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It is widely accepted among the Tibetan Buddhist societies that, Buddhism as a way of life pay one’s way for spiritual guidance not only for the advance practitionerns but for the lay people to live a life filled with guiding principles of virtue and righteousnouss. Thus,Buddhism encourages, through its precepts, wholesome living which leads eventually to peace and harmony within individuals and among all the fellow human beings. The paper discusses Manilhakhang, a unique institution in Tibetan Buddhism found across Sikkim. The study is a detailed ethnographic account of how women observe and practice religious scriptures in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The paper explores the process of lay women attaining spirituality by prayers and performing Mani (Holy Mantras) during auspicious days in a Tibetan Buddhist calendar year. In a patriarchal system, this was the only space that, though guided by the monks of the monastery, is completely organized by lay women.
Keywords: Buddhism, Manilhakhang, Women, Community, Well-being

The maternal and child health care is one of the most important factors for the development of a society as the future of humankind depends on the sound health of both, without which society cannot sustain properly. The health of the children is related with that of the mother, especially during the pregnancy period that is why utmost care of maternal health is equally important for the sound growth of the child. In Karbi Anglong district, the hill Karbis has its own indigenous way for the care of mother and child. The traditional health seeking behavior of the Karbi tribe is indispensably related to pristine medicare treatment. Presently several changes have percolated in Karbi societies, which encouraged them to adopt modern health care facilities and have also become conscious about the antenatal complications, vaccines and medicare during pregnancy. The present study was carried out to study the conception, birth, care during pregnancy, feeding practices, weaning, restrictions related to food and movement, an indigenous belief system, and modern medicare facilities for mother and child among the hill Karbis of East Karbi Anglong District, Assam, India in a rural context.
Keywords: Birth, Maternal Health, Child Care, Breastfeeding, Weaning.

The primary aim of the present study is to screen individuals exposed to lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) in the workplace. An effort has also been made to document human exposure to these two elements in the environment. The concentrations of lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) have been determined in human scalp hair (HSH) from 355 individuals. The samples comprised individuals of three occupational groups, namely, motor mechanics, leather tannery workers and printers (compositors and machine men). Samples were also collected from their respective controls and from individuals from a rural agricultural population. The hair samples have been initially washed and acid-digested. Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (Flame-AAS) has been used to determine the elemental content. Known factors influencing trace element concentrations in HSH have been controlled. The main statistical tests included one way analysis of variance and Tukey test. Elevated concentrations of both Pb and Cu have been obtained in the scalp hair of individuals comprising the three occupational groups as compared with their respective controls. There were also statistically significant differences between the control samples. It can be concluded that there has been exposure to Pb in both the occupational sector and the environmental sector. This exposure to Pb can be attributed to the usage of Pb-based compounds by these individuals at the place of work in the first case and to environmental-Pb in the second. Since Cu is a metabolically essential element, the diet and the nutritional status of the individuals assume great importance.
Keywords: Lead, Copper, Human Hair, Occupational, Environmental

Rice is one of the world’s important food cereal crop and a main food source for more than a third of the world’s population. It is one of the earliest domesticated plant in the context of socio-cultural evolution of human being. Rice is the prime staple food of entire South-East Asia, including India. It is the prime staple food of different ethnic groups and inhabitants of entire Northeast India as well, including the Karbis of Karbi Anglong in Assam. The prime objective of this paper is to examine the traditional method of rice cultivation as well as the cultural significance of rice among of the Karbis. Primary data were collected through empirical field work by using appropriate anthropological methods. The paper has analyzed in detail how rice is intimately associated with the cultural traditions of the Karbis. It has also discussed about the local varieties of cultivated paddy and their indigenous methods of preservation as well. It has been observed that the concerned people utilized a number of natural resources related to their traditional economic organization and food. They apply their traditional knowledge related to the collection and utilization of different natural resources and to prepare their food.
Keywords: Karbi, Assam, Rice, Jhum Cultivation.

The paper highlights the need to reorient the youth towards precision agriculture, climate smart agriculture etc. available for changing the farming environment for a sustainable and better quality of life .To solve many of the genuine demands of the farmers especially, issues such as climate change, natural calamities, overuse of pesticides, better management of weather and soil data etc., creation of Multipurpose Agricultural Interpretation cum Technical Support Centre like KVK by systematic coordination between Central and state machinery is essential. It intends to trigger a debate on how and why we should attract the rural youth towards smart agriculture mostly based on information available on the internet and the author’s essentially interpretive observations based on field work(especially through Focussed Group Discussion) and consistent exposure in villages of coastal districts of Odisha in the last 15 years. Thus it can usher a new era on modern hi-tech agriculture after the Green Revolution.
Keywords: Interpretation Centre, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Information Technology, Cultural Environment, Hi-Tech Farmer

Genealogist's work is an interesting profession usually practiced by the Brahmins in India. He keeps record of the origin of the family, family history, distribution of family members, migration, clan name, marriage, property inheritance through the genealogical charts. The genealogical data are used by the respective families who consult genealogists for relevant records. The present study deals with one genealogist (1920-1999) and his specialized organization (1926-1964) in Kolkata, which was engaged in genealogical work. The genealogical record is a treasure of information which is also important for tracing the family history of Bengali intellectuals and their past society in undivided Bengal. The study result shows that one can have valuable information on individual as well as on particular family and society. It is now an almost dead tradition due to many reasons. But there is a lot of scope to study these genealogical records in social science in general and anthropology in particular.
Keywords: Genealogist, Record, Bengali Society, History, Genealiogical Chart.