Cultural Studies – Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities

The #malayalambookstagram: Identity and Literacy in Shared Acts of Reading on Social Media

Cultural Studies/Vol16N32024

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Gouthaman K J
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Hyderabad-500075, Telangana, India.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.10g}
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Abstract

The paper analyzes select images from Instagram with the hashtag #malayalambookstagram. Reliant on the theory of visual grammar and social semiotic theories about selfies and hashtags, the study demonstrates that the hashtag is used with many images that do not represent books or reading. The hashtag is reanalyzed in social media to include other ‘values’ because the language name ‘Malayalam’ indexes the ‘Malayali’ linguistic identity and recontextualizes the book-related discourse to an identity-centric domain. The paper explores Malayali linguistic identity in connection with Kerala’s achievements in social development and the community’s attitude towards it. Literacy, reading and print culture, crucial to the formation and sustenance of Malayali subnationalism, have mediated the meanings ascribed to the linguistic identity. The paper concludes that the close relationship of Malayali identity with books and reading is vital for the recontextualization of book-reviewing discourse in social media to an identity-centric discourse.

Keywords: Social Media, Reading, Identity, Bookstagram, Literacy.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 01 August 2024. Revised: 28 October 2024. Accepted: 29 October 2024. First published: 30 October 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Gouthaman, K. J. (2024). The #malayalambookstagram: Identity and Literacy in Shared Acts of Reading on Social Media. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.10g

Textual Paradigm: Reading, Analyzing, and Positioning the Indian Banknotes Issued Post-Independence as Texts

Cultural Studies/V16N32024

116 views

Cibi T R^1* & P. Nagaraj²
¹ Research Scholar, Department of English and Foreign Languages, Bharathiar University, Tamilnadu. *Corresponding author.
² Professor and Head, Department of English and Foreign Languages, Bharathiar University, Tamilnadu.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.08g}
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Abstract

Postmodern liberty has been a luxury to the creators to some extent. With regards to text and its functions, the viewpoint of considering everything as a text bloomed out of Derrida’s mind in his Of Grammatology (1967). Just as postmodern literature challenges linear narratives and fixed meanings, through the analysis of Indian banknotes as textual artifacts, the interrogation of the semiotic dimensions of banknotes, and how they function as sites of ideological contestation, memory-making, and cultural representation being a text is possible. The textual analysis is performed by applying the picture theory of W.J.T. Mitchell to deconstruct the elements embedded, which in turn access the knowledge of the text’s world and how it could be part of the same. The idea of considering Indian banknotes as texts is a result of the advancements that have been happening in the printing industry. Due to such kind of never-ending upgradation, the conventional ideas of authorship, textuality, and interpretation are challenged and given a new dimension by considering Indian banknotes as subject matter. Further, the present study delineates the culture and history of the Nation as represented in the select texts.

Keywords: Postmodernism, Text, Indian banknotes, Culture, History.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 31 August 2024. Revised: 25 October 2024. Accepted: 27 October 2024. First published: 28 October 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Cibi, T. R. & Nagaraj, P. (2024). Textual Paradigm: Reading, Analyzing, and Positioning the Indian Banknotes Issued Post-Independence as Texts. Rupkatha Journal 16:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.08g

Exploring the Complexity of Mauli: An Analysis of Solidarity, Speech Community, Religion, and Gender in Marathi Address Term Usage

Cultural Studies/Linguistics/V16N22024

1.2K views

Hanamant Metkari¹, Kaniphnath Malhari Kudale^2* & M Raja Vishwanathan³
¹Assistant Professor Sreenidhi Institute of Science and Technology, Hyderabad Telangana.
² Assistant Professor (Visiting) National Institute of Technology Warangal, Telangana. *Corresponding author.
³ Associate Professor National Institute of Technology Warangal Telangana.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.18g}
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Abstract

This paper delves into the intricate semantic nuances and sociopragmatic functions inherent in the Marathi address term “mauli” in the context of a colossal religious gathering. Through morphosyntactic analysis, it uncovers the term’s grammatical gender and its generic usage to encompass feminine and motherly attributes, embracing inclusiveness and generosity. Drawing from primary data collected during the Asadhi pilgrimage of 2023 through semi-structured interviews and participant observations, supplemented by secondary sources such as albums and songs, the study quantitatively and qualitatively examines the frequency and contextual use of “mauli”. Findings reveal its multifaceted sociopragmatic functions, including identity establishment, solidarity marking, politeness expression, and religiosity demonstration. However, its efficacy is constrained by temporal and spatial limitations, potentially hindering broader societal benefits. This exploration sheds light on the complex interplay between linguistic expressions, social dynamics, and religious practices within the Marathi cultural milieu.

