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Basanta Panchami: Arrival of SpringOn 16 February 2021, Hindu Buddhist population of Nepal celebrated Basanta Panchami also known as Shree Panchami or Sarashwoti Puja. This day marks the arrival of spring that could be seen with blooming peach trees and other flowers in the neighborhood. This day falls on the fifth day of shukla pakshya (waxing moon phase) of the Nepali month of Magha. So literally basanta panchami means spring on the fifth day of waxing moon.\n\nOn this day, the special event is organized in an ancient palace—Hanumandhoka Durbar Square of Kathmandu known as Basanta Shrawan. According executive director of the Hanumandhoka Museum, Mr. Sandeep Khanal, this event has continued since the Malla period (1100 to 1769 CE). At that time and until the monarchy was abolished in 2008, the king used to attend the ceremony. Even though in the Malla period, the ceremony was not known as Basanta Shrawan, but the inscriptions mention about worshipping the god Kamadeva.\n\nThe president of Nepal as a head of state attends this ceremony accompanied by the prime minister and other VIPs. The ceremony welcomes the spring, the second stanza of book Geet Govinda is recited. From this recitation this ceremony is named Basanata Shrawan. Along with Geet Govinda, Byachali raag is also recited. Priest performs the special worshiping on the auspicious time set by the panchanga samiti (group of astrologers who sets time and date for the auspicious occasions of major events). Normally the auspicious times are in morning and this year the auspicious time was set on 10:17 am. A group of musicians also play sitar in this event.\nIt is also celebrated as Saraswati Pooja, worshiping the goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. On this day, early morning parents are seen with the kids learning to write on the walls of temple of Goddess Sarashwoti with chalk. This is the symbolic meaning for asking blessing from Goddess Sarashwoti to read and write. On this day many parents start initiating teaching alphabets to the kids. Schools around the country also organize events to worship goddess with various other entertainment programs.\n\nBuddhist in Nepal believes Maha Manjushree arrived to Kathmandu from Lasha on this day. Manjushree is associated with the legends of formation of Kathmandu Valley. Manjushree came to worship the light in the lotus blooming at the center of lake. He could not reach there so, cut the hill (which is now believed to be chovar) with his sword and let water out of the lake. After the drainage of water settlement in the valley stated. Manjushree is one of the Bodhisattva that symbolizes wisdom and worshiped on this day. So along with the Sarashwori Temple, the temples of Manjushree are crowded as well.\n\nSo, this day is considered auspicious. For the start of new ventures, building houses or getting married according to the Nepali culture, people check the auspicious date with the astrologers. This day Of Basanta Panchami is considered to be so auspicious that people don’t need to consult for an auspicious date. Therefore, on this day we can see many marriages taking place and people starting new houses or constructing new houses.\n\nAs in other many festivals and rituals, this day is also an example of syncretism of Hinduism and Buddhism in Kathmandu Valley.\n\nPhoto 1 : Sister teaching younger brother to write on the wall within the premise of temple. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPhoto 2 : Wall of deity full of writings of kids during the worshiping. © Monalisa MaharjanYear2021NationNepal
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Resilient Communities of Kathmandu ValleyResidents of Kathmandu Valley, for the first time, saw temples being closed and even barred from entering the sites due to Covid-19. Most of the festivals were cancelled, which didn’t even happen even after the devastating earthquake of 2015. Only the most important rituals were performed behind closed doors. Many festivals and rituals were limited to just the formality rituals and forgiveness rituals. Instead of huge crowds, there were empty squares and closed temple doors.\n\nFor the cities, towns, and villages within the Valley known for festivals, processions, and rituals throughout the year, Covid-19 proved to be cruel. The prolonged uncertainty has prompted communities and individuals to take alternatives for continuity of ICH with new normality.