West Bengal
Karam Puja in West Bengal: A Folk Festival of Fertility, Nature, and Communal Prosperity
By: ARUP MAJUMDER, SARNALI DUTTA – Karam Puja, celebrated primarily by tribal communities in eastern India, holds significant cultural and religious importance in West Bengal, particularly in districts such as Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, and parts of Birbhum. Rooted in agrarian traditions, the festival centers on the worship of Karam Devta (the god of fate, productivity,…
Nutritional Status and Physical Growth of School-Going Children (6–10 Years): A Comparative Study of Boys and Girls in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal
By: SUDIPTA DAS – Childhood is a crucial period for physical growth and development and reflects the overall health and nutritional status of a population. This study aimed to assess the physical growth and nutritional status of school-going children aged 6–10 years in the Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. A cross-sectional study was…
The dual narratives of Indian cinema: Glorified smugglers and the silence on India’s deforestation crisis
By: MIR AZAD KALAM, SAPTAMITA PAL – This paper examines the contradictions between popular cinematic narratives and ecological realities in India, focusing on recent films such as Pushpa. The film’s protagonist– a wood smuggler turned community saviour – is depicted with empathy and heroism, despite his involvement in the illegal trade of Lal Chandan (Red…
Rural–urban differentials in selection intensity: Insights from fertility and mortality indicators in Howrah district of West Bengal
By: MIR AZAD KALAM, SAPTAMITA PAL – Darwinian principles of natural selection highlight fertility and mortality differentials as key drivers of evolutionary change. Quantifying these pressures with demographic selection indices provides insight into how health disparities shape evolutionary dynamics in human populations. This study examines rural–urban differences in the intensity of natural selection in Howrah…
The Spatial Distribution of Undernutrition among Young Children in West Bengal: A Report from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), India
By: SK ANAMUL HOQUE, MD ANISUJJAMAN, SADARUDDIN BISWAS – Proper nutrition is essential for every child and at every stage of human development. A malnourished child is likely to experience various illnesses and mental health issues and may also face early death. Even after seventy-five years of independence, child malnutrition remains a significant challenge in…
A Comparative Study on Marriage Customs of Two Hindu Bengali Communities in Kolkata Metropolis of India
By: ARUN MAKAL – This article explores the distinct marriage customs of two Hindu Bengali communities in West Bengal: the Brahmins and the Poundra-Kshatriyas. It delves into the rituals, actions, and symbols integral to the marriage processes of these groups in Kolkata. The Brahmins, at the top of the caste hierarchy, have specific marriage rituals…
Triple Burden of Malnutrition (TBM) among the adults Gope of Purulia district, West Bengal, India
By: SHIULE GOPE, LATU LAL MAHATA, KAILASH CHANDRA, SADARUDDIN BISWAS – The relationship between the diet of a mother and the wellbeing of a fetus and an infant continues to be a matter of great importance despite uncertainty and controversy because of various dimensions attached to it. The current study was undertaken to reveal the…
Anthropometry Based Nutritional Status among the Adult Birhors: A Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (Pvtg) of Purulia District, West Bengal, India
By: SADARUDDIN BISWAS, LATU LAL MAHATA, SHIULE GOPE, KAILASH CHANDRA – The tribal population is at a higher risk of undernutrition. It which leads to different deficiency diseases and even death by decreasing body immunity. The problem of undernutrition is more severe among pvtgs. Therefore, the present paper aims to investigate the prevalence of undernutrition…
Assessment of socio-economic status, food security and socio-demographic factors associated with birth weight among the tribal children of West Bengal, India
By: BISWAJIT MAHAPATRA – Socioeconomic status and food security are very important factors related to livelihood. Agriculture is the basic source of income for tribal people. The present study assesses the socio-economic status, food security, agricultural land, paddy crop production and consumption among two tribal communities in West Bengal, India. It determines the relationship between…
Iodine Deficiency Disorders among School-Aged Children with Special Reference to West Bengal, India
By: MAMPI DEBNATH, SHREYASI ROY, JAYDIP SEN – The mineral iodine is required by our body to make thyroid hormones which, in turn, control the body’s metabolism and other important functions like bone and brain development in infants. Deficiency in iodine leads to a wide range of health issues in individuals collectively known as Iodine…
Menopausal Transition and Women Health: A Study among the Mid-life Women of Kolkata, India
Bengali-Hindu community, body compositions, cardiovascular system, India, musculoskeletal system, Peri menopause, post menopause, West BengalBy: SOHELI GUPTA, JOYEETA THAKUR, MONALI GOSWAMI – Women’s mid life through and after menopause is associated with somatic problems like obesity, loss of skeletal muscle and bone mass, cardiovascular diseases and hyperglycemia. The present study is an endeavour to understand the impact of menopausal transition on cardio vascular risk factors and musculoskeletal system among…
Empowerment of women through Self Help Group (SHG): An anthropological study
By: ASHIM DAS, ANANYA HOTA, DIPAK KUMAR MIDYA, RATAN K. SAMANTA – The empowerment of women is one of the central issues in the process of development of countries in all over the world. India has a glorious tradition of recognizing the importance of empowering women over several centuries now. In recent decades, empowerment of…
Literacy Trends and Differences of Scheduled Tribes in West Bengal: A Community Level Analysis
By: SARNALI DUTTA, SAMIRAN BISAI – The present paper is based entirely on secondary sources of information, mainly drawn from the 2001 and 2011 Censuses of India and West Bengal. In this paper, an attempt has been made to analyse the present literacy trends of the ethnic communities of West Bengal, and comparing the data…
Factors associated with the utilization of maternal health care services among Lodha women in West Bengal, India
India, Lodha women, Maternal health care services, socio-demographic factors, supply side factors, West BengalBy: NANDINI GANGULY, SUBHO ROY – The objective of the present study was to find out the trends in utilization of maternal health care services by the Lodha women. Furthermore, attempt has also been made to identify the factors contributing to the utilization of maternal health services. The study has been conducted among the Lodha…