Page 66 - SST Class 07

CASE STUDY
Bengal

Bengal has always enjoyed a rich cultural heri-
tage. A variety of songs, dances, language and
literature have always been the pride of Bengal.
Bengali is the distinct language of Bengal. It is
derived from Sanskrit, it also includes tribal
languages, persian and even European lan-
guages.
This blending of words from many languages Folk Drama Called Jatra
make Bengali a very rich language. Poets like temples. It is significant that many of these
Jayadeva who composed the Gita-Govinds temples were built with the support and contribu-
based on the divine couple Krishna and Radha tion of craftmen, artisans and other ordinary
or the Bhakti songs in the language of the masses people.
enriched Bengali language and culture.
Different regions of India developed distinctive
The rich cultural heritage of Bengal can also be food habits based on locally available items of
seen in its varied folk music and folk musical food. For example, fish emerged as the distinc-
instruments. Folk musical instruments like banshi tive food items of Bengal. Because of the avail-
(flute), behala (violin), ektara (one-string instru- ability of plenty of fish in the rivers of Bengal
ment) and classical musical instruments like sitar, even poor Bengalis made fish their staple diet.
sarod, tanpura, tabla and harmonium contrib- Even Brahmanas who never have non-vegetarian
uted to the richness of Bengali music. food, made an exception in Bengal. Bengali
Folk drama called Jatra is another contribution of Brahmanas too, became fish-eaters. Thus, fish
Bengali culture. These folk-plays are based on emerged as an essential food for the people of
social and historical themes and are still regularly Bengal.
performed and appreciated in Bengal. Conclusion : Thus growth of the regional
Temple building has also been a part of Bengal’s culture of Bengal tells us that in different regions
cultural heritage. Local deities who were earlier of India distinctive and unique culture was
worshipped in the thatched huts in the villages, developed.
began to be worshipped in brick and terracotta

Terminology

Hybrid : a thing made by combining two different elements
Enlightenment : understanding
Distinctive : characteristic of one person or thing and so serving to distinguish it from others
Gallantries : polite attention or respect given by men to women.
Entrenched : firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change; ingrained
Immolated : kill or offer as a sacrifice, especially by burning

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