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Bodos are one of the important tribal groups of Assam mostly inhabited in the foothills of Bhutan constituted mainly by Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). Udalguri district is a key hub of Bodo tribe known as Kacharis. The location of Udalguri and the tribal population in the district had been able to attract the attention of the Christian Missionaries from the very initial stage of Missionary activities in Assam. History of the Bodo Christians reveals that several attempts to evangelise the Bodos of Udalguri district had been made by different Missionary groups from the middle of the nineteenth century. But the early flourishing Missionary group in the district was the Anglicans. Rev. C. H. Hesselmeyer the forerunner of the Anglican Missionary in the district and was the first to prepare the base for Missionary works in the district. An important tool for evangelism was school education. Company government was also keen to support the Missionaries since the government machinery had hardly able to reach the people in one hand and to bring Bodos closer to government to exploit the opportunity to engage them in tea garden works as labourers. C. H. Hesselmeyer was in-charge of the ‘Kachari Mission’ in the district. He not only opened schools for indigenous tribal groups of the district but at the same time translated prayer books both in Assamese and Kachari language and also published articles in the Asiatic Society journal on the hill tribes of North Eastern Frontier present Arunachal Pradesh.

The main objectives of the study are: (a) to highlight the importance of the emergence of Christian Missionary groups in the Udalguri district. (b) to highlight the dedication and contributions of Rev. C. H. Hesselmeyer in the spread of Christianity and education among the Bodos of Udalguri district and preparing the Missionary base for his successors.

In pursueing study on the Anglican Christian Missionaries in Assam as well as North-East India we come across a good numbers of literatures in the form of primary and secondary sources available in different pockets. There are abundance of government files and reports available in the Assam State Archives and West Bengal State Archive and National Museum. For secondary sources we can go through a good numbers of books and journals available like Missionary Adventures: A Simple History of the S. P. G. (1911) by Georgiana M. Forde, The Kachari (1911) by Sidney Endle, A History of the Church of England in India (1924) by Eyre Chatterton, Christianity in North-East India: Historical Perspectives (1983) and Essay on Christianity in North-East India (1994) by Frederick S. Downs, British Administration in North East India (1985) by Meena Sarma Barkataki, The Anglican Church in North-East India (1845-1970) A Missiological Reflection (2002) and Introduction to the History of the Anglican Church in North-East India (2009) by E. W. Talibuddin , History of Christianity in India: Major Themes (2013) by A Jayakumar, Boro Jatir Itihas, Bhasa-Sanskriti aru Kristan Missionari (2011) by Dina Nath Basumatary, History of Education among the Bodos (2017) by Satyendra K. Sarmah, NEIHA Proceedings, XVII Session (1986), etc. All the above mentioned literatures are important to know about the emergence of English Christian Missionaries in North-East India and the role of Anglican Missionaries in Udalguri district.

So far as methodology of the study is concerned, the historical method with empirical study has been adopted. The work has been accomplished through both primary and secondary sources. The primary materials have been collected from Assam State Archive and West Bengal State Archive. The secondary materials have been collected from different libraries, both personal and public, of Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal in the form of books, journals, magazines, articles etc.  

Udalguri is the fourth district of the Bodoland Territorial Region located at the juncture of Bhutan, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The district is surrounded by Sonitpur, Baksa and Darrang districts from the East, West and South respectively and by Bhutan and Arunachal from the North. Udalguri district was declared in 2003 and formally inaugurated as a district on 14^th June, 2004. Till the creation of Udalguri as a separate district in 2003 the entire track was a part of the erstwhile Darrang district. With the occupation of Assam by the British East India Company in 1826, they had created the Darrang district covering the areas of present Darrang, Sonitpur, Udalguri and Biswanath districts. In 1835, the Sadar was shifted from Mangaldai to Tezpur. In 1983, Sonitpur was created as a separate district from Darrang and in 2003 Udalguri district was curved out of Darrang and Sonitpur districts.

Emergence of Christian Missionaries in Udalguri district in the middle of nineteenth century was an important incident in modern period of Assam. The first missionary group that made their venture in the district was the Anglican Missionary. Anglican Missionary came to the district as a supporting agency of British India government to serve the European officials of Tea Gardens of the district. But the primary objective of the Missionaries was to propagate the gospel among the locals particularly the Bodos and other non-Aryan tribal groups. To attain the goal, Missionaries primarily used two weapons namely education and medicine. In every church campus, missionaries had their dispensaries and schools. Medical service was very crucial in this area as because the district was a hot bed for diseases like cholera and malaria. Secondly, education was important because the district was a tribal dominated area without any means of formal education and because of the vulnerability of the area government initiative failed to reach the area. Missionary initiatives for education in the district was a remarkable happening as there was no scope for education in the district at that time due to lack of proper initiatives from the side of government in the district. 

