Adapted from the writings of Dr. Birendra Kumar Gohain
When my father wrote about Tai Ahom religion, he used the traditional name Ban-Phi Phuralung. He paid close attention to the names, manuscripts and practices through which people understood their religion. That seems an appropriate place to begin sharing this part of his work.
Tai Ahom religion centres on ancestor worship, beliefs about divine powers associated with nature, and religious knowledge preserved through manuscripts and ritual practice. In Papa’s writings, family life and religious life are closely connected. Prayers and offerings express the belief that the relationship between a family and its departed members continues after death.
Ancestor worship, known as Dam-Phi, is central to this understanding. The ancestors are believed to bless and protect their descendants, while the living have a responsibility to honour them through the prescribed observances.
Papa explained this as a continuation of respect for one’s parents and forefathers. That respect carries obligations. The family remembers its ancestors, makes offerings and passes these practices on to the next generation.
Many people will recognise Me Dam Me Phi, the public observance associated with honouring the ancestors. Household Dam-Phi and public Me Dam Me Phi share this connection with ancestral worship, but their settings, procedures and responsibilities differ. Each deserves a closer discussion. For this introduction, the distinction is worth keeping in mind.
The relationship with nature is another part of Tai Ahom religious belief. Papa described deities associated with water, earth, thunder, sunlight and other natural forces. He used the term animism to explain the association of spirit or divinity with the natural world.
Among the deities he discussed were Khaokham, associated with water; Ai Lengdin, associated with the earth; and Jashingpha, also written as Jasingpha, the goddess of learning and knowledge.
Lengdon, referred to as Pha Nuru Lengdon, occupies a prominent place as the Lord of Heaven and a deity associated with thunder.
Readers may notice different spellings of these names across books and articles. Papa used to explain to me that different writers and historians rendered the names differently in English. He tried to acknowledge the forms he encountered in their work. I have retained variants from his writing here rather than choosing one and presenting it as the only correct spelling.
His paper also discusses the concept of a supreme, shapeless God, referred to as Phra or Phura. The creation text Lit Lai Pak Peyn Ka Ka is one of the texts he used to explain this religious understanding.
In his account, Phra or Phura and Lengdon have distinct positions. Lengdon is the presiding deity who exercises authority on behalf of the supreme God. Keeping that distinction in view helps when reading about the different deities.
Papa described Phuralung as a ritual associated with the worship of Phra or Phura. The observance includes offerings such as fruit and soaked gram, the lighting of lamps and religious chanting, without blood sacrifice. This is one example of why the different rituals need to be understood individually.
Much of this knowledge has been preserved by the priestly clans. Papa identified them as Mohung or Mohan, Changbun or Deodhai, and Bailung. Their responsibilities include teaching the Tai language and script, understanding religious manuscripts and conducting ceremonies.
Preserving a manuscript also means preserving the knowledge needed to read and use it. The words of an invocation, the preparations for a ceremony and the meaning of its procedures all require learning. Papa gave considerable attention to the people who passed that knowledge on.
He also wrote about changes in religious practice following contact with other communities in Assam, intermarriage and the adoption of Hindu practices. His interpretation was that some deities and observances entered Tai Ahom worship through these contacts. The details require a closer reading of the texts and the histories of particular practices.
This is a brief introduction to a subject Papa explored at much greater length. I have put it together from his article A critical analysis of the traditional Tai Ahom religion. It is part of my effort to work through the articles, books and other material he left behind and make them accessible through this website.
Papa is no longer here to explain these things himself. I am writing as his daughter, drawing on his work and what I remember from our conversations. There is enough material to keep reading, learning and sharing for a long time.
For a fuller understanding, pick up one of his books. The Ahoms, published in two volumes, is a place to begin; The Tai Creation Myths explores another part of this subject. A short article can introduce the questions. His books give you room to spend time with his answers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the traditional name of Tai Ahom religion?
My father used the name Ban-Phi Phuralung in his writings on traditional Tai Ahom religion. His account discusses ancestor worship, deities associated with nature, and the worship of a supreme God.
What is ancestor worship in Tai Ahom religion?
Ancestor worship, known as Dam-Phi, centres on the belief that departed family members continue to have a relationship with their descendants. Families honour their ancestors through prayers and offerings, seeking their blessings and protection.
Are Dam-Phi and Me Dam Me Phi the same?
They are closely related, but household Dam-Phi rites and public Me Dam Me Phi observances differ in their setting, procedures and responsibilities. Both express the importance of honouring ancestors in Tai Ahom religious life.
Who is Lengdon?
In my father’s account, Lengdon, also referred to as Pha Nuru Lengdon, is the Lord of Heaven and a deity associated with thunder. He describes Lengdon as the presiding deity who exercises authority on behalf of the supreme God, Phra or Phura.
Why do the names have different spellings?
The names come from a language and script different from English. Writers and historians have used different English spellings to represent them. My father acknowledged several of these forms in his work, and I have retained variants used in his writing.
Who preserved Tai Ahom religious knowledge?
My father gave particular attention to the priestly clans, identified in his paper as Mohung or Mohan, Changbun or Deodhai, and Bailung. Their work included preserving manuscripts, teaching the Tai language and script, and passing on the knowledge needed to conduct religious ceremonies.
Is Tai Ahom religion the same as Hinduism?
My father described a traditional religious system with its own ancestral rites, deities and texts. He also examined the influence of Hindu practices on Ahom religious life over time. Understanding that history requires distinguishing traditional Tai Ahom practices from the religious affiliations of individual Ahom families.