Bonaz
Indo-Aryan community
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bonaz people (Odia: ବୋନାଜ, romanized: Bonaj) are an Odia diaspora community that live in Srimangal, Bangladesh and Tripura, India.
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 4,400 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Srimangal (Bangladesh) - 4,000 Tripura, India - 400 | |
| Languages | |
| Odia | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism (majority), Christianity (minority) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Indo-Aryan peoples, Odia diaspora |
In the nineteenth century, the British brought them over from Odisha to work as tea garden labourers in Srimangal. They are Hindus and maintain a distinct identity in addition to their Bangladeshi identity, due to cultural, linguistic, geographical and historical reasons. Many have adopted the Bengali language;[1] although only 10% of the community are actually literate in the language. They celebrate Phagwah and Durga Puja, and have managed to preserve some of their ballads and folk-tales orally as well as through performing cultural festivals. They are led by a leader known as a Behera and split into eight clans: Nag, Khanda, Tanidiya, Dudhusha, Rakta Kushila, Suryabamsa, Baghabamsa and Mahanandiya.[1]