User:Sunilkalai

THE KALAI

Past and Present: Kalai is one of the major tribes of Tripura in the northeastern state of India.The Kalais constitute one of the oldest tribes in Tripura. As has been established from race-specific researches, the Kalais have been found to belong to the Halam community. Currently also, the tribe is included within the bigger domain of the Halams. According to the Jatimala (garland of classes), there are twelve different sects that come under the Halam community. These are – 1) Molsom, 2) Kaipeng, 3) Hrangkhawl, 4) Kalai, 5) Rupini, 6) Bongcher, 7) Korbong, 8) Langai, 9) Mochhbang, 10) Bashal, 11) Chhaimar and 12) Daab. The Kalais are again divided into seven different sub-sects. These are – a) Oabur, b) Oaplom, c) Roijoigoii, d) Bukang, e) Chorai, f) Abel and g) Kusu.

Physical Appearance: The Kalais are generally brown-skinned and have medium heights akin to other tribal sects. They are otherwise characterised by tiny eyes, flat noses and normal round faces. Although with a comparatively shorter stature, people belonging to the Kalai community are generally very active and have an enviable capacity to toil hard. Women belonging to the Kalai community are considered to be extremely beautiful. Legend has it that when Goddess Durga is compared to a woman belonging to the Kalai community, the later is deemed to be prettier. Just in case someone wants to catch a glimpse of the Kalai women, he/she needs to visit Toidu Bazaar as the Kalais are mostly concentrated in the Toidu-Ompi area under Amarpur sub-division of the Gomati district in Tripura.

Characteristic Traits: The Kalais are generally simple, peace-loving, truthful and gutsy. Most of them are not inclined to create conflicts. Also, they are known to speak the truth and considered just. It is pertinent to note that they like to lead their life in a gay manner and are extremely neat and tidy. It has generally been seen that the Kalais keep everything; including their furniture, clothes and bodies; in an orderly and neat fashion at all their stations which include their homes and the periphery of their homes. They keep their houses, furniture, clothes and body absolutely free from filth. Ironically, since the Kalais are in the habit of using an overdose of cleansing soaps, their bathing places are very slippery. Consequently, it is advisable for an outsider to exercise caution while trying to have a sneak-peak into those places or else chances are that a person might just fall. Language: Like a lot of other tribal sects in Tripura, the Kalais also speak Kokborok. Although the Kalais share the same language with the Tripuris, the Jamatias, the Nuyatias, the Rupinis etc.; there are occasional diction-specific dissimilarities as well. Kalais speak the language a bit faster than the other sects. Linguistic studies have found out that the Kalais are in the habit of shortening the language and hence they have a simpler dialect. E.g. Hinkhlai-Halai, Sikade-Sike etc.

Music: Kalais have a flourishing tradition of music and music is associated with everything that they do including but not limited to all the major occasions in their life from birth till death. Some of the worth-mentioning songs for the Kalais include Hoi, Maimita, Oyayeng Khilima, Aya-Biday, Koithoi Khum-Kanrima, Tormari Panda, Ray-Balma Panda, Huk Haumani, Mai Kaimani, Mai Nagmoni, Goriya etc. Hoi is generally considered to be the principal social song for the Kalais.

Dance: - Goriya is the traditional dance of the Kalais. The Kalais organize Goriya dance every year at village hamlets during their traditional festival also known as Goriya Puja. There are some other traditional dances as well such as Ray-Balmani, May-Nagmani etc. 1.	(g) Musical Instruments: - Chhumul or caned-flute is the traditional musical instrument of the Kalais. There are some other instruments as well such as Sarinda, Chongpreng, Dangdur, Kham etc.

Games and Sports: - The traditional sport for the Kalais is Shukui. The Kalais are also known to flaunt their skills in some other games and sports including Kusti, Dudu, Gulab, Redi, Fun-Satnoma, Kadong, Monkhad-Monkha, Aichu-Aicha Muilaubi, Haichuma, Matham etc.

Attire: The Kalais are known to be very graceful with their dressing sense. The men generally don an overarching cloth called Gamchha Borok and Gamli Borok (Gamli Mereng and Gamli Kufur) and cover their head with a headgear. The Kalai women are also known to be quite flowing with their sense of attire. They generally wear Rignai Takhmotoi and cover their bosoms with Risa Takhmotoi Koichak. The women use Gamli Borok and Rihung during work. Apart from the usual lot mentioned above, the women also use Basek, Ritrak, Borgi, General Rignai, Bumul studded Rignai, Risa Kufur etc. The Kalais produce their own cotton using Jhum Cultivation and make their own clothes. But as the production of cotton has dwindled over the past few years, the Kalais have started buying cotton from the market to make their own clothes. Although the village-dwelling Kalais are still in the habit of using the traditional clothing, the Kalais in the cities and towns have moved on to wearing western clothing to keep in tune with the changing demands of time. The Kalai men in the cities now-a-days wear shirts and pants while the Kalai women wear blouses along with anchol-studded Rignai.