Bhubaneswar: Manabasa Gurubara, a traditional ritual of Odisha and two age-old famous performing arts from the State - Chhau dance and Ravana Chhaya were among the 106 items listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of India. The list was launched by Union Minister for Culture Prahlad Singh Patel in New Delhi on Saturday.
Informing about the inclusion of the three traditions of the State, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted, “The decision will help present the unique, historic and culture of the State on the international platform. I thank PM Narendra Modi & Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel for their historic decision.”
Releasing the list, the Union Culture Minister said that 13 traditions of Indian intangible cultural heritage have already been recognised by UNESCO and the national ICH list is an attempt to recognize the diversity of Indian culture embedded in its intangible heritage. Furthermore, it will create awareness about the various ICH elements from different states of the country at the national and international levels and also ensure their protection.
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The ICH list has been classified into five broad domains which includes-oral traditions and expressions, performing arts, social practices, knowledge, and practices related to nature & universe and traditional craftsmanship.
Manabasa Gurubara has been included in the social practices, rituals or festive events category while the other two dances- Chhau and Ravana Chhaya have been placed in the performing arts category of the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Manabasa Gurubara, a household religious practice prevalent among Odias is celebrated on each Thursday of Hindu month Margashirsha (November-December) in honour of Goddess Lakshmi.
Similarly, Chhau is a major folk dance of eastern India. The dance form is prevalent in the tribal belt of the bordering areas of the provinces of Orissa, Jharkhand, and West- Bengal. It has three distinct styles Seraikella, Mayurbhanj and Purulia. Masks are an integral part of the dances of Seraikella and Purulia.
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Ravana Chhaya is among the six traditional shadow puppet theatre across different regions of India. Though these forms have distinct regional identities, languages, and dialects in which they are performed, they share a common worldview, aesthetics, and themes. The narratives are mainly based on the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, Puranas, local myths and tales.
In Odisha, Ravana Chhaya is mainly practiced by the Bhat community.
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