Examining Relevance of “Epistemological Turn” in India and Nepal

Decolonization in recent years gaining popularity in the field of sociology in particular, and social science in general. It is shaping its mode as a separate field of study and turning itself into an epistemological shift toward non-western tradition, especially exploring indigenous knowledge system which is subjugated since long with the advent of colonialism, for which I call the “epistemological turn.” In this paper, I attempt to explore the concept of “decoloniality and epistemological turn” taken by Walter D. Mignolo and examine relevance and sufficiency of the idea to re-investigate and reinvent indigenous knowledge system in present context of South Asia—in which footprint of European modernity is spread all over the world—especially focusing on the cases of India and Nepal. For this purpose, I will take the case of the rising consciousness of indigenous knowledge system of “Yoga culture” both in India and Nepal and examine and test the concept of “epistemological disobedience” taken by Mignolo in this order: First, I will define the broad concept of “epistemological turn” taken by Mignolo; second, analyze existing consciousness of “Yoga culture” and knowledge system; third I will discern how “epistemological turn and decoloniality” is different and similar to the project of modernity in the context of “Yoga culture”; and finally, I will test the concept of “epistemological turn” in terms of its ability to liberate people as argued by Mignolo and I will wrap-up.