North Bengal Anthropologist, Vol. 04

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://ir.nbu.ac.in/handle/123456789/5293

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Open Access
Barpeta Satra and its Economic Impact on the Society of Barpeta Town
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Goswami, Mridusmita
The most important characteristic of the Satra is that they are self sufficient. This was an imperative of the medieval economy, when self-sufficiency was considered a virtue. Srimanta Sankaradeva devised the model of Satra in such a manner that the residents of that complex did not have to depend on the outside world for any of their requirements, but it is to be noted that their lives were very simple. Barpeta Satra is the earliest and most influential Satra of Mahapurushiya sect (Sarma, 1999: 177) as well as the chief monasteries of Assam (Neog 1965 rprnt 2008: 137) which was established by Madhavadeva the chief disciple and apostle of Sankaradeva with proper help to Mathuradas Burha Ata (one of the chief followers of Madhavadeva and the first Satradhikar of Barpeta Satra) in 1504 Sakaabda (Pathak, 1959 rprnt 2006: 12). The people of Barpeta live in different hatis are closely related with the Satra and the Satra has lots of impacts like- social, religious, political economic etc. among the people living in the society of Barpeta. This paper is a humble attempt to study the economic impact of Barpeta Satra to the society of Barpeta town.
Open Access
Breastfeeding Practices in Tribal and Caste Population of West Bengal: A Comparative Study
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Mitra, Shreyosi; Ray, Subha
Breastfeeding has typically been studied as a discrete behaviour predicted by biological and social-cultural factors. The objectives of this study were to investigate into the pattern of and understand the knowledge and attitude of breastfeeding practices among the lactating mothers belonging to Bengali Hindu caste (BHC) and tribal groups. A total number of 167 lactating mothers were selected from Bengali Hindu caste population residing in the rural (100) and urban(40) areas of South and North 24 Parganas districts and from the tribal groups residing in rural areas (27) of Purulia district West Bengal. The selection of the study areas and of the participants was done on the basis of operational convenience. Data types include the time of initiation and duration of breastfeeding, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, feeding colostrums and the knowledge and attitude of the mothers towards breastfeeding. Data on socio-economic information of the participants were taken as additional variable. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire. Trend in the results indicate that the practice of exclusive breastfeeding was lower in the Bengali Hindu caste population compared to the tribal population; feeding of colostrums is very common to the tribal mothers but not for their Bengali Hindu caste counterparts. Although the participants from both tribal and Bengali Hindu caste population were aware about the beneficial effect of breastfeeding, yet their attitude towards this behaviour varied widely.
Open Access
Childhood Obesity
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Roy, Susmita
The purpose of this review is to highlight the risk factors of childhood obesity. The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has increased worldwide in recent decades. Obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of serious health complications and an increased risk of premature illness and death later in life. This book presents childhood obesity trends across multiple demographics. It discusses the contributing genetic and environmental factors of childhood obesity and shows the adverse health consequences of childhood obesity, both as they relate to childhood and as they last into adulthood. The final section presents multiple methods for obesity treatment included community and family–based intervention, pharmacotherapy, and surgical procedures. As childhood obesity increases, scientists think that heart disease, including the condition that may have killed Jonathan, will become a common pediatric disorder. Obesity increases a child’s risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and thickening of the arteries, all of which can lead to heart disease. Obesity also increases a child’s risk of type 2 diabetes, in which the body becomes resistant to insulin, and metabolic syndrome, in which the body simultaneously develops several different risk factors that make a young person more likely to develop heart disease or diabetes, or to have a stroke.
Open Access
Conflict, Tension and Violation of Human Rights in West Bengal, India with Special Reference to Lalgarh, West Medinipur
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Biswas, Samar Kumar
The Marxist-based social theory argues that individuals and groups (social classes) within society have differing amounts of material and non-material resources (the wealthy vs. the poor) and that the more powerful groups use their power in order to exploit the groups with less powerful groups. In this regard, extreme level of inequality in all forms and in all fields such as economy, politics, religion, education, social etc. exist in the traditional Indian society since long and because of these, continuous conflicts, unhappiness between powerless poor/downtrodden people and powerful elites are reported. The prime aim of this article is to know the recent-past conflicts, abductions, killings, torturing, violation of basic human rights etc. that took place in West Bengal; and its effects on the development of local the people; and the reasons and interest behind those conflicts.
