Tribal Bengal- Life in the Sub-Himalayan Terai Duars

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About the Book West Bengal is now home to about 5.3 million tribal people; they form five per cent of the total tribal population of India. In the state itself, they comprise 5.80 per cent of the total population. In fact, it can be said that of the people of Bengal, one in every 17 belongs to a tribal community. It is this little-known world of the tribals that this book presents. Contemporary stories and photographs, taken by the author, bring alive many incidents in the lives of these fascinating people.

Tribal Bengal: Life in the Sub-Himalayan Terai Duars is divided into two parts Indo-Mongoloids and the Proto-Australians and Others. Each chapter offers glimpses of the tribal people, their customs and celebrations, the languages spoken and their lifestyle. These are some of the earliest people in the subcontinent who are struggling to combat with the changing socio-economic scenario of the country. This book is an intimate witness to their day-to-day life, amid joys and sorrows.

About the Author Krishnopriyo Bhattacharya has been studying the tribal affairs of North Bengal for more than three decades. He grew up in Kamakshyaguri and Alipurduar and, after getting his B.Com degree from the University of North Bengal in 1980, he joined the West Bengal Government's Backward Classes Welfare Department in the Duars as an Inspector and later shifted to Siliguri. He is a keen photographer and has visited most of the tribal communities of Bengal. Krishnopriyo's published works include two multilingual lexicons on script less tribal speeches in Bengali and the International Phonetic Alphabet; an intensive field study on the tribal predicament of the Bengal-Duars; a sociological study of the contemporary life-struggle of two indigenous communities of North Bengal; a work on tribal ethno-photography, among others.

He has also worked as the Duars correspondent of the Kolkata based dailies, Aajkaal and The Telegraph.

Foreword This book concerns part of India many just through of corridor brings goods 31 the railway with Assam northeastern states. visual image the neck, area has come be known. Before the independence of India, geopolitical was different and movement was either south-north and down Bengal plains Himalayan region. During those earlier this was as Duars in Sanskrit), doors passages the Himalayas. regardless think present-day east-west movement the earlier forms of north-south travels, passing through, of on journey going somewhere else. was reminded read Chicken Neck: Travels in Northeast India. The author, Nandita Haksar, travels from 'across' the Duars Northeast India, which actual destination topic book. the investigation.

view this, is privilege and honour me write the foreword this wonderful book someone who has stayed on with passion and scholarly zeal, carried out research for decades on the indigenous tribal people living the region. This labor love. is double honour have had great pleasure knowing the author early 1990 when, fresh doctoral student from landed doorstep Lebubagan Alipurduar.

Preface The photo-ethnography on tribal Janah. book was capturing tribal with my Them here has inspired Janah's work. However, will happily fulfilled work treated as My home workplace are situated North Bengal have officially among quite some time now. quest for documenting communities intimate witness their day-to-day joys grateful these allowed observe their society, struggling, despondently desperately, to combat rapidly-changing scenario of country.

Like all generated self-interest, one, was predestined be self-sponsored one. Being bereft formal training in both, anthropology an researches such widely dealt-with subject. undertaking the well might many of sophisticated and academically endowed traditions tribal historiography India. But one that look forward earnestly the avid interest common reader who hope less nitpicking m fading tribal people of this part West Bengal.

**Contents and Sample Pages**