Browse Items (28 total)

The Ashura community resides mostly in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri district. Carron Tea Estate, located near the Chunpatang river, has a large number of members from the Ashura community in its employment. However, due to the constant…

The Jhapan Utsav (or Jhapan mela, as it is also known) is a popular festival that is celebrated in the western part of West Bengal, especially in the Burdwan and Bankura districts, in honour of the serpent deity Manasa. Manasa is considered to be the…

The Paik community were originally tax collectors or zamindars before the British came to India. During Lord Cornwallis’ tenure as the head of the British East India Company, the Paik community fell into penury due to the draconian provisions of the…

The Lalita Shabar Pala is the endangered folk representative text of the Kheria Sabar community. The Kharia Shabars are the inhabitants of the western part of West Bengal. They are concentrated in Jhargram, Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. The Lalita…

Churia-Churianir pala is another endangered folk drama of the Sabar community. The folk drama is performed in the parts of Odisha and West Bengal that are situated in the basin of the Subarnarekha river. This is the story of two birds that form…

The Bonbibir Pala is a performance that is unique to the Sundarbans. It is meant to celebrate and appease Bonbibi, who is considered the "goddess of the forest".The legend of Bonbibi and her archenemy, Dakshinrai (or "the King of the South") has been…

One of the most endangered folk performances, Bhnarjatra does not belong to the mainstream cultural tradition of the Bengali bhadralok. It has a very distinct artistic and linguistic feature. Most of the performers are from the marginal class of the…

  ‘Glove puppetry’ is a very popular puppet show in India, famous in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. The puppets are usually worn on the hands of the puppeteers like gloves and the performance is shown to the audience…

Baha is the spring festival celebrated by the Santhal community in the month of Phalgun (March). The Kol, Ho, Oraon and Munda communities also celebrate this festival. Baha means ‘flower’. This festival is celebrated in connection with the turning of…

Kurmis, a large group of cultivators, belong to the eastern part of India, mainly in Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. In West Bengal, Kurmis are found in large numbers in the districts of East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.…