Folklife in the Anthropocene: Critiquing Capitalocene in the Folk-World of Mahasweta Devi’s Select Non-Fictions

In the most recent geological epoch, the Anthropocene, human activities have significantly impacted planetary systems, ushering in global environmental changes. Mahasweta Devi’s writings focus on the marginalized tribal communities, examining their place in a world dominated by the destructive forces of capitalism. This article critiques India’s capitalist mode of civilization and its effect on the tribal and folk communities, as depicted in Devi’s non-fictional works like “Witch Sabbath at Singbhum” and “A Countryside Slowly Dying.” Devi’s portrayal of capitalist greed highlights the plight of these communities in the context of environmental devastation and the erosion of their folklife. The capitalist drive for exploitation in the Anthropocene, or more accurately, the Capitalocene, is critiqued, with special attention given to how tribals resist and negotiate these changes while maintaining their folk practices. The essay concludes by reflecting on the potential of moving toward an ‘Ecocene’ – a more sustainable and ecologically conscious future.