UNESCO Intangible Heritage Lists & India

Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants.  While fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization. 

Thus in 2003, the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage came into being which identified five broad ‘domains’ in which intangible cultural heritage is manifested:

• Oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage;
• Performing arts;
• Social practices, rituals and festive events;
• Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;
• Traditional craftsmanship.

Traditional Theatre Forms of India

Drama in itself is a complete form of arts. It includes in its framework acting, dialogue, poetry, music, singing etc. Traditional theatre-forms are an expression of the feelings of the community. They are presented on various occasions such as festivals, fairs, ritual offerings, gatherings etc throughout the year. Some generic features of traditional theatre-forms are given at the end of the article. 

Now I shall present notes on the various traditional theatre-forms of India.[Q on this was asked in 2011 Mains]. 

Bhand Pather

• traditional theatre form of Kashmir 
• a unique combination of dance, music and acting. 
• Biting satire, wit and parody characterize the form. 
• music is provided with surnai, nagaara and dhol. 
• The actors of Bhand Pather are mainly from the farming community and the impact of their way of living, ideals and sensitivity in the drama is discernible.
• Sometimes masks are also used in the performance.

 

Indian Classical Dances

In literature, the first references come from the Vedas where dance and music have their roots. A more consistent history of dance can be reconstructed from the epics, the several Puranas and the rich body of dramatic and poetic literature known as the nataka and the kavya in Sanskrit. From the 12th century to the 19th century there were many regional forms called the musical play or sangeet-nataka. Contemporary classical dance forms are known to have evolved out of these musical plays. Classical dances recognized by the Government of India are (as evidenced from their listing on the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training website- CCRT is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, GoI):

1. Bharatnatyam-  
2. Kathakali, 
3. Kuchipudi, 
4. Kathak, 
5. Manipuri, 
6. Odissi and 
7. Sattriya.

Indian Painting: Modern Indian Painting

Roughly, many consider that the modern period in Indian art began around 1857 or so. This is a historical premise. When we talk of modern Indian Art, we generally start with the Bengal School of Painting.

Towards the close of the nineteenth century, Indian painting, as an extension of the Indian miniature painting, snapped and fell on the decline. This lacuna  was not filled until the early years of the twentieth century, and even then not truly. There was only some minor artistic expression in the intervening period by way of the 'Bazar' and 'Company' styles of painting, apart from the more substantial folk forms which were alive in many parts of the country. 

Indian Painting: Wall Paintings

The list of paintings in this category have been taken from the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training website. (http://www.ccrtindia.gov.in/). 

BHIMBHETKA CAVE PAINTINGS

• Bhimbhetka rock shelters are situated in Vindhya ranges in Madhya Pradesh. 
• One of the earliest example of Indian Painting. The paintings date from 1500-2000 BC.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Paintings  depict the lives and times of the people who lived in the caves, including scenes of childbirth, communal dancing and drinking, and religious rites and burials, hunting as well as the natural environment around them.  Animals such as bisons, tigers, lions, wild boar, elephants, antelopes, dogs,lizards, crocodiles, etc., have been abundantly depicted in some caves.
• Executed mainly in red and transparent with the occasional use of green and yellow.  

Indian Painting: Schools of Painting

In 2010, a question was asked about distinguishing features of Rajasthani and Pahari Schools of painting for 12 marks and 150 words. So am giving below small writeups about different schools of painting.

Before I start I would like to give a brief overview of Indian Painting. The Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) categorizes Indian painting into Wall Painting, Miniature Painting and Modern Indian Painting.      

• Wall Painting includes the cave art of Bhimbhetka, Ajanta etc, and also to references to mural paintings in ancient Buddhist texts like the Vinayapitaka, and Mahabharata and Ramayana.2
• Modern Indian Painting is stated to have begun from 1857 with the Bengal School of Painting. Early stalwarts were Raja Ravi Verma and Abanindranath Tagore and their followers. 3

In this article I will be elaborating on Miniature Art and its various schools.
[The CCRT an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Culture, GOI, whose main objective is to spread awareness about Indian culture among students.1 A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface.5]

History Two-Markers 2008

CSE (Mains) 2008, GS Paper I

Ilbert Bill: The Ilbert Bill was introduced by Lord Ripon in 1883 that allowed Indian judges and magistrates the jurisdiction to try British offenders in criminal cases at the District level. It was named after Courtenay Ilbert, the recently-appointed legal adviser to the Council of India, who had proposed it as a compromise between two previously suggested bills. However, the introduction of the bill led to intense opposition in Britain and from British settlers in India that ultimately played on racial tensions before it was enacted in 1884 in a severely compromised state. The bitter controversy deepened antagonism between the British and Indians and was a prelude to the formation of the Indian National Congress the following year.1

