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Art and Culture 21
Stories Of Madurai
On 30th March 2021, the Ministry of Tourism organised a webinar on “Stories of Madurai” under Dekho Apna Desh campaign. Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
About Madurai
- Madurai, one of the oldest living cities, popularly it is called the ‘Athens of the East’, holds the soul of Tamil Nadu in its magnificent and grand temples that are among the finest and most awe-inspiring specimens of architecture in the country. The most spectacular of these is the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Temple, which is the heartbeat of the city and is visited by thousands of devotees.
Dravidian Architecture, Hall of a 1,000 Pillars, Musical Pillars, Deity: While one of the sanctorum, Sundareswarar, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the other is devoted to Goddess Meenakshi, his consort.
Madurai was visited by Greek explorer, Megasthenes in 3rd century BC. Other famous travellers who visited this ancient south Indian city included Pliny in 77 AD, Ptolemy in 140 AD, Marco Polo in 1203 AD and Ibn Batuta (1333 AD).
Anangpal II: Founder Of Delhi To Get A Proper Place In History
- A government seminar conducted recently in Delhi highlighted the legacy of the long-forgotten Tomar king — Anangpal II.
- Anangpal II, popularly known as Anangpal Tomar, belonged to the Tomar dynasty that ruled parts of present-day Delhi and Haryana between the 8th and 12th centuries.
- Anangpal Tomar II was succeeded by his grandson Prithviraj Chauhan. The Delhi Sultanate was established in 1192 after Prithviraj Chauhan’s defeat in the Battle of Tarain (present-day Haryana) by the Ghurid forces.
- Anangpal Tomar II was the founder of Dhillikapuri, which eventually became Delhi. He was instrumental in populating Indraprastha and giving it its present name, Delhi. The region was in ruins when he ascended the throne in the 11th century; it was he who built Lal Kot fort and Anang Tal Baoli.
Bihar Museum Biennale
- The first ever Museum Biennale in India and the world will be inaugurated in a hybrid avatar – physical and digital on March 22 on the occasion of Bihar Divas.
- It will bring together key collections from various museums across India and the world through virtual tours.
- Scheduled till March 28, it will also host exhibitions from several international museums as well as from 13 Indian museums including the host museum.
Foundation Laid For Conservation Of Singorgarh Fort
The President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for the conservation works of Singorgarh Fort in Singrampur village of Damoh district in Madhya Pradesh.
Gussadi Dance Of Telangana
- Gussadi dance exponent Kanaka Raju of Telangana was bestowed with the Padma Shri honour 2021.
- The Gusadi Dance of Gonds Deepavali is the biggest festival for the Raj Gonds of Adilabad district in Telangana.
- Gonds dressed in colourful costumes and decorated with ornaments go to neighbouring villages in troupes, singing and dancing. Such troupes are called Dandari dance troupes.
- Each member puts on a turban of peacock feathers and horns of the deer, artificial beard and moustaches and goatskin to cover the body.
- This starts on the full moon day and goes on till the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Deepavali.
UNGA Adopts Resolution To Protect Religious Sites Across The World
- The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning damage and destruction of religious sites and asking the secretary-general to convene a global conference to spearhead public support for safeguarding places of religious heritage.
- The resolution was proposed by Saudi Arabia and was co-sponsored by several other nations. The resolution states that it denounces any move to "forcibly convert any religious site".
Cultural Display At Republic Day 2021
Sun Temple at Modhera
- Gujarat showcased a replica of the Sun Temple at Modhera that depicted the Sabhamandap, part of the Sun Temple. Its 52 pillars denote 52 weeks of a Solar year.
- The Sun Temple located at Modhera village of Mehsana district, Gujarat.
- It is situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati.
- It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chaulukya dynasty.
- The temple complex has three components: Gudhamandapa, the shrine hall; Sabhamandapa, the assembly hall and Kunda, the reservoir.
Shore Temple
- Tamil Nadu’s tableau depicted Shore Temple and other Monuments of Pallava Dynasty.
