Socio cultural syncretism among the hindu muslim and christian communities a study on nadia district of west bengal

Abstract

India is a country known for its unity in diversity. There are various newlinesocio-cultural, religious, and linguistic and much other diversities in newlineIndia. All these diversities have been in the process of synthesis or newlineintegration in the name of syncretism in India. Thus, equilibrium newlinebetween cultural diversity and syncretism is the foundation of Indian newlinecivilization. The ethnic diversity of the people of India is revealed newlinethrough their multiple colours, languages, religions, customs, festivals, newlinedresses, food habits etc. newlineSyncretism is the practice of balancing two or more separate sets of newlinebeliefs to create a new one. It also includes the synthesis of two newlinecontradictory thoughts. Syncretism is the process by which two or more newlineindependent cultural systems, or elements thereof, conjoin together at a newlinegiven time and space to form altogether a new and distinct system. newlineThe study has been focused on finding out how these different religious newlinegroups Hindu, Muslim, Christian and different converted groups have newlinebeen assimilating and accommodating themselves with different forms newlineof culture along with the changing modern urban culture in their newlineeveryday life style. It is very clearly noted that syncretism is a process of newlineassimilation of different cultures rather than mere borrowing of cultural newlinetraits from different religious groups, which often take place when two newlineor more cultural systems meet together. This study has furnished a newlinenumber of significant changes of beliefs and rituals that are observed newlineamong the Hindu, Muslim, Christian and other converted religious newlinecommunities in Chapra Block. newline