The village and the forest -- Land and its hierarchies -- Is salt thicker than blood? -- Roughing it with Kali : braving crocodiles, relatives and the bhadralok -- Sharing history with tigers -- Unmasking the cosmopolitan tiger -- Conclusion : beneath the masks, the human face of the Sundarbans
Summary
Acclaimed for its unique ecosystem and Royal Bengal tigers, the mangrove islands that comprise the Sundarbans area of the Bengal delta are the setting for this pioneering anthropological work. The key question that the author explores is: what do tigers mean for the islanders of the Sundarbans? The diverse origins and current occupations of the local population produce different answers to this question - but for all, 'the tiger question' is a significant social marker. Far more than through caste, tribe or religion, the Sundarbans islanders articulate their social locations and interaction
Notes
Originally presented as the author's thesis (Ph. D.)
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-240) and index