\n\nThe biggest festival of Patan city, a chariot Karunayama procession, saw a violent clash between locals and police on 3 September 2020. The sight of chariot with God inside was stranded on the roadside for several months and made locals take the decision to start pulling it. After this event, the consultation between local government, chief district officer and community members was held. A few days later, the symbolic procession and forgiveness rituals were performed. The strict measures for security and necessary precautions against Covid-19 were taken. Only limited numbers of people could pull the chariot and play musical instruments with masks and face shields.\n\nMany rituals, which were supposed to take place without the masses attending, continued in many places of Kathmandu Valley. One of the rituals was restoration of important scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism—Pragyaparmita in Buddhist Monastery of Kwa Baha/ Hiranyavarna Mahavihara in Patan. Pragyaparmita translates as “Perfection of Wisdom.” The one in this monastery is written in gold and contains eighty thousand stanzas that were written in 1224 CE. This restoration used to take place for a month every three years, which had one leap year according to the lunar calendar. This year with leap month, the Buddhists priests were seen working on it wearing masks behind the closed door of the monastery.\n\nSimilarly, the annual festival of Pachali Bhairav in Kathmandu was held from 17 to 21 October. The community members took extra steps to adjust to new normal with full precautions against Covid-19. The people who were carrying God Pachali Bhairav in the form of big pot were seen wearing Personal Protective Element. This scene was spectacular.\n\nLikewise, the town of Khokana in Kathmandu Valley also continued with their most important annual event Shikali Jatra from 19 to 23 October. The deities were with their traditional masks and attire, but the communities were with the mask to protect against the virus. This festival used to have huge crowds, but this year, only a limited number of people attended.\n\nAnother city in Bhaktapur also continued their important annual mask dance named Nava Durga that started on 24 October. To avoid the masses, all the rituals and dances were performed only in the square of the ancient Bhaktapur palace where limited people were allowed. Normally, this dance is performed in different places within city of Bhaktapur and nearby villages and towns, which would continue until June. But with pandemic, the continuation in other places is still uncertain.\n\nPeople tend to organize festivals, continue rituals despite the warning from the health professionals and government. Many legends and tales tell the stories of rituals and festivals initiated in ancient time to ward off evil spirits, droughts, and pandemic. Many people still hold on to these beliefs in Kathmandu Valley.\n\nPhoto 1 : Chariot of Machindranath guarded by police to avoid crowds. ©Monalisa Maharjan\nPhoto 2 : Devotees burning butter lamps while wearing masks. ©Monalisa MaharjanYear2020NationNepal
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Yeondeunghoe (Lantern Lighting Festival), Welcoming the Post-Covid EraOn April 15, the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Korea announced that all measures of social distancing will be lifted from April 18, after about two years and one month. From this day on, many fields are expected to normalize as pre-COVID-19, and festivals and events are also in the mood to be revived.\n\nYeondeunghoe, the Lotus Lantern Festival in Korea was originally held every year before Buddha’s Birthday (April 8th in the lunar calendar), but due to COIVID-19, it could not be held normally in 2020 and 2021. Coincidentally, Yeondeunghoe was registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2020 when the COVID-19 outbreak was rampant. The Yeondeunghoe Preservation Committee, which organizes the event, declared that the event will be held normally this year. Based on Jogyesa Temple in Seoul, the event began on April 5 this year and will run until Buddha’s birthday (May 8 this year).\n\nAccording to the Standard Korean Dictionary, “Yeondeunghoe originated in Silla as a ritual to light a light and pray for good fortune on the birthday of Buddha, and was held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month during the reign of King Taejo of Goryeo. In the first year of King Hyeonjong’s reign (1010), it was changed to the 15th day of February.” The festival continues from the period of the northern and southern kingdoms through the Goryeo period, the Joseon period, and the Japanese colonial period to the present day. Since Buddhism was introduced to Korea, the festival has been an important cultural event for both the royal court and the common people. Historically, Yeondeunghoe in Goryeo period, which