INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Yoga, included in 2016

It consists of a series of poses, meditation, controlled breathing, word chanting and other techniques to help a person build self-realisation.  Traditionally, it was transmitted through Guru-Shishya parampara.

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Nuvroz, included in 2016

It indicates the beginning of the New Year for the Parsis and is also celebrated as the Spring festival by the Kashmiri community. It denotes Zoroastrian respect for the environment. In this festival, there is a custom to lay down a table and place a copy of the Gathas, lit a lamp or a candle, put a shallow ceramic plate with sprouted wheat or beans, small bowl with a silver coin, flowers, painted eggs, sweets and a bowl of water containing goldfish in it. All this signify prosperity, wealth, colour, sweetness and happiness.

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE -Traditional Brass and Copper craft of Utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru in Punjab, included in 2014

This is an oral tradition that is passed on to generations of the ‘Thathera’ community. The metals are heated and moulded into thin plates with curved shapes. The utensils have functional as well as ritualistic purpose. Metals used are brass, copper and Kansa (an alloy of zinc, tin and copper). It is recommended for medicinal purposes in several Ayurveda texts. It was patronized and encouraged by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the 19th century. The utensils are of wide variety like those used in household and community kitchens (langar) of Sikh Gurudwaras. 

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Sankirtana, included in 2013

It is a ritual singing, drumming and dancing art form of Manipur. This art form is performed to mark religious occasions and various stages in the life of Manipuri Vaishnavites. Practised at temples, the performers here narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna through songs and dances. Sankirtana brings people together on festive occasions and reinforces the relationship between the individual and the community through life cycle ceremonies. In a typical Sankirtana performance, two drummers and 10 singers-dancers perform in the hall of a domestic courtyard encircled by the devotees. Musical instruments mainly used are Cymbals and Drums.

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh, included in 2012

It refers to the recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region in the UT of Ladakh

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE -Chhau, included in 2010

It is a tribal martial art dance performed mainly in the States of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. There are three subgenres of this dance based on the place of their origin and development, Purulia Chhau (West Bengal), Seraikella Chhau (Jharkhand) and Mayurbhanj Chhau (Odisha). The dance is mainly performed during the spring festival and lasts for 13 days. The whole community participates in it. The dance is performed by the male dancers during night time at an open space. It is a blend of both dance and martial practices employing mock combat techniques. The theme of the Chhau dance is based on Hindu mythology. Mask is worn by the dancers during performance except for Mayurbhanj Chhau.

 

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Kalbelia

Performed by the tribe of the same name in the State of Rajasthan, Kalbelia dance movements resemble that of a serpent.

Traditionally, Kalbelia tribe was known for its frequent movement from one place to another and the occupation of catching snakes and trading snake venom. The songs are based on mythology and it involves composing lyrics spontaneously and improvising songs during the performance.

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Mudiyettu

A traditional ritual theatre, Mudiyettu, is a folk dance and drama performed in the State of Kerala. It depicts the mythological tale of a battle between the Goddess Kali and the demon Darika. The dance is performed in the village temples, called Bhagavati Kavus, in between February and May after the harvesting season. The performers do heavy make-up and wear gorgeous attire with conventional facial painting, tall headgear, etc to give the touch of the supernatural. Mutual cooperation and collective participation of each caste in the ritual strengthens their common identity and bonding.

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - The Tradition in Vedic chanting

The oral tradition of the Vedas consists of several pathas, “recitations” or ways of chanting Vedic mantras. Such traditions of Vedic chant are often considered as the oldest unbroken oral tradition in existence, the fixation of the Vedic texts as preserved dating roughly to the early Iron Age. UNESCO proclaimed the tradition of Vedic chanting a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Ramlila - 2008

It is a popular folk theatre in the region of Uttar Pradesh. It is an enactment of Ram

ayana using songs, dances and dialogues, mainly during the period before Dussehra. It is generally performed by male actors, who do the role of Sita as well. The play is staged annually over ten or more successive nights, during the auspicious period of “Sharad Navaratras”.

 Another unique Ramlila is being staged since 1972, at Bakshi ka Talab near Lucknow, where lead characters like Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman are played by Muslim youths, a clear departure in a region known for communal flare-ups. This play has also been adapted into a radio play, ‘ Us gaon ki Ramlila’ to promote communal harmony among the masses.

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE - Koodiyattam (Sanskrit theatre), included in 2008

It is a combined dance drama conducted by the Chakyars (a subcaste among Hindus) who play the male caste traditionally in the State of Kerala. The women of the Nambiar caste play the female roles. The performance lasts from 6 to 20 days. They are mainly enacted inside the temples and the theme is based on Hindu mythology.

The character “Vidushaka” explains in simple Malayalam the background of the story and gives a live image of the characters in the minds of the audiences. All other characters perform using the Sanskrit language. Mizhavu is the major musical instrument used here.