An anthropologist by profession, has been exposed to varied fields to different parts of India. The author has published her research findings in a number of reputed journals and books. The author also contributed effectively in the field of Visual Anthropology and directed a number of ethnographic films under the auspices of the survey.
... These four dhâm are meant for four precise functions of Lord Vishnu; Badrinath is his tapa-ks... more ... These four dhâm are meant for four precise functions of Lord Vishnu; Badrinath is his tapa-kshetra, the place of meditation and austerities, Dwarkâ is meant for Râjbesa, the place for kingly adornment ... Each Kakali Chakrabarty, Krishna Mandal, KM Sinha Roy, Krishna Basu. 39 ...
The Sundarbans, the largest deltaic mangrove forest, lie along the coastal belt of the Bay of Ben... more The Sundarbans, the largest deltaic mangrove forest, lie along the coastal belt of the Bay of Bengal has been designated as a world Heritage site in 1987 and further as a Biosphere Reserve in 1989 by UNESCO. The rich biodiversity comprises large varieties of flora and fauna most famous of which are the Bengal tiger, estuarine crocodiles and Indian dog shark. The continuous historical record of the Sundarbans is available since the British East India Company took up the administration of the region in their hand in 1765 and decided to reclaim forest land in order to bring it under cultivation. The target of the British was to earn revenue. With this the human habitation started in the tract of Sundarbans. The whole of Indian Sundarbans falls within the state of West Bengal and is distributed in its two districts: North and South 24 Parganas. The Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve comprises altogether 102 islands intersected by innumerable waterways and estuaries. Of the total islands 54 are inhabited and under cultivation, others are under forest occupation. With the independence of India in 1947 and that of Bangladesh in 1971 there was large inflow of population to these islands, resulting in an unprecedented growth of population. The obvious impact of this trend was the excessive pressure on the economic resources. Land resources was limited. Other two resources were water (rivers) and forest. Forest resource attracted the most. Wood was the major forest product. Honey, though seasonal but gives a good return. The waterways inside the forests give a good harvest of fishes, oysters and crabs. Thus, forest was lucrative and could feed a large population. The close interaction with the forest resulted into contact and conflict between man and wild life. The man-eating tiger in the forest posed a threat to life
Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, Dec 1, 2019
Gandhi is best known for his sarvodaya movement where he talked of ‘welfare for all’. His focus w... more Gandhi is best known for his sarvodaya movement where he talked of ‘welfare for all’. His focus was on the deprived section of the countrymen who constituted a majority of India’s population. Thus, the term was often referred to as antodaya, i.e., ‘Rise to the last men’. Gandhi was not very particular about ‘tribe’, as to him, tribes were a part of rural communities who were exploited by the powerful class of people; thus, they required welfare measures. Gandhi’s mission and vision towards tribes was mainly an outcome of his constant association with Thakkar Bapa, who had been well exposed to the exploitation and helpless misery of tribal life, especially of the Bhil people of Gujarat under the British rule. To Gandhi, tribal welfare and rural welfare were same. However, he believed that tribals were simple people. His interaction with the Zulu people in Africa exposed him to the bare truth of exploitation of the tribal people by the colonial rulers. To his idea, the tribes should be approached on the basis of non-violence, accepting the principles of a democratic society and the fundamental equality and unity of man. The process of social domination and political imposition should be avoided. Welfare measures should be taken up on the basis of understanding their society and culture. Gandhi’s concept of Sarvodaya, i.e., welfare of all also had a purpose to bring the majority of Indians in the struggle for independence. He believed that India’s independence cannot be achieved without participation of its rural masses that formed the majority of Indian population. Gandhi dreamt of a society with equity among all members in fundamental necessities of life including education. His dream is yet to be chased.
