Iconic books are texts revered as objects of power rather than just as words of instruction, information, or insight. In religious and secular rituals around the globe, people carry, show, wave, touch and kiss books and other texts, as well as read them. This blog chronicles such events and activities. (For more about iconic books, see the links to the Iconic Books Project at left.)

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Patua scroll book "Tsunami"

PRI reports on a hand-made book in Bengali "Patua" style that commemorates the victims of the 2004 Tsunami. Pictorial Patua scrolls are designed to accompany oral chants or songs. This video shows the Tsunami book being displayed while the keening chant is recited, and also illustrates the silkscreen process by which the scroll/book is made:

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