Dharma Thakur, an esteemed deity in Hinduism, symbolizes the sun and is revered by villagers in the traditional Rarh region of present-day West Bengal, India. Some view Dharma Thakur as a deity representing death and justice. Originally worshipped by the non-Aryan Kom tribe, Dharma Thakur was later incorporated into the Vedic pantheon.
Dharma Thakur holds significance in matters of agriculture and human fertility. His worship blends magical beliefs and rituals with Vedic traditions. People from low-caste Hindu communities, such as doms, bagdis, and Hadis, venerate Dharma Thakur, believing in his ability to cure ailments like leprosy and grant blessings of children.
In Hindu mythology, deities often have a "bahan," which is an animal mount they ride upon. Dharma Thakur's bahan is a horse. As a symbolic representation, a clay model of a horse is typically placed under a tree or in an open space during worship. The worship rituals occur during the month of Baisakh, typically in the middle of April.One particular village where the annual Dharmaraj Puja takes place is Goalpara, located near Santiniketan in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India.
Goalpara is an exclusively Hindu community situated in Birbhum. It is divided into two directional sectors known as Purbapara (eastern neighborhood) and Pashcimpara (western neighborhood). A small clearing marked by a tube well serves as the boundary line between these sectors. These divisions serve as major reference points within the village.
Goalpara is relatively small compared to other villages in Birbhum, with a population of 915 residents living in 166 households. Although Brahmans hold numerical and economic dominance in the village, there are a total of fifteen castes represented. Brahmans also dominate the local economy due to their ownership of land, with many lower-caste villagers working as agricultural laborers for them. While some non-Brahmans own land, their plots are usually smaller and primarily used for domestic gardens. In contrast, Brahman landholdings are larger and require more labor-intensive care for cash crop cultivation, such as rice. This creates a reciprocal interdependence, where Brahmans rely on the services of lower-caste members, while lower castes depend on Brahmans for part of their income.
Brahmanical influence extends beyond the agricultural and economic spheres to encompass most of the local ritual activities in Goalpara. However, there is also a mutual exchange of influences occurring. The Dharmaraj Puja, once solely a low-caste practice, has gradually adopted Sanskritic elements due to increased Brahmanical participation.
Nevertheless, many local practices associated with Dharmaraj, such as pig sacrifice and liquor consumption, remain intact. In nearby villages that also celebrate Dharmaraj Puja, the process of Sanskritization has been more pronounced, with blood sacrifices replaced by cutting gourds and the ritual use of milk instead of alcohol. However, the substitution of vegetarian offerings for blood sacrifices does not pose an issue in Goalpara. Since Brahmans partake in the sacrificial flesh, they believe it is their duty to officiate the goat sacrifice on the third and final evening of the puja, thereby avoiding any divisions of opinion on this matter.