Traditions & Practices
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Salhesh
Salhesh is the chief deity of the socially marginalized and downtrodden Dusadh dalit community in Bihar. The festival of Salhesh provides identity, social cohesion and self respect to the community. The Salhesh festival is celebrated with recitations, folklore, craftsmanship and performing arts. The performance includes instrumental music, recital of songs in local dialect, dancing, acrobatics and symbolic gestures. The festival culminates with the votive offerings of the terracotta horse-riders to the deity. This cultural heritage is however on in danger of getting lost. Some safeguarding measures have been taken by the state as well by art connoisseurs and the community itself.
Source IGNCA Inventory of ICH, Janapada Sampada Division, IGNCA
Contributed by Aditya, CEE Ahmedabad
Sacred Groves in North East India
A paper by R. S Tripathi on the Sacred Groves of the North East states that declaring a patch of forest near the villages as sacred and protecting it on the grounds of religious and cultural beliefs is an age old practice with the tribal communities in the north-eastern hill region of India. There are a large number of sacred groves in the states of Meghalaya, Manipur and Karbi-Anglong area of Assam. These are among the few least disturbed forest patches in the region serving as the original treasure house of biodiversity.
Sacred Groves of Kodagu - Conserving a rich tradition
Kodagu is the second smallest district of Karnataka with an area of slightly more than 4000 sq.kms.The concept of Devarakadu or the Sacred Grove is a very popular tradition in Kodagu. Sacred groves exist all over India and in the rest of the world but what makes Kodagu unique is that this little district has probably the highest density of sacred groves in all of India with about 1214 that are officially listed. Almost every village has one or more sacred groves, while 14 villages have more than ten groves each and Thakeri village in Somwarpet Taluk has the largest number with 17 groves. (Kushalappa and Kushalappa 1996).
Sathi Puja
Sathi puja is basically observed at Puri and Ganjam district in Odisha. It is being observed by mothers for the welfare of their children. Six small doll-like images of 'sathi' (sisters) are made by using 'haldi' (turmeric) and amla paste. The dolls are being worshiped by offering a curry dish in which six types of 'saag' (leaves) and six types of vegetables are mixed. Six number of 'chakuli pitha' (cake made out of rice and black-gram powder) are also offered. The mother also used to worship her own child on this auspicious occasion. The mother beats her chldren mildly on the back by using this bunch of twigs consisting of 'Apamaranga', 'Bajramuli', 'Saru', 'Amba' (mango), 'Bichuati', and 'Barakoli'.
Sama Chakeva
During the winter season the birds from the Himalayas migrate towards the plains and it is during this period, the people of Bihar welcome these migratory birds by celebrating 'Sama Chakeva'. It is one of the famous festivals of Mithila region of Bihar. This festival also commemorates the strong relationship between brother and sister.
Sankheda Nu Lakh Kam: Lacquered turned wood furniture of Sankheda
Sankheda furniture is made of teakwood and painted in traditional colors of gold, silver, maroon, green, vermilion, and brown. This is a craft tradition so inherent in the collective identity of the practitioners that their town is named after it. Sankheda, in eastern Gujarat derives its name from 'sanghedu' meaning lathe in Gujarati. The process involves cutting teakwood pieces in specific sizes and then giving these shapes on a lathe. After shaping and smoothening, ornamental designs are made on this with a brush. There is a wide range of furniture items produced including child's cradles, child's walkers to chairs, tables, and large swings, a response unique to tropical and humid climate.
Source IGNCA Inventory of ICH, Janapada Sampada Division, IGNCA
Contributed by Prarthana Borah, CEE Ahmedabad
Sankirtan
Sankirtan is a form of narrative singing and dancing within the framework of Hindu rituals and ceremonies from Manipur. It is performed in a prescribed temple or courtyard area with audience seated according to set rules. Narratives are mostly drawn from legends of Krishna with every sequence of the recital symbolizing a certain aspect of divinity.
