Jangalmahaler Janajiban O Loksanskriti (Bengali Version)

Book Details

• Author: Subhashchandra Bandopadhyay
• Publisher: Bangiya Sahitya Samsad
• Language: Bengali
• ISBN: 9789282012207

About the Book

Jangalmahaler Janajiban O Loksanskriti (Bengali Version) is an authoritative and fieldwork-based study of the life, culture, and folk traditions of the Jangalmahal region of West Bengal. Regarded as a landmark contribution to regional folklore and cultural studies, the book is the outcome of extensive ethnographic research conducted by Dr. Subhashchandra Bandopadhyay nearly five decades ago across various parts of present-day West Medinipur, Bankura, and Purulia.

Based on firsthand field investigations in places such as Hatibari, Kuilapal, Banspahari, Ayodhya Hills, and other remote locations, the author presents a vivid and authentic portrayal of the people and their cultural world. His direct engagement with local communities enables the book to document traditions, beliefs, customs, rituals, and everyday practices with exceptional accuracy and sensitivity.

The volume explores the diverse cultural landscape of Jangalmahal by examining the lives of its indigenous and rural communities. It highlights the intimate relationship between people, forests, agriculture, festivals, oral traditions, and local belief systems, illustrating how these elements collectively shape the region's distinctive cultural identity. The work reveals the resilience of traditional knowledge and community life in an area known for its ecological and cultural diversity.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its ethnographic approach. Rather than relying solely on secondary sources, the author records observations gathered through extensive fieldwork, preserving invaluable information about folk customs and cultural practices that have since undergone significant transformation. As a result, the book serves not only as an academic study but also as a historical record of a changing cultural landscape.

Drawing upon folklore studies, cultural anthropology, ethnography, regional history, and tribal studies, Jangalmahaler Janajiban O Loksanskriti offers a comprehensive understanding of the social and cultural heritage of Jangalmahal. It demonstrates the importance of field-based documentation in preserving India's rich intangible cultural heritage.

An indispensable resource for students, researchers, anthropologists, folklorists, historians, and readers interested in the tribal cultures and folk traditions of eastern India, this volume remains one of the most significant works on the cultural life of Jangalmahal.