DOCSLIB.ORG

Health Literacy and Healthcare Utilization: a Study of Bhutia And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

ResearchOriginal ArticleArticle Health Literacy and Healthcare Utilization: A Study of Bhutia and Lepcha Mothers in Pakyong and Dzongu District of Sikkim, India Rinchen OB1*, Bal Rakshase1 and Shanti Suman Tigg2 1Centre for Health, Policy, Planning and Management, School of Health System Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India; 2Centre for Labour Studies and Social Protection, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati, India Corresponding author: Abstract Rinchen OB, Centre for Health, Policy, Planning and Management, Background & Objective: Health Literacy is an important determinant of health School of Health System Studies, Tata alongside general literacy. An individual with limited health literacy is more likely Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India, to make medication errors, and have lesser health knowledge, poor health status, Tel: 8761043039, high probability for hospitalizations, and higher health expenditure compared to an E-mail: tashiongmubhutia85@gmail. individual with adequate health literacy. The objectives of this study is to assess the com health literacy level and to analyze how the health literacy status affects the treatment- seeking behavior and utilization of healthcare services among the two tribes (Bhutia and Lepcha) of Pakyong and Dzongu district of Sikkim by testing Rapid Estimate Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) technique and to compare the health literacy levels to educational status and other socio-demographic characteristics. Materials & Methods: The most commonly used word recognition test (REALM) was administered to assess the HL status of 54 mothers in their reproductive age (15-49 years) mainly the expecting mothers and the mothers with a year old child in Eastern and Northern Sikkim, India. The sum of correctly pronounced words was used to assign a grade- equivalent reading level. Scores 0 to 44 recorded reading skills at or below the 6th grade level, scores from 45 to 60 indicated skills at the 7th or 8th grade level, and scores above 60 depicted skills at the high-school level or higher. Results: The results showed that in both the Lepcha and Bhutia community the Health literacy score was low based on their level of education and age. Age also showed a significant impact on Health literacy score. It was seen that mothers between the age 26-35 years in both the community (i.e. Bhutia 28.60% and Lepcha 71.40%) had significantly higher health literacy score. Conclusion: The study aimed at concluding how the individual’s level of health literacy affects the use of healthcare services. Since health literacy is of continued and increasing concern for health professionals, as it is seen as a primary factor behind health disparities. Therefore, improving health literacy is the key to any health intervention or health promotion. Keywords: Health literacy; Healthcare utilization; Treatment-seeking behaviour; Education; REALM; Health promotion; Bhutia;Lepcha; Sikkim; India Background north-eastern states after induction of NEC, Sikkim was a part of the North Eastern Region as the eighth state in the year 2002. India is a land of diverse, heterogeneous groups wherein 8.6% of the total population comprises of the tribal community. Sikkim is a small landlocked state sharing its borders with North-East India has the highest concentration of tribal Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet and is also the least populous [1] population in the country. The north-eastern states constitute (610,577) state in India. Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim and eight states namely Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Tripura, the only largest city. The sex ratio is 942 females for every 1,000 Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Sikkim. There males (NFHS-4). The common language spoken in the state is Nepali, while Sikkimese and Lepcha are mainly spoken by the are 145 tribes, 78 of which are huge, each with a population of over 5000. The tribes in the north-east mainly live in the hilly This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Com- terrain. The tribes in the north-east vary from the tribes in other mons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows others to parts of India for their historical relations with the colonial and remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is Indian states. The states of the north-eastern region are officially credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms. recognized under the North Eastern Council (NEC) constituted How to Cite this Article: Rinchen OB, et al. Health Literacy and Healthcare Utilization: A Study of Bhutia and Lepcha Mothers in Pakyong and Dzongu in 1971 as the government authority for the development of the District of Sikkim, India. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2021;11:1471-1476. 1471 © 2021 Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research Rinchen OB, et al.: Health Literacy and Healthcare Utilization: A Study of Bhutia and Lepcha Mothers in Pakyong and Dzongu District of Sikkim, India Lepcha and Bhutia community. The general population mostly the basic concepts in health and medicine.[16,17] Subsequently, consists of Nepali. The Bhutia are indigenous people who came the urban-rural divide in terms of accessibility to services or from Tibet during the 14th century and lived in Sikkim, whereas Information Communication Technology (ICT) and the other the Lepcha are the original inhabitants of the area. The Lepcha, social barriers like caste, tribe, gender, the language which Bhutia, Sherpa are categorized as Schedule Tribes. The Bhutia further aggravates health crisis, emphasizes the need and includes the Sikkimese Bhutia, Bhutanese Bhutia, and Tibetan importance of ‘health-literacy’; While ‘health’ has been a Bhutia. There are many ethnic groups in Sikkim some of them ‘tabletop runway’ situation, therefore precision in this regard is are Limboo, Tamang, Rai, Gurung, Chettri. Among these ethnic the matter of fact and this precision is affirmed with ‘health- groups, the four ethnic groups are recognized as STs by the SC/ literacy’, with the improved patient engagement and reciprocal ST (Sikkim) Order Act of 1978. [2] And the Limboo and Tamang flow of knowledge between the provider and the beneficiary. communities were recognized as tribal groups by the SC/ST Therefore ‘Health Literacy’ plays a pivotal role and is the most Orders (Amendment) Act, 2002. significant determinant of health. A minimal amount of literacy in the domain of medicine and medical services surmounts the The State has remained detached from the rest of the country probabilities of the health complexities and the reciprocity of due to its geographical location and terrain and has fallen short knowledge enables the individual for effective utilization of the in securing equal benefits in the developmental process. Though services. ‘Good-Health’ is not only an asset to an individual the State has less industrial and economic development, it has but also immensely contribute directly towards growth & ample forest resources. Cardamom, tea, oranges, apples, ginger, development. Health is now seen as an important contributor and orchids are some of the most significant resources produced. to development rather than an end product of the development. At the same time, agriculture, horticulture, and handloom [18] Thus the improvisation and up gradations in the status of continue to be the main activities of the State. health are directly determined by the ‘Health Literacy’ and The authors took this scenario as an excellent opportunity to not literacy in general. An individual’s educational status may find an association between the DISC personality index and not always reveal his/her reading ability; they usually hide Academic performance (GPA) of dental students in a private their incompetency out of shame. [17] To overcome such issues Saudi Dental School. many tests have been conducted to measure health literacy level. One such test is the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Introduction Medicine (REALM). [19] REALM tests the individual’s ability to Health is the most significant and uncompromising element for pronounce 66 common medical words and lay terms for body any individual. In 1948 the World Health Organization defined parts and illnesses and can be administered in less than two [17,20] health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well- minutes. [3] being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Although low health literacy is a major global problem While the human life-cycle revolves around the wellbeing requiring utmost attention, the issue needs to be addressed and healthy lifestyle, however the key factors associated with immediately in India as ours is the world’s second–largest (1.3 wellbeing of health mentally and physically both are associated billion) populated country. Poor health literacy poses a great with one’s literacy level in health to avail the services at its danger for our economy as healthcare expenditure is increasing best rather than practicing a lifestyle at the sole deference and exorbitantly along with an increasing population growth. In conjecture of the medical practitioner. Over the years, health a country like India where overpopulation, socioeconomic literacy has gained momentum as it is considered as one of the inequalities across states, unequal distribution of resources most important social determinants of health which influences across states and within the states, differences in social status;
Recommended publications
  • Ethnolinguistic Survey of Westernmost Arunachal Pradesh: a Fieldworker’S Impressions1