Open Access
Effect of Family Environment on Children’s Well-Being: A Case Study
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Gan, Biswanath; Biswas, Samar Kumar
Family environment is an important issue which influences on child’s well-being including social, emotional or psychological part. Family plays an important role in educatingsocializing children. It is said that family is a primary institution where a child learns a lot by observing and teaching, and know what is wrong or right, should or should not. Our child is a vulnerable asset and future wealth of society. Thus, it is a duty of every parent to protect their children against all forms of exploitation and nourish them properly to make a healthy society. But there are so many children in our country are being exploited by their poor family environment and in this context the present studied families are a burning example. The focus of this paper is on family environment that influences the social, emotional or psychological well-being of children in the stone crushing society of Balasan River Basin, Darjeeling district, West Bengal.
Open Access
Effect of Family Structure on Child Immunization in the Rural Area
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Srivastava, Namita
Negligence towards immunization may result in serious health risks not only for the deprived child but for the society too as diseases meant to be controlled by vaccination are infectious. Apart from technical loopholes, there are many factors embedded in social and cultural set up of the people which act as obstacle for success of such programs aimed at improving public health. In rural society the type of family, in which child is reared, is also significant importance in this regard. This paper aims to explore how a particular family type, nuclear or joint, affects the immunization status of children.
Open Access
Effect of Student Teacher Ratio on Class Time Management in Primary Schools of West Bengal: A Study based on Implementation of RTE, 2009, India
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Majumder, Arup
Education is the basic way for accelerating the human development process of a country. Under the sphere of education system, primary education gets the highest priority regarding itself as the base of formal education. Primary education in West Bengal, as all over the country, suffers from many deficiencies including problems of infrastructure, shortage of schools, shortage of teachers, the financial handicap of the parents, and so on. These deficiencies have long been recognised and formed part of the popular discourse on the shortcomings of primary education in the state. The student teacher ratio have been an effect on school management where the number of student is very low in number, but according to our Right to Education Act 2009, it have been clear by our general observation that the 30: 01 pupil teacher ratio (PTR) effect on the primary school in both rural and urban areas. In where, mainly two or three teachers primary school, situated in different parts of India as well as West Bengal. Directly or indirectly our educational system means student teacher ratio has been effect on school management. There are so many works which are very essential to do for a head teacher as well as teacher-in- charge to maintain the official works which are also effect on the class as well as the teaching learning process in a primary school. Beside this also effect on the student achievement, it is also leads to minimize the learning quality in a primary school. Mainly by this study we would try to understand the effect of student teacher ratio on the primary school management in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, according to Right to Education Act, 2009. On the basis of this background we would try to understand the original effect of Student teacher ratio on the primary level. The main objectives of this anthropological study were to know the effect of pupil teacher ratio in the maintenance the school daily time table, effects on the classroom management by the Head teacher/ Teacher in charge, to coordinating school management at the primary level as well as the student achievement. The study reveals that the pupil teacher ratio is important but number of teacher against each class is equally important for preserving and increasing the standard of the primary school education.
Open Access
Fertility and Mortality Differential among the Dibongiya Deori of Lakhimpur District, Assam
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Borah, Juri; Sengupta, S.
An attempt is made in this paper to look into the fertility and mortality differentials among the Dibongiya Deori of Assam. Apart from these, distribution of women according to age group, age at marriage, age at first conception, age at first child birth are also taken into consideration for the present study. The analysis demonstrates that the Dibongiya Deori women married at relatively younger age exhibits moderately higher conception and higher reproductive wastages.
Open Access
Health Seeking Behaviour among the Migrant Tribal Workers of Tea Plantation in Assam: Some Observations
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Kar, R.K.
