The Artisans of Banaras: Popular Culture and Identity, 1880-1986

307 Pages·2017·27.54 MB·English

by  Nita Kumar

The Artisans of Banaras

THE
Artisans
of Banaras
Popular Culture and Identity, 1880-1986
NITA KUMAR
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS Princeton, New Jersey
Copyright © 1988 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton,
New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Guildford, Surrey
All rights Reserved
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Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press, Princeton,
New Jersey
Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from the Publications Program
of the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency
Kumar, Nita, 1951-
The artisans of Banaras.
Bibliography: p.
1. Varanasi (India)—Social life and customs.
2. Artisans—India—Varanasi—Recreation. I. Title.
DS486.B4K86 1988 3o6'4'o9542 88-15176
ISBN 0-691-0553 i-g
To my parents
for a wonderful childhood world
and to Shankar and Tara Prasad
for glimpses of a different world

Contents
List of Figures ix
List of Tables xi
Preface xiii
Note on Translation xvii
Abbreviations xix
Introduction 3
Popular Culture 4
History and Anthropology 5
On Identity, and Other Conclusions 7
The Chapters and Their Argument g
1. The Artisans of Banaras 12
The Nature of Work 13
Weavers 14
Metalworkers 25
Woodworkers 33
2. The Question of Identity 40
The Relations of Production 40
The Rhythms of Work 46
The Identity of an Ansari 49
The Identity of a Kasera 57
The Identity of a Woodworker 60
VlI
VlIl CONTENTS
3. The Banaras of the Artisans 63
The Artisans' Mohallas 65
The Nature of Banarasipan 72
4. The Outer Side 83
Bahri Alang as Space 85
Bahri Alang as Time 91
Bahri Alang as Ritual 97
Bahri Alang as Mood 99
Bahri Alang for Muslims 100
The Decline of an Ideal 105
5. The Body and Its Pleasures 111
The Akhara 111
Akhara Ritual and Philosophy 113
The Social Organization of the Akhara 116
The Process of Decline 119
6. The Artisans' World of Music 125
Melas 125
The Burhva Mangal 126
The Monsoon Melas 131
Mandirs and Mazars 140
Musical Styles 147
Mehfils 154
7. Cutting Off the Nose, and Other Obscenities 165
The Four Major Festivals 165
The Nakkatayya of Chaitganj 180
Bharat Milap and Nag Nathayya 197
8. More on the Question of Identity 201
Caste and Class 201
Hindu-Muslim Relations 211
Conclusion 229
Appendix A: Sources and Research Methodology 237
The Limits of Ethnosociology 243
Appendix B: Tara Prasad's Bhang Recipe 244
Glossary 245
Bibliography 253
Index 271
List of Figures
i. Banaras: Population Growth in Comparison with Other Cities 64
2. Banaras: Wards and Population Density 66
3. Banaras: Location of Main Artisan Communities 67
4. Banaras: Location of Cultural Activities 86
5. The Hindu Calendar in Banaras 126
6. The Muslim Calendar in Banaras 138
IX