The paper (in Bengali) attempts to discuss the importance of food related to worship of the gods ... more The paper (in Bengali) attempts to discuss the importance of food related to worship of the gods with particular reference to the famous Jagannath temple of Puri, Odisha. The place, regarded as the Bhojan kshetra or anna kshetra i.e. the place of dinning, is one of the four sacred centres of the Vaishnava tradition of Hindu pantheon. Being the place of dinning of the god, offering of food occupies the central position in the act of worship. In Indian Hindu tradition the food ethos of the people is greatly influenced by the Aryan beliefs and practices in which food is a part of cosmic moral cycle. The essence is that ‘from food all creatures produced, by food all do they grow.’ Some foods are considered innately pure while some are not. Cow-milk is considered pure and so it’s by-products like ghee (clarified butter), dahi (curds), yogart while buffalo milk is not. Coconut and sesame seeds are also considered innately pure. The food items that stimulate senses such as garlic and onions are impure for ritual use. Foods offered to the deity and get sanctified through rituals are called Prasāda. Prasāda reflects the regional food pattern and the cultural values attached to the food items. Prasāda of Jagannath temple is called Mahaprasāda. The paper discusses the elaborate system of daily service or sevā to the gods. The Jagannath temple of Puri housed three prime deities, Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, the brother of Lord Krishna and Subhadra, their sister. Foods are offered to all of them and there is an elaborate food list for the gods and goddess. The importance of food in Hindu philosophy is reflected through the beliefs and practices of the Jagannath temple of Puri. In Hindu religion, god is often personified and is offered with all material needs that a human being needs to live. The concept of Jagannath is no exception of this. So he requires food and water suitable for different seasons, enjoys favourite items like chadheineda, pura pithā, marich lāru, pakhal etc. He is offered with marich-pāni, good for stomach, and pachan bhoga and chakota bhoga during ailment (anabasar) and so on. The food tradition of the Jagannath temple has not yet accepted any addition or alteration since its inception under kingly ruling till date. Mahāprasāda, the holy food of the gods, has an immense significance in the life and culture of the people of India as a whole. For the devotees Mahāprasāda of the lord Jagannath earns them enormous virtues (punya) and washes out all their sins (pāpa) in their earthly life. Eating Mahāprasāda brings them the final emancipation of soul. With all such beliefs, rituals and practices the Jagannath temple of Puri stands in the centre of Hindu Indian tradition over centuries.
... These four dhâm are meant for four precise functions of Lord Vishnu; Badrinath is his tapa-ks... more ... These four dhâm are meant for four precise functions of Lord Vishnu; Badrinath is his tapa-kshetra, the place of meditation and austerities, Dwarkâ is meant for Râjbesa, the place for kingly adornment ... Each Kakali Chakrabarty, Krishna Mandal, KM Sinha Roy, Krishna Basu. 39 ...
The Sundarbans, the largest deltaic mangrove forest, lie along the coastal belt of the Bay of Ben... more The Sundarbans, the largest deltaic mangrove forest, lie along the coastal belt of the Bay of Bengal has been designated as a world Heritage site in 1987 and further as a Biosphere Reserve in 1989 by UNESCO. The rich biodiversity comprises large varieties of flora and fauna most famous of which are the Bengal tiger, estuarine crocodiles and Indian dog shark. The continuous historical record of the Sundarbans is available since the British East India Company took up the administration of the region in their hand in 1765 and decided to reclaim forest land in order to bring it under cultivation. The target of the British was to earn revenue. With this the human habitation started in the tract of Sundarbans. The whole of Indian Sundarbans falls within the state of West Bengal and is distributed in its two districts: North and South 24 Parganas. The Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve comprises altogether 102 islands intersected by innumerable waterways and estuaries. Of the total islands 54 are inhabited and under cultivation, others are under forest occupation. With the independence of India in 1947 and that of Bangladesh in 1971 there was large inflow of population to these islands, resulting in an unprecedented growth of population. The obvious impact of this trend was the excessive pressure on the economic resources. Land resources was limited. Other two resources were water (rivers) and forest. Forest resource attracted the most. Wood was the major forest product. Honey, though seasonal but gives a good return. The waterways inside the forests give a good harvest of fishes, oysters and crabs. Thus, forest was lucrative and could feed a large population. The close interaction with the forest resulted into contact and conflict between man and wild life. The man-eating tiger in the forest posed a threat to life
Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, Dec 1, 2019
Gandhi is best known for his sarvodaya movement where he talked of ‘welfare for all’. His focus w... more Gandhi is best known for his sarvodaya movement where he talked of ‘welfare for all’. His focus was on the deprived section of the countrymen who constituted a majority of India’s population. Thus, the term was often referred to as antodaya, i.e., ‘Rise to the last men’. Gandhi was not very particular about ‘tribe’, as to him, tribes were a part of rural communities who were exploited by the powerful class of people; thus, they required welfare measures. Gandhi’s mission and vision towards tribes was mainly an outcome of his constant association with Thakkar Bapa, who had been well exposed to the exploitation and helpless misery of tribal life, especially of the Bhil people of Gujarat under the British rule. To Gandhi, tribal welfare and rural welfare were same. However, he believed that tribals were simple people. His interaction with the Zulu people in Africa exposed him to the bare truth of exploitation of the tribal people by the colonial rulers. To his idea, the tribes should be approached on the basis of non-violence, accepting the principles of a democratic society and the fundamental equality and unity of man. The process of social domination and political imposition should be avoided. Welfare measures should be taken up on the basis of understanding their society and culture. Gandhi’s concept of Sarvodaya, i.e., welfare of all also had a purpose to bring the majority of Indians in the struggle for independence. He believed that India’s independence cannot be achieved without participation of its rural masses that formed the majority of Indian population. Gandhi dreamt of a society with equity among all members in fundamental necessities of life including education. His dream is yet to be chased.
