rajbansi festivals decoding indigenous knowledge system

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  • 8/13/2019 RAJBANSI FESTIVALS DECODING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

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    Antrocom Online Journal of Anthropology, !"!, vol# $, n#

    %&' $"

    (ultural Anthropology

    RAJBANSI FESTIVALSDECODING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

    Ashok Das Gupta *

    ABSTRACT: Indigenous Knowledge System/ IKS and the set of local-levelmaterial apparatus are dependent upon non-adaptive domainsof the folk life !folk culture!material apparatus"# Altogethernon-reflective intangi$le part of culture cultural values%social norms% folkways% ta$oo and traditional $elief"&reflective and tangi$le part set of material apparatus" andreflective $ut non-tangi$le part information% knowledge andtraditional technologies constituting 'KS" constitute the (olk)ife# ere% various aspects play ma+or influence on the issueof (olk )ife% such as% mode of communication formal andinformal", firstly% with people via e change of

    goods/message/women/power of word& secondly% with naturevia 'KS& and thirdly% with Super .ature via performancescultural/ social/ magical/ religious/ agricultural-seasonal"during religious festivals and other ceremonies# 'he networkso formed maintains connectivity among agrofacts% artifacts%sociofacts and mentifacts/psychofacts& and in this way% thetraditional social system again highly non-adaptive" is $uiltup on composition of various institutions# f variousinstitutions in traditional social system non-adaptive"& IKSadaptive" is generally tested in the religious la$oratory of

    survival religious institution"#0ithin the traditional folk life of 1a+$ansi agrarian ruralstructure of northern 0est 2engal% a study has $eenconducted to 3uarry the role of their festivals in propermanagement of IKS as they could communicate with socialsystem% nature and super-nature as well#

    INTRODUCTION:'raditional Knowledge System 'KS" is the set of knowledgetraits produced through day to day life e perience via trial

    and error& these traits are asymmetrically distri$uted

    *1esearch (ellow% Department of Anthropology% 4niversity of .orth 2engal% District- Dar+eeling% 0est 2engal%India 5in, 6789:7 n $u;ashokanthro

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    worldwide among various gender and age groups% socio-economic strata as well as ethnic-identity holders# A 'KS hastwo $asic services, protection to .ature $y virtue of proper

    $alance $etween mode of e ploitation of ecosystem $ut withcertain amount of feed $ack and the minimum energyre3uirement of a given-si=e population attached to its folk life!folk culture! material culture"# .ow% the supporters of

    Glo$al >arket ?conomy are willing to create a universallyapplica$le @Indigenous Knowledge System IKS" throughsummation of all the 'KS# It should $e capa$le ofsimultaneous activity parallel to the Glo$al >arket ?conomyon capitalism# It would deliver some sorts of Glo$al 5u$licService G5S" and therefore help in reducing the negativeimpacts of Glo$al >arket ?conomy such as pollution%

    $iodiversity-loss% ecological degradation% emergence of new-drug resistant disease strains% genetically modified food%malnutrition% increasing levels of non-degrada$le and to iccompounds% glo$al warming% drastic need of markete pansion% severe competition and consumerism% outsourcingand unemployment% economic ine3uality and crisis-pronefinancial market% one-way development% mass-e ploitation ofnature% development of the system of production-consumption-governance $ut without any proper way ofdistri$ution% conflict $etween glo$ali=ation and anti-

    glo$ali=ation% locali=ation-on-terrorism% fuel-crisis% war-on-resource-and-energy% space research and so forth"# So% a $alance $etween the >odern Knowledge System and thenewly fashioned IKS is highly needed for two primaryreasons, protection of nature through sustaina$le way ofdevelopment and secondly% to check the least scope ofemergence/reoccurrence/over-dominance of any singularalternative on the line of Socialism% various types of? tremism or other the traditional politico-economic systems#2ackward communities- the ultimate providers of the Glo$al5u$lic Service- are traditionally highly against the 0esternway of Glo$ali=ation and their concept of super-ordinationover nature# 'here is a need to $ring in these people underconfidence via providing them with universally applica$le

    protective measures- the Indigenous 1ights for all theIndigenous 5eoples proposed $y I) % :BB:"# Indigenous1ights are further su$categori=ed into the domains likegeneral policy% land% recruitment and conditions ofemployment% vocational training% handicrafts and ruralindustries% social security and health% education and means ofcommunication% contracts and co-operations across $orders%administration% general provisions#

