Folklore and Folkloristics

44 Pages·2016·4.86 MB·English

ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

Folklore
and
Folkloristics

Basantotshav (the festival of colour)- Santiniketan
(Photo-Editor)

A peer-reviewed international online e-journal on
Folklore, Literature, Culture and allied subjects.
101/C, Brindaban Mallick Lane, Howrah-711101, West Bengal, India
Supported by National Folklore Support Centre (NFSC), Chennai, India
E-mail: [email protected]

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

Our Team
Advisory Board
Prof. Ajit Kumar Danda M. D. Muthukumarswami,
Swami Shastrajnanda Swami Tattwasarananda
Dr. B. Krishna Reddy Prof. Surendranath Dash
Dr. Somen Sen Dr. Mita Sarkar
Dr. Siddhartha Biswas Tayana Chatterjee

Editorial Board
Madam Chaitali Maitra
Dr. Abhijit Majumdar
Dr. Sujay Kumar Mandal

Assistant Editor
Amrita Bhattacharyya

Editor
Dr. Sk. Makbul Islam

International Representative
B Bangladesh
Prof. Soumitra Sekhar [email protected]
Shamima Akter [email protected]
Uday Shanker Biswas [email protected]
Md. Zaidul Kabir [email protected]
Saymon Zakaria [email protected]

I Italy
Carola Lorea [email protected]
Matta Mara [email protected]
Francesco Gusella [email protected]

J Japan
Dr. Khondaker Mizanur Rahman [email protected]

N Nepal
Dr. C. M. Bandhu [email protected]
Dr. Kusumakar Newpani [email protected]

P Philippines
Dr. Michale M Coroza [email protected]

R Russia
Dr. Victor Pogadev [email protected]

S Sri Lanka
Prof. Rohini Parnavitana [email protected]

U UK
Dr. Matthew Pritchard [email protected]

USA
Dr. Amy Allocco [email protected]
Benjamin Krakauer [email protected]

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

National (State) Representative

A Andhra Dr. N. Bhaktabatsala Reddy
Assam Dr. Umesh Chandra Deka
Dr. Dipti Phukan Patgiri
Dr. Sanjay De
Dr. Mandakini Baruah

C Chattishgarh Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mishra
Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay
D Delhi Dr. Sebanti Ghosh
G Gujrat Dr. Usha Upadhyay
H Haryana Dr. Yogesh Basisth
Himachal Pradesh Dr. Sapna Dogra
J Jammu & Kashmir Dr. Mohanlal Sar
Jharkhand Dr. B. N. Tripathy
K Kolkata Tayana Chatterje
M Maharashtra Dr. John David Prabhakar
Manipur Dr. Yasbant Singh
Prof. Gambhir Singh
Meghalaya Dr. Anungla Air
N Nagaland Nipun Mao
Dr. Rembemo Odyuo
O Odisha Dr. Narayan Sahoo
Tripura Amit Bhowmik
T Telengana Dr. P. S. Kanakadurga
Dr. Y. A. Sudhakar Reddy
U Uttar Pradesh Prof. Bratati Chakrabarty

District Representative of West Bengal
B Bankura Dr. Ashrafi Khatun
Bardhaman Monoara Khatun
Birbhum Dr. Milan Kanti Biswas
C Coochbehar Sachimohan Barman
Maulana Shahidul Islam
Sajal Chanda
H Hooghly Debasree Palit
Rajarshi Bhandari
Howrah Debasis Roy
J Jalpaiguri Hari Chandra Das
M Malda Dr. Juthika Banerjee
Midnapur (East) Sudipta Maiti
Midnapur (West) Malek Chitrakar
Murshidabad Dr. Bodhisatwa Gupta
Asif Iqbal
N Nadia Dr. Tapan Roy
24 Pgs 24 Pargana (North) Srijita Bhattacharyya
24 Pargana (South) Ajijul Hoque Mandal
Sourav Maji
P Purulia Dr. Nabagopal Saha

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

Invitation for writing in Folklore and Folkloristics
This e-journal Folklore and Folkloristics publishes write ups in different sections specified as
follows:

Article Section: Research based articles are published.

Reflection Section: Short write up is published.

Highlight Section: Short write up is published.

Book Review Section: Book Review is published. Books must be sent to the
Editor-in-Chief by Registered Post or Speed Post. Address:
Dr. Sk. Makbul Islam, 101/C, Brindaban Mallick Lane,
Post: Kadamtala. Howrah-711101. West Bengal India

Advertisement Section Advertisement of books and journals relating to folklore and
allied subjects are published. Advertisement of any institute
working on culture and society are also published.

News and Information Section: News and Information relating to any activities of
culture in general and folk-tribal culture in
particular is published in this section. Contributors
are requested -
(i) to mention the name of exact event, incident,
occasion
(ii) the exact date, time and place of commencement
(iii) name of institution, person, performer, artist,
funding agency concern
(iv) name of tribe, community, caste whatever is
relevant
(v) attach all possible photo documentation
(vi) mention the name, phone, e-mail of contributor
(mandatory)

Photo Gallery: Any photograph (digital photo) reflecting exclusive feature of
culture is published in this section. Please send a detailed
information or statement of the photograph (of which the photo
is about).

