Hrangkhol people
Hrangkhawl is one of the 21 scheduled tribes of Tripura [1] state of India. They are mainly dwelling in the Teliamura sub-division of West Tripura, [2] the Jampuijala sub-division of Sepahijala districts and the Ambassa sub-division of Dhalai [3] districts. Hrangkhawls are also found in the North Cachar Hills of Dima Hasao district, Assam. The Hrangkhawl call themselves ‘hriam’ or ‘manmasi’ (literally meaning ‘people’). They speak their own Hrangkhawl dialect known as “Hrangkhawl Chawng” which had close similarity with that of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo race group which is of Tibeto-Burmese origin.
Background Of The Hrangkhol
The word “Hrangkhol” is a combination of two words such as “Hrang” and “Khol” which means “the Courageous Warrior” and “group gathering”. With this combination, it can be translated as “a courageous warrior staying together or grouped together”. There is also a saying that the Hrangkhols were the people who are courageous than any other tribes. They were known as “Ralmaisak” which means the people who first face the enemy in the battlefield.
In term of race descendant, the Hrangkhawl people claim that they belong to the Mongoloid descent. They are one of the racial groups of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo racial stocks. According to the oral tradition of the Hrangkhol, the existence of human beings (munusi or manmasi) originated from a huge cave or a hole called “Khurpuitabum” which is located somewhere in China (as some historians asserted). This place is also known as „Singlung‟ or „Chhinlung.‟ This had close similarity with the oral traditions of China that describes on around 750 AD, there was a Prince named Chhinlung who once disagree with his father on some official matter, then fled with many peoples who happen to be his supporters and established a village named “Awksatang” in Burma (Myanmar). Gradually they flourished and multiplied in numbers but later when he died, his people dispersed in different groups. So, these people who came out from that village were called Chhinlung people. Therefore, these two traditions seem to have close connection in tracing out the past history of the Hrangkhol tribe.
Migration and Settlement
In term of migration and settlement, the Hrangkhol tribe migrated from one place to another due to the pressure they faced against the strong clans or in search of fertile land for cultivation. Moreover, shifting cultivation was their main occupations. For many centuries, the tribe had migrated to Burma but later returned to North East India through China. Tradition says that the tribes after settling somewhere in Burma, they migrated to Mizoram (Lushai Hills), Manipur, Tripura and Assam.
According to the tradition, the tribes after leaving Burma, they entered Mizoram (the Lushai Hills) and settled in Champhai for a long time before they scattered to other parts of North East India. They claimed to have named Champhai,a sub-divisional centre in the eastern part of Mizoram at present.A book titled “Know Your Own Land” records that “The Pillars of Lungvando” was erected by the earlier inhabitants known as the Old Kukis who took their settlement before the Sailo migration.” Till today in North Vanlaiphai (15 miles from Lungdar) there is a memorial stone of Hrangkhol Chief Chongluma, which was also known as 'Chhura fa rep’ in the present generation.There is no clear evidence how long they had settled in Mizoram. After several years passed, the tribe migrated to other regions of North-East due to the pressures they faced from the other tribes, which compelled them to leave their dwelling place. Some of them move down to the plain of Cachar area of Assam. K. Zawla asserted that they departed from Mizoram in 1750. Some had migrated towards Bangladesh, Manipur, Assam and Independent Hill Tipera (present Tripura).
Hrangkhol in Tripura
One of the reasons that made the tribes to migrate out from Mizoram was that they could not tolerate the pressures coming from the Pawi and Lushai clans who were once known as very furious fighter. In order to protect their own people and community, they migrated to the plain area of Cachar after which they entered the Independent Hill of Tipera (Tripura).They entered the Independent Hill of Tipera from different areas through South and North district. All through their migration from one region to another, they encountered riot with different tribes but finally they were cooled down by the Tripura Maharaja (King). The Maharaja allowed them to settle in his Kingdom and land revenues were imposed on them.
In the year 1821, the Tripura Maharaja recognized these tribal groups settling in his territory without a Chief of their own and clubs them together as one community basing on the common language they spoke. These tribal groups were known as Baro Halam community. These groups comprises 12 tribes, namely as follows:
Ranglong, Kaipeng, Molsom, Hrangkhol, Koloi, Rupini, Bawngchar,
Bawng, Saihmar, Sakachep, Thangkachep and Morsephang.
In these 12 tribal groups, the Maharaja appointed several persons for the office that of Kalim, Kabur, Kamsako and Chapia. All these persons had their own responsibility and also to look after over each tribe.
Clans and Kinship
Among the Hrangkhol tribe there were 24 clans known as Panchi.
They are as follows:
- Pena
- Phirpu
- Cholkha
- Dumkar
- Bangkheng
- Phouitong
- Chorai
(These tribes were in North Cachar hills)
- Bong
- Langkai
- Kazari
- Dab
- Tuisenvai
(These were in the Plain areas of Cachar)
- Roipu
- Khuongpel
- Laikai
- Tangkor or Chuonbak
- Dabder
- Saituol
- Sairang
- Dawrza
- Doromkha
- Malalkha
- Vaplom
- Lawkatangyas
(These were in the State of Tripura)
Hrangkhol Dialect
The Hrangkhol tribe has its own dialect known as “Hrangkhawl Chawng.” Like many of the tribes in North East India, the Hrangkhol tribes also do not possessed or having a written script of their own until the coming of Christian missionaries. In communication, the Hrangkhol in ancient past uses folklores, folktales, legends, stories that was preserved and passed on from one generation to the other. Their dialect had close similarity with that of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo race group.
Conclusion
The Hrangkhol tribe claims to be one of the descendants of the Mongoloid descent which is also one of the racial groups of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo racial stocks of South East Asia. The tribes are one of the tribe that migrated to North East India from China passing through Burma. They first settled at Champhai of Mizoram which later scattered to different parts of North East India. Different traditions had been passing on regarding the origin, dialect, clans, etc. but the fact was that the tribe had its own culture, dialect which makes the tribe unique.