The paper (in Bengali) attempts to discuss the importance of food related to worship of the gods ... more The paper (in Bengali) attempts to discuss the importance of food related to worship of the gods with particular reference to the famous Jagannath temple of Puri, Odisha. The place, regarded as the Bhojan kshetra or anna kshetra i.e. the place of dinning, is one of the four sacred centres of the Vaishnava tradition of Hindu pantheon. Being the place of dinning of the god, offering of food occupies the central position in the act of worship. In Indian Hindu tradition the food ethos of the people is greatly influenced by the Aryan beliefs and practices in which food is a part of cosmic moral cycle. The essence is that ‘from food all creatures produced, by food all do they grow.’ Some foods are considered innately pure while some are not. Cow-milk is considered pure and so it’s by-products like ghee (clarified butter), dahi (curds), yogart while buffalo milk is not. Coconut and sesame seeds are also considered innately pure. The food items that stimulate senses such as garlic and onions are impure for ritual use. Foods offered to the deity and get sanctified through rituals are called Prasāda. Prasāda reflects the regional food pattern and the cultural values attached to the food items. Prasāda of Jagannath temple is called Mahaprasāda. The paper discusses the elaborate system of daily service or sevā to the gods. The Jagannath temple of Puri housed three prime deities, Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, the brother of Lord Krishna and Subhadra, their sister. Foods are offered to all of them and there is an elaborate food list for the gods and goddess. The importance of food in Hindu philosophy is reflected through the beliefs and practices of the Jagannath temple of Puri. In Hindu religion, god is often personified and is offered with all material needs that a human being needs to live. The concept of Jagannath is no exception of this. So he requires food and water suitable for different seasons, enjoys favourite items like chadheineda, pura pithā, marich lāru, pakhal etc. He is offered with marich-pāni, good for stomach, and pachan bhoga and chakota bhoga during ailment (anabasar) and so on. The food tradition of the Jagannath temple has not yet accepted any addition or alteration since its inception under kingly ruling till date. Mahāprasāda, the holy food of the gods, has an immense significance in the life and culture of the people of India as a whole. For the devotees Mahāprasāda of the lord Jagannath earns them enormous virtues (punya) and washes out all their sins (pāpa) in their earthly life. Eating Mahāprasāda brings them the final emancipation of soul. With all such beliefs, rituals and practices the Jagannath temple of Puri stands in the centre of Hindu Indian tradition over centuries.
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Papers by Kakali Chakrabarty
The paper discusses the elaborate system of daily service or sevā to the gods. The Jagannath temple of Puri housed three prime deities, Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, the brother of Lord Krishna and Subhadra, their sister. Foods are offered to all of them and there is an elaborate food list for the gods and goddess. The importance of food in Hindu philosophy is reflected through the beliefs and practices of the Jagannath temple of Puri. In Hindu religion, god is often personified and is offered with all material needs that a human being needs to live. The concept of Jagannath is no exception of this. So he requires food and water suitable for different seasons, enjoys favourite items like chadheineda, pura pithā, marich lāru, pakhal etc. He is offered with marich-pāni, good for stomach, and pachan bhoga and chakota bhoga during ailment (anabasar) and so on.
The food tradition of the Jagannath temple has not yet accepted any addition or alteration since its inception under kingly ruling till date. Mahāprasāda, the holy food of the gods, has an immense significance in the life and culture of the people of India as a whole. For the devotees Mahāprasāda of the lord Jagannath earns them enormous virtues (punya) and washes out all their sins (pāpa) in their earthly life. Eating Mahāprasāda brings them the final emancipation of soul. With all such beliefs, rituals and practices the Jagannath temple of Puri stands in the centre of Hindu Indian tradition over centuries.
The paper discusses the elaborate system of daily service or sevā to the gods. The Jagannath temple of Puri housed three prime deities, Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, the brother of Lord Krishna and Subhadra, their sister. Foods are offered to all of them and there is an elaborate food list for the gods and goddess. The importance of food in Hindu philosophy is reflected through the beliefs and practices of the Jagannath temple of Puri. In Hindu religion, god is often personified and is offered with all material needs that a human being needs to live. The concept of Jagannath is no exception of this. So he requires food and water suitable for different seasons, enjoys favourite items like chadheineda, pura pithā, marich lāru, pakhal etc. He is offered with marich-pāni, good for stomach, and pachan bhoga and chakota bhoga during ailment (anabasar) and so on.
The food tradition of the Jagannath temple has not yet accepted any addition or alteration since its inception under kingly ruling till date. Mahāprasāda, the holy food of the gods, has an immense significance in the life and culture of the people of India as a whole. For the devotees Mahāprasāda of the lord Jagannath earns them enormous virtues (punya) and washes out all their sins (pāpa) in their earthly life. Eating Mahāprasāda brings them the final emancipation of soul. With all such beliefs, rituals and practices the Jagannath temple of Puri stands in the centre of Hindu Indian tradition over centuries.