West Bengal |
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Manosa Gaan
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Oral traditions and expressions; including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage
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Manosa Gaan are songs sung in praise of Goddess Manosa in West Bengal. They are a part of the various 'Mangal Kavyas' (songs of benevolence) which are based on the life of gods and goddesses and other mythological tales. The most popular Mangal Kavyas of Bengal are Chandi Mangal, Manosa Mangal and Dharma Mangal. Manosa Gaan has been sung in several villages of West Bengal since ages. Along with singing songs, worship of Goddess Manosa and community cooking also takes place. Goddess Manosa is associated with snakes and it is believed that her worship protects one from snake bites.
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Apart from West Bengal, Manosa Gaan is also practiced in parts of Assam and Odisha.
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Manosa Gaan artists of West Bengal
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Deowal Chitra and Alpana
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Traditional Craftsmanship
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Deowal Chitra (Drawing on wall) and Alapana (Drawing on floor) are part of visual folk art of Santhals and reflect simplicity, honesty and a quiet vigour. Traditional motifs, such as the lotus, the sun, the tree-of-life, flowery creepers, fish, elephants etc. are seen in these paintings.The deowal chitra is executed with natural pigments on two main portions of the hut- the Pinda or the Plinth and the Kanth or wall above the plinth. Alpana is executed with a finger by dipping it in rice powder paste and by drawing fluid, rhythmic lines, mostly for ritualistic purposes.
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The Santhals, a proto-Austroloid racial group, is the largest tribe in West Bengal. Although they reside in several districts of West Bengal, Purulia District is one of the major areas where Santhals are found after Paschim Mednipur district.
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The primary occupation of Santhals is daily agricultural and manual labour. Santhal religion worships Marang Buru or Bonga as Supreme deity. The art of tribal paintings is transmitted from generation to generation, and is constantly recreated by communities and grops, in reponse to their environment and their history. It is mostly women who engage in producing these art forms.
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Kushan Gaan
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Oral traditions and expressions; including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage
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The kusan involves, singing, recitation of dialogue, acting, dancing, and musical accompaniment. The themes are essentially religious in nature and revolve around portions of Ram's sons Kush and Lob in the Ramayan. It’s an Oral Tradition probably influenced by Bangla Kritibasi Ramayan and used the local language in the time dialogue and song.
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The kusan is a dramatic presentation of Ramayana folk theatre that was once found in many parts of North Bengal and Lower Assam in the part of North East India, the former greater Rangpur district of Bangladesh.
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There is a distinctive hierarchy of performers in the kusan theatre. There is a main performer who is also the leader of the group; he is known as the"geedal" or "mool" in hand the Byana is the main single string instrument . The geedal gives the narration in Bengali or in Kamatapuri or Rajbangsi as there were the areas covered by the historical state of Kamatapur; But Bengali is the official language of both Bangladesh and the North East Indian state of West Bengal. The supporting singer-cum-actors are known as "paiil" or ‘daina pali’.Secondary to the geedal is the doaree. This secondary narrator gives almost the same narration, but instead of a more standard Bengali (Bangla Bhasha), he translates it into a local vernacular dialect of Rangpuri or Rajbongshi.
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Durga Puja in West Bengal
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Social practices, rituals and festive events
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Durga Puja is the most important socio-cultural and religious event in the Bengali festival calendar, celebrated in autumn. The festival is to propitiate the Goddess Durga for her blessings as also celebrate her victory over the demon Mahishasur. It is also believed that Lord Rama had worshipped the goddess Durga to seek divine blessings before undertaking the battle against Ravana. Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, usually in October, which starts from Mahalaya, the inaugural day of the event. Mahalaya is celebrated by Agomoni or songs of welcome. Festivities start five days later with the observance of Shashti, Shaptami, Ashtami, and Nabami. An elaborate community bhog or food-offerings to the Goddess, is prepared and then partaken by congregations on each day of the festivities. On the tenth day, or Bijoya Dashami, the goddess is borne away to the sounds of the dhak, or traditional drum for immersion in nearby rivers or water bodies. The puja mandap or the main altar is essentially a platform inside a makeshift bamboo structure called a pandal. The rituals are performed by designated priests in front of the deities inside the mandap. Offerings of fruits, flowers, sweetmeats, incense and sandalwood are placed in platters in front of the deities while the congeragation in the pandal repeat the mantras, or holy chants, after the priest, conducting the services. The makeshift structures, as well as the image of the goddess are adorned with meticulous artwork and stylistic themes made with local craft materials such as shola or pith, coloured jute, woven brocades, imitation jewellery, clay and terracotta ornamentation.
