Subaltern Sovereigns
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Peter Berger
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Funded by:
University of Groningen
About this book
Now In Paperback
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The vast and ancient topic of kingship in India has mostly been studied from the perspectives of rulers and other elites. But what constitutes sovereignty viewed from "below"? This book — ethnographic and comparative in its essence — deals with indigenous conceptualizations of sovereignty taking as its starting point a local proverb that connects the ritual (Dasara) of the king with festivals performed by his "tribal" subjects. The first part of the book initially introduces some pan-Indian ideas of kingship and proceeds to discuss indigenous notions of sovereignty as represented in rituals and myths in the region concerned (highland Odisha). The second part is devoted to the investigation of the proverbial performances. Mainly based on historical sources first the Dasara festival of the king is discussed, subsequently the indigenous rituals are described and analyzed, which the author ethnographically documented around the turn of the millennium. Ultimately, the proverb and the rituals constitute the idea of a sacrificial polity in which rulers and ruled share sovereignty in the sense that they are co-responsible for the flow of life.
Author / Editor information
Reviews
synthesis, and I agree with many of its conclusions." Raphaël Rousseleau in: Anthropos 119.2024
Topics
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Frontmatter
I -
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Preface
VII -
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Contents
XI -
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1 Introduction: A Proverb and Its Protagonists, Their Rituals and the Region
1 - Part One: Kings, Subjects and Subaltern Sovereigns
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2 Some Pan-Indian Ideas about Kingship
41 -
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3 Indigenous Views on Kingship
64 -
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4 Kings and Tribes: History and Models of Their Relationships
108 - Part Two: Proverbial Performances
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5 Royal Rituals in Comparative Perspective: The King’s Dasara
153 -
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6 Rituals of Rice and Rebellion: The Ganga Festival of the Joria
218 -
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7 Of Millet and Mounds: The Nandi Festival of the Joria
270 -
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8 A Festival of “Flowers:” The Bali Jatra of the Mali
312 -
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9 Transformations of the Dead: The Go’ter of the Gadaba
356 -
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10 Conclusion: Navigating Life
396 -
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Appendix 1: Glossary of local terms (including botanical names)
405 -
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Appendix 2: Myths
413 -
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Appendix 3: Nandi song (Nandi git)
437 -
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Bibliography
441 -
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List of Tables
461 -
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List of Maps
463 -
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List of Photos
465 -
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Index
467
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