ISSN: 0374-8588 Volume 21 Issue 16, December 2019 ______________________________________________________________________________________ 1136 Religion and Festivals of the Rajbanshis of West Dinajpur: A Brief Analysis 1 Kartick Chandra Barman 2 Professor Madhab Chandra Adhikary 1 Assistant Professor Department of History, Krishna Chandra College Email Id:barmankc1998@gmail.com 2 Dean, Faculty of Post Graduate Studies in Arts. Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University Email Id:madhab.cbpbu.gmail.com Abstract: The English word ‘Religion’ is a Latin word, which means ‘to bind together’. It is the root of rites and rituals, which means the system of faith and worship which is the most important institutions of human culture, which relates people to each other on special occasions. The religious identity of the Rajbanshis is mystery till now. It is assumed by most of the historians and social scientist to give some clarification the Rajbanshis which is fictitious and fabricated. Originally they had a separate religious belief and cultural practices that is similar to dogmatic Hindu culture. Every community has some particular festivals which are interrelated with the culture and heritage of them. There were many God, Goddess and Deities who were worshiped by the Rajbanshis. Such as Dalapuja or Jeetastmi, Nabanna, Ambubachi or Amait,Hudum Deo or Megh Puja, Gambhira Puja, Pushuna or Pousha Parvan, Kash Puja, Gite worship, Charak etc. Most of the deities come from non-Aryan Tribes and some those have come from Vedic culture as well as from the Puranas. The Rajbanshis, like all ethnic communities in Bengal, worship the snake goddess of Manasa. Other deities are Gram Devata, Garam, Mader or Satyapeer, Sanyasi, Dharma Thakur, Masan, Shuvachani, Buri Thakur, Bastu Puja, Mahanta and Bishohari worship etc. Keywords: Rajbanshi Religion, Culture, Society, Festivals and Deities etc. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I. INTRODUCTION Religion is a complex phenomenon and oldest subjects in human civilization. The English word ‘Religion’ is a Latin word, which means ‘to bind together’. It is the root of rites and rituals, which means the system of faith and worship which is the most important institutions of human culture, which relates people to each other on special occasions.[ 1 ] All societies have their own rituals, customs and beliefs, which can be grouped under the term religion.[ 2 ] Religion becomes the important part of the human society since the dawn of the civilization.[ 3 ] According to Taylor, A religious tradition has at least three essential elements, each handed down and developed in the multitude of ways traditions transmit. One element is a mythic, philosophical, or theological cosmology and second essential element of religion is ritual and third essential element is that a tradition has some conception and practical procedures for fundamental transformation aimed to relate persons harmoniously to the normative cosmological elements, a path of spiritual perfection.[ 4 ] The religious identity of the Rajbanshis is mystery till now. It is assumed by most of the historians and social scientist to give some clarification the Rajbanshis which is fictitious and fabricated. Originally they had a separate religious belief and cultural practices that is similar to dogmatic Hindu culture. By the