Keywords– Address terms, Marathi language, Sociopragmatic functions, Identity negotiation, Gender discourse Asadhi pilgrimage, Mauli, Sociolinguistics, Politeness strategies, Pandharpur

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 01 February 2024. Revised: 13 June 2024. Accepted: 14 June 2024. First published: 18 June 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Metkari, H., Kudale, K. M. & Vishwanathan, M. R. (2024). Exploring the Complexity of M?uli: An Analysis of Solidarity, Speech Community, Religion, and Gender in Marathi Address Term Usage. Rupkatha Journal 16:2. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.18g

Becoming a Tradition: Presentation of Ti Qin Opera in Funerals in Chongyang County, China

Cultural Studies/East Asia/Fine Arts & Visual Studies/V16N22024

559 views

Li Shijie^1* , Julia Chieng² , Chan Cheong Jan³
^1,2Department of Music, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia. *Corresponding author.
³Center for International Affairs, Tottori University.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.13g}
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Abstract:

Ti Qin Opera, a popular local performing art in Chongyang County, Hubei Province, China, was mainly performed during the birthday celebrations of the local people and the Chinese Spring Festival to enliven the atmosphere. However, in the last two decades, Ti Qin Opera has been frequently performed at funerals, forming a new practice—the mourning ritual—which has been widely accepted by the locals and has become a tradition. In this regard, two questions arise: Why does Ti Qin Opera appear at local funerals? How did the mourning ritual become a tradition? This study applies an ethnographic approach to investigate the performance of Ti Qin Opera at funerals. The emergence of the mourning ritual in funerals is attributed to the emotional need for filial piety and the local people’s competitive mentality. The family of the deceased believes that if other families hire a Ti Qin Opera troupe to perform the mourning ritual, their family should not miss out on holding this last event for the deceased. Ti Qin Opera performers rely on their reputation and prestige accumulated over the centuries, and acceptance by the locals is a key factor in making the mourning ritual a tradition. Increased economic status among the Chongyang people and, subsequently, better financial capacity to hire Ti Qin Opera troupes further contribute to the development of the mourning ritual tradition.

Keywords: Ti Qin Opera, mourning ritual, funeral, tradition.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 23 February 2024. Revised: 04 June 2024. Accepted: 04 June 2024. First published: 06 June 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Li, S., Chieng, J., & Chan, C. J. (2024). Becoming a Tradition: Presentation of Ti Qin Opera in Funerals in Chongyang County, China. Rupkatha Journal 16:2. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.13g

Folklore of the Himalayan Foothills: Weaving Traditions in Bodo Folklore

Cultural Studies/North East Literature & Culture/V16N22024

744 views

Rishma Basumatary^1* & Teresa L Khawzawl²
¹PhD Scholar, Department of Anthropology, Cotton University, Guwahati, Assam. *Corresponding author.
²Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Cotton University, Guwahati, Assam.

^{Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.09g}
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Abstract

The Bodos, inhabiting the foothills of the Himalayas in northeastern India, are considered the indigenous population of the region. They possess a unique cultural identity characterised by their language, beliefs, rituals, and traditions. The primary objective of this paper is to explore the complex interrelationship between Bodo folklore and the practice of weaving, with the intention of providing insight into the culturally significant fabric that has been influenced by women’s expertise. The dynamic relationship between women’s folklore and the weaving traditions of the Bodo serves as evidence of the inherent interconnectivity of art, culture, and the human experience. By acknowledging and examining this dynamic relationship, we not only commemorate the ingenuity and perseverance of women but also get a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles that govern the Bodo society. Similar to the way in which every intricately crafted textile conveys a distinct narrative, the interconnectedness between folklore and weaving traditions serves as a collective account of resilience, cultural heritage, and timeless wisdom.

