The Chutiya are mainly divided into five branches viz. Hindu Chutiya, Deori Chutiya, Ahom Chutiya, Miri Chutiya or Chutiya Miri and Borahi Chutiya, 42 This division is based mainly on social assimilation or integration and religious practices/ usage. It is said that after the subjugation of Chutiya territory by the Ahoms, the displaced and scattered Chutiya people were converted and integrated with the Hinduism. They are called the Hindu Chutiyas. 43 The term 'Hindu Chutiya' indicates that the Chutiyas were non-Hindu and non-Aryan but Hinduised. They still are observing the tribal customs and aboriginal religious practices. They mainly use this 'Hindu' garb to rescue from negligence and derogatory treatments/ remarks of upper caste people, In this way, those who profess the Ahom culture are identified as Ahom Chutiyas." Further, those who came into contact with the Borahis, by pursuing their traits and culture are identified as Borahi Chutiyas.45 On the other hand, the Miri Chutiya or Chutiya Miri is came to identified by way of integration and assimilation processes:16
Deori-Chutiya is the priestly clan of the Chutiyas. It is a religious section who have maintained the aboriginal religious practices from earlier. Deories also have four clans and the Dibongia clan of Deories preserved the original languages of Chutiyas, Presently, the Deori Chutiyas are known as Deoris only and they are already included the scheduled tribes list of plain tribes of Assam.1'
These are the sub-caste, sub-tribes and clans of Chutiyas, Among these castes and sub-tribes some are now socially separated from the original
Chutiya community anc h TFn 7rpt9Iplpg Olffprpr4 !opnwy, Prl RPwr
hand, different sub-clans like Rehiya ChutiVa, Halika cluulya, Puruk Chutiya and Spnari chuoy4 are 501 associated with main foundation and gre deveiqping a rich cultural fQpndation of Chutkia,