Folklore day at Kalyani University celebrates north-east culture
The Statesman | 25 August 2025
Folklore is not just a relic of the past but a living testament to the imagination, identity, and resilience of communities across the world. On Friday, the department of folklore, University of Kalyani, marked World Folklore Day 2025 with a special lecture that turned the spotlight on the rich folk art traditions of northeast India and their evolving realities in the modern age.
The theme of the event, Folk Art of Northeast India: Identity, Continuity, and Emerging Realities, brought together eminent scholars and administrators. The chief speaker, professor Sarit Kumar Choudhury, vice-chancellor of Alipurduar University, delivered a thought-provoking lecture on the diversity of folk art forms of the region. Tracing the intricate link between customs, beliefs, rituals, and creativity, he explored how traditions of tribal communities—from Arunachal Pradesh’s living heritage to the ritual practices of the Wancho tribe’s famed ‘Log Drum’—continue to shape everyday life.
Professor Choudhury underscored that while modernity is altering the cultural landscape, the imagination of indigenous societies remains rooted in their rituals, legends, and symbolic practices. “The folk arts of northeast India are not mere decorative forms; they are repositories of collective memory and identity,” he observed.
The programme, held in collaboration with the Centre for Cultural Studies, also marked a growing academic partnership between Alipurduar University and the University of Kalyani. In his address, Professor Udaybhanu Bhattacharya, dean of the faculty of arts and commerce, stressed the urgent need to reconnect younger generations with folklore. “Preservation is not about archiving folklore in books but about keeping it alive in practice and transmission,” he said.
Echoing similar concerns, professor Sreekanta Gour, dean of education, noted that the department of folklore at Kalyani has already established itself as a significant hub for global folklore studies. “Our goal is to present both Bengali and Indian folklore on the world stage,” he remarked, highlighting the department’s expanding academic influence.
The programme began with a welcome address by Professor Sujay Kumar Mandal of the folklore department, who reflected on the historic significance of the day. He recalled how English antiquarian William John Thoms coined the term “folklore” on 22 August 1846 in The Athenaeum journal—an idea that has since grown into a globally recognised academic discipline. “Today, 178 years later, folklore has become an integral part of social science scholarship,” Professor Mandal said.