Keywords: Bodo, weaving, folklore, cultural expression, cultural heritage.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 29 January 2024. Revised: 23 May 2024. Accepted: 30 May 2024. First published: 02 June 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India
Citation: Basumatary, R. & Khawzawl, T. L. (2024). Folklore of the Himalayan Foothills: Weaving Traditions in Bodo Folklore. Rupkatha Journal 16:2. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.09g

Keeping Myth Memory Alive: The Usual and the Unusual in Sudha Murty’s Unusual Tales Series

Cultural Studies/Gender Studies/Indian Literature/Vol15N32023

448 views

Susan Lobo
Associate Professor, Department of English, St. Andrew’s College of Arts, Science, and Commerce

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.27
[Article History: Received: 12 June 2023. Revised: 10 Sept 2023. Accepted: 11 Sept 2023. Published: 12 Sept 2023]
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Abstract
If myth is vital to a community, its memory must be kept alive. But how, is the question? Is it always prudent to remain faithful to the ‘original’ version of the received myth, or is it desirable to tamper with, or destabilize, the source myth? In India, mainstream versions of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata have long been disrupted by folk, feminist, and queer adaptations. Reversions of these oral, transhistorical master narratives of Hinduism have made a resurgence in a post-independence India that is precariously perched between tradition and modernity, and hence more acutely desirous that its children veer closer to their roots, or so the flourishing market for myth retellings for children suggests. Amongst this incandescent body of literature is Sudha Murty’s series of five books that revisits popular stories about the gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon — The Serpent’s Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata (2016), The Man from the Egg: Unusual Tales about the Trinity (2017), The Upside Down King: Unusual Tales about Rama and Krishna (2018), The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology (2019), and The Sage with Two Horns: Unusual Tales from Mythology (2021). This paper explores how these tales of antiquity, refracted and reconstructed through the author’s own personal memory, intersect with the more public and collective myth memory of the community. In reviewing Murty’s retrieval of myths by reimagining and re-situating the ‘evidentiary traces’ of myth in the here and now for the children of today, it interrogates how, if at all, the retold myths counter the metanarratives of gender, religion, culture and perhaps, history too. Finally, it argues that the genre of myth retelling must go beyond simply reviving myth memory to destabilizing myth by ‘fiddling ‘with the sacred, especially when adapted for children.

Keywords: destabilization, evidentiary traces, myth memory, myth retelling
Sustainable Development Goals: Gender Equality
Citation: Lobo, Susan, 2023. Keeping Myth Memory Alive: The Usual and the Unusual in Sudha Murty’s Unusual Tales Series. Rupkatha Journal 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.27

The Historical Revolution of Vatican II and the Vision of a Post-Western Christianity in India

Cultural Studies/Vol15N32023

277 views

Enrico Beltramini
Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, California, USA. 0000-0001-9704-3960

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.26
[Article History: Received: 28 August 2023. Revised: 10 Sept 2023. Accepted: 11 Sept 2023. Published: 12 Sept 2023]
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Abstract

The vision of a post-western Christianity in India is traditionally linked to a distinct theological interpretation of Vatican II. According to such an interpretation, Vatican II was a theological revolution that favoured the openness of the Church to the world. In this article, I explore that vision through a historical, rather than a theological, interpretation of Vatican II. In Europe, Vatican II was a historical revolution that promoted the exit of Catholicism from Christendom and the establishment of a new Christian order with no links with Christendom. In India, this post-Christendom order has taken the form of a post-western order.

Keywords: Vatican II; revolution; reception; India; theology; Church; Roman Catholicism
Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Citation: Beltramini, Enrico. 2023. The Historical Revolution of Vatican II and the Vision of a Post-Western Christianity in India. Rupkatha Journal, 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.26

A Critical Analysis of Honorification in Human Relations

Cultural Studies/Vol15N32023

332 views

Tanima Bagchi¹ & Rajesh Kumar²
¹IIM Indore, Indore.
²IIT Madras, Chennai.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.24
[Article History: Received: 3 July 2023. Revised: 2 September 2023. Accepted: 2 September 2023. Published: 4 September 2023]
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Abstract

This paper discusses the concept of honorification with a focus on the essential correlation between human relations and society. While the structural aspect of honorification, in the form of honorifics, has been discussed extensively the functional aspect of honorification as a research question requires equal consideration. It has often been claimed that obligation is one of the primary motivations behind honorification owing to its ubiquitous influence on social interactions due to differences in status, social distance, and power. However, a closer look will reveal how such social factors are a reflection of not the obligation but the underlying acknowledgement of this obligation leading to the social recognition of honorification and, thus, shifting the perspective from necessity to choice. In other words, this paper explores honorification as a synthesis of society, culture, and human nature.

