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Editorial Articles


Issue no 39, 28 December 2024 - 03 January 2025

Preserve, Promote, Progress

The National Mission for Cultural Mapping

Advitya Bahl

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, recently informed the Parliament that 4.5 lakh villages are currently live on the Mera Desh Meri Dharohar portal, showcasing their respective cultural portfolios. This significant achievement is part of India's ambitious National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM), a transformative initiative aimed at preserving, documenting, and revitalising the nation's rich cultural heritage. With a vision to create a comprehensive cultural inventory, the mission seeks to map the creative potential of India's villages, ensuring their self-reliance while celebrating the diverse artistic traditions that form the backbone of the country's cultural identity.

The mission captures India's cultural mosaic by documenting an array of elements such as traditional knowledge, oral histories, festivals, art forms, local rituals, cuisine, architecture, and physical landmarks. Through the Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD) initiative, 6.5 lakh villages across 29 states and 7 Union Territories are being culturally profiled, with the database integrating detailed information on both living traditions and endangered practices. Over 360-degree video documentation of 750 villages adds immersive depth to this cultural mapping, making India's heritage accessible in innovative ways.

This holistic approach to cultural documentation not only preserves India's intangible heritage but also serves as a developmental tool, linking art forms to tourism, education, and economic growth. The NMCM portal, functioning as the National Cultural Workplace, provides a digital platform for cultural service providers and stakeholders, promoting collaboration, knowledge exchange, skill development, and livelihood generation. In doing so, the mission exemplifies India's commitment to preserving its cultural diversity while adapting it to the needs of a modern and interconnected world.

Cultural mapping serves as a systematic approach to identify, collect, and analyse cultural assets and resources within communities. It involves engaging with artists and local populations to document their cultural expressions, which can enhance community identity and vitality. In India, the Ministry of Culture executes this through the National Mission on Cultural Mapping, launched in 2017.  Key objectives of cultural mapping encompass the following:

·       Documentation: Capturing both tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

·       Community Empowerment: Facilitating local participation in cultural preservation efforts.

·       Economic Development: Leveraging cultural assets for livelihood opportunities.

Methodologies in Cultural Mapping

Cultural mapping is characterised by its interdisciplinary nature, combining elements from social sciences, humanities, and cartography. It employs various methodologies to create visual and textual representations of cultural data.

Participatory Mapping: Engages community members to ensure maps reflect authentic local perspectives. It documents cultural assets while empowering communities as heritage custodians.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping: Utilises GIS technology to create detailed digital maps, enabling spatial analysis and visualisation of cultural sites.

Field Surveys: Involves on-site assessment of cultural assets, gathering tangible data on landmarks, practices, and resources.

Archival Research: Examines historical records, documents, and artefacts to uncover past cultural practices, adding depth to mapping.

Emotional and Cognitive Mapping: Captures emotional connections and perceptions of places. Emotional mapping explores feelings, while cognitive mapping focusses on how spaces are understood and navigated.

Deep Mapping: Integrates qualitative data like stories and memories, offering a narrative-driven and holistic view of cultural identity.

Counter-Mapping: Challenges dominant narratives by showcasing marginalised perspectives, often used in Indigenous contexts to assert land and resource rights.

Qualitative GIS: Combines GIS with qualitative methods, enriching spatial data with narratives and community insights.

Tools Used in Cultural Mapping

Survey Instruments: Questionnaires and interview guides for data collection.

Mapping Software: Tools like GIS for detailed map creation.

Photographic Equipment: Cameras and drones for visual documentation.

Database Systems: Software for efficient data storage and analysis.

These methodologies and tools collectively foster a deeper understanding of cultural landscapes, supporting preservation and community engagement.

National Mission on Cultural Mapping: Scope and Significance

India's cultural richness lies in its abundant talent, vibrant art forms, and a deeply rooted heritage that spans traditional and modern styles. By systematically mapping these assets, cultural mapping can help strengthen the livelihoods of performing artists, artisans, and creative industries, while fostering social cohesion through a shared cultural identity.

India's cultural diversity is unparalleled, with 29 states and 7 union territories hosting a multitude of art forms and languages. The 2011 Census recorded 34 languages spoken by over a million people and 122 spoken by more than 10,000, highlighting the dynamic relationship between language, population, and art forms. Indian art spans visual, performing, and literary categories, reflecting its geographical and historical richness. Traditional knowledge, such as oral traditions, local medicinal practices, and crafts like instrument-making and mask-making, is at risk of extinction without structured preservation efforts. India's art history, dating back to pre-historic times, reflects layers of cultural and religious influences, from the Indus Valley to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam.

The culture and creative industries employ nearly half of India's workforce, but their growth hinges on developing sustainable revenue models to ensure their survival and vitality. Moreover, fragmented efforts, lack of a centralised database, and insufficient skill development mechanisms pose significant challenges to preserving and promoting these art forms. The NMCM aims to address these issues by creating a comprehensive inventory of artists, art forms, and cultural organisations, enabling better planning, resource allocation, and capacity-building. It also ensures that endangered art forms and oral traditions are documented and revitalised before they are lost.

Moreover, the mission aspires to address pressing challenges such as the widening cultural divide, the migration of rural populations to urban centres, and the erosion of traditional knowledge systems in the face of modernisation. By celebrating and cultivating India's rich cultural heritage, it seeks to unlock opportunities for public-private partner-ships, foster skill development, and promote Indian culture on a global stage. Additionally, the mission envisions culture as a catalyst for economic growth, facilitating expansive activities in domains such as handicrafts, performing arts, and regional entertainment, thereby transforming cultural heritage into a dynamic engine for employment and development.