    IKS is a multidisciplinary su$+ect and could $e divided into

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    various domains like agriculture and post-agricultural practices& animal hus$andry and poultry& ethno-fishery&hunting and gathering& artisan& disease treatment% ethno-medicine and folk remedy& traditional economic and politicalsystem# So% whether in favor of Glo$ali=ation or not or in anintermediate way& in India there is a need to studyapplica$ility and impact of IKS# And to do this& primarily thecommunity-specific 'KS has to $e thoroughly investigatedon humanitarian ground from the parado of the compleagrarian rural structure- heterogeneous and e tra-caste e tra-class e tra-power in attitude with three ma+or o$+ectives, :"sustaina$le development% C" protection of $iodiversity and 7"issue of Indigenous 1ights and Indigenous 5eoples# 'hema+or anthropological techni3ue that could $e used in this

    kind of study would $e the communication system $etweeninformal and institutional sectors via farmer-to-farmersystem% gender interaction% e change of service% e change ofinformation% folk dialect and power of word and

    performances magico-religious as well as agricultural andseasonal"#ere in this paper% performances in festivals of a traditionalsocial system have to $e investigated- their capacity ofsym$olic e pression of the folk life and the scope to decodethe IKS% especially the hidden knowledge traits#

    verlapping of etic and emic perspectives from sym$ols tothe 0orld Eiew and again from comple mind structure toethno-science and folk ta onomy" have to $e studied on post-modern humanitarian ground% in a 3ualitative way% deepmicro-level study% o$+ectivity overruling su$+ectivity and leastamount of $iasness during researcher-informant interaction#

    COMMUNITY SELECTED:1a+$ansis constitute the $ack$one of the agrarian socialstructure on the planes of northern 0est 2engal# 'hey have

    $een thoroughly nourished $y these animists% 2uddhist%indu% Islamic as well as 0estern connectivity& and couldalso claim their $elongingness to the ancient state of5aundrawardhana of undivided 2engal# According to Sanyal:BF "% these rulers typically of Kashyapa-2ratya Kshattriyacom$ination have now turned down to the status of simplyagriculturists and in northern 0est 2engal and its ad+oiningareas and developed themselves as the 1a+$ansis# 'hese

    people allied over various tri$e and caste groups havegradually transformed from a simple community to a hugecomple heterogeneous Social (old# 'he latter has $eenincorporated with various aspects like Animism% pre-Aryanand Aryan versions of induism% various mythical elements%2uddhism% 'antraism% Kashyap/ 2ratya-Kshattriya

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    com$ination% 3uasi-egalitarian versions Sufism andEaishnavism"% status mo$ili=ation Kshattriyai=ation/appro imately started from the date of 1a+put->ogulinterference on ooch$ihar state" and 0estern impact onlocal economy and polity during rule of 2ritish and their

    .ative olla$orators"# So% a direct conflict $etween folk lifeand modernity in form of peasantry versus ur$an-industrialdevelopment leads the 1a+$ansi agrarian rural structure ofnorthern 0est 2engal in a situation culture opposing a$solutecivili=ation# Earious peasant agitations were occurred andfollowed $y class struggle% social reforms% anti-glo$ali=ation

    process up to the level of locali=ation% e tremism and so on#'his could $e viewed as a new type of separatist movementon the notion of reservation from the saviors of Glo$al

    >arket ?conomy decided to prevent the negative impacts onnature $y virtue of IKS& the target group reserved" $eing the

    $ackward people previously in strong opposition ofGlo$ali=ation#1a+$ansis should $e a$le to constitute a very important part ofIKS applica$le in service of the $io-diversity% sustaina$ledevelopment and community welfare of the region# owever%there are again two distinct pro$lems,

    :# .ew way of colonialisma# Scope of interference into the internal matter

    of a country and therefore% deviating thatcountryHs onstitution% administration% statemachinery and )egal 5rovisions

