(With reference to the native people)
Amteka is a forest village located in Chirang district of Assam, one of the states in India sub-continent. It is bounded by Bhutan on the north, Langkhar river, and Patabari F.V. on the west, Koila Moila F.V. on the north-east, Langkhar river and Koila Moila F.V. on the sought side. It is about 26.5 kilometers from Bongaigaon Town via Chapaguri-Roumari village road. It is about 35 kilometers away from Bijni Town via Borobazar-Bhabanipur road. Kajolgaon is the district head quarter of Amteka F.V.
Amteka F.V. started new place as human settlement in the year 1952. Most of the people of place came from the undivided Goalpara (now Kokrajhar), Bongaigaon, Dhubri and Bijni. The area covers 697.82 hectares (1,720 acres). It has a population of 5,646, out of which male population is 2,840 while female population is 2,806 as per the 2011 census. The oldest villages of Amteka area are mentioned here Thaijoubari, Boro Salangi and Amlaiguri. There are about 1,130 houses in Amteka area. The latitude 26.11 and longitude 91.33 are the geo coordinate of the Amteka area. Amteka is one of the most populated forest villages under Bodoland Territorial Region, Assam state.
According to local people, the name ‘Amteka’ derives from the word ‘aa>ha’ (soil) and ‘tekha’ (problem or crisise). In the distant past, there were so many problems to cultivate under the area, due to which the place got its name. There are some stories about named place Amteka. According to Prasanta Borgoyary, a retired headmaster of Amteka M.E. School, one day a Hindi language speaking Kabuliwalla man came from somewhere at Amteka. It was the season of summer and the fruits of mango were ripe enough to eat. The Kabuliwalla man came a house for his need some rice to cook, he asked to illiterate woman- “apke paas sawal hai kya? (Do you have rice?)” the woman thinked that he asked to eat some mangoes, then she, the illiterate woman replied – “Wi amta kha (You can eat that mangoes)”. The woman can’t understand Hindi language and replied anymore. So, the village named being Amtaka to Amteka may be said by Prasanta Borgoyary.
There is a river flowing from North Amteka passing by a certain villages towards south side Nagalbhanga river. The name of the river is Amteka, so the village named as River said by the some native people of Amteka.
According to local intellectual, social worker and writer Birdao Basumatary, there were no good environment to live and cultivate over place before its settlement come out. The roads were not good to travel, no rivers and rain falling to cultivate in the field, all the area were forest and soil is not good to human settlement. So the people used to say that the place is full of Tekha or problems. The place is problems of soil (Jaigaya Hani-Tekha). So the place named Hani-Tekha, lastly it become Hani-Tekha to Amteka.
There is one major market under Amteka area called Amteka Market or Amteka Hathai, founded in 1955. In 2022, there are total 44 villages under Amteka area. Most of the villages are situated at north side of Amteka Market. The name of the villages are including- North Side- Taijoubari, Deborbil, Boro Salangi, No.1 Oxiguri, Serpanguri, Roumari, Salguri, Kumguri, Nobogaon, Kojobari, No.1 Simolguri, No.2 Simolguri, Sonajuli, Khantalguri, Gwmwbil, North Salguri, Swrangpara, Gwjwnpara, Balagari, No.1 Belguri, No.2 Belguri, No.1 Gwjwnpuri, No.2 Gwjwnpuri, Bwripara, Salbari, Tasobari, Tintlanguri, Sudempuri, Udalguri. East Side- Amlaiguri, Grahampur, No.2 Oxiguri, No.3 Oxiguri. West Side- Jangsibari, Silbari (Mogorbasti), Sidabari. South Side- Jinjribil, Marupara, Norbindangi, Anthaibari, Garibhanga, Alengbari, Tongsidangi.
Tribes & Language: Amteka is one of the places that mixed of different tribes. The majority of Amteka is Bodo speaking people. Most of the village people speak Bodo language. Apart of the Bodo people there are some other tribes are Bengali, Santhali, Nepali and Rajbongsi. All the tribes of area are know the Bodo language and use Bodo language for their communication.
It’s mention that most of the Bodo people are use to cultivate for their lives. Some other Bodo people use small business to run their family and sells fruits, vegetables, chicken, pigs and fish at market. Most of the Bengali people are business minded, they sells sweets, wears, clothes and many things which are needs for our lives.
