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musical instruments
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KOMUZ TEACHING METHODS IN FORMAL AND INFORMAL SYSTEMS IN KYRGYZSTANThe Kyrgyz komuz is a national musical instrument. Traditionally, komuz was made from a single piece of wood. The instrument has three strings, which were traditionally made from dried ram innards, but in modern times, fishing lines are often used instead.Year2017NationSouth Korea
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BAKHSHI ART FESTIVAL TO REVIVE SILK ROAD CULTUREA wide range of festivals are held in Uzbekistan to generate public interest in intangible cultural heritage. This includes the recent International Bakhshi Art Festival, which was held for a week from 5 April in the ancient city of Termez. Bakhshi is a multi-genre art form that brings together singers, musicians, and performers of Doston, a Central Asian oral epic. Teams from seventy-five countries took part in this festival, which featured not only a wide range of performances but also an enlightening international conference.Year2019NationSouth Korea
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Mongolian Culture and HeritageThe culture of the Central Asian steppes expresses itself vividly in the lifestyle of traditional nomadic practices. Mongolian culture has been in practice in the nomadic life and the traditions surrounding the nomad’s home (ger). And it is present in religious celebrations, national festivals, art and crafts, music and dance, language and literature, which form the backbone of Mongolian intangible cultural heritage of Mongolia. Mongolia is filled with valuable cultural properties and intangible cultural heritage of humanity that have been kept or practiced for thousands of years.\n\nGer, Mongolian Traditional Dwelling\nThe traditional architecture of the Mongols differed strongly from that of the settled peoples of Asia and other continents. Centuries ago, there the ger, also known as a yurt, appeared. It still offers shelter to nomads in particular places in Central Asia. Its development and fundamental principles are determined by the specific features of the way of life of Mongol tribes, which made it necessary to evolve a light and collapsible structure to be used as a dwelling or for public functions.\n\nMongolian Language and Literature\nMongolian is the language of most of the Mongolian population and inner Mongolia. By origin, Mongolian is one of the Altaic family of languages, and the history of the Mongolian language is long and complicated. Significant literary work of early Mongolia includes The Secret History of the Mongols, which was published in 1228).\n\nMongolian Religion and Beliefs\nThe Mongols have practiced several religions, of which Shamanism and Buddhism were the most common. The faith in Mongolia is Buddhism, though the state and religion were separated during the socialist period, but with the transition to the parliamentary republic in the 1990s, there has been a general revival of faiths across the country\n\nMongolian Art and Crafts\nMongolian arts and crafts have been passed down across generations from the Paleolithic times to today, leaving behind deep impressions on all facets of life and conscious, aesthetic, and philosophical thinking. Highly developed Mongolian arts and crafts come from the second millennium BCE. The works included sculptured heads of wild animals with exaggerated features. Other items include knives, daggers, and other items of practical and religious use.\n\nMongolian Music and Dance\nMusic is an integral part of Mongolian culture. Among Mongolia’s unique contributions to the world’s musical culture are the long songs, overtone singing, and morin khuur (the horse-headed fiddle). The music of Mongolia is also rich with varieties related to the various ethnic groups of the country. Among the most popular forms of modern music in Mongolia are Western pop and rock genres and the mass songs written by contemporary authors in the form of folk songs.\n\nHorse Culture of Mongolia\nIt is famously known that horses play a large role in the Mongols’ daily and national lives. Common sayings are, “A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings,” and “Mongols are born on horseback” these are arguably true words. Even today, horse-based culture is still practiced by nomadic Mongolians.\n\nVisit https://www.toursmongolia.com/tours for additional information about Mongolian culture.\n\nPhoto 1 : Prairie meadow grass inner Mongolia traditional clothing © Batzaya Choijiljav\nPhoto 2~7 : © Batzaya ChoijiljavYear2020NationMongolia
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Cambodia’s ICH Chapei Master Transmits Public Health MessagesIn Cambodia, ICH is deployed for the transmission of important public health messages. One of the traditional functions of Chapei Dang Veng artists in Cambodian society is to convey important news and information to the community. Today, Master Kong Nay honors this tradition while amplifying his reach through social media.\n\nThe 75-year-old Master Kong Nay, one of the rare great masters of the Chapei Dang Veng, sings about hand-washing and social distancing and other COVID-19 safety tips.\n\nIn 2016 the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage approved the granting of financial assistance totaling US$230,000 to Cambodia for the urgent safeguarding of Chapei Dang Veng, a musical tradition that features a lute (a chapei) accompanied by the performer singing. There are only two surviving great masters of the chapei, but they do not practice it actively because of their age. The safeguarding plan submitted by Cambodia, in consultation with artistic and educational organizations, includes the training of chapei teachers, fellowship programs for young masters, as well as a festival.\n\nphoto 1 : Chapei instruments ready for blessing at the Buddhist ceremony Pchum Ben © Catherine Grant\nphoto 2 : Chapei Dang Veng artists in Cambodian ⓒ Cambodian Living ArtsYear2020NationCambodia
