Sosobonga

The ritual of reciting the Creation Story and the Asur Story prevalent among the Mundas

Ram Dayal Munda, Ratan Singh Manki

978-93-84465-01-8

adivaani, Kolkata, 2015

Language: Bilingual (Mundari+English)

xxiv+220 pages

5 x 8 inches

Price INR 200.00
Book Club Price INR 170.00
INR 200.00
In stock
SKU
LWB584

In the present context of concern for the environment, the relevance of this story is self-evident. The current global warming and consequential fear of rain—fire and deluge is not mythical but real. In such a situation the audacity of today’s superhuman—that we are the best work of creation and therefore whatever we do is correct, is indicative of an unavoidable calamity. Being the best work of creation does not mean that man has unlimited right to toy with nature. Despite increased growth of scientific knowledge, man should have a humble feeling of his smallness, gratitude and respectfulness towards nature. Nature nurtures us all and therefore it is our duty that we should take care of her. All intents related to this thought are included in the broad canvas of the present story.

Ram Dayal Munda

Ram Dayal Munda (1939–2011), a Munda Visionary, was a scholar, educationist, linguist, writer, musician, tribal activist and a key actor in the creation of the Jharkhand state. He was born in a village in Jharkhand, India and was educated at the universities of Ranchi and Chicago, USA. He taught at the universities of Chicago, Minnesota, Ranchi, Australian National University and Syracuse.

He served as Vice-Chancellor of Ranchi University (1985–1988) and was an active member of several national and international committees on the issues of tribal and indigenous peoples.

He was the Chief President of the Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, New Delhi and in that capacity was a regular participant at the UN Working Group on Indigenous Population, Geneva.

He was bestowed with the Sangeet Natak Akademy award in 2007 and the Padma Shri in 2010 by the government of India to recognize his social, cultural, literary and political contributions. 

His publications include research on languages and cultures with particular reference to the Jharkhand region, fiction and poetry in Mundari, Hindi and Nagpuri, and translations from Hindi, Sanskrit and English.


Ratan Singh Manki

Ratan Singh Manki (1954) is from Kitahatu village in Soyko, Khunti. He matriculated from Khunti and worked in the H.E.C industrial plant, Hatia. He is well versed with the Munda tribe's rituals and ceremonies and currently is the President of Sarna Samaj Kendriya Samiti, Khunti.