Practiced throughout the dryland regions of the state of Karnataka in south India, Akkadi Saalu is a traditional diverse crop system of farming. Referring to by various names across India, it is a type of rainfed agriculture. … Continue readingAkkadi Saalu: The Culture Of Diversity
The disquiet of the Toda over the loss of visibility is palpable when they recollect communication between hamlets in the past: they would flash mirrors at each other, and hamlets could be seen at distances. Now everything has become “kagar,” or “darkness.” … Continue readingWoody, Thorny, And Predatory Forests
Vimanam’ or ‘Kurankattam’, as this game is called in Southern India, is a 2-player race game played with cowrie shells or stick dice. Earlier studies of game inscriptions suggest the evolution of this game from single track dice games found in India and Srilanka. Irving Finkel, the curator at British Museum in London … Continue readingRacing Ahead On a Vimanam
A Paradigm Beyond “Development” Text: Dr. Bitasta Das Illustrations: Manimekhala Yajaman Sociologically, “development” is the degree of economic growth and
Poda Thurpu – The resilience of the cattle and the community – Kanna K. Siripurapu Photos : Chandrasekhar Nemani Poda
An important folk ritualistic theatre of South Kanara is Bhoota worship, and the foremost feature of this theatre is its association with religion. This worship has a strong tradition and establishes a close relationship with the society and the history of South Kanara. And this relationship has many levels, social, cultural, political, judicial and medical. There are over 350 Bhoota worshipped in the region though not worshipped in every village in the district. Each Bhoota has a specific identity by way of name, sex, place of origin, symbol, and habitation.
… Continue readingProtesting In The Illusionary And Temporal Realm
Jaani, the Sacred Buffalo of Nanda Gaoli Community – Biocultural Diversity of Nanda Gaoli Pastoralist Community of Maharashtra – Ajinkya
“On a hot sunny day, when I was travelling for work across the paddy fields of East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, which is famous for its lush green paddy fields. The sight of the vast expanses of the water filled paddy fields, stretched up to the horizon, iridescently glistening under the bright tropical
… Continue readingWading Over The Muddy Fields
These waters are sustaining the lives of over 80 million people and 600 major industries. Something needs to be done now to save this beautiful river that sustains us. We are killing ourselves and the river at the same time with our short-sighted policies and indiscriminate development.
The Persian wheel, a mechanical water-lifting device, usually operated by drought animals like bullocks, camels, or buffaloes. This wheel is used to lift water from open wells for easy access to water sources. The word Araghatta, a Sanskrit one, comes from the intermingling of two words “ara” which is smoke and … Continue readingTHE PERSIAN WHEEL