Context:
The Garba dance, a traditional Gujarati dance form, has been honored by UNESCO as part of the world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. This recognition during the 18th Intergovernmental Committee session in Botswana marks the 15th Indian element to be listed, following Kolkata’s Durga Puja in 2021.
Relevance:
GS II: International Relations
Dimensions of the Article:
- Garba Dance
- About UNESCO
- Tangible and Intangible Heritage
- What are India’s intangible cultural symbols on the UNESCO list?
- Who manages nominations to the UNESCO list in India?
Garba Dance
Essence and Celebrations:
- Garba: A traditional Gujarati dance for Navratri, signifying the triumph of good over evil.
Etymology and Significance:
- Origin: Derives from “Garba,” a Sanskrit term meaning womb, symbolizing life and creation.
- Celebrations: Honors fertility, womanhood, and divine mother figures.
Cultural Milestones:
- Life Events: Marks significant female rites of passage.
Performance Core:
- Focus: Centers around a light source or deity depiction, honoring Goddess Shakti’s feminine essence.
Participation and Music:
- Inclusivity: Open to all, unified by music, song, and coordinated claps.
Evolution of the Dance:
- Influence: Modern Garba blends with Dandiya Raas, adding vibrant energy.
- Unification: The fusion creates the dynamic performance seen today.
Social Impact:
- Equality: Breaks down socio-economic, gender, and sect barriers.
- Community: Encourages involvement from all societal segments, fostering unity.
About UNESCO
- It was founded in 1945 to develop the “intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind” as a means of building lasting peace. It is located in Paris, France.
- Major Initiatives of UNESCO:
- Man and Biosphere Programme
- World Heritage Programme
- Global Geopark Network
- Network of Creative Cities
- Atlas of World Languages in Danger
Tangible and Intangible Heritage
- Cultural heritage in general consists of the products and processes of a culture that are preserved and passed on through the generations.
- Some of that heritage takes the form of cultural property, formed by tangible artefacts such as buildings or works of art.
- Many parts of culture, however are intangible, including song, music, dance, drama, skills, cuisine, crafts and festivals.
- Hence, buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are physical intellectual wealth – hence they are “Tangible”.
- “Intangible” heritage consists of nonphysical intellectual wealth, such as folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions, knowledge, and language.
- An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place’s cultural heritage.
Definition of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)
- As the practices, representations, expressions, as well as the knowledge and skills (including instruments, objects, artifacts, cultural spaces), that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. It is sometimes called living cultural heritage.
- Intangible Cultural Heritage is manifested in the following domains:
- Oral traditions and expressions, including language;
- Performing arts;
- Social practices, rituals and festive events;
- Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;
- Traditional craftsmanship
Criteria for the selection
There are three criteria for an intangible cultural heritage to be inscribed in the United Nations list.
The entity must,
- be recognized by communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals as part of their cultural heritage,
- be transmitted from generation to generation and be constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history
- provide them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.
What are India’s intangible cultural symbols on the UNESCO list?
This year, India nominated Garba, a traditional dance form that originated in the state of Gujarat, for inscription on UNESCO’s ICH list.
| 1 | Koodiyattam: a Sanskrit theatre of Kerala |
| 2 | Mudiyett: a ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala |
| 3 | Vedic chantings: recitation of sacred Hindu texts |
| 4 | Ramlila: the traditional performance of the Ramayana |
| 5 | Ramman: a religious festival and ritual theatre of Garhwal, Uttarakhand |
| 6 | Kalbelia: folk songs and dances of Rajasthan |
| 7 | Chhau dance: a classical dance form of Odisha and West Bengal |
| 8 | Ladakh Buddhist chantings: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in Ladakh |
| 9 | Manipuri Sankirtana: a ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur |
| 10 | Thatheras Utensil Making: Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab |
| 11 | Yoga: ancient Indian physical, mental and spiritual practices originating in ancient India |
| 12 | Kumbh Mela: mass Hindu pilgrimage held at Haridwar of Uttarakhand, Nashik of Maharashtra, Prayagraj of Uttar Pradesh and Ujjain of Madhya Pradesh |
| 13 | Nowruz: In India, Navroz (New Year) is celebrated by the Parsi community who are followers of the Zoroastrian religion. It is also celebrated by the ‘Bahai’ community and the Kashmiris who call it ‘ Navreh’. |
| 14 | Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival that reveres and pays homage to the goddess Durga. It is an important festival in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. |
Who manages nominations to the UNESCO list in India?
- Several autonomous bodies within the Ministry of Culture actively function towards promoting and preserving intangible cultural heritage within the country.
- Sangeet Natak Akademi is the nodal organisation which looks after this function, and files nominations of intangible cultural entities from India, for evaluation by the international body.
- The Ministry of Culture also launches regular schemes, in an attempt to preserve, protect and promote intangible cultural heritage in the country.
- Among them, the “Scheme for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Diverse Cultural Traditions of India” aims to “professionally” enhance “awareness and interest” in the safeguarding, promotion and propagation of ICH.
-Source: The Hindu
