World Heritage Day 2022: 14 Indian elements in Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list

Kutiyattam dancer Kalamandalam Girija. Practised in Kerala, Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre, is one of India’s oldest living theatrical traditions. (Image via Wikimedia Commons 4.0)

Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was established in 2008 when the Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage came into effect. On World Heritage Day (April 18), let’s look at the 14 intangible cultural heritage elements from India that are on the prestigious list.

Ramlila (Inscribed in 2008)

Literally, ‘Rama’s play’, Ramlila is the staging of the Ramayana based on a series of scenes that include song, narration, recital and dialogue. Based on Tulsidas’ Ramacharitmanas, it is performed across northern India during the festival of Dussehra. The most representative Ramlilas are those of Ayodhya, Ramnagar and Benares (Varanasi), Vrindavan, Almora, Sattna and Madhubani. Ramlilas usually last 10-12 days, but some, such as Ramnagar’s, may last an entire month.

Kutiyattam, Sanskrit Theatre (Inscribed in 2008)

Dating back more than 2,000 years, Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre, which is practised in Kerala, is one of India’s oldest living theatrical traditions. Traditionally performed in theatres called Kuttampalams, which are located in Hindu temples, Kutiyattam has a stylised and codified theatrical language in which netra abhinaya (eye expression) and hasta abhinaya (the language of gestures) are prominent. Actors undergo 1o-15 years of rigorous training to become fully-fledged performers. The male actors hand down to their trainees detailed performance manuals, which, until recent times, remained the exclusive and secret property of selected families.

Tradition of Vedic chanting (Inscribed in 2008)

Regarded by Hindus as the primary source of knowledge and the sacred foundation of their religion, the Vedas embody one of the world’s oldest surviving cultural traditions. There are four Vedas: the Rig Veda (an anthology of sacred hymns); the Sama Veda (features musical arrangements of hymns from the Rig Veda and other sources); the Yajur Veda (abounds in prayers and sacrificial formulae used by priests); and the Atharna Veda (includes incantations and spells). Although the Vedas continue to play an important role in contemporary Indian life, only 13 of the over 1,000 Vedic recitation branches have survived.

Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas (Inscribed in 2009)

Comprising highly complex rituals - including the recitation of a version of the Ramayana and various legends, and the performance of songs and masked dances - Ramman, a multiform cultural event, is held every year in April in the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra (Uttarakhand). Held in honour of the tutelary god, Bhumiyal Devta, a local divinity,  the festival is organised by villagers, and each caste and occupational group has a distinct role.

Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala (Inscribed in 2010)

Based on the mythological tale of a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika, Mudiyettu is a ritual dance drama from Kerala which is performed annually in Bhagavati Kavus, the temples of the goddess, in different villages along the rivers Chalakkudy Puzha, Periyar and Moovattupuzha. Mudiyettu serves as an important cultural site for transmission of traditional values, ethics, moral codes and aesthetic norms of the community to the next generation.

Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan (Inscribed in 2010)

Once professional snake handlers, Kalbelia today is a dance form in which women in flowing black skirts dance and swirl, replicating the movements of a serpent, while men accompany them on the khanjari (percussion instrument) and poongi (woodwind instrument) traditionally played to capture snakes. Kalbelia songs disseminate mythological knowledge through stories, while special traditional dances are performed during Holi, the festival of colours.

Chhau dance (Inscribed in 2010)

Chhau, a dance tradition, enacts episodes from epics including the Mahabharata and Ramayana, local folklore and abstract themes. Tracing its origin to indigenous forms of dance and martial practices, Chhau has three distinct styles: Seraikella, Purulia and Mayurbhanj, the first two using masks. Traditionally restricted to male dancers, Chhau is performed at night in an open space to folk melodies, played on the mohuri (reed pipes) and shehnai.

Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir (Inscribed in 2012)

Two forms of Buddhism are practised in Ladakh – Mahayana and Vajrayana – and there are four major sects, namely, Nyngma, Kagyud, Shakya and Geluk. Each sect has several forms of chanting which is performed in groups, either sitting indoors or accompanied by dance in monastery courtyards or private houses. Chanting is practised every day in the monastic assembly hall as a prayer to the deities and for the personal growth of the practitioners.

Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur (Inscribed in 2013)

In Sankirtana, an array of arts performed to mark religious occasions and various stages in the life of the Vaishnava people, performers narrate the lives and deeds of Krishna through song and dance. It has two main social functions: brings people together on festive occasions throughout the year; and reinforces relationships between the individual and the community through life-cycle ceremonies. It is thus regarded as the visible manifestation of God.

Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru (Inscribed in 2014)

The craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru constitutes the traditional technique of manufacturing brass and copper utensils in Punjab. The metals used – copper, brass and certain alloys – are believed to be beneficial for health. The process begins with procuring cooled cakes of metal that are flattened into thin plates and then hammered into curved shapes, creating the required small bowls, rimmed plates, to larger pots for water and milk, huge cooking vessels and other artefacts. The process of manufacturing is transmitted orally from father to son.

Added to the list in 2017, the Kumbh Mela is held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation, and is attended by millions of people, irrespective of caste, creed or gender. (Image via Wikimedia Commons 4.0)

Yoga (Inscribed in 2016)

Based on unifying the mind with the body and soul to allow for greater mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing, yoga is an ancient Indian practice. Traditionally, yoga was transmitted using the Guru-Shishya (master-pupil) model with yoga gurus as the main custodians of associated knowledge and skills.

Navruz (Inscribed in 2016)

Celebrated in several countries including India, Navruz marks the beginning of a new year and a variety of rituals, ceremonies and other cultural events take place for a period of about two weeks. An important tradition practised during this time is the gathering around ‘the Table’, decorated with objects that symbolise purity, brightness, livelihood and wealth, to enjoy a special meal with loved ones.

Kumbh Mela (Inscribed in 2017)

Kumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth, during which participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river. Devotees believe that by bathing in the Ganga, one is freed from their sins, which in turn liberates then from the cycle of birth and death. The festival is held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation and is attended by millions of people irrespective of caste, creed or gender.

Durga Puja in Kolkata (Inscribed in 2021)

Durga Puja marks the 10-day worship of the Hindu mother-goddess Durga. Though it is held in various parts of the country, the Durga Puja of Kolkata is famous for its traditional celebrations including large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas, as well as by Bengali drumming and veneration of the goddess.