https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/4498 2026-04-25T23:58:18Z 2026-04-25T23:58:18Z Singh, Anand https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/4512 2019-03-13T08:10:45Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Mindfulness in Pali Nikayas: Origin and Incubation Authors: Singh, Anand Abstract: Śramana tradition has been instrumental to develop number of meditational practices. Some of these practices are based on rigorous austerities and some of them were evolved on faculty and mental development. The mindfulness tradition developed by the Buddha was based on śramanic tradition and middle path was fundamental of this tradition. It has been a wider debate about origin of this technique. Some have the views that it has been directly seen by the Buddha. The examination of the Pāli Nikāyas show that the Buddha evolved it through experiments and experiences. The impact of Non-Vedic tradition, existing before the time of the Buddha is quite visible on it. The paper explores such ideas and trying to introspect some fundamentals about its non-Vedic origin

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z Basu, Sibaji Pratim https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/4511 2019-03-13T08:09:09Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Mobilising the Migrants: The Role of the UCRC in the Indian State of West Bengal - A Critical Assessment Authors: Basu, Sibaji Pratim Abstract: International migrants are generally seen either as victims and/or as potentially threatening. The present paper humbly contests these traditional perceptions and tries to probe the issue based on the experiences of the 'heroic' role of the East Bengali migrants from the erstwhile East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh) in 1950s and 1960s in the body polity of the Indian state of West Bengal, and especially the role of an indigenous refugee organisation, namely, the left-dominated United Central Refugee Council or UCRC.Then it seeks to interrogate critically the 'social bases' of the UCRC and tries to capture the dialectics of its relationship with the 'other' subaltern refugee organisations and leaders in the light of recent developments. In this connection it revisits the unsuccessful attempts ofJogen Mandal to launch an effective organisation of the scheduled caste refugees; the process of resettlement of (mostly) dalit refugees at the far away Dandakaranya camp; and lastly reconnects this with the Marichjhapi massacre in the late 1970s and the rise of the subaltern Matuas as one of the catalysts of change or 'parivartan' in the long rule of the LF in West Bengal.

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z Mukherjee, Tumpa https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/4510 2019-03-13T08:06:34Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Underworld in Calcutta/ Kolkata 1946 – 2002 Authors: Mukherjee, Tumpa Abstract: The present article chronicles the dynamic world of crime in Kolkata from 1946 to 2002 through changes in the socio-political landscape of the city. This gory world of crime cannot be analyzed through western discourses. It has its own indigenous nature, structure, values and mode of operandi. The article discusses few salient features of this world such as criminal-politician nexus. The article discusses how traditional crimes such as dacoity, robbery gave way to heinous crime such as kidnapping, extortion and murder. The article discusses the new trends of crime such as ‘supply syndicates’ that have mushroomed in different parts of Kolkata.

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z Jafri, Saiyad Zaheer Husain https://ir.vidyasagar.ac.in/jspui/handle/123456789/4509 2019-03-13T08:05:30Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Chishti Sufis in the Upper Gangetic Valley: Pre-existing Linguistic and Ritualistic Traditions Authors: Jafri, Saiyad Zaheer Husain Abstract: Tasawwuf, its philosophy and practices occupies seminal place in socio-intellectual history of Indian Muslims. For, besides considering State as a sinful entity since the early times, sufis maintained a distance from the Umayyad and Abbasid regimes. They considered, ‘Ali, as the repository of knowledge and inheritor of ‘secrets’. Yet, they never identified themselves with shi’as politically or theoretically. They opposed the sects of kharijites and murjiets, and maintained a distinct identity. Ultimately, tasawwuf emerged as the ‘post-graduate creed of Islam’ and attracted noble and pious souls. The creed of tasawwuf kept on incorporating the newer ideas from the time of Bayazid Bustami’s (d. AD 822) ‘praise be to me as I am Thay’; to Mansur Hallaj’s (d. AD 922) ‘I am Truth’ and finally, to Shaikh Mohi Uddin Ibn Al Arabi’s (d. AD 1240)’Unity of existentialisms’. Such philosophies tend to approve diversity and plurality in society. Hence, the creed of tasawwuf emerged as extremely relevant for the regions with vast non-Muslim population. The Indian sub-continent was an ideal place for the acceptance, development and the growth of this phenomenon. The Indian sub-continent also had the creed of bhakti as (against / along with gyan), recognized way to reach the Ultimate/Truth. The Jain monks and Buddhist Siddhas along with the strong monastic traditions carried forward the tradition of spirituality. These similarities proved beneficial for the sufis to carry forward their tradition to the newer heights. Many dialects were spoken from Multan in the north to the Gujarat in the west, down to the Deccan. These dialects were the major vehicle for the transmission of ideas, but not literary languages. The Sufi intervention contributed in the development of these dialects into full-fledged literary languages, especially during the 13th century, when Shaikh Fariduddin Ganj Shakkar (d. 1265), started writing poetry in Multani/Saraiki (incorporated in the Adi Granth by Guru Arjan). Similarly, Amir Khusrau (d. 1325) also wrote in Awadhi dialect. Numerous Chishti Sufi centers were established in various parts of the Subcontinent; the Shaikh at these centers adopted local dialects, used Persian scripts to compile their writings. An innovative exercise was undertaken by the Chishti Sufis; the genre of premakhyan in line with the Persian Mathnavi tradition was practiced and developed. The characters they have used in their narrations are ‘the heroes of certain local caste groups’. This new genre was used to propagate the Islamic-Sufic ideology through the local dialects. Perhaps, it is too obvious to point out that such tradition became extremely popular in the localities like Dalmau, where Mulla Daud (d.1370?) composed Chandayan, using Lorik and Chanda as the main characters of the story, while Malik Mohammad (d.1540) wrote Padmavat at Jais using Padmavati and Ratansen as the main protagonists of his narration. Similarly, we find certain ritualistic forms of Indian traditions, were adopted by the Chishtis; such as making use of the sandal paste and the indigenously developed ceremony of Gagar in their celebrations. The way Sam’a, became an integral part of the Chishti celebrations with traditional musical instruments, irrespective of the ongoing debates on its being permitted/lawful/banned, became a testimony of the pluralistic ethos of the sufis during the last millennium. The paper seeks to discuss some of these issues.’

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z