Background
Study area
Methods
Design of study
Data analysis
Results and discussion
Animals in a magico-religious sphere
S. no. | Scientific name | Common name | Tribal names | Parts and their uses | No. of respondents claimed (n) | Fidelity level (FL) | Tribes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Athene brama (Temminck, 1821) | Spotted owlet | Chhibra | Charms are made out of its bones, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 49 | 89% | Meena |
2 | Striped hyena | Hiyaliya | Fumes of burnt flesh to be inhaled by the sick for these are thought to drive evil spirits away | 12 | 21% | Meena | |
3 |
Geochelone elegans (Schoepff, 1795) | Indian star tortoise | Kasba | Skeleton and is believed that these drive evil spirits away. | 23 | 41% | Bhil, Meena |
4 |
Corvus macrorhynchos (Wagler, 1827) | Jungle crow | Dodh Kagda | Charms are made out of bones, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away. | 9 | 16% | Meena |
Eggs are eaten for telepathy power | 18 | 33% | Meena | ||||
5 |
Hemidactylus frenatus (Schlegel, 1836) | Common lizard | Kangetia | Tail tied in waist and it is believed that this kept disease away | 11 | 20% | Meena |
6 | Jackal | Gadarda | Charms are made out of bones, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 9 | 16% | Meena | |
7 |
Panthera tigris tigris (Linnaeus, 1758) | Tiger | Vanraj | Charms are made out of nails, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 53 | 96% | Meena, Bhils, and Kathodi |
8 |
Melursus ursinus (Shaw,1791) | Sloth bear | Rechha | Charms are made out of nails and bone, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 47 | 85% | Kathodi |
9 |
Ocyceros birostris (Scopoli, 1786) | Indian gray hornbill | Dhanada | Charms are made out of bill, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 43 | 78% | Meena, Bhils |
10 | Wild boar | Sukar | Charms are made out of bones, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 8 | 14% | Meena | |
11 |
Pteropus giganteus (Brünnich, 1782) | Bat | Chakchoondar | Charms are made out of bones, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 17 | 31% | Meena |
12 |
Crocodylus palustris (Lesson, 1831) | Crocodile | Magur | Bones are used to drive evil spirits away | 7 | 13% | Meena, Bhils |
13 |
Hystrix indica (Kerr, 1792) | Porcupine | Sehli | Its spines are kept in the house with a belief that they drive off evil spirits and disease-causing elements | 29 | 53% | Bhil, Kathodi |
14 | Cow | Gau | Spray of a urine to drive evil away | 55 | 100% | Meena, Bhils, and Kathodi | |
15 |
Panthera pardus fusca (Meyer, 1794) | Leopard | Cheetra | Charms are made out of nails, and it is believed that these drive evil spirits away | 50 | 91% | Meena, Bhils, and Kathodi |
16 |
Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Peacock | Moriyo | Feathers are used for performing magical ritual called jaada to drive evil spirit away | 38 | 69% | Meena, Bhils |
Uses | Animal used | Part of animal | Tribal clans | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bhil | Meena | Kathodi | ||||
Caps |
Petaurista philippensis (Elliot, 1839) | Whole body | No | No | Yes | |
Weapons |
Accipiter badius (Gmelin, 1788) | Feathers | Yes | No | No | |
Ornaments |
Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Feathers | Yes | No | No | |
Cypraea annulus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Shell | Yes | No | No | ||
Garments |
Cypraea annulus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Shell | Yes | No | No | |
Musical instruments | Dholak |
Capra hircus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Skin | Yes | Yes | No |
Semnopithecus entellus (Dufresne, 1797) | Skin | No | No | Yes | ||
Thapa |
Bos taurus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Horns | No | No | Yes |