Animal Sacrifices in Ancestral Worship by
Khasis of Meghalaya: An Ethnographic
Perspective
Author:
Kanchani Prova Koch
Abstract:
The Khasis are a tribe and native of Meghalaya, a north-eastern state of
India. Their origin can be traced to Southeast Asia. They belong to the
Mon-Khmer linguistic family. The society of this tribe is matrilineal which
considers its descendents from the mother known as Ka Iawbei Tynrai.
Christianity has influenced a majority of Khasis in the state. However, a
few people continue to follow their traditional beliefs and practice
traditional rituals and rites till today. The religion of the Khasis believes
in one supreme God in addition to having faith in spirits for both good
and bad on certain occasions. In spiritual beliefs of the Khasis, one of the
significant spirits is ancestral spirit and ancestral worship is one of the
essential features of the traditional life of Khasis. By showing love towards
ancestral spirits and belief in supernatural powers, the Khasis try to appease
the deceased ancestors by offering both food and sacrifice. The ancestral
worship of this ethnic group is associated with megalithic structures. The
presence of a large numbers of megalithic structures in Meghalaya indicates
that these structures have socio-economic and socio-religious significance
for the Khasis, and that is why a number of rituals associated with these
are practiced till today. Consequently, the megalithic culture of Khasis
can be considered as living tradition. Sacrificing of animals is one of the
important aspects of ancestral worship by Khasis and the same has been
dealt in detail in this paper.