Parlour and the Street

Elite and Popular Culture in Nineteenth-Century Calcutta

Banerjee Sumanta

In this book, Sumanta Banerjee analyzes the development of the folk culture of Calcutta's urban poor following the establishment of the British colonial system in Bengal. Consisting primarily of traditional artisans who migrated from neighboring villages, Calcutta's working-class forged a new urban folk culture from their rural inheritance. Through rich examples of folk performances, Banerjee shows a clash between the culture of the new urban poor and the elite of Calcutta, caught between their aspiration to British social norms and their roots in Bengali society.

About the Author

Sumanta Banerjee is a cultural historian who specializes in research into popular culture, particularly of the colonial period. He is the author of many books, including "The Parlour and the Streets: Elite and Popular Culture in Nineteenth Century Calcutta" and "Dangerous Outcast: The Prostitute in Nineteenth Century Bengal", both published by Seagull Books.

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