River, Memory and Resistance: A Cultural Studies Reading of Nalini Bera’s Gold Sand, Gold Water

Tejas Ramdas Atram

River, Memory and Resistance: A Cultural Studies Reading of Nalini Bera’s Gold Sand, Gold Water

Author(s)	Mr. Tejas Ramdas Atram
Country	India
Abstract	Contemporary Indian literature is increasingly offering a platform for the portrayal of communities that have long been excluded from mainstream cultural and literary conversations.Adivasi literature holds special importance in this movement, as it explores themes such as land, identity, memory, ecological concerns, displacement, social hierarchies, and the survival of cultural traditions.Nalini Bera’s “Gold Sand, Gold Water”, translated into English by Sowvendra Shekhar Hansda and published by Seagull Books in 2026, presents a meaningful depiction of the Hatua people, who live along the Subarnarekha River. Originally written in Bengali as “Subarnarenu Subarnarekha”, the novel blends folklore, historical narratives, social realities, caste dynamics, ecological awareness, and the everyday life of the community. This paper analyzes the novel using the framework of Cultural Studies. It emphasizes cultural identity, cultural memory, folklore, representation, marginalization, caste dynamics, ecological awareness, and the influence of modernity. The theoretical insights from Raymond Williams, who viewed culture as a "whole way of life," and Stuart Hall, who saw cultural identity as a process, form the basis of this analysis. The study argues that the novel functions as a cultural archive, keeping alive the memories, traditions, and experiences of a marginalized community. The Subarnarekha River is not just a physical feature but a symbol of cultural continuity and shared memory. Likewise, folklore, songs, legends, and daily practices serve as tools for preserving cultural identity. At the same time, the novel highlights how industrialization and modernity can disrupt traditional connections with land, water, and community.In the end, “Gold Sand, Gold Water” shows how literature can challenge cultural invisibility and give voice to the memories and identities of marginalized groups.
Keywords	Adivasi literature, Cultural Studies, tribal identity, cultural memory, Subarnarekha River, folklore, marginalisation, ecology, modernity, resistance.
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-07

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River, Memory and Resistance: A Cultural Studies Reading of Nalini Bera’s Gold Sand, Gold Water

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