As India is known for its diverse culture, there’s no doubt that preserving their intangible cultural heritage is significant. UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, recognized India’s diverse intangible cultural heritage in 2008. This recognition highlights the value of India’s cultural heritage and promotes its preservation. In this blog, we will discuss how India preserves its intangible cultural heritage.
India has numerous practices, rituals, and beliefs that reflect their unique way of life. This land is not just a nation but a conglomeration of different religious, social, and linguistics groups. Indian heritage is composed of diverse elements such as dances, music, festivals, arts, crafts, and rituals. People carry out these practices daily, and the practices are passed down from one generation to another. UNESCO has identified India’s eight intangible cultural heritage practices, namely:
1. Traditional brass and copper craft
2. Mudiyettu, ritual theatre, and dance drama of Kerala
3. Kalbelia, folk songs and dances of Rajasthan
4. Chhau dance, a tradition from eastern India
5. Sankirtana, ritual singing and dancing in Manipur
6. Buddhist chanting of Ladakh
7. The tradition of Vedic chanting
8. Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana.
India, with the help of UNESCO, has taken several initiatives to safeguard their cultural heritage practices. UNESCO has listed these traditions as cultural inheritance of humanity and encourages people to conserve them.
The Indian government established the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1952 to preserve the country’s cultural heritage. The Academy is responsible for promoting and preserving Indian culture by collaborating with several institutions and organizing relevant events.
Additionally, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, established in 1985, is responsible for preserving and promoting the arts and culture of India. It carries out crucial research studies, documentation, publication, and creating audio-visual archives.
India’s National Culture Fund (NCF) was established in 1996 to create an endowment for promoting cultural heritage and the creative industry. NCF supports projects and activities in several areas like theater, crafts, yoga, music, and folk art.
In conclusion, India has made significant efforts to preserve its unique cultural heritage. UNESCO’s recognition of India’s diverse intangible cultural heritage has brought attention to their distinct traditions and practices, encouraging individuals and the Indian government to continue their preservation efforts. Various institutions, such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, work hard to promote, document, and conserve India’s cultural heritage. The National Culture Fund provides much-needed support to these projects, ensuring that India’s culture is preserved for future generations.
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