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Chhaitun: A Childbirth Ritual in NepalIn some parts of Asia, childbirth ritual still exists, guided either by religion or folk belief. Chhaitun, a childbirth ritual of the Gandharba community in Nepal, is held on the sixth day after the delivery of a child into the world. This is a major ritual where a fortune writer unveils the fate of a newborn.\n\nThe Gandharba community in Nepal believes that individual fortune is written by the Vabi or the god of fate. On the occasion, after dusk, the entire surrounding of the house is purified by sprinkling it with holy water from Marsyandi, the nearest river to the community and recognized as holy since its water comes from the Himalayas. The host family invites their neighbors for a musical performance. Older men in the community sing an auspicious song with their instruments to welcome the fortune writer. The main entrance of the house will be opened throughout the musical performance. The child will be kept alone in a room with its doors and windows open. The elder person in the family keeps a notebook and a pen placed beside the child together with one mana (local measurement of the volume of rice) of uncooked rice on a brass plate; a traditional oil lamp will be kept on middle of the same plate. The entire procession of welcoming the fortune writer takes about an hour but the musical performance lasts till midnight. The host family serves snakes and home-made wine to the neighbors. The ritual ends with the neighbors giving blessings to the child.\n\nIn other words, Chhaitun is far beyond of a short ritual where a fortune writer unveils the fate of a newborn but the whole package of blessing which includes the hours of celebration.\n\nPhoto : A stage in the ritual © Anil GandharbaYear2017NationNepal
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Voices of the Wind: Celebrating Traditional Musicians of LaosLaos is host to a diversity of cultures, traditions, and arts. While the handicraft heritage of the country, such as textile production, is widely promoted, documented, and commercialized, its rich musical traditions remain largely unknown and underestimated. The same could be said of its built heritage – much work and funding has gone into stabilizing or renovating architecture and buildings, particularly religious sites of national importance. Intangible cultural traditions, such as how to sing traditional songs, how to make instruments, and how to play certain instruments, are being left by the wayside. Due to its specific topography and the variety of ethnic groups inhabiting Laos, the country hosts an impressive diversity of musical styles. Singing is the most common form of musical expression in Laos. Traditional popular songs are called “khap” in the north and “lam” in the south. Traditional singing of Laos (khap-lam) is also used as symbol of ethnic identity, as each group has its own melodic model or musical style. While a rich knowledge exists about music, it is rarely explicitly verbalized, as most musical practices are implicitly learned through processes of listening/observation and imitation. Today, however, documenting and safeguarding this ancestral knowledge is urgent, as new media and changing social mores lead to changes in traditional mechanisms of transmission.Year2019NationLao People's Democratic Republic
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Roles of Shared Heritage of South Korea and North Korea Based on the Viability of ICHCultural heritage had been defined and maintained centered around physical structures or tangible features. It is only recently that the focus has shifted to nonphysical and intangible values of heritage, which incorporate natural, social, and cultural elements. Roles of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) are increasingly emphasized, as it involves the respect for cultural diversity and the representativeness of each cultural heritage, rather than just recognizing excellent universal values accepted by all. ICH has been created, practiced and used by people and has been inherited through generations in a cultural context. The viability of ICH is like a person’s life cycle. As our life is the finite period between birth and death, heritage is also doomed to disappear without a conscious effort to continue the viability of created heritage. Heritage has a finite life and transmission is the force to keep it alive.