Glimpses of Culture

A kaleidoscope of glimpses into various cultures within Asia. Each tribe, each ethnicity expresses its identity in various ways – music, dance, textiles, costumes, food, language, life format etc.

It is impossible for an individual to capture the complete essence of any tribe – either one’s own or another’s – but it is possible to experience the diversity and be nothing less than awestruck by the beauty of human society.

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Sometimes the customs and traditions are so different from the ones I have been exposed to until now, that it is hard not to be alarmed and to remain unjudgemental. But the only way to view any custom is to see it as a part of the complete picture, within the paradigm that has given birth to the custom. It is only then that the view is fair.

Every society has its reasons for doing what they do. The set of rules that have evolved have withstood the test of inter-generational transmission. Therefore they are always internally consistent within the system and provide answers to all of the issues faced by that particular society. When viewed from outside, a traveller usually only gets a limited view and she sees a single custom / tradition without seeing all the evolutionary factors and the paradigm within which this is perfectly valid.  Given that this  is merely a slice of the whole life model, which is  quite likely to be different from her own, this view is likely to cause the viewer some dissonance and sometimes result in an imbalanced judgement.

Of course it is not only the limitedness of the view that causes this bias. Sometimes the close-mindedness of the viewer also contributes to this.

It has taken me many journeys into the lives and minds of others to realise that unless the context is known and empathised with, the judgement is unfair and therefore invalid.

I try to make a deliberate effort to ‘understand’ and ‘empathise’ instead of judging.

It is in that spirit that I have written my articles. My respect for their lives is total (and unconditional) even though my information about their paradigm is not.

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The posts have been listed below in order of posting.  You could either choose to scroll down all the way and read all  or click on the titles that interest you.

Return to Ladakh

Anachronism – Mumbai the Mega city & Elephanta the ancient caves

The Ladies Compartment in Mumbai Local trains

Kalinga Diaries

The stylish priests of Jagannath Puri

Journey to the Past – the Science of Epigraphy

In the Presence of the Past

The Magnificent Stone artefacts of Odisha

Camels go on a Pilgrimage

A Rabari Gypsy Tribal Wedding Ritual

A walk through a Rabari Tribal Village

The Stunning tribes of Sarawak, Borneo

A Cultural Stay at Kuching

Bidayuh Tribal Longhouse in Borneo

Puppets & Puppeteers of Rajasthan

The Batak Calendar  of Sumatra, Indonesia

A Python for Dinner

A Dog’s Sixth Sense

Loss of Cultural Diversity

Colors of Mewar,  Rajasthan

Turban Art – The Crowning Glory of Indian Men

The Gangaur Festival – praying for Marital Bliss

The Classic Indian Village fair – Gogunda Mela

Alternate Sexuality Traditions 4 – The Garasia Tribe

The Blacksmith Gadalia Community of Rajasthan

Music of the Manganiyar Tribe

Folk Dances of Rajasthan

Women of India – the Weaker sex

The Holi Bonfire – Past & Present

Mizo Mosaic

The Chapchar Kut Harvest Festival of Mizoram

Alternate Sexuality Traditions 3 – The Lushai Custom

Bnei Menashe – The Lost Tribe of Israel in Mizoram

The Siddi Tribe of Gujarat India of African origin

The Komusa Wandering Monks & their Shakuhachi flute

My talk at Asian Civilisations Museum

Intense Spirituality – Body piercing at the Thaipusam festival

Back to the Future – Tribal Life in Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Hilltribe Lifestyle 1: Glimpses of a contented People

Arunachal Hilltribe Lifestyle 2 : Hunter-Gatherer-Weavers

Arunachal Hilltribe Lifestyle 3 : Innovative housing

Arunachal Hilltribe Lifestyle 4 : A chance encounter with a Shaman Priest during a sacrifice ritual

Arunachal Hilltribe Lifestyle 5: The Gaanv Boodhas or Village Headmen of Arunachal Pradesh

Tribal signatures – Face Tattoos of the Apatanis

Fierce Nocte Headhunters

Head Hunting Trophies

Arunachal Pradesh Lifestyle – Innovative Housing

Traditional Sports – Kabutar Baazi or Pigeon Gaming

Ram Leela at Dassera in Mumbai

Traditional Sports of Ladakh – Archery

Traditional Sports of Ladakh – Polo

Mountain Adventures 18000ft above sea level – a landslide at the Khardungla Pass!

