Notes

2. Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan


Kalbelia is actually an untouchable community from Rajasthan who has always lived on the outskirts of villages and relied on entertaining people for their livelihood. They are also the community who are traditionally snake charmers. They consider cobras to be sacred and carry them around in cane baskets with their Poongi (musical instrument). Kalbelia are most famous for their sensuous form of dancing, also called Kalbelia, which mimics the movements of snakes in some sense and was usually performed on joyous occasions. However, contrary to popular belief, that is not the only dance form or tradition that they have. For instance, there is the Matku dance. They also traded in snake venom and practiced alternative medicine because of their local knowledge of flora and fauna. However, their snake handling days are over and they only rely on their performances now. Take a look at this short documentary by UNESCO on them.
3. Chhau dance
It is also called the Paiku nratya (battle dance). It is a tribal, martial dance form prevalent in the states of Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal. In fact, the name Chhau is derived from Chhauni (military camp). It has three sub genres based on location and is mainly performed during a regional festival, especially during the Chaitra parva, where they perform it in honor of the Cosmic God Shiva, known for his dance form Tandava. Take a look at the short documentary made by UNESCO:
6. Ramlila – The traditional performance of the Ramayana
This one perhaps does not require an introduction. Ramlila is the story of Prince Ram of Ayodhya enacted in a theatrical form. It is traditionally performed in northern India during the Sharad Navratras, which is near Dussehra, for 10 or more days. In fact the one in Ramnagar lasts an entire month. The play usually ends with the death of Ravana and the victory of Lord Ram. Dussehra is thus often called Vijaydashmi as well. Most Ramlilas are based on the Awadhi version of Ramayan called the Ramcharitmanas composed by Tulsidas. Over the years, this tradition has spread to other countries where Hinduism has spread. Take a look at the short documentary made by UNESCO:
7. Tradition of Vedic chanting
The traditional way of reciting the Vedas is called Vedic chanting. Vedas are the primary source of knowledge on Hindu traditions. They comprise of the Hindu philosophy, myth, poetry and dialogue. The Vedas go back to about 3,500 years to the time of the Aryans, though they were written down much later. There are four chief Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. The Vedas were written in Vedic Sanskrit, and have since been translated to Classical Sanskrit. However, only 13 ways of reciting have survived till today from the original 1000. Take a look at the short documentary made by UNESCO:



01 Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros Assam, India 20th century 337; 1985; ix, x Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Northeastern state of Assam in the flood plains of the Brahmaputra River’s south bank, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 for its unique natural environment. It was first established as a reserved forest in 1908 to protect the dwindling species of rhinoceros. It underwent several transformations over the years, as The Kaziranga Game Sanctuary in 1916, renamed Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950, and declared a national park in 1974. The park, which covers an area of 42,996 hectares (106,250 acres), has the distinction of being home to the largest population of the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros. There are many other mammals and birds species in the sanctuary.[9][10][11]

02 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam Capped langur in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam
Manas National Park
Assam, India 20th century 338; 1985; vii, ix, x Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the northeastern state of Assam covers an area of 50,000 hectares (120,000 acres) in the plains of the Manas River in the foot hills of the Himalayas, on the border with Bhutan (contiguous with the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan). It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 for its unique natural environment. The sanctuary is the habitat of several species of plants, 21 most-threatened species of mammals (out of 55 mammal species in the sanctuary), 36 reptile species, 3 amphibians and 350 species of birds. Endangered species include tiger, pygmy hog, clouded leopard, sloth bear, Indian rhinoceros, wild buffaloes (the only pure strain of buffalo in India), Indian elephants, golden langur and Bengal florican. In 1907, it was declared a reserve forest, was declared a sanctuary in 1928, and became a tiger reserve in 1973 as part of "Project Tiger" and a World Heritage Site in December 1985. Plants listed under the broad category of Burma Monsoon Forests include 285 species of Dicotyledons and 98 species of Monocotyledons. Since 1992, the sanctuary was listed under "The World Heritage in Danger"|,[12][13][14] but removed in 2011 after significant conservation efforts.

03Mahabodhi temple and the Bodhi Tree to its left, Bihar Bihar, India 3rd century BC, 5th and 6th century AD and 19th century 1056 rev; 2002; i,ii, iii, iv, vi Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (Buddha Gaya), spread over an area of 4.86 hectares (12.0 acres) was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List i as a unique property of cultural and archaeological importance. The first temple was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC (260 BC) around the Bodhi Tree Ficus religiosa (to the west of the temple). However, the temples seen now are dated between 5th and 6th centuries AD. The structures have been built in bricks. Revered and sanctified as the place where Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was enlightened in 531 BC at age 35, and then propagated his divine knowledge of Buddhism to the world, it has been the ultimate temple for reverential worship, over the last several centuries, by Buddhists of all denominations, from all over the world who visit on pilgrimage. The main temple is 50 m in height, built in Indian architectural style, dated between 5th and 6and it is the oldest temple in the Indian sub-continent built during the "Golden Age" of Indian culture credited to the Gupta period. Sculpted balustrades of the Ashokan times (3rd century BC) are preserved in the Archaeological Museum located within the temple complex.[15][16]


Gujarat is renowned for its textile production methods. Bordering Rajasthan, the two states share similarities in culture and identity. The ancient Indus Valley Civilization inhabited the entire region, including Rajasthan and Punjab during Medieval India.[6] They embarked on this textile industry in Gujarat. Within textile production, each caste is assigned to an occupation of its own. These are, weaving, dyeing and printing. For example, the Salvi caste is assigned to weaving.[7] Garment producers bring these elements together to form the identity of Gujarati textiles. Direct application is a method also symbolic to Gujarati garments. Paint and other applicants are used to form patterns on fabric for dupattas, ghagras (long skirt) and turbans.