\n\nKorea is the only divided country in the world. Seventy years have passed since the Korean War, but the wounds of the war and the pain of the division still remain in the hearts of displaced people and dispersed families. Even amidst such a tragedy, there are intangible cultural properties of North Korea that have been transmitted in the South. One of them is “Aewonseong,” a song that has been designated in South Korea as an intangible cultural property of the ibuk odo (which literally means five northern provinces). “Aewonseong” (哀怨聲) reflects the joys and sorrows of life and expresses sounds of sadness and lamentation as the name suggests. People living in the barren areas of Hamgyeong-Do in the North used to hum the song when things were hard and tiring. Currently in South Korea, the song is transmitted by displaced people as a form of a musical performance accompanied by instruments and dance. It allows those people to find consolation and ease their longing for their hometown, thus providing a special sense of identity. Although the song is being practiced differently compared to its original version performed in the North, it still has the same function of consoling people now living in the southern part of the peninsula.\n\nDuring the thirteenth Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the ICH, which was held in Mauritius in November 2018, Traditional Korean Wrestling, ssirum/ssireum was jointly inscribed on the Representative List of the ICH of Humanity. The joint inscription was especially meaningful as it was intended for ‘peace and reconciliation.’ Since 2014, ICHCAP has organized biennial sub-regional meetings of five Northeast Asian countries (South Korea, Mongolia, China, Japan, and North Korea). The participants looked at the status of ICH safeguarding in North Korea and discussed the necessity for stronger exchange and cooperation in the fields of ICH in the region, laying a collaborative foundation for support for North Korea. This year in October, the fourth sub-regional meeting will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, under the subject of the safeguarding of shared heritage in East Asia.\n\nAccording to the ‘Kit of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage’ published by UNESCO, safeguarding activities promote reconciliation through intercultural dialogue and respect for cultural diversity around the practice of living heritage and thus constitute an effective and sustainable way to restore peace and security within society. Even in the situation of national division, the viability of ICH can bring together different parties beyond the border to share a collective memory and the values of heritage. As such, shared heritage can play a vital role in maintaining peace and security in the two Koreas. ICH, which has survived to date and can be shared by both peoples, could hopefully help achieve inter-Korean cooperation and further establish a culture of peace in Northeast Asia.\n\nPhoto : Joining two Koreas © Shutterstock/eamesBotYear2020NationSouth Korea
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Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery: Singapore’s First ICH Community GalleryNestled in the cultural heartland of Singapore’s Chinatown, the Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery is Singapore’s first community gallery that showcases different aspects of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of the Chinese community as well as ICH elements practiced by the arts and cultural groups located in Kreta Ayer.\n\nCovering a gallery space of 1,076 square feet (100 square meters), the Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery was co-curated by the National Heritage Board in partnership with the Kreta Ayer Community Centre and officially launched on 14 July 2019. The gallery features a total of 123 artifacts, of which 68 are on loan from the community and/or arts and cultural groups operating in Chinatown.\n\nThe gallery is made up of five sections covering five ICH elements comprising Chinese opera, Chinese puppetry, Nanyin music, Chinese calligraphy, and tea appreciation. It introduces visitors to the history of the precinct and showcases the aforementioned ICH elements while tracing their evolution from the days of old Chinatown to contemporary times.\n\nThe first section on Chinese opera traces its popularity as a form of local live entertainment between the late 1800s and the 1930s and showcases the different elements of the form including costumes, music, and characters. It also covers opera houses that used to operate in Chinatown and the characteristics of different types of opera according to dialects.\n\nThe second section on Chinese puppetry explores the roots of the art form and focuses on the common types of puppetry practiced in Singapore, including hokkien glove puppetry, teochew iron-stick puppetry, hainanese rod puppetry, and henghua string puppetry. The section also features a mock-up stage where puppetry performances are given, and visitors can try their hand at operating stringed puppets.\n\nThe third section on nanyin music, meaning “music of the south,” traces the origins of the art form and features nanyin performances, instruments, and musical scores on loan from Siong Leng Musical Association. It also showcases different genres of nanyin music such as Fujian nanyin and Cantonese naam-yam.\n\nThe fourth section on Chinese calligraphy focuses on the roots of Chinese calligraphy and the Chinese calligraphy scene in Singapore. It also features the first generation of calligraphers in Singapore and explores how the cultural art form is still practiced in schools, community centers, and cultural institutions today.\n\nThe final section on tea appreciation explores the long history of Chinese tea, the establishment of tea houses and the act of brewing and drinking tea as a cultural art form. It also looks at the different types of Chinese tea and how they are typically paired with different types of cuisine.