Bactrian Camels of the Central Asian Silk Route – Ladakh

A night-out with the Nomads of Changthang

Mastering the Mind & Body – the Monk Warriors of Shaolin

The Ambubasi Tantric Festival

Church of Saint Francis Xavier of Assisi, Old Goa

Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an – a photo gallery of exhibits at Asian Civilisations Museum

Viva San Jao 2011

Invitation to a Lambani Gypsy Tribal Wedding

Exquisite Vintage Kebayas – costumes of the Pernakan Culture

Sikkim Diaries

Chanting Ceremony at Lingdum Monastery, Sikkim

Losar Celebrations – Bonfire at Kagyud Monastery, Sikkim

Procession at the Enchey Monastery, Sikkim

Little Lamas, Sikkim

Lama Dances at Thongsa Monastery, Kalimpong

Dancing with the Nuns at Phendzong Nunnery

Cross border handshake at Nathu-la Pass on the Silk Route

Yak Horn textile adornments, Sikkim

Street Shrines of India

The Hornbill Festival, Nagaland

Naga Lifestyle

Tribal Dances of Nagaland

Traditional Naga Bamboo Climbing & Fire Making

Tribal Textile and Bead Art of Nagaland

Sacrificial Lamb at Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati

Train Ride across rural Assam – Guwahati to Dimapur

Sumazau Dance of Sabah, Borneo

Journey of a Lifetime – Tibet

The Narakasur Festival

Lifestyle of the Qashqai Tribe, South West Persia

Nomads of Mongolia

Driving to Sindhudurg Sea Fort and back

The Eunuch Community of Bombay

The Dhunuchi Dance at Durga Puja

Thumbuakar Tribals of Borneo

Lucknow – Capital of Awadh & city of Nawabs

The Dragon Dance

The Magnificent Lion Dance

Janamashtami Festival

A cup of tea with nomads and gypsies of the Kutch

Alternate Sexuality Traditions 2 – The Tibetans

Textile Symbolism 1 : Hilltribes of Northern Thailand

Alternate Sexuality Traditions 1 – The Khmers

The children of Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Time Travel Tour Operators

Kissing a Bengal Tiger

Common Memes between Tribes

Into the Arabian Sea at Mumbai

Through Rural Gujarat

Life in an Ashram

Goan Village House

Monsoon at Miramar, Goa

Dances from another place

The Fishing Nets of Cochin

The Lambani Gypsy Tribe

Lifestyle of the Hilltribes of Northern Thailand

Travelling Godmen

Colors of San Jao festival, Goa

Rajasthan Folk Art

Mountain flight to Mount Everest

Pashupatinath – celebration and sorrow

New posts are constantly being added to this list and will appear at the top.

jm

Lucknow – Capital of Awadh & city of Nawabs

Memories of Lucknow (2006)

A Nawab, his perfect hosting, the splendour of Awadh Architecture, a dramatic guide, outstanding kababs, a beautiful Nikaah (wedding) ceremony and amazing antique textiles.

The city today is like any other prosperous town of India – dotted with Malls and the nouveau riche – but the charm of the city lies in the inner city – Aminabad and the inner markets. A leisurely stroll in the gullies and inner markets, reveals the secrets of the city’s past – where dancing girls, poets, craftsmen, masterchefs and literary artists thrived and produced work that wows audiences decades later!

It takes time to ‘see’ the soul of Lucknow – to sit idly with the guides of the Imambada and listen to the story of their life, told at the leisurely pace of one sentence per hour and soaking in the silence, sitting on the steps of the Imambada on a hot still April afternoon.

It takes time to ‘see’ the spirit of Lucknowi ‘andaz’ when the host is a royal Nawab….who, after a first meeting that lasted hours – invited me to his niece’s wedding – to witness the most simple yet spectacular Nikaah ceremony.

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The old city of Lucknow is repressed and hidden under the covers of the new city but it does reveal its charms to those who devote time and energy to seeking out its inner beauty.

Examples of Zardozi – an art associated with this area -  decorating the walls of the Taj Residency Hotel Lucknow, are present in the slideshow.

