International Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Research and Developmental Studies
E-ISSN: 2469-7811 • Impact Factor - 9.587

Cultural and Ecological Identity in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island

Abstract

Amitav Ghosh's novel Gun Island links cultural identity and ecological consciousness by merging ancient Bengali folklore with contemporary global climate crisis and migration. [1, 2] Key Themes of Identity and Ecology • Myth as an Ecological Archive: Ghosh reinterprets the legend of Bonduki Sadagar (the Gun Merchant) and the snake goddess Manasa Devi, showing how ancient myths record real historical and environmental disruptions like the Little Ice Age. [1, 2, 3] • The Sundarbans as a Shifting Homeland: The vulnerable mangrove delta represents a fragile cultural anchor where rising seas, erosion, and storms threaten entire generations, memories, and traditional ways of life. [1, 2, 3] • Eco-Spirituality vs. Anthropocentric Greed: The narrative contrasts modern, profit-driven human exploitation of nature with an eco-spiritual worldview where rivers, animals, and natural forces act as living, reactive agents rather than passive resources. [1, 2, 3] • Transnational Migration and Hybridity: The journey of protagonist Dinanath Datta (Deen) and modern refugees parallels the ancient travels of the Gun Merchant, binding local Indian histories to global networks of displacement, survival, and cultural transformation

Keywords: Amitav Ghosh,ecology, culture, Gun Island, myth

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