    $# onversion of culture% society% knowledge%intellect% instruction% human resource andnatural resource into capital

    c# Scope of $io-piracy and illegal knowledgetransfer, misuse of patent law and intellectual

    property rightsC# Scope of ethnic conflict among various folk

    communities regarding their degree ofindigenousness#

    DISCUSSION:ere% the festivals are enlisted $elow with precise discussionon sym$olic values of their performances under the 1a+$ansiagrarian rural structure communicated with $oth nature andsuper-nature#:# (estival of >odon Kam / summer Sym$ol of trans-national trade route with 2uddhist 0orldthrough mountain passes of 2urma% 2hutan and 'i$etpersisting thousands years ago"&Sym$ol of Eaishnavism, Divinity in love, male andfemaleness% gender e3uality% concept of Ardhanarishwara %

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    female in gesture $ut male in soul", day-ritual and need of $lood sacrifice magical $elief"5erformance $y virtue of worship of seven poles sym$oli=edfor seven different senses, each pole wrapped in colorfulcloth% covered $y yak tail atop and carried $y men in clothe ofwomen and playing $ells% and clappers and $eating drums

    INNER MEANING OF THE SEVEN SYMBOLS2ishahari, Sym$ol of snake goddess, snakes again sym$oli=ewater flows in dense +ungle of .orth 2engal, ancient waterways once regulated $y fishermen-cum-agriculturistcommunities, snakes come out from hi$ernation in summerwhen +ungle area is cut off and fired to clean up for Swedencultivation with the first drop of monsoon rain

    Inner meaning, livelihood and prosperity fromtrade/agriculture/fishery/ forest yield& utili=ation of snakevenom in different purposesJSalshwari 'hakur, animism% sym$ol of tree deity% male deity%worshiped $y men#Inner meaning, appeal to the super-nature for protection ofhunter-gatherers in forest from fierce animals, hope for a

    $etter new year with good opportunities of cultivation, soil preparation for ne t season& $urnt +ungles received summersun $eams destroying the pests within the ash heap good for

    Sweden cultivationJ'ista 2uri, Sym$ol of animism% female deity% river watersource% rive ways% trans-national trade routesInner meaning, scope of prosperity through propernetworking among fishing% peasantry and tradeJ>odon pir, Sym$ol of syncretism $etween strictly regulatedIslamic life and agrarian rural structure where people

    $asically depend on super-natureInner >eaning, appeal to appease the nature for good amountof crop yield and no natural disasters or epidemic concept of

    pir is also there% such as% Satya pir% 5agalo pir and so on"JGoram, Sym$ol of village deity- rural society as an entity of

    people% activities% identity% culture% solidarity with nature andsuper natureInner >eaning, well$eing of the villageJKali, female fertility cult% part of ancient tantra of pre-Aryantradition in induism% female entity of nature% controller oftime scale% light in steep darkness% $lood sacrifices% saviorfrom the enemy% the mother% sym$ol of matriarchy in

    primitive societies% goddess for prevention of any difficultyand contaminated diseases during weather changingInner >eaning, hope for protection from evil and enemies%

    prosperity% high crop yield% good family life% and $less of theancestral soulJ

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    Sanyasi, Sym$ol of mentor% saint% the mnipotent% themnipresent% the mniscient% 0iseman% Shiva% >ahakal and2uddha, notion of devotion% medication% knowledge% ethno-medicine% trust and protector Inner >eaning, freedom fromall social attachment and sorrowJ

    Festival ! Tista B"#i$ s"%%e#Sym$ol of animism% river deity% femaleness% worship ofsuper-nature#Inner meaning, appeal to appease the nature for regular watersupply to cropland and system of fishery-cum-watertransportation, means of livelihood of the folk life5erformance $y virtue of worship of 1iver and river-ways,reminiscence of alternative Silk 1outes and trans-nationaltrade with 'i$eo-2urmese $elt and (ar ?ast alternativeoptions of traditional indu hierarchical agro-economyistoricity of the 1a+$ansi agrarian rural structure,Increased geo-strategic importance, immigration of variousethnic communities from various parts of the world, Kushana%

    pro-Kushana% 'urk-Afghan% Kashmiri from the western sidewhereas Garo% 2oro% Koch% >ech% >ogh% Khen% )epcha%2armana% 'i$etan% Dukpa and so on from the orient,?mergence of several Diaspora of the ruling in-migrated

    people, Dominance of State-'rade ne us favored $y 2uddhist1eligious Institution, intermi ing and resistance to theintermi ing in due course, replacement of 2uddhism $y3uasi-egalitarian versions like Eaishnavism and Sufism aswell as ancient $eliefs under animism and pre-Aryaninduism/ 'antraism, pro-Indian policy supported $y theindu Koch-1a+$ansi rulers of ooch$ihar state in >oguland 2ritish era, formation of >ulticultural situation on thecore of 1a+$ansi agrarian rural structure, ?mergence of elitesection, opposition against )andlordism and thereafterinitiation of $ig farm houses, re3uirement of huge la$or force

