Who are Koch-Rajbongshis?

About Koch-Rajbongshis:

• Koch Rajbongshi is an ancient tribe originally from the ancient Koch kingdom.
• The Rajbongshi tribe is referred to as Koch Rajbongshi, or Rajbanshi, or Rajvanshi.
• The word "Rajbongshi" literally means "royal community".
• Considered as indigenous people of South Asia, at present they live in lower Nepal, Northern Bengal, North Bihar, Northern Bangladesh, the whole of Assam, parts of Meghalaya, and Bhutan.
• These modern geographical areas were once part of the Kamata kingdom ruled by the Koches for many centuries.
• The community is variously designated as OBC (Assam), SC (Bengal), and ST (Meghalaya).
• Language:
  • The Rajbongshi/Rajbanshi language is spoken by one crore people, according to a 2001 census.
  • It has a complete grammar.
• Religion and Beliefs:
  • They are largely Hindus with lots of their own deities and rituals.
  • A large section of Koch Rajbanshi became followers of Islam, and the present Muslims of North Bengal, West Assam and Northern Bangladesh are of Koch Rajbanshi origin.
  • There are also Christian and Buddhist Koch Rajbanshis.
• The primary livelihood of the tribe is agriculture and farming. They live very close to nature because of the fact that primitively they were ‘Animist’ and the same significance is still prevailing among the tribe.