Echoes of a Forgotten Past: The Portuguese Legacy in Karimganj, Assam

This Portuguese village in Karimganj district offers a glimpse into a lost chapter of history, where European and Indian destinies intertwined in unexpected ways.

Arunav Goswami, Director, Sabal Bharat Foundation

On 10 August 2024, I had attended a book launch at the Gauhati Town Club premises in Guwahati. After the launch, as I was conversing with a top official from Assam Police’s CID branch, I was both intrigued and surprised at what he said – “There is a Portuguese village in Karimganj district of Assam”.

The officer, having earlier been stationed in the Barak Valley, was well-acquainted with the village and its history. The conversation with him enhanced the curiosity within me. I wanted to know more about this village. That night itself I started researching about it, which led me to find several interesting things about a long-lost history – a history that binds together a European mercenary, an Indian dancing girl, the East India Company, the Mughals, the Kachari Kings and the Burmese.

The story had started with Walter Reinhardt Sombre, a European adventurer and mercenary who arrived in India in the early eighteenth century. Initially, he worked for the Faujdars of Purnea in Bihar, where he was tasked with recruiting and training an infantry battalion in the European style. Subsequently, he moved to Bengal, changing allegiances multiple times before eventually serving Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal.

Walter Reinhardt later established his own mercenary army and secured a position from Shah Alam II, the seventeenth Mughal emperor, as the ruler of Sardhana, a small principality near Meerut in present-day Uttar Pradesh. Around 1767, he encountered and either married or began co-habiting with a 14-year-old dancing girl (Tawaif in local parlance) named Farzana. She would later become known as Begum Samru.

Following Walter’s death, Begum Samru inherited not only the rule of Sardhana but also the command of his professionally trained mercenary army. On 7 May 1781, she was baptized by a Roman Catholic priest, adopting the name Joanna Nobilis Sombre, making her the only Catholic ruler in Northern India.

It was this very mercenary army that ventured into what is now Karimganj district of Assam. When Raja Gobind Chandra, the last Kachari King, sought help from the East India Company to repel Burmese advances, these soldiers stationed in Sylhet (now part of Bangladesh) were dispatched to assist him. They fortified themselves in Badarpur, where they defended against the Burmese. In gratitude, the King granted them land at Baniyachong in Sylhet. While some of these Portuguese soldiers settled there, others chose to remain in Bondashil, near Badarpur in Karimganj.

The descendants of these Portuguese soldiers still reside in Bondashil, seamlessly integrated into the village community. They speak Bengali fluently and their Sylheti dialect is impeccable. Their traditional attire—vermilion on their foreheads, shell bangles on their arms and black beaded necklaces—often leads people to mistake them for Bengali Hindus. The revelation that they are, in fact, Christians frequently surprises those who meet them.

Their weddings are a unique blend of traditions, taking place in the village church. The ceremony begins with the religious rites typical of Christian marriages. Afterward, the groom places vermillion on the bride’s forehead and the couple exchanges garlands, a custom reminiscent of Hindu weddings. This rare fusion of Hindu and Christian practices creates a beautiful and harmonious celebration, reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of their heritage.

None of these families in Bondashil have any direct connection to Portugal; they are entirely Indian citizens, exercising their rights and responsibilities, including voting in local elections. The surnames – Gonzales, Frank, Dias, Paneros, De’Silva – are the sole remnants of their Portuguese heritage, serving as a historical echo of their ancestors’ origins. Over time, many of these families have moved to other regions of India in search of better employment opportunities, contributing to the ongoing evolution of their community.

This Portuguese village in Karimganj district offers a glimpse into a lost chapter of history, where European and Indian destinies intertwined in unexpected ways. The story of Walter Reinhardt Sombre, his mercenary army and the descendants who now call Bondashil home highlights a historical narrative that has largely faded from mainstream awareness.

The unique fusion of cultures in Bondashil, where Christian traditions blend seamlessly with local customs, reflects the deep and often overlooked connections between different cultures and eras. Although these families no longer have direct links to Portugal, their surnames and practices preserve a fragment of this forgotten history.

Their continued presence and integration into Indian society, despite having migrated to other regions in search of better opportunities, underscore the resilience and adaptability of cultural heritage. This narrative of lost history reminds us of the complex and often hidden layers of our past, enriching our understanding of the diverse influences that shape communities today.

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