Traditions & Practices
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Carpet Making
Since carpet weaving originated in Persia and travelled to Kashmir, the designs have a lot of resemblance to Persian themes. The carpets of Kashmir resemble Central Asian styles like bokhara and Turkish makes. Often, a cotton warp is mixed with a woollen weft. Silk carpets are also made. Common motifs include medallions, horse designs, hunting and animal scenes. Floral and plant designs in unusual sizes can also be found. Trellis designs are often combined with plant motifs. Kashmiri carpets are always hand-knotted. The knotting of the carpet is significant as it defines the life of the carpet
Chhau Dance
The Chhau dance is prevalent in the tribal belt of the bordering areas of the provinces of Orissa, Jharkhand and West- Bengal in eastern India. The dances are performed by many different communities such as as Mundas, Mahatos, Kalindis, Pattnaiks, Samals, Darogas, Mohantys, Acharyas, Bhols, Kars, Dubeys, and Sahoos, whereas the musicians come from the communities such as Mukhis, Kalindis, Ghadheis, Dhada.
Channapatna Toys-Gombegala Ooru
Channapatna is an hour's drive from Bengaluru, on the way to Mysore. This town is also referred as Toy Town. Channapatna toys are the traditional speciality of the Channapatna taluk. They are well known and in demand all over the globe. Tippu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, the present Karnataka State, was a great admirer of wooden toys. He invited artisans from Persia to train the local artisans in the making of wooden toys. Rosewood and sandalwood were also occasionally used in making the toys, but the main wood used was ivory wood for almost two centuries. They also use teak, pine, rubber and cedar wood.
Char Bayt
Char Bayt is a Muslim tradition in local oral poetry in Tonk in the State of Rajasthan, Bhopal in the State of Madhya Pradesh, and Rampur, Chandpur, Malihabad and Amroha in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India. Chaar Bayt are four line sequence of verse sung to the beat of the "duff" (a percussion instrument). The poetry has originated from an Arabic poetic form called "Rajeez" and can be traced back to the 7th century. This is a very participative and lyrical form of poetry which is also performed in a collective. Often there is a troupe with headed by an 'ustad'. The singers who perform chaar bayt are often illiterate and come from economially weaker sections of the society.
Source IGNCA Inventory of ICH, Janapada Sampada Division, IGNCA
Contributed by Aditya, CEE Ahmedabad
Chavittunatakam
Chavittunatakam is a colourful Christian art form which is popular in the districts of Thrissur, Ernakulam and Alappuzha. Its origins are associated with the coming of the Portuguese, who wanted a cultural medium to propagate their religion and its stories. Collaborating with the Malayali scholars, they developed a new art form which is chavittunatakam.
ChikanKari Embroidery
Chikankari is fine art of embroidery made with white untwisted yarn with the help of a needle on a fine plain cloth. The cloth is generally plain white, pink, maroon, shades of green etc. so that the embroidery work is visible. Earlier chikankari was done on fine white cotton fabric called muslin or mulmul, but with decline of availability of material, gradually the work was started being done on other fabrics like Organdie, Cotton and Silk, Voil, Chiffon, Lenin, Rubia, Khadi, Handloom cloth, Terry Cotton, Polyester, Georgette, Terry voil.
Chitalagi Amabasya
Chitalagi or 'Chitaou Amavasya' is one such festival of Odisha which is being celebrated on the new moon day of the month 'Shravana' (August). On this day, in the temple of Jagannath, the deity bears a golden mark (Chita) on his forehead. A special variety of rice-cake known as 'Chitou Pitha' is being offered to the deity. It is in the primitive tradition to appease evil powers through worship whether they are animals, serpents, insects or plants. People worship and pray them to avoid their wrath. Therefore, during the festival the pilas (one species of molluscs) is appeased as a female form of evil power known as 'Gandeisuni' (Genda means Pila). The farmer girls go to the fields and while offering cakes pray. "Oh; Gandeisuni, be appeased and do not cut the legs of my father or brother who will be working in this field".
Chitra – Vichitra Mela
Chitra Vichitra Mela is one of the largest, purely Adivasi (tribal) festivals of Gujarat associated with the Garasis and Bhil tribes. It takes place every year in the village Gujbhakhari in Poshina block of the Sabarkantha District of Gujarat and is held a fortnight after Holi (the festival of colours) on the new moon day.
Chola Bronze Works
The ancient craft of bronze or "panchaloha" casting of icons which reached its apogee of excellence under the Cholas is done by the cire per due or lost wax method. The icon is first made in wax and three layers of clay applied on the wax model which is then allowed to dry. When perfectly dry, the clay coated mould is heated over an open ground oven and the molten wax forced out through appropriate holes in the icons.
Chhadakhai
In the sacred month of Kartika (October-November) many people forego their favourite non-vegetarian dishes till Kartika Purnima as part of sacred ritual. The day after the full moon is the great day of release from this religious taboo and all indulge in non-vegetarian dishes to their heart's content. Some believes that during this month fishes are in gravid stage or spawn their eggs and to maintain the biodiversity, it is linked to give up the non-vegetarian food.
Clay & Terracotta of Chhattisgarh
Votive terracotta figures are found widely in the districts of Bastar, Jhabua, Sarguja, Raigarh, and Mandla in Chattisgarh. Clay icons are placed on the borders of villages to ward off evil spirits, to appease and propitiate unseen forces, and also to seek their blessings for a trouble-free and happy life. Icons of Matri Devi or the Mother Goddess, known as Mai among tribals, are installed and propitiated to guard villagers from plague, fever, and epidemics. The idols have various names, linked to the name of the village: Khanda Mai, Banjarin Mai, Kankalin Mai, and Chechak Mai.
Cock Fight
Cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters (cocks), held in a ring called a cockpit. Two owners of the cock place their game cock in the cockpit. The cocks fight until one of them dies or is critically injured. Cockfighting is a favorite sport of people living in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Balasore district of Odisha.
Conch Shell Craft
Conch shell craft is one of the oldest folk crafts of West Bengal. The craftsmen of conch shell products (Shankhari or Sankhakar) belong to the ancient 'Nabasakha' which is one of the so called nine craftsmen communities. The carvings on the conch shell reflect the social, mythological and historical expressions, rendered with the help of the traditional folk knowledge and technology.