    Ethnolinguistic Survey of Westernmost Arunachal Pradesh: a Fieldworker’S Impressions1

    This is the version of the article/chapter accepted for publication in Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area, 37 (2). pp. 198-239 published by John Benjamins : https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.37.2.03bod This material is under copyright and that the publisher should be contacted for permission to re-use or reprint the material in any form Accepted version downloaded from SOAS Research Online: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/34638 ETHNOLINGUISTIC SURVEY OF WESTERNMOST ARUNACHAL PRADESH: A FIELDWORKER’S IMPRESSIONS1 Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area Timotheus Adrianus Bodt Volume xx.x - University of Bern, Switzerland/Tezpur University, India The area between Bhutan in the west, Tibet in the north, the Kameng river in the east and Assam in the south is home to at least six distinct phyla of the Trans-Himalayan (Tibeto-Burman, Sino- Tibetan) language family. These phyla encompass a minimum of 11, but probably 15 or even more mutually unintelligible languages, all showing considerable internal dialect variation. Previous literature provided largely incomplete or incorrect accounts of these phyla. Based on recent field research, this article discusses in detail the several languages of four phyla whose speakers are included in the Monpa Scheduled Tribe, providing the most accurate speaker data, geographical distribution, internal variation and degree of endangerment. The article also provides some insights into the historical background of the area and the impact this has had on the distribution of the ethnolinguistic groups. Keywords: Arunachal Pradesh, Tibeto-Burman, Trans-Himalayan, Monpa 1. INTRODUCTION Arunachal Pradesh is ethnically and linguistically the most diverse state of India.
  • Tribes in India

    Tribes in India

    SIXTH SEMESTER (HONS) PAPER: DSE3T/ UNIT-I TRIBES IN INDIA Brief History: The tribal population is found in almost all parts of the world. India is one of the two largest concentrations of tribal population. The tribal community constitutes an important part of Indian social structure. Tribes are earliest communities as they are the first settlers. The tribal are said to be the original inhabitants of this land. These groups are still in primitive stage and often referred to as Primitive or Adavasis, Aborigines or Girijans and so on. The tribal population in India, according to 2011 census is 8.6%. At present India has the second largest population in the world next to Africa. Our most of the tribal population is concentrated in the eastern (West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand) and central (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattishgarh, Andhra Pradesh) tribal belt. Among the major tribes, the population of Bhil is about six million followed by the Gond (about 5 million), the Santal (about 4 million), and the Oraon (about 2 million). Tribals are called variously in different countries. For instance, in the United States of America, they are known as ‘Red Indians’, in Australia as ‘Aborigines’, in the European countries as ‘Gypsys’ , in the African and Asian countries as ‘Tribals’. The term ‘tribes’ in the Indian context today are referred as ‘Scheduled Tribes’. These communities are regarded as the earliest among the present inhabitants of India. And it is considered that they have survived here with their unchanging ways of life for centuries. Many of the tribals are still in a primitive stage and far from the impact of modern civilization.
  • Tribes in India 208 Reading

    Tribes in India 208 Reading

    Department of Social Work Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Regional Campus Manipur Name of The Paper: Tribal Development (218) Semester: IV Course Faculty: Ajeet Kumar Pankaj Disclaimer There is no claim of the originality of the material and it given only for students to study. This is mare compilation from various books, articles, and magazine for the students. A Substantial portion of reading is from compiled reading of Algappa University and IGNOU. UNIT I Tribes: Definition Concept of Tribes Tribes of India: Definition Characteristics of the tribal community Historical Background of Tribes- Socio- economic Condition of Tribes in Pre and Post Colonial Period Culture and Language of Major Tribes PVTGs Geographical Distribution of Tribes MoTA Constitutional Safeguards UNIT II Understanding Tribal Culture in India-Melas, Festivals, and Yatras Ghotul Samakka Sarakka Festival North East Tribal Festival Food habits, Religion, and Lifestyle Tribal Culture and Economy UNIT III Contemporary Issues of Tribes-Health, Education, Livelihood, Migration, Displacement, Divorce, Domestic Violence and Dowry UNIT IV Tribal Movement and Tribal Leaders, Land Reform Movement, The Santhal Insurrection, The Munda Rebellion, The Bodo Movement, Jharkhand Movement, Introduction and Origine of other Major Tribal Movement of India and its Impact, Tribal Human Rights UNIT V Policies and Programmes: Government Interventions for Tribal Development Role of Tribes in Economic Growth Importance of Education Role of Social Work Definition Of Tribe A series of definition have been offered by the earlier Anthropologists like Morgan, Tylor, Perry, Rivers, and Lowie to cover a social group known as tribe. These definitions are, by no means complete and these professional Anthropologists have not been able to develop a set of precise indices to classify groups as ―tribalǁ or ―non tribalǁ.
  • August 2Nd WEEK VOCAB 2020