Source IGNCA Inventory of ICH, Janapada Sampada Division, IGNCA
Contributed by Prarthana Borah, CEE Ahmedabad
Samba Dasami
'Samba Dashami' is one among the unique rituals observed on the 10th day during the 'Shukla Paksha' or waxing phase of moon in the month of 'Pausha' (December – January). This festival is dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun) mainly observed in Odisha
Sattriya Music, Dance and Theatre
Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Shrimanta Shankaradeva (1449-1568 ) created Sattriya Nritya as a powerful medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith. Sattriya Nritya represents an integration of art and devotion. In the second half of the 19th century, Sattriya Nritya emerged from the sanctum of Assam's sattras (monasteries) which had maintained certain rigid disciplines within its walls, and where this dance style was performed in a highly ritualistic manner by male dancers alone. On 15 November 2000, the Sangeet Natak Akademi (link) finally gave Sattriya Nritya its due recognition as one of the classical dance forms of India, alongside the other seven forms. Sattriya Nritya is accompanied by musical compositions called borgeets which are based on classical ragas.
Source IGNCA Inventory of ICH, Janapada Sampada Division, IGNCA
Contributed by Prarthana Borah, CEE Ahmedabad
Sonepur Mela
The Sonepur cattle fair or Sonepur Mela is held on Kartik Purnima (the full moon day) in the month of November in Sonepur, Bihar, on the confluence of river Ganga and Gandak. It is also known as Harihar Kshetra Mela and it attracts visitors from all over Asia.
Silver & Filigree Works
Silverware of Odisha are very widely known. Here Filigree works particularly are unique examples of artistic excellence rarely to be seen in any other part of India. Cuttack is world famous for Filigree work. Silver wires, extremely delicate, are shaped into intricate designs. Forms of animals and birds, articles of daily use like vermilion receptacles are also made out of silver wires. Filigree ornaments, especially brooches and earrings are very popular among Indian women. Scenes from the 'Mahabharat' are sometimes depicted in silver in particular interest is the chariot of Arjuna driven by Lord Krishna done in silver.
Stone Carving
Stone carving is an age-old craft of Odisha. The descendants of the artisans who once scaled the dizzy heights of excellence in temple building have kept the sculptural tradition alive through their hereditary craft of stone carving.
Stone Carving of Chhattisgarh
The pink and white stone available in Bastar, Chattisgarh called sudapaal is soft and easily carved. Large tool called basulas are used for cutting the stone. Pataasis or chisels of various shapes and sizes are used for finer carvings.
Stonecraft of Tamil Nadu
Through the ages the best talent in stone craftsmenship went into stone carving of images and structures made for the temples by hereditary sthapatis belonging to the Vishwakarma community of Tamil Nadu.
Storage Units of Tribal Communities of Gujarat
While world today is struggling to find methods to reduce wastage of agricultural produce especially of cereals and pulses and maintain quality during storage, the local communities and tribes have some indigenous methods for the same. The storage methods range from mud structures to modern bins. The containers are made from a variety of locally available materials differing in design, shape, size and functions. The materials used include paddy straw, wheat straw, wood, bamboo, reeds, mud, bricks, cow dung etc.
Storytelling with Kaavad
"The Kaavad offers an identity to all the communities that are connected to it. Each community has multiple identities but in this specific one concerning the Kaavad they are all related. The makers get their uniqueness as they are the only ones who make them and were created to make them. They depend on the tellers to some degree to continue making the Kaavads. The tellers get their professional identity from the very name and depend on their patrons to continue the tradition. The patrons 'recognize themselves' and their ancestors in the images that the Kaavad mirrors. The myth in a way explains the reality and reinforces the dependence and synergy."
Sujuni
Sujuni is the word that Bihari women use for a running stitch embroidery on layered cloth, made as a quilt to give family members on the occasion of weddings or births. Women traditionally made sujuni in their homes, layering worn-out old saris and stitching them with coloured threads and embroidering into them scenes from their village life.