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This article is a textual analysis of some aspects of the Vhaven?a’s mythologies that are largely linked to Lake Fundudzi. The article shows that the Vhaven?a like most African societies either trace or connect their life from or with water. Various forms of initiations and rituals in Tshiven?a culture thematically employ representations of Lake Fundudzi as both the place of the Vhaven?a’s origin and cosmic reunion with their livingdead. Although Lake Fundudzi is a closely guarded arena, which makes it difficult for one to gain wholesome knowledge about the myths and philosophies that surround it, two Vhaven?a poets, Daniel Malivhadza Ngwana and Azwifaneli Fanie ?etshivhuyu, have nevertheless provided glimpses into the Vhaven?a’s mythological perceptions and metanarratives of and about the Lake. Ngwana’s (1958) poems, Dzivha Fundudzi and Fundudzi and ?etshivhuyu’s poem, Dongodzivhe framed this article’s discussion of the mytho-aesthetic aspects that inform the Vhaven?a’s perception of Lake Fundudzi. This article is a self-reflexive interrogation of Tshivenda lore, and mythology with particular reference to Lake Fundudzi as thematised in some Tshiven?a poems. Although the selected poems were insightful in their commentary on Lake Fundudzi, this article, however, still has limitations in that it did not consider face-to-face engagements with the Vhaven?a who are well-versed in the mythology and mysteries that surround the Lake. It is hoped that this article will serve as a springboard for further research on the subject in question.
Keywords: Cosmology,Culture, Dzivha Fundudzi, Mythology, Poetry, Tshiven?a

An urban reality, ghettoes express urban stratification, economic and socio-cultural inequalities characterizing migrant lives. While ethnic ghettoes have reinforced community solidarities and cultural survival, it has also ushered in exclusion for the cultural community, whereby the ghetto has become a ‘state of mind’. This applies to Indian Muslims, who have clustered themselves into segmented enclaves for ‘being safe’ in a social milieu characterized by exclusion. This focus upon religious segregation in explaining ghettoes, have diverted attention away from the role of the state and how power structures reinforce marginalization of religious communities in urban contexts. Based upon fieldwork and secondary data exploration, the paper seeks to investigate the contours of marginalization that characterize Delhi’s populous Muslim ghetto, Jamia Nagar. It explores how state neglect has relegated this Muslim enclave towards the city’s margins. Apart from reinforcing urban exclusion, state action and inaction speak volumes about the stratified urban landscape that Delhi is as a capital city.
Keywords: Ghetto, segregation, Jamia Nagar, Batla House, Muslims, State, Delhi

In recent years, environmentalists and scholars of religion have shown an enormous interest in the pan-Indian phenomenon of “sacred groves,” small forests or stands of trees whose produce is set aside for the exclusive use of a deity. This article seeks to contribute to scholarship on the concept of sacredness and its use in management of natural areas that were called sacred groves. First, we describe the concept of sacredness in Hindu philosophy. Second, we contextualize the discourse about attributing sacredness to area/vegetation in the history of the region to uncover old paradigms that inform present-day beliefs and practices. The creation of sacred groves for deities [not always the forest one] provided opportunities to conserve the essential resources and provided the required environmental services to the society that is doing such practices. We conclude that the current situation of missing conservation-oriented protection may lead to environmental degradation and thus reviving the traditional knowledge systems is vital to achieve the sustainable conservation in sacred groves.
Keywords: Sacred groves, environmental conservation, traditional knowledge systems

