Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB)

School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Department of Social sciences and Humanities

NCH-101
Assignment

Student Name: Tahfizul Hasan Zihan

Student ID: 1921629
Semester: Spring-2020

Assignment No.: 02
Name of the The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh
Assignment:
Course Name: National Culture and Heritage
Section: 01
Course ID: NCH-101
Submission Date: 06-04-2020

Submitted To:
Name of faculty: Ranjan Saha Partha
The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh.
The word “Intangible” means Untouchable; unable to be touched or not having physical
presence. So, intangible cultural heritage represents to the impalpable things of cultural value
that are worthy of preservation that is or could even be inherited from previous generations.
According to Wikipedia, “Intangible Cultural Heritage” means the practices, representations,
expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces
associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part
of their cultural heritage. People hold the identity of their place, also because the many defining
practices that build its fabric of culture and tradition. Due to the dark side of globalization, many
of our heritages are becoming disappear or worse, become convoluted beyond acceptance. That
is why intangible cultural heritage needs to solidify its position. Here in Bangladesh, people from
deferent area bears many such things that introduced within the representative list of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh. These cultural heritages are constantly recreated by
communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their
history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for
cultural diversity and human creativity. Besides, Traditional Bakarkhani from Old Dhaka, Cham-
Cham from Porabari, Tangail, Yogurt from Bogra, Rosh-malai from Comilla and other food
items, we even have different sorts of Folklore(Loko shongskar, Lokachar & Loko Bisshash),
Folk literature (Probad, Probochon, Riddles, etc.), Folk-art (Loko Nritto, Lokgiti, Loko Natto or
Jatra) and Folk music(Zari Gaan) and other artistic abilities that they learnt and inherited from
their ancestors. All of those have their own unique history, are native to a specific region while
being acknowledged across the country. Currently, UNESCO’s Representative List of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has covered four Intangible Cultural Heritages of
Bangladesh. They are- Baul songs, Traditional Art of Jamdani Weaving, Mongol Shobha-jatra,
Traditional Art of Shitol Pati Weaving of Sylhet. Moreover, Rickshaw and Rickshaw painting in
Dhaka is within the process of being included in their list of intangible cultural heritage of
humanity.
Baul Songs: The first Bangladeshi intangible cultural heritage which is inscribed in 2008 on the
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is the Baul songs. The bauls
are a group of mystic minstrels if mixed elements from rural Bangladesh and West Bengal, India.
It had its peak time within the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. But now it has regained
popularity among the rural population of Bangladesh. Their music and way of life have
influenced a massive segment of Bengali culture, and particularly the compositions of Nobel
Prize laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Bauls live either near a village or are nomad. They earn
their living by singing to the accompaniment of some simple stringed instruments, and a drum
called dubki. Bauls belong to a heterodox devotional tradition, influenced by Hinduism,
Buddhism, Bengali and Sufi Islam, yet they are distinctly different from all of them. Bauls are
never identified with any organized religion or with any caste system. They are spiritual by
nature. Their beliefs are beyond physical existence. Bauls are admired for this freedom from
convention as well as their music and poetry. An important part of their philosophy is "Deha
tatta", a spirituality related to the body rather than the mind. They seek godhood in human
beings. Their poetry, music, song and dance are affectionate to find humankind’s relationship to
God, and to achieving spiritual freedom. Their songs can be traced back to the 15th century when
they first appeared in Bengali literature. Baul music represents a different genre in folk song,
carrying influences of Hindu bhakti movements moreover because of the shufis, a sort of Sufi
songs which makes them unique. Songs are also used by the spiritual leader to instruct disciples
in Baul philosophy and are transmitted orally from master to disciples. The language of the songs
is continuously modernized with the change of ages. The preservation of their songs and the
general context in which they are performed depend mainly on the social and economic situation
of their practitioners. The Bauls, who have always been a comparatively marginalized group.
Moreover, their situation has become more miserable in recent decades due to the general
impoverishment of rural Bangladesh.
Traditional Art of Jamdani Weaving: Jamdani is a vividly designed, sheer cotton fabric, a fine
muslin textile, traditionally woven on a handloom produced for centuries by craftspeople of
around Narayanganj and Dhaka. It was inscribed in 2013 during this list. Jamdani textiles
combine complexity of design with sounding colors and the finished garments are highly
demandable. Jamdani is one in all the foremost labor-intensive kind of hand loom weaving. It’s
time-consuming because of the supremacy of its unique patterns. These designs are created
directly on the loom using the uninterrupted weft technique. Unlike most other weaving
traditions, Jamdani has always been woven by two weavers. The master weaver works on the
right and the apprentice follows his instructions from the left. The two work in unison to weave
patterns perfectly. Weaving is flourishing today because of the fabric’s popularity for creating
saris. The Jamdani sari is a symbol of identity, dignity and self-recognition and provides wearers
with a way of cultural identity and social cohesion. The weavers develop an occupational
identity and bears great pride through their heritage. They get social recognition and are highly
respected for his or her skills. Some master weavers are recognized as bearers of the traditional
