North Cachar Hills
The Tribes of N.C.Hills
The
Hrongkhols :
Differently described by the ethenographes as Hrangkawal, Rongkhol or
Hrongkhol, this tiny group of people of the great Kuki tribe is scatteredly
thriving in the North Cachar Hills. Mainly agriculturists, they practice jhum
cultivation and build their houses on wooden slit and use bamboo profusely for
the floor as well as the walls and thatch for the roofs.
The
womenfolk use puans dyed in black and relish smoking from tiny but elaborate
smoking pipes like those used by the Mizos of the southern districts.
The
Hrangkhols observe the harvest festival called Rual-Chapak and invite the spring
season through Parangat festival.
‘Parangat’
means flower. When the spring comes, flowers bloom everywhere. The
Hrangkhols observe Parangat on a full moon day. The festval begins in the
vening and continues till next morning. Except the main entry to the village,
all other paths are closed for the day. The youngmen collect wild flowers from
the nearby forest and offer them to the oldest man of the village in adecorated
busket. And thereafter they greet each other and welcome the advent of spring.
They sing and dance the whole night with drinking bouts of rice-beer in the
silvery moonlight.
Like
other hill tribes, fish is a symbol of prosperity to the Hrangkhol. They imitate
community fishing in their Soksolkirlam dance. It is a rhythmic expression of
their prayer for health and happiness.
The
Hrangkhols present a special dance ‘Bhailam’ to welcome honourable persons
into the village. The male dancers wear Churia, Kamis, Lukom, Changkaltak and
the female participants wear Ponbomtak, Ponamnei, Kongkhit, Thepbop etc. They
use cornaments called Jakcher, Chumhrui, Lirthei etc.
In
these festivals the performance of songs and dance are the main attractive
items. They participate in their
folk dances known as Darlam, Doinkini, Rochemiam and Soksollam. They play on
their traditional musical instruments like Dar, Cheranda, Rochem, Theile etc.
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THIS WEBSITE HAS BEEN DESIGNED & DEVELOPED BY N.I.C., N.C.HILLS DISTRICT UNIT ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, N.C.HILLS, ASSAM |