Rites Rituals
Introduction
According to the traditional belief, religion cannot be practiced without the performance of rites and rituals. Rites and rituals are so much connected with the human life of the primitive peoples. However, rites and rituals are found not only among the primitive or tribal people, but very much among the other religions of the world. Therefore rites and rituals is a very vast subject to be discussed, here in the paper we will see some of the rites and rituals which are performed among the indigenous of north east people of India.
Rites and Rituals
A rite simply means a form of procedure prescribed by a society. Emil Durkheim, a French anthropologist, defines the rite as “the rules of conduct which prescribe how a man could confront himself to the presence of these sacred objects.” It is passage from one age to another, from one status to another, from one responsibility to another in the tribal society.1 Whereas, etymologically, the term ‘ritual’ which is associated with the word ‘rite’ is derived from the Latin word ritus, which mean ‘usage’, ‘practice’ or ‘ceremony’. Some scholars relate the meaning of the term ‘ritual’ with the Greek word dromenon, which means “a thing done” (literally).2 Therefore ritual is a term that frequently refers to symbolic behaviour shaped by rules, and repeated, always in the same pattern.3They are performed to bring health, offspring, productivity of the soil, fertility of cattle, and other benefits desired by the community as well as the individual. Rituals also celebrate such annual events as the return of spring, sowing and harvesting. They fit into a calendar of periodic rites.4
The following are some of the rites and rituals how the tribals’ people performed during the occasions:
Birth Rite: when a child is born certain rites are performed. This rite is observed so nothing can go wrong, neither to child nor to the mother,5 from the influences of the evil spirit. It is also performed to ensure strengths and good
According to the traditional belief, religion cannot be practiced without the performance of rites and rituals. Rites and rituals are so much connected with the human life of the primitive peoples. However, rites and rituals are found not only among the primitive or tribal people, but very much among the other religions of the world. Therefore rites and rituals is a very vast subject to be discussed, here in the paper we will see some of the rites and rituals which are performed among the indigenous of north east people of India.
Rites and Rituals
A rite simply means a form of procedure prescribed by a society. Emil Durkheim, a French anthropologist, defines the rite as “the rules of conduct which prescribe how a man could confront himself to the presence of these sacred objects.” It is passage from one age to another, from one status to another, from one responsibility to another in the tribal society.1 Whereas, etymologically, the term ‘ritual’ which is associated with the word ‘rite’ is derived from the Latin word ritus, which mean ‘usage’, ‘practice’ or ‘ceremony’. Some scholars relate the meaning of the term ‘ritual’ with the Greek word dromenon, which means “a thing done” (literally).2 Therefore ritual is a term that frequently refers to symbolic behaviour shaped by rules, and repeated, always in the same pattern.3They are performed to bring health, offspring, productivity of the soil, fertility of cattle, and other benefits desired by the community as well as the individual. Rituals also celebrate such annual events as the return of spring, sowing and harvesting. They fit into a calendar of periodic rites.4
The following are some of the rites and rituals how the tribals’ people performed during the occasions:
Birth Rite: when a child is born certain rites are performed. This rite is observed so nothing can go wrong, neither to child nor to the mother,5 from the influences of the evil spirit. It is also performed to ensure strengths and good