Video Section: Any significant video document on folk and tribal
culture is uploaded in this section

Reader’s Response Section: This section will start from June 2012 issue. Letters of the
readers or the response of the readers are published in this
section. Mention the name, phone, e-mail.

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

Who can write in this Journal?
Persons belonging to any discipline of pure science and social science may write in this journal.
Students, teachers, research scholars, interested persons in any discipline like – language and
literature, linguistics, anthropology, sociology, folklore and folkloristics, economics, social work,
physics, chemistry, medical science – so on and so forth may write in this journal. The only thing
is that the write up should address culture, tradition, folklore or tribal-lore. Interdisciplinary
approach is highly solicited.

How to send articles and other contribution?
1. Articles should be written in English.

General Format of article

- Title of paper

- Author’s Name

- Abstract

- Key Words

- Full Version of Paper
- Photo (digital), diagram if any

- Notes (End notes)
- Reference

- Brief introduction of the
Author

- Address of the author

- E-mail ID of the author

- Phone/Mob Number of the
Author

- A passport size photo

2. Typed in Times New Roman font (Font Size: Heading-14/Bold; Body Text-12/Normal).
3. Line Spacing – double.
4. Paper size: A-4.
5. Page set up margin: Left-1.25″; Right-1.25″, Top-1″; Bottom-1″.
6. Foot note should be written as text with the main paper. Please do not use Foot Note option
available.
7. Diagram must be within 14 cm x 10 cm.
8. Always put diagram number and mention the number in the text.
9. Use Microsoft Word, 2003 Version.
10. An abstract is essential for article (mandatory)
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ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

11. Send information “About Author” within 2 to 3 lines.
12. Digital photo or other visual document may be sent in PDF format or as JPEG image.
13. Reference and foot note are expected in research based articles.
14. Author’s brief introduction, address, phone number, email is mandatory.
15. A passport size photograph of the contributor is preferred.
16. Send all articles through e-mail.

Please Note
1. No remuneration is paid to the contributors.
2. No printed version of this journal is published.
3. Send write up by 31st March for June issue and by 30th September for December issue.
4. Please save the PDF copy of the journal for your personal record. Data uploaded on the
website may get lost due to technical error.

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

Editorial
The June 2015 issue of Folklore and
Folkloristics (Vol. 8 No. 1, ISSN: 2350-
031X) is uploaded. This issue lays special
emphasis on women’s issue with particular
reference to fields like anthropology and 19th
century Bengal. Dr. Mita Sarkar (Das)’s
article “WOMEN IN TRIBAL INDIA: AN
OVERVIEW” as well as Amrita
Bhattacharyya’s article on “A DISCURSIVE
STUDY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF
BENGALI WOMEN IN THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY BENGALI
MAGAZINE ‘BAMABODHINI PATRIKA”
throw light on the women’s issue in
particular.

Lalita Agarwal writing on “SWAMI
VIVEKANANDA’S IDEAL OF KARMA-YOGA AND ITS RELEVANCE IN LIFE” is
another important contribution on Swami Vivekananda’s concept of Karmayaga.

The article ‘HOME UNKNOWN: GENDER-POLITICS GOVERNING
DISPLACEMENTS IN GHULAM ABBAS’ SHORT STORIES ‘ANANDI’ AND ‘IN
THE WINTER MOONLIGHT’ written by Srijita Bhattacharyya deals with Gender
Issues with reference to literature.

I would like to extend my cordial thanks to all the three contributors for giving their
valuable input to Folklore and Folkloristics (Vol. 8, No. 1).

Sk. Makbul Islam
Editor-in-Chief
Folklore and Folkloristics
JUNE 2015

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

Content

Editorial
- SK. MAKBUL ISLAM 7

Articles
WOMEN IN TRIBAL INDIA: AN OVERVIEW
- MITA SARKAR (DAS) 9

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S IDEAL OF KARMA-YOGA AND ITS
RELEVANCE IN LIFE
- LALITA AGRAWAL 22

A DISCURSIVE STUDY OF THE REPRESENTATION OF BENGALI
WOMEN IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY BENGALI MAGAZINE
‘BAMABODHINI PATRIKA’
- AMRITA BHATTACHARYYA 29

HOME UNKNOWN: GENDER-POLITICS GOVERNING
DISPLACEMENTS IN GHULAM ABBAS’ SHORT STORIES
‘ANANDI’ AND ‘IN THE WINTER MOONLIGHT’
- SRIJITA BHATTACHARYYA 34

Highlight
‘PANCHA-MUNDI’ WORSHIP
- SK. MAKBUL ISLAM 41

News & Information
D. LITT. DEGREE TO DR. SK. MAKBUL ISLAM
- SUJAY KUMAR MANDAL 42

Photo Gallery
PHOTO-1: MA-DURGA
- SK. MAKBUL ISLAM 43

PHOTO-2: GANESHA IM MA-DURG’S LAP
- SK. MAKBUL ISLAM 44

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

Article-1
WOMEN IN TRIBAL INDIA: AN OVERVIEW
- MITA SARKAR (DAS)

Abstract
Women have always figured in the monographs on tribal societies.
Anthropological literature clearly indicates the importance of
contextualizing women in their social and cultural milieu. What Women is
like? And what society expects of her is strongly determined by the norms
and culture of a particular tribe. In tracing the history of writings on tribal
women in India, we find that these descriptions do not take us very far.
With the earlier approaches being unsatisfactory in understandings of
these problems there is a need to recognize them as specific individuals
rooted in historically and culturally specific context and also as active
participants in socio-economic and political life of India. This paper is an
attempt to understand the discourse in a new manner than that of the
earlier efforts.