    $ased on e tended family system without any definite $loodrelationship alua system", within the non-1a+$ansi sectsoutside indu mainstream% super-ordination of a tri$e overanother tri$e vi=# Dukpa over 'oto", system of Slavery

    Festival ! Ja&a''at( a') Bala#a%$ s"%%e#Sym$ol of male deities% Eaishnavism% 3uasi-egalitarianversion of induism#Inner meaning, alternative option to the concept of social andgender e3ualities in >ahayana 2uddhism and Islam, hugefold incorporating people engaged in agriculture% pastoral life%fishery-cum-trade and ur$an centers and other smallsettlements on the ancient trade routes5erformance of Rash-chakra , Sym$olic e pression of the

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    cyclical rotation of creation% e istence and destructionS' 1L5recious Yadu dynasty on pastoral economy was destroyeddue to internal clash& whereas their king )ord Krishna%descri$ed as an Avatara of the Savior Eishnu% was killed in

    +ungle $y a hunter and is elder $rother 2alarama with a power of thousand snakes died off in medication, $ody ofKrishna was voyaged in river and then reincarnated in theform of wooden Magannath, hint to incorporation of the forestdwellers% hunter-gatherers% snake-catchers% fishermen%herdsmen and artisans of wooden work under the huge fold ofEaishnavism- the 3uasi-egalitarian version of induism

    Festival ! D( #% T(a*"#$ s"%%e#

    Sym$ol of >i ed deity% Shiva% 0arrior and 5rotector%2uddha% (orest God% >edicine >an% 0iseman% and 1ain GodSympathetic >agic", notion of trust% ancestral soul% male

    portion of nature% seasonal change and male fertility cult% andhope of prosperity and good healthonnection to the sym$ol of 'ortoise the Avatara of the

    Savior Eishnu- Gigantic 'ortoise of Indian ceanoccasionally found in Ganges& relatedness with fish% tortoise%snake% $ird and sun, .atural indicators of the ancient traderoutes

    onnected to another sym$ol of 2ird deity Garura ",sym$olic e pression of the 'wo-Soul oncept of sleep anddeath

    STORY?very$ody contains two souls# During sleep% the minor soul

    $ird goes to travel outside and $efore sunshine it returns tothe $ody& in due course% shamans at night deal with theseminor souls# 0hen the ma+or soul $ird leaves the $ody% deathoccurs# anni$alism was once practiced in $elief ofconsumption of the soul of the ancestors as well as theenemies# )ater on% mummification was done in the hope thatone day the $ird would come $ack and reincarnation wouldhappen# .on-$elievers in reincarnation $ury the dead ingraveyards to let it rest in peace# 5ost-Arian indus worshipfire and generally $urn the dead $ody in cremation# owever%shamans on some specific days deal with these ma+or soultypes#

    'he festival is continued for the whole month $y the peasantsociety of 2engal& it includes the 1a+$ansis and other versionsof 2ratya-/5aundrya-/2orgo-Kshattriyas with common clanidentity kashyapa 5erformance of Gajon , mentors shouting at in re+oice% custom

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    of self-punishment - a very common practice performed $ya$original communities in various parts of the 0orld to showthe a$ility during mate selection $y the womenfolk Inner >eaning, ope for solidarity and prosperity of the folksociety involved in peasantry in due course of life-cycle andseasonal rotation, appeal to the ancestral souls% $enevolentsprits% the Super-.ature and the ultimate source of energy-Sun

    Me+((e'i K(ela$ s"%%e#Sym$ol of village solidarity% interaction $etween genders% andfeminism& illustration of the ever-lasting conflict $etween thesnake worshipper fishermen and river-$ased traders prayingthe cults of manasha/2ishahari and Shiva respectively