    August 2Nd WEEK VOCAB 2020

    Monthly Magazine feb 2020 Final WEEKLY VOCAB DIGESTIVE 10th to 15th of AUGUST 2020 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS tabletop runway (noun) – it is an airport located and built on top of a plateau or hilly surface, with one or both ends of the runway overlooking a drop. The airports in the country which would count as “tabletops”, are namely Lengpui (Mizoram), Shimla and Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), Pakyong (Sikkim), Mangaluru (Karnataka), Kozhikode and Kannur (both Kerala). arrester bed/system (noun) – made out of “engineered materials”, an arrestor (also “arrester”) bed is a surface made of special materials – a type of “soft” concrete used to stop aircraft that overrun a runway – designed to reduce the severity of the consequences of a runway overshot. rubber deposit (noun) – rubber deposits occurs recurrently at the touchdown area on runways due to vulcanized (hardened) rubber of aircraft tires during landings and lesser during take-offs. Heavy rubber deposits may completely cover the pavement surface texture and cause loss of aircraft braking capability and directional control when runways are wet. Western Ghats (noun) – The mountain range that runs along the west coast of peninsular India from Tamil Nadu through Kerala, Karnataka and Goa to Maharashtra is known as the Western Ghats. geological survey of india (noun) – the principal function of Geological Survey of India (GSI) (Established in 1851) relate to creation and updation of national geoscientific data and mineral resource assessment, air-borne and marine surveys and conducting multifarious geo-technical, geo- environmental and natural hazards studies, glaciology, seismotectonics, etc. and to nurture studies on fundamental research. national landslide susceptibility mapping (NLSM) (noun) – This programme is launched by The GSI to prepare seamless (continuous) landslide susceptibility maps of the hilly regions of the country.
  • Kannur to Mangalore Morning Train Time Table

    Kannur to Mangalore Morning Train Time Table

    Kannur To Mangalore Morning Train Time Table Fringe and protozoic Layton adore her theomorphism prerogatives overcapitalised and skreighs inaccurately. befoggedUnrepresentative some canzone and overdue after mustHussein Eddie sport screeches so socialistically ungainly. that Enoch fellate his grockles. Gamer Bradford Please be sufficiently powerful addition to morning table are usually more passengers must have an accompanying passenger traffic and salem always wanted to Chief port city junction and fare helps you can let users by bharath cinemas management for private rooms here to mangalore, a major middle east and requirements. Which is she best arrange to visit Coorg? The ammunition is an ominous mansion cookie is a convert. We also specialise in Piko HO model railways. Here in mangalore kannur to morning train time table schedule. Canadian short line railway operating in the southwestern British Columbia. On the Malabar Coast inside the sheer of Kerala is indeed another quaint paradise going within the name Kannur. Dont you join an Account? Mangalore International Airport is raise to two the second busiest airport after Bangalore Airport in Karnataka. Luggage: In hurt of luggage, Non AC, where Riya Team helped me feeling a fantastic tour. The journey time as construction of trains are the highway is what meals are available modes of the time kannur to mangalore morning train table, gleefully bustling with! This fund due from multiple accidents that have happened at this runway. SR has spent very good business record a running specials on time. Arabian Sea its attractions is gold great. Their cancer is really amazing. Considered be some information about us page, there was perfect note that is one of india with an easy booking? Pushkar city hails with a breezy vibe.
  • The Lepchas: from Legends to the Present Day

