Lighting decoration in Temples during festivals

These are photographs of Lighting decoration taken at the time of festival occasion in temples. Every where in India people celebrate festivals in all seasons with much enthusiasm and joy.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Performances during Festivals in India

Our Incredible India is a unique land with a combination of diverse cultures and traditions. We can observe the real spirit of  the culture and life of India during the celebrations of various fair and festivals which  celebrated in each and every part of India. In our country there are many festivals and fairs continues through out the year. People of India celebrated each of these festivals and fairs with much enthusiasm and joy.

On the occasion of Dussehra and Ganesh Chaturthi festivals Indian people celebrated with much joy. Dussehra and Ganesh Chaturthi both are the festivals celebrated in every part of India 9 days and during these 9 days we can see the true spirit of Indian cultural and life particularly during the nights of these 2 Navaratri festivals Indian people forget about their daily routine works and involved deeply with their hearts and  want to explore the many Folk, Stage and Street Performances relating to Intangible Cultural Heritage of India. Generally people are very busy with their day to day activities but during these festivals they want to came back to their roots and trying to explore as much as possible about many of these performances which relates to our Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

Some of the Intangible Cultural Heritage performances celebrated by Indian people during these festivals are Kolatam, Street Performances, Stage Performances,Tholu Bommalata (Puppet Performances), Puli Vesham, Garaga Dance, Thappeta Gullu, Asadi Nrutyam, Urumula Nrutyam, Bhama Kalapam, Yakshaganam, Ardha Naareeswara Nrutyam, Burra Kadha, Pagati Vesham, Snake Charmers, Bear performers etc Many of thees Intangible performances are oral and there will be no recorded documentation for them. These are only a few performance names in the list performed by Indian people which came under the category of Intangible Cultural Heritage of India. According to some opinion through out India like theare are nearly 1,000 different types such Intangible cultural performances existed in every part of India. But Now-a-days due to technological advancement many of these performances vanished away and most of these are now come to edge of complete extinction and some of them already vanished. 

Hence it is our responsibility to preserve these performances which are part of our glorious Intangible culture. Otherwise in the future generations people are referring about these object through Internet and in text books only because at that time there will be no physical objects and persons not available to perform these things.


From my side i am keen enthusiast to researching and documenting these festivals. Whenever i have chance and time i am visiting these festivals regularly.

These are some photographs relating to some of our Intangible Cultural Heritage performances which i taken during these Navaratri festival occasions.

I am also with these performers and taking photographs alongwith them in some photographs.

Hindu Tailor vintage postcard

This is Hindu Tailor vintage postcard in my collection. This vintage postcard printed in Germany.

Post Offices of India vintage postcards

These are Post Offices of India vintage postcards in my collection.

This is Tirumalagiri post office vintage postcard. This vintage postcard printed in Saxony.

This is Calcutta General Post Office vintage postcard. This vintage postcard printed in Germany.

This is Bareily post office vintage postcard. This vintage postcard printed in Germany.

This is Postman vintage postcard. This postman vintage postcard printed in Luxemburg.

This is Cherat post office vintage postcard. This vintge postcard printed in Saxony. Now this Cherat is in pakistan.

Ganapati Bappa Morya

This is the cover page of Souvenir printed by "Kakinada City Ganesha Utsava Samithi" on the occasion of its Silver Jubilee year celebration (1989-2014).

This "Kakinada City Ganesha Utsava Samithi" established in the year 1989 in Kakinada and from then onwards every year there were grand celebrations by kakinada people with much enthusiasm and devotion starting from Ganesha Charurthi festival day to last day of the festival where Lord Ganesha idols nimajanam (immersion).
Starting from 1989 every year there will be volume of Ganesha idols nimjjanam is increasing by year by year. Last year i.e. 2013 there were nearly 300 idols immersion taken place and in the current year yesterday i.e. on 7th September, 2014 there were nearly 500 Ganesha idols nimajjanam (immersion) taken place in "Lokmanya Balagangadhar Tilak pranganam, Vinayaksagar, Jagannathapuram Warf Road, Kakinada". This place is permanent in kakinada for immersion of Ganesha idols every year.

These are some photographs which i taken with my digital camera at the time of Lord Ganesha idols nimajjanam (immersion) in Kakinada.

Yesterday Kakinada people of all age groups actively participated in this Ganesha idols nimajjanam (immersion) celebration.

These are some photographs where people enjoying with much devotion by chanting "Ganapati Bappa Morya" sloka.

These are only few photographs which i shared now and in the coming days i will share more photos of this Ganesha idols immersion celebration. 

Further during the last 9 days i taken photographs of nearly 120 different Lord Ganapati Mandapams (Mandals) in Kainada and in the coming days i am sharing these photographs also in this post.