was held as a national event, had the greatest social function, and it also functioned as an important cultural event and festival for the common people. Even in the Joseon Dynasty, when Confucianism was a national ideology, Yeondeunghoe functioned as an important cultural event and festival for the common people. While the festival of Silla and Goryeo, which were Buddhist countries, had a strong national and religious color, the festival of Joseon, which was a Confucian country, was more a private event than a religious event. Even today, the lantern festival has become an important cultural event for the public and has become a citizen’s festival that non-Buddhists can enjoy. The event is largely composed of a ceremony to bathe the baby Buddha, a procession of lanterns, and a Buddhist ceremony.\n\nThe ICH values of the “Yeondeunghoe, Korea Lantern Festival,” which was recognized through UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritages in 2020, are as follows.\n\n“Yeondeunghoe is a festival in which all people, regardless of gender or age, participate as equal members of society. In particular, the active participation of women and children stands out in the festival. Although patriarchal culture has long been strongly entrenched in Korean society, Yeondeunghoe serves as an opportunity to uplift women and children in particular. Traditionally, for young people, the festival has been an effective means of expressing their creativity by experimenting with various shapes and colors of lanterns. Yeondeunghoe contributes to social cohesion. Lantern festivals are usually a place to share joy and happiness, but in times of social adversity, they unite society and help people overcome the problems they face. In 2014, when the whole country was shocked and grieved by the tragic Sewol ferry accident, all pre-planned Lotus Lantern events were canceled and the following new topics were announced. “Sharing sorrow and gathering hope.” This shows that Yeondeunghoe is being performed in a close relationship with society’s interest and the sentiments of the times.”\n\nYeondeunghoe, which has been transmitted to this day, has become a precious event that has shared joys and sorrows with the public for a long time beyond its religious significance. Since 2020, many people are living a difficult daily life that they have never experienced before due to COVID-19. After three years, the streets are back with the lanterns. That is why the meaning of the Yeondeunghoe, which we will meet for the first time after the dark of era of COVID-19, and which has not yet been fully lifted, is even more special. I hope that the Yeondeunghoe, which has revealed the emotions of the times and the value of life, can be a light of comfort and hope to those who have been exhausted from the pandemic over the past three years.\n\nphoto 1 : Lantern Lighting Festival 2022 © Republic of Korea, CC BY-SA 2.0, Changed: Size, Level\nphoto 2 : Lantern Lighting Festival © Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, KOGL Type1, Changed: Size, Level\nphoto 3 : Lantern Lighting Festival 2001 © Pravin Premkumar, CC BY 2.0Year2022NationSouth Korea
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Full Moon July in Vietnam: Wandering Soul’s Day and “Vu Lan” DayOver thousands of years, the Vietnamese have held a deep belief in the lunar calendar. Although most of today’s activities are scheduled in the Gregorian calendar, they still keep track of dates in the old way—many traditional cultural activities are organized based on the lunar calendar.\n\nThe fifteenth day of lunar July is known as Wandering Soul’s Day or “Vu Lan” Day (Parents’ Day) in Vietnam. This is Vietnam’s second largest annual traditional festival after Lunar New Year, and it is celebrated by participation in various religious rituals and humanitarian activities.\n\nCelebrations aside, lunar July brings a few fears to Vietnamese hearts too—it is also known as “Ghost Month.” Vietnamese people are very superstitious, and almost everyone believes in ghosts and spirits. Therefore, with all the hauntings, Ghost Month is thought of as an unlucky time and, it is considered a bad idea to do anything important during this period. This concept comes from folk beliefs related to Buddhism that during the first half of the month, the gates of the underworld are opened, allowing ghosts to roam freely on Earth and make trouble for the living. On the full moon, they have to return, and the gates are closed again.