    5erformance, wife of fisherman with fish mow rice" in potgoing all the household of the village and singing songs prayfor well$eingInner >eaning, hope for well-$eing in folk life flourished onthe sides of river-course% clash with $ig traders using thewater ways, in the folklore of >anasa%

    G#a% T(a*"#$ s"%%e#Sym$ol of several Kali forms along with the Supreme God%>ahakal or Shiva

    5erformance, in each home esta$lishment of than the placewhere the deity resides"% ad+acent to the $am$oo $ush% noimage% custom of $lood-sacrifice% other offerings and use ofvermillion old tradition and highly magico-religious"Inner meaning, reduction in the effect of malevolent deitiesand other spirits

    G +(i,"'a$ % 's ' Sym$ol of hope for preparation of a good seed $ed5erformance, magical/ agro-seasonal associated withmeasurement of seed fertility and knowledge of sowingseedlings -F in each $unch" in late summer after plough thefield% male dominated% use of rat soil in seed $ed% separationof saplings and again sowing 7-8 in each $unch"Inner meaning, hope for healthy production with high yield

    H")"%)e - ,e'&e# ,ia $ % 's 'Sym$ol of 1ain God5erformance, animism% magical% tantra to udumdeo& nuderain dance $y the womenfolk at night in dry crop field aroundis image- drawing% dancing% singing% music and play& on thene t stage% marriage giving ceremony of frogsInner >eaning, hope for good rain and ade3uate crop yield-role of monsoon in an agrarian rural structure

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    5revention of severe drought situation due to inade3uateshower in monsoon $ut re3uired in paddy and +ute cultivationSound from the vocal cord of male frog the indication of theirmating period in full monsoon& frogs and toads are importantfauna for the food we$ in paddy-cum-fish cultivation systemand organic way of pest control#

    D(a'e# !"l a'a$ s.#i'&5erformance, seasonal-agricultural% magical% $y females% preyfor appropriate whether so that ears could come out in springafter full monsoonInner meaning, hope for high yield

    L *(i# )a*$ s.#i'&

    5erformance, the time when ears come out first% a dhan bari %made up of +ute stick% is constructed with two earthen $ellsatop and the headman in the family prays for good yield withmilk% plantain and dry pummel leaves at night shouting songs#Earious ma+or female fertility cults worshipped, De$i% 2oroDe$i and 2ishohori with the Matra% goddess of 0isdom% aswell as 2handani-on-tiger#Inner meaning, hope for good yield and indication to therelationship $etween 1a+$ansi agrarian rural structure and thedense forest of Doors in su$- imalayan region from where

    rivers come in and control the soil fertility of the lower plains

    D(a' *ata# ."/a$ a!te# s.#i'&5erformance, seasonal-agricultural% magical% $y females%senior wife of the house goes alone to the field at night% cutshandful of ears and $inds it on door of the $edroom- the

    process sym$oli=es that )a mi% the goddesses of wealthcomes into homeInner meaning, ope for $etter harvesting& regular harvestinginitiates from the ne t day of the ceremony- $unches kept Cdays in the field so that all the leaves could $e shed off andthen piled up in kholan/ the thrashing floor'he waste product is $urnt and paddy grains left on field feedmouse and rat- important fauna within the local ecosystem

    Na0a K( i$ a!te# s.#i'&5erformance, seasonal-agricultural% magical% the first amountof husked rice used in preparation of some precious ricefoods to $e offered to the nature and the 5rotectorInner meaning, ope for good amount of stalk raising&thrashing of alll harvested paddy then dumped on kholan;

    preservation in forms of puffed rice% $eaten rice% rice dust andkhoi& use of seed coats in earthen wall construction% ricecotyledons as fodder% local economy on rice% its various

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    Islam&0orship of Ga!ira under Eaishnavism- another 3uasi-egalitarian version of induism&"horok % the month-long worship of Shiva with Gam$hirasongs and Ga+on/ self-healing&

    Bishau festival, hunting performance where forest is $urnt offfor ne t-year shifting cultivation, males enter into the +unglewith whatever weapons they could manage& there they haveto kill at least one edi$le animal and cook it within the forestarea&0orship of dha! or the homestead in honor of ma+or deitiesShiva% female cults and )a minarayana"

