ART AND CULTURE OF UTTRAKHAND AND PUDUCHERRY

 ART OF UTTRAKHAND

THE TOP5 ART OF UTTRAKHAND ARE -

1. Miniature Painting 

The miniature painting of Uttarakhand is one of the major and important schools of miniature painting in India. It has a rich history, and it dates back to the Mughal era. The Mughal Prince, Sulaiman Sukoh, who was attracted by the natural beauty of the region, came to Uttarakhand during his years of exile to spend time in the laps of the mighty Himalayas. He brought with him his painters who first started miniature painting in the region.

2. Aipen 

An indigenous Uttarakhand folk art form, Aipen is one of the traditional forms of Rangoli that is practised everywhere in the state. This art has cultural and religious implications in the life of the Kumano community.  

Like the different forms of Rangoli practised in India, Aipen involves drawing various repetitive geometric patterns and motifs.

3.  Pandav Nritya 

Nritya means dance and Pandav Nritya is one of the most popular Garhwal dance forms. According to the legends, Pandav Nritya was first performed in Uttarakhand when the legendary Pandvas (the five brothers) from the mythology, Mahabharata ruled Uttarakhand.  

4.  Wall Paintings 

Wall paintings are a famous art form of Uttarakhand that has been an integral part of the local history and culture since years of anonymity. It is omnipresent in Uttarakhand, and is widely appreciated by the art lovers worldwide because of the aesthetic value and its splendour.  

The wall paintings are most prominent in the Kumaon and Garhwal regions, and they have a rich tradition which were not known to the world until recently when the art connoisseurs of the world took note of this brilliant art form and its exquisite finesse.

5. Ornaments making 

Uttarakhand is quite famous for its ornaments. Apart from the local silver and gold ornaments, the copper smiths in the region known as Tamtas are known to create some of the most exquisite and stunning copper ornaments. The stunning pieces they create reflect their brilliant craftsmanship. 

ART OF PUDUCHERRY

ARCHTECHTURE is main art form in the land of puducherry .

An interesting fact about Puducherry is that the city is divided into two quarters. While one is the French sectors the other is the Tamil section. The cityscapes of the two different sectors strongly reflect the lifestyle and practices of the people living in this place.

The architectural styles of the buildings in the two sectors are completely different from each other. There are also some excellent structures in Puducherry that represent the fusion of the two dominant architectural styles of this place. These houses belong to the Franco- Tamil category. In the Tamil section of the city a visitor can notice houses with 'thalvaram' and 'thinnais'. The thalvarams are street verandas with a leaning roof which is supported by wooden posts. Vertical columns and pillars with ornamented parapets are characteristic features of typical Tamil style of houses.

The thinnais are public verandas with masonry seats for guests and visitors. The interiors of the houses in the French quarter are more embellished than the exteriors. French architectural influences are marked by the tall arched windows and door along the with high ceilings. The French houses were generally built with street frontage. The window shades were generally made of wood or light metals. Thus the most interesting parts of the Puducherry architecture are the products of fusion of the two styles. There are some houses in the Tamil streets where the architecture reflect remarkable French influence.

CULTURE OF UTTRAKHAND 

Uttrakhand is mainly divided into two regions and they are Kumaon region and Garwal region .

There culture varies from each other in some areas and also co relates at the same time. It is also a home for jaunsaries ' tibetians refugees , bokshas and some nepali communites. The people whose  who have birth origin mainly from uttrakhand are known as ''PAHADI''  . uttrakhand is mainly known for its temple ' dance ' cuisines etc .

FAMOUS TEMPLES

• BADRINATH
• GANGOLIHATH
• PATAL BHVNESHWAR
• JAGESHWAR TEMPLE
• HEMKUND SAHEB
• GAUMUKH etc. 

CHOLIA DANCE 

There are many famous dance cultures in Uttrakhand one of them is cholia dance . 

It is a dance form performed in kumaon region weddings . It is also known as sword dance because the martial arttraditions of the kumaon tribes . This dance form is about a thousand years old as it was also performed in the local rajoot weddings.

