Ethnic Consciousness and the Identity Movement of the Thengal Kachari of Assam

Abstract

At present many countries of the world are facing immense disturbances caused by both violent and non-violent ethnic movements. In India after independence, a number of movements for autonomy or statehood have been organized from time to time by various ethnic groups. The North-Eastern region of India has attracted much attention since independence because of the separatist and secessionist movements organized from time to time by different ethnic groups demanding statehood or union territory status or even secession from India. Ethnic consciousness and identity movement among the Thengal Kachari is a very recent phenomenon. The origin of the movement can be traced to the 9^th decade of twenty century. Most remarkable chapter of their identity movements is that unlike all other ethnic groups of As­sam, their identity movement is peaceful in nature. Their movement was carried out successfully without taking path of any violence and bloodshed. They have got an autonomous council in 2005 through which they got au­tonomous rights to some extent. In the present paper an attempt has been made to understand ethnic consciousness and identity movement in the Thengal Kachari of Assam.