Video | Marriage customs of the Santals: A large mural created by village artists to express their cultural identity – West Bengal

Marriage Reception A Santal marriage takes five days and involves various, often complex, rituals. On the day of the Gidi-chumara (Marriage Reception) the women arrive to bless the bride and groom with grass and grains of rice which are kept in a basket. The high wooden turmeric crusher called akhur (on the right) indicates that … Read more

Video | “Eyes came across”: The story behind the Santali song Be̠ṅge̠t́ Ńapam

Lyrics and concept by Dr. Boro Baski | Subtitles by Sunder Manoj Hembrom >> It was during the summer time and the season of Santal marriage as well. Bạriạtko, the companions of the bridegroom have arrived in the bustling village of Pahaṛpur. Today is the third day of the marriage and Giḍi-chumạṛa, the bride and … Read more

How to cope with climate change, government interventions and the demands of companies? “We support farmers”: A tribal self-help organization’s experience with organic orchards – West Bengal

The Green Revolution has changed life in Indian villages, but the main beneficiaries were the landlords. Daily labourers remain poor and marginalised. The limits of using ever more fertiliser and pesticides are becoming apparent. Many farmers are confused because extension services want them to re-consider practices they were told to abandon not that long ago. A … Read more

Rabindranath Tagore – pioneer in rural education

A most important truth, which we are apt to forget, is that a teacher can never truly teach unless he is still learning himself. A lamp can never light another lamp unless it continues to burn its own flame. – Rabindranath Tagore quoted in Santiniketan (1961, p. 28) India celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath … Read more

The Lambani: A pan-Indian tribal community of many names and “known for its colourful dress” – Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Orissa & West Bengal

LAMBANIS: ORIGIN AND SOCIO CULTURAL PROFILEBy Dr. K. Ramalingareddy ORIGIN OF LAMBANIS India is a land of castes and tribes. According to an estimate there arc about 427 tribal groups in the Country (Roy Burman, 1971:2). The Anthropological Survey (1967) has estimated the number at 314 considering a number of tribes to be the constituents … Read more