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EcofeminismArticle 6 · Vol. 1, Issue 4, June 2026 · pp. 55–70
Sacred Anchors: The Divine Feminine, Ecology, and Social Ethics in Bodo and Mizo Indigenous Worldviews
Banani Das
Assistant Professor, Department of English, The Assam Royal Global University, India (Corresponding Author)
Laltluangpuii Renthlei
MA English student, Department of English, The Assam Royal Global University, India
Abstract
Indigenous religious landscapes in Northeast India are frequently analysed through patriarchal structures, often obscuring the central role of the divine feminine. This paper through a Myth–Ritual Continuum Analysis presents a comparative theological study of Mainao, the Bodo goddess of rice and prosperity, and Khuanu, along with the nature spirit Lasi, the Mizo matriarch of the cosmos. Adopting a comparative framework, the research examines how distinct ecological niches—the agrarian plains of the Bodos and the rugged hills of the Mizos—shaped divergent constructions of female divinity. Through a critical analysis of the Mainao and Mizo oral folklore, the study argues that Mainao represents the domesticated power of production essential for settled agriculture, functioning as the kinetic energy of the household. In contrast, the Mizo figures of Khuanu and Lasi embody the untamed power of provision, reflecting the negotiation with wilderness inherent in a hunter-gatherer and Jhum (shifting cultivation) society. The present study expands previous research by offering a detailed comparative analysis of these feminine deities and their place within global goddess traditions. By drawing parallels with Greek, Roman, Sumerian, Celtic, Japanese, and Egyptian mythologies, this paper situates the Bodo and Mizo divine feminine within a broader sacred landscape. In doing so, it contributes to ecofeminist scholarship, indigenous theology, and comparative religion.
Keywords:
Eco-feminityoralityindigeneitysymbolism
How to Cite
Banani Das, Laltluangpuii Renthlei (2026). Sacred Anchors: The Divine Feminine, Ecology, and Social Ethics in Bodo and Mizo Indigenous Worldviews. Veritas: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(4), 55–70.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21194794
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