Char-chapori culture

A proposed “Miya museum” reflecting the culture and heritage of the people living in char-chapouris has stirred up a controversy in Assam.

Char Chapori Culture

• Char-chaporis are shifting riverine islands of the Brahmaputra and are primarily inhabited by the Muslims of Bengali-origin (pejoratively referred to as ‘Miyas’).
• A char is a floating island while chaporis are low-lying flood-prone riverbanks.
• The ‘Miya’ community comprises descendants of Muslim migrants from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) to Assam.
• The community’s cultural motifs and heritage are related to agriculture and the river. The community has a variety of songs (bhatiali related to the river, magangeet or ....