Published Paper Details:

Every community holds closely the rituals that are unique, the rituals that have been closely connected and understood as a part of the communities. The understanding that the communities have been having around their ideas of birth, marriage and death is solely unique and has transformed and developed with the passing ages. It has been reported in many studies that music as well as Satsang (singing of folk songs in a group) have had positive effects on psychological well-being. When interpreted closely one can understand how these folk songs convey messages that praises the Gods and Goddesses, sing about incidences from the scriptures that convey spiritual or religious messages. But then we have to also keep in mind how these group can sometimes breed hierarchical barriers within communities who would belong to a particular satsang group. Here in this paper I would be partly discussing about the work and experiences during the Master of Philosophy (Mphil) Degree, where immersion as a method was adopted which rightly helps in understanding the context where the researcher is placed with no prior knowledge. It explains how it was important to listen, communicate and sit together in discussions and meetings as an act that would move towards a collective auctioning along with the community members as co-researchers, about the rituals when it comes to death and how the Gond community living in Mohgoan village, Karanjia Block, Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh have been differently and uniquely understanding it. This paper highlights their association with Satsang which they have adapted shows us how it has become a part of these ceremonial rituals within their community spaces.