\n\nIn Vietnam, Wandering Soul’s Day is taken very seriously. All through Ghost Month, deceased relatives will find their way back to visit with the living. Offerings and prayers bring them back, and they will then bless their relatives. Meanwhile, “lost ghosts” that have no home, no offerings, and no prayers will wander around, lost and lonely. They may be ones without relatives, forgotten by descendants or dead without having been buried carefully. These things will make them cruel and place curses of bad luck on strangers. For that reason, the Vietnamese practice activities related to their beliefs in order to appease the ghosts, and not to upset or make them angry.\n\nVietnamese families will prepare two feasts during the fifteenth day of Lunar July. The first is offered early, usually at noon, to ancestors. The second, often offered sometime after sunset, is dedicated to the “lost ghosts.” This is the only day of the year that they can feast. Because they cannot eat proper food, the living often give the ghosts white porridge. Many people also visit temples to pray, some bring offerings and donations to feed these ghosts.\n\nIt may seem strange to most, but Wandering Soul’s Day also happens to be Vu Lan Day (Parents’ Day). Vu Lan Day began with the legend of Maudgalyayana (Buddha’s leading disciple), known as Muc Kien Lien in Vietnam. After his mother died, Muc Kien Lien, by means of his supernatural power, saw that she had been reborn as a hungry ghost in the realm of hell as a result of her evil actions in her past life. He pleaded with the Buddha to save his mother. Buddha instructed his disciple that only a combined effort by all Buddhist monks could soothe the suffering of the tormented soul. He then directed Muc Kien Lien to organize an assembly of monks so that Muc Kien Lien could make offerings for the benefit of his mother’s soul. Thus, the accumulated spiritual merits resulting from the prayers of all monks helped his mother awaken; consequently, she obtained liberation. Hence, the fifteenth day of Lunar July is when people pray for forgiveness for their parents’ misdeeds.\n\nPeople pay homage to their parents and ancestors, whether they are alive or dead. The custom is that you spend time thinking of your mother’s great heart and are thankful. People whose mothers have passed away will wear a white rose on their shirt during the day while others will have a red one. In addition, they will try to avoid killing animals and will eat only vegetarian food. They will also offer food and other items for the poor. This very simple custom is practiced widely throughout the country and is a very sacred and deeply unique mark of the Vietnamese culture.\n\nPhoto 1 : The offerings for ghosts © Hoang The Phuc\nPhoto 2 : Wearing roses in the Vu Lan Day ⓒ Hoang The PhucYear2019NationViet Nam
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Regional Collaboration for Safeguarding ICH in the Asia-Pacific Region: Tasks and ProspectsIntangible cultural heritage (ICH) has been described as diverse forms of culture infused with the rich history of humanity. It is precious heritage that is considered the foundation of people’s identity, showing the creative human spirit. The Asia-Pacific region has often been called an ICH treasure house because of the keen regional interest in, and the favourable social atmosphere of respect for, ICH. In addition, as the home to almost half of the world’s population, the vast Asia-Pacific region developed a unique cultural heritage with various peoples, religions, history, and social backgrounds. ICH in this region has adapted to its natural environment, ranging from grassland to ocean, and the cultural heritage has been transmitted from generation to generation. Furthermore, because many countries throughout the region were founded by multiple ethnic groups, varied cultures from these groups have been coexisting and flourishing. This intercultural mix can be seen in the regional melding of religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and indigenous religions. These factors are why the Asia-Pacific region has also been regarded as a miniature version of World Cultural Diversity. The diversity and volume of ICH in the region is also seen in the UNESCO ICH lists; 47 percent of the inscribed elements on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity come from this region. Although the number of registrations does not implicitly represent ICH distribution, it shows that the region has taken a keen interest in ICH.Year2011NationSouth Korea