\n\nThe gallery also features interactive components that allows visitors to experience the different ICH elements on show. These components include a puppetry stage where visitors can test their skills as puppeteers, multimedia stations that allow visitors to experience playing nanyin instruments, and a Chinese calligraphy station that allows visitors to practice their calligraphy using “invisible ink.”\n\nFollowing its official opening, NHB and Kreta Ayer Community Centre is partnering with various arts and cultural groups in Chinatown to present regular programs, including Chinese opera, Chinese puppetry, and Nanyin music performances and workshops as well as calligraphy and tea appreciation classes for students and members of the public to promote greater awareness of these ICH elements and, where possible, facilitate the transmission of skills.\n\nWith the opening of the Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery, NHB hopes to showcase the richness and diversity of the Chinese community’s “living” ICH, provide a platform for ICH practitioners and groups to showcase their skills, and create more opportunities to collaborate with community partners to showcase the heritage of specific precincts or estates as well as the history and heritage of different ethnic communities.\n\nPhoto : An interior shot of the new Kreta Ayer Heritage Gallery ⓒ National Heritage Board, SingaporeYear2019NationSingapore
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Tihar Festival in NepalTihar (also known as Deepawali, Diwali, or Yamapanchak) is the most celebrated festival in Nepal. It takes place on Kartik Krishna Pakshya (early or end of November) every year. The five-day-long festival is observed with various activities—the longest of which is the successive worship activities of animals.\n\nOn the first day of the festival, Kaag Tihar (crow worship) is celebrated by offering sweets and foods to birds, especially crows. In Hindu mythology, crows are considered the messenger of Yama (lord of death). As the cawing of the crows symbolizes misfortune, the devotees feed crows to avert grief and death they may cause. On the second day of the festival, Kukur Tihar (worship of dog) is celebrated by offering garlands, tika (red-colored paste), and delicious food to dogs. Dogs occupy a special place in Hindu mythology. As mentioned in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata, Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva, had a dog as a vahana (vehicle). Yama, the god of death, is believed to own two guard dogs, each with four eyes. The dogs are said to watch over the gates of Naraka, the Hindu concept of hell. In the morning of the third day, Gai Tihar (worship of the cow) is celebrated by offering flower garland, tika, food, and grass to the cow. In Hinduism, cow signifies wealth and prosperity. In the evening, Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, is thanked for all the benefits families may have received by lighting diyo (oil lamps) or candles on doorways and windows; this gesture also welcomes prosperity and well-being. On the fourth day, Goru Tihar (worship of ox) is observed in similar way. Ox is regarded as the closest and most important animal as it assists Nepalese farmers to plough their land for farming. The fifth and the most notable day of the festival is Bhai Tika or Kija Puja. It is observed by sisters applying tika on the forehead of their brothers to ensure long life and prosperity. The Bhai Tika follows a traditional ritual in which brothers sit on the floor and sisters circle brothers three times, dripping the undefiled water (pure; not drunk by anyone) on the floor from a copper pitcher. Then sisters break the walnut with the stone which is placed on the middle area of the main door of the house, wishing that they could alleviate their brothers’ grief.\n\nAnother distinctive feature of Tihar is deusi or vailo, the traditional songs that are sung during the festival. Vaili, a group of people with musical instruments visit houses one by one to sing and dance mainly in the night. The host families highly appreciate the visit of Vaili to their homes and offer rice, fruits, roti (home-made round bread), and some money. A traditional oil lamp on a brass plate or on nanglo (a flat round woven tray made up of bamboo) is lit in the presence of Vaili. It is believed that Vaili blessings bring happiness and prosperity to the family.\n\nTihar is considered a culturally essential festival in Nepal as it preserves Nepalese traditional beliefs, recognizing not just the importance of human prosperity but also the significance of animals in the life of Nepalese cultural heritage.\n\nPhoto : Tihar © Anil GandharbaYear2017NationNepal
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Women at the frontlineOn 24th of September 2021, through the narrow lanes of ancient city of Kathmandu mass of women was seen pulling the chariots of Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav. This spectacular scene was an unthinkable of a decade back. Women play integral role in the Newa household and many traditional functions but in the public events women always occupy backstage.\n\nNow on the last day of weeklong street festival – Yenyā Punhi also known as Indra Jatra, the new traditions of pulling chariot by women have been started. On this festival along with chariot processions many other activities takes place in those seven days such as several mask dances, raising of wooden logs, procession with lamps around ancient city boundary, display of Bhairav deities in the streets and other smaller events.