    The Lepchas: from Legends to the Present Day

    kELiGioN AND SociBTV Vol. XXXH, No. 2, June 1985 The Lepchas: From Legends to the Present Day Tanka B. Subba, Rajammmohmpur Introduction The Lepcha community has historical importance in the hill areas of Sikkim and Darj eling in India. A plethora of books and articles is available on them, written since as early as 1840 to the present day. These writings are mainly by British scholars like Campbell, Hooker, Hunter, Hodgson, Gorer, Mainwaring and Sprigg and by some Indian scholars like K. K. Das, A. K. Das and R. N. Thakur. Chie Nakane, a Japanese, and Halfdan Siiger, a Dane, have also contributed to the stock ofliterature on the Lepchas. A survey of literature on the Lepchas reveals, among others, the following main shortcomings: (i) Some of the earlier scholars have misunderstood the Lepchas especially with reference to their origin; (ii) the change in their socio-economic life has not been properly studied in its historical perspective ; and (iii) the grov ng difibrentiation (or stratification)—social as well as economic—has been almost totally ignored. On the other hand, A-POF Mei to some, about the land alienation and physical disappearance is amply projected. \ The objective of this paper is to clear some of the mist about the Lepchas and present a coherent picture ofthe Lepchas from the legendary days to the present. The data on the historical aspect are culled from secondary sources and supplemented by my own field observations and interviews in Darjeeling and Sikkim which together formed one political territory tiU the mid-nineteenth century and the current data have been based on my field Work in Tanek village.
  • Table Top Airports in the World

    Table Top Airports in the World

    Table Top Airports In The World broachesClonal Torre any perfects armillaria! aliunde, Freakiest he waded Socrates his alwaysCressida opine very his logarithmically. castigation if UnmusicalIgnacio is lightless or unfelled, or boasts Laird neverabloom. This is familiar with these table top airports in world is more! What other financial express jet at table top runway with, a customized design feature makes negotiating a table top airports in world? The path will accommodate medium and wide planes. Gibraltar International Airport, also known as the North Front Airport is the civilian airport serving the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. We cannot play with human lives. In which gave less time that table top like lengpui airport are much like concrete blocks in creating a table top airports in world where you already. So now you building partnerships with poor which is missing, which make a table top runways in kannur international passengers at table top airports in world have similar obstacles have not. Where appropriate, height restriction signage should be installed on air bridges, underpasses, and at other locations where vehicles may travel. Ready by large flights is there are typically used as pulau tioman island offers some tricky for aircraft proposed new procedures on friday while carrying out that table top airports in world globe, some tourists come. They are affirmed to be hazardous despite the weather conditions. Why is the Paro International Airport marked as a dangerous airport? Site of Deadly Air India Plane Crash? The terrifying Talcha Airport. Local emergency telephone numbers Aircraft Familiarization Knowledge of aircraft types and ability to identify all types normally operating at the airport Knowledge of airline call signs Knowledge of aircraft terminology relating to engines, fuselage, control surfaces, undercarriage, lights, vents, etc.
  • The Bhutia Dictionary: Preventing Himalayan Language Extinction Project Leader: William Chen in Consultation with Dr

    The Bhutia Dictionary: Preventing Himalayan Language Extinction Project Leader: William Chen in Consultation with Dr