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Vietnam Lacquer Painting: A Link Between Oriental Lacquer Crafts Tradition and Western Plastic Art ValueIn Vietnam, before the invention of techniques used in lacquer painting, lacquer served different purposes; referred to as annamite lacquer. Lacquer usage can be traced as far back as the Dong son period. Traditionally annamite lacquer was used as a varnish-like coating on objects. Decoratively, it was often mixed with red powder or used in combination with silver and gold. Tran Lu (also known as Tran Thuong Cong, born in 1470), is considered the founder of lacquer industry in Vietnam. As a mandarin of the Le Dynasty (1443-1460), he studied Chinese lacquer in tributary visits to China. Returning to his village of Binh Vong (Thuong Tin district, Ha Tay province), considered the location of the first lacquer in Vietnam, he bought back techniques in how to use lacquer. The lacquer industry developed during the Ly Tran Dynasty, as a decorative art mainly connected with Buddhism. During the Nguyen Dynasty lacquer gained popularity as it became accessible to daily life demand.Year2021NationViet Nam
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Thruebab, the Blessed Rainy Day in BhutanAmong fifteen national festivals celebrated in Bhutan, Thruebab or Thrübab is considered a grand event observed not only by the Bhutanese but also by Tibetans. It is a spiritual event that roughly falls between 20 and 25 September coinciding the early date of the eighth month of the Bhutanese calendar. Based on the etymology of Thruebab (thrue—wash, bath, holy water; bab—descend), the Buddhist term literally means “holy water descending”. Due to climate change, however, there is an unexpected shower and sometimes not a single drop of rain (or holy water as it were) from the sky. Regardless, the day of Thruebab is widely known as Blessed Rainy Day. The significance of the day is well connected to the view of both astrological and philosophical texts of Tibetan Buddhism. A special star, believed to be Rishi, is formed by crystal (chu-shel) and a gemstone (ketaka). With similar precious stones, an image of Vairocana Buddha was said to be erected by the great yogis with prayers to fulfill the wishes of all sentient beings. While the star Rishi revolves around the mythological mount Meru, it’s calculated that the star reaches directly above the Buddha’s figure exactly on the early date of the eighth lunar month emitting divine water drops from the collusion of rays from the star and from the Buddha’s crest. Both the rays and water drops permeate the streams and rivers of the world with immense healing power and blessings.\n\nThruebab, as an officially declared holiday, is observed by the whole of Bhutan. Various media platforms predict the beginning of the descent of the holy water and cover the entire event. However, the descent may happen early morning, after dawn, or sometimes even at noon. If it happens early in the morning, people would fill a container of flowers with the water falling down and keep it outside their house to receive the light of Rishi. As the descent happens, people use the water in taking a bath and drinking. Although Thruebab is primarily a spiritual event, people also take advantage of it to celebrate. They would take shower in open streams, ponds, or water taps and wash their clothes. Elderlies merrily shout Thrue! Thrue! Thrue! It means “cleanse us of sins and diseases”. Taking a bath is certainly the highlight of the day.\n\nThe program is then followed by making offerings and prayers. After supplication, family members gather in the dining room to eat rice porridge called thugpa as served either by the mother or eldest daughter. After this, families either visit temples and monasteries or go out for a picnic with relatives, friends, and neighbors. While men often play traditional games like archery, women sing and dance to give the game more elements of entertainment. Thruebab is considered as an integral part of intangible cultural heritage of Bhutan, fortifying social cohesion among the people. It engages people with religious activities and connects them to natural resources.\n\nPhoto : CONTRIBUTED BY YESHI LENDHUPYear2017NationBhutan
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Singapore’s Hungry Ghost FestivalThe seventh month of the lunar calendar is regarded as a month in which the gates of heaven and hell are opened so that ghosts and spirits, including deceased ancestors, can come back to visit the living in China and other Asian countries with Chinese migrants, such as Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The fifteenth day of the month is called Zhongyuan Jie (中元節) in China, Baekjung (百中) in Korea, Obon (お盆) in Japan, and the Hungry Ghost Festival in other countries. The day’s story origin derives from an old Buddhist tale about Mu Lian.1.