Religion: The main religion of the Amteka area is Hindu. Most of the Bodo people are Bathowism and Brahmoism, some other Bodo people are Christians. All the other tribes instead of Bodos are Hindus. All the religion worshipers have their own holy place. The Bathow followers have their own Garjasali, the Brahmoism have their own temple which called Jwigwsali or Mandir, other Hindus have their own temple and Christian followers also have their Church to pray their God.
Festivals: The main festival of the area is Bwisagu. All the Bodo people are celebrate Bwisagu festival since the ancient period under the area. It’s celebrated during April month. It is the most cherished festival of the Bodo tribe. The native people both Bodo and other tribes also celebrate it as a springtime festival at the advent of the new year. Nowadays the Amteka Bwisagu Harimu Afad celebrated Langdang Bwisagu or post Bwisagu after the end of Bwisagu gorgeously. The Durga Puja is one of the main festivals of Amteka area celebrated by the Bengali people during the month of October.
Magw or Domasi is also celebrated by the Bodo and other tribes in the month of January. The Chistmas Day also known as Bordin and Good Friday are celebrated by the Christian followers in the month of December and April. Some festivals like Mahalaya, Laxmi Pooja, Swaraswati Puja, Biswakarma are celebrated by the Hindus. The Bodo people celebrate Wngkham Gwrlwi Janai, Haljangkhra, Kathi Gasa in different months of the year.
Education: Amteka area is one of the backward places under Chirang district till date. According to 2022 census, The literacy rate of Amteka area is total 58.77 percent, out of which 66.26 percent males and 51.17 percent females are literate.
There are only one government middle school under Amteka area and one venture secondary school till 2009. There is no government secondary school till date under Amteka area. The Amteka ME School was founded in 1971, and the Amteka High School was founded in the year 1996. According to Tijen Brahma, at presently chief preacher of Amteka Primary Brahma Dharma Society, there was a venture high school before 1982, but the school no longer alive. He was read up to class –ix said by him. There were no qualify teachers to teach students at school, so the above mentioned school production is no sufficient good. Most of the students are failed in matriculation examination since its first appeared in 1997. Only the 30 percent students can pass the examination. And many students drop their education in learning only class five to ten. It’s very sad thing for the area and one of the main reasons for backwardness in educational purpose.
There are more than ten lower primary schools under Amteka area. Most of the students come Amteka ME School after the completion of their primary education. The students come to Amteka to learn by bicycle and by walking from different villages. Most of the students come from poor family, they could not buy bicycle. They face many problems in learning, they face both summer and winter seasons also with natural calamities.
Amteka is one of the raining and flood zone present day in summer season. Many students face with rain and flood during summer season when they come to school to take education. Most of the students could not buy umbrella in summer season and clothes. When they wet by rain during raining season they could not come to school next day. They must absent and lose the teaching new lesson in the class. The list of lower primary schools under the area given below-
695. No. Amteka LP School, Amteka, 1960
793 No. Tungsidangi LP School, Tungsidangi, 1965
967. No. Oxiguri LP School, Oxiguri, 1971
1174 No. Salguri LP School, Salguri, 1972
Simalguri Debarbil LP School, Simalguri, 1974
Alengbari LP School, Alengbari, 1977
Sidabari LP School, Sidabari, 1977
Kumguri LP School, Kumguri, 1978
Bhawraguri LP School, Bhawaraguri, 1979
No. 3 Oxiguri LP School, No.3 Oxiguri, 1986
Sonajuli LP School, Sonajuli, 1997
Behelguri LP School, Behelguri, 1999
The first private Bodo medium school Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Academy, Amteka also known as GKB Academy or GKBAA was founded on 9th February 2009. The school has been run by Amteka Primary Brahma Dharma Society since its instituted. Now, the school is one of the leading schools under Chirang district. The has produced 100% result in the very first year in 2017. Nowadays, the Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Academy has been product good results in the area. The school encourages to take quality education, right direction and change the society by taking true knowledge.
There are some private schools are founded under Amteka area after GKB Academy. The private schools of Amteka area trying to product numbers of good students and uplift the society in digital world.
Upendra National Academy, Gwjwn Bazar, 2012
Grace English School, 2014
Upendra National Academy, Amteka, 2016
After the instituted of some private schools, Amteka area going to be developing in education. The area has been changed after private schools instituted in area so before, said by some local people.
