CHAR CHAPORIS

Subject : Culture

Context : A proposal for a museum reflecting this culture has triggered a controversy, especially because of the venue.

Concept :

• 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. “
• They are used interchangeably or with a hyphen. They keep changing shapes — a char can become a chapori, or vice versa, depending on the push and pull of the Brahmaputra
• The ‘Miya’ community comprises descendants of Muslim migrants from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) to Assam. They came to be referred to as ‘Miyas’, often in a derogatory manner.