Summary
This article explores various Bodo beliefs surrounding death, the treatment of the deceased, and the implications for the soul's journey.
Bodo Beliefs About Death and the Afterlife
Highlights
Souls of Suicide Victims
The Bodo people believe that individuals who die by hanging, poisoning, or any form of suicide are unable to reach heaven after death.
Treatment of Snakebite Victims
For those who die from snakebite, it is believed that the soul remains within the body. Consequently, the body is neither burned nor buried but floated on a river.
Importance of the Saradu Ceremony
The soul of a deceased person is thought to remain in its body and home until the family performs the traditional 'saradu' ceremony.
Preventing Boils with a Deceased's Name
A popular Bodo belief suggests that if one barks at an emerging boil on the day a person dies, while uttering the name of the deceased, it will prevent the boil from growing.