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The Ahoms ruled Assam for around 600 years till the East India Company annexed the state in 1826. They brought all the tribes and kingdoms in the region under their unified rule and gave the land its current name—Axom or Assam. Assam’s present cultural landscape was largely shaped under the patronage of the Ahoms. The Bihu festivities in the state also originated during their rule. Rongali Bihu is celebrated mid-April and marks the Assamese new year. It also marks the beginning of the agricultural cycle and people offer prayers for a prosperous agricultural season. The festival is more of a celebration of life and love—not only between humans, but also with animals and nature. From the image gallery ‘Ekasarana Dharma of the Ahoms: Rongali Bihu of Sibsagar’ by Arnab Bhaumik, published at https://bit.ly/4fkEL69 #SahaPeople #SahaRitualsandPractices #Assam #Bihu #Festival #RongoliBihu

Explore the Dabgarwad Market in Ahmedabad, a centuries-old market operated by the Dabgar community. Known for their expertise in crafting musical instruments, the Dabgars originally migrated from Rajasthan and adopted the craft of making traditional drums. Today, the Dabgarwad market is a vibrant hub for musicians, preserving a unique part of Ahmedabad’s cultural heritage. Explore more stories about Ahmedabad’s heritage through the MyCityMyHeritage project! #Ahmedabad #Dabgarwad #HeritageMarket #IndianMusic #CulturalHeritage #MyCityMyHeritage #Sahapedia #IGF #InterGlobeFoundation InterGlobe Enterprises

Explore Bai Harir-ni-Vav, a stunning 15th-century stepwell in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, built by Harir Sultani, a nurse and noblewoman in Sultan Mahmud Begada’s court. This architectural gem, located in Haripura, once provided water and shelter for travelers. Its five-storey design, with intricately carved galleries and columns, showcases the blend of styles from the Gujarat Sultanate. Discover more about Ahmedabad’s heritage and cultural landmarks through My City My Heritage project: https://lnkd.in/dDgSe9Z #MyCityMyHeritage #BaiHarirniVav #StepwellsOfGujarat #Ahmedabad #GujaratTourism #MinistryofTourism #ExploreAhmedabad #GujaratHeritage #Culture #IndiaCulture #IndiaHeritage #ExploreIndia #IGF #InterGlobeFoundation InterGlobe Enterprises

Mughal rule in India witnessed significant aesthetic influences from Iran, of which ‘zardozi’ became particularly popular. Zardozi is a Persian word that means ‘sewing with gold string’. The craftspeople who work with this medium are known as ‘zardos’ or ‘zardosans’. In Lucknow, there are more than 10,000 micro and small enterprises that are involved in making zardozi products, as per an estimate by the Ministry of Textiles. However, the craft has been in terminal decline. New competition has emerged, affecting the price of the zardozi work done in the old neighbourhoods. New workshops get work done at lower costs, often by copying original designs. Workers who were earning daily wages started getting paid per piece and had to work on stricter deadlines. According to practicing zardosans, the craft that was once a regal profession, has now become just a money-making mechanism for the karkhandars (workshop owners), fashion designers and stockist businessmen who exploit the zardosans and their skills. The survival of the craft is important not only for the zardosans but also for Lucknow’s own distinct Awadhi culture, of which zardozi has always been a much-loved visual icon. Image: Aari and zardozi artisans working at the Hasanpuriya Maidan warehouse in Lucknow. From the image gallery ‘Aari and Zardoziwork: Legacy of Nawabi Lucknow’ by Kanza Fatima, published at https://bit.ly/3BCaUHJ #SahaVisualandMaterialArts #Zardosi #Zardosans #Artisans #TextileTradition #Textile #Gold #Persia #Lucknow #Karkhana #Workshop

Our gratitude to everyone who joined us, as well as to those we couldn’t accommodate due to the limited number of spots available for the walk. We truly appreciate your enthusiastic response and look forward to organizing more events like this in the future. Hope to see you all next time! #MyCityMyHeritage #Kerala #Kozhikode #Calicut #Heritage #Walk #SahaExperiences #IGF #InterGlobeFoundation InterGlobe Enterprises @intachcalicut

The Kashmiri Gate area is home to numerous heritage sites, including the first church in Delhi. Kashmiri Gate was one of the original gates of Shahjahanabad, the mid-17th century imperial capital of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The gate was so named because it faced north, towards the road to Kashmir. Being located close to the river Yamuna, the region around it became a site of pleasure gardens and country houses built by the members of the royal family and courtiers. Later, after the East India Company captured Delhi from the Marathas in 1803, British residents built their houses here. The famous Anglo-Indian soldier Colonel James Skinner built Delhi's oldest church, St. James Church, in this area in 1836. The Lothian Cemetery was the main burial ground of the Christian population of Delhi during this period. Image 1: Winged angel in the church compound Image 2: St. James Church Image 3: Commemorative plaque in St. James Church From the image gallery ‘Kashmiri Gate’, published at https://bit.ly/480TYql #SahaBuiltSpaces #Heritage #Delhi #StJamesChurch #Church #JamesSkinner #KashmiriGate #KashmereGate #ShahJahan #Shahjahanabad

