Religious Beliefs and Practices of the Namasudras of North Bengal: A Changing Profile

Abstract

Since the beginning of the bosom of nature, hunger has been the first and foremost hindrance of man in his struggle for existence. In the era of food gathering in human civilization, nature itself has appeared before man with its forests full of flowers, fruits, animals and birds. Neolithic people learned to produce food through the introduction of agriculture. Food collection, food production, fear of nature, and fulfilment of their desires are at the core of the religious beliefs, customs, rituals, and worship that have evolved over the course of human life. Storms, earthquakes, steep, heavy rains, lightning thunders in the sky, and floods have attracted people's attention. To escape from the fear of these natural phenomena and to wish for food crops and good luck, cure diseases and healthy life, and fulfil various desires, people started worshiping nature by imagining various Gods and Goddesses and gave rise to various types of vows, from which various religious beliefs and practices of the aboriginal Namasudras caste of Bengal are born. In fact, Namasudras being agrarians, their worship, rituals, and religious beliefs usually revolved around nature, farmland, and agricultural crops, cows, and fruits. There is a proverb in Bengali "Baro Mashe Tero Parban" which still emerges through the various worship and religious beliefs and rituals of the Namasudras. Gradually their practices and religious beliefs are changing day by day; some worship practices and religious practices are on the verge of extinction at present. The present paper will find out the causes and circumstances of the changing scenario of the religious beliefs and practices of Namasudras community in North Bengal with the help of available sources of information.