Before the Anglican, the American Baptist Missionaries had made a short appearance in the district. In December 1841, Oliver T. Cutter of Baptist Mission visited Tezpur and realised the need for establishment of schools among the Bodos. In 1941, Bodo chiefs from Udalguri had approach Captain James T. Gordon, Chief Magistrate for establishment of schools in Bodo villages. Accordingly, Gordon urged Miles Bronson of Baptist Mission to provide two school teachers from the Baptist Mission School. The American Baptist mission had made some serious attempts for establishing their hold in the district but because of their multiple engagements in different parts of Assam they achieved little success in this particular field. The failure of the American Baptist Mission brought to the picture the Tezpur Church Mission Society, an Anglican Mission setup by Captain James T. Gordon from the early part of the second half of the 19^th century.[1]

The Anglicans took over a small mission that had been started at Tezpur in 1848 or 1849 by Captain Gordon.[2] Captain Gordon employed two German missionaries of the Basel Mission who had been working in Dacca, C. H. Hesselmeyer and G. Dauble, for the purpose of evangelizing the peoples of Bhutan. When the attempt towards the Bhutias proved impracticable, Missionaries had turned towards the Bodos of Udalguri nearer to Tezpur. In 1850, the Church Mission Society was entrusted with the responsibility to propagate the gospel and the extension of general education among the Bodos in the Udalguri district area.[3] With the passing away of Captain Gordon, the mission faced setbacks as because the Mission was established at his individual initiative. Consequently, G Dauble had joined the American Baptist Mission.[4] But Hesselmeyer didn’t give up and continued the evangelical works of Church Mission Society in the mission field in spite of financial hurdles. In 1862, Hesselmeyer and the mission was ordained by the Bishop of Calcutta and placed on Society for the Propagation of Gospel’s list as a missionary.

The initial opportunities for establishment of schools appeared before Rev. Hesselmeyer when Captain Francis Jenkins, Commissioner of Assam (1834-61), showed his eagerness to develop closeness with the Bodos of the district to persuade them for tea garden and other works. In 1854, Rs. 50/- per month was sanctioned as grant-in-aid for establishing schools among the Bodo of Udalguri district.[5] Accordingly C. H. Hesselmeyer of the Church Mission Society established three schools in Udalguri for the Bodos and Miris.[6] Jenkins expressed his confidence that for the Bodos in the district the measure would be solely acceptable and gratifying.[7] It was observed that when government officials asked the Missionaries to opened schools in different villages, the Missionaries willingly did so as it was useful to work with the government protection and grant for the school. Consequently, education and evangelism went hand in hand in the mission field.

In May 1855, C. H. Hesselmeyer’s proposal for establishing three more schools in Bodo villages was approved by the government and sanctioned Rs. 15/- additionally for purchasing books for the schools.[8] Captain Jenkins expressed his satisfaction on the missionary initiatives for substitution of the government schools in the region. He mentioned, “Our Government schools are little adapted to meet the wants of the Cacharees … mission schools in their own villages I feel confident they will have no reluctance to place their children for instruction.”[9] On 18^th July, 1855, the Governor General of India in Council, in its Despatch No. 72 gave approval to the grants made to Rev. Hesselmayer for the Bodos of Udalguri.[10] In 1858, the Government of India sanctioned an additional grant of Rs. 100/- per month to Rev. Hesselmeyer for extending his work among the Bodos and other non-Aryan tribes of the Province. In addition to that the Government extended an additional donation of Rs. 150/- for books.[11] With the outbreak of mutiny in 1857, British government changed the grant-in-aid system to Missionary schools. Accordingly, under new subsidiary system Tezpur Church Mission Society was sanctioned a monthly assistance of Rs. 150/- to open schools to educate the Kacharis, Miris and other non-Aryan tribes  of the district under the supervision of Rev. C. H. Hesselmeyer.[12]  

