MODERN VIDYA NIKETAN

Chapter - 9
The Making of Regional Cultures
Hand Out

▪ Regional cultures are a product of complex processes of intermixing of local traditions with
ideas from other parts of the sub continent.
▪ Every region has its own distinctive feature which has its origin in older practices.
▪ Each region can be identified with distinctive kinds of language, food, dance, music and
painting.

LANGUAGE
The Cheras and the Development of Malayalam
▪ Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram was established in the 9th Century.
▪ Covered south-western part of the peninsula (modern day Kerala).
▪ Malayalam was introduced as a major language.
▪ Cheras also drew upon Sanskritic traditions.
▪ The literary works in Malayalam were directly indebted to Sanskrit.
▪ Lilatilakam, a fourteenth century text dealt with grammar and poetics. It was composed in
Manipravalam 'diamonds and corals' referring to Malayalam and Sanskrit.

THE JAGANNATHA CULT- RULERS AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS

▪ Lord Jagannatha means 'Lord of the World'. It was another name for ‘Vishnu’. The local God at
Puri, Orissa was later identified as Vishnu.
▪ Anantavarman (Ganga dynasty) decided to erect a temple for Purushottama Jagannatha at Puri.
▪ In 1230, King Anangabhima III proclaimed himself as the deputy of God. The temple gained
social and political importance.

THE RAJPUTS AND TRADITIONS OF HEROISM

▪ In the nineteenth century, present day Rajasthan was called the Rajputana by the British, as they
contributed to the distinctive culture of Rajasthan.
▪ Prithviraj and other valiant Rajput rulers influenced the cultural traditions of Rajasthan.
▪ Their stories were recited by trained minstrels with strong emotions which attracted the
common people.
▪ The Rajput women were depicted as following their heroic husbands in both life and death.
Eg - Sati.

THE STORY OF KATHAK

▪ The term 'Kathak' is derived from 'Katha' (story).
▪ Kathaks referred to a caste of story tellers in temples of North India who narrated stories
through gestures and songs.
▪ Kathak story tellers performed the stories of Radha Krishna as folk plays called Rasa Lila.
▪ Kathak acquired a distinctive style under the Mughal kings.
▪ Kathak flourished as a dance form in two gharanas (traditions) – Rajasthan and Lucknow.
▪ Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh was a great patron of Kathak.
▪ Slowly, this dance form spread to present day Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and
Madhya Pradesh.
▪ Kathak was recognised as one of the six classical forms of dance in the country after
independence.

PAINTING FOR PATRONS : THE TRADITION OF MINIATURE

▪ Miniatures are small size paintings done on cloth or paper in water colour.
▪ The earliest miniatures were made on palm leaves or wood which depicted Jaina texts.
▪ Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan patronised this form of painting.

FEATURS OF MINIATURE (MUGHAL)

(1) Brilliant colours were used to portray court scenes, battle or hunting scenes and other aspects of
social life.
(2) These were viewed by exclusive few.
▪ The migration of painters to the Rajput and Deccan courts because of the decline of the Mughal
Empire influenced their painting style.
▪ With the decline of the Mughal Empire, miniature painting also reached Himachal Pradesh,
which led to the development of Basohli by the late seventeenth century.
▪ Basohli was an intense and bold style of miniature painting. Eg. – Bhanudatta's Rasamanjari.
▪ Nadir Shah's invasions resulted in the migration of Mughal artists to the hills which led to the
foundation of the KANGRA SCHOOL OF PAINTING.
▪ The source of inspiration was the Vaishnavite tradition distinguished by soft colours including
cool blues and greens.

PIRS AND TEMPLES

▪ In the sixteenth century, people began to migrate to the forested areas of South Eastern Bengal
resulting in the merging of tribal culture with the peasants.
▪ Due to Mughal control over Bengal, many mosques were set up resulting in religious
transformation.
▪ The community leaders acted as teachers and adjudicators sometimes even having super natural
powers. They were often called Pirs, meaning spiritual guides.
▪ The cult of Pirs became very popular in Bengal.

TEMPLE CULTURE IN BENGAL

▪ Temple building spree started in Bengal in the late fifteenth century and ended in the nineteenth
century.
▪ Temples were built by individuals or groups.
▪ The low social groups in Bengal-Kolu (oil pressers) and Kansari (bell metal workers) had built
modest brick and terracotta temples.
▪ Their social and economic position improved with the coming of European trading companies.
▪ The temples began to copy the double roofed (dochala) or four roofed (chauchala) structure of
the thatched huts.
▪ Temples were built on a square platform.
▪ The interior was relatively plain.
▪ Outer walls were decorated with paintings and terracotta tablets. Eg. – Vishnupur in Bankura
district of West Bengal.