Pronomohi Bongomata : indigenous cultural forms of Bangladesh

This book, based on intensive and extensive field work across Bangladesh in remote places, represents an excellent example of research on the diverse indigenous cultural practices and performances of the rural communities belonging not only to different geographical locations but also from a variety of religious, ethnic, social and cultural background and identities. Saymon Zakaria posed a new challenge to us, we are forced to critically revise our assumptions about the elements and forms of Bangladeshi culture; we need to reconstruct the totality of Bangladeshi culture on a different plane inspired by the living cultural practices of the larger communities of Bangladesh outside the horizon of the urban gaze. It is fascinating to note that Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Vaishnavism, Islam and many indigenous belief systems and cultures co-existed with each other. The number of ethnic communities may surpass the official numbers. Multiple forms of religious, cultural and linguistic diversity across this small country are evident in the book. The ethnic communities of different languages, and their habits and customs also influenced and constituted the forms of Bangla culture. These living cultural forms and their performances in the rural settings have been evolving for thousands of years. Needless to mention, they had undergone changes and transformations and new narratives and discourses are enriching the cultural life of the rural Bangladesh. However, hardly any field based research was conducted to document in what forms they are still evolving, thriving and surviving among the communities as integral elements of their life. This book sets an exceptional example in this context.