The Panorama of Odisha's Rural Culture: A Kaleidoscopic View

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This book attempts to present the rich and diverse culture of Odisha which has evolved over the ages and is very much synchronised with the social and economic lives of the people of the state.

They have their roots in the traditions, conventions, and practices since time immemorial and for a long time they were the source of rural solidarity, rural economy and were dominating the rural social lives and polity. But there is no authenticated documentation on these elements of culture of Odisha which has led to the design of this book. The book documents the typicality of the culture starting from taboos and folklore to customary laws and rural festivities. It has also tried to capture the unique role played by temple culture in the evolution of rural settlements and how till date it controls the rural cultural practices, the scenarios and situations of the rural market, rural cuisine, and rural sports. Added to this it has brought into its ambit a chapter on the handloom haat which not only exhibits the exquisite handloom products but the way it provides life and livelihood to the local rural settlers. All these integral components of Odisha's rural culture have been picked up from specific districts of the state which symbolise the uniqueness of the rural little traditions and the way they contribute to the great tradition of the state.

PROF NAVANEETA RATH (b.1965) a professor at Utkal University Odisha has been teaching Sociology for the last 33 years. Her area of interest pertains to Gender Studies, Environmental Sociology,and Development Sociology. She is an active researcher who has published more than 50 articles in various national and international journals. She was a consultant to the World Bank, the UNDP She has published 5 books and has edited around 65books. Right now, she coordinates the Global Center for Rural Studies created as a Center for Excellence under RUSA-II.

DR SWAYAM PRALAMISHRA/D1985 has done her MA and PhD in Economics from University of Hyderabad. She was the topper of her batch and has received 2 gold medals in her Masters. She is currently serving as Assistant Professor at the department of Analytical and Applied Economics, Utkal University. Prior to this, she was working as Assistant Professor in the Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad. She is also the Co-coordinator of the Global Center for Rural Studies, a CoE under RUSA 2.0 at Utkal University.

DR. RASHMITA SAHOO (b.1976), an Asst. professor stage III has been teaching in the PG Department of Business Administration at Utkal University for the last 12 years. Her area of interest hovers around Finance and Economics. Right now, she is the co-coordinator of the Global Center for Rural Studies created as a Center for Excellence under RUSA-II. She has published more than 50 articles in various national and international journals and has authored 3 books.

Miss ADYASHA SAHOO (b.1996), is currently pursuing her PhD. in Sociology at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha under the supervision of Prof. Navaneeta Rath. After attaining her Master's Degree from Pondicherry University, she started working in the field of Sociology of Development and Environment with a focus on Natural Resource Management (Water).

A book of this kind speaks about the special identity of the rural space in the context of Odisha. Odisha is primarily rural in its structure. Its composition today is an extension of its rural traditions and practices, though cultural dynamics are noted due to the impacts of modernisation. Odisha's rural culture is ancient and rich. It has integrated the influences of both the Aryan and the Dravidian traditions. Thus, the structure of the Odishan society is encoded in the space of its rural settlement, which has a pervasive influence on the lives and experiences of its people. So, understanding Odishan society demands an understanding of its deep-rooted culture and the culture which has grown in its rural spaces. But over the ages due to the factors of modernisation, globalisation, this rural culture is in the process of transformation. Many of its elements do not have proper documentation. There is an apprehension that without proper documentation and due to the dynamics of development and the hegemonizing effects of western culture and urban practices and the homogenising character promoted through globalisation, the rural culture may come to extinction. The future generation and the researchers can hardly have any reference to and insight into these glorious elements which have sustained the lives, livelihood, experiences, and solidarity of the rural people and have contributed to the growth of the great Odia culture.

In this attempt, this book tries to capture some of the specific elements of Odisha's rural culture which make it unique and needs to be recorded. Further, it tries to find out their historicity. the process of their evolution, and their contributions to rural lives over the years. It needs to be understood that Odisha's rural culture is not uniform or homogenous in character. There is a wide range of diversities from space to space.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages