New Tulu work highlights women’s fieldwork journeys

Mangaluru: A new book in Tulu that chronicles the on-ground experiences of folklore fieldwork has been hailed as an important guiding resource for young scholars. “Baragere Barambu Tuluvvere Puncha Nadu Ondu,” authored by researcher Dr. Indira Heggade, was formally released at Tulu Bhavana on Wednesday.

Releasing the book, academic and former principal Dr. Ashalatha Suvarna said the text offers valuable insights into the socio-cultural realities encountered during folklore documentation. She noted that women researchers, in particular, often face heightened challenges when conducting field studies in rural and traditional spaces.

“Dr. Heggade has turned those experiences into scholarship, and that is both courageous and instructive,” she observed. Dr. Heggade said that writing in Tulu brought her closer to the cultural environment that shaped the research.

“This book feels personal because it is rooted in the land and people,” she said. Other speakers—including author Prema Ajri, researcher Dr. Sameer Mada, and principal Dr. Jyoti Chelairu—discussed the book’s role in strengthening Tulu-language documentation. Presiding over the event, Tulu Sahitya Academy President Taranath Gatti Kopikad said the work illustrates the importance of sustained field immersion for meaningful research in Tulu folk traditions.