Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Book Review

 

Book Review:

Satyajeet Roy (2012).  Culture of India. New Delhi: Abhijeet Publications. Pp. 280.  ISBN: 978-93-5074-022-4. Price: Rs. 1070/-

Reviewed by

Pritish Chaudhuri

pritish.chaudhuri@gmail.com

Abstract

The following article is on a book review. This studied book provides a general view about the culture and heritage of India. Apart from providing the history of India this book also highlights the major religions, fairs and festivals, music, literature, diversity, etc.

India has a very rich cultural background along with very ancient cultural heritage preserved for thousands of years. The geographical vastness, varied religion, different languages and dialects, population variation, etc. has given birth to cultural spectrum. The other factors that also added flavour to its cultural spectrum are art, literature, fairs and festivals, customs, beliefs, tribal culture, flora and fauna, etc. The author has focused on all these above mentioned points in this book. He mainly highlights the Indian religions, society, fairs and festivals, dance, music, paintings, literature, languages, ethnicity, rituals, etc.

India is a birth place and home land of world’s famous religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. These religion originates in India and spread all over the world. Later on the culture of India was influenced by the Islamic invasions and subsequent Islamic rule from 10th century. The Persian, Arabic and Turkish cultures had also left a deep impact on Indian culture. For example, the Mughals brought the Central Asian culture with them which was later on amalgamated in Indian culture. Indian culture has been influenced by various religions, cultures and traditions of the world from time to time which resulted in the mixture of values, beliefs, folk idioms, art forms, etc. The regional diversity, languages, religion, etc. has given birth to different customs. The varied forms of Indian culture exist in their totality all through the Indian territory. The religious influence is quite prevalent in its classical form chiefly found in rural areas and small villages, whereas the urban life is now a days influenced by the globalization. The British ruled over India for nearly two hundred years which paved the way to imbibe western culture and practices. Now English is spoken and understood in almost all over India. It is also a co- official language of India. According to the author, India is divided into many parts in terms of linguistic diversity; two hundred sixteen of them are spoken by a group of ten thousand persons or more. All the languages are mainly derived from Indi- Aryan languages and Dravidian languages. The Indo- Aryan languages are mainly spoken in north India whereas the Dravidian languages are spoken in south India. According to the constitution of India, both Hindi and English are the official languages for communication. The other twenty two languages are scheduled for official use by the State Government. The author has also provided the list of other eighteen significant languages (Aangika, Kokborok, Wagdi, Marwari, Chhattishgarhi, Magahi, Awadhi, Tulu, Kodava, Dogri, Persian, French, Portuguese, Bodo, Santhali, Sikkimese, Dzongkha and Dakkhini) and one minority language ‘Mahl’ which is very informative to know about the linguistic diversity of India. Sanskrit is not only the oldest language of India but also one of the classical languages of the world and is equated with Latin and Greek languages of Europe. This language has wide cultural and religious significance.

From the various periods of history, the culture of India was influenced and moulded by the invaders and immigrants who resulted in the mixture and absorption of various traditions, customs, beliefs, ideas, etc. The practices, rituals, languages, traditions, art, architecture and monuments are the examples of this co- mingling of culture from centuries.

In present day, there is cultural diversity all over India. All the parts and regions of India have its own distinct cultural identity. Despite of its diverse nature, India is known for its ‘unity in diversity’ because of its common history.

Conclusion:

This book serves as a reference book and guideline for the students, research scholars, academicians and teachers of Social Sciences like history, culture, tribal studies, law, society and technology. The book is also very helpful to know more about the rich cultural heritage of India. Apart from it, it will serve to the candidates who are preparing for competitive exams, college and university exams related to India history, culture, tribal culture and society. The administrators also are benefited from this book that as this book is proving information related to the past history and present scenario of India tribal and other relevant information. The purpose of this book review is to provide a reference to the scholars who are searching theme on the history, culture, diversity related matters of India. Sometimes all books are not always available everywhere, hence, book review serves as a summery in order to provide a basic information on the related issues.

Published in:   ADROITIC, Volume. 2, No. 1. ISSN: 2349-6274. (p. 30-31).

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Book Review

 

Book Review:

Paulinus R. Marak. (2005). The Garo Tribal Religion: Beliefs and Practices. Kolkata: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies. Anshah Publishing House.  Pp. 122. ISBN: 81-8364-002-8. Price: Rs. 280/-, US$ 18.

