Religious Communication in Bhojpuri Literature
A Discourse-Analytical Study of Hindu Narrative Traditions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19490342 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Shivendu Kumar Rai (0000-0001-8240-1884, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University), Kumari Pallavi, Upasana Khurana, Apoorva Shukla, Mehak Pandit, Akash Dwivedi |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 5s |
| Pages | 105-114 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2582-7472 • E-ISSN: 2582-7472 |
| Publisher | Granthaalayah Publications and Printers (PUBLISHER • IN) |
| DOI | 10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i5s.2026.7158 |
| OpenAlex | W7154856287 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 3 |
This study examines Bhojpuri literature as a significant medium of religious communication through which Hindu beliefs, values, and narrative traditions are transmitted and sustained in everyday social life. It aims to understand how vernacular literary forms function as communicative practices that translate complex Hindu philosophical concepts into accessible, lived experiences. The research adopts a qualitative discourse-analytical approach. Selected Bhojpuri folk songs, devotional compositions, birha traditions, and lok-kathas containing Hindu religious themes were analyzed to identify recurring narrative patterns, symbolic structures, and communicative strategies. The analysis focuses on language use, metaphor, dialogic narration, and performative contexts to examine how religious meaning is constructed and circulated within community settings.The findings reveal that Bhojpuri religious narratives communicate Hindu concepts such as dharma, karma, and bhakti through localized storytelling, emotional engagement, and culturally embedded metaphors rather than formal theological exposition. These narratives humanize divinity, encourage participatory interpretation, and integrate religious ethics into everyday life, thereby reinforcing collective religious consciousness and cultural continuity. The study contributes to interdisciplinary scholarship in communication studies, religious studies, and cultural sociology by foregrounding vernacular literature as a vital site of religious communication. It challenges scripture-centric models of religious transmission and highlights the role of indigenous narrative traditions within Indian Knowledge Systems, offering a discourse-oriented framework for analyzing lived and popular forms of Hindu religiosity
Anthropology of religion · Hinduism · Indigenous · Narrative · Narrative inquiry · Performative utterance · Religious controversies · Scholarship · Vernacular · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Media Influence and Health · Media, Religion, Digital Communication
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |