Baikho: Ritual Symbolism and Cultural Identity among the Rabhas of Assam

Tribal culture is deeply embedded in socio-religious beliefs, ritual practices, taboos, and symbolic traditions that collectively shape community life. Festival plays a crucial role in sustaining the intangible cultural heritage of indigenous societies by reinforcing social cohesion, ecological ethics, and collective identity. The Rabhas of Assam celebrate the Baikho festival as their chief socio-religious and pre-agricultural festival embodies a complex system of ritual symbolism. This paper examines the socio-religious dimension, folk narratives, ritual practices, and symbolic meaning associated with the Baikho festival. Using an interpretive and symbolic anthropological framework, the study highlights how Baikho serves as a vital cultural institution that sustains Rabha identity, social organization, and continuity in the context of cultural change.