Medieval Kannada Recipe Book

Culinary traditions are an inherent component of Intangible Heritage. An interesting Kannada recipe book from the medieval period was published by the Division. Led by Sh. N.P. Bhat, Convener Dharwad Chapter the book which was originally written in verse by the King Mangaras III of Kallahalli (under the great rule of the Hoysala dynasty) was translated into English. It has a collection of vegetation recipes which have been a part of cooking in addition of Kannada from the medieval past and can... Read More

Ancient Lepcha Manuscripts

The Lepchas are known for their strong sense of commitment and pride towards their language and their rich indigenous culture, which they are struggling hard to preserve. The ICH Division entered into collaboration with the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association to get the Lepcha manuscripts translated into English. Three manuscripts were taken up for translation- Nyaodik Nyaosaong Mun, Zaor Boongthing and the Origin of Chyee, the Lepcha’s Fermented Beer; Chhyoten Munlaom- a Lepcha manuscript... Read More

Documentation of Chhau Dance

A joint quantitative survey by INTACH and Observer Research Foundation (Mumbai) was conducted in Seraikela (Jharkhand) and Purulia (West Bengal). The survey looked at the status of Chhau dance in the wake of it being included in the UNESCO ‘representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity’ and dwelt upon strategies to improve the preservation of this art form, after extensive interviews with the practitioners of the dance form. This research was included in the later... Read More

Shahjahanabad Documentation

The ICH division undertook a comprehensive survey and documentation of intangible cultural elements still prevalent in Shahjahanabad. Two researchers, one from IGNOU, Delhi, and the second a post-graduate student from France, were deputed to conduct extensive interviews with residents of Old Delhi, to explore the rich cultural traditions of that area, and to determine how the changing socio-cultural-economic scene of the last 50 years has affected the ritualistic practises, beliefs and... Read More

Documentation of Jogi singers, Haryana

A state wise documentation of the Jogi singers of Haryana was undertaken in order to capture the rich ballads, devotional songs and stories-poems of the Jogis, traditional singers who reflect many aspects of Haryana’s folklore and culture. Unfortunately, this multi-faceted community, performing the role of balladeers, poets, musicians and even healers, is losing its place in the society. Sh. Sudhir Sharma, convenor of the Rohtak chapter undertook this documentation.This traditional folk form... Read More