Tutelary guardian deity in eastern India
Rankini (Bengali : রাঙ্কিনি ) is a guardian deity, primarily worshipped in the eastern parts of India , including Jharkhand , West Bengal and Odisha . She is associated with protection, strength, fertility and prosperity.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
Description
Rankini is a tribal demon goddess, revered by various tribal communities, especially the Bhumij tribe of eastern India.[ 4] [ 5] Her shrines are often found in remote jungles, reflecting her connection to nature and the wilderness.[ 6] She is typically represented by a naturally occurring stone, which is believed to symbolize her presence.[ 7] [better source needed ]
There is no mention of Rankini Devi in the Vedas , Puranas or epics . According to Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay 's short story Rankini Debi'r Kharga ,[ 8] Rankini is the deity of the wild tribals, who lived in Manbhum district .[ 9] [ 10] She is also considered the family deity of the princely states of Dhalbhum and Jamboni .[ 11] [ 12]
References
^ Maity, Pradyot Kumar (1989). Human Fertility Cults and Rituals of Bengal: A Comparative Study . Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-263-5 .
^ McDaniel, June (2012-02-01). Making Virtuous Daughters and Wives: An Introduction to Women's Brata Rituals in Bengali Folk Religion . State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-8765-5 .
^ Bhaumik, Sudarshana (2022-08-26). The Changing World of Caste and Hierarchy in Bengal: Depiction from the Mangalkavyas c. 1700–1931 . Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-64143-1 .
^ Russell, Robert Vane (2022-01-04). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India: Ethnological Study of the Caste System . e-artnow.
^ Ghosh, G. K. (2000). Legends of Origin of the Castes and Tribes of Eastern India . Firma KLM. ISBN 978-81-7102-046-1 .
^ Dalton, Edward Tuite (1872). Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal . Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing.
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^ Manzoor, Sohana (2018-08-20). "The Machete of the Goddess" . The Daily Star . Retrieved 2024-10-01 .
^ Bandyopādhyāẏa, Bibhūtibhūshaṇa (1996). Fascinating Stories . Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-7201-948-8 .
^ Bhattacharjee, Ritwick; Ghosh, Saikat (2021-04-30). Horror Fiction in the Global South: Cultures, Narratives and Representations . Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-90077-28-1 .
^ Majumdar, Anindita (2006). British Forest Policy and Tribal Community in Bengal, 1880-1947 . Readers Service. ISBN 978-81-87891-58-1 .
^ Reid, J. (1912). Final Report on the Survey and Settlement of Pargana Dhalbhum in the District of Singhbhum, 1906 to 1911 . Bengal Secretariat Book Departmentôt.