In the early part of 1860’s, the Society for the Propagation of Gospel (S.P.G.) Mission in Assam observed a good opportunity to extend their field by adopting the financially crippled Tezpur Church Mission Society. Accordingly in 1861, Rev. Robert Bland, Chaplain at Guwahati proposed to the S.P.G. Mission to adopt the Tezpur Church Mission Society but could not materialised. Then George Edward Lynch Cotton, the Sixth Bishop of Kolkata and Second Metropolitan of India had shown his keen interest to adopt Tezpur Mission as part of a scheme, which he had advocated to establish a chain of Mission Centres through the North-East and Eastern parts of the Diocese of Kolkata down to Singapore. In 1862, ultimately the Society for the Propagation of Gospel Mission at Guwahati took over the Tezpur Mission station of Church Mission Society.[13] By this time, the Tezpur Church Mission holding about 50 native Christians, 12 Village Schools and a Normal Class for training of teachers. The normal school had 15 students and the other like in Borigaon had 20, Koriapara-24, Bengbari-14, Barpathar-26, Ratanpur-6, Silputa-6, Tinkuri-5, Sekhar-12, Kalaigaon-22, Samabari-12 and Dalgaon-11 in a daily average attendance.[14]

Rev. Hesselmeyer showed utmost sincerity and dedication as a S.P.G. Missionary in the field and ran the schools efficiently that were under his control. The idea of establishing a mission station especially for the Bodos got its final shape in 1864 with the establishment of the “Kachari Mission.” Rev. Hesselmeyer was made the first in-charge of the Kachari Mission.[15] By that time twelve schools were set up in the mission field for the Bodos and others and one for the Miris.[16] In these schools 277 boys received elementary instructions mainly in Assamese with moderate use of Bengali[17] under the supervision of Rev. Hesselmeyer. 

Besides establishing schools, Rev. Hesselmeyer made extensive tour in the Bodo villages for the spread of the gospel in the district. Rev. F. R. Vallings on November 27, 1865 made an observation on the evangelical technique of the S.P.G. Mission among the Bodos and said, “A system of vernacular schools has been established among the Cacharees of the neighbourhood, and there is a small school at Tezpur. The missionaries spend the cold season in itinerating among the Cacharees.” At his initiative the number of local Christians started to grow progressively. In the years 1851 the numbers of local Christians was three, seventy in 1861 and hundred and thirty in 1871.[18]

Hessemeyer learnt Bodo language to deliberate his speech and for the evangelical works. The fruit of Hesselmeyer’s labour was his translated work- the Common Prayer Book in Assamese (1868-69). The book was printed by Gilbert and Rivington in 1871 for the S.P.C.K. He also translated Bible Stories Dharam Puthi (1855) and history of Christian Church (1861), both the work of Dr. C. G. Barth into the Bodo language.[19] Moreover he had published article on ‘The Hill Tribes of North-Eastern Frontier of Assam’ in Asiatic Society Journal in 1868. Here he referring the tribes of Himalayan region mentioned, “...Dimasa and Boro, or Lalong, now living in the plains of Assam, they seem to have come in contact with the certain degree of Civilization which effected that change both of feature and habits and customs which is so striking to be beholder”.[20]

It is worthy to mention here that in Bengbari Rev. Hesselmeyer and his assistant Sidney Endle had established one Church (Bodo Mondoli) in 1865 particularly for the Bodos of Udalguri. It was the first Church dedicated to Bodo community in the history of Christianity among the Bodos of Assam. Later, it became the second headquarter of the Kachari Mission.[21]

On 16^th August, 1866, Bishop George E. L. Cotton visited Hesselmeyer’s normal class, which consisted of 10 Christian boys of different races: two Bodo, two Miri, and the rest were Assamese. The boys expressed their desire to return to their respective villages as Christian Schoolmaster.[22] It was observed that due to frequent famines in Udalguri district, the number of schools as well as students’ enrolment under the Kachari mission was decreased.[23]

In the last quarterly letter, Hesselmeyer reported that, ‘Although there was nothing extraordinary which needed reporting; however, during last three months, every Lord’s Day (Sunday) congregation regularly had assembled for divine Worship and every Wednesday afternoon catechetical instruction had been imparted to about seventeen to twenty men and women. Also, there was an adult baptism and a solemnization of a marriage. All pupils of the Normal School had rarely failed attending Morning Prayers.’[24]

Normally, during cold season, Rev. Hesselmeyer continued taking long journeys for purpose of preaching in Assamese villages and visiting distant schools which were nine in number with 260 scholars as per the register record. When hill tribes used to come down from their mountain homes to receive the annual subsidy which the Government allowed them and to make purchase, Hesselmeyer used to take advantage of their visit and would talk with them hoping that his conversation might help to gain commendable success.[25]

