Caste, Marginalisation & Resistance: The Politics of Identity of the Naths (Yogis) of Bengal & Assam

The identity politics of the householder Naths (Yogis), on the one hand, is one of the oldest and most persistent identity assertions in Bengal and Assam. On the other, for an array of reasons, the identity assertion of the householder Naths of Bengal and Assam has failed to draw academic curiosity so far. Since the late nineteenth century, a segment of the Naths, largely educated and elite, has been crafting their identity as Brahman grounded on their origin myth, negotiating with the British colonial administration through different census enumerations, as well as internal social reforms. One of the primary reasons for their current lagging is that the Naths never politicised their identity and demands, and did not mobilise themselves in the democratic political arena. About the Author Kunal Debnath, Ph.D. (2022), Rabindra Bharati University, is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Rabindra Bharati University. Currently, he is working on the politics of identity and marginalisation, such as caste, gender, ethnic, and other vulnerable groups. He has published research papers with publishers of international repute.…