From materials to techniques and regional styles, this glossary provides context and definitions for terms frequently encountered in traditional craftsmanship and performing arts. Ideal for enthusiasts, researchers, and visitors alike, it helps deepen understanding and appreciation for the unique aspects of Bengal's cultural legacy.
Annadamangal is a ballad written by Bharatchandra Ray in the 18th century. It eulogizes Hindu goddess Annapurna, an incarnation of Parvati, worshipped in Bengal
Atmatattwa is a genre of Baul music which upholds the importance of soul in guiding the body and hence is an aspect of worship.
It is a traditional weaving technology which consists of sticks, rope, and a strap that is worn around the weaver’s waist while weaving. This strap is how the back-strap loom received its name. Most simply, this is an over-under-over-under pattern. The back-strap loom allows the weaver to brocade designs into the fabric as it is woven
Banbibir Pala is a folk theatre form celebrating the local goddess, Banbibi (forest goddess) practised by the communities residing in the Sundarbans.
It is a festival celebrated in autumn as the crops ripen. The indigenous communities worship their cattle and agricultural implements for good harvest.
Baul is a philosophy and a genre of folk music, especially practised in Bengal. It is the soul music of Bengal and is essentially the music of self- searching.
Beni Putul is the glove puppetry tradition of West Bengal.
The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation.
Bhatiyali is referred as boatman’s song and is inspired by the river-based lifestyles of communities of Bengal delta region.
Bhawaiya is the lifestyle music of North Bengal premised on the lived realities of common people.
Bhushnai is a fine variety of Sitalpati with smooth textures, intricate designs and patterns, developed with extremely fine slips, requiring high skills.
It is an indigenous Santhal puppetry form.
It is a Hindu folk festival held in honour of Lord Shiva celebrated on the last day of the Bengali month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April).
An acrobatic mask dance form practised in Purulia district of West Bengal. The dance form has been inscribed in the Representative List of the ICH of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010.
It is a festival celebrated in Purulia during Bhadra Sankranti (last day of the Bengali month of Bhadrapada, i.e., mid-August to mid-September). During Chhata Parab, Santhal men and women dance, sing and choose their life partners.
Chor Chunni Pala is a folk drama of the Rajbangshis based on the story of a thief and his wife.
Rod puppetry tradition of West Bengal is also known as Dang Putul.
Dehatattwa is a genre of Baul music which refers to the reverence towards human body that epitomises the ultimate truth.
It is an important subgenre of Mangalkabya, with narratives of local deities of rural Bengal, the most significant genre of medieval Bengali literature. The texts belonging to this subgenre eulogize Dharmathakur, a folk deity worshipped in the Rarh region of Bengal.
It is a tradition of weaving jute mats on backstrap loom in the rural areas of Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur districts.
It is the most popular percussion instrument of Bengal. This is a drum which consists of a wooden barrel with leather coverings stretched over the open ends which is usually played with two sticks.
Dhunuchi refers to a clay container in which burning incense is kept. In Bengal, devotees dance with dhunuchi in their hands, known as Dhunuchi Nach, after religious festivities to bid farewell to the gods and goddess.
Dokra is one of the earliest methods of non-ferrous metal casting known to human civilisation.
It is a unique folk theatre form of Manikchak region of Malda in West Bengal. It presents social satire through which common people voice their grievances and aspirations.
It is an indigenous lute with four to five strings. It is an integral part of Bengal’s folk music traditions.
It is a percussion instrument common to the Bauls of Bengal.
It is a single stringed instrument used by the Bauls.
It is a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva celebrated in the last week of the Bengali month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April), culminating in Charak Puja.
It is a satirical folk theatre of Malda district of West Bengal.
A Geographical Indication (GI) is a certification given to products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. The GI label identifies a product as originating in a given place.
Jute – a long, rough, shiny bast fibre, due to its colour is also known as golden fibre
The Gomira mask dance of Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, also known as Mukha, has ensued from the animastic practices of the Desi and Pali communities. The Gomira dance or Mukha dance is organised to propitiate the deity to usher in the good forces and drive out the evil forces during the harvesting season.
Guru–shishya parampara refers to the practice of knowledge transmission from a master to his disciples.
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.
Janmashtami refers to the birthday of Lord Krishna during the Bengali month of Bhadrapada.
Jhumur is an indigenous lifestyle music and dance of the Chota Nagpur plateau.
Kamalkosh is a fine variety of Sitalpati developed with smooth textures and intricate weaves. Kamalkosh is developed with complex imagery designs using the diagonal weave pattern.
Kantha is a traditional form of embroidery where rural women reuse old worn out clothes to stitch them into a surface-ornamented new fabric of varied uses.
It is a harvest festival celebrated in the Bengali month of Bhadrapada (mid-August to mid-September) by indigenous communities of Chota Nagpur plateau region.
Dress worn by the Rabha community women are divided into two parts – the lower part is called Kemlet which is wrapped around their waist like a saree and the upper part is covered with a stole known as Kambang.
Khamak, also known as the Gub-gubi or Anandalahari, is a percussive string instrument played by the Bauls of Bengal.
Khol is one of the oldest percussion instruments of Bengal. It is a barrel-shaped asymmetrical drum where the two faces are of different sizes.
Krishna Leela is an auspicious poem, narrating the greatness of Lord Krishna.
Kumbhakars or Kumars are traditional potter groups engaged in clay modelling and making earthenwares.
Kushan dance or Kushan Nritya or Kushan Gaan is a folk drama performed by the Rajbongshi community of North Bengal based on the Indian epic of Ramayan.
It is a percussion instrument made of clay and leather. This is used mostly by the indigenous communities in their folk songs and dances.
A herbaceous plant which grows in marshy land in southern and eastern India is used for making exquisite mats called Madur.
Type of wood.
Malakars are a community involved in making of Shola products.
Manasa is the Hindu goddess of snakes
Mangalkabya is a collection of auspicious poems, verses in honour of a popular god or goddess in Bengal. The poems are associated with gods like Shiva, Manasa (goddess of snakes) and Shitala (worshipped for fertility and curing ailments).
Mandira also known as Kartal, or Khartal, is a traditional Indian percussion instrument. It is basically a pair of small hand cymbals.
Masland is the finest variety of Madur (mats).
Murta is the grass that grows in Cooch Behar region of West Bengal and is used for making Sitalpati mats.
It is a visual storytelling form, where the painters called Patuas unfurl the painted scrolls and presents the story through their songs.
Raas Leela is a traditional dance that Krishna performed with Radha and her friends.
Rabha is a minor ethnic community residing in parts of the Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts of West Bengal.
Raibenshe is a folk martial dance form which evolved from ancient martial art practised by the bodyguards of the kings and the landlords (zamindars) of Bengal.
A type of grass that grows in Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram districts of West Bengal. Women in these districts make wide range of products with the grass.
Sarinda is a bowed instrument of North Bengal with three strings. Hollowed out of a single block of wood, the lower part of the resonator is covered with parchment made of goat skin. This instrument is played with a horse hair bow and is used as an accompaniment mostly in Bhawaiya songs.
Conch bangles, which Bengali women wear after marriage, as a mark of conjugality.
Type of wood.
Sholapith, also referred as Indian cork, is a milky-white spongy plant botanically known as Aeschynomene Aspera. Shola grows in wild, water logged and marshy areas of Bengal and has unique properties of being pure white and delicate.
Sitalpati are cooling mats that are commonly found in most of the Bengali households made by weaving together the strips of a plant known as Murta.
Sohrai is a harvest festival.
Sujni is considered as a form of quilting wherein old sarees and dhotis were used as the creative canvas, the cloth was folded twice or thrice and then simple stitches were done on these used clothing to add newness.
String puppets of West Bengal are also called Taar Putul.
A tabla is a pair of hand drums used in the Indian subcontinent.
Topor and mukut are headgears made out of Shola. These are integral props in Bengali weddings.
It is a festival of the women in Chota Nagpur plateau region celebrated in December–January and ends on Makar Sankranti—the last day of the annual agriculture cycle. Tusu represents the source of life and the power of regeneration of nature which is essential to ensure good crops and good harvests that the communities pray for.