\n\nThe chariot processions of Kumari, Bhairav and Ganesh, represented by children holds a special place, as Goddess Kumari was the tutelary goddess of Malla King of Kathmandu Valley and this practice is still present. In past women never participated in the pulling any of the chariots, this might be due to several reasons such as the chaos while pulling, crowd and social taboo.\n\nThree wooden chariots of Ganesh, Kumari and Bhairav get pulled for three days, which starts from third or fourth day of the Yenyā Punhi festival. First day of chariot procession is done through lower quarters of ancient city, second day through upper quarters and finally on the last day through middle quarter. The last day of the whole festival is known as Nānichāyā.\n\nThe new tradition of pulling the chariot by women has been started on day of Nānichāyā since Nepal Sambat 1132 (2011 AD). Mrs. Nanihira Prajapati, coordinator of pulling chariot shares the story of women pulling chariot was an idea implanted by late Mr. Mohan Krishna Dongol. It was his support and idea that the women were able to pull the chariot and which is still continued. Last year the whole festival was halted due to Covid-19 and the chariot procession too.\nThe chariot pulling by women are now well organized and with much security. According to Mrs. Prajapati there are 13-core team, each chariot being looked by four core team members. Mrs. Prajapati is responsible for overall processions management. The security is also arranged with women police throughout the processions.\n\nThe organization committee has made mandatory to register for those interested to pull. After which they get a pass and a T-shirt, which is to identify actual chariot pullers. Some women are also trained before the procession by Maha, the person who sits at the front of chariot and directs the chariot.\n\nMrs. Prajapati shares her experience that when they started they were not organized as now. On first year they just pulled the chariot of Goddess Kumari, even they were suggested to pull just a short distance if it was difficult. With proud smile she further adds that they completed the whole route. Women, girls and teenagers all came to participate on that historic day. After the event they received much support and media exposure, and were encouraged to pull all the chariots from next year.\n\nFollowing the women taking lead in procession, the drinking of alcohol which flows from the giant Swait Bhariav Mask was started by women as well, designating fixed day for just women.\n\nYoung girls are also seen playing different traditional musical instruments on this festival as well as in several other festivals.\n\nNow days there are a considerable active participation of women in many festivals, not holding the backstage positions of cooking and making arrangements.\n\nphoto 1~2 : Women pulling chariots of Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav during the festival of Yenyā 2021 (Indra Jatra) © Sandesh MunikarYear2021NationNepal
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Resilient Communities of Kathmandu ValleyResidents of Kathmandu Valley, for the first time, saw temples being closed and even barred from entering the sites due to Covid-19. Most of the festivals were cancelled, which didn’t even happen even after the devastating earthquake of 2015. Only the most important rituals were performed behind closed doors. Many festivals and rituals were limited to just the formality rituals and forgiveness rituals. Instead of huge crowds, there were empty squares and closed temple doors.\n\nFor the cities, towns, and villages within the Valley known for festivals, processions, and rituals throughout the year, Covid-19 proved to be cruel. The prolonged uncertainty has prompted communities and individuals to take alternatives for continuity of ICH with new normality.\n\nThe biggest festival of Patan city, a chariot Karunayama procession, saw a violent clash between locals and police on 3 September 2020. The sight of chariot with God inside was stranded on the roadside for several months and made locals take the decision to start pulling it. After this event, the consultation between local government, chief district officer and community members was held. A few days later, the symbolic procession and forgiveness rituals were performed. The strict measures for security and necessary precautions against Covid-19 were taken. Only limited numbers of people could pull the chariot and play musical instruments with masks and face shields.\n\nMany rituals, which were supposed to take place without the masses attending, continued in many places of Kathmandu Valley. One of the rituals was restoration of important scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism—Pragyaparmita in Buddhist Monastery of Kwa Baha/ Hiranyavarna Mahavihara in Patan. Pragyaparmita translates as “Perfection of Wisdom.” The one in this monastery is written in gold and contains eighty thousand stanzas that were written in 1224 CE. This restoration used to take place for a month every three years, which had one leap year according to the lunar calendar. This year with leap month, the Buddhists priests were seen working on it wearing masks behind the closed door of the monastery.\n\nSimilarly, the annual festival of Pachali Bhairav in Kathmandu was held from 17 to 21 October. The community members took extra steps to adjust to new normal with full precautions against Covid-19. The people who were carrying God Pachali Bhairav in the form of big pot were seen wearing Personal Protective Element. This scene was spectacular.