{{Short description|Traditional religion of the Garo people in Meghalaya, India}}{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}}{{Infobox religion | name = Songsarek | type = Indigenous religion | main_classification = | parent = | area = Northeast India | language = Garo language }}

'''Songsarek''' is the indigenous traditional religion practiced by the Garo people of Meghalaya, India. Historically practiced by most of the tribe, only a minority of the tribe still follow it after many converted to Christianity.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Marak |first=Paulinus R. |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005256265 |title=The Garo tribal religion: beliefs and practices |date= |publisher=Anshah Publishing House |year=2005 |isbn=978-81-8364-002-2 |location=Delhi}}</ref>

== Etymology == Anthropologist Erik de Maaker suggests that the word 'Songsarek' is connected to the Bengali language of the people residing in the plains adjacent to the Garo Hills. In Sanskrit, the word ''saà-sâra'' (from ''saà-sù'') means ‘to be in the world’, as opposed to renouncing it. The word has now become part of the Garo language, and people use it to refer to themselves as 'the ones who are obeying the deities.'<ref>{{Cite journal |last=de Maaker |first=Erik |date=2007 |title=From the Songsarek Faith to Christianity: Conversion, Religious Identity and Ritual Efficacy |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00856400701714104 |journal=South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies |language=en |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=517–530 |doi=10.1080/00856400701714104 |issn=0085-6401|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==History== Songsarek was followed by majority of the Garo people historically. By the spread of Christianity in the Garo hills in the second half of the nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth century, the proportion of Songsarek population decreased.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Mendiratta |first=Navneet |date=12 May 2024 |title=Vibing to the dance of a 100 drums |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2024/sunday-edition/vibing-to-the-dance-of-a-100-drums.html |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=The Pioneer |language=en}}</ref>

==Beliefs and festivals==

The Supreme God in Songsarek religion is the ''Tatara Rabuga'', described in oral tradition as "one so high that he cannot be reached." His deputy is Misi Saljong, who is the God of Sun, crops and fertility and is worshipped in Wangala festival. ''Susime'' is the Goddess of wealth. During the Wangala festival, women wear skirts crafted from handwoven cloth made on looms. These skirts feature a traditional pattern resembling a diamond, symbolizing the eye of Susime, the Goddess of Wealth.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The ''Rokkime'' is the Mother Goddess of Rice and is worshipped in the Agalmaka festival.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2021-03-09 |title=Garo festival Agalmaka to be held at Chibagre today |url=https://highlandpost.com/garo-festival-agalmaka-to-be-held-at-chibagre-today/ |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=Highland Post |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Wagtail bird holds significant importance in Songsarek beliefs. Villagers carefully observe its flight patterns to predict the rainfall for the season.<ref name=":0" />

==Demographics== {{Historical population |1971|143,206 |1981|127,201 |1991|94,846 |2001|49,832 |2011|19,834 |footnote= |source=Census of India}}

The number of the Songsarek followers in Meghalaya has declined from more than 88,000 as per 1991 Census to about 17,000 in 2011 Census. It was followed by 16% of the Garo in 1991 and decreased to 2% in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religion Data of Census 2011: XXX ST Meghalaya |url=https://blog.cpsindia.org/2016/10/religion-data-of-census-2011-xxx-st.html |access-date=2024-12-07 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In the Garo hills, currently only 13 to 15 villages out of the 150 villages are Songsarek majority villages.<ref name=":0" />

In Bangladesh, 3.71% of the Garo people follows Songsarek.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chakma |first=Sheeladitya |title=A CASE STUDY ON THE GARO ETHNIC PEOPLE OF THE SAL (Shorea robusta) FORESTS IN BANGLADESH |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265291382}}</ref>

== Festivals == thumb|Wangala Festival

=== Wangala === Wangala is the harvest festival of Songsarek followers. During the festival, handprints using three fingers dipped in rice flour are created on their doors. These imprints symbolize the water level and are meant to ensure a good harvest.<ref name=":0" /> During the festival, the first harvest is offered to Misi Saljong, the Sun God and giver of life, in a ritual known as Rugala.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=24 November 2012 |title=The Hundred Drums Wangala |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/The-Hundred-Drums-Wangala/article15616905.ece/ |access-date=2024-12-07 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X|last=Vincent|first=Pheroze L.}}</ref>

=== Agalmaka === Agalmaka is another festival in which both Misi Saljong and Rokkime, the mother goddess of Rice, are worshipped.<ref name=":2" />

==See also== * Niamtre, traditional religion of Jaintia people of Meghalaya.

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Religion in Meghalaya Category:Ethnic religions in Asia