The Routledge Handbook of Tribe and Religions in India

“The handbook by Professor M. C. Behera engages on diverse perspectives of religion among the tribes. It is very much interesting and fascinating due to its lucid language. From time-to-time various religions have tried to fuse the tribes in their fold, especially in India and academics have been presenting tribal religion applying etic perspectives. A heterogeneous concept on the question of tribal religion has been built up. The editor has dealt with the same question through different papers which make the horizon of the book wider”. – Professor T. V. Kattimani, Vice-Chancellor, Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh, India “The handbook is an important contribution to the topic of tribe and religion with a shifting focus from conventional understanding to appreciation of emerging dynamics. Traversing through tribal communities in varied eco-cultural settings, and by examining religion in the process of interaction and intellectual interpretation; it brings into perspective their unique experiences and our understanding. The chapters in the handbook are impregnated with insights to engage the readers critically to multidimensional and multifactorial interactive process of religion and tribal response thereof”. – Dr Jumyir Basar, Professor and Director of Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies, Rajiv Gandhi University, India “Tribal religion, the living tradition of the primal human belief system, flourished in a wonderful harmony between humans and various elements of the Nature by manifesting a philosophy of togetherness. However, the perspective is absent in present tribal religions subsequent to encounter with other cultures and emerging new analytical concepts. The missing perspective is obvious in the papers included in the handbook edited by Professor M. C. Behera which cover several tribes from different regions of India”. – Dr Hari Ram Meena, Adivasi writer and former IPS, India