• Zulfikar Ali Talukdar

The Bodos are one of the most important aboriginal tribes of North East India belonging to Tibeto Burman family of Mongolian race. The Bodos are known also as mech and kachari. In great Epic Mahabharata they are mentioned as Kirata. The word ‘Bodo’ was used first by R.H Hodgson in his writing to a group of language which later confirmed by G.A Grearson in his book Linguistic Survey of India (Part-ii, Vol.ii). Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterjee opined that the word Bodo is derived from ‘Bod’ which denotes a geographical area in between Himalaya and western China. Similarly Sidney Endle used to say the word Bodo is derived Tibot or Tibet. The Epic Mahabharata states that the earliest king of Pragjyotishpur was Mahiranga Danava whose descendents are the Bodos. Mahabharata further informs about the matrimonial alliance of Kirata king Bhagadatta whose sister Bhanumati was married to Durjadhana eldest of Kaurabha. Regarding their Kachari name again Mahabharata speaks in Banaparva that during the hiding time of exile how Bhima came across Hirimba and married her and incourse of time Ghotatkach was born to them. As descendent of Ghotatkach the Bodos are called Kachari in some region. In west Bengal and Goalpara region they are called as Mech may be because of that they came down towards these region through the Mesi river of Nepal. The Bodos of Dimahasao region are called Dimasa or Dimafisa being they prefer to live by riverside for favour of agriculture their prime occupation. The Bodos being the earliest inhabitant of Assam they have some unique cultural identity. In this study it is tried to highlight a part of their culture that is the marriage system in Bodo society which they call Haba. The marriage system of the Bodos is some extent different with their neighboring religious group like Hindus, Mulsims and other tribes.

Bodos, Haba, Mani Bathou, Kharsonnai Haba, Child Marriage, Widow, Divorce System.

"Traditional Marriage system of the Bodos with special reference to Kokrajhar District.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.3, Issue 6, page no.372-378, June-2016, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1701B56.pdf

"Traditional Marriage system of the Bodos with special reference to Kokrajhar District.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.3, Issue 6, page no. pp372-378, June-2016, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1701B56.pdf