\nMu Lian, one of Buddha’s disciples, converted to Buddhism after losing his parents at a young age. As his longing for his mother grew stronger, his clairvoyance found her suffering from ravenous appetites that could not be satisfied in hell. He tried to offer food to his mother, but the food burned into ashes when it touched her mouth. Mu Lian asked Buddha about how he could relieve his mother’s suffering. When he prepared food offerings as directed by Buddha, his mother was saved from suffering. This tale developed into a Buddhist ritual2. to offer food for ancestors and was combined with Taoist tradition to celebrate Zhongyuan Jie. At Zhongyuan Jie, people hold memorial services for ancestors and other spirits.\n\nIn Singapore, people prepare ritualistic food offerings and burn incense and joss paper in front of their apartments, stores, or companies for their ancestors’ visiting spirits. They murmur prayers while burning joss paper and go round in a circle with nobody else getting inside. Some even burn miniature paper houses, cars, and smartphones. Unlike most countries that hold traditional rites, the city-state celebrates Zhongyuan Jie in a more modern way. A getai3. is held at vacant lots or parking lots during the Ghost Festival. Getai performances were usually of Chinese operas or puppet shows in the past. Now they have evolved into various forms, including songs, dances, and stand-up comedy. A getai performance usually begins with jokes and comedy, using various languages such as Mandarin, Hokkien (a Southern Min Chinese dialect originating from Fujian Province), English, Malay, and Indian. The first row is left empty so that the spirits can sit and enjoy the performance comfortably. Although getai performances have been modernized, all the songs and dances serve the same purpose of consoling dead souls and pleasing the king of the underworld.\n\nDuring the festival, evil spirits come out with ancestral spirits. There are taboos to protect innocent people from evil spirits, such as going home late and swimming so as not to be pulled by water ghosts. People are also recommended not doing new things, like a trip, wedding, or risky movements, to avoid curses from evil spirits. They should spend their time in a more religious and controlled way than usual.\n\nSingaporean authorities have made various social and cultural efforts to preserve the Ghost Festival and pass it on to future generations. Singapore’s Taoist and Buddhist Federations have encouraged devotees to burn offerings responsibly as Nanyang Technological University scientists found that concentrations of small pollutant particles increased by 60 percent during the Hungry Ghost Festival, saying that it is not a case of “the more the merrier” since it is sincerity that counts. Singapore has grown based on coexistence and harmony among various peoples. As such, it emphasizes respect for different cultures even when enjoying a festival, highlighting that such celebrations should not be limited to a certain group. Collective efforts at all levels of society have made the Hungry Ghost Festival open to all people in Singapore. This festival provides lessons on how to discuss and resolve social issues and ethnic conflicts amid the progress of globalization.\n\nPhoto : Hungry ghost prayer table CCBYSA3.0 Mezanurrahman (Wikimedia)Year2018NationSingapore
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Current Safeguarding Status and Challenges of Shaman Heritage in TurkeyThe subject of this study is to find out the protection and sustenance ways of Shaman heritage among the Turks of Turkey. As it is known, Turks of Turkey are shaman community in terms of ancient religions and world-views such as Kazakhs, Uighurs, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Altai, Republic of Tuva, Sakha and other Turkish tribes constituting the Turkish World. Majority of the Turks of Turkey migrated from the middle of today’s Mongolia to the shores of Aegean Sea and Balkan Peninsula in the last 1500 years. Another factor complicating this 1500-year migration is the fact that Turks accepted Manichaeism, Buddhism, Christianity and some groups accepted Judaism. Normally while it was expected that they pursued various religions and dispersed in this tens of thousands kilometer square, these Oghuz tribes weren’t assimilated and they assimilated many communities whose administration they undertook within the scope of their control.Year2013NationTurkey