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Durga Puja is celebrated not only in West Bengal but in other regions such as Bihar (Biharis), Odisha (Oriyas) and Assam (Ahomiyas) as well as in other states of India where Bengali community reside. Bengali migrants residing in Europe, America and Australia also celebrate this festival.
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Bengalis of all religious denominations residing in the state of West Bengal
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Chhau Dance
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Performing arts
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Chhau is a major dance tradition of eastern India. It has three distinct styles Seraikella, Mayurbhanj and Purulia named Masks are an integral part of the dances of Seraikella and Purulia. Chhau dance has a significant role in the celebration of the spring festival Chaitra Parva, being innately connected to its rituals. It is a people’s art as it involves the entire community. Performed by male dancers from families of traditional artists, or those trained under Gurus or Ustads (masters). It traces its origin to indigenous forms of dance and martial practices. Khel (mock combat techniques), chalis and topkas (stylized gaits of birds and animals) and uflis (movements modeled on the daily chores of a village housewife) constitute the fundamental vocabulary of Chhau dance. The knowledge of dance, music and mask-making is transmitted orally. It is performed in an open space called akhada or asar and lasts through the night. The dancers perform a repertoire that explores a variety of subjects: local legends, folklore and episodes from the epics Ramayana/ Mahabharata and abstract themes. The vibrant music is characterized by the rhythm of indigenous drums like the dhol, dhumsa and kharka and the melody of the mohuri and shehnai.
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Prevalent in the tribal belt of the bordering areas of the provinces of Orissa, Jharkhand and West- Bengal in eastern India. There are three district forms of Chhau: (i) Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand (ii) Mayurbhanj Chhau of Orissa (iii) Purulia Chhau of West Bengal
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(i) The dances as mainly come from communities known as Mundas, Mahatos, Kalindis, Pattnaiks, Samals, Darogas, Mohantys, Acharyas, Bhols, Kars, Dubeys, and Sahoos.
(ii) Musicians are from the communities known as Mukhis, Kalindis, Ghadheis, Dhada. They are also involved in the making of the instruments.
(iii) Masks form an integral part of Chhau Dance in Purulia and Seraikella. Communities of traditional painters known as Maharanas, Mohapatras, Sutradhars are involved in the making of these masks
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Sowa-Rigpa (Knowledge of Healing or Science of Healing)
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Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
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The term Sowa Rigpa is derived from Bhoti language which means ‘Knowledge of Healing’. It is an ancient Indian medical system concieved and propounded by Lord Buddha in India and later was enriched in the entire Trans- Himalayan region. Sowa Rigpa has been developed and incorporated into different environmental and cultural contexts through the centuries. (Sowa-Rigpa has moulded itself into the socio-cultural lineage since ages), where every village has had an Amchi family to look after public health. Today, Sowa Rigpa is acknowledged as a traditional medical system by the governments of India, Bhutan, Mongolia and Tibet. The principle medical text "rGyud-bZi" (Chatush Tantra-a texbook of fundmental principles of Sowa-Rigpa in Sanskrit language) was pioneered by Lord Buddha and translated into Bhoti language around 8th -12th Century and amended by Yuthok Yontan Gombo and other scholars of Trans Himalayan region according to the socio-climatic conditions. The fundamental principles of Sowa Rigpa is based on Jung-wa-nga (Panchmahabutha), Nespa-sum (Tridosha), Luszung-dun(Saptadhatu) etc. According to Sowa- Rigpa health is an equation of balance of tridosha (English translation) and five cosmophysical energies (Panchmahabuta), balance within the body, balance with the enviornment, and with the Universe. Pulse examination and astrological evaluation/analysis of an individual are the unique diagnostic tools in Sowa-Rigpa. The natural resources which are safe, effective and time tested are used as the sources of medication. Sowa Rigpa education, healthcare delivery and research is formally recognized and promoted by the Government of India.