To view the antique Zardozi in the Wovensouls Collection, click here.

jm

And then there was the Naabob…

The Naabob – the completely mispronounced mutilation of the word Navwaab …a word that represents a fine old gentleman, I met in Lucknow in 2005.

Lucknow they say is an eclectic mix of the old awadh culture and the new commercial wave that has gripped India. But having stubbornly cultivated the habit of selective perception, I am unable to see the beauty of the new world. The malls and the glass and concrete building complex do add value but they don’t add beauty or the charm of the old world that I was in search of.

The amazing Imaambadas, the markets, the tundey kabab, the making of ‘varakh’ – silver sheets to garnish sweets, the area reminiscent of lost glory of the tawaaifs or the ‘nautch’ girls -  all of these were revealed to me by the local guide. Amidst all of these interesting explorations, the one that stands out is my interation with the Nawab.

We had spent the sultry April afternoon, sitting on the steps of the chota imaambada, a little gem of architecture, that still lives and breathes, with religious caretakers spending their workday chatting with each other and with tourists, looking after the religious artefacts and a few dozen charming colored glass chandeliers that once were lit with flames on wick. I had emptied my mind of all thoughts and had just focused on breathing in the atmosphere of the place, peeping into the lives of  these interesting but simple people and weaving tales about the parts that I could not peep into. An hour after we had crossed the discomfort point – that usually occurs in a group of strangers when they have run out of the safe things to say o each other – we left to go see the nawab.

The Nawab had quite likely seen better days financially. But he seemed to be in the golden age of his life in other ways. He was surrounded by his grown up children, all yet to be married off and despatched into their individual nests. I now know the blessing it is to have  the company of fledgling adults, who are no longer a burden on energy resources of the parents and on the contrary not only contribute mental energy to sharing the burdens of life, but also bring with them the contagious freshness and enthusiasm in every thing they do. The Nawab, when I met him was in that stage of life. Grey hair combed back with fragrant oil, and thick grey moustache twirled just a bit at the ends – a signature of the barber’s art. With a starched white kurta paayjama, spouting elegant urdu from his paan dyed mouth.

He was a collector / dealer of antique articles – and his guestroom – diwan-khana – had a crowded display of a mixed group of objects. He sat across me, and asked me to indulge in ‘chaay-naush’ words that I had only heard in exotic movies…..a word for ‘tea & snacks’ and a servant was ordered to fetch us tea. This practice is standard in any Indian household but the ceremony and the exotic language with which the straight backed nawab conducted it , made it seem like some royal ceremony in which I was being conferred with some great award!

All the wonderful words and style could not camouflage the dust on the objects – a sign of the scarcity of servants or the general unkemptness that seemed totally out of place in the grand personality’s surroundings.

He showed me the finest Lucknowi embroidery I have ever seen, dating back to 1800 – which for textiles – particularly mulmul is remarkable. That calibre of work is no longer conducted and had I had enough money at that time I would have bought a few pieces…

We got talking and I was introduced to his daughter who was engaged to be married in a few months. He then took me to the living quarters upstairs and introduced me to his wife who lay sprawled out on the day bed. And then he repeated the story that he had probably enjoyed telling several times over:

He and his wife were engaged to be married – before they were born…

His mother and a relative/friend were pregnant at the same time – and so they had a pact. That if one had a boy and the other had a girl , these two children would be married to each other. No other terms and conditions would apply.

And so, when the babies were born their marital destiny was sealed.

My initial reaction at the discrepancy between the high life he embodied and the shabbiness of his current circumstance had faded by now and  only the illumination of the glimpse into a past glory remained.

I was invited to witness their niece’s wedding or nikaah the next day, my first experience of  the beautiful islamic ceremony.  I left the following day but we  continued our acquaintance for months after.

The pre-birth arranged marriage arrangement fascinated me. The fact that he had used an urdu term to describe it, fascinated me even more – because it meant that the construct existed even before his story occured! If only I could remember the words he had used, I could ask the google-god, satisfy my curiosity lay the thoughts to rest!

jm

http://www.wovensouls.com  – A web Gallery of Antique,  Tribal,  Nomadic & Ethnic textiles from endangered cultures

http://www. jewelsofthepeacock.com – A web Gallery of Antique Silver Jewellery