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Revitalizing the ICH of a Million Village Goddesses in IndiaVisually imposing sites often catch the imagination of the public. But there is often more than the monumental that informs local’s and visitor’s experiences. Few realize the importance of local civic spaces that demonstrate community benefits from safeguarding heritage in all its manifestations. Engagement with the local primary stakeholders and their spaces reveals deep knowledge for pilgrimage, tourism, education, and recreation. Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) requires benefit analysis and integrated local area planning through a bottom up praxis for sustainability.\n\nA promising development in Amaravathi Heritage Town, Andhra Pradesh, birthplace of Mahayana Buddhism, is a major program for safeguarding its tangible and intangible heritage. Known to the outside world for its famous Amaravathi School of Buddhist Art, recent systematic cultural mapping revealed 2,900-year layers of history and a rich inventory of intangible heritage. Significant is the first Government Order for safeguarding the Balusulamma Thalli Gudi or temple. Its archaeological and historical importance is amplified through the collective memories and living heritage of Balusulamma as the village patron goddess of the ancient Dharanikota.\n\nTwo hundred years ago, local king Raja Vasi Reddy Venkatadri Naidu used to dismount his elephant on returning home from other villages and make offerings to Balusulamma. Last month, his direct descendants on an annual pilgrimage visited the place during the harvest festival and conducted vermillion or Kumkuma Puja for Balusulamma. They are now sponsoring an onsite educational room built strictly according to traditional architecture and in partnership with the Amaravathi Heritage Centre and Museum.\n\nThe priest or pujari, potter Sambayya, is reviving famous Dharanikota pottery traditions. Scaled drawings of the cultural space were prepared by the School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada. Local farmers are assisting with documentation and the use of the cultural space for revitalizing the diversity of intangible heritage. The landscape has been carefully fenced. Five solar lamps, a water tank, and boring pump have been installed. A gateway has been constructed and landscaping is preventing soil erosion.\n\nThe rachhabanda or traditional meeting place under the large 200-year-old Banyan tree has been renovated with smooth granite. It is being used by the local village administration, school groups, and families. Everyone loves the ambience of the place, irrespective of caste, faith, age, and other cultural affiliation. The access road to the temple, along with drainage, has been completed. Festivities that have revived the intangible heritage of the place are once again bringing back people from the surrounding twenty-three villages. The Village Vathavaranam or village ambience is revitalized. It is a concept that is rarely addressed in critical heritage discourse.\n\nBalusulamma Thalli Gudi is an illustration of locating culture in development in safeguarding intangible heritage through integrated local area planning. There are about 14,000 villages in the state and an estimated 100,000 shrines to a high number of village goddesses across its thirteen districts—perhaps a million of heritage-rich sites in India. They are the bedrock of Andhra and Telugu culture and Indian heritage. They provide the essence of what it is to experience village atmosphere in the face of rapid urbanization and globalization.\n\nBalusulamma signifies culture as an essential component of human development as it is a source of identity, innovation, and creativity for the village life in India. UNESCO emphasizes that many people, especially the poor, depend directly on ecosystems for their livelihood, and, in effect, their economic, social, and physical well-being, including nonetheless their cultural heritage. Balusulamma Gudi is also a good representative example of the UNESCO 2011 Recommendation on Historic Cultural Landscapes and the 2003 Convention on Safeguarding Intangible Heritage. The value and role of community cultural reclamation and responsible tourism through safeguarding and promotion of heritage landscapes is better understood in Amaravathi Heritage Town.\n\nPhoto : Local folk theater revitalized © Amareswar GallaYear2018NationIndia