 

Seventy-two Specimens of Castes in India (1837) illustrated manuscript

This illustrated manuscript "Seventy-two Specimens of Castes in India" made in Southern India in 1837 consists of 72 full-color hand-painted images of men and women of the various castes and religious and ethnic groups found in Madura, India at that time. Each drawing was made on mica, a transparent, flaky mineral which splits into thin, transparent sheets. As indicated on the presentation page, the album was compiled by T.Vardapillay the Indian writing master at an English school established by American missionaries in Madura, and given to the Reverend William Twining.

The manuscript shows Indian dress and jewelry adornment in the Madura region as they appeared before the onset of Western influences on South Asian dress and style. Each illustrated portrait is captioned in English and in Tamil, and the title page of the work includes English, Tamil, and Telugu.

This beautiful illustrated manuscript is available in public domain from  "Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University". 

http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/collections/highlights/seventy-two-specimens-castes-india

This is the Title page of this beautiful manuscript.

This title page contains the following text 

Seventy two speciments of Castes in India "All People, nations and languages shall serve HIM". 

The same title appeared in Tamil and Telugu languages also in this first page.

This is the second page(Presentation page) of this manuscript. 

This presentation page is written in English language and it contain the following matter.

Presented to the Rev. William Twining as a Token of Obligation by his far distant and unkown friend Daniel Poor  "Unkown & yet well known. Madura, Southern India 2nd February 1837 written by T. Vardapillay, writing master in the two English schools established by the American Missionaries in Madura City.

The name "Daniel Poor" is in a different hand, presumably that of the donor himself.

This is 1st illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Jester and Mussilwoman".

This is 2nd illustration in this manuscript "Maharatta Chief and Maharatta Female".

This is 3rd illustration in this manuscript "Arab Soldier and Arab Female".

This is 4th illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Chief and Mussilwoman".

This is 5th illustration in this manuscript "Patau Chief and his Wife".

This is 6th illustration in this manuscript "Seik Chief and his Wife".

This is 7th illustration in this manuscript "Bengallee Chief and his Wife".

This is 8th illustration in this manuscript "Rajapoot Chief and his Wife".

This is 9th illustration in this manuscript "Maharatta Accountant and his Wife".

This is 10th illustration in this manuscript "Guzzeratt Brahminy and his Wife".

This is 11th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Herald and his Wife".

This is 12th illustration in this manuscript "Arnee Brahminy and His Wife".

This is 13th illustration in this manuscript "Parsee Man and His Wife".

This is 14th illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Merchant and his Wife".

This is 15th illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Hookahberdar and his Wife".

This is 16th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Minstrel and Hindoo Musician".

This is 17th illustration in this manuscript "Brahminy Messenger and his Wife".

This is 18th illustration in this manuscript "Canaree's Brahminy and Female".

This is 19th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Dancing Girl and Hindoo Dancing Master".

This is 20th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Musicians".

This is 21st illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Astronomer and his Wife".

This is 22nd illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Saddler and his Wife".

This is 23rd illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Bantier and his Wife".

This is 24th illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Choapdar and his Wife".

This is 25th illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Dancing Girl and Mussilman Dancing Master".

This is 26th illustration in this manuscript "Sholeah Brahminy and his Wife".

This is 27th illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Pilgrim and his Wife".

This is 28th illustration in this manuscript "Thathoovauthee Brahminy and his Wife".

This is 29th illustration in this manuscript "Rajapoot Songster and Rajapoot Musician".

This is 30th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Peon and his Wife".

This is 31st illustration in this manuscript "Lapidary(Mussilman) and his Wife".

This is 32nd illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Beggar and his Wife".

This is 33rd illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Priest and his Pupil".

This is 34th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Bangle Maker and his Wife and Child".

This is 35th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Hunter and his Wife".

This is 36th illustration in this manuscript "Malabar Pilgrim and his Wife".

This is 37th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Beggar and his Wife".

This is 38th illustration in this manuscript "Mussilman Water Bearer and his Wife".

This is 39th illustration in this manuscript "Seringuru Brahminy and his Wife".

This is 40th illustration in this manuscript "Malabar Goldsmith and his Wife".

This is 41st illustration in this manuscript "Malabar Tailor and his Wife".

This is 42nd illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Barber and his Wife".

This is 43rd illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Fencer and his Wife".

This is 44th illustration in this manuscript "Lumbandy and his Wife".

This is 45th illustration in this manuscript "Hindoo Palaukeen Bearer and his Wife".

This is 46th illustration in this manuscript "Causee Brahminy and his Wife".

This is 46th illustration in this manuscript "Religious Offering (Hindoo)".