 Ahom priest at traditional Ho-Phi temple | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Assam | |
| Scriptures | |
| Lit Lai Peyn Kaka, Lai Lit Nang Hoon Pha, Lai-Phala, Phra-Long (Buddhist), | |
| Languages | |
| Ahom language | |
| Ethnic religion of the Ahom people |
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| Culture of Assam |
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The Ahom religion is the ethnic religion of the Ahom people. The Ahom people came into Assam in 1228, led by a Tai prince Sukaphaa, and admixed with the local people. The people who came into Assam included two clans of priests, joined later by a third, who brought with them their own religion, rituals, practices and scriptures. The religion is based on ritual-oriented ancestor worship[4] that required animal sacrifice (Ban-Phi),[5] though there was at least one Buddhism influenced ritual in which sacrifice was forbidden (Phuralung).[6] Ancestor worship and the animistic concept of khwan are two elements it shares with other Tai folk religions.[7] There is no idolatry except for the titular god of the Ahom king[8] and though there is a concept of heaven or a heavenly kingdom (Mong Phi, sometimes identified with a part of Tian, China),[9] there is no concept of hell.[10] It was the state religion of the Ahom kingdom in the initial period.
The Ahom kingdom expanded suddenly in the 16th century and the Ahom peoples became a small minority in their own kingdom—though they continued to wield control. Subsequently, they slowly converted and by the early 19th-century, Ahom religion declined to be replaced by Hinduism. In the 1931 survey, all Ahoms listed Hinduism as their religion.[11] Nevertheless, since the 1960s and 1970s due to an Ahom revivalism movement, as well as efforts from scholars, many of the older practices of the Ahom religion are being resurrected.
The three priestly clans (Mo'sam, Mo'hung, Mo'Plong) of the Ahom people are the current custodians of the Ahom religion.[12]
- ^ "639 Identifier Documentation: aho – ISO 639-3". SIL International (formerly known as the Summer Institute of Linguistics). SIL International. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
Ahom [aho]
- ^ "Population by Religious Communities". Census India – 2001. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
Census Data Finder/C Series/Population by Religious Communities
- ^ "Population by religion community – 2011". Census of India, 2011. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015.
2011census/C-01/DDW00C-01 MDDS.XLS
- ^ "The Tai Ahom religion is explained and interpreted by the scholars differently; yet the ancient religion of the Tai Ahoms, is in essence, the religion of ancestor worship. It is a ritual oriented religion and the rituals are primarily based on the cult of ancestor worship." (Gogoi 2011:17)
- ^ "Ban Phi' is the sacrificial process to offer oblations to the gods and ancestors." (Gogoi 2011:47)
- ^ "Although blood sacrifice is a must in the Tai Ahom rituals, yet the 'Phuralung' ceremony needs no shed of blood of any bird and animal." (Gogoi 2011:48)
- ^ Tai Ahom religion is entirely based on the very cult of ancestor worship and Khon (Khwan) belief and these two are the common elements present in all the Tais spreading over the world.(Gogoi 2011:XII)
- ^ "There is no image worship or Idolatry in the Tai Ahom religion except for Chumpha rung sheng mung, commonly known as Chum Pha." (Gogoi 2011:21)
- ^ "Heaven is here Tien a part Yunnan In Southwest China." (Gogoi 1976:14)
- ^ "The concept of 'The Heavenly Kingdom' or 'Mong Phi' is there in the Tai Ahom religion. But there is no concept of hell in this religion" (Gogoi 2011:21)
- ^ "The 1931 Census report of Assam recorded 249,434 Ahoms in Assam spread over in various districts and they all were returned as Hindus." (Gogoi 2011:11)
- ^ (Gogoi 2011:70)
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