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Witch-hunting is a superstitious practice that leads to the persecution and death of hundreds of women in India every year. This practice is prevalent in different parts of the country in various degrees and mostly single women and widows become targets of this least talked about violence on women. Assam is a state in the northeastern region of India, where witch-hunting cases have been taking place for years. According to the Assam Government, about 105 cases of 'witch-hunting' have been reported across the state from 2006 to 2012, with the highest number, 29, in 2011. Kokrajhar alone has accounted for 20 of these cases. Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Assam, Chandra Mohan Patowary informed the Assam State Assembly that a total of 107 people were killed in witch-hunting incidents in the state from 2011 till 2019. Since most of the victim or survivors of witch-hunting are women, as understood from the various reports and articles, the current study wants to see it as a form of gender based violence against women, and make a contextual analysis of the victims of witch-hunting. The primary data for the present study have been collected from field works carried out by the researcher mainly among Rabha and Bodo tribal communities living in the villages of Goalpara District of Assam and its adjoining parts in Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya in the period between 2016 and 2020. The secondary data have been collected from various books, research papers, articles and news reports through library work and internet browsing.

KEYWORDS: Witch-hunting. Case study. Assam. Meghalaya.

Family planning is a crucial component of social and public health policy, with profound implications on people, communities, and countries. For family planning and reducing the pace of population growth, utilizing contraceptives is essential. This study investigates the changes in the trend of contraceptive practices between the year 2015-2021 by analyzing the data on family planning practices of fourth and fifth round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in India. The data is extracted from the NFHS factsheets and analysed by calculating the relative and absolute change between the two surveys. The proportion of the use of any methods of contraception shows a positive trend of improvement from 53.5% to 66.7% in 2015-2021. States like, Manipur, Bihar and Nagaland show the highest improvement in the overall use of contraceptive practices. Female sterilization emerges as the most commonly used modern method of contraception. However, the prevalence of male sterilization, despite its reversibility and minimal side effects, remains significantly lower, highlighting gender disparities in contraceptive decision-making. The variation in contraceptive pattern is influenced by complex interplay of literacy rate, socio-economic status, cultural and religious beliefs. Improved accessibility and utilization of safe contraceptive methods can be achieved through improved access to family planning services and medical professionals with the necessary training. Additionally, attaining contraceptive uptake that is in line with personal preferences and family planning objectives depends on resolving gender disparities and enabling women to make educated reproductive decisions.

KEYWORDS: Contraceptive methods. Family planning. India. National Family Health Survey. Fourth and Fifth round NFHS

Body composition is mainly the presence of fat mass and fat free mass in the human body according to the two-compartment model. This method is widely used because of the major cardiovascular and metabolic health issues related to fat distribution. Body composition assessments are regularly used to diagnose the nutritional health status of an individual. Studies found various number of differences between the methods that are used to assess the body composition. The principal objective of the study is to found the difference between the estimation of body composition variables using body impedance analysis (BIA) and anthropometry. A total 201 adult male students aged between 18-28 years were studied. The data collected were height, weight, waist circumference (WC), bicep skinfold, triceps skinfold, suprailliac skinfold, subscapular skinfold. An OMRON full body sensor body composition monitor and scale – HBF-510 was used to assess the percentage body fat (PBF) of the study participants. Significant mean difference found in fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM) and PBF using anthropometry and BIA. Also, correlation of different variables to diagnose obesity using BIA and anthropometry between the methods was found in this study. The prevalence of obesity exhibits a higher rate using BMI than BIA measured FM. It is important to decide which method to use for more accuracy and feasibility in a population based study.

KEYWORDS: Body composition. Anthropometry. Bioelectric impedance analysis. Fat mass. Fat free mass. Percentage body fat. Adult students. Paschim Medinipur.

The history of humankind that had taken place before any written records arrived engagements in unanticipated discoveries and the elucidation of findings based on already given theories and shreds of evidence. Since the evolutionary development of the genus Homo, their cultural practices, technological advancements, and means of sustenance have bestowed upon humanity a profusion of enigmatic phenomena, providing invaluable insights into the conundrums that preoccupied our predecessors. The archaeological findings in the Tapti and Narmada River basins of Central India contributed to significant cultural insights into the early prehistoric era. This paper elucidates substantial discoveries in Central India with special references to the early Stone Age times and explores investigations conducted on the ancient cultural aspects of early human societies. This would shed light on the scientific community's enthusiasm for further scientific studies and the need for anthropological rigour to uncover the past.

KEYWORDS: Central India. Tapti and Narmada River basins. Prehistory. Humankind. Archaeology.

Progress of the any country depends upon the health status of the population. India is the diverse country in respect with culture and each culture is distinct in its own. Indian population is composed of various tribal groups including particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) which needs special attention for the improvement of their status and record need-based area and group specific health programmes as well as its implementation which is not satisfactory so far. Birhors are one of the five Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of Chhattisgarh. They are forest dwellers, having simple state of living, poor socio-economic conditions and poor health conditions. As they are totally depending on forest so they have vast knowledge of indigenous medicinal plants and their practices. Keeping this view present study has been carried out to know the health seeking behaviour including reproductive and health care practices among the Birhor Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group of Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh by following area sampling method. The findings of the study will helpful for the health policy makers specially in tribal areas.

