Takhar


Takhar or Taahkarr is a demi-god in the Serer religion worshipped by many Serers. Takhar is the god of justice and vengeance in Serer religion and worshipped at the foot of certain trees in the forest deemed to be sacred. The Serer priestly class play a crucial role in the evokation of the demi-god and the implementation of its laws that devotees adhere to.

Worship

The Serer people worship Takhar in order to appeal to him against the injuries, oppression or evil magic inflicted by other. Takhar is worshipped at the foot of trees, and in the new moon, the atmospheric spirits of the air and night are "conjured with mysterious incarnations". Offerings to Takhar are deposited at the foot of the tallest trees in the forest. Cattle and poultry are sacrificed and taken to the sacred sanctuary, along with millet, fruits and vegetables. Like the offerings to certain Pangool, the holy feast takes place in the sacred forest.
The transmigration of souls is a strongly held belief in Serer religion as evident in Serer funeral rituals.

Place of worship

The god Takhar is worshipped in the forests in :Category:Serer country|Serer country, more specifically, in certain :Category:Serer holy places|sacred places, such as the Sine-Saloum area of present-day Senegal. Somewhat similar to the Pangool, the Serer people believe that both Takhar and his adversary Tiurakh reside in the tallest trees of the forest. It is partly for this reason why plants and animals are regarded as totems in the Serer-totemic and sentient worldly-view of nature in general, and afforded high spiritual status and respect, because these ancient trees are believed to be the sanctuaries of certain Serer entities.

Priests of Takhar

The high priests of Takhar are usually very old men from notable :Category:Serer families|Serer families. These Serer high priests preside over all cases relating to law and order, i.e. theft, witchcraft, etc. In the past, these high priests would concoct doses of poison which they would administer to the accused witch, taken orally. However, these concoctions were deliberately never made fatal enough to cause death. These high priests mostly depended on the fear of Takhar as dispenser of justice and vengeance, than their poisons.

Patronage

As the god of justice, Takhar is the perpetual patron of all those who work within the judiciary and pass judgement on legal issues. In Serer ancient history, that role was primarily reserved for the Serer lamanic class.