Lala Har Dayal: founded the Ghadr Party in America. He encouraged Indian students to acquire a scientific and sociological education and set up a house for them (similar to Shywamji Krishnaverma's India House in London). He was a scholar of Sanskrit, studied in Oxford University and had a teaching position at Princeton University (USA).2

Blog success in CSE 2011(Mains)

As a self-gratifying exercise I am just reviewing how many issues covered in my blog were actually asked in the GS question papers of 2011 CSE (mains) or how many of the articles could have contributed to answering the questions. So here goes...

GS Paper I
1. Q on "Telecom Ministry's proposed Spectrum Management Commission" (5 mks): S-band Spectrum
2. Q on Rahim Fahimuddin Khan Dagar (2 mks) - Personalities page
3. Q on V.Tejeswini Bai (2 mks) - Personalities page

GS Paper II
1. Q on " Strategic and Economic importance of Central Asian Republics to India" (20 mks) : India and SCO 
2. Q on "...implications of 'string of pearls' theory" (20 mks). The following articles could have contributed
     - Chinese influence in Myanmar
     -  China-Bangladesh
     -  China- India
3. Q on "SAFTA vs. BIMSTEC" (20 mks). India-Myanmar could have contributed.
4. Q on "importance of SME Expo and Conference in Dubai for Indian business" (12 mks) : MSME
5. Q on "political and economic relationship between India and South Africa" (12 mks) : India and Africa
6. Q on "melting of Arctic sea ice" (12 mks) : India and Arctic
7. Q on " strategic interests replacing commercial interests in Cam Ranh Bay" (12 mks) : Controversies in South China Sea
8. Q on "INSPIRE programme of DoS&T" : Science research in Indian universities

Its interesting for me to note that I have shown greater interest in Foreign Affairs which could have definitely helped in Paper II. This time I need to also focus attention on India-specific issues which will impact Paper I. 

"Mains"

You know, I have realised that the 'mains' are actually called so for a reason. They are indeed the most important part of the civil service exam. In popular usage of CSE aspirants, it often refers to the written exam only- and it most definitely makes or breaks the 'attempt'. A boundary score will not put you in the final list even if one performs exceedingly well in the interview; and to be top of the final list you certainly need a 1100+ score in the written alone (hoping to get atleast 180+ in interview).

So,...this would be the third time I would be writing the mains (if the Gods of UPSC deign to pass me in the prelims that is). It would also be the final attempt for me-so am eager to pour all the remaining blood, sweat and grime of my being into it. But then, what shall I do differently or what shall I persist with in GS prep has bewildered me. The reason being my GS scores in 2011 exam. Despite attempting 520 marks, of which although100 marks was pure hawabazi and the remaining 420-informed writing of various degrees, I managed a measly score of 201 (unfortunately nothing auspicious in that score). And thanks to the scores of my remaining papers I did not even manage an interview call this time. And that was the UPSC ka jhatka- zor ka jhatka bahut zor se laga!

Pondering over my scores and performance in the last exam, I have decided on a few to-do's which will hopefully not repeat this year's debacle.

History Two-Markers: 2011-2009

Hello. Am compiling below information on some of the 2 to 5 marker questions that have been asked previously in the CSE GS papers. (In the hope that some of them may be repeated) :)

2011

Benoy-Badal-Dinesh Martyrdom: In 1930, Benoy Krishna Basu, Badal Gupta and Dinesh Gupta shot Colonel NS Simpson the inspector-general of prisons who was infamous for his brutal oppression of prisoners, in the Writer's Building, Kolkata (present seat of power of the Bengal govt). 
Benoy, Badal and Dinesh got into Writers' dressed as Europeans so they wouldn't draw any suspicion. They shot Simpson and a gunbattle ensued between them and the British police. The police overpowered them and the trio adopted different ways to evade arrest. Badal consumed potassium cyanide, while Benoy and Dinesh turned the revolvers on themselves. Benoy died later in a hospital and Dinesh, who survived, was ordered to be hanged till death on July 7, 1931.  
Years later, the Dalhousie Square which is the central business district of Kolkata and the seat of state government was renamed after the trio as BBD Bagh. Also in July 2011, the state government planned a memorial for the three martyrs in Writer's Building. 1