Tribal Religion in Central India- Continuity and Change

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Religion is a mechanism to tide over the crisis of life for modern as well as primitive man. It is an expression of tribal ethos, culture and tradition. The belief in supernatural beings led to establish close contact with the natural surroundings and as a result human being established a symbiotic relationship with nature as it is closely associated with their survival. With this backdrop, the present edited volume takes into account the understanding of tribal religion in central India with an emphasis on continuity and change. The central India is the abode of more than one hundred tribes having diverse faith and belief system. The religious institution of the tribes can be understood in man nature spirit complex, sacred performances, sacred rituals, sacred specialists, religious dances and festivals, etc. The impact of Hinduism and Christianity on the tribes of central India is another important aspect of tribal religion as some tribal communities have adopted or influenced by alien religion, due to which a number of changes have occurred in their religious structure. This volume contains twenty-two well documented research articles taking examples from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Jharkhand. It provides an in depth analysis of various facets of tribal religion such as belief system, practices, rituals, festivals, syncretism, emerging identities, process of Hinduisation and Christianity, etc., which are useful to anthropologists, sociologists, historians and those who are interested in tribal cultural heritage of India in general and of central India in particular.

Byomakesh Tripathy is a Professor in the Department of History, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. He specializes in the field of Ancient Hisotry, Culture, and Archaeology, and History and culture of tribes. Earlier, he has served as Professor in the Department of History of Rajiv Gandhi Central University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. His publications include Recent Researches on the Tribes of Central India (2 vols.), Ethno-science & Traditional Technology in India (2 vols.), Ethnographic museum, Buddhism in Arunachal Pradesh, Buddhism in North East India, Sources of the History of Arunachal Pradesh, Religious History of Arunachal Pradesh, Cultural Heritage of Arunachal Pradesh, Martial Traditions of North East India, etc.

D.V. Prasad is working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh and previously associated with Anthropological Survey of India, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India as a Cultural Anthropologist. He specialized in the field of Tribal Studies, Traditional Knowledge, Resource Management and Ecological Studies. He carried out research among the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and published in the field of Tribal Studies, Identity, Traditional Knowledge System, Resource Management, Syncretism and Cultural Pluralism.

The edited volume consists of twenty three research articles which throw light on various facets of tribal religion in central India. The central India is the abode of a number of tribes or ethnic groups who are living harmoniously throughout the ages preserving their indigenous faith and belief system. The belief system of the tribal communities provide an understanding of their religious culture with reference to continuity and change. It is in this context, the volume assumes significance.

B. Tripathy and D.V. Prasad in the first article entitled Tribal Religion in Central India: An Overview have provided an in-depth analysis of the beginnings and development of tribal religion in central India in a holistic perspective. It throws welcome light on significant features of tribal religion along with a brief review of man-nature-spirit-complex, sacred rituals, sacred performances, institution of priesthood, impact of Brahmanical and Christianity among the tribes citing examples from different tribal areas of central India.

The Belief System and Religious Practices of Panika has been discussed by D.V. Prasad. With the help of field studies, the author presents a panorama of Panika's belief system. We are told how Panika community are divided into two major groups based on territoriality and belief system. The impact of the message of Kabir and Hindu religion can be clearly marked among them. A detailed note on their origin myths, folktales, gods and goddesses, sacred places of worship. institution of priesthood, sacred practices and performances are provided, where one can see a form of syncretism in the religious system of the Panika.

**Contents and Sample Pages**