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This book examines the new orientations in the writing of cultural histories of India from the pre-colonial and early modern period to the postcolonial and contemporary era. It analyses the 'materialist' turn through wide-ranging textual, visual, aural, ritual, and spatial resources like eighteenth-century scribal literature in western India, art deco architecture in twentieth century Calcutta, circulating heads in Naga hills, and Mayawati's monuments in Lucknow.
List of contents
- List of Illustrations
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction: New Cultural Histories of India: Materiality and Practices by Partha Chatterjee, Tapati Guha-Thakurta, and Bodhisattva Kar
- PART I: THE TEXTUAL
- PART II: THE VISUAL
- PART III: THE AURAL
- PART IV: THE RITUAL
- PART V: THE SPATIAL
- Notes on Contributors
About the author
Partha Chatterjee is Professor of Anthropology and South Asian Studies, Columbia University, and Honorary Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSC).
Tapati Guha-Thakurta is Director and Professor of History, CSSSC.
Bodhisattva Kar is Fellow in History, CSSSC.
Summary
This book examines the new orientations in the writing of cultural histories of India from the pre-colonial and early modern period into the postcolonial and contemporary era. It analyses the 'materialist' turn through wide-ranging textual, visual, aural, ritual, and spatial resources like eighteenth-century scribal literature in western India, art deco architecture in twentieth century Calcutta, contemporary urban spaces, early illustrated Bengali almanacs, circulating heads in Naga hills, football in Calcutta's politics, performance and film-making studies in south India, and Mayawati's monuments in Lucknow. The essays examine how recent interdisciplinary studies have enriched our understanding of cultural pasts and presents. Providing an overview of the popular and public manifestations of cultures over time, this volume traces the distinct trajectory of cultural histories of India. It highlights the need for a more dynamic formulation of new cultural history of India in the present era of globalization.
