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Research on the Interactions between East and West Bengalis from the Perspective of Hindu Festivals

ID: jrp260131

KeywordCoexistence; inclusion and exclusion; Bengali; identity; Hinduism

Many Hindus have lived in West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh since before the Partition of Bengal. However, research on Bengali migrant communities has revealed little interaction between "Bengali Hindus" from the east and west, despite their shared Hindu and Bengali identity. In particular, when organizing annual Hindu festivals, East and West Bengali immigrants form separate organizing committees to conduct the events, even though they utilize nearly identical styles. This phenomenon is also observed within the Bengali community in Japan. A significant number of Hindus who migrated from present-day Bangladesh after the 1947 Partition and the 1971 independence of Bangladesh now reside in the Indian state of West Bengal. Through fieldwork and historical research on Hindu festivals in West Bengal as a case study, this research aims to elucidate the current state of interaction between these groups and the historical background of this regional division.

Date

2026.01.31～2026.03.31

Member

Coordinator : SHIBUYA Toshiki

Co-Coordinator : TOGAWA Masahiko