>why then did the British govt direct all the census officers in 1901 to mention the religion >of tribals as "ANIMISM" and not "HINDUISM?"
The answer is very simple. By 1901, the British realized that what most of the tribals were practising was actually not Hinduism, but may be called Animism. So they tried to correct the record. (At the same time the Chrsitian missionaries relaized that all these non Hindus actually do not have any religion and are open for conversion). What do you call the religion of the Nagas who are not Christians and who have not been converted to Hinduism by Xong.kordeva. Hinduism or Animism?
Please keep in mind that originally, all the people on the east of the river Xindhu (from which we got the word the Indus and later India) were either called 'Hindus' or 'Brahmins', and the religions of these people were termed either Brahminism or Hinduism. (Originally the Brahmins were not termed as Hindus by the foreigners). Later when Hinduism were more clearly defined (by the Hindus), Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity and later Islam (strictly speaking Assamese Vaishnavism too) had to be excluded from the term 'Hinduism' while Brahminism was included into the term. By then Hinduism was no longer defined as the 'religion of the Hindus' but had to be qualified in comparision to other religions. (Radhakrishnan and others were pioneers in this modern redifinition of Hinduism).
The British were in fact trying to follow this redifinition of the Hindus as those who practise Hindusim (now that we know what Hinduism is) as opposed to all those non-Brahmins who live on the east of the river Xindhu.
My theory open for criticism.
Rajen Barua
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