Mythologies of the Hojai Tribe

Hojai is a town and a municipal board in Hojai district in the Indian state of Assam.^[2] It is located on the banks of the two tributaries of Brahmaputra, namely Kapili and Jamuna. The term Hojai means Priest in the Dimasa language and is also one of the clans of the Dimasa people, who populated the settlement during its initial formation. Hojai was a part of the Dimasa Kachari Kingdom in medieval times. The Dimasa Kacharies living in Hojai is known as "Hojai-Kacharies to others. "Hojai" is one of the clans (Sengphongs) of the Dimasa tribe, The city "Hojai" got its name from this clan. It was made a sub-division on 15 August 1983 under Nagaon district. On 15 August 2015, it was declared a new district of the state along with 3 other new districts. On 31 December 2022, the district were remerged with their previous district. Nonetheless, on 25 August 2023, the Assam cabinet unveiled its decision to reinstate Hojai's district status. As of 2011 Indian Census, Hojai had a total population of 36,638, of which 18,762 were males and 17,876 were females. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 3,869. The total number of literates in Hojai was 29,708, which constituted 81.1% of the population with male literacy of 83.9% and female literacy of 78.1%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Hojai was 90.7%, of which male literacy rate was 93.8% and female literacy rate was 87.4%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 3,158 and 197, respectively. Hojai had 7049 households in 2011.

The word ‘Hojai’ has been derived from the Dimasa language. Long back during around 4000 BC , this mongoloid or tibeto-burman tribe entered the Northeast India through different channels or passes of the Lohit river. Dimasa is one of the sects of the tibeto-burman bodo tribal group. Historians are of the view that during 400 AD the dimasa group settled in the yamuna-kopili valley. History witnesses the existence of two states in this valley- Koplili and Dobak. According to one folklore, ‘hoja’ or ‘hojai’- a group of people basically priests who cured illness by performing rituals and worshipping lived in this place. Moreover , hojai or hojaisa was one of the forty clans of dimasa-kacharis. Thus, the place came to be known as Hojai. Hojai can also be traced in some of the texts of history. Dobak (presently Doboka) a place in the territory of Hojai has been mentioned in the 22nd line of Samudragupta’s Digvijay story . The texts of Lama Taranath’s Pagsamjonzan written in Tibetan language in 1747 AD , contains a description of 84 buddhist scholars (xiddhasarjo) and five lakh cities which includes an account of the destruction of stone Math-mandirs situated in the Jamuna-Kopili valley of Nagaon district’s southeast region. According to this text, there were two states in Hojai- Sambhav and Lankapuri. All historians agree that Lankapuri is Hojai’s present neighbouring Area of Lanka. But historians made no remarks on Sambhav. Some folks say that Sambhav is probably ancient Jahur which is the present region of Kaki. Laipod, one of the authors of charyapada (sorjapod) and a buddhist scholar was a dhiwar’s son from oddiyana or hojai. From this context ,Pratnatatwa Rajmohan Nath says buddhist era’s Oddiyana came to be locally known as ‘Ojji’ or ‘Ojai’ and later ‘Hojai’. Notably, most of the migrants from Sylhet and Cachar pronounced Hojai as Ojai.

Hojai was a part of the Dimasa Kachari Kingdom in medieval times. The Dimasa Kacharies living in Hojai is known as "Hojai-Kacharies" to others. "Hojai" is one of the clans (sengphongs) of the Dimasa Tribe, probably the city "Hojai" got its name from this clan. It was made a Sub-Division on 15 august 1983 under Nagaon district. Hojai is a town and a Municipal Board in Hojai District in the Indian state of Assam. Hojai district is one of the 5 districts of assam which was declared on 15th august, 2016 by Assam's Chief Minister. The headquarters of the district is situated at Sankardev Nagar, which is about 8 km away from the Hojai town. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood of the major population of Hojai. There is an abundance of forest-based small-scale industries like agar wood distillation units, saw mills and bamboo & cane furniture’s manufacturing units. The ethnic groups of this region depend on their traditional activities like weaving, animal rearing, etc. Hojai is also noted for its numerous ancient archaeological sites. As of 2011 Indian census, Hojai had a total population of 36,638, of which 18,762 were males and 17,876 were females. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 3,869. The total number of literates in Hojai was 29,708, which constituted 81.1% of the population with male literacy of 83.9% and female literacy of 78.1%.

A land rich in verdant fields, Hojai is believed to derive its name from ‘Hoja’ or ‘Hojaisa’, the priestly class of the Dimasas, one of the earliest settlers in the state. About 176 km from Guwahati, 147 km from Kaziranga, and just 20 km from Doboka, Hojai is famed today for its thriving agarwood industry, whose aromatic products journey to as far as the Gulf nations. Yet the essence of this town remains deeply rooted in a past that is both ancient and mysterious. From what was once the capital of ancient Durjoya to the land of fragrant treasures now, Hojai blends the past and the present in a wonderful offering of stories whispered through the winds of time. And if you are taking the train into the town, a delightful experience, you will find this tapestry of tales lingering in the air. Here archaeological treasures are scattered across the landscape. The Kapili-Jamuna Valley, which includes Hojai and surrounding areas like Doboka, was a center of Shaiva and Shakti worship between the 7th and 12th centuries and in the ruins of ancient temples such as those in Rajbari in Jugijan, Kenduguri, Nabhanga, and Akashiganga—likely to have been patronized by the Bhouma or Pala kings— you find glimpses into the spiritual life of those times. In Jugijan, 10.5 km from Hojai Railway Station, you find royally magnificent Rajbari, with vast sprawling grounds that are now dotted with the stone and brick remains of nine Shiva temples dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries—their carved door frames and ornate columns speaking of a harmonious blend of devotion and craftsmanship. Not too far away, in the Na-Nath temple complex in Kenduguri, dedicated to the sacred Nine Nath lords, it is the ensemble of eight temples arranged with fine symmetry to form a sacred space—with a ninth, the Kenduguri temple, standing slightly apart— that enthralls with two of the temple plinths still have rows of decorative terracotta plaques and the carved stone mandapas, maintained meticulously by the Directorate of Archaeology.