KEYWORDS: Birhors. PVTG. Indigenous knowledge. Reproductive and child health care practices. Raigarh district. Chhatisgarh

This study examines the impact of climate change on two ecologically sensitive regions in India: Ghoramara Island in the Sunderbans, West Bengal, and Arattupuzha Village in Kerala. Both regions face recurrent soil erosion, high tides, and sea surges, which have intensified due to climate change. These environmental changes are driving inhabitants toward internal migration as livelihoods become increasingly unsustainable. The study highlights the inadequacy of short-term sheltering and rehabilitation efforts in addressing the long-term needs of these coastal communities, leading to heightened vulnerability and eventually, the emergence of climate migrants.This study was conducted through semi structure interview method and schedule, Key challenges identified include the lack of stable livelihood opportunities, inadequate sanitation, food insecurity, and the influence of middlemen and politically powerful elites in decision-making processes. The research underscores the conceptual gap in organizing effective "Ecological Restoration" activities in climate-sensitive zones and explores the phenomenon of coastal mobility in India. The findings emphasize the need for long-term adaptation strategies that go beyond immediate relief to address the underlying socio-economic and environmental factors contributing to the crisis. The study calls for a systematic approach to rehabilitation that integrates sustainable livelihood options and inclusive governance to mitigate the emerging crisis of climate refugees.

KEYWORDS: Climate change. Coastal community. Internal displacement. Vulnerability and cultural attachment. Coastal mobility. Coastal resource management.

The authors chose to investigate Santal pharmacopoeia in the Dumka district of Jharkhand State because Santal tribe has rich pharmacopoeia, including roots, leaves, bark, fruits, the stem of medicinal plants, animal products, and organic substances. The authors designed the interview schedule and translated it into Santali, which was easy to comprehend and use in the field. Since the first author is well-versed in the Santali language, communication was straight forward. The authors used observation technique and conducted many interview sessions with medicine men and medicine women, patients, and elderly villagers after obtaining consent from each participant. The authors also made use of case studies and life history in her research. Since the study area was on medicinal plants, the authors also collected 200 medicinal plants and used them in the herbarium samples for future reference. The author consulted Prof. Jha and a lab technician from the Department of Botany, Sidho Kanhu University Dumka, Jharkhand, to identify the plant species which was collected from the field that are of great medicinal value. The purpose of writing this paper is to illuminate the young aspiring researcher about how different tools and techniques are sharply applied to gather information from the fieldwork.

KEYWORDS: Pharmacopoeia. Ethnography. Santal tribe. Medicinal plants. Efficacy. Customary.

The present anthropometric study comprises 185 males and 184 females of the Pengu Porja tribe. 13 body measurements have been taken, and accordingly, 13 indices have been calculated to supplement information regarding somatic characters. The study shows that the mean body weight among the Pengu Porja males and females is statistically significant.

This paper explores the healing practices and practitioners of Tamangs in Darjeeling, West Bengal, focusing on their role as custodians of their socio-cultural heritage. The study involves ethnographic fieldwork to discuss their local knowledge on healthcare based on the surrounding environments and the interplay between pluralistic healing practices. It finds the dynamics of the healing knowledge system where the practitioners contribute significantly to the community integration, but also facing certain degradation factors. It has also traced how the community is revitalizing healing through balanced sustainability, focusing on the contextual dimension of Tamang traditions and transitions.

KEYWORDS: Tamang. Indigenous community. Darjeeling. Health care practices. Local knowledge. Transition and balanced sustainability.

The resettlement of refugees from East Pakistan in the Andaman Islands after independence marked a significant turning point in the region's history, aimed at alleviating labour shortages and optimizing agricultural land use of the island. However, this initiative brought about intricate socio-economic and environmental changes, particularly concerning the interactions between the settlers and the neighbouring indigenous Jarawa community in the southern and middle Andaman. This study churns out the historical settlement patterns and contemporary livelihood obstacles faced by refugees who have transitioned into settlers in the Andaman Islands. It reveals a stark contrast in development initiatives, with the settlers facing land fragmentation and uncertain prospects, while Jarawa-centric policies are tailored to their needs. The study also highlights settlers' psychological pressures, including concerns about future generations' prospects amid limited development plans. Despite some economic improvements, settlers encounter challenges in land sustainability and resource management, emphasizing the necessity for more comprehensive and inclusive development policies. The findings also underscore the necessity for balanced development policies that prioritize the sustainability and well-being of both settler and indigenous Jarawa community.

KEYWORDS: Andaman & Nicobar Islands. East Pakistan refugees. Resettlement. Jarawa community. 

Socio-economic transitions. Livelihood strategies. Contemporary livelihood obstacles. Balanced development policies.