Sacred Worldviews of the Ho Tribe: Ritual and Religion in Mayurbhanj from Birth to Death

Abstract

The present article examines the ritual and religious life of the Ho society of Mayurbhanj, focusing on their life-cycle rituals, communal practices, belief system, and changing religious traditions. The Ho worldview is deeply rooted in nature worship, ancestor veneration, and faith in supernatural beings such as Singbonga and various Bonga spirits. Rituals connected with birth, naming, marriage, death, burial, purification, and secondary burial play an important role in maintaining social order, kinship bonds, and cultural identity. The study also highlights the role of ritual specialists such as the Dehuri, Dewan, and village elders in preserving religious customs. Although modernization, education, healthcare facilities, and external religious influences have brought changes in ritual practices, the core values of Ho religion continue to survive. Thus, the ritual life of the Ho reflects both continuity and change in their indigenous cultural tradition.

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