Key Components of NMCM

·       The National Cultural Awareness Programme is designed to promote cultural talent and create awareness across the country. It includes initiatives like Sanskritik Pratibha Khoj Samaroh, a talent search programme, and competitions conducted from block to national levels. To motivate and reward excellence, awards are instituted for artists, with 20% of the prize money allocated to their mentors, fostering the Guru-Shishya tradition.

·       The National Cultural Workplace (NCWP) is a centralised Transactional Web Portal with database and demography of cultural assets and resources including all art forms and artists. It aims to centralise cultural activities through technology-driven solutions. A mobile app facilitates registration and access to the cultural workspace, while YouTube content and a comprehensive cultural mapping database serve as resources for education and engagement. Additionally, the NCWP offers a virtual learning platform and maintain a portal to streamline cultural activities and connect stakeholders.

·       The Grant, Scholarship, Fellowship, and Award Processes have been redesigned using data derived from cultural mapping, ensuring transparency and objectivity. These processes will be seamlessly integrated with the NCWP, enabling artists and institutions to access funding and support more effectively.

·       The Grading of Artists involves the creation of a Unique Cultural ID (UCID) for every artist, facilitating structured assessment and classification. This grading system has been linked to the NCWP to provide a comprehensive view of the artist community and their contributions.

·       To enhance Artist Welfare, the mission includes the development of schemes for veteran artists, along with broader welfare initiatives informed by the cultural mapping database. These welfare schemes have been integrated with the NCWP to ensure easy access and efficient implementation.

·       In redefining Cultural Infrastructure, the mission seeks to identify and develop cultural hubs or Kala Grams managed by veteran artists. Programmes such as Guru-Shishya appreciation initiatives, institutional integration, and the development of skill and excellence centres are central to this effort. The NCWP serves as a bridge, linking these cultural infrastructures with broader artistic and educational activities.

·       The Integration of Culture and Tourism map local artists and cultural events with tourism hotspots, promoting India's rich artistic heritage to a global audience. By highlighting the therapeutic value of art and designing cultural guide programmes, this component aims to boost cultural tourism.

Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar

Rural areas often serve as the custodians of centuries-old traditions, practices, and knowledge systems that are deeply woven into the fabric of daily life. Recognising the need to document and preserve these invaluable cultural assets, the Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD) initiative was launched as a vital component of the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM) under the aegis of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM). This ambitious endeavour aims to culturally map 6.5 lakh villages across India's 29 states and 7 Union Territories, with 4.5 lakh villages already documented and featured on the National Cultural Workplace portal.

The MGMD initiative covers a vast spectrum of cultural domains, including geographic, developmental, and cultural profiles. It captures village stories, traditional knowledge, wisdom traditions, customs, ornaments, cuisine, fairs, festivals, rituals, village deities, physical and historical landmarks, architecture, places of worship, and diverse art forms such as folk songs, dances, tales, legends, epics, theatre, handlooms, and handicrafts. Adding a modern dimension, 360-degree video shoots of villages are being done, providing an immersive representation of their cultural richness.

To achieve these objectives, the initiative places a strong emphasis on respecting local traditions as cultural mapping in Indian villages requires a sensitive approach that honours the distinct customs, festivals, folklore, and rituals of each community. Traditional art forms like Madhubani painting, Pattachitra, or Warli art, alongside oral traditions such as folk songs and storytelling, are prioritised to ensure their preservation and continued relevance.

At the same time, MGMD effectively integrates modern technologies to enhance the precision and accessibility of mapping efforts. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and digital archiving platforms are employed to create detailed maps of cultural assets. Mobile applications and community-driven online platforms enable real-time documentation of festivals, heritage sites, and local crafts, bridging the gap between traditional knowledge systems and modern audiences.

Equally important is fostering community involvement in the mapping process. Structured initiatives actively engage local populations, ensuring inclusivity and representation of diverse voices. This participatory approach not only enriches the documentation but also instils a sense of pride and ownership among community members, motivating them to preserve and celebrate their cultural heritage for future generations.

By blending traditional knowledge with cutting-edge technologies and fostering grassroots participation, Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar aims to capture the evolving yet enduring character of Indian villages. This initiative not only safeguards heritage but also makes it accessible to the wider world, promoting sustainable tourism and unlocking economic opportunities rooted in the cultural wealth of rural India.

A Catalyst for Achieving SDGs

The National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM) serves as a powerful instrument to not only document and preserve the nation's cultural heritage but also to align with and advance the global agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The mission directly supports SDG 13 (Climate Action) by documenting and revitalising traditional ecological practices such as sustainable agriculture, water harvesting, and forest conservation, which offer time-tested solutions to environmental challenges. By fostering community-driven efforts and promoting cultural resilience, the mission contributes to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 15 (Life on Land), ensuring that rural and urban landscapes thrive sustainably.

Moreover, the mission's focus on empowering local communities-particularly through participatory mapping and capacity-building initiatives-addresses SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by creating platforms for marginalised voices to shape cultural and developmental narratives. By fostering inclusive participation and governance, it also reinforces SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), bridging the gap between traditional knowledge systems and modern governance frameworks.

Through the integration of India's rich cultural heritage into global frameworks, the mission not only safeguards intangible traditions but also propels development pathways that are inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in cultural identity. This approach positions India's cultural mapping mission as a cornerstone of its commitment to achieving the SDGs, ensuring that cultural preservation goes hand in hand with sustainable development and global progress.

(The author is correspondent of a leading national daily. Feedback can be sent to feedback.employmentnews @gmail.com).

Views expressed are personal.