Author: Kaunteya Sinha
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: November 11, 2003
The tradition of Vedic chanting
of India has been declared a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage
of Humanity by Unesco for being "the ultimate source of knowledge and one
of the world's oldest surviving cultural traditions."
In a meeting held between director-general
Koichiro Matsuura and president Jaun Goytisolo at Unesco headquarters in
Paris on November 8, Unesco declared, "Although Vedic texts were recorded
in writing 15 centuries ago, their principal means of transmission remains
oral. The outstanding value lies not only in the rich content of its oral
literature but also in the unique and ingenious techniques employed by
the Brahmin priests in preserving the texts intact over three and half
millennia. The complex recitation technique, requiring rigorous training
from childhood, is based on a specific pronunciation of each letter and
specific speech combinations to ensure that the sound of each word remains
unchanged.
Mr Matsuura added: "The Vedic heritage
comprise a multitude of text and interpretations collected in four Vedas.
The Rig Veda is an anthology of sacred hymns; musical arrangements of hymns
from the Rig Veda and other sources are found in the Sama Veda; the Yajur
Veda abounds in prayers and sacrificial formulas used by priests; and the
Atharna Veda, attributed to the legendary sage, Atharvan, includes hymns,
charms and spells. The Veda also provide an extraordinary historical panorama
of Hinduism and offer insight into the early development of several fundamental
artistic and scientific notions, such as the concept of zero. Although
the Vedas continue to play an important role in contemporary Indian life,
this ancient oral tradition now faces many difficulties owing to current
economic conditions and modernisation. Experts claims that four noted schools
of Vedic recitation may be in imminent danger of disappearing."
Twenty-seven other cultural expressions
were also proclaimed as masterpieces including a thousand-year-old Chinese
musical idiom that is mastered by a mere 50 people, the know-how of itinerant
doctors in South America who are familiar with the properties of almost
1,000 plant species and a communication system among different language
communities in Vanuatu using finger drawings in sand. Other master-pieces
proclaimed were Azerbaijani Mugham (Azerbaijan), the Carnival of Binche
(Belgium), the Oral and Graphic Expressions of the Wajapi (Brazil), the
Oral traditions of the Aka Pygmies of Central Africa (Central Africa Republic),
The Royal Ballet of Cambodia (Cambodia), Music of the Oriente Brotherhood
(Cuba), the Al-Sirah al-Hilaliyya Epic (Egypt), The Kihnu Cultural Space
(Estonia), Wayang Puppet Theatre (Indonesia), the Maroon Heritage of Moore
Town (Jamaica), Kyrgyz Epic Tellers (Kyrgyzstan), Woodcrafting Knowledge
of the Zafimaniry (Madagascar), the Traditional Music of Morin Khuur (Mongolia),
The Pansori Epic Chant (Republic of Korea), The Arts of Public Story-tellers
(Turkey), Vietnamese Court Music and Songs of Sanaa (Yemen).
