The Religious History of Munda and Oraon Tribes

ABOUT THE BOOK:- In India, the State of Jharkhand along with the forest areas of the surrounding Gondwana Plateau is the centre of dense population of tribals. Among these tribes, the Munda and Oraon tribes are not only important in view of their number but also for their cultural and religious heritage. Most of the tribes have Munda and Oraon roots, while their religious beliefs and customs, too, are accordingly based on them. Some scholars have tried to study their religious beliefs and customs but till date no effort has been made to reveal the historical aspect of these religions. In this book, the place of origin of Munda and Oraon tribes has been traced, and those routes have been considered through which these tribes reached Chhotanagpur. Those influences have also been kept in mind which affected and helped in developing the practical and philosophical structure of their religion during the period of their migration. Since the writer is a tribal and has lived in proximity of tribal religion and society, he has brought together through a decade of intense labor those facts which give reasonable basis to the history of tribal religion. Prior to this, some Christian missionaries studied the Munda and Oraon religions as also their development. They have stated that their religions are monotheistic and based on ghosts and spirits. The author has opposed this view. He has presented a sequential study of the development of godliness of tribal gods. He has thrown light on tribal religious philosophy inherent in the development of different religious institutions which can be glimpsed in the religions of so called civilized communities of the world. The author believes that the way the world has conceptualized Nature or visible natural incidents to be the material basis of the appearance and development of gods of ancient tribes, similarly the Munda and Oraon tribal gods can be traced to Nature. In some European and Indian religions the way the idea of one Supreme God alongwith sectoral gods has developed, in the same way sectoral gods can be found in Munda and Oraon religions. Since tribal religions do not have written texts, those studying them have had full license to interpret them in their own ways. All the wrong notions spread about these religions till date. This book presented with historical facts is very useful for those who have an interest in tribal religions.