UDALGURI, Jan 5: The Bathou Religious Union, in a statement has urged the Bodo community to stick to their own culture and identity. The union stated that the philosophy of the Bathou religion is a primitive and age-old tradition of the community. There has been a growing threat of conversion by the Bodo people to follow other religions, which has threatened the very existence of the Bathou religion, according to the union leaders.
A three-day-long conference of the Udalguri anchalik unit of the All Bathou Religious Union concluded at Niz Udalguri Bathou Thansali premises recently. A discussion — Bathou religion and Bodo society, education and cleanliness — was held, which was presided over by Dhanuram Basumatary, speaker of the district unit of the Bathou Youth Union. Binoy Kumar Daimary, advisor, Bathou anchalik committee inaugurated the delegates’ hall, while Rajendra Basumatary inaugurated the delegates’ meeting.The second day’s programme began with the hoisting of the Bathou flag by Udalguri anchalik Bathou Union president Buddhiman Basumatary. Maheswar Boro garlanded the ‘vedi’ of Bathou. A souvenir Gudi Dwhwram was also brought out on the occasion. The souvenir, edited by Ramesh Daimary, was released by noted social worker Rameswar Boro.
The cultural competition in the evening was inaugurated by Babul Swrang Boro, cultural secretary of the Bathou youth wing. The Bathou Preacher and Deuri session was presided over by Kamal Wary and sermons were delivered by Sombar Basumatary, main preacher of the Udalguri district Bathou Union.
Premada Boro, vice-president of the district Mainao Afad, delivered a sermon on the topic — Bodo women should maintain cleanliness and preserve the age-old integrity of Bathou culture. The concluding day’s programme began with the morning Bathou Araj led by Baburam Basumatary. Gangacharan Boro delivered a speech on the theme — The way of preserving the Bodo community through the Bathou religion.An open session was conducted by Buddhiman Basumatary, which was inaugurated by Budaola Daimary, noted social worker and Bathou activist. He urged the Bodo people to be conscious to foil the plans of disintegrating the cultural identity of the Bodo community. Krishna Kanta Boro of the All Bathou Religious Union and Govardhan Prasad Chowhan, North-east coordinator of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad addressed the gathering.
The delegated session elected a new anchalik committee for the next term with Kamal Wary as president and Khanindra Wary as general secretary.Speaking about the customs and rituals followed during Bathou puja, the speakers said that the Dosa Thoi Long Nai is a major form of dance performed by the Bodo community to please Lord Shiva. The puja ceremony is held every year in the month of April. The Dosa Thoi Long Nai is a very important religious dance, where the priestess called Deodhani dances with a bowl on her head in which the blood of a sacrificed fowl is kept.
There is a legend behind the festivities during Bathou puja. It is believed that while the Deodhani performs this dance in a condition of trance, Lord Bathou (Shiva) will snatch away the bowl and drink the blood.
In the past, the Bodos worshipped their forefathers. In recent years, Bodos practice Bathouism, Hinduism.
Bathouism is a form, where forefathers called Obonglaoree are worshipped. The siju plant (belonging to the Euphorbia genus), is taken as the symbol of Bathou and worshipped. In the Bodo language, Ba means five and thou means deep. Five is a significant number in the Bathou religion.
During the puja ceremony, a clean surface near the house or the courtyard is selected as the ideal place for worship. Usually, one pair of betel nuts called ‘goi’ and betel leaf called ‘pathwi’ could be used as offering. On some occasions, the worship offering often includes rice, milk, and sugar.
Other important festivals include the Kherai puja, where the altar is placed in the rice field and other festivals like Garja, Hapsa Hatarnai, Awnkham Gwrlwi Janai, Bwisagu and Domashi. Despite the advance of Hinduism among the Bodos, mainstream Indian practices such as caste and dowry are not practised by the majority of Bodo Hindus who follow a set of rules called Brahma Dharma.
