Born of our unique historical and geo-cultural
climate, diverse elements of intangible cultural
heritage have flourished in India for centuries
and passed down orally through generations.
This heritage has been crucial in shaping
our cultural identity and in imbuing our cultural
landscape with colour, vigour and feeling. The
continued transmission of all that we value in
this heritage is essential for the preservation of
our vibrant culture for our children.
While it is heartening that there is growing
concern and debate on the disappearance of our
oral traditions, there is much that needs to be
done for the protection of this vulnerable aspect
of our heritage. In the face of a formless monoculture,
many cultural practices are in danger of
escaping from our living memory altogether.
INTACH should focus on the study of languishing
or dying art forms, and work towards their
revival.
Foremost, we need to garner support for
transmission of those elements of endangered
living heritage which are of cultural and artistic
value, bear historical significance, and are worth
preserving. As a first step, it is important to undertake
research and documentation to fully
understand the nature of these art forms, and
look into their current status – leading to an approximation
of what interventions and protective
measures need to be taken on an urgent basis
to help in the formulation of preservation
policies.
As a start, perhaps, we can put in place a formal
system of protection of intangible heritage.
Identification, selection and registration of diverse
elements of artistic value could be undertaken
to form a national list or registry. This ongoing
exercise would bring up high-value intangible
heritage, which is on the verge of extinction
and needs active government protection.
Another important and perhaps essential
measure is the formulation of heritage regulations
that incorporate intangible heritage alongside
built heritage, not only at the national level
but at the level of local governments where they
would have more teeth and maximum impact.
This will result in bringing protection and promotional
activities to those specific elements of
intangible cultural heritage which are of value
to a particular region.
At the national level, the Government must
assign experts of craft know-how, cultural practices
and traditional performing arts to take up
identification and taking inventories of intangible
heritage in different categories, research on
its protection, commission documentation of
high-value intangible heritage, as well as conduct
surveys and workshops for training as ongoing
efforts. It is also crucial to recognise individuals
or groups who represent outstanding
skills or arts in the field of intangible cultural
heritage. While craft technique may be
recognised individually, a group performing folk
theatre with components of acting, costume and
accompanying music would require a collective
recognition as an outstanding performance
group, and the transmission of their skills would
also have to take place as a whole to ensure accuracy
and authenticity. This recognition
should result in a stipend/subsidy for the further
development of their skills and to conduct
training workshops for their successors. It
should be followed up with a concerted push by
the Government in providing all possible help
for public performance to promote and broaden
understanding of this heritage. Awareness creation
and sensitisation at the local level through
the media, students, corporates, etc. is most essential.
There is a need for many more national
and local cultural centres for promotional activities
like exhibitions and performances, and for
museums dedicated to intangible cultural heritage.
Research and documentation should be another
priority. There should be extra emphasis
on successor training through regular workshops
or training programmes that link schemes
of employment and livelihood with the traditional
arts and crafts. There should also be recognition
of outstanding stakeholders in their respective
fields.
While there is greater public awareness of
traditional art forms today, it is vital to engage
children and young adults in the understanding
and appreciation of their cultural roots, with
inclustion of heritage studies in the school curriculum.
It is ultimately this generation which
will save our past for the future. – (Courtesy:
INTACH Viraasat.)
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