The Indonesian Journal of Social Studies
Vol 8 No 2 (2025): December

CHARITY FOR OUR FAMILY GODDESS: : The Marwaris And A Caste Association In Colonial India

Tanaka, Tetsuya (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
26 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study analyzes the Kedia Sabha (association for the Kedia lineage) as a case study for historical analysis on how an Indian merchant community, known as Marwaris, described themselves through managing a caste association and invented their family goddess through editing their caste journals in colonial India. A historical-ethnographic methodology is used to analyze using caste journals and archival sources. The organization was founded in 1913 as a charitable association with the purpose of supporting members of the lineage residing in Calcutta. The organization has two contrasting characteristics; one is a caste association to promote their social, cultural, and economic welfare for members of a certain lineage or caste, and the other is a charitable institution for the public in theory. First, a review of the literature on caste associations in colonial India and Marwari’s involvement in the caste associations is conducted. The Kedia Sabha is then analyzed as a case study to determine how charity functions as both social consumption and economic accumulation.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

jpips

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Education Social Sciences Other

Description

The Indonesian Journal of Social Studies was founded in 2018 in order to offer the disciplines in the field of social science education a representative scholarly publication. The journal represents a sophisticated image that is characterised by its theory and research orientation, interdisciplinary ...