ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research
Year : 2013, Volume : 3, Issue : 12
First page : ( 214) Last page : ( 219)
Online ISSN : 2231-5780.

Religious identity of Rajbanshi community in greater Bengal and Assam

Barman Ranjit

Asstt. Professor, Dept. of Sociology Ananda Chandra College, Post. & Dist. - Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

Online published on 11 April, 2014.

Abstract

The Rajbanshi community is the largest aboriginal community in the northern part of West Bengal and Assam including Bangladesh. Before independence it was a princely state of Cooch Behar. In this entire region historically single ethnic community called Rajbanshi had been living. Their racial and religious identity till now is in mystery. The researcher and administrators used to give some clarification about them which is fictitious and fabricated. Originally they had a separate religious belief and cultural practices that is similar to dogmatic Hindu culture. By the cultural process they are seemed to be as Hindus. But some writer devalued their culture and religion and argued that the Rajbanshi entered the Hindu fold gradually by the process of Sanskritization which seems to be disrespect to their religion and dignity. The following article therefore aims to show a glimpse about the religious identity of this community

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Keywords

Hinduism, Rajbanshi community, religion, vaisanavism.

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