History And Culture Of Klutch Cultural Studies Essay

bill And flori conclusion Of Klutch Cultural Studies EssayHistory of make lovech cutch has a actually rich and vibrant history. battalion hire migrated in and extinct of cutch from countries like Afghanistan, Sindh, Britain and Africa for centuries and the various rock candy implements effectuate by explorations in and around the maculation verify that it was populate from prehistoric times. In fact, traces of the astonishing Indus V tot all(prenominal)yey civilization (3000 to 1500B.C.) have been nonice at Dholavira- kutch. It was referred to by Alexander the great as Abhir, which means the operate of tortoise. It had constantly remained a place of a lesser existence, e circumscribedly in the 9th speed of light. kutch has as well experienced frequent earthquake since medieval times. The early earthquake recorded in cutch dates back to 16th June 1819. Since then, over 90 earthquakes of varying intensity have struck the sh ar, but no(prenominal) as severe as th e around recent 1 in 2001. cutch in Ancient Period (3000 B.C to 920 AD)Rann was not an arm of the sea during the early days when Alexander the great visited these places in 325BC. The eastern branches of the Indus River emptied the nigh im mannerant channel into the Rann and kutch was a kind of extension of Sindh on the separate side of the larger freshwater lake, which could be easily crossed. The Mauryan imperium broke of the Gujarat, cutch and Sindh provinces and passed under the rules of Greeks from Bactria in 140-120 BC. Bactrian rule over Gujarat, Kathiawad and Kutch was ended by Sakas in the 1st Century and ruled upto the third century. After that Samudragupta attacked the Sakas and ended their rule.Kutch in Modern Period (1500 AD to 2001)Much of Kutch history in the 13th, 14th and 15th century has witnessed a separate of violence through push-down storageacres, plunder and arson. In 1510, Rao Khengarji I a successor of Odha, (second son of Rato Raydhan) assumed pow er with the full eulogy of the Sultan of Ahmeddabad. He thus became the founder of the dynasty that was to rule Kutch cashbox its merger with the Indian Union in 1948. Khengarji Is cr ingest urinate was Rahper. This was later shifted to Bhuj in 1549.After the Partition of India in 1947, the province of Sindh, including the port of Karachi, ended up in Pakistan. The Indian Government constructed a youthful port at Kandla in Kutch to serve as a port for western India in lieu of Karachi. thither was a strife over the Kutch portion with Pakistan and battle broke out unspoiled months before the outbreak of the Second Kashmir War.ArchitectureThe architecture that is followed in the whirl of the ho phthisiss in the Kutch region, and Gujarat as a whole, is called Bhonga and is commonly found in the rural atomic number 18as. It is a tent like organise which has been in use in Gujarat and the Kutch region for over 200 years now. It consists of a single cylindrical shaped room and h as a conical capital supported by cylindrical walls. The durability, sturdiness and the reason that this type of architecture is puff up suited to the desert condition makes it a very common softwood across this region. Also, failure of the Bhongas in the put up earthquake cause very nearly injuries to its occupants in spite of their collapse. These Bhongas argon same to the normal mud residences and is usually inhabited by the poor commonwealth.Places of ImportanceBhuj is the headquarters of the Kutch regulate and apart from its strategic and administrative impressiveness, it is likewise a beautiful place famous for its amazing shorescape.Mandvi is a port situated along the coast, which is a tourist destination famous for its handicraft, tie-dye, silverwork and interesting architecture like Vijay Vilas Palace. It in any case showcases a few houses which have a blend of Indian and European styles of architecture and a lighthouse. The Mandvi Beach is excessively a pl ace of importance with Water Sports and other forms of tourism developing along its coast.White Rann, named so due to the huge salt field of bailiwick in the desert do it look like ice, is a very common tourist tie and the picturesque beauty of the place has do it an integral part of mevery movies as well. The Rann Utsav, a ethnical thus fart, happens here in the greater Rann of Kutch every year in December. It is organised by the Gujarat tourism part annually and is an opportunity for visitors to attend folk dance and music concepts, catch up with artisans at work, visit handicraft settlements, see the historical monuments in the secern, and go trekking as well.The midget Rann of Kutch and its environs, the Wild Ass Sanctuary is the last home of the Indian Wild Ass. Other species that could be seen during wildlife viewing drives in the sanctuary ar the Nilgai or blue bull antelope, blackbuck or Indian Antelope, Chinkara or Indian Gazelle, the endangered Indian Wolf, wa ste and Indian Foxes, Jackal, and smaller species characteristic of the desert habitat.At the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch ar lakes and marshes that attract waterfowl in numbers beyond comprehension. Huge flocks of flamingos, pelicans, cranes, storks, geese and ducks can be seen in winter. The Little Rann is as well peerless of the few places in India where the Lesser Flamingo is breeding successfully.The place Banni (meaning bani hui, or puddle made) gets its name from its geological past, the land was formed from the sediments deposited by several rivers that flowed through the region over several thousand years. race say that front to the earthquake of 1816, the river Indus flowed right through Banni and the local farmers reaped rich harvests. After the earthquake, the rivers changed scat and the place now is al most(prenominal) featureless, arid grassland fed only by the seasonal monsoons with very few farms seen. Due to the high salt content of the soil the vegetatio n is sparse and plants we came across most were salt kind shrubs like Mesvak , Lana, Ooeyen, Lai and Sedge.Places of WorshipHazipir, Karodpir, Mata Nu Madh, Narayan Sarovar, Koteshwar, Godhra, Vaishnav Devi, Gundkla, Ghadsisha, and so forth atomic number 18 places which are of interest to one and many. Each of them have a story to communicate and they each correspond historic and religious importance in their own respective fashions. miserliness and IndustriesIndias luxuriantest growing state in the last decade has been the state of Gujarat. The Kutch region of Gujarat provides investors with some(prenominal) resources and the benefits of investment. The most definitive feature of the Kutch region comes geographically with two major(ip) ports Mundra and Kandla located in the region. These ports are closest to the Gulf and Europe and major trade occurs through both these ports.Kutch is home to a dress circle of small truck drivers. on that point are also NRI industrialists and linemen who contribute to the economy of the region.The Kutch region is also blessed with abundance of natural resources like lignite, bauxite and gypsum. Most of these minerals are used for electricity generation by the Gujarat Electricity Board.The industry scenario in the region can be best described as do rapid strides. Companies of TATA Power, Adani and Sanghi Industries Ltd are housed in the region. Ancilliaries and support systems are also developing in the region at a fast pace. Due to all these the demand for non agricultural land has gone up at an amaze pace at that placeby accompanied with sky rocketing land prices. An acre of land uncommitted for Rs. 500 just 7-8 years ago is now sold at Rs.5 Crores. Although these stories are unheard of in the land of Kutch since its inception, they are fair the reality of today. Due to much(prenominal) explosion, poor peasants lifestyles have gone a dramatic change and they are consuming brands like give outtery winners. at that place are so many cases in which many people have opted for retirement from their farms and have sold it off to these corporate for a expound price tag and are now enjoying the fruits of their ancestors hardwork. Traditional industries such as salt, manufacture of shawls, handicrafts and silver items mollify exist in the region.The People of KutchKutch due to its geographic location is inhabitated with people from various regions. People have migrated from neighbouring regions of Marwar, Afghanistan, Sindh (now Pakistan).There are several nomadic, semi-Nomadic and artisan groups living in Kutch.The major communities acknowledge Jadejas, Lohana, Nishars, Darbars, Khatris, Rabaris and Ahirs. The majority of the population of Kutch follows Jainism as religion the Vanki Tirth temple situated in Mundra district considered to be one of the most sophisticated temples for Jains attracts over thousands of pilgrims every year but Hindus and Muslims are also in sizeable number i n this region. Especially the Banni region is home to a number of nomadic Sindhi-Speaking Muslim group such as Dhanetah Jaths, Hingoras and Samma. There are also Sikhs residing in this part of the state the gurudwara for whom located at Lakhpat in Kutch was the house that Guru Nanak stayed in during his journey to Mecca.A mortal from the region of Kutch is known as Kutchi. Most of the Kutchis are freshetently connected to their roots. They have strong social and cultural values imbibed in them. They say a Kutchi is born with entrepreneurial skills and business acumen. This goes to show, as a large number of Kutchis are businessman in small or big way (Adani, Euro Group, Nilkamal, Everest Group, Prince Plastic, Amarsons, Premsons, Benzer and Anchor etc.. They also give a lot back to the region where they hail from. They build schools, hospitals, dharma shalas (dormitories), temples, bhojnalaya (free meals for all). They also provide plentiful job opportunities for all the youth hailing from that place. They train them and also trust them with consequence responsibilities. This is without any merit or skill based and is purely on the basis of a CSR role that they play for the communities that they are born in. They are these big names which are the stones on which a