According to the 2022 census by Dwimalu Unit, All Bodo Students Union, there are more than 200 people are educated under Amteka area. The numbers of students of Amteka area completed their graduation and post-graduation in different stream from different colleges and universities.
Politics: Amteka area falls under 16 No. Nichima Anchalik Constituency. James Basumatary is the current MCLA of constituency. Amteka is part of Kokrajhar S.T. (Lokh Sabha) Constituency. Nirmal Brahma is the current MLA of the 31 No. Sidli Constituency. There is no politicians from Amteka area till date.
Climate: Amteka has a borderline monsoon influenced humid subtropical climate marginally too cool to be tropical savanna climate. During the cool season from November to February, afternoons are warm to very warm and mornings are cool. In the hot season of March and April, the weather becomes hot and thunderstorm rainfalls increase in frequency to prelude the oppressive monsoon season from June to September where heavy rainfall occurs every afternoon.
Economic life: The people of economic life depend on its towns and markets. There are some public markets in different parts of the area. The main or major market is Amteka market, which was formed in the year 1952. Another small markets are Milon Bazar, Secha Bazar, Salbari and Belguri. Farming is a major income source here, and mainly includes vegetables and sugar canes. In the last few years, farmers here are also trying for other sources of income. All the villages has emerged as a major export place of paddy and betel-nut. Betelnut from here are exported mainly to the Barpeta, West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Agriculture is the chief occupation of the local people. The people depend on the natural resources and cultivation. The area produces rice, mustard seed, jute, potato, sweet potato, banana, papaya, areca nut, sugarcane and turmeric. The local people sells vegetables at local market. Most of the Bodo people closely related to farming like fishing, poultry, piggery and hunting.
Literature: There is no news papers or magazines published from Amteka since early days. But it is mention that the some magazine and souvenirs was published by different organizations. The Swrang, an annual magazine of Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Academy in the year 2013. It has been published since the first publication. And the souvenir named Gudi Brahma edited by Rajkhantigiri Brahma. The souvenir was published in the year 2014 by Reception Committee during the 41st Annual Conference of All Brahma Dharma Samity. There is not yet very popular writers or poets in the area till date. But some upcoming writers we can find under the area.
Lt. Abinash Brahma was a poet and magazine editor. He edited the magazine named Gwrbwgiri.
Birdao Basumatary is a writer and social worker and teacher by profession. He published his short story, poem and article writing on various topics in several magazines and souvenirs.
Birjoy Brahma, was a former principal of GKB Academy edited few magazines, books and souvenir. He wrote several life-changing and self-helf articles for magazines.
Ronjoy Brahma is a social activist, poet, writer and blogger. He has published four books of children story, short story and novel namely Khudiyafwrni Solo (2019) published by Bodo Publication Board,BSS Lwithw Farse Gwjaolangnai (2023) published by Words N Words, Kokrajhar, Dwiyaonw Thangbai (2024) and Gongar (2024) published by Sahitya Akademi.
Kwrwmdao Brahma is a poet and comedian actor. He has published on book of poetry named Neosijanai Jiu in the year 2017, when he was reading in high school.
Nowadays, many students and teachers of the area are seen writing on different topics. They have at least been shown to have a love of literature and a willingness to contribute.
Culture: The people of Amteka area love their own culture. There was a cultural organization in the Amlaiguri village named Rakhaosi Afad. The cultural organization showed play in different villages and entertain people. After the Rakhaosi Afad, there was one Khristi Afad lead by Samar Wary and Raju Basumatary, but it break after few years.
At presently, the Siphung Harimu Afad, sponsored by Rina Basumatary. The cultural organization took part and show Bodo traditional dances like Bagurumba, Mai Gainai Mwsanai, Na Gurnai Mwsanai, Bardwisikha, Mwsaglangnai and Daosri Delai etc. different places in different programmes.
Amteka is not well-known place in cultural field, but, some famous artists from Amteka area we have namely Phungkha Mohilary, a lyricist and folk-singer, Sikiri Brahma, well-known singer, Birphung Mohilary, comedian actor, film director and producer and Kwrwmdao Brahma, a comedian actor, Mainao Basumatary, film actress, Bhumsu Brahma, Raja Brahma, album dancer and other upcoming artists.
To develop the Amteka F.V., literate and intelligent people have to work thoughtfully. The intellectuals should create social awareness among the educated and uneducated people of the area. Today’s emerging youth need to pay attention to every aspect or else the area will continue to decline for many years to come.
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