\n\nLikewise, the town of Khokana in Kathmandu Valley also continued with their most important annual event Shikali Jatra from 19 to 23 October. The deities were with their traditional masks and attire, but the communities were with the mask to protect against the virus. This festival used to have huge crowds, but this year, only a limited number of people attended.\n\nAnother city in Bhaktapur also continued their important annual mask dance named Nava Durga that started on 24 October. To avoid the masses, all the rituals and dances were performed only in the square of the ancient Bhaktapur palace where limited people were allowed. Normally, this dance is performed in different places within city of Bhaktapur and nearby villages and towns, which would continue until June. But with pandemic, the continuation in other places is still uncertain.\n\nPeople tend to organize festivals, continue rituals despite the warning from the health professionals and government. Many legends and tales tell the stories of rituals and festivals initiated in ancient time to ward off evil spirits, droughts, and pandemic. Many people still hold on to these beliefs in Kathmandu Valley.\n\nPhoto 1 : Chariot of Machindranath guarded by police to avoid crowds. ©Monalisa Maharjan\nPhoto 2 : Devotees burning butter lamps while wearing masks. ©Monalisa MaharjanYear2020NationNepal
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Intangible Cultural Heritage: Enacting the past in the modern timesYenya Punhi (also known as Indra Jatra) is one of the most entertaining street festival of Nepal. Although it is celebrated in different cities where there is presence of Newa population. Kathmandu takes the claim to this festival as their main festival. Now this festival is even celebrated in different cities around the world such as London, Dallas, Baltimore, Sydney and Sikkim.\n\nYenya in Kathmandu is elaborate with multiple events taking place simultaneously indifferent corners of the city for eight days. Chariot processions of living gods and goddess, different mask dances, processions of people and deities, displays of Bhairav masks are some of the main events. So during this event every streets, courtyards and alleys in Kathmandu are filled with people, gods and festivities.\n\nIn the evening of the first day, people carry out procession called Upaku or palcha bi wonigu literally translated as – to distribute butter lamps. The family members of the decreased ones goes around the ancient city lighting incense sticks and placing butter lamps along the way at every cross roads and religious shrines. Some groups of people also follow the route singing bhajan (religious hymns) as well as young groups are seen with different traditional musical instruments.\n\nFrom the big temples to stupas, chaityas and even the smaller shrines along the procession route are decorated with flowers, lights and samayebaji (pile of beaten rice with different beans, meat and food items). Music, lights, religious hymns and people make the city into different ambience.\n\nThis event seems to be for entertainment but actually this is for those who passed away that year. Many people participating in the processions are dressed in white. According to the Newa ritual, the sons of the decreased member dress in white for the whole year. The local belief explains this ritual is to show the light to the soul of the decreased people the way to the heaven. And any wandering soul in the city gets way out.\n\nThe story of the procession route is as interesting as the event. Ancient city of Kathmandu used to be a walled city and people who go in upaku procession are walking around the outer boundary of the city. In 1769, Kathmandu was taken over by Shah king and then the walls were let to ruins, which is mentioned in the book Nepal Mandala by Mary Slusser.\n\nNow there are no physical traces of walls and gates but the intangible heritage like Upaku brings back the long lost physical memory of the city. These festivals and rituals are not just celebrating the present but also bringing back the memory of the past in present landscape. It is a way to tell the people of this generation about the past of the city.\n\nOral micro history is very important to know the people and place of the past, and it is even important in the context of country like Nepal. Rarely the history of people and ordinary structures are recorded. Kathmandu Valley is full of rituals, events and processions, which tell the stories of people and place from the ancient times. And in many instances the activities of the past gets recreated in the present context even though the lifestyles of people and urban morphology has changed in unimaginable ways. Continuity of intangible heritage is also the way to give continuity to the memories of place, practices and past.\n\nPicture 1: People taking part in procession, chanting religious hymns and placing lamps along the way. © Monalisa Maharjan \nPicture 2: Pile of unbaked clay pot with lamps placed on the road. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPicture 3: Temple decorated with flower, light and a pile of Samaybaji along the route of Upaku. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPicture 4: Small shrine with the offering of lights by the people on procession. © Monalisa Maharjan\nPicture 5: A decorated chaitya on the route. © Monalisa MaharjanYear2022NationNepal