 UTTRAKHANDI CUISINE 

• ARSA[MADE WITHRUICE AND JAGGERY]
• JHWAI[MAE WITH CURD OR BUTTERMILK]
• JHONGORA[SHYAMA KA CHAWAL]
• JHOLI[BESAN CURRY WITH BUTTERMILK OR CURD] etc.

TRADITIONAL DRESS

WOMENS -

• GHAGRA
• A WOLLEN COAT
• DHANTU [SCARF]
• THALKA OR LOHIYA
• PICHODA

MENS -

• KURTA
• CHURIDA
• GANDHI TOPI
• PYJAMA 
• JANGYA

TRIBES OF UTTRAKHAND

Tribes of uttrakhand mainly comprise five major groups namely Jaunsari tribe ' Tharu tribe ' Buksa tribes ' and Bhotiyas . In terms of population Junsari tribe is the largest tribal group of the the state . tribe of uttrakhand shows the ethenic groups residing in the state . 

  

CULTURE OF PUDUCHERRY

Puducherry Culture is very rich and diverse. It is a place where the cultural impacts of several traditions have merged to form a cultural in itself. The glorious past is reflected well in the cultural practices of the people of the Union Territory of Puducherry. The dominant cultural practices in Puducherry are mainly influenced and inspired by the traditions and customs of the people of the Tamil origin on one hand and the lifestyle of the French colonizers.

The spirit of the Union Territory of Puducherry lies in this unique fusion. The Puducherry people, culture, festivals together contribute to the lively ambiance of the place. Various fairs and festivals form an integral part of the culture of Puducherry. Several aspects of the daily activities and lifestyle of the people are celebrated in these festivals. There are festivals dedicated to food and handicrafts as well. During the colonial period a tradition of practicing art and crafts evolved in this place. Till date many people of Puducherry work to keep this age old tradition alive.

The local people are involved in making various dining mats, candles, incense sticks, wooden serving mats, screen paintings, batik paintings on clothes, etc. On a trip to Puducherry, the French Rivera of the East you will discover how in the two sectors of the place both the French and the Tamil culture are celebrated and maintained with equal enthusiasm. The presence of two dominant influences have made the Puducherry culture complex but very vibrant at the same time

Music & Dance in Puducherry form a very important part of the cultural life of the people here. Various dance festivals are celebrated by the people of this union territory of India. Cultural programs are organized during the other festivals as well. The music and dance forms of Puducherry are immensely influenced by the rich heritage of the Tamil tradition. Here the classical form of music of South India are celebrated and kept alive with much enthusiasm. The Puducherry people, culture, festivals all remain incomplete without the lively music and dance performances.

In the dance festivals of Puducherry one will get to watch performances of some of the traditional forms like Yakshgana, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Chau, Mohininattam, etc. on the occasion of Shivaratri the Chidambaram Natyanjali Festival is celebrated here every year. Performers from various corners of the country gather to perform in and attend this prestigious festival. The festival was first initiated by Kapila Vatsayan and Nagaswamy in the year of 1981. The Bhairavi is a Carnatic music circle in Puducherry. They organize performances of Carnatic music every month. It is functioning for the last twenty two years. They arrange for both instrumental as well as vocal performances.

he International Yoga Festival in January and the Veerampattinam Car Festival are the two famous festivals. Puducherry was the erstwhile colony of France, so the influence of French culture is evident on the architecture, cuisine and lifestyle of the people of Puducherry. The influence of the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala are also quite evident on their culture. Puducherry is a popular pilgrimage center where people following various religions come here. Religion and spirituality is imbibed in the culture of the region. In and around Puducherry there are more than 350 temples.

The people of Puducherry are engaged in different types of handicrafts like leather, woodcraft, pottery, metal craft etc. It has a cosmopolitan culture and people belonging to different castes, creed and religions live here amicably. Puducherry people, culture, festivals are the representative of the heritage of the Indian sub-continent. U.T. of Puducherry people speak French and English, along with Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.