Shiptown: Between Rural and Urban North India

Jahazpur is a small market town in Bhilwara District, Rajasthan, with a diverse population of more than 20,000 people. It is a regional hub for government services and has a peaceful pluralism. Ann Grodzins Gold lived in Santosh Nagar, the oldest of Shiptown's new settlements, for ten months, recording interviews and participating in festival, ritual, and social events. She seeks to portray how neighborly relations are forged and endure across lines of difference, how ancient hierarchical social structures shift, how gender roles are transforming rapidly, how environmental deterioration affects public health, and how commerce and morality keep uneasy company.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 346 pages
Publication date: 19 February 2022
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Jahazpur, a small market town or qasba, boasts a diverse population of over 20,000 people situated in Bhilwara District, Rajasthan, India. Rooted in history and legend, Shiptown, a literal translation of Jahazpur's name, has evolved into a subdistrict headquarters, serving as a regional hub for government services unavailable in villages. The market streets of Shiptown, teeming with shopping opportunities, cater to both rural and urban customers, with many designed to attract village patrons. Temples, mosques, and shrines in the town attract Hindus and Muslims from nearby areas. The town's center, still partially walled and featuring intact arched gateways, retains a sense of segregation based on hereditary birth groups. However, in newer, more spacious residential areas outside the walls, individuals from diverse communities and religions coexist as neighbors. Jahazpur municipality generally upholds a peaceful pluralism.

During her ten-month stay in Santosh Nagar, the oldest of Shiptown's new settlements, Ann Grodzins Gold conducted interviews and participated in various festival, ritual, and social events—both public and private, religious and secular. While engaging with contemporary scholarship, Shiptown remains deeply connected to the everyday lives of its residents, with each chapter centered around a specific node of Jahazpur's experience. Gold's objective is to portray how neighborly relations are forged and sustained across differences, how ancient hierarchical social structures evolve yet remain resilient, how gender roles are rapidly transforming, how environmental degradation impacts public health and individual hearts, inspiring activism, and how the town's residents navigate these changes.

In conclusion, Jahazpur, with its rich history, diverse population, and evolving social dynamics, serves as a captivating window into the complexities of rural India. Shiptown's market streets, temples, mosques, and shrines reflect the town's religious and cultural diversity, while its newer residential areas showcase a harmonious coexistence of different communities. Ann Grodzins Gold's immersive experience in Santosh Nagar provides a unique perspective on the town's experiences, highlighting the resilience, transformation, and enduring spirit of its residents.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780812224573