E-Book
E-Book, Englisch, 228 Seiten
Living with Bengali Bauls
E-Book, Englisch, 228 Seiten
Reihe: Routledge South Asian Religion Series
ISBN: 978-1-351-35759-3
Verlag: Taylor & Francis
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)
Noted for their haunting melodies and enigmatic lyrics, Bauls have been portrayed as spiritually enlightened troubadours traveling through the countryside in West Bengal in India and in Bangladesh.
As icons of Bengali culture, Bauls have long been a subject of scholarly debates which center on their esoteric practices, and middle class imaginaries of the category Baul. Adding to this literature, the intimate ethnography presented in this book shifts the focus slightly. Adopting a narrative approach, it recounts the life histories of members from a single family, shining light on their past and present tribulations bound up with being poor and of a lowly caste. The ethnography presented indicates that taking up the Baul path is a means of softening the stigma of their lower caste identity. Religious practice, where women play a key role, renders the body pure. The path is also a source of monetary income in that begging is considered part of their vocation. For women, the Baul path has the added implication of lessening constraints of gender. While the book describes a family of singers and renouncers, it also portrays the wider society in which they live, showing how their lives connect and interlace with non-Baul villagers, a theme not previously explored in literature on Bauls.
A novel approach to the study of women, the body and religion, this book should be of interest to graduates and undergraduates in the field of the anthropology. In addition, it should appeal to students of religion, and everyday religious lives, especially through case status in South Asia. The book provides further evidence that renunciation in South Asia is not a uniform path, despite claims to the contrary. There is also a special interest in Bauls among people familiar with the Bengali speaking region, and this book speaks to that interest.
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As icons of Bengali culture, Bauls have long been a subject of scholarly debates which center on their esoteric practices, and middle class imaginaries of the category Baul. Adding to this literature, the intimate ethnography presented in this book shifts the focus slightly. Adopting a narrative approach, it recounts the life histories of members from a single family, shining light on their past and present tribulations bound up with being poor and of a lowly caste. The ethnography presented indicates that taking up the Baul path is a means of softening the stigma of their lower caste identity. Religious practice, where women play a key role, renders the body pure. The path is also a source of monetary income in that begging is considered part of their vocation. For women, the Baul path has the added implication of lessening constraints of gender. While the book describes a family of singers and renouncers, it also portrays the wider society in which they live, showing how their lives connect and interlace with non-Baul villagers, a theme not previously explored in literature on Bauls.
A novel approach to the study of women, the body and religion, this book should be of interest to graduates and undergraduates in the field of the anthropology. In addition, it should appeal to students of religion, and everyday religious lives, especially through case status in South Asia. The book provides further evidence that renunciation in South Asia is not a uniform path, despite claims to the contrary. There is also a special interest in Bauls among people familiar with the Bengali speaking region, and this book speaks to that interest.
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Weitere Infos & Material
Introduction
1. Caste is still Important
2. Gardens of Delight: Food and Yogic Sex
3. Initiation and Begging for Alms
4. Festivals and Programs
5. Death in a Family
Conclusion
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