having many social institutions in common with the Bengalese, the Jamatias are taking to plough cultivation in preference to jhoom and are now settling down in the plain areas of the state.

The Chakmas, the fourth largest tribal group in Tripura migrated from the Chittagony hill tracts and settled in the territory of hill Tripura. They are attracted towards this land because of splendid opportunities available in the territory for jhooming. They are now generally settled in Kailusahar, Udaipur, Amarpur, Sabroom and Belonia. Most of them are Buddhist. Their chiefs, called Dewans, exercise great authority and influence within the community in all internal matters. The Chakmas in Tripura lag much behind in education. Smoking is quite a habit among them, although they are in general not so addicted to drink. The Chakmas celebrate the funeral ceremony with great pomp and dignity. In their religious practices, one finds a curious blending of Buddhism, Vaishnavism and even Islam.

The Halams: The section of Kukis who had submitted to the Tripura raja came to be known as Halams. Originally the tribe was divided into twelve sub-groups or dafas. But, now there are as many as sixteen clans which make the whole Halam community.

Generally the Halams are followers of the Sakti cult, but the majorities are Vaishnavites. They believe that God is one but has different manifestation and therefore should be appeased separately. They also believe in the existence of spirits with super-natural powers. The Ker and Bara puja are the two important festivals of this community. Famous for their ferocity, on the one hand, and for an innate sense of devotion, on the other hand, they were recruited to the army of this east while native state in large numbers.

Like other Tribal women of the land, the Halam women are skilled weavers and weave their own garments which consist of two separate pieces, a knee-high scarf and a breast garment. Apart from weaving, the women carry on their usual and traditional house-hold duties like cooking, husking rice, marketing etc, also helping their men in cultivation and other outdoor activities.

The Moghs, another group of Tripuris, were originally inhabitants of Arahan. They are generally free from any intra-communal or inter-group class distinctions. As a community, the people are very disciplined, self-reliant and peace-loving and meek.

The Mogh women, are strong, stout, and industrious, performing all the household activities, besides weaving their own garments. Like the Halam women, they are very fond of gorgeous ornaments and dresses. The chief means of their livelihood is jhooming. A few among them are engaged in plough cultivation in addition to jhooming.

The important dances of the Tripuri's:

Goria Dance

The life and culture of Tripuris revolve around Jhum (slash and burn) cultivation. When the sowing of seeds at a plot of land selected for Jhum is over by middle of April, they pray to the God 'Goria' for a happy harvest. The celebrations attached to the Goria Puja continue for seven days when they seek to entertain their beloved deity with song and dance.

Lebang Bumani Dance

After the Goria festival is over, the Tripuris have a time to rest awaiting the monsoon. During this period, folks of charming colorful insects called 'Lebang' use to visit hill slopes in search of seeds sewn on it. The annual visit of the insects renders the tribal youths to indulge in merry-making. While the men-folk make a peculiar rhythmic sound with the help of two bamboo chips in their hand, the women folk run tottering the hill slopes to catch hold of these insects called Lebang. The rhythm of the sound made by the bamboo chips attracts the insects from their hiding places and the women in-groups catch them. With the change of time jhuming on hill slopes are gradually diminishing. But the cultural life that developed centering round the jhum delved deep into the society. It still exists in the state's hills and dales as a reminiscence of the life, which the tribal of today cherish in memory, and preserve as treasure. In both the dances, Tripuris use the musical instruments like Kham (the Kokborok word for drum) made of bamboo, Sumui (flute), Sarinda, Lebang made of bamboo and bamboo cymbal. Tripuri women generally put on indigenous ornaments like chain made of silver with coin, Bangle made of silver, ear and nose rings made of bronze. They prefer flower as ornaments.