NATURE, MEMORY, AND IDENTITY: TRACING LOST CULTURAL TRADITIONS IN RAJBANSHI POETRY

Abstract

The Rajbanshi people, primarily inhabiting North Bengal, Assam, and parts of Nepal and Bangladesh, have preserved their unique cultural and literary traditions through oral and written poetry. Rajbanshi poetry often serves as a medium to express their connection with nature, memory, and identity, becoming a powerful site for the reclamation of lost traditions. This paper explores how Rajbanshi poetry employs natural elements—rivers, forests, birds, and seasons—as metaphors for cultural preservation, continuity, and transformation. By analyzing selected poems, this study reveals how Rajbanshi poets express both nostalgia for the past and resistance against cultural erosion. It argues that Rajbanshi poetry is not just an artistic expression but an act of cultural survival, allowing the community to maintain its linguistic and historical identity amidst socio-political changes. Furthermore, the paper examines the environmental consciousness present in Rajbanshi poetry, emphasizing the deep ecological ties that bind the people to their land and traditions.