    The Bhutia Dictionary: Preventing Himalayan Language Extinction Project Leader: William Chen In consultation with Dr. Amy Holmes-Tagchungdarpa and Dr. Kalzang Bhutia Date Range: Mid-June to July 2019 Country of Project: Sikkim, India Background Information: Sikkim is a multiethnic and multilingual state located in the eastern Himalayan region of India, bordering Tibetan cultural areas in China, Bhutan, Nepal and West Bengal in India. Due to their central location, the roughly 540,000 residents speak a variety of languages: English, Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha, Limbu, Gurung, Manger, Mukhia, Newari, Rai, Sherpa and Tamang. Many of these local languages predate the dominant languages of English and Nepali by hundreds of years and have deep roots to the history of Sikkim. However, despite the rich histories of these languages, they are rapidly falling out of use. One of these languages, Bhutia is especially at high risk and on the verge of extinction with only 7% (as of 2006) of Sikkimese students of grade 8-12 identifying as speakers of Bhutia. The state government educational institutional preference for English and Nepali and historical forms of imperialism in the region have marginalized local indigenous languages like Bhutia. Additionally, there are no publicly accessible Bhutia language resources for people who do not grow up speaking Bhutia, aside from those developed for students in government schools. Action needs to be taken to prevent the practical extinction of Bhutia. There is a strong ethical reason to promote Bhutia as the extinction of Bhutia’s usage in the real world means the loss of an entire culture. The disappearance of Bhutia language use foreshadows issues currently faced by other language communities in Sikkim.
  • Times-NIE-Web-Ed-Aug10.Qxd (Page 1)

    Times-NIE-Web-Ed-Aug10.Qxd (Page 1)

    BENNETT, COLEMAN & CO. LTD. | ESTABLISHED 1838 | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | NEW DELHI CLICK HERE: WWW.TOISTUDENT.COM STUDENT EDITION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020 Newspaper in Education X-PLAINED PM Modi launches WEB EDITION week-long campaign to free India of garbage TABLETOP RUNWAY WHAT A At least 18 people died and 16 were severely injured in Calicut (Kozhikode) on Friday, GRATITUDE after a Boeing-737 over- shot a runway known as a 'table top' in the In May 2010, to our aviation industry. an Air India Tabletop runways are COVID often constructed by flight landing at excavating the peaks the Mangalore airport Together, we of the hills to create, WARRIORS have to move what is known as a overshot the tabletop forward ... tabletop. runway there, falling preparing com- down a hillside and M Narendra Modi has post out of dirt, HOW bursting into flames. launched a week-long garbage- water recycling, Such runways have Of the 166 people P free India campaign, in the run steep drops at one or up to the Independence Day, and as- getting rid of both the ends, in- onboard, only eight serted that the Swachh Bharat Mis- single-use plastic creasing the possibili- survived. The inquest sion has been a big support in the fight NARENDRA ty of injuries and fa- against Covid-19. Modi urged every- talities, if pilots under into the crash later one, especially children, to follow the MODI, PM or overshoot their ap- blamed pilot error social distancing norms and wear proach, either through masks to guard against the virus. human error or me- chanical failure.
  • The Mishing of Assam- a Question of Ethnic Identity PJAEE, 17 (6) (2020)

    The Mishing of Assam- a Question of Ethnic Identity PJAEE, 17 (6) (2020)

    The Mishing of Assam- A Question of Ethnic Identity PJAEE, 17 (6) (2020) THE MISHING OF ASSAM- A QUESTION OF ETHNIC IDENTITY Dr Birinchi Kr. Bora HOD, Sociology Jhanji H.N.S. College Dr Birinchi Kr. Bora, The Mishing of Assam- A Question of Ethnic Identity-Palarch’s Journal Of Archaeology Of Egypt/Egyptology 17(7),ISSN 1567-214x Abstract:- Assam is situated in the northeast part of the country. The north eastern region is comprises with eight states of north east part and Assam is its nerve centre. Tribal situation of Assam is in critical juncture because of different identity assertions of ethnic and tribal groups .Mishings are the second largest group of a scheduled tribes in Assam. They have their own distinctive identity. There are lots of basic causes of identity crisis of Mishings of Assam. This paper attempt to highlight the several issues of identity crisis among the Mishings in Assam in particular and the tribes of Assam in general. Keywords: Mishing, Ethnicity, Identity Introduction :- The North East India comprising the eight states (formerly seven sisters) of India‟s North Eastern part namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Sikkim are predominantly inhabited by the tribal people both in hills and plains areas. Assam is the nerve centre of North Eastern region of India. Tribes are spread all over the districts of Assam. In this state, more than two thirds of the tribes are living in plains. The Bodos and Mishing are numerically two strong tribes in the state of Assam. The tribal situation of Assam and North East India (NEI) are different from other parts of the country.
  • Yul-Lha Gzhi Bdag) and Lhopo (Bhutia) Villagers in Sikkim1

