Bagals of border Bengal
Subtitle: a cattle herding community in search of identity
By: Swapan Kumar Chakraborty
Publisher: Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Kolkata, India
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 142
ISBN-13: 9788192297422
Subjects: Bagals; Ethnic identity; Ethnicity; Cattle herders
Notes: "Memo. no. 127"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 139-142).
Table of contents: label: Chapter – 1; label: Introduction
title: covers ethno historical situations of some tribe and caste groups in the Indian scene, cultural characteristics of Border Bengal, scheduling of some groups after independence, a brief note on identity problems, objectives and methodology of this work.; label: Chapter – 2; label: The Setting
title: shows geo-physical situations within which the Bagals live along with other tribes and castes.; label: Chapter – 3; label: The People
title: analyses the myths of origin and migration of the people, population structure, food habits, literacy, languages for communications of the Bagals of the villages selected for study.; label: Chapter – 4; label: Material Culture
title: focuses on the different materials and equipment made and used by the Bagals to satisfy their day-to-day needs.; label: Chapter – 5; label: Economic Life
title: illustrates the occupational structure of the Bagals with an emphasis on their different modes of food production, collection of forest and other resources available in the locality, division of labour, land holding pattern, economic interaction in the neighbouring ethnic groups and the weekly markets etc.; label: Chapter – 6; label: Social Organisation
title: delineates the basic structural principles by which the individuals and the group behave and organise to achieve the goal. In this regard different unit of social organisation, viz ., clan, lineage, family, kinship and their interre lationships and functions have been described.; label: Chapter – 7; label: Political Organisation
title: deals with the mechanism of social control of the Bagals when their peace and harmony is disturbed due to various factors, local disputes, violation of societal norms etc.; label: Chapter – 8; label: Life Cycle
title: enlightens different important phases of life, viz., birth, puberty, marriage and death, and also how the different rites and rituals are observed by the Bagals, in connection with these life cycle rites are noted carefully.; label: Chapter – 9; label: Religion
title: an emphasis has been given to understand their different deities, spirits or ghosts and their mode of propitiation, their different rituals, beliefs and practices; and also their involvement and participation in different communities and local festivals. In course of this ethnographic study of the Bagals , cross - cultural comparisons have also been made with some other tribes, viz ., the Santals, the Mundas, and the Lodhas with a view to examine the similarity or distinctiveness of the cultural traits between them. Similarly, emphasis has also been put to co-relate the linkages of the cultural traits with the local Hindu castes.; label: Chapter – 10; label: Conclusion
title: an attempt has been made by the researcher to discuss the cultural identity of the Bagals in the regional social order.