Meena Ethnic Religion

Meena ethnic religion is an indigenous religion among the Meena tribe in the parts of Rajasthan and northern parts of Madhya Pradesh, and is largely a sub-part of Hindu culture. The Meena associate with Matsya avatar, one of the incarnations (''dashavatara'') of the Hindu deity Vishnu.

The Meena have been worshiping trees and plants for centuries as their totem trees. This includes worshipping and protecting trees during various cultural festivals and the worshipping of buffalos, especially during the festival of Diwali, which occurs just after the harvest season, out of respect for their important role in local agriculture-based economy.

History

The Meena tribe lived in Nain, which was destroyed by Behrmaul with the assistance of its Mughal connections. Thus an old historical district records the power of the Meena princes of Nain: That is, "There were fifty-two strongholds, and fifty-six gates belonging to the manly Mina, the Raja of Nain, whose sovereignty of Nain was extinct when even of chaff (bhus) he took a share."

Certainly from Pajiui, the vassal chieftain of Prithviraj to Baharmall, the contemporary of Babur, the Kachhwahas had but little increased their territory. When this latter prince destroyed the Mina sovereignty of Nain, he leveled its half-hundred gates and erected the town of Lohwan (now the residence of the Rajawat chief) on its ruins. A distinction is made in the orthography and pronunciation of the designation of this race: Maina, meaning the asl, or 'un-mixed class,' of which there is now but one, the Usara; while Mina is that applied to the mixed, of which they reckon barah pal, or twelve communities, descended from Rajput blood, as Chauhan, Tuar, Jadon, Parihar, Kaclihwaha, Solanki, Sankhla, Guhilot, etc., and these are subdivided into no less than five thousand two hundred distinct clans.

Traditions

This religion stems from the Dharadi tradition, which in practices showing love to various forms of nature. The Meenas have been the guardians of the forest. On the basis of the customs of the ancestors, the practice of worshiping the Dharadi trees within Meena ethnic religion is going on at the time of marriage.

Modern period

The Meenas are part of larger Hindu culture, revering the Trimurti and its different incarnations as well as the Hindu goddess Ambika. Meena also worship their local deities depending on their ''gotha'' (linage) and ''kola'' (family or clan).

The Meenas are firm believers and protectors of Hindu culture in eastern Rajasthan and the Chambal Bundelkhand Malwa parts of Madhya Pradesh. The continue to advocate for their ethnic beliefs, which were part of larger Aanatan culture throughout the rule of Muslim Invaders and later during British period.

See also

* Tribal religions in India
* Meenas
* Adivasi

References

{{India-ethno-stub
Indian religions
Religion in Madhya Pradesh