Cultural Heritage of Gujarat (An Old and Rare Book)

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This book deals with the most important and the popular subject about the prized Cultural Heritage of Gujarat, mainly its folk art forms, with special reference to the Garabá-rāsa.

It examines Garaba-rasa from the prehistoric to the present and from cultural, literary and archaeological points of view. But it is not merely an academic study, it includes the musical and performative aspects of the genre. The approach undertaken here is both multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary. The study is the result of extensive field work and archival research.

The book encompasses a wide range of fields cutting across each other. Although it is a part of the larger discipline of Ethnoarchaeology with the physical and the cultural environmental study, it can be allied with such subjects as Musicology, Indology, Sociology. Cultural Anthropology, Art History, Linguistics, Literature, Music and Dance.

The book can be useful to the scholars interested in specialized disciplines mentioned above and the common people who are brought up in the traditions of folk art, music and dance of Gujarat. Though scholarly and richly allusive to literature and ancient scriptures, it is written in a simple and lucid style which can be easily intelligible to the common masses interested in knowing the rich Cultural Heritage of Gujarat.

The book also includes some most popular sample Garbas which are written, composed and rendered by the author and some folk songs collected from rural and tribal areas as rare collection and rendered by the author, who has a life-long interest in these songs.

Since the book deals with a popular topic in a scholarly way, it can be useful to the various organizations and institutions like school, colleges, universities, cultural and educational institutions, libraries, museums, akashwani (AIR), tourism departments, Department of Culture, centres for youth activities and services, Doordarshan and Sangit, Nritya, Natak Academies and even to the personal collections, not only in Gujarat but in India and abroad, and not only for Gujarati's, but for Indians in general and the foreigners.

Let the young generation have the exposure of the original fervour, flavour and fragrance of the songs of the soil, and let it be enjoyed by all. Let us be proud of our Great Cultural Heritage of Gujarat.

In preparing this book for which I have spent most of my life in gathering and searching important data on Rasa and Garba. I am grateful to my colleagues and friends in the University and my well wishers here and abroad who encouraged me to see it through.

Specially I thank Prof Chaudhary, Prof Parekh and Prof Sonavane and Late Prof. Suryavanshi, Late Prof. Heade, Prof. Chaudhry and equally I am fortunate to get guidance from Dr. R.N. Mehta in this cultural work.

I am heavily indebted to Dr. Jaydeo Jani, Prof. Dr. Nanavati from Department of Sanskrit, in correctly interpretating and placing the Sanskrit quotation in the book.

I am highly obliged of my friend Nilendra Dixit, Reader in Geography. Gujarat University for providing me technical help in maps and charts. 1 am grateful to the Director of Orinetal Institute, Baroda, Director of Museum, Govt. of Gujarat for exemplary assistance in my work.

My thanks are due to Prof. Markand Bhatt, Sri Madhukar Patel, (Bombay), Sri Parmar, Sri Bhojak who were keen to see the work completed. Their intense desire was a guiding spirit.

I had my basic training in Music from Music College, Baroda, I am thankful to Prof. R.C. Mehta for his guidance and Late Gulam Rasul Khan Saheb and many others.

Institutes, like Gujarat State Sangit Nritya Natak Academy, Baroda, Cultural Institution, Triveni Institution have encouraged me through my performance for which I am thankful to them, specially Triveni has obliged me by offering excellent photographs of Garba which have been. incorporated in the book. I am also grateful to Shri Madhubhai Patel, Director, Madhur Jyoti Nartan Academy for making an excellent cover design. Gujarati and English media papers have projected my contribution to folk art and cultural heritage of Rasa and Garba and gave immense publicity to my vocal programmes.

My respects, affection and very sincere thanks are to the people of Rural and Tribal Gujarat who made the publication of this possible and from whom I got the inspiration to learn the songs of soil which in our cultural heritage.

All this edifice stands on the encouragement of my parents and none the less active co-operation of my wife Aruna whose constant interest in my activities have motivated me to see the completion of the book.

The whole credit goes to my young and budding publisher Sri Girish Kate who had been constantly inspiring me for publishing this book which he did in splendid manner and to his father Mr. N.K. Kate who helped him to see it well done. I offer my sincere thanks to both of them for the job they have done.