Many social scientists particularly geographers prefer to operationalize seemingly more encultured and embodied concepts, such as place, environment, landscape, etc., in their studies than the earlier abstract concept of space. Now qualitative inquiries into human behaviour in a spatial context emphasizes on studying everyday activity patterns by spatial scientists, geographers and social anthropologists. The concept of territoriality and significance of a section of the River Hooghly is emphasized in the paper focusing on the banks (ghats) that evolved in pre- colonial native Calcutta. The paper strives to examine the complex and multifaceted ways in which aspects of religious practice interact with processes of social construction on the ghatscape and the ritualscape; the rituals taking place in special sacred spaces. Associated with this sacred socio-cultural aspect is social and economic cohesion through the various rites and related trade and commerce of religious ingredients. Based on literature survey the work is supported with primary data adopting a qualitative ‘micro scale’ and a ‘practice-oriented’ research approach. It is only through ethnography that religious meanings can be perceived and analysed so an ethnographically grounded theory has been put forth explaining the notions of place and space. Classification of ghats were done based on observation of functions on a socio –cultural and socio- economic basis and mapping based on Google Earth. This paper attempts conceptualizing the relationship between the significance and meaning of micro-social actions and larger- order structures such as institutions, and to understand the socio-spatial dynamics driving socioeconomic phenomena. This study is unique in that it attempts to showcase how early religious significance of the ghats is still vibrant in this present day neo liberalised contemporary urban cultural setting. The field study was done in the pre Covid period and so the Covid 19 and post Covid19 situational analysis is beyond the scope of this paper.
Keywords: river, ghat, ghatscape, religion, ritualscape, every day practices

This ethnographic paper documents the customary practices of Chuktia Bhunjia tribe of Odisha relating to marriage, divorce, life cycle, properties inheritance, ecological relationship, etc., and associated customary laws and punishments on beaching those practices using anthropological techniques largely interview, case study and narrative approach. The nature of crimes and consequent punishments given to the accused have also been elaborated with substantial case studies on incestuous, adultery, killing of cow, violation of marriage rules, etc. While understanding persistence of such customary practices and laws, attempts have been made to understand any factors shaping the persistence and changes in their customary laws; and discusses how the interplay of material culture, purity-pollution and customary laws have becoming a mechanism of social control and social interaction till today despite intervention of statutory laws. This study found that customary laws play significant roles in maintaining social cohesion within society. Yet the way Chuktia Bhunjia have instituted their system of governance via-a-vis custom shows that patriarchy is in operative where women are always found to have been from public participation and decision making in which not only their freedom or autonomy is controlled but their rights, entitlement and life are subjugated in the force of custom. Therefore, the assumed egalitarianism of tribal society is proved to be false in the context of Chuktia Bhunjia.
Keywords: Customary court, institutions, crime, punishment, justice, inheritance of properties, material culture, identity

This research article examines how ethno-rock art research explains the scope, purpose, and significance of rock art in contemporary human culture. It can clarify the most opaque aspect of rock art, namely, its purpose. The research article gave a summary of the study’s ‘theory of ethno-rock art’.To support the viewpoint of a work on the aforementioned concerns, the ‘Structure of Ethno-rock Art’ is constructed with the goal of creating the simplest approach of comprehending the nature and scope of rock art. Though the major focus of this research work is on the theory of ethno-rock art and the structure of ethno-rock art, the author also mentioned the following to support the above viewpoint:rock art and ethno-rock art study: paradigm shift, foundation of ethno-rock art study, universal value of rock art study, methodological shift, transformation of human settlement: need of time and living memory about nomenclature. The findings also demonstrated that rock art professionals can use the same application method to get more accurate rock art study results. However, existing experts are few in contrast to other disciplines of archaeology and excellent in their field of specialisation, but I believe that all work is on the verge of success until and unless the explaining the purpose of rock art.From a safety standpoint, this study stresses the importance of considering the impact of this study approach with the help of specialists from various backgrounds. This could open up new possibilities for this project in the future.
Keywords: Ethno-Rock Art, Living Memory, Mythology, Folklore-Folktale, Psychogenetic

Malnutrition is a serious emerging public health issue directly related to human health concerns of all ages starting from infancy to senescence. India, being a low-to-middle income country with a large population, is facing major challenges to combat the nutritional gap that persists mainly among nutritionally vulnerable segments of the population. Prevalence of triple burden of malnutrition encompasses both undernutrition and overnutrition with the addition of micronutrient deficiencies. The objectives of the present review paper are to evaluate the various nutritional issues related to the triple burden of malnutrition in the population. Further, the paper also focuses on the recent trends, factors, causes, and consequences that have led to a shift from "Double-Burden" to "Triple Burden" of malnutrition with special reference to Indian populations. Further, the appropriate interventions and recommendations have been discussed to face the challenges regarding the triple burden of malnutrition among nutritionally vulnerable segments of the population.
Keywords: Deficiencies, Micronutrient, Overnutrition, Public Health, Undernutrition