India's intangible cultural heritage gets UNESCO accredition
Dr Yaaminey Mubayi.
Mumbai: India is a treasure trove of culture and heritage. For centuries India has attracted people from all parts of the world and has mystified them with its cultural diversity co-existing in harmony.
A lot of effort goes into preserving our culture and heritage, by way of preserving monuments, palaces, buildings, handicrafts, documents, important manuscripts and books on arts and literature, which are tangible in nature. However, what is done to preserve the cultural heritage which is intangible in nature? In fact, not many people are aware what Intangible Cultural Heritage is.
Dr Yaaminey Mubayi, an eminent Social Development proffesional in an interview with Deccan Chronicle explains that, intangible cultural heritage is that part of culture which cannot be felt physically. Music, songs, drama, festivals, crafts and cuisines make up intangible culture, which have an importance of their own and exemplifies the rich heritage of our country.
Ms Mubayi while working with the Ministry of Culture in 2008, discovered the Thathera settlement in Jandiala Guru, near Amritsar in Punjab. She was invited by the Government of Punjab to prepare the nomination dossier for inscription of the Thatheras on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The dossier prepared by her was submitted to the Ministry of Culture by Government of Punjab, and went to UNESCO as India’s entry in 2009. The Thatheras were finally inscribed onto UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2014.
This is the first time that a traditional craft form from India, metal work, has been inscribed on the UNESCO list.
Excerpts from an interview with Ms Yaaminey Mubayi:
Tell us something about the Thathera community?
Thatheras are metal workers who manufacture utensils made of brass, copper and kansa (an alloy of copper and zinc) using traditional techniques. The thatheras shape metal plates into vessels such as pots, cooking vessels, thalis and other utensils, using delicate welding and riveting techniques, gentle heating by hand operated bellows and skilled hammering.
Although thathera establishments are there all over the country, the thatheras at Jandiala Guru have received the honour of getting their craft inscribed on UNESCO's ICH list. Tell us about their history?
During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Punjab, Amritsar was a flourishing trade and market centre along the Grand Trunk Road. Communities of craftsmen, carpet weavers, pashmina and woollen shawl craftsmen and metal workers from Kashmir and Rajasthan had settled down there making Amritsar their home. In 1947, before India was partitioned, a community of Muslim Thatheras used to live in Jandiala Guru. After partition, the Muslim Thatheras from India migrated to Pakistan, and a 400 strong community of Hindu Thatheras migrated to India from Kujranwala in Pakistan. This migration had brought about an exchange in culture between India and Pakistan. The establishment of the thatheras were known as 'Bazaar Thatherian, Gali Kashmirian'.
How did you come across the Thathera community?
I have been working in Punjab since 15 years on various projects in the field of Cultural Heritage. While carrying out research on a project in Amritsar, wherein I had to find out more about the traditional crafts in Punjab, I came to know about a community that works on metal crafts nearby. When I first saw the Thathera's settlement, my first thoughts were about it being a strong contender for Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Were you on the lookout for nominations for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage then?
Not at all. I have worked with UNESCO earlier, and I knew what was Intangible Cultural Heritage. At that time in 2008, nobody in the Government of Punjab knew what was ICH. Having discovered this settlement in Jandiala Guru, I immediately knew that the community fulfilled the criteria laid down down by UNESCO's ICH list. I proceeded to make the dossier on the Thatheras and finished it by 2009.
Did you receive any support from the government in your endeavour?
The government being unaware of anything as ICH, had always classified the thatheras as a part of the small and medium industry sector. Since the thatheras created metal crafts, which were classified under the goods category, the government had till then not done anything to specially recognise or uplift the thatheras. I realised that I could add value to this community by getting their cultural value identified.
Tell us about the process in which the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, got their community's name inscribed on the UNESCO's ICH list.
