Religion
| Religion among Assamese Dimasa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Religion | Percent | |||
| Hinduism | 98.54% | |||
| Christianity | 1.24% | |||
| Others | 0.22% | |||
According to the 2001 Census of India, more than 98% of all Dimasa living in Assam are Hindu. Religion: Spiritual - In a Dimasa society, it is believed spiritual life, Spirit is a soul. Dimasa believe traditionally the rebirth of soul after death. Religion: Dimasa believe that they are the children of Bangla Raja and the great divine bird Aarikhidima. The six sons namely- Sibrai, Doo Raja, Naikhu Raja, Waa Raja, Gunyung Brai Yung, Hamyadao born to Bangla Raja and Arikhidima are their ancestors and the Dimasa consider them to be their ancestral gods. They are called Madai in Dimasa. The evil spirits born out of the seventh eggs of Arikhidima are responsible for the diseases, sufferings and natural calamities. Many Dimasa consider themselves to be Hindus although they have their traditional gods and goddesses. Among the six ancestral gods, Sibrai being the oldest is the most important and even worship his name is to be uttered first. Sibrai is equated with Hindu Siva and Ranchandi with Parbati or Kali. The Diamsa also believe that Matengma, Hirimdi and Kamakhya are other names of Ranchandi. The whole Dimasa kingdom in bygone days was divided into twelve religious areas called Daikho. There are twelve priests for twelve Daikhos. The priest of a Daikho is called Zonthai is all in all. His authority is undisputed and above Zonthai is called Zonthaima. Dain-yah is for sacrificed animal. Hojai is performing the puja over the twelve Zonthais of twelve Daikhos, there is a principal priest or chief priest called Gisiya. The selected person will get the Zonthaiship only when Gisiya offers him holy water called Dithar (Di-gathar). The Dimasa concept of heaven and hell is also very faint. according to their belief Firinghi is heaven, Damra is the land for the dead where the dead persons retain their original form. Manner is a human virtue inherent in man’s character, also and passed from father to son and mother to daughter.
Read more about this topic: Dimasa People
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“We think of religion as the symbolic expression of our highest moral ideals; we think of magic as a crude aggregate of superstitions. Religious belief seems to become mere superstitious credulity if we admit any relationship with magic. On the other hand our anthropological and ethnographical material makes it extremely difficult to separate the two fields.”
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