Keywords: Honorification, Deference, Prohibition, Volition, Respect.

Citation: Bagchi, Tanima, Rajesh Kumar. 2023. A Critical Analysis of Honorification in Human Relations. Rupkatha Journal 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.24

The journeys of acculturation of Western culture in Vietnamese travel writing in the first half of the 20th century

Cultural Studies/Vol15N32023

617 views

Nguyen Huu Son¹ & Nguyen Huu Le²
¹Literary Research Journal, Granduate Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam
²Researcher, Hanoi, Vietnam
Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.17
[Article History: Received: 29 June 2023. Revised: 25 August 2023. Accepted: 27 August 2023. Published: 28 August 2023]
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Abstract

Western culture has had a profound influence on Vietnamese culture and literature during the colonial period, especially in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. During this historical period, records appeared about the journey of Vietnamese people to France with different purposes. Based on this context, the article studies the attitude of Vietnamese intellectuals towards French culture to see the acculturation of Vietnamese to Western culture. Based on the cultural approach to studying travel writing, the article explores the French cultural awareness of some Vietnamese intellectuals such as Pham Quynh, Dao Trinh Nhat and Nhat Linh. Each story of their journey as an explanation for the purpose of the journey is the expression of aspirations: reforming Vietnamese culture, awareness of colonialism and feminism, and renewal of novels. These are current issues of contemporary Vietnamese culture and literature. From that, it is possible to recognize the characteristics of the travel writing about the journey to France representing the travel stories of the colonized people to the Western imperial countries and the process of escaping from slavery norms of Western culture. With an interdisciplinary approach to studying travel history, the article also provides a view of the process of modernizing Vietnamese literature in the first half of the 20th century.

Keywords: travel writing, French culture, cultural criticism, acculturation, cultural sensitivity.
Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Citation: Son, Nguyen Huu & Nguyen Huu Le. 2023. The journeys of acculturation of Western culture in Vietnamese travel writing in the first half of the 20th century. Rupkatha Journal 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.17

The Text of Minangkabau Collective Riddles: Format, Figurative Language, and Social Function for the Collective Owners

Cultural Studies/Linguistics/Vol15N32023

321 views

Hasanuddin WS ¹, Emidar ², Zulfadhli ³
^1,2,3Indonesian Department, Faculty of Language and Arts, Universitas Negeri Padang.
Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.15
[Article History: Received: 21 June 2023. Revised: 18 August 2023. Accepted: 25 August 2023. Published: 26 August 2023]
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Abstract

This research article aims to describe the format, figurative language, and social function of the traditional oral texts of Minangkabau collective riddles in West Sumatra, Indonesia. This research is based on the theory of folklore where riddles are categorized as a significant part of oral tradition that grows and develops orally and traditionally within the Minangkabau collective. The description of the research findings will explain the following points. First, how the format of riddles, consisting of descriptions or questions (descriptive) and answers (referent), is used by the Minangkabau collective. Secondly, it explains how the Minangkabau collective oral style uses figurative language to compose the format of descriptions or questions (descriptive) riddles that they ask to be answered by their listeners. Thirdly, it describes the Minangkabau collective attitude of the owners of the oral tradition, and it explains the importance of the riddles in their social life. This finding is in line with the theory about the social function of oral tradition for the collective owner.

Keywords: Riddles, format, figure of speech, social function, Minangkabau collective, West Sumatra.
Citation: WS, Hasanuddin, Emidar, Zulfadhli. 2023. The Text of Minangkabau Collective Riddles: Format, Figurative Language, and Social Function for the Collective Owners. Rupkatha Journal 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.15

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