Full Description
Studies of specific mountain areas have almost invariably been contextualized within an integrated picture of highlands in opposition to an 'other'-the lowlands. The Himalayas have not been an exception. It has been long contended by anthropologists that the inhabitants of the lower Himalayas-stretching from Kashmir to eastern Nepal-share common cultural and historical traditions. Studies show that several characteristics such as, inter-caste relations, marriage customs, the status accorded to women, religious practices and dietary habits, distinguish pahari people from the inhabitants of the plains.
This book presents a discussion on the broad aspects in which Himalayan societies are markedly different from the adjacent lowlands of South Asia. The essays engage with some of the key institutions and traditions associated with these differentiating areas. They also illustrate the diversity within them, emphasizing that while certain customs are broadly representative of a shared Himalayan culture, there is no single underlying rationality for the entire region. The internal variations that have evolved historically within Himalayan societies still persist.
Contents
INTRODUCTION ; CHETAN SINGH; I. ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN RESPONSE ; 1. Diverse Livelihood Strategies and the Changing Economy of Colonial Uttarakhand Dhirendra Datt Dangwal ; 2. Diversity of Nature Conservation Practices in Himachal Pradesh Sanjeeva Pandey ; II. GENDER, SOCIETY, AND ETHNICITY ; 3. Diversity as Counter-hegemony: Reet and Gender Relations in Himachal Pradesh Yogesh Snehi ; 4. Diverse Forms of Polyandry and Customary Rights of Inheritance and Landownership in the Western Himalayas Chetan Singh ; 5. The Subaltern Speak in the Bhutanese Lozey: A Critique of Two Indigenous Dzongka Texts Jaiwanti Dimri; ; 6. Cultural Diversity, Social Exclusion and Identity Politics in Nepal Hari Prasad Bhattarai ; III. THE MANY WAYS OF RELIGION ; 7. Archaeology of an Extinct Religious Tradition: Bonpos of the Western Himalaya Laxman S. Thakur; ; 8. Deep Ecology and Buddhism: Imperatives for the Himalayan Region Bharati Puri ; 9. Pluralism in Kashmiri Religious Traditions Mushtaq A. Kaw ; IV. EXPRESSIONS OF FOLK TRADITION ; 10. The Diversity of the Ramayana Tradition in the Garhwal Himalaya D. P. Saklani ; 11. Folk Expression and Imagination in a Himalayan Festival: Diversity as Reflected in Kumaoni Holi Girija Pande ; 12. The Changing Face of Banthda: Folk Drama of Mandi and Suket in Himachal Pradesh Meenakshi F. Paul ; CONTRIBUTORS
