Creative Travel Trajctories- Uttar Prradesh.docx

New Travel Trajectories in Uttar Pradesh
Ethnography of Mangoes & Christian Heritage of a Courtesan
One day Academic Tour with Dr. Navina Jafa

If the Uttar Pradesh Government initiates such programs they need to think this out carefully. The art of representing cultures and presenting cultures needs careful nurturing, training and creativity which can only come with in-depth, multilayered knowledge. The catch of presenting heritage such as this is not about cut and paste. One needs to have a multilayered knowledge, of interpreting Heritage landscapes with distinct lenses.

Curating cultural experiences, exhibiting Cultures and interpreting Heritagescapes is an extremely complex art or should I say, it is choreography. This month I am presenting an intricate trajectory in and of Western Uttar Pradesh. The themes are Ethnography of Mangoes and the Christian Heritage of a Courtesan. In this day and age all three themes could perhaps be debatable and provocative
i) Theme of the Courtesan – Disrespected woman- yet exotic – Tawa'if (on whom I have researched for over 30 years)
ii) Mango orchard as part of the idea of Islamic idea of Garden of Paradise
iii) Christian Heritage
The academic theatrical exhibit curated as a one day tour will cover the Heritage of Farzana a courtesan from the by-lanes of Old Delhi who became Begum Samru when she married a mercenary. Yes, this country has fascinating narratives on adventurous Europeans mercenaries. The Begum who raised private armies, asserted her power through architecture, lived like a fashion diva and was no less than a Imelda Marcos. A spicy, tangent flavor to her character will be captured in the narrative when presenting her heritage in her principality Sardhana.
This will be followed by a visit to a Mango Orchard. An exotic aspect of the Garden of paradise, the Mango of North India acquires a unique character by the way varieties are developed, named. How the identity of mango evolves as a symbol in art, songs, rituals and imagination in poetry. The life of a Man who grows and cultivate Mangoes, historical anecdotes related to Mangoes and not to forget creation of a cuisine map.
One Day Tour (9 th July) on Ethnography of Mangoes & Christian Heritage of a Courtesan in Western UP with Dr. Navina Jafa. Register by email on website: http://www.navinajafa.com/index.php Few Seats Left