In February 1864, Sidney Endle was deputed from England as the S.P.G. Missionary and joined as an assistant to Rev. Hesselmeyer.[26] The joining of Rev. Sidney Endle in Udalguri district gave a new vigour in the works of Rev. Hesselmeyer. In continuation of Hesselmeyer’s efforts Sidney Endle also gave much importance on the growth of education and literature of the Bodos. In 1869, Rev. Hesselmeyer left the field for Europe. Subsequently, Sidney Endle was assigned with the independent duty of Chaplain of the tea-planting district of Udalguri along with the charge of the Kachari Mission in the district. In 1871, Rev. C. H. Hesselmeyer had breathed his last at Europe.

Services of SPG Mission towards different tribes of Udalguri was an important part of the development of modern education in the district. Rev. C. H. Hesselmeyer’s dedication and commitment towards the people of the district didn’t allow him to leave the field till the last in spite of numerous obstacles and disasters. The major difference of SPG Mission with other Missionary groups of that time in Assam was when all other missionary groups discharged their evangelical works in Assamese language SPG mission continued its works in both the Bodo and Assamese languages. Hesselmeyer became the pioneer in this regard and his attempt able to attract the local people leading to growing numbers of local Christians. His path was followed by his successor Rev. Sidney Endle and established the Bodo language by writing An Outline Grammar of Kachari Language: as spoken in the district of Darrang and his monograph on Bodos ‘The Kachari’. Hesselmeyer was the pioneer in regards of introduction of formal education in the district. Hesselmeyer had successfully persuaded Capt. Jenkins to provide sufficient grants for establishment of ample numbers of primary schools and one normal school along with special grants for books of those schools. His endeavour led to establishment of the ‘Kachari Mission’ especially to take care of the matters of the Bodos. His untiring efforts brought colour to the works of Anglican Mission in the district and under the banner of SPG Mission he was able to write the history of Kachari Mission in India. Thus, the name of Rev. C. H. Hesselmeyer will remain in golden line in the history of the Christian Missionaries in North-East India.  

1. Assam-Mission Paper, Baptist Mission Magazine, Vol. XXXV, No. 3, 1855.

2. Assam Secretariat, Letter issued to the Government, Vol. 19, 1854, Jenkins to the Under Secretary, Government of Bengal, 7 July 1854, No. 64.

3. Assam Secretariat, letters issued to the Government, Vol. 19 (a), Letter No. 75/1855.

4. Assam Secretariat, Letters received from the District Officer, Vol. Nil, Deputy Commissioner of Darrang to the Chief Commissioner of Assam, 11 May, 1864, No 193.

5. Assam Secretariat, Home (B) Edu. Proceedings July, 1883, Nos. 1-2.

6. Education Proceedings 2-16, May, 1864, Director of Public Instruction, Bengal.

7. Education Proceedings, Bengal, September 1872.

8. Foreign Department, Letter issued to Government, No 115, 19 November, 1853, Vol. 19.

9. Home (B) Edu. July 1876-16-18, Kachari Schools in the Darrang District, Public Department, No. 142, dated London, 1^st Sept. 1858.

10.   Home (B) Edu. July 1876-16-18, Kachari Schools in the Darrang District, letter from Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department to Secretary to the Government of Bengal, No. 2440 dated the 30^th October, 1858.

11. Home, Education, June 1879, Mission School in the Province, the Kachari Mission, Darrang.

12. Anderson, J. D. (2007), The Kachari, Bina Library, Guwahati.

13.   Barkataki, Meena Sarma (1985), British Administration in North East India, Mittal Publications, New Delhi.

14.   Barpujari, H. K. (1986), The American Missionaries and North-East India, Spectrum Publications, Guwahati.

15.   Bhobora, Pratul K. (2000), Hathorkhi IPIL, Souvenir, Jisu Krist Jayanti, Sacred Heart Church, Udalguri.

16.   Daimary, P. K. (2010), Commemoration of Rev. Sydney Endle, The 38^th Annual Conference of the Bodo Christian Board & Youth Fellowship.

17.   Downs, F. S. (1983), Christianity in North East India, ISPCK, New Delhi.

18.   Hesselmeyer, C. H. (1868), “The Hill Tribes of North-Eastern Frontier of Assam” in Asiatic Society Journal, XXXVII, II.

19.   Muttumana, M (1984), Christianity in Assam and Inter-Faith Dialogue, Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra, Indor.

