The indigenous faith of the tribal people of North-eastern India, follow a familiar and largely identical pattern. All of them believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, a powerful creator, and a benign protector. They also believe in a host of the spirits, good and bad, whom they propitiate or appease by appropriate offerings. Their ordinary day to day life is believed to be influenced by actions of these spirits. Sickness, misfortunes, accidents are believed to be caused by their wrath, owing to some lapses on the part of the sufferer. It is because of this that tribal religion has for long been described as animistic.

The above observations are equally true of the hill people of Meghalaya.

The creator in Garo religion is Tatara-Rabuga. He created the world and also the creatures that live upon the earth. He also gives protection against some of the most dreaded diseases that afflict mankind. His worship demands elaborate rituals and expensive sacrifices: a bull, a goat, and a cock.

Less important divinities include Chorabudi, the protector of crops, and Saljong, the god who blesses man's labours in the fields. This God is represented by the sun and the annual festival, the Wangala is held in his honor. He is propitiated by the sacrifice of a cock and an offering of liquor before the commencement of festivities. The God Kalkame is invoked to protect the people of the village from the evil intentions of the spirits of the forests. He demands the sacrifice of a goat or a cock, the blood of which is smeared on the asong (sacrificial stone erected in his honour).

Nawang among the evil spirits is greatly feared - the monster that could even swallow the sun or the moon, causing eclipses. This spirit may also try to waylay souls on their way to Garo purgatory.

In other tribal religions, there is little place for corporate worship. When sacrifices are necessary, temporary altars or shrines generally of bamboo are erected where these are performed. Religious duties are generally individual or family obligations, though these may be limited to meeting the prescriptions of the priest (Kamal) who intercedes for them before the divinity or spirit concerned when called upon to do so. Harvest rites involve the community as a whole as does the Asongtata ceremony, concerned with the well-being of the village. This is performed at the Asong. This place acquires lasting sanctity although it is restored to for that particular purpose only.