In anthropology, emphasis is generally put on the group; and on the study of human beings within the framework of a culture. Every culture has its own notion regarding health and health seeking behaviour; and this is often referred to as Health Culture. The health of any community, particularly of a tribal community is a function of the interaction between cultural and biological practices, the genetic attributes and the environmental condition. It has long been recognized that Health Culture is a suitable field for ethnographic research in anthropology. In the paper, an attempt has been made to have an understanding of the health culture of the migrant tribal worker in Assam tea plantation with special reference to their health seeking behavior. The people generally subscribe to their own understanding of health, disease and disease etiology, as defined by their tradition and culture. With regard to disease etiology, they believe in both supernatural and natural forces. Some diseases are believed to be the outcome of the wrath of supernatural powers; and some are caused by natural factors. Their prolonged contact with the modern medicare system for around sixteen decades does not seem to have the desired impact on their overwhelming subscription to the traditional sub-culture of medicine. Despite the availability of modern medicare services at the door step, the people usually give priority to traditional or folk medicine. The inability of folk medicine to cure some ailments sometimes may compel them to avail of the services of the hospital or some other modern health practitioners. Sometimes, however, they continue both the treatments simultaneously. On the whole, till date, the migrant tribal tea workers in Assam are by and large, relatively more tradition-oriented with regard to their health seeking behaviour. Sometimes, however, both the traditional and the modern health care systems have been found to complement each other; and the people use both the systems apparently without any reservation or any feeling of contradiction.
Open Access
Impact of Heavy Metal Exposure on Women and Human Reproductive Health
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Tigga, Pushpa Lata
Quality of the environment plays a significant role in human health. It was estimated that one-quarter of the global disease burden and more than one-third of the burden among children was due to modifiable environmental factors. The group of heavy metals represents pollutants that are concerned with serious health problems connected with a high global annual emission rate. The toxic effects of the heavy metals are often expressed differently on the outcome of human reproduction. Recommended medical surveillance for all heavy metals requires emergency departmental care. Literature study explored that there is a gap of knowledge in the proper toxicity survey.
Open Access
Incidence of Colour Blindness among the Santals of East Singhbhum, Jharkhand
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Karmakar, Sarnendu; Biswas, Subir
Open Access
The Jarawa (Ang) in Transition: Theoretical Appraisal and Empirical Issues
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Ghosh, Amit Kumar; Biswas, Samar Kumar
Open Access
Mahali Culture and Social Change in West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Soni, Amit
Ethnographic study and analysis in Anthropology is the very base of anthropological researches in India and abroad. Mahali or Mahli is an artisan community involved in traditional bamboo craft. The present paper is outcome of ethnographic study and situational analysis of the Mahali tribe of West Bengal. An attempt has been made to present the indigenous Mahali Culture along with the socio-cultural changes in the changing modern scenario. Mahali people are master craftsmen and produce fine basketry along with doing labor work. Lots of changes are coming in the Mahali society and culture due to the impact of migration, acculturation and modernization. Their living standard is little bit uplifted by various tribal developmental programs and facilities provided in the Mahali areas, but still they are living in low socio-economic condition.
Open Access
Mahisasurmardini Radio Broadcast and Relevance in the Service for Mass Communication
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Ghoshal, Subhas C.
MahisasurMardini from All India Radio: Kolkata is the oldest programme in Indian broadcast scenario. The content is based on MarkandeyaPuran and the broadcast delineates arriving of goddess Durga from Himgiri (hilly tract) to this world and her historical association in kicking out the evils for restoring peace and happiness among the humankind. It acts as an errand of durgapuja centric durgotsab, one of the largest festivals in the world where there live a large group of Bengali speaking people. Study on the segments of broadcast content and co-relational listeners‘opinion thereupon has proved a very constructive feeling towards devotion. Listener audience supports to call it ever new because it recreates in their minds the sights and sounds of epic culture every year.
