Browsing by Subject "Tradition"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Open Access
Devadasis: A historical analysis
(University of North Bengal, 2022-03) Lama, Sudash; Mahanta, Sanchita
Tradition of Devadāsī is a century-old phenomenon. The theme of pleasing the Supreme Being is nothing but a continuous process of devotion and belief in divinity. One association with divine power can be seen in the case of devadasis. These women were considered as the wives of the Gods, but in later periods they were also associated with the Goddesses too. As devadasis was seen as the utmost replica of chaste women because of their connexion with the celestial beings. The temple was the epicentre of the early medieval and medieval society. The temples were mainly donated by the royal families, rich merchants, and merchant guilds to legitimize the feudal polity to form an equation between the deity and the ruler in the world of authority in the agrarian fields as well as in materialistic matters. They were never recognized as widows or deprived of their marital status, as they were married to a god who was immortal. The theme of social constructs changed with in the bygone times; it translated from gender to sex, biological identification to define human beings. The system has gone through erosion in its position because of the existing power struggle of men in the social, political, economic, and cultural yards. In the shadow of patriarchy, devadasis occupied the role of a man, yet remained as like another woman in the social conjuncture. The practice of donating girls in the temples gave birth to a quasi-matrilineal community under the patriarchal equilibrium.
Open Access
Floral Depictions in the Coiffure of Ancient Indian terracotta
(University of North Bengal, 2018-03) Choudhury, Anamika
India, world famous for its culture has a diverse, rich and elongated motifs tradition. In fact, the traditions of motifs in our country can trace their origin back, almost to about 5000 years ago, to the ancient Indus Valley and Mohenjodaro civilizations, and they have been created and developed through the ages against a background that is richly woven with the myths and imaginary of sign and symbol. The development of a particular motif is undoubtedly being the result of religion, customs, natural surroundings and social beliefs of the particular area to which its creator belongs. Though always speculative, the meaning of the motifs used in decoration of coiffure, Head-dress and hair dress may change with cultural context but the symbolic meaning of various motifs remains some whatever they are applied.
Open Access
Rites and Rituals in the Life and Death Cycle of the Mangar
(University of North Bengal, 2021-03) Mangar, Asudha
history of origin of Mangar or Magar in India is shrouded in obscurity. Some scholars emphasized on the fact that the Magars or Mangars, are one of the aborigines of Sikkim and Nepal, belong to the Kirata community of the Eastern Himalayas. They are one of the oldest tribes of Sikkim. Rajesh Verma has reasonably stated that the Kiratis include Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Mangar and Tamang tribe of Sikkim. S.R. Timsina has also mentioned that the Mangars, Limbus and Lepcha are the earliest settlers of ancient Sikkim. J.D. Hooker has also described them as the aborigines of Sikkim. Hence, the rites and rituals of Mangars settlers of Sikkim, Darjeeling or sub- Himalayan region has a close affinity and can be found with similarity with other castes, yet holding its uniqueness and ethnic values. The paper here tries its best to bring out expansively the prevailing rites and rituals of Mangar among the inhabitants of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in respect of life and death cycle.