A three-day-long conference of the Udalguri anchalik unit of the All Bathou Religious Union concluded at Niz Udalguri Bathou Thansali premises recently. A discussion — Bathou religion and Bodo society, education and cleanliness — was held, which was presided over by Dhanuram Basumatary, speaker of the district unit of the Bathou Youth Union. Binoy Kumar Daimary, advisor, Bathou anchalik committee inaugurated the delegates’ hall, while Rajendra Basumatary inaugurated the delegates’ meeting.The second day’s programme began with the hoisting of the Bathou flag by Udalguri anchalik Bathou Union president Buddhiman Basumatary. Maheswar Boro garlanded the ‘vedi’ of Bathou. A souvenir Gudi Dwhwram was also brought out on the occasion. The souvenir, edited by Ramesh Daimary, was released by noted social worker Rameswar Boro.
The cultural competition in the evening was inaugurated by Babul Swrang Boro, cultural secretary of the Bathou youth wing. The Bathou Preacher and Deuri session was presided over by Kamal Wary and sermons were delivered by Sombar Basumatary, main preacher of the Udalguri district Bathou Union.
Premada Boro, vice-president of the district Mainao Afad, delivered a sermon on the topic — Bodo women should maintain cleanliness and preserve the age-old integrity of Bathou culture. The concluding day’s programme began with the morning Bathou Araj led by Baburam Basumatary. Gangacharan Boro delivered a speech on the theme — The way of preserving the Bodo community through the Bathou religion.An open session was conducted by Buddhiman Basumatary, which was inaugurated by Budaola Daimary, noted social worker and Bathou activist. He urged the Bodo people to be conscious to foil the plans of disintegrating the cultural identity of the Bodo community. Krishna Kanta Boro of the All Bathou Religious Union and Govardhan Prasad Chowhan, North-east coordinator of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad addressed the gathering.
The delegated session elected a new anchalik committee for the next term with Kamal Wary as president and Khanindra Wary as general secretary.Speaking about the customs and rituals followed during Bathou puja, the speakers said that the Dosa Thoi Long Nai is a major form of dance performed by the Bodo community to please Lord Shiva. The puja ceremony is held every year in the month of April. The Dosa Thoi Long Nai is a very important religious dance, where the priestess called Deodhani dances with a bowl on her head in which the blood of a sacrificed fowl is kept.
There is a legend behind the festivities during Bathou puja. It is believed that while the Deodhani performs this dance in a condition of trance, Lord Bathou (Shiva) will snatch away the bowl and drink the blood.
In the past, the Bodos worshipped their forefathers. In recent years, Bodos practice Bathouism, Hinduism.
Bathouism is a form, where forefathers called Obonglaoree are worshipped. The siju plant (belonging to the Euphorbia genus), is taken as the symbol of Bathou and worshipped. In the Bodo language, Ba means five and thou means deep. Five is a significant number in the Bathou religion.
During the puja ceremony, a clean surface near the house or the courtyard is selected as the ideal place for worship. Usually, one pair of betel nuts called ‘goi’ and betel leaf called ‘pathwi’ could be used as offering. On some occasions, the worship offering often includes rice, milk, and sugar.
Other important festivals include the Kherai puja, where the altar is placed in the rice field and other festivals like Garja, Hapsa Hatarnai, Awnkham Gwrlwi Janai, Bwisagu and Domashi. Despite the advance of Hinduism among the Bodos, mainstream Indian practices such as caste and dowry are not practised by the majority of Bodo Hindus who follow a set of rules called Brahma Dharma.
1 comment:
Bodo people should continue their old religion that is, mixture of Bathousim and Brahma Dharma initiated by Kalicharan Brahma. Every religion has two parts, ritualistic part and spiritual and philosophical part. While Bathowism provides ritualistic part the Brahma Dharma will serve the spiritual and philosophical part. It is important to note that Brahma Dharma was established in 1906 and has passed 100 years. In History, what survives 100 years is regarded as Heritage and Golden tradition. Brahma Dharma is a creation of their own and it should be preserved and followed. The positive values it creats like cleanliness, avoiding pig and pork should also be followed. This religion will help the Bodo people to come up and stand as a strong ethnic group in the country.
--Prof Kanak Sarkar
Jadavpur University
Kaljani2000@yahoo.com
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