Bathouism (also, Bathou) is the

folk religion In religious studies and folkloristics, folk religion, popular religion, traditional religion or vernacular religion comprises various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized re ...

of the

Boro people Boro (बर'/बड़ो ), also called Bodo, is the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Assam state of India. They are a part of the greater Bodo-Kachari family of ethnolinguistic groups and are spread across northeastern India. They are ...

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

Northeast India , native_name_lang = mni , settlement_type = , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , motto = , image_map = Northeast india.png , ...

. The name ('','' five; '','' deep) in

Boro __NOTOC__ Boro may refer to: People * Boro people, indigenous peoples of Amazonas, Brazil * A variant spelling for the Bodo people of northeast India * Charan Boro, Indian politician * Isaac Adaka Boro, a celebrated Niger Delta nationalist and Nig ...

means ''five principles''. The five principles are: (air), (fire), (earth), (water) and (ether). The chief deity, called (: "the Elder")—omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent—is said to have created the five principles. Though there are other minor gods and goddesses, Bathoubwrai is considered the Supreme God. Bathoubwrai is unseen. The second most important deity is , the daughter of Bathoubwrai, who is considered as the "protector of the rice fields". It is reported that Bathouism will be included in the Indian census.

plant

The plant, a woody species of (

Euphorbia ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...

) is considered the living embodiment of Bathoubwrai. Families that follow Bathouism plant a shrub at the northeast corner of their courtyard, in an altar called . Bodo communities that follow Bathouism generally plant a shrub at a community land, fenced with eighteen pairs of bamboo strips with five fastenings. Each pair symbolizes a pair of minor god-goddess. The five fastenings signify, from bottom: birth, pain, death, marriage and peace/pleasure. The bottom three fastenings, called , are those that one cannot escape in life; whereas the top two one could.

Gods, goddesses and gurus

Sidney Endle differentiates between household gods and community gods. Of the household gods Bathoubwrai, Mainao, Song Bwrai/Burai and Bura Bagh Raja are considered prominent. The practice of representing Bathoubwrai by the tree was more common among Boros (or Mech) of

Goalpara region Goalpara region, largely congruous to the historical undivided Goalpara district, is a region that is associated with the people and culture of Goalpara. It is bounded on the north by Bhutan, on the east by the Kamrup region, in the south by Meg ...

, and less so in Darrang. Song Raja is usually represented inside the house in an altar called , a deity who obtains devotion from women, and receives offerings during women's menses; but these offerings are eventually brought out and laid at the tree representing Bathou. The eighteen pairs of gods-goddesses are: # Mwnsinsin bwrai-Mwnsinsin burwi # Si Bwrai-Si Burwi # Aham Bwrai-Aham Burwi # Khuria Bwrai-Khuria Burwi # Eheo Bwrai-Eheo Burwi # Mainao Bwrai-Mainao-Burwi # Bwlli Bwrai-Bwlli Burwi # Deva Bwrai-Devi Burwi # Gongar Bwrai-Gongar Burwi # Joumwn Bwrai-Joumwn Burwi # Song Raja-Song Rani # Hasung Bwrai-Hasung Burwi # Rajong Bwrai-Rajong burwi # Agrang Bwrai-Agrang Burwi # Hazw Bwrai-Hazw Burwi # Emao Bwrai-Emao Burwi # Mohela Bwrai-Mohela Burwi # Hafao Bwrai-Hafao Burwi

Worship

Traditional

Traditional Bathouism did not have any written scriptures or religious books, nor temples. Worship is performed at the , and constitutes offering animals and fowls for sacrifice and rice beer. Notable religious festivals were Kherai, Garja and others. These ceremonies are performed by priests called Douri (male priest) and Doudini (female priest). This religion was not organized.

Revivalism/Reformation

''All Bathou Religious Union'', an organization, was constituted in 1992 and it has begun reviving and reforming the traditional religion. The traditional role of the and are replaced by the appointed by the organization, and a band of singers who sing in a practice called . The construction of temples, resembling churches or mosques called , have come into being. is performed on Tuesdays in . Sacrifices of animals and fowls, and offering of rice beer as modes of worship has been replaced by offering of flowers, fruits and the burning of incense. The partaking of has also become popular.

Notes

References

* * * {{Religion in India topics Bodo Asian ethnic religion Religion in Assam Indian religions