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Poe (Incense sticks) Production in BhutanThe burning of incense in the sacred shrines of Buddhist monasteries, temples, and also in the consecrated spaces that house the representations of the supreme spiritual beings is considered a kind of offering of sweet fragrances to the enlightened beings and also has the power to purify the impurities associated with us in any form that prevent us from realizing the innate Buddha nature and receiving the blessings. For this reason, incense is crucial in the performance of any type of ritual in the world of Buddhism. In general, burning herbs and making smoke offerings outdoors and burning incense in shrines have the same meaning and benefit; to purify defilements, pacify spirits, accumulate merit for oneself, and connect people to the spiritual world.\n\nThe production of incense is considered one of the religious crafts, as the product is used exclusively for religious purposes. There are two different types of incense: Ja-ju poe (herbal incense) with a yellowish texture and Zu-poe or Choe-jue poe (incense mixed with flesh and blood ingredients) with a brown color. Ja-ju incense is usually burned explicitly for the enlightened beings and when performing Drol-chog (ritual of Goddess Tara) and Rio-sang-chod (smoke offering at the summit of ridges and mountain to attract good fortunes), rituals associated to Nagas (subterrain sentient beings), while the other is offered to the guardian deities and guardian spirits during affirmation rituals.\n\nThe basic raw materials for both incenses are: Powder of Shug-pa (juniper), Tsen-den (weeping cypress), Balu (Rhododendron ciliatum), Sulu (Rhododendron setosum), Aru (Terminalia chebula), Baru (Terminalia bellirica), Manu (Inula racemosa Hook. f), Ruta (Saussurea lappa), Pang-poe (Valeriana officinalis) and water extracted from Zangdrug; (six valuable substances) Chu-gang (bamboo pitch), Gur-gum (saffron), Li-shi (clove), Ka-ko-la (cardamom), Za-ti (nutmeg), Sug-mel (cubeb) Ga-bur (camphor) and also Tsho (colours). When special ingredients such as Kar gsum; (three white substances) milk, curd and butter and an additional mixture of Ngar-gsum; (three sweet substances) brown sugar, molasses and honey are added to these mixed powders, the product becomes herbal incense and similarly, various ingredients of special animal meat, blood, La-tsi (musk), Gi-wang (elephant bile) and alcohols are added to make Zu-poe incense.\n\nMr. Lhundrup (80) learned the art of making incense sticks at the Government Incense Production Center in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and worked for nearly 8 years. In 1918, after his retiremen, while some friends located their incense production more promisingly in the city, Lhundrup established the present incense production named Lhundrup Poezo-khang in his remote village of Urug in Chumey Gewog (block), Bumthang Dzongkhag (district), Bhutan. Currently, he supervises the production unit while his son Sangay Tenzin (50) takes the main role and his mother Uden (67) sometimes assists her son. Two other employees help them produce a plethora of incense sticks with five different types to meet consumer demand.\n\nProduction Process: Based on the license to produce incense sticks, the raw materials, especially dried junipers, are collected from the opposite foot of Yotong la (a mountain pass in the central region at 3425 meters above sea level) and the rest of the materials are purchased from the highlanders. After collecting the raw materials, they are chopped, dried in the sun and processed into fine powder with the help of an electric grinding machine. In the meantime, a helper prepares the extraction of water from the Six Valuable Substances. During mixing in the kneading machine, 80% of the raw material powder is carefully kneaded with the extracted medicinal water. After removal from the kneading machine, the dough-like incense is formed into a palm sized shape and placed into Tsir-shing (traditional wooden compressor) hole, creating a noodle like discharge while an employee places his or her body weight on the compressor liver. These noodle-like incense sticks are rolled between two wooden boards by the incense makers, cut evenly when the bottom wooden board is full, and dried in the sun. The incense sticks are tied into bundles using thread, dried again, and finally ready for making offering.\n\nphoto 1 : Finished product © Yeshi Lhendup\nphoto 2 : Raw materials being dried © Yeshi Lhendup\nphoto 3 : Drying right after the processe © Yeshi Lhendup\nphoto 4 : Incense being offered in the Local Shrine © Yeshi Lhendup\nphoto 5 : Raising of incense smoke © Yeshi LhendupYear2022NationBhutan
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ICH INVENTORY MAKING IN BHUTANBhutan is considered one of the culturally and spiritually richest countries in the world. Culture and traditions being resultant of the evolution of human civilization, they have developed according to the socioeconomic needs and conditions of the Bhutanese people, as well as within the physical and environmental constraints and opportunities of the place or the region. But most importantly, their origin is deeply rooted in Buddhism.Year2013NationSouth Korea