Overview of Assamese Muslim and its groups
The Muslim population in Assam can be divided into two broad categories – the indigenous Assamese-speaking Muslims and the Bengali-speaking Muslims. However, the term ‘Assamese Muslim’ basically means ‘indigenous Assamese-speaking Muslims’. There are five sub-groups of Assamese Muslims in Assam: Syed, Goriya, Moriya, Deshi and Julha. Population data of these subgroups are not available in public domain or not categorised officially. The good news is that these five Muslim communities in Assam will soon be offered the status of “indigenous communities” to protect their identity against the large Bengali-speaking Muslim population.
History of Indigenous Assamese Muslim
The history of Muslims in Assam can be traced to early thirteenth century. It began after the invasion of Kamrup by Bakhtiyaruddin Khalji around 1205 AD. Bakhtiyat Khilji was on a Mughal mission to conquest eastern India upto Tibet. However, he lost the war in Kamrup (old name of Assam). It is said that during his invasion one tribal chief belonging to Mech tribe converted to Islam. He was subsequently named Ali Mech. The descendants of Ali Mech are called Deshis, one of the subgroup of Assamese Muslim.
During the 15th century, Mughal invaders constantly attacked western Assam resulting in conversion, both forced conversion and willing. So, the settlements of Muslim community grew in western Assam during that period. However, Muslim communities were not established in upper Assam or Eastern Assam til the invasion of Muslim General Turbak in 1532 AD. Then ahom king Suhungmung defeated the army of Turbak and captured as many as 1000 Muslim men as prisoners. These Muslims were later settled in upper Assam and came to be known as Moriyas.
During the Ahom reign, Assamese Muslims never sided with the Mughals during the latter’s expeditions. This has been revealed by Shihabuddin Talish, a chronicler who accompanied Mughal general Mirjumla. He remarked, “The Muslims of Assam were not true Musalmaans because they, in their heart and soul, loved the Assamese people and not the Mughals.”
Social Group of Assamese Muslim
As it is stated earlier that There are five sub-groups of Assamese Muslims in Assam: Syed, Goriya, Moriya, Deshi and Julha. These groups exclude Muslim people who have immigrated from Bangladesh and erstwhile West Pakistan. To be straightforward, they are not considered Assamese Muslim, until and unless they adopt Assamese way of life in the coming years. A basic demographic details of each subgroup are provided below:
Syed Muslim Community
Most of the Pirs and Faqirs, who pursued missionary activities in South and Southeast Asia, belonged to the Syed class. When Azan Pir came to Assam, several more preachers, who were descendents of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), also entered Assam. These people and their descendents are known as Syeds. The most illustrious among the Syed Pirs was Azan Pir also known as Azan Faqir or Hazrat Shah Miran.
Syeds, known for their expertise in Islamic theology, played a key role in educating the Muslims of Assam on religious matters. Historically, they were invited to Muslim villages to oversee mosques, lead prayers, and manage maqtabs where children received religious education. Their opinions were respected on issues like marriage, inheritance, and disputes. Due to their prominent role, they greatly influenced the adherence to Islamic principles within the Assamese Muslim community. Today, Syeds remain a significant part of the Assamese Muslim population. Most of them speak Assamese language as their mother tongue.
Goriya Muslim Community
Between 1615 and 1682, the Mughals attacked Assam seventeen times. During that time, several soldiers that fought for the Mughals had become prisoners-of-war. The Ahom Kings allowed these soldiers to stay in Assam. Many of these people belonged to Gaur, the ancient Muslim capital of Bengal; hence they got the name ‘Goriya’. These people settled in Assam and married local women and gradually became a part of the Assamese society.
During the Ahom reign, several people were ostracized from the society if they were involved in extra-marital relations or if they got married against societal norms. Azan Pir took many of these ‘left out’ and socially ostracized persons under his tutelage and taught them the tenets of Islam. Thus, these people, who had became the followers of Islam, were once again able to establish themselves in the society. Several tribal families too had converted to Islam during those days. In this way, several Hindu people too became followers of Islam and were subsequently known as Goriya.
Culture of Goriya Muslim
The Goriyas are now spread all across Assam, especially in the Brahmaputra Valley. Though they are followers of Islam, their language, dress and many rituals are similar to that of the local Assamese community. Use of traditional Assamese devotional and folk songs like Aai Naam, Biya Naam. Dheki Geet, among others, are common among the Goriyas. They are equally involved in Assamese cultural festivals like Bihu. Most of them speak Assamese language as their mother tongue.