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Sowa Rigpa originated in India 2500 years ago and was introduced in the TransHimalayan region around 8th Century AD. Since then it has been propagated and transmitted through teacher-student-lineage, including family lineage; prevalant among secular and monastic contexts in the Trans Himalayan regions of India. Sowa-Rigpa is the traditional medical system of Ladakh, Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalingpong (West Bengal); Lahoul-Spiti, Kinnour, Dharamsala regions of Himanchal Pradesh; Mon-Tawang and west Kameng regions of Arunachal Pardesh and Tibetan settlements in various parts of India. Sowa-Rigpa is traditionally practiced in Bhutan, Mongolia, Tibet, China, Nepal and some parts of Central Asia.
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Traditionally Sowa-Rigpa practicing families and Sowa-Rigpa Gurus were the custodians of this ancient healing system of India. The Sowa-Rigpa practice is well fitted into the socio-cultural system of Trans-Himalayan region since ages, where every village has an Amchi (practitioner of Sowa-Rigpa) family to look after the public health. The traditional practice of Sowa-Rigpa runs in some particular Amchi families from generations and in some cases it is transferred from Guru to his disciple. The father Amchi or Guru trains the student and after completion of education the young Amchi has to give a community exam (rTsa-Thid) in the presence of some expert Amchis (examiners). After passing the exam the Amchi becomes the custodian of Sowa-Rigpa practice. At present the traditional Amchi families, institutionally trained Sowa-Rigpa doctors, different monasteries, educational centers of Sowa-Rigpa, and Sowa-Rigpa research Institutions and individual practitioners are the bearers of the element. Further a vast corpus of ancient literatures, commentaries and oral transmissions are developed and preserved in different monasteries and by individual practitioners. Today, besides the traditionally trained Amchis, hundreds of Sowa-Rigpa doctors trained through institutional training are the bearers of the element. Sowa Rigpa education, healthcare delivery and research is formally recognized and promoted by Government of India.
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Video Link
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Gaudiya Nritya
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Performing arts
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Gaudiya Nritya is a classical dance form of Bengal as well as of other Eastern parts of the country like Assam, Odisha and Manipur. It has its origins in the Natyashastra. Its technique and repertoire were developed by the erstwhile nobility who were both performers and teachers. Shree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had made a significant contribution to popularize this ancient dance form in Bengal, Manipur and parts of Orissa. It was widely used in the Vaishnav societies. However, due to lack of patronage the practice of this dance form has almost disappeared. The performance of Gaudiya Nritya is based on mythological stories. Transmission of its knowledge follows Guru-Shishya parampara.
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Parts of West Bengal, Assam, Orissa and Manipur.
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Trained Gaudiya Nritya dancers
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Bonobibir Pala
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Performing arts
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In southern Bengal, men of the villages set out for jungle before the arrival of monsoon. If they manage to return from jungle, it is believed that it has happened by the grace and generosity of 'Maa Bonobibi'. Hence, in 'Maghi Poornima' or the full moon night of the Bengali calendar month Magh (January-February) the entire village workships Goddess Bonobibi. The villagers cook and eat together in front of her makeshift temple (Thaan), recall the benevolence of Goddess Bonobibi and perform the original unedited play or 'Pala' named 'Bonobibir Johuranama' for the entire night. That is the traditional way to present Bonobibir Pala. Nowadays, however, many troupes have formed who perform the Pala to entertain the tourists. Naturally, they have to edit and redesign the original overnight long folk play to a redefined presentation of maximum one hour.
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Chhoto Mollakhali, Baruipur, South 24 Pargana, West Bengal
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Moule, Bede, Kathuria and Jele communities
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