Reviewed by

Dr. Pritish Chaudhuri

pritish.chaudhuri@gmail.com

PGT, History

Central Public Sr. Sec. School, Udaipur,

Rajasthan.

 

The present book presented us with a vivid description of the origin and migration of the Garo tribe. It describes the existence of the Garos with the different tribal groups settled in the Garo hills of Meghalaya. The basic content of the study is focused on the beliefs and practices of the said tribe. The author throws light on the Garo religion. The Garos are descended from Tibeto- Burman race of the Tibeto- Chinese family. Originally they lived in north western China between the upper waters of Yang-tse-kiang and Ho-ang-ho. Then they migrated to India and gradually by passing through various places of West Bengal and Assam finally they settled down in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya and in some parts of Bangladesh for centuries. On the basis of the cultural and linguistic differences the Garos are divided into eleven groups. There is a great controversy regarding the origin of the Garos. Now they call themselves as ‘A-chiks’.

One of the characteristic features about this tribe is their ancient animistic religious beliefs and practices which they perform. They worship numerous deities in day to day life. They earnestly believe in supernatural powers. They perform many rituals, ceremonies including animal sacrifice in order to appease those deities. This entire religious system controls their life and they pray to god to secure their life and wellbeing of their own people.  The Garo people believe in the existence of good and evil spirits. They call them as ‘Mites’. There is no written record about their religion but only by oral transmission, their myths, beliefs, rituals, etc. are still practices. The Nokma and Kamal has a very important role to play in the Garo village society. The Nokma is the village chief and Kamal is the village priest. Both hold higher status in the local social hierarchy. The village chief is the politically powerful person whereas the priest is the spiritual leader. All the matters related to society, disputes, etc. are settled down by their village chief. Kamal is responsible for the performance of all village festivals, rituals and ceremonies. He use to conduct marriage ceremony and death rituals both.  

The Garos are mostly the agriculturist community and they practice jhum cultivation. Their belief in dreams is strictly followed. As for instance, in the first ceremony of jhum cultivation, if anybody have a bad dream he abandons the plot of land which he was about to cultivate. On the contrary, if anybody dreams of plenty of sand collected in the front place of his house, it signifies that he will get plenty of production from the field. In this way there are number of dreams that are related to their beliefs and incorporate those in their real life. However, we can call it a blind faith or superstition.

Many religious ceremonies are performed in connection with ailments. The Garos offer sacrifices for their sick people. They have a strong belief that the sickness, diseases, bad omen or curses fallen over them because of their disobedience against the law of nature and deities.

The author has also mentioned the funeral ceremony and the concept of death and rebirth of the Garo tribe in detail. There are many rituals associated with this ceremony. According to Garo legend, there is no occurrence of death as such. All human are immortal and they are reincarnated to a new body. The author has pointed out all the process and system of cremation in a chronological manner. Besides the religious beliefs, they also believe in certain superstition that death can be caused by a simple process of practising a kind of snippings. Witchcraft, black magic, ghosts and spirits are common among them.

Although majority of the Garo population are converted into Christianity, but there are many ancient festivals and functions that are still now practiced. The conversion of Christianity has affected their ethnic religion. From all those above mentioned beliefs and practices the author has traced the process of acculturation. The ancient traditions still inherit in the mind of the Garos.

This book is very helpful for the future researchers and scholars who are willing to work in this particular tribe. This book will help as a guideline or as reference book that gives us a baseline survey data about the culture of Garo tribe of Meghalaya with its geographical location.


Published in :    Sodh Patrika, Year. 70, No. 1-4. ISSN: 0975-6868. (p. 208-209).

 

