Damdep I

Educational institutions

There is a government primary school and a middle school located at the heart of the village. A high school is to be established under RMSA in the near future. There is also a missionary Primary School run by BCM located at the outskirt of the village. Besides the village could not provide higher education to its students, it has produced a number of educated personnels in different fields of education such as arts, commerce, science, engineering etc.

Transport

New Jognasury is well connected by all-weather road to and from Lawngtlai, the district headquarters. It takes around one hour by car from Longpuighat (a village of CADC) to reach New Jognasury-I.

Religious institutions

Most of the residents (99.99%) of New Jognasury - I are Buddhist and follow the Theraveda way of teaching and living. They have a Buddhist Monastery named Uttamasara Buddha Vihar, where some monks permanently reside. The vihara is believed to be established in the beginning of the 1970s. Recently, a proposal has been passed that the Monastery shall be shifted to the outskirt of the village in order to enlarge the complex of it. An outlay plan was designed to accommodate the various structures during the construction of the new monastery complex. In this regard a lump sum budget is also proposed.

Culture

As a Buddhist during the major event in Buddhism, the Tongchangya people at New Jognasury-I visit in the monastery, listen Dhamma, and received five precepts and eight precepts. Though they are Buddhist but some of them still follow the traditional belief of animism.

Market

Every Monday is the market day of the village. Some of the villagers are engaged in retail business. There are about ten shops in the village which deal with grocery goods.

Tourist

There is one rest house. The guests used to stay in this rest house-such as VIP and other official who visited New Jognasury-I.

Tradition

Traditionally a Tongchangya woman wears colourful dresses and ornaments. The full dresses of Tongchangya women are known as “Paiet kapor”. That means the total dresses consists of five parts. These five parts are:- (1) “Pinon” which is seven colours with stripes. (2) “Fadhui” which used as belt. (3) “Mada-kobong” which wearing upon head. (4) “Khadi” as scarf. (5) “Shaloom” just like blouse.

Tongchangya women also wear various ornaments. These are “Rajjur & Jhanga” for ears, “Baghor & Kuchikharu” for Wrists and “Tajjur” for arms, “Chandrahar, hachuli & Sikchara” for neck. These ornaments are made by mainly silver. Tongchangya men generally wear loincloth and long sleeve shirts. Day by day Tongchangya songs and dance becomes famous. There are many Tongchangya musical instruments such as Bashi, Kengkrong, Chobuk, duduk etc. Agriculture is the main occupation of Tongchangya peoples at New Jognasury-I. Even today they do jhum cultivation and they cultivate paddy, ginger, garlic, pujipada (e.g.coriander) etc. on hill slopes. Literacy among Tongchangyas is low. A few of them serve in government and non-government organizations. Tongchangyas celebrate 'Bishu' as a main enjoyable festival on the end and beginning of the Bengali new year i.e. in the month of April every year. They celebrated three days i.e. PHOOL BISHU, MUL BISHU & GUSSYA BISHU. “Pachon” (mixed curry)is a special item for Bishu. “Pachon” is a mixed vegetables with dried fishes etc. Now-a-days “Bishu mela” were organized in Tongchangyas localities. “Ghila khala”, “Nahreng khala” “Gudhu khala” etc. are some of the Tongchangyas Traditional sports.

Tongchangya peoples at New Jognasury-I are religiously Buddhists and observe religious rites such they worshipping Gautam Buddha and listening Buddha sermons. Tongchangyas also maintains the Kathino Chivar Dan, Buddha Purnima, Maghi Purnima etc. When anyone died; the dead body is being bathed and covered with a white cloth. People pray for the departed soul in presence of monks. The eldest son or a close relative of the deceased then shifts the body to the funeral pyre. On the next day, they collect the burnt bones in a pot and cover it with a piece of cloth. Then they throw the burnt bones into a river.

The male children of a deceased Tongchangya father divide the property equally among themselves. The daughters cannot claim any share of the property except when they have no brothers. If the deceased father has no children, an adopted son inherits all the property. If a wife is separated when she is pregnant and if she gives birth to a male child, he will inherit her ex-husband's property. If someone dies as a bachelor or without any children, his property will go to his brothers. By the way, now Tongchangya is a developing ethnic community in international level. Nowadays many Tongchangyas as service people and professionals such as doctor, engineers, lawyer, teacher etc. They also are trying hard to become retail traders.

Goza or Clan:-

Tongchangya community consists of about 12 Gosha (W.W. Hunter wrote: Goza or clan). These are:- (1) Karbua Gosha (2) Doinya Gosha (3) Mou Gosha (4) Mongla Gosha (5) Lapossa Gosha (6) Hmelong Gosha (7) Ongya Gosha (8) Hlang Gosha (9) Tassi Gosha (10)Tamluk Gosha (11)Rangi Gosha and (12)Angu Gosha.

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