Open Access
Menstrual Characteristics of Young Adults
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Mukherjee, Ipsita; Ghosh, Jyoti Ratan
Menstrual health plays a key role inwomen’s sexual and reproductive life. Thepurpose of this study is to understand the age atmenarche and menstrual characteristics of young adults in a rural area of West Bengal.The present cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among one hundred and one young adult females of age 18 to23 years. Data were collected on age, age at menarche and menstrual characteristics by using questionnaire.The mean age at menarche of the study participants was 12.07 (1.37) years. Duration of average menstrual discharge and number of days of peak discharge of the studied population was 4.84 (1.38) days and 3.03 (1.5) days, respectively. The result also revealed that menstruation skipped in 16.83per cent girls in last one year. When menstrual discharge problems were considered, it was observed that majority (74.25%) of the girls feels some degree of pain and discomfort. However, 8.91per cent of the girls had irregular periods.Premenstrual syndrome was observed in most (91.09%) of the girls, of which majorities reported abdominal pain (58.41%), followed by back pain (38.61%) and weakness (32.67%). An overwhelming majority (74.25%) of the girls reported the nature of menstrual discharge to be in the form of a mixture of fluid and clots. Interestingly, gynaecological problem was observed in all girls. Thefindings of this study would help health care professionals to devise future health care programs on menstrual health.
Open Access
National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS) Reference
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Sinha, Isita
Growth is a kind of velocity and measures the rate of change of size over a certain period of time. Growth measurements are taken at regular intervals over a specified period of time. Growth assessment is basically a kind of comparison with a reference normally called a “growth reference”. Without such a reference, growth assessment becomes arbitrary. Until the late 1970s, a number of growth charts were utilized to assess child growth. In the year 1977, the National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS) published a new set of growth charts for children aged <18 years based on data from the Fels Longitudinal Growth Study and nationally representative surveys. The NCHS later became a part of the Centre for disease control (CDC) in the year 1987. The NCHS growth charts consists of 14 sex specific growth charts and used different indicators like weight-for-age, weight- for- length, length-for-age, head circumference for age stature-forage and weight-for-stature. These curves represent attained size, and do not describe rates of growth as might be represented in incremental or longitudinal growth charts. It utilizes per centile rankings to describe the relative size of a given child. The main advantage of NCHS reference is that the data was based on current and high quality growth data as well as on the most recent advances in data processing and analysis.
Open Access
A Newly Constituted Autonomous Council of Assam: The Case of the Deoris
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Arifur, Zaman
Autonomy, the concept itself reflects the rights of indigenous groups of people, the right to self determination of a community or a region to bestow it substantial financial, administrative powers for their social upliftment, which is also referred to as self legislation. The sixth Schedule of the constitution of India provides the formation of the local institution or the Autonomous District Councils for the tribal communities of North East India. These are created to give concrete shape to the religious ethos and social customs in administrations of various spheres of tribal life. These local self governance councils are provided with legislative, judicial, and executive powers so that good tribal institutions, its culture and identity could be preserved through measures of self governance. In Assam a contemporary development among the tribe is the formation of the Autonomous Councils. At present there are six autonomous councils in Assam among which Deori Autonomous Council meant for the restoration and betterment of self identity of the Deoris, one of the scheduled tribe of Assam, is one. In this paper a humble attempt has been made to delineate about the different laws and rules of the Deori Autonomous Council for administration among the Deoris of Assam.
Open Access
The Pottery - A Cultural heritage in New Style: An Ethnographic Study in the Villages of North 24 Parganas, West Bengal
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Ray, Bedprakash
The pottery was originated in Neolithic period, present in recent time and will exist in future. The knowledge and skill of pot making is transmitted from generation to generation within the Kumors community. It is a craft distinctive of agrarian economy. Today pottery in India is fairly a large business with so many small and large scale industries making high class pottery all over the nation. In West Bengal, pottery is also one of the most popular crafts made by Kumors mainly found in the districts of Bankura, Murshidabad, Medinipur (both purba and paschim), Nadia and North 24 Parganas. But it is also a mentionable fact in rural West Bengal that many of the Kumor families are unable to cope up with the forces generated by globalization as well as industrialization and urbanization. Therefore, a large number of Kumor families have been giving up their traditional occupations and searching for some alternatives. On the other hand, those Kumor communities are coping with the forces generated by globalization, industrialization and urbanization have been earning huge amount of cash money. It has been happening in the villages Chaltaberia and Ramkrishnapalli where the Kumors are more interested to make globally demanded terracotta figurines and show pieces by giving new shape, size, decoration and colour instead of traditional style. So we can say that, the pottery, a cultural heritage has been changing its old style in various places of west Bengal. The pottery will may exist in new style in future. The traditional pots are requiring preserving for the future generation otherwise these may be extinct from the country. Therefore, the author did field work among the Kumors of above mentioned two villages for finding out the reasons of why and how the size, shape, decoration, colour and types of traditional pottery have been changed by the Kumors.
