Ritual space as borderland: building and breaching ritual borders in eastern central Gujarat

Gregory D Alles

doi:10.1186/s40613-017-0057-9

Abstract

This essay discusses the fundamental structure of ritual practice among the Rathvas, an adivasi group in Chhotaudepur district, Gujarat. It examines in some detail various sites of ritual practice to show how Rathvas imaginatively construct borders at these sites. At times Rathvas elaborate upon pre-existing natural or artificial borders, while at other times they construct a border where none existed previously; they do both in order to locate a place for devs, devis and ancestors. The essay then suggests that Rathvas construct these borders in order to breach them imaginatively and interact with devs, devis and ancestors via ritual practice. Elements within contemporary cognitive science, such as the notion of subconscious mental processing, the image schemata developed by Mark Johnson and utilized by George Lakoff, and analyses of theory of mind, can help to explain these practices. By contrast, a strong tradition in the study of religions that has focused upon sacred space does not. Rathva rituals occur at specific places, but they do not necessarily construct sacred spaces. In doing so, they are not unique.

Highlights

My claim in this paper is that, to a significant degree, ritual among the Rathvas, a community of adivasis who live in the easternmost portion of the western Indian state of Gujarat, proceeds by constructing and breaching borders
Rathva rituals occur at specific places, they do not necessarily construct sacred spaces
A crucial part of Rathva rituals is the building of borders that suggest a juncture between the space we ordinarily inhabit and the world of devs, devis and ancestors

Summary

Introduction

My claim in this paper is that, to a significant degree, ritual among the Rathvas, a community of adivasis (indigenous people) who live in the easternmost portion of the western Indian state of Gujarat, proceeds by constructing and breaching borders. At times Rathvas do more than build borders that suggest entrances into the world of devs, devis and ancestors.

Results

Conclusion