RELIGIOUS BELIEF SYSTEM AND HUMANITY: A CASE STUDY OF BHOKSA TRIBAL GROUP OF UTTARAKHAND

Abstract

Bhoksa, a tribe of India inhabiting the Bhabar and Tarai area of Uttarakhand in the Himalayan foothills is a unique ethnic group with their own idea of the supernatural world. The Bhoksas though identify themselves with Hinduism, their religiosity involves the ancestor worship. Their religiosity and its inter-relationship with the human world is highly reflected during their ritualism as seen in their agricultural practice. For them humanity can be served better if they invoke their ancestors. The person expert in holding such rituals known as 'Bharara' or medicine man in term of the ability. Their magical practices and belief is not highly esteemed but believed not less than doctor cum healer. The proposed paper deals with this phenomenon of religion and humanity.