UNESCO tag for ‘Paruveta Utsavam’ Festival

Context: INTACH is working to have UNESCO recognize the annual ‘Paruveta Utsavam’ as an intangible cultural heritage.

Details about the Festival:

• The Sri Narasimha Swamy temple in Ahobilam holds an annual mock hunting festival that promotes communal harmony. 
• The deity from the temple is taken to the nearby Chenchu tribal hamlets for 40 days, and people from all castes participate in the celebration. Different communities contribute to the festival, such as the Vadla Kammara community making the Palanquin, Chenchus collecting items from the forest, and the Mala community reciting Vachanas. 
• This festival also includes prayers from devotees of other religions, like Muslims. 
• The Chenchu tribe has a strong emotional connection to the festival due to the folklore of Lord Vishnu marrying a tribal girl. 
• The festival reflects a casteless society in the past, as indicated by the temple staff staying in the hamlets for the entire duration. 
• The festival begins with the tribals shooting arrows at the palanquin to show their reverence and protection for the deity.

Chenchu Tribe:

• The Chenchu tribe is a small forest-dwelling group from Odisha, India, who migrate between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha for their livelihood. 
• They are believed to be the first inhabitants of the Andhra region and were employed by kings to protect rivers. 
• They have their own language, Chenchu, and live in small huts near forests for easy access to food. 
• They have specific kinship groups, practice early and cross-cousin marriages, and have their own burial and mourning customs. 
• They also worship deities and celebrate festivals like neighbouring castes.

Connection between tribes and the festival

• The temple is under the authority of the Ahobila Mutt, which has been in existence for 600 years. 
• The Mutt promotes the tribal festival in order to spread Srivaishnavism among the tribal communities. 
• The connection between the tribes and Lord Vishnu is mentioned in a Sanskrit drama written by the 7th Jeeyar of the Mutt many centuries ago.

About INTACH:

• INTACH was established in 1984 in New Delhi to promote heritage awareness and conservation in India. 
• It is one of the world’s largest heritage organisations with over 190 Chapters nationwide. 
• INTACH has led efforts to preserve not just natural and built heritage, but also intangible cultural heritage. 
• Operating through various divisions, INTACH’s mission is to raise awareness about India’s diverse cultural legacy, promote social responsibility for heritage preservation, and take necessary actions to protect India’s heritage.

Conclusion:

The ‘Paruveta Utsavam’ festival at Sri Narasimha Swamy temple brings together the Chenchu tribe and demonstrates cultural harmony. INTACH’s efforts to gain UNESCO recognition emphasise its importance. This festival not only preserves heritage but also promotes unity and understanding among different communities.

Source: The Hindu

UPSC  Mains Practice Questions:

Q. Which country is host and chair of the 46th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in 2024?

a. UK

b. China

c. India

d. Nepal

Ans : “c”

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