Traditional Knowledge in Indian Society

Contents: Foreword. Preface. 1. Introduction/Amitabha Sarkar, A.V. Arakeri and Suresh Patil. 2. Toto society and culture with special emphasis on ethno-medical practices/Amitabha Sarkar and Samira Dasgupta. 3. Study of traditional medicinal practices of the Tai Ahoms/Mukul Hazra. 4. Ethnomedicinal practices among the Sauria Paharia of Jharkhand/S.S. Mishra and B. Oraon. 5. The traditional medicinal system among the Munda of Jharkhand/Ratna Dhar. 6. Ethnomedicinal practices: a study among the Kharwar of Sahibganj Jharkhand/B.R. Hansdah. 7. Traditional knowledge for sustenance: an introspection among the Asur/Samira Dasgupta and Amitabha Sarkar. 8. Traditional knowledge system among the Kolam of Andhra Pradesh/S.A.A. Saheb. 9. Indigenous knowledge and ethno-medical practices among the Betta Kuruba of Karnataka/B.R. Vijayendra. 10. Traditional knowledge system--a study of Muslim Jarrah/Anand Saran. 11. Genealogical records and traditional knowledge system: a study in Jagannath temple of Puri/Kakali Chakraborty, Krishna Mandol and K.M. Sinha Roy. 12. Survival strategies and traditional knowledge of the Lepcha of North Sikkim/Krishna Basu and Ratna Dhar. 13. Traditional knowledge as reflected in agricultural practices: a study of Dentam and other villages in West Sikkim/Santanu Mitra.    

The present treatise is compilation of twelve research articles on Traditional Knowledge in Indian Society for sustainable living. This research comprises investigations into local technologies, associated knowledge of natural resources and their management. With the rapid pace of changing environment to day the local knowledge is eroding fast and much has already been lost. It is an attempt to document such knowledge resources especially the ethno-medical practices, documentation of keeping genealogical records at pilgrim centre and ways of agricultural practices in high altitude for sustainable living. Any development programme especially Investment Induced Development (IID) attempt to improve and enrich the rural as well as marginalized ethnic communities in the country in which implementation authority should also incorporate traditional knowledge of the locals and involve the participation of local people for a sustainable development, which in turn will open a field of empowerment or occupational opportunities of local inhabitants. The planners, policy-makers, researchers, NGO\'s and developmental practitioners during their course of launching of any developmental programme in the country side will be helpful by acknowledging this sort of traditional knowledge of rural local people.