Memories and Narratives in Transition: A Study of Declining Brata Katha Practices in the Contemporary Bengal

Soumi Sengupta1* and Avradeep Munshi2

Narratives and ritual narratives are structured, symbolic stories that communicate the cultural, religious or social significance of ceremonial actions, providing a framework to understand values and reinforcing community values and identity. Over time when rituals no longer follow the patterns of community and merges into the development process and the disruptive effects of globalisation have reshaped many indigenous practices, along with their associated narratives and belief systems. The present research hence is conducted on reconstructing the data base of some such narratives, which focuses on developing a documentary corpus of selected now infrequently performed by Bengali prevalent narratives Brata Katha rituals (a fasting ritual conducted sometimes after taking a vow, based on prevalent narratives). These Brata Kathas provides a shared framework for understanding actions such as vow-taking, rites of passage, purification, and memorial observances, thereby reinforcing community values, moral expectations, and collective identity. The documentation will be based on oral accounts and personal communications with elderly family members, focusing on their lived experiences and memories of the Brata Kathas. These Brata Kathas explores the understanding of the society on the prospective of the reflection of these narratives on the social milieu and the idealized image of gender within the society. The present study views these memories as a significant cultural archive that can be used to understand the continuity and change.