Religious Belief and Practices

by Amitabha Sarkar and Samira Dasgupta

A person in general has feelings of uncertainty and insecurity. To get strength in mind as a support he holds religion the core of culture through rituals and practices to appease gods and goddesses. The present treatise highlights about the religiosity of Bastar where Mother cult Mata- Danteshwari acts as a centripetal force crossing all the ethnic and territorial boundaries. Ultimately a cohesive process is observed which tie up different villages and parganas in a single thread of beliefs and practices. The book is a valuable reference book both for scholars and students of art and history.

Table of Contents:

• Preface
• Introduction
• Ethno-Historical Account and People
• Ethnic Background and Distribution
• Religious Belief: Rituals and Festivals at Pargana or Village Level
• Bastar Dusehra Festival: The Process of Assimilation and Integration
• Lakshmi Jagar: A Sanskritic Ritual
• Process of Social Movements
• Obsevation and Conclusion.