A city built with a blend of glocal heritage and culture connected to the world with its rich aroma beyond spices and affection, Kozhikode stands out with its unique roots even in modern times! Growing up in Kozhikode, with my roots in Kuttichira, - a Mappila settlement following matrilineality on the shore of the Arabian Sea,  I have always been drawn to the whispers of history that linger in the air.  Each narrow road and grand old house has a story to tell, and I can’t help but wonder what secrets lie behind those windows. Exploring the rich tapestry of cultures and traditions here feels like loosening the knots of my own roots. Nestled along the Malabar coast, Kozhikode, or Calicut, is a city that echoes tales from both pre-and post-colonial eras. From the majestic Lighthouse standing guard over the Arabian Sea to the ancient buildings whispering stories of world trade, Kozhikode has been a melting pot of cultures for centuries. Here, the trade flourished, bringing together merchants from Persia to Pandya, all drawn by the allure of pepper to silk. The harmonious rule of the Zamorins, with their formidable Marakkar navy, created a legacy of maritime strength and cultural exchange. Each corner of Kozhikode tells a story, from the bustling markets to the serene beaches, where the biriyani aroma and halwa sweetness invite you to indulge in arts, literature, and political conversations, with a cup of hot sulaimani! I'm excited to share a few photos from a #heritagewalk led by Sahapedia.org with renowned heritage guide K. Mohan, author of the book, "A tourist guide to Calicut," published by Mathrubhumi Books, along with cultural enthusiasts and scholars. Discovering the rich history and hidden gems of our city was a reminder of how many stories are woven into every corner we pass by. #cultureandheritage #culturaltourism #malabar

The mural traditions in Jharkhand present a variegated landscape of techniques and motifs. Broadly, mural designs are distinctly different in Singhbhum in the south and Hazaribagh in the north. The types of clays found in the two regions differ in mineral content and therefore in pigmentation, leading to two distinctive colour palettes. Singhbhum has brighter colour clays occurring naturally in the region, and the murals tend to have deep rust, ochre, black and light blue colours. Hazaribagh on the other hand has less variation and the mural designs are dominated by black manganese-rich clay, the nearly white kaolin clay and the occasional use of reddish coloured clays. The difference in palette is further heightened by the use of artificial paints, which is much more common in Singhbhum than in Hazaribagh. Image 1: Hazaribagh ghatwal painting using stencil technique Image 2: Mural details using paintbrush in Singhbhum From the article ‘Mural Traditions of Jharkhand’ by Gauri Bharat, published at https://bit.ly/3U0xqAh #SahaVisualandMaterialArts #Jharkhand #Murals #Singhbhum #Hazaribagh #Painting #VisualArts #Tradition #MuralTradition #Colours #NaturalColours #Clay

In 2013—for the first time in 250 years—centuries of regressive social barriers came crashing down in the holy city of Vrindavan. Denied a life of dignity, for hundreds of years widows from across India have moved to Vrindavan to live an honourable life. Vrindavan initially had only six shelter homes for the almost 21,000 destitute widows, all run by the government and widely criticized for their dismal state. In 2012, the Supreme Court of India requested Sulabh International Social Service Organisation to work towards the betterment of the lives of these widows. Apart from taking care of their basic needs, education and economic empowerment, it was deemed vital to institute social acceptance through their inclusion in festivals and cultural events. While Holi is the biggest festival in Vrindavan, for countless widows, colours are taboo, a form of denial of their existence. However, in 2013, residents at Meera Sahbhagini Ashram, a shelter home for widows, dressed up as Radha and Krishna and danced to the tunes of ‘bhajans’, celebrating Raas Leela. The Ashram was adorned with ‘rangolis’ and the widows threw flower petals at each other and played ‘phoolon wali holi’. In a similar fashion, many other ashrams and homes witnessed a joyful transformation that day. From the image gallery ‘Holi in Vrindavan: A New Beginning’ by Sharmistha Dutta, published at https://bit.ly/3YhYwFT #SahaPeople #Vrindavan #Holi #Gender #Women #Festival

Do you spot the car on the wall? This is one of the walls of Kedia Haveli in Fatehpur in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. The paintings here show how mythological themes were juxtaposed with scenes from everyday life and even with modern scientific innovations. An early motorcar is seen painted above the window on the ground floor. The panel on the first floor depicts infant Krishna stealing butter and getting caught in the act by his mother. The small niches on the extreme left have images of musicians, dancers and flywhisk bearers. Starting in the 18th century and continuing till the 20th, the nouveau riche merchant class constructed havelis and grand mansions throughout Rajasthan. In Shekhawati, paintings were executed both privately, inside their mansions, and publicly, on the walls facing the streets outside. The public nature of the artwork of Shekhawati makes the entire region akin to an open-air art gallery. From the image gallery ‘FadingGrandeur: Painted Havelis of Shekhawati’ by Garima Agarwal, published at https://bit.ly/48irzfX #SahaVisualandMaterialArts #Shekhawati #Haveli #KediaHaveli #Rajasthan #WallPainting #Painting #Mansions #Mythology