Re-envisioning place identity through rituals

Abstract

Cities as living systems are in process of continuous evolution-negotiating with their past and present in pursuit of satisfying contemporary needs and aspirations. Religious and cultural beliefs defining traditional Indian communities, through their cultural manifestation in the city spaces over the years have given cities their distinct identities. The three concepts of ritual, identity, and heritage are the core topics of this thesis. Here, ritual is interpreted as a part of tradition or as a means of passing on heritage. Identity is viewed primarily as the outcome of heritage. Heritage is therefore the most important element of the triangle since it is via the heritagization of ritual that modern value is assigned. Heritage also plays a significant role in the identification process, which is how people form their personal, group, and place identities. Bargarh Dhanuyatra case is taken into consideration to ground the theoretical findings.