Journal of the School of Language, Literature, and Culture Studies , 2021
Often an ingenuous explanation behind the manuscript composition of the Bonbibi jatra claims that... more Often an ingenuous explanation behind the manuscript composition of the Bonbibi jatra claims that it is merely a word-to-word rendition of the contents found in the written text Bonbibi johurā nāmā. This paper reflects on this widely held notion based on observations made from the reading of Munshi Muhammed Khater’s Bonbibi johurā nāmā, the Bonbibi jatra manuscript, on being an audience to three Bonbibi jatra shows and one pālagān show. The mode of inquiry of the present paper is qualitative, and suitable conclusions are derived from empirical findings.
Do the tribes call themselves tribals or do we call them the tribals? These are the exact words ... more Do the tribes call themselves tribals or do we call them the tribals? These are the exact words with which one of my course instructors during my M.Phil. coursework from the University of Delhi decided to open his introductory class on Oral Tradition and Tribal Literature (in India). This conspicuous enquiry prompted an uncomfortable silence in the class because the answer to this immediately demanded, one, a deep revaluation of certain prejudiced assumptions about indigenous people’s communities, and second, to realise the ways in which knowledge usually moves from the center to the margin when it comes to the identification and representation of marginalized communities. Later, a more fieldwork-based approach to research into regional culture, oral narratives and belief practices with the help of appropriate tools allowed most of us to sensitize ourselves to view the marginalized communities being more than just ‘beneficiaries’ of government schemes. What emerged was a gaze ‘inward’, a step backward from the mainstream and identify the inequalities. In purview of this larger background, the present paper purposes to array a certain aspect of how folklore studies in independent India is deciphered and practiced. This is attempted on the basis of taking notes from emergent discussions by various scholars of Indian folklore studies, by considering fresh perspectives on tribal lore and life, by ruminating over various sources of Indian mythology and other overlooked parameters. This paper is qualitative in nature and intends to highlight the significance of folklore studies as a knowledge driven discipline that allows a systematic study of all the living songs, stories, belief narratives and performances of the common people that never got represented in the curriculum books.
Journal of the School of Language, Literature, and Culture Studies , 2021
Often an ingenuous explanation behind the manuscript composition of the Bonbibi jatra claims that... more Often an ingenuous explanation behind the manuscript composition of the Bonbibi jatra claims that it is merely a word-to-word rendition of the contents found in the written text Bonbibi johurā nāmā. This paper reflects on this widely held notion based on observations made from the reading of Munshi Muhammed Khater’s Bonbibi johurā nāmā, the Bonbibi jatra manuscript, on being an audience to three Bonbibi jatra shows and one pālagān show. The mode of inquiry of the present paper is qualitative, and suitable conclusions are derived from empirical findings.
Do the tribes call themselves tribals or do we call them the tribals? These are the exact words ... more Do the tribes call themselves tribals or do we call them the tribals? These are the exact words with which one of my course instructors during my M.Phil. coursework from the University of Delhi decided to open his introductory class on Oral Tradition and Tribal Literature (in India). This conspicuous enquiry prompted an uncomfortable silence in the class because the answer to this immediately demanded, one, a deep revaluation of certain prejudiced assumptions about indigenous people’s communities, and second, to realise the ways in which knowledge usually moves from the center to the margin when it comes to the identification and representation of marginalized communities. Later, a more fieldwork-based approach to research into regional culture, oral narratives and belief practices with the help of appropriate tools allowed most of us to sensitize ourselves to view the marginalized communities being more than just ‘beneficiaries’ of government schemes. What emerged was a gaze ‘inward’, a step backward from the mainstream and identify the inequalities. In purview of this larger background, the present paper purposes to array a certain aspect of how folklore studies in independent India is deciphered and practiced. This is attempted on the basis of taking notes from emergent discussions by various scholars of Indian folklore studies, by considering fresh perspectives on tribal lore and life, by ruminating over various sources of Indian mythology and other overlooked parameters. This paper is qualitative in nature and intends to highlight the significance of folklore studies as a knowledge driven discipline that allows a systematic study of all the living songs, stories, belief narratives and performances of the common people that never got represented in the curriculum books.
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Papers by Raina Bhowal