20.   Robinson, Charles Henry (1915), History of Christian Mission, Edinburgh. T&T. Clark, 38, George Street.

21.   Sarmah, Satyendra K. (2017), History of education among the Bodos, N. L. Publications, Guwahati,.

22.   Talibuddin, Earnest W. (2009), Introduction to the History of the Anglican Church in North-East India (1841-1970), ISPCK, Delhi.

23.   Talibuddin, Ernest W. (2002), The Anglican Church in North-East India (1845-1970) A Missiological Reflection, ISPCK, Delhi.

1. Assam-Mission Paper, Baptist Mission Magazine, Vol. XXXV, No. 3, 1855, p. 177; M. Muttumana, Christianity in Assam and Inter-Faith Dialogue, Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra, Indor, 1984, p. 51; H. K. Barpujari, The American Missionaries and North-East India, Spectrum Publications, Guwahati, 1986, p. 42; Satyendra K. Sarmah, History of education among the Bodos, N. L. Publications, Guwahati, 2017, pp.81-83.
2. Charles Henry Robinson, History of Christian Mission, Edinburgh. T&T. Clark, 38, George Street, 1915, p.117 ; Earnest W. Talibuddin, Introduction to the History of the Anglican Church in North-East India (1841-1970), ISPCK, Delhi, 2009, p. 51.
3. Pratul K. Bhobora, “Darrang Jilar Bodo Kachari Sakalar Majot Christian Dharamar Agamon” in Hathorkhi IPIL, Souvenir, Jisu Krist Jayanti, Sacred Heart Church, Udalguri, 2000, p.56.
4. F. S. Downs, Christianity in North East India, ISPCK, New Delhi, 1983, pp. 112-13.
5. Assam Secretariat, Home (B) Edu. Proceedings July, 1883, Nos. 1-2; Home, Education, June 1879, Mission School in the Province, the Kachari Mission, Darrang, p. 11.
6. Assam Secretariat, Letter issued to the Government, Vol. 19, 1854, Jenkins to the Under Secretary, Government of Bengal, 7 July 1854, No. 64.
7. Foreign Department, Letter issued to Government, No 115, 19 November, 1853, Vol. 19.
8. Assam Secretariat, letters issued to the Government, Vol. 19 (a), Letter No. 75/1855.
9. Foreign Department, op. cit, 1853, Vol. 19.
10. Home (B) Edu. July 1876-16-18, Kachari Schools in the Darrang District, Public Department, No. 142, dated London, 1st Sept. 1858.
11. Home (B) Edu. July 1876-16-18, Kachari Schools in the Darrang District, letter from Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department to Secretary to the Government of Bengal, No. 2440 dated the 30th October, 1858; Satyendra K. Sarmah, op. cit., p.182.
12. Meena Sarma Barkataki, British Administration in North East India, Mittal Publications, New Delhi, 1985, p. 118.
13. Ernest W. Talibuddin, The Anglican Church in North-East India (1845-1970) A Missiological Reflection, ISPCK, Delhi, 2002, p. 20.
14. Education Proceedings 2-16, May, 1864, Director of Public Instruction, Bengal, pp. 6-7.
15. P. K. Daimary, “Rev. Sydney Endle His Love for the Boros,” in Commemoration of Rev. Sydney Endle, The 38th Annual Conference of the Bodo Christian Board & Youth Fellowship, 15th-17th Jan. 2010, pp. 4-5.
16. Assam Secretariat, Letters received from the District Officer, Vol. Nil, Deputy Commissioner of Darrang to the Chief Commissioner of Assam, 11 May, 1864, No 193; Satyendra K. Sarmah, op. cit., p. 85.
17. Education Proceedings, Bengal, September 1872, p. 16.
18. Shekhar Brahma, Religion of the Boros and Their Socio-Cultural Transition: A Historical Perspective, DVS Publishers, Guwahati, 2006, pp. 43-44.
19. E. W. Talibuddin, op. cit, p. 55.
20. C. H. Hesselmeyer, “The Hill Tribes of North-Eastern Frontier of Assam” in Asiatic Society Journal, XXXVII, II, 1868, P.192.
21. P. K. Daimary, op. cit., p. 5.
22. E. W. Talibuddin, op. cit., p. 104.
23. Education Proceedings 2-16, May, 1864, op. cit., pp. 6-7.
24. Ernest W. Talibuddin, op. cit., p. 53.
25. Ibid., p. 55.
26. J. D. Anderson, “Introduction” to The Kachari, Bina Library, Guwahati, 2007(Reprint), pp. XI-XII.