Intangible Cultural Heritage and Women Narratives: A Case Study of Jammu Region, India.

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of Jammu region (Jammu and Kashmir), India, largely an unchartered domain with respect to women narratives. The paper has mapped the intangible heritage practices, which are exclusively women domain, to shows that a narrative about women in the Jammu region can be constructed by understanding her role in the transmission and recreation of intangible heritage.  Understanding her role in the ritual performances, making of arts and crafts, her culinary skills and use of local resources enables us to build up her narrative from her point of view as well.  With regard to methodology, the mapping of the practices was done through a survey of the literary sources and employing interview techniques wherein the elderly women and heritage experts were interviewed.  This case study shows that Intangible heritage can be used as an alternative source to build up the women narrative in the region.