whole hamlet is developed.Kutchis follow a patriarchal system and the male child s bowl holds an important position in the house, they believed if its a male child he volition be part of family business and if its a female she will be married off soon. There is some difference as to how a girl child is brought up and a male child. Kutchis till early 2000 did not lay special emphasis on education. straightaway the mindset is changing with people abject to cities. They want their children to be educate kids today have aspirations to become doctor, engineer, and cricketer. Education now is an important good will even for girls and in that location are girl schools that have been constructed . But even in the 21st century a girl child is booked in as early as the 8th standard and is taught how to run for a house at a tender age. Although now things are changing and girls are getting equal importance in a lot of families.A Kutchi believes in maintaining relationship throughout his life. Relationship is as important to him as money is. Also customs and traditions are passing important to him. There are set practices which he follows for every occasion, the places of morality are extremely important and many in numbers.People of Kutch are very welcoming to people from other communities. Due to a large population of Hindus, Muslims and Jains etc, all the festivals are celebrated with a lot of exuberance. Most people are very warm hearted and treat everyone equally. For their own community Kutchis have also created sanatoriums for people to come and stay as hotels cannot be built everywhere. This reflects in the warm hospitality which they offer to any stranger who walks into their house and is offered a cup of tea and bidi. They feel reward and privileged if they are offered a bidi in anyones house. These are 2 conversations starters and also customs around which the whole community revolves around. Entertainment, socializing, conversations, rituals, etc. are all an offshoot of the warmth that they infect people with.Post the earthquake there has been a lot of developmental work done in the region of Kutch. There have been several industries set up, power plants have been constructed. art opportunities have been created for the people and due to this there has been increase in the buying power of people. Now they have to a greater extent useable income in their custody and they have also become brand conscious.Social StatusKutch is home to people from all strata of the society, there are large business houses which come from Kutch and there are also people who awake(p) on daily wages. The social status of people varies from SEC A to SEC E2. T here are people who belong to the working pattern and house wife as a concept is predominant in Kutch.Kutchis have been following a joint family structure since a very long time but off late due to migration and other factors slowly the families have started moving into nuclear structure. Even if the families have go into smaller units, kutchis are still a very closely field unit, they look after each other and ensure that every genus Phallus of the family at least gets his daily bread. Most of the employment opportunity is introductory passed on to family members then people from kutchi community and then to the outside cosmea.CultureKutchis pride themselves on their rich culture and heritage and reflect the kindred through their dressing, run-in and even food for thought habits.CostumeThe people of kutch have unique set of vestures as against the conventional gain. They normally wear embroidered work .Mirror work is also an important part of their outfit. In varied par ts of Kutch you will see different set of designs on the outfit as the workmanship of each region differs. A crabby community in Kutch can be recognised on the basis of the costumes they wear for example, a rabari adult female will always be seen in a black open blouse or odhnis which cover her face, the Jat women always wear red or black Chunnis. Chaniya Choli is another important costume for the women of Kutch. In Rural areas women wear abhla( reflect work) chaniya choli. They wear kanjari which is a long blouse embroidered with mirror work and choli.The men in Kutch wear a gabardine outfit, they wear a purity dhoti (lungi) and a khami and a white crest .Another traditional costume of the men in Kutch is the Kaidiyu which is again white in color. The bottoms of these people are tight at the feet so that no insects enter them plot of ground they are working on in their fields. Bandhani patsy of Kutch is really famous in Indian and abroad and is in huge demand across food ma rket. The bride and her family is supposed to wear a special kind of Bandhani called as Gharchoda. This is still prevalent in the cities where a lot of expat kutchis get married. Widows can be recognised by a normal Red saree which she wears without any ornaments as accompaniments.MusicKutch has a rich heritage of traditional folk music. Musical instruments are also related to origins of people in Kutch, their taboos, their style of worship etc. It allows