- Maibong
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Maibong — city — Coordinates 25°18′N 93°10′E / 25.3°N 93.17°ECoordinates: 25°18′N 93°10′E / 25.3°N 93.17°E Country India State Assam District(s) Dima Hasao Population 7,664 (2001[update]) Time zone IST (UTC+05:30) Area
• 355 metres (1,165 ft)
Maibong, also spelt as Maibang, is a town and a town area committee in Dima Hasao district in the Indian state of Assam.
Contents
Geography
Maibong is located at 25°18′N 93°10′E / 25.3°N 93.17°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 355 metres (1164 feet).
Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census,[2] Maibong had a population of 7664. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Maibong has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 66%. In Maibong, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. Dimasa people are the largest inhabitants of the town comprising almost 85% of the town.
History
Maibang was the capital of the erstwhile Kachari kingdom from the 16th to 18th century. The ruins of the kingdom can still be found on the eastern bank of Mahur and south of Maibang. At Maibang, the Kacharis kings came under Brahmin influence. The son of Dersongphaa took a Hindu name, Nirbhay Narayan, and established his Brahmin guru as the Dharmadhi that became an important institution of the state. The king's genealogy was drawn from Bhima of the Pandavas, and his son Ghatotkacha born to Hidimba. The kingdom then came to be known as Heramba, and the rulers Herambeswar. The king was assisted in his state duties by a council of ministers (Patra and Bhandari), led by a chief called Barbhandari. These and other state offices were manned by people of the Dimasa group, who were not necessarily Hinduized. There were about 40 clans (called Sengfong) of the Dimasa people, each of which sent a representative to the royal assembly called Mel, a powerful institution that could elect a king. The representatives sat in the Mel mandap (Council hall) according to the status of the Sengfong and provided a counterfoil to royal powers. Over time the Sengfongs developed a hierarchical structure with five royal Sengfongs though most of the kings belonged to the Hacengha clan. Some of the clans provided specialized services to the state ministers, ambassadors, store keepers, court writers, and other bureaucrats and ultimately developed into professional groups, e.g. Songyabsa (king's cooks), Nyablasa (fishermen). By the 17th century the Kachari rule extended into the plains of Cachar. The plains people did not participate in the courts of the Kachari king directly. They were organized according to khels, and the king provided justice and collected revenue via an official called the Uzir. Though the plains people did not participate in the Kachari royal court, the Dharmadhi guru and other Brahmins in the court cast a considerable influence, especially with the beginning of the 18th century.
References
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Maibong
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
Categories:- Cities and towns in North Cachar Hills district
- North Cachar Hills district
- Assam geography stubs
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