Dalu is a small ethnic group living in India and Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, they are mainly found in Haluaghat of Mymensingh District and Nalitabari of Sherpur District. In India, significant Dalu settlements are found in the states of Meghalaya and Assam. In the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, Dalu settlements have been reported in places including Dalu, Killapara, Phulbari, Garobadha, Williamnagar, Araimile, Mukdangra, Dalupada, Nakatgiri and Kalaichar.
Anthropological studies have described the Dalu as a branch of the Indo-Mongoloid peoples. According to a traditional origin legend among the Dalu, they claim descent from Arjuna, a character in the Mahabharata, and his son Babruvahana.
Name and origin
Reliable written historical information about the origin of the Dalu is limited. According to a traditional legend, the Dalu are descendants of Babruvahana, the son of Arjuna. The legend states that after one of the descendants of Babruvahana was expelled from Manipur, he travelled with his followers through Assam and the Garo Hills and eventually settled in the region along the present-day India–Bangladesh border. The ancient settlement established on the banks of the Bhogai River was later known as Dalu Killa or Dalugaon.
Some studies describe the Dalu as a small migrant community originating from Manipur. In Dalu oral tradition, the banks of the Bhogai River near the Dalu and Killapara areas of Meghalaya are identified as an ancient settlement area of the community.
Distribution and settlements
The Dalu are scattered across border regions of India and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the principal Dalu settlements are in Haluaghat of Mymensingh District and Nalitabari Upazila of Sherpur District. In the past, Dalu settlements were also found around Dalubazar or Dalugaon, at the foothills of the Garo Hills and along the Bhogai River.
Different population estimates for the Dalu in Bangladesh have been reported at different times. A 2014 report estimated their population at fewer than 1,000. A 2026 source estimates the population of the Dalu in Bangladesh at about 750.
India
In India, the Dalu are mainly settled in the states of Meghalaya and Assam. There are numerous Dalu settlements in the western and southwestern parts of the Garo Hills. Settlements have been reported in Dalu, Killapara, Phulbari, Garobadha, Williamnagar, Araimile, Mukdangra, Dalupada, Nakatgiri and Kalaichar.
Dalu settlements are also found in parts of Assam. These include Raksashini in Goalpara district, Derapathar in Nagaon district, and various areas of Darrang district.
A recent source estimates the Dalu population in India at approximately 16,500.
Social organisation
The historical social organisation of the Dalu is reported to have had matrilineal characteristics. Over time, however, their social and inheritance systems have changed, and patrilineal influence is now present in many Dalu families.
Clan and lineage-based social identity has traditionally been important among the Dalu. Traditionally, marriage within the same clan was discouraged or prohibited, and various accounts mention social penalties or fines for violating clan rules.
Some social customs and marriage practices of the Dalu resemble those of neighbouring Hajong and other ethnic communities. An ethnographic study of the Dalu of Goalpara district noted the importance of social rules and community approval in marriage practices.
Language
Sources differ regarding the language of the Dalu. Among the Dalu of Bangladesh, Bengali is now widely used. A government educational article states that Bangladeshi Dalu use Bengali in both spoken and written communication and receive education in Bengali. The same source states that there is a belief among the Dalu that they historically spoke Manipuri, although the language is no longer used by Dalu communities in Bangladesh.
According to the 2014 book Bangladesher Nanān Bhasha (Languages of Bangladesh), many Dalu in Haluaghat and Nalitabari regard Manipuri as their original language, and some words not found in Bengali occur in their speech. The book suggests that prolonged interaction with Bengali-speaking populations may have contributed to the disappearance of their earlier language.Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Bangladesher Nanān Bhasha, Prathama Prakashan Sanstha, Dhaka, first published at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, 2014, p. 86.
The use of Bengali is also significant among the Dalu of India. According to PeopleGroups.org, Bengali is the principal language of the Indian Dalu.
Religion and beliefs
Most Dalu are Hindu and are influenced by Vaishnavism. An ethnographic study of the Dalu of Goalpara district describes them as Vaishnavites. The study also mentions observances including Doul Yatra, Krishna Janmashtami, Shiva worship, Durga Puja and Manasa Puja.
The religious life of the Dalu combines Hindu religious practices with some local folk beliefs and traditions. In Bangladesh, various sources identify the religious identity of the Dalu primarily as Hindu.
Traditional clothing
The traditional clothing of Dalu women includes the Pathani. In the past, Dalu women reportedly wove the Pathani themselves. One description states that the garment was generally about 63 inches long and 45 inches wide. The use of the sari has become increasingly common among Dalu women in Bangladesh. Dalu men traditionally wore the dhoti and a shirt.
Economy and livelihood
The traditional livelihood of the Dalu has been based on agriculture. Some Dalu in Bangladesh are engaged in farming and agricultural labour. Some sources describe members of the community as landless agricultural labourers.
Agriculture also remains an important livelihood among the Dalu of India. In addition, Dalu in different areas are engaged in local labour, small-scale businesses and other occupations.
Population
Population estimates for the Dalu vary among sources. PeopleGroups.org gives an estimate of approximately 16,500 Dalu in India. Their population in Bangladesh is considerably smaller. A recent estimate places the number of Dalu in Bangladesh at approximately 750. These figures should be treated as estimates, as sources differ in their definitions, periods of observation and methods of data collection.
Cultural change and language shift
Long-term interaction with larger Bengali- and Assamese-speaking populations has influenced Dalu language and culture. In particular, the use of Bengali has become widespread among the Dalu of Bangladesh. This has contributed to concerns about the possible loss of elements of their traditional language and culture.
Research on Dalu language and culture remains limited. Consequently, there is no complete scholarly consensus regarding the nature of their historical language, its relationship with Manipuri or Hajong, and the development of the varieties currently spoken by the community.
References
External links
Research paper on the language of the Dalu community