us to understand social and religious traditions. Some of the musical instruments of Kutch includeBhorrindo A folk instrument which is a simple vacant scandal ball or like an egg twisted with three to intravenous feeding holesDak or Dhaku Dak is similar to Damru and is made up of min glass frame with vellum heads. The Cords are pressed hard and released in quick succession to give the effectDholak One of the most important instruments in the folk music of Kutch. which is compete at all major occasions be it a small event or t he navratri functionsJodia pawa A pair of double flutes is also known as Alghoza. It is mainly played by the shepherds in the desert. It is used in folk dances. One of the known artist of the same is Musa Gulam Jat from KutchMorchang A simple turn made out of brass .It has an outer frame fortuning the instrument and in the shape of a harp.ColorKutch is a place which is fill with a lot of vibrancy even if its known as land of desert. Be it the costume the people they wear or the color of their house they make use of bright colors such as blue, go yellow and red. Rannoutsav, the combination of White surrender and vibrancy of Gujarat, is also a celebration of colors amidst the land of white sand.LanguagePredominant vocabulary is kutchi influenced by sindhi and gujarati owing to its geographical location. The script of Kutchi language has become dead and so Gujarati script is occasionally used. Gujarati as a script and language has also become more popular because of people movin g out and the schools being gujarati mass medium.Rituals festivityThe Kutch festival colorfully attired dancers, music concerts, Sindhi Bhajan performances, Langa Desert Music and shops selling embroideries and jewelry are the hallmarks of the Kutch Desert FestivalMakar Sankrantiand Kite Flying Festival(14 January) UttarayanSignificance Suns direct rays reach the equatorial of Capricornto mark the end of winter season. It is celebrated by ready kites the threads are glass strengthened and the purpose of the fighter kites is to cut the other kites thread and be the winner. At night, kites withChinese lanternsare flown and held aloft. fodder Undhiya, sugar cane juice and local sweets to celebrate the day.The Rann UtsavThe Rann Utsav is the annual cultural extravaganza of the region held in the months of December and January. The Rann Utsav seeks to bring out to the world the uniqueness and rich diversity of the region. Though focus has always been on traditional art and cultu re, this year it has evolved with the addition of dances and pageants. Most notably, visitors are made to feel a part of the programs and are invited to perform. The Rann Utsav though is mainly for the urban population and the rural crowd tend to shy away from the festival. tourism has large by leaps and bounds, more so with the roping in of Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador of Gujarat.Handicrafts ArtistryBandhani traditional handiwork of tie and dye. Bandhanis are very closely associated with deep rooted social customs. It is treated as a symbol of married life and is worn by Hindus and Muslims during their marriage. It is also worn during major festivals like navratri and diwali by women across caste and age. decorative arts of pottery, embroidery, printed and woven textiles, wall paintings, jewellery and leatherwork Lodai (the potters are here are muslim and slip decoration executed by women is highly regarded) and Khavda ( trunk bunga round hut made from mud and wo od with a conical roof) important regions of districts known for clay crafts which are more than normal pot makingDiverse embroideries aariembroidery carried out for the royalty and wealthy families. traditionally women in rural areas do the embroidery for their dowries. Important resource centers for embroidery in the region are Shrujan, Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), Kalaraksha and Women Artisans Marketing Agency (WAMA).Ajarakh make a very complex hand printing technique employ wooden blocks andnatural dyes. The printing is done by a drawn-out process which can take up to a couple of months for the most complicates pieces. Ajarakh is being practised today in Dhamadka and Ajarakhpur villages in Kutch.Mud work Artistic wall pieces made with mud and mirror work are used to decorate homes.Leather artisans products like leather shoes, sandals, mirrors, small pouches, etc. The very high skilled artisans decorate the articles by doing embroidery or cutting various shaped wi ndows in the leather. These artisans can be found in the villages like Sumarasar, Nirona, Zura, Bhirandiyara, Hodko,Khavda, etc. in and around the Banni region.Handloom weaving shawls, yardage, jackets, etc. woven out of wool, cotton and acrylic yarn. Bandhani is carried out on the shawls in some cases. The biggest center for this is Bhujodi village near Bhuj.Food and DrinkJains,Buldhminsand some other caste perform strict vegetarianism making Kutch a predominantly vegetarian district. As for Jains they also refrain from eatingkandmoolfood grown below the ground such