Sacred Music as Social Capital: Lessons from the Jagannath Tradition for Community Cohesion and Cultural Sustainability

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/08/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 3 (2026)

Article No.

004

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-QRM6DW4G

Received

07 Jul 2026

Views

29

Downloads

20

Abstract

Sacred music has historically served functions that extend beyond ritual performance, contributing to social cohesion, cultural continuity, and the transmission of collective knowledge. While previous scholarship has examined the Jagannath tradition from historical, religious, and cultural perspectives, limited attention has been paid to its role in generating social capital within communities. This conceptual paper explores the relationship between sacred music and social capital through the lens of the Jagannath tradition of Odisha, India. Drawing upon the theories of Bourdieu (1986), Coleman (1988), and Putnam (2000), together with scholarship in ethnomusicology, community music, and cultural sustainability, the study proposes that sacred musical practices associated with Lord Jagannath foster trust, reciprocity, shared identity, and intergenerational knowledge transmission. The paper employs a qualitative conceptual methodology based on thematic analysis of existing literature to identify the mechanisms through which sacred music strengthens community participation and preserves intangible cultural heritage. The study further argues that the Jagannath tradition provides an internationally relevant model for understanding how community-based musical practices contribute to sustainable cultural development in an era of globalization. The proposed conceptual framework has implications for music education, cultural policy, heritage management, and community development, while offering avenues for future comparative research across sacred musical traditions worldwide.

License

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.