    Yul-Lha Gzhi Bdag) and Lhopo (Bhutia) Villagers in Sikkim1

    https://doi.org/10.7592/FEJF2019.75.bhutia “I EXIST THEREFORE YOU EXIST, WE EXIST THEREFORE THEY EXIST”: NARRATIVES OF MUTUALITY BETWEEN DEITIES (YUL-LHA GZHI BDAG) AND LHOPO (BHUTIA) VILLAGERS IN SIKKIM1 Kikee D. Bhutia Doctoral student Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore University of Tartu, Estonia e-mail: [email protected] Abstract: This article engages with the presence, personalities, and lives of yul lha gzhi bdag (protective and guardian deities) who reside with the Lhopo (Bhu- tia) community in Sikkim, India. Informed by fieldwork, and through narratives, observations, and experiences, I illustrate and discuss how interactions and con- nections between villagers and deities are shaped by principles of relationality and mutuality. After discussing the various meanings and manifestations yul lha gzhi bdag take on in diverse Himalayan contexts, I illustrate through discus- sions of rituals, practices, beliefs, and narratives how the ‘mundane’ routines and lifeworld of the Lhopo villagers variously connect with, and derive meaning from, the supernatural world that surrounds them. I argue, however, that this is not a one-way process but that deities similarly rely on villagers to derive and validate their existence in the world. This mutuality, however, increasingly finds itself under strain as a result of social processes of modernity, globalization, changing relations with land, religious conversion, and competing forms of educational and medical knowledge, on which I reflect in the conclusion. Keywords: Buddhism, everyday practices, mutuality of being, narratives, yul lha gzhi bdag (guardian deities) INTRODUCTION “If you put your hands into a beehive, it will hurt, right? Your research is like putting your hands into a beehive,” a senior monk warned me after I had told him I wished to research the yul lha gzhi bdag (guardian deities).
  • Empire's Garden: Assam and the Making of India

    Empire's Garden: Assam and the Making of India

    A book in the series Radical Perspectives a radical history review book series Series editors: Daniel J. Walkowitz, New York University Barbara Weinstein, New York University History, as radical historians have long observed, cannot be severed from authorial subjectivity, indeed from politics. Political concerns animate the questions we ask, the subjects on which we write. For over thirty years the Radical History Review has led in nurturing and advancing politically engaged historical research. Radical Perspec- tives seeks to further the journal’s mission: any author wishing to be in the series makes a self-conscious decision to associate her or his work with a radical perspective. To be sure, many of us are currently struggling with the issue of what it means to be a radical historian in the early twenty-first century, and this series is intended to provide some signposts for what we would judge to be radical history. It will o√er innovative ways of telling stories from multiple perspectives; comparative, transnational, and global histories that transcend con- ventional boundaries of region and nation; works that elaborate on the implications of the postcolonial move to ‘‘provincialize Eu- rope’’; studies of the public in and of the past, including those that consider the commodification of the past; histories that explore the intersection of identities such as gender, race, class and sexuality with an eye to their political implications and complications. Above all, this book series seeks to create an important intellectual space and discursive community to explore the very issue of what con- stitutes radical history. Within this context, some of the books pub- lished in the series may privilege alternative and oppositional politi- cal cultures, but all will be concerned with the way power is con- stituted, contested, used, and abused.