A statue of Mwnsing Sing Bwrai, the religious guru of the Bathou

Tangla, 27 Jan 2023: A statue of Mwnsing Sing Bwrai, the religious guru of the Bathou religion, has also been installed in the prayer place Bathou Thansali which is the only statue of this guru in the world.

A statue of Mwnsing Sing Bwrai, the religious guru of the Bathou religion,

Bathouism (also, Bathou) is the folk religion of the Boro people of Assam in Northeast India. The name Bathou (Ba, five; thou, deep) in Boro means five principles. The five principles are bar (air), orr (fire), ha (earth), dwi (water), and ochring (ether). The chief deity, called Bathoubwrai (bwarai: "the Elder")—omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent—is said to have created the five principles.

 

Though there are other minor gods and goddesses, Bathoubwrai is considered the Supreme God. Bathoubwrai is unseen. The second most important deity is Mainao, the daughter of Bathoubwrai, who is considered the "protector of the rice fields".

The eighteen pairs of gods-goddesses are:

1. Mwnsinsin bwrai-Mwnsinsin burwi
2. Si Bwrai-Si Burwi
3. Aham Bwrai-Aham Burwi
4. Khuria Bwrai-Khuria Burwi
5. Eheo Bwrai-Eheo Burwi
6. Mainao Bwrai-Mainao-Burwi
7. Bwlli Bwrai-Bwlli Burwi
8. Deva Bwrai-Devi Burwi
9. Gongar Bwrai-Gongar Burwi
10. Joumwn Bwrai-Joumwn Burwi
11. Song Raja-Song Rani
12. Hasung Bwrai-Hasung Burwi
13. Rajong Bwrai-Rajong burwi
14. Agrang Bwrai-Agrang Burwi
15. Hazw Bwrai-Hazw Burwi
16. Emao Bwrai-Emao Burwi
17. Mohela Bwrai-Mohela Burwi
18. Hafao Bwrai-Hafao Burwi

All Bathou Religious Union, an organization, was constituted in 1992 and it has begun reviving and reforming the traditional religion. The traditional role of the Douri and Doudini are replaced by the Gwthari Asari appointed by the organization, and a band of singers who sing in a practice called बाथौ आरस. 

The construction of temples, resembling churches or mosques called थानसालि thansali, has come into being. Bathou आरस is performed on Tuesdays in thansalis. Sacrifices of animals and fowls, and offering of rice beer as modes of worship have been replaced by offering of flowers, fruits, and the burning of incense. The partaking of prasad has also become popular.

A statue of Mwnsing Sing Bwrai, the religious guru of the Bathou