Open Access
Practice of Ethno-Medicine for Abortion and Anti-fertility among Tribals of Chhattisgarh
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Kolay, Swapan Kumar; Mahant, Sushila D.
India is a habitat of large number of indigenous tribals’ people. They are known as by their simple but unique life style. Inspite of their tradition, culture and identified social organisation, they have tremendous knowledge of herbal plants and its medicinal values. In many tribals communities’ sterilization is prohibited but they maintain birth between children by specific antifertility and abortificiant herbal medicine. Objective: By above background the aim of the research study is to find out the reasons by which traditional method of abortification and sterilization are prevalent among tribals’ communities, and to explore their knowledge about herbal plants which they used for antifertility and abortion. Methodology and Study Area: The method of data collection is based on secondary literature review and field work. Some selective tools like questionnaire, structured and semi structured schedule, focus group discussion had been used for acquiring data and knowledge from women, herbal healers and knowledgeable persons separately. In tribals’ areas, lots of state and central government programmes are working but the local people are not availing benefit from the institutions. So, typical tribals dominating block Bastar, Chhattisgarh, is selected for study. Result: The finding of the study reveals that the prevalence of poor institutional facility in tribals’ areas and superstitious believe on herbal healers, are the main reasons for the practicing of antifertility and abortificiant herbal medicine. The illiterate tribals have knowledge about the herbal plants but they don’t know about the pathological values and its effects on the patients. Sometimes this partial knowledge create dangerous for patients’ health. Conclusion: Herbal plant diversity is abundantly found in the forest of Bastar which needs to specify their medicinal uses and productive utilization. In this paper specific antifertility and abortificiant plants are documented. Thus, plant drugs used in the tribals and rural areas deserves detailed studies. The efficacy and safety of most of the traditional remedies of the tribals are required to be subjected to scientific verification particularly in chemical investigation.
Open Access
Prevalence of Anaemia and Age Related Changes in Haemoglobin Level of the Santal Labourers of Birbhum district, West Bengal, India
(University of North Bengal, 2016) Malakar, Biswanath; Roy, Subrata K.
Background: Haemoglobin level changes with sex, altitude, physiological condition, socio-economic condition, nutrition and so on. However, age related changes in haemoglobin level have not been well demonstrated. Objective: The study tries to find out (1) the prevalence of anaemia of the Santal labourers (indigenous and endogamous group) of Birbhum district, West Bengal and (2) also to find out age related changes in haemoglobin level of the Santal labourers. Material and methods: Cross sectional data have been collected on age and haemoglobin level from 697 adult (male = 301 and female = 396) Santal labourers of both sexes of Birbhum district, West Bengal. The data have been classified into five age groups (<30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60+). Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) used separately for males and females. Results: Mean haemoglobin level of the study participants were 12.60±1.88 and 10.86±1.34 for males and females respectively. Around 60 per cent males and 80 per cent females were classified as anaemic. ANOVA depicts significant difference in haemoglobin level between/ among age groups for males but not in females. A gradual decline in haemoglobin levels observed with increment of age only in males. Discussion: Present study indicates that haemoglobin level gradually declines with progression of age in males but such consistent pattern was not observed in females. However, it is difficult to conclude with this small sample size and a particular population. Further, studies in different populations with large sample sizes are needed considering concomitant factor affecting haemoglobin level to make a generalized statement.