Wild sacredness and the poiesis of transactional networks relational divinity and spirit possession in the būta ritual of south india

Ritual practices of low castes are often interpreted through concepts like Sanskritization, consensus, or resistance to high-caste dominance, which frame them solely in terms of hierarchy and power. This study offers an alternative perspective by focusing on the relational aspect of divinity and the importance of wild sacredness in ritual contexts. It argues that these rituals are not merely reflections of unequal caste relations but form the basis of relationships among all actors—humans, wild animals, and spirits personified as būtas—creating a fluid network within social, ecological, and cosmological spheres.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The ritual practices of the low castes have often been considered through concepts such as Sanskritization as well as consensus and replication, but have also been interpreted as resistance against the dominance of the high castes. The tendency common to these analyses is their interpretation of the low castes’ ritual practices in terms of caste hierarchy and power relations. Focusing on the relational aspect of divinity and the importance of wild sacredness in ritual contexts, this study will provide an alternative perspective from which to view the complementary opposites in the rituals of the low castes. These are not merely a reflection of unequal caste relations, but are the basis of the relationships among all the various actors—including human beings, wild animals, and spirits—personified as būtas that constitute a fluid network in a social, ecological, and cosmological sphere.