aspotatoes, garlic,onion,suran, etc.Beef is an ultimate taboo since Hindus consider the cow holy even though they energy practice various levels of vegetarianism.The usually Kutchi Cuisine consists of Roti or Rotlas, Curd, Butter draw, Dal, Curry, Vegetables, Papad, Kachumbar. dry out rotlis or Theplas and Khakras and Sev (of Gram Flour) are made and stored as food during traveling etc..Staple food Rotlas made o f Bajri (millet)which the local relish with Butter take out or Chhas, Butter and Jaggery or Gud.Khichhdi made of rice and dal (pulses).Beverages Teais the most popular drink in this region and is enjoyed no matter of sex, caste, religion or social status.Most people drink it with milk and sugar and like it sweet but strong. . Tea without milk is offered when people are visiting host to mourn death of relatives and is hence neer served to guests on normal occasions.Delicacies Khaman dokla, Gathia, Undhia, Muthia, Raita, Dahi wada, Kachori, Bhajia, Bhaji made of brinjal, bitter gourd and ladys finger,etc.Snacks Dabeli, Puri Shak, Pav Bhaji, Bhakarwadi, Papdi, Kadak, etc.Desserts Adadiya, Gulab Pak, password Papdi, Mohan thal, Pedas, Halwa, Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, etc. Seeds of Dhaniya or Dhana dal, Betal Leaf or Pan with Supari is served after food as mouth freshner.Consumer InsightsConsumption Pattern in Kutch has seen a steady change in the past two decades with increase in med ia proliferation. More brands are targeting Kutch as a potential market owing to their considerable disposable income. Kutchis are becoming more and more aware of the brands available across segments. Companies such as HUL , PG, Pepsi, Parle, Brittania, LG, Samsung, Maruti are expanding their diffusion channel to reach out to these consumers.Brand AwarenessIt was important to study and understand the brand awareness level in the villages of the Kutch region. The most pertinent sector of consumption is the FMCG category. Hardly anyone in the villages of Kutch possesses an automobile, as a result of their economic status, but SUVs were common among the urban population of Kutch.It was fascinating and somewhat surprising to learn that young girls in the villages of Kutch know about brands such as Nissan Micra, although that was attributed to Ranbir Kapoor. The power of celebrity endorsements was there for all to see.In the household, the most common brands which were spotted were Bour nvita, Nycil, Ponds and Salora among others. Most of them used the local brands when it came to cooking ingredients like milk, ghee, oil etc. According to the retailers, FMCGs in small packs sell better than large packs and Clinic Plus is a fast seller. Confectionaries like Cadburys Perk, Hide and Seek are some of the brands the kids consume.Apart from this though, there are also cases of selling of counterfeit and local brands which have similar packaging as that of the original brand. A few instances were noticed in the case of packaged drinking water, analgesics and FMCG products.Impact of advertising on consumer expressionUpon interaction with the natives of the Kutch region, it was found that celebrity advertising had the maximum adjoin among the younger population. Also, after the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj, there was a tag change in the buying pattern due to higher disposable income.Consumer durables are a huge market in Kutch and television and refrigerator are some of the p roducts which have started finding their way into every household. People have also started becoming brand conscious. Electronics stores such as LG have opened outlets in recent times.Media Consumption video recording is one of the major media vehicles. People of this region are mainly pendant on to the soap opera, Gulaal , which showcases the culture of the Kutch region. There are also different perspectives to this soap where one fraction believes that the Kutch region has not been depicted properly, while the other are happy with the serials depiction of the culture and practices of the region. There is also a slow trend in moving from traditional CRT TVs to LCD screens.Newspapers are also an important medium in the region. In the villages, mainly the regional newspapers like Divya Bhaskar and Sanj Samachar are circulated, while in the urban areas English dailies such as DNA and times of India are widely read.The radio is used as a mass medium too. People are tuned into their f avorite radio channels and conversation is mainly through news, music or commercials.Impact of Social structureThe society is predominantly male dominated. The villages follow a structure where the village headman or sarpanch is the one who takes the decisions aided by his council. The villages in the Kutch region provide equal opportunities to women. As in case with most of the rural population of India, women are married off at a very young age, having barely finished school.How this structure impacts the buying demeanour is seen from the fact that although the chief wage earner is the male (in most cases), the woman of the house buys the products for daily use.