Bora, also spelled Borah or Barah, is an Assamese

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

used commonly throughout Assam.

Historical usage

Originally, the ''Bora'' surname was used as a high military position/title in the

Chutia Kingdom The Chutia Kingdom (also Sadiya) was a late medieval state that developed around Sadiya in present Assam and adjoining areas in Arunachal Pradesh."(T)he Chutiyas seem to have assumed political power in Sadiya and contiguous areas falling ...

held by individuals from the ''Buruk'' clan. The officials were collectively termed as ''Bora-Buruk''. The officials ''

Barua Barua (also spelt as ''Baruah'', ''Barooah'', ''Baruwa'', ''Baroova'', ''Barooa'', ''Baroowa'', ''Borooah'', ''Boruah'', or ''Baroa'') is a common Assamese surname. In Assam Valley History Originally, the ''Barua'' surname was used as a milit ...

'' and ''Borpatra'' also formed a part of this system. There were originally two classes of ''Bora'' officials - one involved in administration (''Sashanar Bora'') and the other involved in temple security (''Thanar Bora''). Some examples of that era include Dhela Bora and Harisingh Bora who were Chutia officials. Later, after the introduction of the

Paik system The ''Paik'' system was a type of corvee labour system on which the economy of the Ahom kingdom of medieval Assam depended. In this system, adult and able males, called ''paiks'' were obligated to render service to the state and form its militia ...

in the Ahom Kingdom of medieval Assam, the title was re-introduced. A ''Bora'' was the commanding officer of 20 such paiks. The appointment of a ''Bora'' was the responsibility of his ''Phukan'' or ''Rajkhowa'' (governor of a territory). The paiks had the right to reject a Bora and request another officer of their choice. Appointments were made irrespective of the paik's religion or ethnicity. Paik System of Ahom kingdom There is mention of ''Chutia Boras'' and ''Matak Boras'' in Buranjis at several instances. For example, during the revolt of 1775, Phukans and Baruas were appointed from Barechiringias and Chutia Boras. The Lecham Chetia family descended from ''Tekela Bora'', who was a prisoner of Chutia origin. Chandrakanta Singha appointed his friend Satram, who was the son of a ''Kukurachuwa Bora'' of Chutia origin, as Charingia Phukan. During the first Burmese invasion, the king sent ''Lapi Dadhara Bora'' of Chutia Gharphalia family, along with other officers to fight with the Burmese. Other‌ examples of Chutia Bora include ''Hao Bora'', ''Nokh Bora'' and ''Langi Deka Bora'' (of Langi Deka origin) who fought against the Burmese. Apart from these, during the

Moamoria rebellion The Moamoria rebellion (1769–1805) was the 18th century uprising in Ahom kingdom of present-day Assam that began as power struggle between the Moamorias (''Mataks''), the adherents of the Moamara Sattra, and the Ahom kings. This uprising s ...

, the

Matak Matak ( Indonesian: ''Pulau Matak'') is an island in the Anambas Islands of Indonesia, located in the South China Sea between the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. The island is a base for oil companies including ConocoPhillips, Premier Oil and St ...

rebels also appointed ''Boras'' among themselves.Barua, Gopalchandra, ''Ahom Buranji'', p. 303

Notable people

Notable people with the surname include: *

Atul Bora Atul Bora is an Indian politician from Assam belonging to a regional party, Asom Gana Parishad. In July 2014 he was elected president of the party. Currently he is the Minister for Agriculture and Veterinary in the Cabinet of Assam Government h ...

, president of the political party

Asom Gana Parishad Asom Gana Parishad (translation: ''Assam People's Council'', AGP) is a state political party in Assam, India. The AGP was formed after the historic Assam Accord of 1985 and formally launched at the Golaghat Convention held from 13–14 Octobe ...

Dhrubajyoti Bora Dhrubajyoti Bora ( Dhruba Jyoti Borah) ( as, ধ্ৰুৱজ্যোতি বৰা), a medical doctor by profession, is a Guwahati-based Assamese writer and novelist. In a literary career spanning around three decades he has published many ...

(born 1955), Indian novelist from Assam *

Jatin Bora Jatin Bora (born 25 April 1970) is an Indian actor and director who has appeared in Assamese language films since 1989. He is also an actor and director in some mobile theatre groups of Assam, including Aabahan, Hengool, Ashirbaad, Bhagyadev ...

(born 1970), Indian film actor from Assam *

Kopil Bora Kopil Bora ( as, কপিল বৰা) is an Assamese actor, anchor and All India Radio voice artist. He debuted in Bidyut Chakravarty's 2002 Assamese film ''Gun Gun Gane Gane'' and known for his performance in ''Mon'' (2002), ''Ahir Bhaira ...

, Indian film actor from Assam *

Mahim Bora Mahim Bora (6 July 1924 – 5 August 2016) was an Indian writer and educationist from Assam. He was elected as a president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha held in 1989 at Doomdooma. He was awarded most notably the Padma Shri in 2011, the Sahitya A ...

(1924–2019), Indian writer and educationist from Assam *

Nomal Chandra Borah Dr Nomal Chandra Borah is an Indian Social Entrepreneur and neurologist who founded GNRC Affordable Health Mission in India. He founded the GNRC Hospitals, the first Tertiary care Super-Specialty Hospital in North-east India. The hospital was i ...

, Indian neurologist from Assam *

Panchi Bora Panchi Bora is an Indian television actress and model from Assam. She plays lead roles in the series ''Kayamath'' and ''Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi'', before working in the Telugu film industry. Life and career Panchi Bora hails from Assam. Her f ...

, Indian television actress and model from Assam *

Prodyut Bora Prodyut Bora (born 10 April 1974) is an Indian politician and social activist. He is the founder and current chief of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was a National Executive Committee member of the Bharatiya Janata Party until he decided to l ...

(born 1974), Indian politician and social activist from Assam *

Ripun Bora Ripun Bora is a leader of the All India Trinamool Congress party hailing from Assam. He is now serving as President of the Assam Trinamool Congress. He was the former President, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, MP of Rajya Sabha for Assam a ...

, Indian politician from Assam *

Umananda Bora This is a list of cricketers who have played first-class, List A or Twenty20 cricket for Assam cricket team. Seasons given are first and last seasons; the player did not necessarily play in all the intervening seasons. Players in bold have pla ...

, Indian Indian cricket player from Assam

Notes

References

* {{Surname, Bora

External links

Assamese-language surnames

Historical usage

Notable people

See also

Notes

References

External links