Role and contribution of Moriya community in development of Assamese society highlighted

From our Staff Correspondent

Dibrugarh, June 4 : The Ahom Royal Society as part of their initiative of bringing the Moriya community under its parent society as a separate branch to look after the rights of the community, recently organized a meeting at Kaliabor Kuworitol Makhtab.

The meeting, chaired by eminent scholar of the locality, Gousul Ali,   was graced by the president, Central Working Committee of Ahom Royal Society, Chaokhun Khirod Rajkonwar, former working president (president, Assam Indigenous People’s Front) Kamala Rajkonwar, and the chief secretary (ARSC) Uttam Kumar Baruah. The editor of Assam Tribal Sangha,   Maghiram Basumatary,   eminent social worker and writer,   Dhrubojyoti Borgohain, Lutfur Rehman, Toibur Rehman, zir Ali, Rashid Ali, and Nekibur Rehman were also present at the meeting who in their respective deliberations put forward their views regarding proven facts as to the Moriyas’ undeniable historical background that talks of the Moriyas’ role and contribution towards the development and uplift of the Assamese society at large.

The valiant Ahom ruler Swargadeo Suhungmung had defeated the mighty Turkish army when they invaded Assam on 1532 BC. As part of his humanitarian work, he had taken the initiative of settling the 900 captive soldiers in the historical place of Jayantipur which is now part of Koliabor subdivision. This small section of people later on came to be known as the Moriyas and at present they have a population of over 5 lakh scattering at 88 villages in 12 districts of the State. With the passage of time these Moriyas adopted Assamese customs and tradition and gradually became an integral part of the greater Assamese society.    

 The meeting ended with the formation of central and local branch committees under the umbrella of Ahom Royal Society. All total 50 members were sworn in as members and office bearers of the committee who were later provided with valid identity cards by   the chief secretary of Ahom Royal Society,   Uttam Kumar Baruah,  

A section of people belonging to the Moriya community who attended the meeting expressed their   gratitude to Ahom Royal Society for suggesting the use of surmes like Bora, Saikia, Hazarika, Bordoloi, Neog and Khanikar that had been bestowed upon by the Ahom kings to the forefathers of this indigenous Moriya community. The Society resolved to take necessary steps to this effect.