Jamdani motifs and weaving techniques and transmit the knowledge and skills to disciples.
However, Jamdani weaving is principally transmitted by parents to children in home workshops
along with master to disciples. Weavers along with spinners, dyers, loom-dressers and
practitioners of style of other supporting crafts – form a closely-knit community with a robust
sense of unity, identity and regularity.
Mongol Shobha-Jatra: In 2016, Bangladesh made another remarkable sign up in the
UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This time it
was about Pahela baishakh’s Mangal Shobha-Jatra. Mangal Shobha-Jatra is a public festival
organized by students and teachers of Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Art in Bangladesh to
celebrate the first day of Bengali calendar. Every year on April 14, Mongol Shobha-Jatra which
is a mass procession, takes place in the road of Dhaka university area. The tradition of Mangal
Shobha-Jatra began in the year of 1989, when students were frustrated with having to live under
military rule. They wanted to bring people within the community hope for a stronger future.
Members of the university faculty work together a month before the festival to create masks and
floats. It’s for turn back evil forces and permit for progress. Among works made for the festival a
minimum of one will represent evil, another courage and strength and a 3rd peace. Every year,
thousands of people take part in the procession that features gigantesque replicas of birds, fish,
animals, folk tale and other motifs. Some items are for sell on the day, which produced as a
source of funding, like paintings on Bangladesh folk heritage. The Mangal Shobha-Jatra festival
represents the pride the people of Bangladesh have in their folk heritage, also as their strength
and courage to fight against evil forces, and their finding of truth and justice. It also represents
mobilization and a shared demand of communism, uniting people regardless of color, caste,
creed, religion, gender or age. Not only Knowledge but also skills are transmitted by students,
teachers and general peoples within this community.
Traditional Art of Shitol Pati Weaving of Sylhet: Shital pati was engraved in this list in 2017
which is the traditional art of making a handcrafted mat by weaving together strips of a green
cane known as ‘Murta’. The name of this especial mat indicates to its use literally. ‘Shitol’
means cool and ‘Pati’ stands for mat. Thus, Shitol Pati refers to a mat which is cool. The mat is
massively used by people everywhere in Bangladesh as a sitting mat, bedspread or prayer rug.
The most bearers and practitioners are weavers living mostly within the low-lying villages within
the greater Sylhet region of Bangladesh. But there are also pockets of Shital Pati weavers in
other areas of the country. Both men and women participate in collecting and processing Murta,
with women being more involved in the weaving process. The craft is a major source of
livelihood and a strong marker of identity; primarily a family-based craft, it helps to strengthen
the family bonding and make a harmonious social atmosphere. Mastery of the technique
commands social prestige, and therefore the practice empowers underprivileged communities,
including women. The govt promotes awareness of the element through local and national craft
fairs, and Shital Pati communities are increasingly being organized into cooperatives to ensure
the efficient safeguarding and transmission of the craft and guarantee its profitability.
Safeguarding efforts involve the direct participation of the communities concerned and the
practice is primarily transmitted from generation to generation within the families of
craftspeople. Shital Pati, literally cool mats are popular, aesthetic in design, luxurious in their
feel and more expensive than other mats made from reeds and natural fibers. Apart from Sylhet,
Shitol Pati is also weaved in different villages of Noahkhali, Bhola, Shirajganj, Pabna and
Chottogram districts. Shital Pati are commonly used for sleeping, sitting and as wall hanging.
These mats are exceptionally well suited to the warm humid climate like Bangladesh.
Rickshaw and Rickshaw painting in Dhaka: Rickshaw is one of the principal transports for
the urban areas of Bangladesh. Due to the improvement of road communication throughout the
country, rickshaw has now found almost all over the Bangladesh now. As a mode of transport
rickshaw was first introduced in Japan in the early 12th century. Dhaka got rickshaw from
Calcutta, where it was first introduced around 1930. The new vehicle roused great curiosity
among the people of Dhaka and rapidly replaced their traditional transports. Nowadays, a great
number of people depends for the living on rickshaw pulling and the decoration of rickshaw
body. Rickshaw painting is decorative art of rickshaws, which may be extended to cover all
rickshaw decoration, from painted backboards and rear side panels. Rickshaw art has been
compared to traffic art in other parts of the world. The art of the rickshaw painter is passed on
from master to apprentice or as an inheritance. The paintings are executed quickly, with
readymade enamel paints, which do not allow paints to be mixed. There are variations in
rickshaw art in different towns of Bangladesh. About 80% of rickshaws in Dhaka city are
decorated and most of them have animal scenes, natural scenes, and pictures of movie themes.
Besides, human images and images of flowers, birds, animals, Taj Mahal, movie scenes and
portraits of movie stars, idyllic scenes of rural Bengal with plump hens, placid cows, coconut
palms, neat huts, and gentle streams etc. are also common. Islamic scenes such as mosques and
Borak, the winged horse, are also frequently found. Because rickshaw backboards must be
painted annually, rickshaw artists often depict topical themes. This traditional trend can also
make its’ name to the UNESCO’s list any day.
With the touch of modernization people have adopted rapid changes in their lifestyle. In addition,
rising incomes have stopped people buying authentic local goods like Shitol Pati, Jamdani and
forgetting about their root. Despite being signatory to UNESCO’s convention of intangible
cultural heritage, Bangladesh still lacks a complete database on music genres, instruments and
performing arts communities. It is important that the government recognize the fact that
economic survival of artistes in poverty is a question of disappearing these existences.