Kachari tribe

Bodo बर'

Bagurumba Bodo: बागुरुमबा, the traditional Bodo dance
Total population
1,500,000
Regions with significant populations
India (Bodoland)	1,000,000
India (Assam)	200,000
Languages
Bodo language
Religion
Hinduism (Bathouism), and Christianity .
Related ethnic groups
Bodo-Kachari, Kachari people, Hajong people, Garo people, Tripuri people

The Bodos (Hindustani pronunciation: [boːɽoː]) are an ethnic and linguistic aboriginal group of the Brahmaputra valley in the northeast part of India. The Bodos are recognized as a plains tribe in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Udalguri, Chirang, Baksa, Sonitpur, Goalpara, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar of Assam are considered the centre of the Bodo area. Historically the great Bodos were known as the Mech. Even today the Bodos living in West Bengal, Nagaland and Nepal are called Mech. The Bodos use the term Bodosa (which is pronounced as Borosa meaning son of Bodo) to describe themselves. There are other subgroups of Bodo community such as Dimas, Tiwa, Sonowal Kachari, Thengal Kachari among other spread across Assam. Even though Bodos are demographically separated into different sub-groups they follow the same culture, tradition, language and religion.

The Bodos represent one of the largest of the 18 ethnic sub-groups within the Kachari group (or Bodo-Kachari), first classified in the 19th century. The Bodo-Kacharis have settled in most areas of North-East India, and parts of Nepal. The Bodo-Kachari people constitute a diverse range of the indigenous people of North-east India. Among the 18 groups mentioned by Endle, the Sonowal and Thengal in the eastern part of the Brahmaputra river are closely related. The others have been either Hinduized, or have developed separate identities (e.g. Garo).

Among the Bodo-kacharis the Boros represent single largest ethnic and linguistic groups of Northeast India. Some typical Boro last names (surname) are: Hainary, Hayenary, Hazowary, Hajowary, Basumatary, Bwisumatary, Daimary, Doimary, Swargiary, Khakhlary, Mushahary, Mochahari, Mohilary, Narzary, Narjinary, Narzihary, Chamframary, Hakhorary, Ramchiary, Baglary, Ishlary, Goyary, Borgoyary, Banuary, Sainary, Wary, Owary, Lahary, Saiba, Karjee, Mahaliya, Brahma, Boro, Baro, Bodo, Bodosa, Kachary, Kochary . The 1971 census report indicated that Bodos were the 8th largest scheduled-tribe (ST) group in India.