UNESCO: Consultant Checklist of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – 2008
URL: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/tradition-of-vedic-chanting-00062
Description: The Vedas comprise an unlimited corpus of Sanskrit poetry, philosophical dialogue, fable, and ritual incantations developed and composed by Aryans over 3,500 years in the past. Regarded by Hindus as the first supply of data and the sacred basis of their faith, the Vedas embody one of many worlds oldest surviving cultural traditions.
The Vedic heritage embraces a large number of texts and interpretations collected in 4 Vedas, generally known as books of data although they’ve been transmitted orally. The Rig Veda is an anthology of sacred hymns; the Sama Veda options musical preparations of hymns from the Rig Veda and different sources; the Yajur Veda abounds in prayers and sacrificial formulae utilized by clergymen; and the Atharna Veda consists of incantations and spells. The Vedas additionally provide perception into the historical past of Hinduism and the early improvement of a number of creative, scientific and philosophical ideas, such because the idea of zero.
Expressed within the Vedic language, which is derived from classical Sanskrit, the verses of the Vedas had been historically chanted throughout sacred rituals and recited each day in Vedic communities. The worth of this custom lies not solely within the wealthy content material of its oral literature but additionally within the ingenious strategies employed by the Brahmin clergymen in preserving the texts intact over 1000’s of years. To make sure that the sound of every phrase stays unaltered, practitioners are taught from childhood advanced recitation strategies which might be based mostly on tonal accents, a singular method of saying every letter and particular speech combos.
Though the Vedas proceed to play an essential position in up to date Indian life, solely 13 of the over one thousand Vedic recitation branches have survived. Furthermore, 4 famous colleges in Maharashtra (central India), Kerala and Karnataka (southern India) and Orissa (japanese India) are thought-about beneath imminent risk.
Nation(ies): India
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