Key Concepts
Objectification, Gender and Development, Ethnographic understanding,
Women and Economy, Tribal women and state

Full Version of Paper
Any discussion on tribal women in India needs to take cognizance of divers and complex
discourses on how this category has been constituted in the social science literature. First
discourse positions tribes at the centre stage of anthropology. Objectification of tribe as
the ‘other’ the ‘exotic’ pervades the concern shown here for the people. Second discourse
questioned the ‘invisibility’ of women’s lives and their problems in the tribal
ethnographies. Feminist anthropology in the seventies, tried to correct the situation by
focusing on them, in the pursuit of exploring the roots of ‘universal’ gender inequality.
Studies made on women in simple societies, not only provided important insight from
their lives but also enriched theoretical understanding of gender relations across cultures.
The third discourse, engaged in raising the issues of ‘Gender and Development’, thereby
viewing these women as their active participants in conversion of their culture or helpless
victims of forces of globalization, culture change and modernization. Inherent in these
discourses is the tendency to view these women as a homogeneous category having
similar life experiences. The term ‘tribal women’ itself is pointer to the fact that it is an
ambiguous label and has value mainly in terms of official discourse in India following
Beteille (1986). In the recent times, however, ethnic uprisings in tribal areas indicate how
these official labels have acquired legitimacy in terms of legality and boundary
maintenance of these communities; thus tribal women have also come to acquire a legal
and social status as a category. Sociologically, however, it is interesting to note the
diversities among these women. If one were to locate these women, what are the referral
points? Does references to history, territory, social ‘backwardness’, communications
values, caste and ethnicity have any value in the understanding of these issue?

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam
ISSN: 2350-031X
Folklore and Folkloristics; Vol. 8 No. 1 (June 2015)

ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúyÓ˚ xƒy[˛ ˆö˛yÑ˛ˆÏúy!Ó˚!fi›˛: S¢ÇÖƒy ÈÙÈ 8.1ñ ã%ò 2015V

The variables raise important questions in terms of understanding of the subject and
policy measures. It is sufficient to claim a certain sense of unity, which in fact may not
exist? What are the commonalities? Measurement of gains also needs to be analysed in
the light of constitutional provisions and of gender relationships within the group.

Also required are problems in examining their relationships with other categories of
women, like women belonging to caste society. Their relationship within the women’s
movements in India that is characterized broadly as elitist is also ambiguous. What are
other common bases besides belonging to the same gender and so on? And finally
question relating to globalization, ecological crisis, reducing share of the marginalized are
very pertinent in changing national economy. In this paper therefore, I propose to raise
certain basic, economic and political issues, which create difficulties in the understanding
this category in social science literature, policymaking and their implementation. The
relationship of tribal women with the women’s movement in India and changing
economic scenario is being problematized here.

Ethnographic Understanding
Women have always figured in the monographs on tribal societies. Interest in them was
translated in describing them as important social actors as wives, daughters, mothers,
lovers and so on. Earlier monographs, mostly written by foreign anthropologists display
these women in ‘exotic’ attires and poses and objectify them as things of beauty;
sexuality and curiosity (see Elwin 1943 a and b; Majumdar; 1953). Not much
information, however, is given specially on their activities, views and voices.
Descriptions also do not detail women’s work, though references are constantly made to
the fact of their being very hard working. With the advent of anthropology of women, we
now have some specific studies on them. These revolve generally around their roles and
status in the respective societies; this literature nevertheless points to be diverse roles
played by these women in clearly distinct cultural settings.

Anthropological literature clearly indicates the importance of contextualizing women in
their social and cultural milieu. What Women is like? And what society is expects of her
is strongly determined by the norms and culture of a particular tribe. Thus right from
Margaret Mead’s classic sex and temperament in three primitive societies (1936),
importance of culture has been established in privileging gender roles over biology. In
Indian context the role played by several factors like region, neighbouring caste and other
communities, ethnicity and history and cultural in the making of specific gender relations
in a specific context is recognized. The idea of belonging to tribal culture does not entail a
particular lifestyle.

In Indian context, tribal people engage in a variety of economic pursuits like hunting and
gathering Pulayas in south to professional agriculturists like Ho and Oraons of
Chotanagpur region to bureaucrats and professionals from tribes from North-east and
Rajasthan. Contrary to the anthropological myth of relative isolation, tribals exist as a part
of mainstream. A common similarity however, is that large chunk of the population still
reels under poverty, social backwardness and illiteracy.

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Editor: Sk. Makbul Islam