Deori People - Findings

Findings

As there is lack of scientific study about the indigenous tribes of the State, one cannot find a general acceptable term on the Deoris. Again, history books mention that the Deoris faced a serious crisis from 1794 AD for which the Moamoria rebellion widely spread up to Sadiya and the Ahom monarchy gradually declined. Then the Khamtis, who were Buddhists, occupied Sadiya from the Ahoms and as a consequence, the Deoris were stopped from making human sacrifice in the Tamreswari temple. They lost their support from the Ahom kings and felt insecure due to the Khamtis who killed chief priest Kendukolai Bor Deori in the temple. Without royal patronage, they had no resources to repair the Tamreswari and other temples of the region that were damaged in natural calamities like earthquakes. So, in 1800 AD, when the Ahoms re-occupied Sadiya, the Deoris had already left Sadiya for the Choikhowa area.

Bishnu Rabha says `Kundil' is a two-phase word Kundi meaning God and la denoting place, according to the Sutiyas. So, Kundil ignifies the place where God is omnipotent. Archeologists believe the relics of Malini Than in the border area of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are of the ancient Bidarbha Kingdom. One English scholar discovered a fort, some broken bricks and a tank there, some 25 miles from Sadiya. But it has created confusion among the historians, because no reliable ancient document exists on the original place of the community. Obviously, without proper investigation and systematic study they have done some work.

In this connection, WB Brown says: "In the upper ward of Sadiya, Deoris lived here originally and before first century they came there to inhabit the area. The people are generally called Deoris simply; the language is more properly known as Sutiya. The Sutiya language indeed, may fairly claim to be the original language of upper Assam." Gait says,"the traditional rulers of Assam do not profess to be at all exhaustive. Religious books and other old writings contain lists of many other kings, but it is impossible to say if they are genuine, and if so', who the kings were and where they reigned; and to refer to them at length would be a waste of time and space.

The dynasties mentioned above are those that are best known and although a great part of the stories told of them may be fictitious, it is probable that there is nevertheless a basis of actual fact."

The Deoris are believed to have come to Sadiya before the first century. Up to the 4th cen­tury AD was the 'pre-history period' of Assam history and our sources for that period are the relics like caves, pots, megaliths and legends and traditions as found in the ancient literature like the epics and the Puranas. We find mention of some rulers of ancient Assam like Mohiranga Danava, Ghatakasur, Narakasur. Bhagadutta, Bana, Bhismak, etc. Bhagavat mentions the legends of a king named Bhismak who ruled over a kingdom called Vidarbha with its capital at Kundima.

This kingdom was in the northeast corner of Assam, i.e. near Sadiya. The Deoris were royal priests of the kingdom. The legends also provide us other important information, that Lord Krishna appeared in Bidarbha and forcibly married Rukmini Devi, daughter of Bhismak, after defeating Sisu-pal, a prince of a neighbouring kingdom, to whom Rukmini was betrothed. Gait writes in his book: "Bhismak had five sons and a daughter named Rukmini. Krishna, having heard of her beauty, was anxious to marry her, but the father had arranged to give her to another prince named Sisupal, whose fort may still be seen a few miles to the east of the one attributed to Bhismak. Rukmini secretly sent news to Krishna and on the day fixed for her marriage, the latter suddenly appeared and carried her off in his chariot. He was pursued by the crowd of princes, who had come to assist at the wedding, but he defeated them."

Some folk songs and unwritten form of literature provide us information about the origin of the Deoris. They had moved from one place to another before Christ and at last reached Joydham (presently Arunachal Pradesh) from Arema Kerema.