Cricketscapes and the City: A Case Study of Purnea, Bihar

Abstract

Cricket is popular culture in India. The overwhelming presence of the sport marks a notable component in the cultural landscape of a city. The paper aims to explore the cricketing landscape in small-town India by taking the case of Purnea, Bihar. It provides a geographical understanding of how cricket is imagined, performed, and promoted in the non-metropolitan urban centres of India. Purnea has witnessed a rapid growth in urbanisation and a notable expansion in cricket both as a game and its associated facilities. Using qualitative research methods, which include semi-structured interviews, participant observation and walk-along ethnography, the paper provides an insight into the cultural landscape of cricket in small town India. It examines the relationship between space and cricket by considering the playgrounds, institutions, infrastructure, teams and formats. The paper contributes to the field of geography by extending the dialogue between urban landscapes and sporting culture through the lens of cricket. In doing so, it attempts to overhaul the sporting aspirations in the region.