Studying Chars in South Asia: Towards an Epistemic Approach

The epistemologies based on the terra firma framework fall short in interpreting the relationship and transcendence of land and water concerning the river islands ( chars ). Consequently, the ways of life associated with these inhabited islands are also not considered along with the fluidities of its geography. This article examines the chars of two major river systems in two regional states of India (the Ganga in West Bengal and the Brahmaputra in Assam) through a ‘geo-morpho-anthropology’ approach that brings together the geographical, morphological, and anthropological dimensions of chars in order to understand the embedded flux associated in the relationship between land and water. It studies the continual changes caused by river erosion and accretion, and how people dwelling on these islands sustain their lives. Through an integrated perspective, we seek to present an epistemic approach to study chars in large river systems in South Asia.