The Bathou religion, the traditional faith of the Bodo community in Assam, has been granted a separate code in the upcoming Census, recognizing it as a distinct religion for the first time.
About Bathouism
- Bathouism is the indigenous faith of the Bodo people, who are the largest plains tribal group of Assam.
- The term Bathou comes from the Bodo words Ba (five) and Thou (deep thought), symbolizing the five basic elements of nature.
Core Beliefs and Practices
- The religion is rooted in nature worship and emphasizes harmony with the environment.
- The five elements — Bar (Air), San (Sun), Ha (Earth), Or (Fire), and Okhrang (Sky) — form the foundation of Bathou philosophy.
- The supreme deity is Bwrai Bathou, representing wisdom and power.
- The Sijou plant (Euphorbia splendens) serves as the sacred symbol of Bathouism and is planted in every household altar.
- The altar is fenced with eighteen bamboo pairs and five bamboo bindings, representing the five stages of life—birth, marriage, sorrow, happiness, and death.
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