Moriya Muslim Community
After the defeat of Turbak Khan during the reign of Ahom king Suhungmung, the prisoners of war were settled in and around Kaliabor (Nagaon). These soldiers, around 1000 in number, later on married local Assamese women and came to be known as Moriyas. As most of the captured soldiers were of Turkish origin.
These soldiers were engaged to cut grass for royal elephants but they were found to be unfit for the job mainly because the warriors could not perform the job of grass cutters. They were then employed as cultivators and were allotted agricultural land in Kaliabor area to grow food. Some were also relocated in present day Golaghat District. In the initial stage, there was little success achieved from using them as cultivators.
However, it was found that many of them were experts in making brass items. Moriyas were found to be adept at moulding brass sheets of various sizes and shapes in indigenously-made furnaces. Later on they acquired the skill of gun-making as well. In all these activities they used heavy hammers to give shape to their products.
Why they were called Moriyas?
The name ‘Moriya’, which came from the Assamese word ‘Maar’ meaning to beat or to strike. There is another interpretation of the word. As the community had close cultural relations with the Bodo community and used to offer Maroi puja (which is of Bodo origin) it is said that they came to be known as Moriyas.
Many of the well-built former soldiers were later recruited by the Ahom kings for their valour and fighting spirit. After the Burmese invasion of Assam (1817-26), the Moriyas also had to leave the places of their earlier settlements. As a result, they are now to be found in different parts of the Brahmaputra Valley. The leaders of the Moriya community claim that Moriyas have a total population of around two lakhs, spread over several districts, such as, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Dartang and Nagaon. Moriyas are mainly found in upper Assam area.
The Moriyas also have a distinct dialect (locally called duan), which they use to communicate among themselves. But, now a days, they speak Assamese language.
Moriyas have now assimilated into the greater Assamese community and have adapted its language, customs and culture. They are now classified under the More Other Backward Classes (MOBC) category by the Government of Assam.
Deshi Muslim Community
Deshis are believed to be among the first batch of people in Assam to have embraced Islam. They trace their lineage to Ali Mech, the Koch-Rajbongshi chieftain who converted to Islam during the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khilji. Deshis are mostly concentrated in and around the Goalpara district of Assam.
Many of the beliefs, rites and ceremonies of the Deshis are similar to the Hindus, especially the Rajbongshis. The farmers of the community perform several seasonal and agricultural rites with Hindu religious overtones.There are similarities in marriage rituals with the use of banana plants, vermilion marks, conch-shell bangles, turmeric, bands and marriage songs. Some martied women even sport sindoor on their foreheads. The use of maab halodbi (turmeric-green gram paste) is also considered auspicious at Deshi weddings.
People of Goalpara also celebrate a local version of Diwali called Gasa Laga. The Deshis also celebrate it but call it Diya bati ot Chorat. Just like the Boisagu of Bodos and the Boishu of Rabhas, the Deshi Muslims also have their own Bihu which they call Beshoma. It is also called Bishma or Chait-Boishne.
At present, it is estimated that there are about 20 lakh Deshi Muslims in Assam, spread across the districts of Goalpara, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Kamrup (Rural), South Salmara and Kamrup (Metro).
Julba Muslim Community
The Julhas (also called Jolha or Jolaba) are a small Assamese Muslim community found in some parts of Eastern Assam (Moran, Nazira and Dimow areas of Sivasagar district, near Dergaon and Misamara in Golaghat District). The Julhas were originally from undivided Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal, and are believed to be converts from Adivasis. There were two phases of migration of the community to Assam. First, during the time of the Ahom kings, who brought them to work as weavers; and the other towards the end of the 19th century, when a large number of Julhas were brought by British tea planters to work in the tea gardens.
The descendents of these migrants now form the Julha community and can be found in certain localities of Eastern Assam. For example, the Julha community formed during the Ahom rule can be seen in Moran, Nazira and Dimow areas of Sivasagar. Those brought by the British have a small concentration in Balibar, near Dergaon (Jorhat district), and Misamara in Golaghat District”,
In Assam, they are listed as More Other Backward Classes (MOBC) and are part of the Tea Tribe community. Most of the customs of the Julhas are similar to the Tea Tribe community of Assam. Jhumur, the traditional dance of the Tea Tribe Community, is also popular among the Julhas. The dialect they speak too is similar to the one used by the Tea Tribe Community.
