Śālaśiri Worship in Jalpaiguri

An Offshoot of Pre-Aryan Arborolatry?

Authors

  • Sebak Biswas Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India

Keywords:

Śālaśiri, Śālēśvarī, Śālabhañjikā, Indra, Sarhul, Jaher Than, Jalpaiguri, North Bengal, Baikunthapur

Abstract

Śālaśiri worship in Jalpaiguri is done to protect the people from wild animals in forests. It has both tribal and non-tribal elements. The Śāla tree is considered sacred by the tribals. Few studies indicate that the tribal worship of Śāla trees was adopted by the Aryans after the latter's conquest of tribal lands. From the ancient Śālabhañjikā tradition to the Sarhul festival of the tribals of the present day, the Śāla tree has been venerated by the people irrespective of ethnic or religious identities. This paper is intended to highlight the antiquity of the Śāla worship and how it is related to both Aryan and non-Aryan traditions.

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Published

30-11-2023

How to Cite

Biswas, S. (2023). Śālaśiri Worship in Jalpaiguri: An Offshoot of Pre-Aryan Arborolatry?. Journal of Cultural Research Studies, 2(2), 128–137. Retrieved from https://culturalstudies.in/journal/index.php/JCRS/article/view/31

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Articles

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