Kachari

Kachari, a large Tibeto-Burman people, Goalpara and Garo districts, West Assam; seven main divisions: Hojai with Lalong, Mech, Koch, Rabha, Chutia, Tipperah, and Garo, all except the Garo more or less Hinduised; total population about 230,000. The original national name is Bodo; but those who have adopted the Hindu religion call themselves Soronia, i.e. "Purified." Some of their tribes are scattered over north-east Bengal as far as the Terai district, Nepal, where they take the name of Mechi. Kachari appears to be mainly restricted to the Assamese branch, who are a vigorous, industrious people, trustworthy and honest, altogether superior physically and morally to the average Bengalese peasantry. The primitive Kachari language is regarded by Hodgson as of a Dravidian type in its general structure. (Rev. S. Endle, Outline of the Kachari Language, 1885; G. H. Damant, Journal of the Asiatic Society, April, 1880.) The Kachari were subdued by the Burmese in the first quarter of the present century; but the Burmese were expelled in 1826 by the English, who restored their raja, and on his death in 1830 annexed the kingdom to the Bengal Presidency.