Roots of Wisdom, Branches of Devotion - Plant Life in South Asian Traditions - Fabrizio Ferrari
9. Caryota Urens: From Vegetable Manifestation of God to Sacred Tree of the Shamans of Odisha
Roots of Wisdom, Branches of Devotion - Plant Life in South Asian Traditions - Fabrizio Ferrari
Stefano Beggiora [+]
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Stefano Beggiora is Research Fellow in the History of India, Department of Asian and Mediterranean African Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
Description
Stefano Beggiora presents his extensive fieldwork among the Lanjia Saoras in the Rayagada district of southern Odisha. In particular, he discusses the ritual use of local palm wine (toddy) extracted primarily from the jaggery palm (Caryota urens L.). The custom of drinking this fermented beverage is a characteristic feature of the tribal culture of this region. Besides its social aspect, toddy is of central importance in a wide range of shamanic rituals and in the worship of ancestors.