Religion and Rituals Associated with Agriculture among the Rural Women of West Bengal, India

Abstract

Brata or vrat refers to undergoing certain rituals, offering prayers by chanting some simple rhythmic lines along with maintaining some form of self-control for attainment of a particular wish. Brata is mainly performed by women folk and it is going on since ages. The paper revisits certain brata rituals associated with agriculture that is commonly celebrated by women folk of the rural areas of Bengal. Bratas are sociologically very meaningful to the rural women not only because of the pomp and colourfulness that it displays but because it is viewed as an easy and less expensive means of communicating one's desire, agonies and unfulfilled wishes to the folk Gods who can be pleased easily. The prevalence and continuity of bratas also bears out the silent revolution that women initiated when they were barred from entering the Hindu temple or had to satiate a Brahmin priest who justified his existence by proving himself as the only channel of communication between God and Man. Brata is a woman's ceremony where she is the priest and she herself is the worshipper.