Dimasa people
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 7,50,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 India, Assam
|
5,00,000 |
|
India, Dima Hasao, Assam
|
1,75,000 |
|
India, Nagaland
|
50,000 |
| Languages | |
| Grao-Dima and English | |
| Religion | |
| Animism, Hinduism, Christianity | |
The Dimasa people (or Dima-basa, and also called Dimasa-Kachari ) are a group of people inhabiting Assam and Nagaland states in Northeastern India. Dimasa mythology says that they are the children of Bangla Raja (Earthquake God) and the great divine bird Arikhidima. Bangla Raja's six sons— Sibrai, Doo Raja, Naikhu Raja, Waa Raja, Guyung Brai Yung, and Hamyadao and Arikhidima are their ancestors, and in Dimasa belief, are ancestral Gods. They are called Madai in Dimasa. Evil spirits born of the seventh egg of Arikhidima are responsible for disease, suffering and natural calamities.
Ancient Dimasa tradition maintains that sixty thousand ( 60,000 ) Moon months (Lunar months) ago, they left their ancestral land when it suffered a severe drought. After a long wandering, they settled at Di-laobra Sangibra, the confluence of the Brahmaputra and Sangi or Di-tsang. There they held a great assembly. The place is in the present West Bengal area where the River Ganga and the Brahmaputra join, and where the Kacharis established their first Seat. Over time, their kingdom over large territories.
The Dimasa are one of the oldest inhabitants of the North Eastern part of India and is one of the many Kachari tribes. They live mostly in Dima Hasao District, an administrative district of the Indian state of Assam that includes the ravines of the Jatinga valley and Lower portion of Karbi Anglong district (East), Lower Crescent Region of Nagaon district, Cachar district of Assam and Dimapur district of Nagaland and Jiribam region of Manipur respectively. The name 'Dimasa' stands for "children of the big river," referring to Brahmaputra river(known as Dilao in Dimasa). Kacharis appear to be one of the earliest indigenous ethnic groups of north eastern India. Most independent tribal communities in this region are of Kachari origin. TheRabhaaa, Tiwa (Lalung), Sonowal, Thengal, Dimasa, Garo, Hajong, Deori, Sutiya, Tipra or Tripuri, Mech, Rukkini Barman of Hailakandi and Karimganj, Bodos etc.as well as the Tripura tribes inhabiting the three districts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh are all of Kachari origin. Dimasas also have cultural activities such as dances in their traditions
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