CH 5 - The People and the Population
· Assam is often
described in the academic circle as an anthropologist’s paradise because
all the major races of the world like the Austro-Asiatic, the Indo-Aryans,
the Indo-Tibetians, the Mongolians, the Negroids – combined to make
the great Assamese people but there is no scientific evidence to support the
premise, as to who were the earliest inhabitants of Assam.
PEOPLE
· Assamese
race is a composition of people belonging to different racial classes who
settled in this region.
· Dr Lila
Gogoi theoretically defines the term Assamese as –
a) The one who
is born in Assam;
b) The one who
has been permanently residing in Assam;
c) The one who
speaks the Assamese language;
d) The one who
maintains an unbreakable bond with the Assamese way of life; and
e) The one who
has in some way or the other contributed for the upliftment of the state.
· But for the
sake better understanding, we can conclude that Austrics was the first
race to settle in Assam. After that, Mongolians came to this
region and finally came the Aryans.
· Austrics entered
Assam through the sea route. They were Thin and Short in their
physical appearance and their skins were dark and hairs
were copper coloured and curly.
According to experts, the Austrics were first settled in the plains but they later on mingled with the Mongolians.
· The Mongolians
entered Assam through Patkai Hills range via, Tibet, Nepal and
Bhutan. They were sallow complexioned, having straight spiky hairs,
broad faced and small eyed in their physical appearance.
· The Ahoms,
Kachari, Koch, Rabha, Mech, Mikir (Karbi), Lalung (Tiwa), Garo, Naga, Luchai,
Kuki, Chutia, Khamti, Singhphow, Adi, Aka, Dafala, Mising, Boro, etc., are
the descendents Mongolians only.
· At the time
when Mongolians were entered into the Assam, the Aryans also started
filtering into India via North-West route. Even though, most of
the Aryans were settled in the Gangetic plains, a sizeable population of
Aryans entered into Assam through Bihar and West Bengal.
· The Aryan
population who came to Assam, had inter-racial marriages and gave rise to a new
community. In this way, the Aryan roots flourished in the state.
· Before the
establishment of Ahom rule or the kings who ruled in the state before Ahoms,
brought these Brahmins (Aryans) along with them for their knowledge and
learning. The modern day Assamese Brahmins are the descendent of
those ancient Aryans.
· During the
time of British rule, there was a steady influx of people from three different directions
:
a) East Bengal, whose
people were basically farmers;
b) Bihar,
Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, and Madras; and
c) Nepal
· The people
who came from East Bengal were settled in the Goalpara district
of Assam and they were mostly farmers and hence, engaged in farming
activities. The people who came from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, and
Madras (Chennai) were mostly engaged and employed in the newly opened tea
gardens, which gained a lot of importance during the British rule. Finally,
the people who came from Nepal were settled in Assam and they started
dealing with milk.
· In this
way, many races with their language, social customs, etc., mingled into the Pan-Assamese
identity and emerged as the Assamese race that we know today.
THE
POPULATION
· According
to 2011 census, the total population of Assam stands at 3,12,05,576 out of
which there are 1,59,39,443 males and 1,52,66,133 females.
·
About 2.58% Indian
population lives in Assam and Assam covers 2.39% of the
India’s total area. As per 2011 census, Assam ranks on 15th position
according to population.
·
The population growth rate of India in ten years
(from 2001 to 2011) was 17.64% as per the
census held in 2011 and that the population growth rate of Assam is 16.93%.
·
Population wise, Nagaon is the largest
district of Assam, having a population of 9.07% of the
total population of Assam, followed by Dhubri with 6.25%, Sonitpur with 6.18% and Cachar
with 5.57%.
·
As per 2011 census, only 14% of the
total population of Assam lives in towns and hence, Assam is extremely
under urbanised.
·
As per census 2011, Assam had 26,312 inhabited
villages which is 4% of the country’s total
number (5,08,781).
· As per
census 2011, the schedule caste and schedule
tribe population of Assam are 22,31,321 and 38,84,371 respectively.
POPULATION DENSITY
· Population
Density means the number of people who lives in per square kilometre.
· Population
Density of Assam as per 2011 census was 398 and the
same was 42 persons only in 1901.
· Kamrup
(Metro) has the highest population density of 1,313 persons per
square kilometre, followed by Dhubri (896) and Barpeta
(742).
· Dima Hasao is the most
sparsely populated area of the state with 44 persons
per sq km.
SEX
RATIO
· Sex ratio
means the number of females per 1000 male.
·
The sex ratio of Assam as per 2011 census was 958 which has
been improved by 23 points from 935 in 2001.
·
Among all the districts of Assam, Baksa has the highest sex
ratio of 974 female per 1000 male, followed by Udalguri
(973), Chirang (969), Lakhimpur
(968) and Morigaon (967).
· Dima Hasao has the lowest number of
female per 1000 male with 932.
HEAVILY POPULATED DISTRICTS
· The five
heavily populated districts of Assam are –
a) Kamrup
Metropolitan (density 1,313);
b) Dhubri
(896);
c) Barpeta
(742);
d) Nalbari
(733); and
e) Nagaon
(711).
LITERACY
· The
literacy rate of Assam has been improved in 2011 census as compared to 2001
census.
· The
literacy rate of Assam in 2001 census was 63.25% (71.28 %
for male and 54.61% for female), which has been improved in 2011
census to 72.19% (77.85% for male and 63.00% for female).
Before 1991 census, the literacy rate was calculated by taking into account the population aged 5 years and above but after 1991, 7 years and above is taken into consideration.
-----X-----
No comments: