This year (2024), the ICH Division embarked on a significant project, producing a one-hour documentary film titled ‘Ganga: A Love Beyond Reason’, which delves into the rich cultural heritage of key, yet lesser-known intangible cultural heritage aspects of districts spanning Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
 
The film captures and documents these unique domains of ICH, showcasing the special cultural treasures and traditions along the Ganga River. These include indigenous knowledge systems, folklore, performing arts, oral history, fairs, festivals, crafts, and more. The documentary features:
 
●      Archaeological Sites and Historicity: Exploration of ancient sites and their historical context; Historians/Archaeologists perspectives
●      Stakeholders/Cultural practitioners’ perspectives
●      Pothi System: Traditional genealogy registers of Haridwar and Garhmukteshwar
●      Block Printing: Techniques of the Sadh community
●      Tabla Gharana of Farrukhabad: A distinguished school of tabla music
●      Kajri of Mirzapur: Traditional folk music
●      Carpet and Brassware industry of Mirzapur
●      Varanasi Aarti: The lesser-known aspects of the iconic worship ritual at the Ghats of Varanasi
●      Zari and Zardozi of Chandauli: Detailed embroidery styles
●      Manjusha Art: A traditional art form
●      Bhagalpuri weaving and sarees
●      Foodways: Culinary traditions along the Ganga River, in places like Kannauj, Varanasi, and Farukkhabad, among others,  as well as the sweets of Kolkata
●      Boatmaking: Traditional boat craftsmanship
 
‘Ganga: A Love Beyond Reason’ not only highlights these cultural practices but also emphasizes their significance and the urgent need for their documentation and preservation.  On the occasion of Ganga Dusshera, the film was screened in the multipurpose hall of INTACH, Delhi, and received much appreciation from the viewers present. The film has been uploaded on the following INTACH YouTube channel for a broader reach.

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/LL9G4qBPqyU?si=jQVZffiDpDkXQ0Ry

The ICH Division undertook an extensive project focused on the audio-visual documentation of intangible cultural elements in Gaya, with the primary objective of highlighting and bringing to public attention the lesser-known cultural heritage of the region. This documentation was meticulously crafted by Shri Bappa Ray, a distinguished documentary filmmaker with over three decades of experience in the field.

Titled Gaya – Strings of Faith, the resulting 55-minute documentary goes beyond the well-known Gaya Pitrapaksha rituals, offering a comprehensive exploration of Gaya as a sacred complex. The film sheds light on various aspects of Gaya’s rich cultural tapestry that are either little-known or at risk of fading into obscurity, including the Pitrapaksha/Shraadh rituals, local literature, fairs and festivals, the craftsmanship of Pattharkati (stone carving), local cuisine, traditional wrestling, and the distinctive Gaya Gharana of music.

The documentary’s primary aim is to foster awareness among the public about these living cultural traditions and intangible aspects of Gaya’s heritage, emphasizing the need for their preservation. By doing so, it seeks to engage society in the protection of these vital cultural elements, many of which are integral to Gaya’s identity but are currently under threat.

Gaya – Strings of Faith, produced by the ICH Division of INTACH and directed by Bappa Ray, was first screened on August 1, 2016, at the Multipurpose Hall, INTACH Head Office.

YouTube link for the film:

Gaya: Strings of Faith  https://youtu.be/LTPuhywAsOc (long version)

Gaya: Strings of Faith  https://youtu.be/B_tTzgmOjhY (short version)

Documenting The Ethno-Cultural Practices Of Four Tribes Of Andhra Pradesh