In 2009, the Government of Punjab, was asked to submit nominations for Punjab's Intangible Cultural Heritage. A meeting was called to discuss this issue, where the Principal Secretary was asking for ideas. Everyone suggested the obvious answers of Bhangra, Gidda, forms of music, and even Phulkari as a craft. That is when I asked 'what about the Thatheras?', Everybody in the room was surprised and asked 'what thatheras?', That's when I answered that they were the metal workers. That shocked everyone in the room even more. No one knew about the cultural heritage of the thatheras. I told them that there was a cultural history of the Thatheras. They have a tradition and they fulfilled UNESCO's ICH criteria.
Tell us how did the Thatheras fulfill UNESCO's ICH criteria?
The thatheras were a heterogeneous mix of people living in a settlement, and all the households in that settlement followed the same craft, this fulfilled the first criteria. The second criteria was that, the crafts were done in generations. From father to son, there was a hereditary transfer of knowledge on how to do the crafts.
The third criteria was that, a traditional process was followed in the making of the crafts, that has remained unchanged since the beginning. A few modern tools are used in rolling the metal or polishing them, but the vessels made by the thatheras are exclusively hand-made. This process is extremely important, and the knowledge of this is handed down from generation to generation. The process is authentic and its multi-dimensionality makes it impossible to replicate by mechanical manufacturing processes. The fourth criteria is about the product. The articles created are for ritualistic purposes and not mass produced.
The last criteria was the history behind the settlement. The Thatheras from India who were Kashmiri Muslims, migrated to Pakistan in 1947, and 400 Hindu thathera families had come from Pakistan and settled in India. This caused a cultural exchange to take place which was very fascinating. The craft was the same, but the cultures had intermingled. This gave the Thatheras a historical backing which fulfilled the final criteria for the ICH nominations.
They were a part of the shared history of the sub-continent, which was the main reason why I backed them for the UNESCO's ICH nomination.
Tell us the process in which the Thatheras manufacture their artifacts?
The Thatheras are metal workers who manufacture utensils made of brass, copper and kansa (an alloy of copper and zinc) using traditional techniques. The manufacturing process requires scrap metal to be melted down and moulded into nuggets, which are then rolled into plates. The Thatheras obtain these plates and, using delicate welding and riveting techniques, gentle heating by hand operated bellows and skilled hammering, shapes the plates into vessels such as pots, cooking vessels, thalis and other utensils. These utensils are ornamented with typical delicate hand engraved designs characteristic of Punjab, and polished by hand , using a combination of diluted acid, sand and tamarind juice.
Is the Thathera community endangered due to rapid industrialisation?
Earlier, the Thathera community was flourishing and had an unique importance in the trade and culture. The artifacts made by them were widely used by people until two generations back. All of a sudden this community has started to dwindle. The artifacts made by the Thatheras had a lot of importance in joint families where they were used daily, and also used for ceremonial and gifting purposes. Breaking up of families, modern lifestyle has suddenly reduced the importance of Thatheras. The demand for the goods made by the thatheras has dwindled and so has the supply. Children of thatheras don't want to be a thathera.
In the late 60's and 70's the Government had reduced the subsidies they used to get for raw materials like coal, metals etc. The Thatheras don't use metal ores, they use metals directly for making their goods. With the introduction of multiple taxes, they are at the receiving end of Government apathy. Being individual crafts men, their voices are lost in the crowd. Post 1970's and 80's their numbers started dwindling.
Thatheras getting listed in UNESCO's ICH list is a very commendable feat and a matter of pride for India. However, how does this translate into benefits for the dwindling Thathera community?
The UNESCO doesn't provide monetary benefits to anyone, whether or not their names have been inscribed in the ICH list. When the Government nominates something for the ICH list, they also give an undertaking which states that, they will take up welfare measures for the craft. The welfare measures are listed in the dossier submitted during the nominations. With a roadmap for development and a tentative budget, the Government of Punjab enthusiastically has started developing the Thatheras at Jandiala Guru, and are on the plan to boost craft tourism in a big way.
Your thoughts on the inclusion of Thatheras in the UNESCO's ICH list?
The inclusion of Thatheras in the UNESCO's ICH list is a great victory for India. It is also a reminder that we need to accept crafts as cultural heritage. Often, crafts of various forms are recognised as small-scale industries. That idea needs to change. Crafts have a huge history in India, and it's time people realised that.
( Source : dc )
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