Is the transition from North Cachar Hills to Dima Hasao Communal?
A Comprehensive Background and Analytical Study
Historical Background
The historic Cachar district derived its name directly from the Dimasa Kachari tribe. The North Cachar Hills area was an integral part of this undivided Cachar district before it was administratively separated in 1951. The nomenclature 'North Cachar Hills' literally translates to the 'Hills of the Kachari'. Because the specific Kachari tribe native to these hills is the Dimasa, the name 'North Cachar Hills' translates semantically to 'Dimasa Hills'.
While the broader Kachari umbrella includes multiple groups—such as the Bodo, Dimasa and Sonowal—the historical Kachari Kingdom specifically pertains to the Dimasa Kachari tribe. Thus, the word 'Cachar', having derived from the Dimasa Kachari, directly references the Dimasa people.
"The Kacharis of Cachar, or Dimasa, as they call themselves..."— B. C. Allen, Assam District Gazetteers: Cachar, Vol. 1 (1905)
Analysis: Exonym vs. Endonym
The name 'Dima Hasao' is a native Dimasa term that translates directly to 'Dimasa Hills'. Therefore, 'North Cachar Hills' and 'Dima Hasao' mean the exact same thing. The transition to Dima Hasao is not a forced or communal imposition, but a legitimate toponymic restoration. It is simply the translation of a colonial-era exonym (a name given by outsiders) into the native endonym(the indigenous tongue), just as 'India' is an external name and 'Bharat' is the native title for the exact same nation.
To label the word 'Dima Hasao' as communal while accepting 'North Cachar Hills' is a severe historical irony. If the colonial-era name (Cachar) was acceptable, then its native translation (Dima) must be equally valid. Furthermore, it would be entirely illogical to carve out two separate administrative district entities named 'Dima Hasao' and 'North Cachar Hills' over a mere linguistic translation, just as it would be absurd to divide a country into two separate nations named India and Bharat.
Comparison with Karbi Anglong
The Mikir Hills District was substited with The karbi Anglong District in the Sixth Schedule by the Goverment of Assam Notification on 14 October 1976. This was justified because 'Mikir' was an exonym historically used by outsiders to refer to the Karbi people of Northeast India, primarily living in Assam. The community has always referred to themselves as Karbi. We Dimasa call the Karbis as Panasa.
"In conclusion, if the Constitution guarantees 'India, that is Bharat,' it equally protects the right of a Sixth Schedule district to identify as 'Dima Hasao.' It is an act of cultural decolonization, restoring the linguistic soul of a land inextricably bound to the Dimasa people."
Why are the Dimasa known as the son of the big river?
The word Dimasa means "son of the big river" where di means "water", ma means "big" and sa means "son". Historically, we were referred to as 'Kacharis' by outsiders.
(Source: The Kacharis, 1911) Long, long ago the Dimasa fought against a very powerful tribe (the Ahoms), and being beaten in a great pitched battIe, the king with all his forces retreated. But presently further retreat was barred by a wide and deep river, which could in no way be crossed. The Raja, being thus stopped by a river in front and an enemy behind, resolved to fight once more the next day, unless the problem of crossing the river could be solved. With this determination he went to sleep and had a dream in which a god appeared to him and promised to help him. The god said that early next morning the king with all his people must boldly enter the river at a spot where he would see a heron standing in the water, and walk straight across the river, but no one must look back. Next morning a heron was found, sure enough, standing in the water near the bank; and the king, remembering his dream, led his people to the spot and went into the water, which they found had shoaled enough to form a ford and allow them to wade across. In this way he crossed with a great part of his people. But still all had not crossed. There were some on the other bank and some in the middle of the river, when a man among the latter wondering whether his son was following him, looked back, with the result that the water at once got deep and everyone had to save himself as best he could; while the men on the other bank, having no chance of crossing, dispersed. They who were caught in the middle of the river had to swim for their lives, and were washed down to different places. Some saved themselves by catching hold of Khagris (rushes) growing on the bank, and are to this day called Khagrabaria. Others caught hold of nals (or reeds) and are thus called Nalbarias. The Dimasa are the people who crossed in safety.