Anna Trynkowska

Indigenous People, Environmental Issues and a Reinterpretation of the Indian Epic Tradition in the Bengali Short Story A Bird’s Mother (Pākhir Mā) by Sunil Gangopadhyay

Introduction

Indigenous people, environmental issues and a reinterpretation of the indian epic tradition in the bengali short story a bird’s mother (pākhir mā) by sunil gangopadhyay. Explore Sunil Gangopadhyay's Bengali short story "A Bird's Mother," analyzing its portrayal of indigenous people, environmental conflicts in rural India, and reinterpretation of the Ramayana epic.

Abstract

This paper deals with the Bengali short story A Bird’s Mother (Pākhir Mā) by Sunil Gangopadhyay (1934–2012). First published in 1964, the story must have been inspired by the recent mass attacks on the indigenous Lodha ethnic group in the Midnapore district of West Bengal and P. K. Bhowmick’s seminal book The Lodhas of West Bengal: A Socio-Economic Study (1963), as well as news about the degradation of Midnapore’s sal forests and the declining numbers of Siberian cranes wintering in India. Combining social and environmental concerns, the story shows how complex interactions between wildlife, indigenous people and agricultural communities can lead to conflict and aggression. The paper analyses the story in detail, focusing on the strategies used by the author to explain attitudes towards indigenous people in rural India. The paper also suggests that the story may be read as a modern reinterpretation of the krauñca-vadha episode from the Rāmāyaṇa.

Review

This paper presents a focused and timely analysis of Sunil Gangopadhyay's Bengali short story "A Bird's Mother (Pākhir Mā)," contextualizing its themes within the social and environmental concerns of 1960s West Bengal. The abstract effectively highlights the story's probable inspirations, including the mass attacks on the Lodha ethnic group, the degradation of sal forests, and the decline of Siberian cranes. By framing the narrative as a response to these pressing issues, the paper establishes the literary work as a significant piece of social commentary, exploring the complex and often conflictual interactions between wildlife, indigenous communities, and agricultural populations. This approach promises a valuable contribution to understanding the intersection of literature, social history, and environmental studies in the region. The analytical approach outlined appears robust, promising a detailed examination of Gangopadhyay's narrative strategies. The paper intends to unpack how the author explains and shapes attitudes towards indigenous people in rural India, a critical inquiry given the historical context of the Lodha persecutions. The explicit connection of the story to P. K. Bhowmick's seminal sociological study on the Lodhas demonstrates a strong grounding in relevant scholarship, ensuring that the literary analysis is informed by an understanding of the real-world issues it addresses. This interdisciplinary lens, combining socio-historical context with literary interpretation, is a particular strength. A compelling and potentially groundbreaking aspect of this research is the suggestion that "A Bird's Mother" can be reinterpreted as a modern rendition of the *krauñca-vadha* episode from the *Rāmāyaṇa*. This proposed intertextual reading introduces a sophisticated layer of analysis, elevating the story beyond its immediate socio-environmental critique to engage with profound and ancient Indian epic traditions. Such an interpretation has the potential to offer fresh insights into Gangopadhyay's literary craftsmanship and the enduring capacity of classical narratives to illuminate contemporary issues. Overall, the paper outlines a rich and multi-layered investigation that promises significant contributions to literary criticism, environmental humanities, and the study of indigenous representation.

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