Nilanjan Khatua | Anthropological Survey of India, India (original) (raw)

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Papers by Nilanjan Khatua

Selective and Scientific books, New Delhi, 2021

HUMANKIND, Journal of IGRMS, 2012

Museums exist for the people. The main job of anthropological museums is to interact with masses... more Museums exist for the people. The main job of anthropological museums is to interact with masses and educate the society at large by disseminating the knowledge of biological and cultural aspects of mankind from prehistoric era to contemporary times. By and large all anthropological museums have a rich collection of ethnographic objects collected from different ethnic group especially vulnerable communities. Thus, museums are playing more active roles in the regeneration and promotion of the cultural traditions and social histories of local communities, especially the “populations at risk” who are undergoing rapid social change.

To ‘experience’ rather than abstract ‘understanding’` the Indian culture one should make a visit to museums in general and anthropological museums in particular. Anthropological Museum through its exhibits can play a vital role towards empowering the community people highlighting their potentialities in preservation of medicinal plants, water harvesting mechanism, knowledge of traditional architecture, expertise in art and crafts and conservation of forest in the form of sacred grooves, other traditional knowledge, prevalent among the various communities.
Museum is a public institution. It occupies a very important place in democracy. It is run by the people, it stands for the people and it is an institution of the people. Man’s right to knowledge and free use thereof is a key to the success of democracy. Museum, being an agent of education promotes knowledge through its exhibits. The present paper is an attempt to highlight the different dimensions of anthropological museum and how it is relevant to the society or in public domain.

Indian Journal of Anthropological Research Vol. 1, No. 1, March 2022, pp. 15-30, 2022

The paper discusses the changing trend of livelihood strategy of the Melachari tribe in a tiny co... more The paper discusses the changing trend of livelihood strategy of the Melachari tribe in a tiny coral island called Chetlat off the western coast of the Indian Peninsula in the Arabian Sea. This island is within the Union Territory of Lakshadweep and Minicoy. Given the island's extremely limited resources and high density (2255 people per square kilometer), the objective of this research is to highlight the strategies used by the islanders for subsistence and to better understand the livelihood mechanism at two different points of time. The paper also draws attention to the common property resources of their traditional matrilineal family institution called tharvads of the Melachari people and the role of the developmental activities of the Government while analysing their changing livelihood strategy.

A partir d'une enquete realisee chez les Korwa, une societe tribale des Hautes-Terres du dist... more A partir d'une enquete realisee chez les Korwa, une societe tribale des Hautes-Terres du district de Jashpur (Madhya Pradesh, Inde), l'A. donne un apercu du systeme medical traditionnel local : conception de la maladie et de la sante, etiologie, specialistes de la sante et diagnostics, methodes therapeutiques magico-religieuses et phytotherapie.

The Anthropologist, 2001

The Study of women population has now become an essential issue in the domain of social science. ... more The Study of women population has now become an essential issue in the domain of social science. A good number of studies, regarding women have been car-ried out by various sociologists,psychologists, economists and medical scientists. Anthropological knowledge has enabled us to understand the position of the women in so-cieties and world view of their own. Anthropologists have given specific attention to the roles played by the womenfolk and thier behavioural patterns within spe-cific cultural traditions. In the understanding of the role of women and the status, possessed by them attempts have been made here to analyse the socio-cultural dimension together with the economic set up of a primitive tribal community The Kamar.

The paper deals with the process of sustenance of a primitive tribe within the available scarce r... more The paper deals with the process of sustenance of a primitive tribe within the available scarce resource. The Kamars make multiple use of Mahua which has become an imperative necessity for providing food, economic and healthy security for all the members of the community.

Tribal Studies in India

This chapter presents a syncretic tradition of interaction between indigenous and other communiti... more This chapter presents a syncretic tradition of interaction between indigenous and other communities through museum exhibits. Indigenous cultures as diverse as they are, from primitive hunter-gatherers and pastoralists to industrial city dwellers and in terms of diverse life styles tribal, folk and urban, find a proper place in museum. The diversity is often depicted as an integrated pattern of culture in which all the varying forms of cultural life fit like pieces in a mosaic. But for an average Indian, it is difficult to visualize elements of unity in an apparently divergent cultural milieu spread over length and breadth of the country. Under such a situation, museums play a significant role by providing a platform for interaction and education of the society at large and by disseminating the knowledge of biological and cultural aspects of humankind from prehistoric to contemporary times. The discussion in this chapter depicts such a dynamic role of museums. Precisely, present chapter is an attempt to highlight the different dimensions of anthropological museum and how it is useful for envisaging and preserving the tribal culture and their heritage.

Asian Man an International Journal, 2013

This paper tells about the number of measures adopted to preserve the Intangible and Tangible Cul... more This paper tells about the number of measures adopted to preserve the Intangible and Tangible Cultural Heritage with a list of Zonal Anthropological Museums of Anthropological Survey of India. The people of India are known for their cultural diversity and versatility in adapting to the varied ecosystem of the country. Anthropological Museums having a rich collection of ethnographic specimens, collected from different ethnic groups’ mainly tribal communities who provide the people a place for reflection on diverse cultural heritage of indigenous communities. Anthropological museum also provides a strong centre of research because it ensures the preservation and conservation of the cultural heritage of the community through the collection and care of ethnographic objects.