Cultural Heritage of India

Cultural Heritage of India for Class 5 EVS

Through this concept, the students will be introduced to the cultural heritage of India. The students will know about various regional languages and cultures.
After reading the concept, students will be able to:

• Know about 22 languages of India and the states they are spoken in.
• Enlist various classical dances of Indian states.
• Explain about different Indian classical dance forms.
• Define what is folk dance and various folk dances of Indian states.
• Describe different types of painting in India.
• Answer how many official languages are there in India.

Each concept is explained to class 5 students using descriptions, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through a concept, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets given at the end of the page.

Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept of Cultural Heritage of India provided in PDF format.

Cultural Heritage of India:

• India is known for its cultural diversity all over the world.
• It is the land where one can see diversity in language, culture, religion, and festivals.
• There are 28 states and 8 union territories in India. Each state has its own language, dialect, festivals, folk dance, and traditions.
• There are more than 800 dialects spoken in our country, and 22 officially recognised languages.

• Despite different values, cultures, and beliefs, integrity among the people here makes India stand apart on the global platform.

Let us discuss some popular classical dances, folk dances, and paintings of India that are famous all over the world.

Classical Dances of India:

• A traditionally performed expressive dance-drama form is called classical dance.
• The features of classical dance are as follows—
  • They are based on specific postures and expressions.
  • Themes are based on mythological legends and events.

1. Bharatnatyam:

• This dance form originates from the state of Tamil Nadu.
• It involves hand movements and gestures called Mudras. These Mudras are performed to the rhythm of Carnatic music.
• This dance form originated in Hindu temples and slowly spread in the southern states of India.
• Bharatnatyam is believed to be the oldest dance form in our country.
• Some famous Bharatnatyam dancers of our country are—

2. Kathak:

• The word ‘Kathak’ comes from the word katha, which means story.
• Kathak is a graceful dance form that has its roots in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
• Kathak is performed by both male and female dancers.
• This dance form involves intense footwork on the beats of music.
• Some famous Kathak dancers of our country are—

3. Kathakali:

4. Manipuri:

5. Kuchipudi

• Kuchipudi originated from the state of Andhra Pradesh.
• It is considered the most challenging dance form as the performer is supposed to both sing and dance and should possess both skills.
• Some famous Kuchipudi dancers of India are—

6. Odissi:

7. Mohiniattam:

Folk Dances of India:

The dance forms that are performed at festivals, family functions, and harvest festivals are termed folk dances. They are generally performed in a group.

Some famous folk dances of India, along with the state of their origin, are as follows—

 

Bihu, Assam	Garba, Gujarat	Bhangra, Punjab
Lavani, Maharashtra	Phag, Haryana	Ghoomar, Rajasthan
Gharwali, Uttarakhand	Bamboo Dance, Nagaland	Kalbeliya, Rajasthan

 

Paintings of India:

• Art and craft are among the best ways to depict India's cultural richness.
• Over time, the styles of paintings have evolved in India.
• These styles of paintings are of cultural and historical importance as they help us compare the present styles with the ones which existed in the past.

1. Madhubani painting:

• This type of painting originates in Madhubani village of Bihar.
• This art form comprises geometrical patterns and is usually done on walls, textiles, canvas, etc.
• The theme can be nature, stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, or scenes from Hindu mythology depicting legends of Hindu deities like Krishna, Rama, Durga, Shiva, etc.

2. Warli painting:

• It is a tribal art form that originated in the state of Maharashtra.
• The theme is either depicting the chores of the daily lives of farmers, or activities like dancing, partying, sowing, hunting, etc.

3. Kalamkari:

• It is practised by the artisans of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
• The theme of this art is based on epics like Mahabharata, Ramayana, or the stories of Buddha.
• The painting is done using a kalam, a pen-like structure made from a bamboo stick.

4. Gond painting:

• It is a tribal art form practised by the Gond community of Madhya Pradesh.
• The paintings depict festivals, people's daily lives, deities, celebrations, and the local flora and fauna.

5. Patachitra painting:

• It is a traditional form of artwork that is practised in the regions of West Bengal and Odisha.
• The themes are based on Hindu mythology and religious myths and deities.

6. Rajput/Rajasthani paintings:

• These paintings originated in the royal courts of Rajputana of Rajasthan.
• The paintings show minute details with the use of bold colours.
• These paintings were generally based on the royal lifestyle of Rajputs and depicted the same.

Languages of Indian states:

The languages spoken in different states and union territories of India as per the 2011 census of India are as follows—

 

New Words:

 

Did you know?

• Due to the graceful movements in Bharatnattayam, it is also called Poetry in Motion.
• Ottani Thullal is a dance form that evolved in Kerala and is also called Poor Man’s Kathakali.
• Kalamkari art is a 100% organic form of art.
• British museums are decorated with thousands of south Indian paintings that depict the happenings of the 17th century.