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Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary: Where Water, Wings, and Time Meet Some places announce themselves with mountains or monuments. Bharatpur does not. It reveals itself slowly — in ripples of water, in the sudden lift of wings, in the quiet patience of a bird waiting for the right moment to strike. Located in eastern Rajasthan, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, popularly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is one of those rare landscapes where nature and history have grown together. It is not untouched wilderness, nor is it purely man-made. It exists in between — shaped by geography, altered by humans, and perfected by birds. A Land Shaped by Geography Before It Was Shaped by Humans Bharatpur lies at an ecological crossroads. To the west stretch the ancient Aravali ranges, among the oldest mountain systems in the world — worn down, rocky, dry, and quiet. To the east begin the fertile Gangetic plains, flatter and more water-abundant. Between these two regions lies a gentle depression in the land, where seasonal rivers like the Gambhir and Banganga once spread their monsoon waters. This region was never meant to hold deep water. Instead, it absorbed floods, released them slowly, and returned to grassland. That natural rhythm changed in the 18th century, when the rulers of Bharatpur constructed the Ajan Bund, an earthen dam built to protect nearby settlements from flooding. Unintentionally, a wetland was born. Water lingered longer than expected. Silt settled. Aquatic plants appeared. Fish followed. And soon after, birds began to arrive — first seasonally, then in vast numbers. From Royal Hunting Ground to Protected Sanctuary During the 19th and early 20th centuries, this wetland became a favored duck-shooting reserve for the Maharajas of Bharatpur and British officials. Ironically, this exclusive use prevented farming and urban expansion, allowing the habitat to survive while many other wetlands disappeared. The turning point came when Dr. Salim Ali, India’s pioneering ornithologist, recognized the extraordinary ecological value of the site. His advocacy transformed perceptions of the wetland — from a hunting ground to a sanctuary deserving protection. This led to a series of recognitions: Declared a Bird Sanctuary in 1976 Designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 What makes Bharatpur unique is that it proves conservation does not always begin with untouched nature — sometimes it begins with correcting our relationship with altered landscapes. A Wetland Designed by Water, Perfected by Birds Keoladeo Ghana is a shallow wetland, rarely deeper than one or two meters. This single feature explains much of its biodiversity. Shallow wetlands warm quickly, grow food rapidly, and create a variety of micro-habitats: Open water for ducks and geese Mudflats for waders and sandpipers Marshes and reed beds for nesting birds Wooded patches for roosting and breeding colonies The sanctuary is a mosaic rather than a uniform lake, and birds occupy it with remarkable precision. Every species seems to know exactly where it belongs. The Arrival of the Migrants Each winter, Bharatpur becomes a global meeting point. Birds arrive from Siberia, Central Asia, Europe, and the Tibetan plateau, following the Central Asian Flyway. Some travel thousands of kilometers, crossing deserts, seas, and the towering Himalayas. Bar-headed geese, famous for flying at extreme altitudes, descend gracefully onto the water. Northern shovelers and teals form floating carpets across the marshes. Painted storks and Asian open-billed storks feed methodically in the shallows. The elegant Sarus crane, India’s tallest flying bird, performs slow, ritualistic dances that seem untouched by time. Once, the sanctuary welcomed the Siberian crane — tall, white, and fragile. Their disappearance from Bharatpur is a quiet tragedy, reminding us that even the most faithful migrants cannot survive when wetlands vanish along their journey. The Aravali Connection: Dry Hills Supporting Wet Wings Though Bharatpur is a wetland, its story cannot be told without the Aravali range. The Aravalis may appear barren, but they regulate climate, slow desert winds, and feed seasonal water systems. Birds adapted to dry forests and scrublands — larks, pipits, bushchats, raptors — depend on wetlands like Bharatpur during migration, breeding, or drought periods. Thus, Bharatpur functions as a refuge ecosystem, supported by the broader Aravali landscape. Wetland and woodland, water and stone — both are necessary for regional biodiversity. More Than Birds: The Invisible Web of Life While birds are the most visible residents, the sanctuary’s foundation lies beneath the water. Fish recycle nutrients and sustain higher predators. Amphibians and reptiles control insect populations. Wetland plants purify water, trap carbon, and stabilize soil. Even microorganisms play their role quietly, maintaining balance. This unseen life is what allows the spectacular bird diversity to exist. A Wetland That Needs Care, Not Neglect Unlike untouched forests, Bharatpur survives through active management. Water must be released at the right time. Invasive plants must be controlled. Seasonal rhythms must be respected. Climate change, upstream water diversion, and declining rainfall pose new challenges. The sanctuary today is a lesson in modern conservation — showing that protection alone is not enough. Understanding ecological processes is equally vital. Why Bharatpur Matters Today In a country where wetlands are rapidly disappearing, Bharatpur stands as proof that: Man-made wetlands can support rich biodiversity Landscape-level conservation is essential Migratory birds connect continents, not just countries Water is the most powerful driver of life in dry regions Leaving Bharatpur When you leave the sanctuary, it does not follow you loudly. There are no dramatic cliffs or roaring rivers to remember. Instead, there is a quiet realization — that life persists not through force, but through balance. Bharatpur teaches patience. It teaches listening. And above all, it teaches that when water is allowed to stay, life will always return.

  Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary : Where Water, Wings, and Time Meet Some places announce themselves with mountains or monuments. Bharatpur does n...