Abstract :
The traditional religion of the Bodos, a tribe of northeast India, has been under massive transition due to its increasing contact with the religion and culture of more advanced group of people of the country and abroad. It has been under constant pressure from the major organized religions that comes from the process of integration within a national political and economic system. The religion, called Bathouism, that can be placed under naturalism category, after passing through different stages, is now under threat of losing its principal philosophy. The en masse accommodation of religious beliefs and practices of more organised religions into it through acculturation has started to pose a question on its distinctiveness. The religion has split into many branches, its new versions becoming more popular than original version, indicating that people want reformation of their traditional religion. It is the high time for the followers of the Bathouism to adopt necessary measures in order to retain its basic philosophy and distinctiveness.
Keyword :
Bodos, Bathouism, Hinduism, culture, tradition, religious beliefs and practices, acculturation