    Inner meaning, 0hen new leaves come out after prolonged

    period of winter% worship of the male forest deity%Shaleshwari shows the closeness to the forest $iodiversity-the ma+or source of animal product% tim$er% minor forest

    produce% gum% dye% honey as well as ethno-medicines and soon& throughout the season% ethno-medicines taken&Success in Bishau would decide the fortune in the ne tseason- the $less of the forest deity during further Swedencultivation&During dha! worship folk singer Gidal sings song withmusical instruments for whole weak

    So% at the year end% these festivals are organi=ed in hope forgood things in ne t year

    Jurabandha $ !#ie')s(i. 2it( t#ee0orship of various plants like ji a and $asil% performances toavoid the evil eyes of !ashan and joka and the role of

    painters !alakar " with natural dye are other sym$olse pressing $elief in animism and magico-religious

    performance for sake of good health% hygiene% traditional $iodiversity management% indication of sacred grooves andindigenous mode of e ploitation of nature with feed-$ack#

    C '+l"si ':'he a$ove sym$ols% festivals related to them and their innermeaning might $e helpful in proper diagnosis of the folkmind set of the 1a+$ansi agrarian rural structure with $othsynchronic and diachronic perspectives# 'hey show theirrelatedness to the communication system with rural society%nature and super-nature# 'hey could do a lot for decoding the1a+$ansi IKS# 'hese sym$ols could $e applied as animportant methodology to fill the gaps e isting within theinterrelation among various aspects# 'hese could $eillustrated as production and technical practices in a specificfarming system% conservation of crop-varieties% alternative

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    agricultural production% production of various cashcrops/vegeta$les/spice/fruit and flower% maintenance of thenutrition level and traditional concepts of health% food

    preservation% ethno-fishery% animal hus$andry and poultry%social forestry and use of forest products tim$er and non-tim$er"% maintenance of sacred groove% ecology and food-we$% protection to the $io-diversity with feed-$ack% water Osoil management in traditional way% house construction andkitchen garden% folk-ta onomy% magico-religious

    performances% $elief in Super-.ature% cultural lag% emergingsocio-economic challenges and transformation due to theimpact of modern $ig-scale industry input from the civili=edsector on Glo$al >arket ?conomy# 1a+$ansi countrymenhave maintained their traditional customs and faith

    unchanged and that is very much helpful in maintenance oftheir 0orld Eiew and agro-$ased folk life- the $asic source ofGlo$al 5u$lic Service from IKS crucial for $oth the Glo$al>arket ?conomy and its other alternatives at macro andmicro levels"#

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    REFERENCES

    2anar+ee% S#% D# 2asu% D# 2iswas% and 1# Goswami C996# #ndi enous $nowled e %isse!ination throu h &ar!ers' (etwork) *+plorin &ar!er-to-&ar!er "o!!unication # In2# houdhuri and S# houdhuri# eds#" #ndi enous ,eople) Traditional isdo! andSustainable %evelop!ent # I4A?S I.'?1 .G1?SS Eol-8"# .ew Delhi, Inter-India5u$lications#International )a$our rgani=ation# :BB:# onvention .o# :FB>ondal% S#1# C996# *thnic. Social and "ultural /atri+ in the 0ills and ,lains of (orth

    Ben al) ,eoples in ,rosperity in %iversity1 In 2# houdhuri and S# houdhuri% eds#" #ndi enous ,eople) Traditional isdo! and Sustainable %evelop!ent % I4A?SI.'?1 .G1?SS Eol-8"# .ew Delhi, Inter-India 5u$lications#

    .orgaard% 1#2# :B8N# 'raditional Agricultural Knowledge, 5ast 5erformance% (uture 5rospectsand Institutional Implications# A!erican 2ournal of A ricultural *cono!ics FF& pp# N68-N6N#

    Sanyal% # # C99C :BF "# The Rajbanshi of (orth Ben al # Kolkata, Asiatic Society#0arren% D# ># Director# :BBC# Key .ote# #ndi enous $nowled e. Biodiversity "onservationand %evelop!ent # enter for Indigenous Knowledge for Agriculture and 1ural Development#Ames Iowa" Iowa State 4niversity0orld 2ank# :BB9# Agricultural ? tension, 'he .e t Step# ,olicy and Research ,aper .o#:7#0ashington% D# #

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