Basumatary

Basumatary
Basumatari
Family name
Meaning The folks of the Earth
Region of origin Assam, India
Language(s) of origin Bodo

Basumatary or Basumatari (Bodo: बसुमातारी ) is a Bodo surname. It is the most popular surname amongst other surnames in Bodo. In Bodo social group, these people were related to the cultivation and any matter related to the land.

Meaning

In Bodo language, Baisamata means the Mother Earth. The word Basumatary is a sanskritised form of Baisamatari.

Baisamata + ri = Baisamatari = Basumatary, the folks of the Earth or the Earthly folks.

It is believed on the creation of our social group, they were related to the cultivation and any matter related to the land. So, they are also known as the Landlord class of people. This group was entitled with the responsibility of solving the land problems, distribution of land, settlement of any dispute relating to land holding in the early period of creation of this social group among the Bodos. They are also described as the Mother Earth sect.

In the early period a custom was followed by the Bodos in connection with the cremation of the dead bodies. Before cremating the dead body some coins were to be offered to an elderly person of the Basumatary group as a revenue of the plot of land where cremation took place. The elderly person of the Basumatary group who received the coins was not allowed to bring the coins home, but was to leave them at the cremation ground. In the present Bodo society, this custom is followed no more.

Related surnames

Other Bodo surnames are Baalari, Brahma, Borgoyari, Bodo, Uzir, Bwiswmuthiary, Daimary, Goyari, Hazowari, Ishlary, Ishwary, Khaklari, Mohilary, Mushahary, Narzary, Owary, Swargoyari, Wary etc. Among these Brahma is the latest surname which evolved when Bodos started adapting Brahma Dharma, sub-division of Hindu religion made by the Bodos, founded by Kalicharan Gurudev.

Notable Basumatarys

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