“Sadiya Korjaku-Desha Chutika-Bansha Bhirmuka
Dhatu Dravya Tu Lebhe Na Hatwa Janpadanaya”
-Kalika Purana(10th century)
This website is aimed to spread awareness about the rich culture, heritage and history of one of the most ancient tribes of Assam, the Chutians. This tribe belongs ethnically to the Tibeto-Burman Kamrupi groups of ancient Assam which falls under the larger Sino-tibetan family. Originally it was part of a single group of people who migrated from ancient China around 4000 years ago and are today known by various names such as Bodos, Kacharis, Dimasas, etc. The word “Chutia” or “Chu-Tian” is actually a combination of two words “Chu” and “Tian”. Chu stands for the Chu state of China as well as pure/good in both Chinese and Chutia language, whereas “Tian” refers to the ancient religion of China.
Among all the other tribes and communities, the Chutias find the earliest mention. It is well recorded of the existence of a tribe called Chutians in the Kalika Purana(10th century) and Yogini Tantra(16th century). There also exist an Assamese manuscript with the Burmese kings which mentions Assambhinna (meaning “separated”) as the first king to unite all the Chutia tribes and establish a kingdom in 650 AD. The ruins of a thriving city dating back to 7th-8th century in Sadiya further validates it. This shows that the Chutians were the earliest tribe of Northeast India to have come under the influence of Hinduism and ruled the North-eastern part of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh since ancient times.
Chutia Tribe 