- Shore Temple is one among a number of Hindu monuments at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu.
- It was built probably in the reign of Narasimhavarman II, also known as Rajasimha (Pallava ruler).
- It is built of cut stones rather than carved out of caves.
- It has two shrines, one dedicated to Shiva and the other to Vishnu.
- It has been built in Dravidian style.
- The Mamallapuram monuments and temples, including the Shore Temple complex, were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.
Pang Lhabsol Festival
- Sikkim tableau depicted the celebrations for Pang Lhabsol festival which is held on the 15th day of the 7th month of Tibetan Lunar Calendar every year, which according to English Calendar, falls somewhere between the August-September timeframe.
- The festival is believed to have been started somewhere around 13th century under the reign of Chakdor Namgyal, the third Chogyal or Dharma King of the state.
- The celebrations basically aim at paying homage to Mt. Kanchenjunga, the guardian deity of Sikkim which is believed to have been protecting this holy land since ages.
- Besides, Pang Lhabsol also finds a special place in the hearts of people from the Bhutia and Lepcha communities who celebrate this day commemorating the oath of “Blood Brotherhood” taken by the chiefs of two communities under the witness of Mt. Kanchenjunga during the 15th century.
- The colourful festival of Pang Lhabsol is replete with some elaborate rituals, prayers and thrilling dance performances by monks and lamas; amongst them the most famous and the one that keeps the visitors hooked to their positions is the awe-inspiring warrior dance called ‘Pang-Toed Chaam’ that aims at invoking the guardian deity, Mt. Kanchenjunga.
Vijayanagar - The City of Victory
- Karnataka showcased the glory of Vijayanagara Empire (1336-1646) in a tableau at the 72nd Republic Day parade.
- The Vijayanagara Empire was established in 1336 by brothers Harihara and Bukka Raya of the Sangama dynasty in the Deccan Plateau region in South India.
- The tableau had a replica of the world’s heritage site at Hampi, which was the seat of the empire, with statutes of Hindu gods Hanuman and Virupaksha.
- The empire shot to prominence after its kings, especially Krishnadeva Raya, defeated the then Sultans of the region and resisted Islamic invasions.
- Fine arts and literature flourished under the empire’s patronage, as evident from the rich legacy of monuments, temples and palaces that stand out amid the ruins of Hampi.
Lepakshi Temple - Monolithic Rock Architecture
- Andhra Pradesh showcased the rich monolithic rock architecture of Lepakshi temple.
- Lepakshi is culturally and archaeologically significant as it is the location of shrines dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra which were built during the Vijayanagara Kings' period (1336–1646).
- Besides the temple architecture, it also showcased the spectacular monolithic rock structure of Nandi, which is situated near the temple with 27ft in length and 15ft in height. The colossal structure is reportedly the biggest monolithic Nandi structure in India.
- While the front side of the tableau showcased the Nandi structure, in the rear part, the architectural marvel of the temple main arches, pillar architecture of Lepakshi temple ‘Mukha Mantapa’, ‘Arda Mantapa’ or ‘antarala’ (ante chamber), ‘Garbhagriha’ or the sanctum sanctorum and ‘Kalyana Mandapam’ with 38 carved pillars were displayed.
Risa, Rignai & Rikutu: Customary Tripuri Attaire
The government of Tripura is trying to weave the Risa into its policy for self-employment.
As of 2018, Tripura had 1,37,177 handloom weavers, according to the National Handloom Census, with 60 handloom clusters. However, only a handful of them exclusively work on traditional tribal handloom.
About Risa
- Risa: It is one of the three parts of customary Tripuri female attire, the other two being the Rignai and Rikutu. It is essentially a customary handwoven cloth, is used as a head gear, stole, female
- upper cloth or presented to honour a distinguished recipient. Adolescent Tripuri girls are first given Risa to wear when they reach 12-14 years in an event called ‘Risa Sormani’. The event involves prayers to a Lampra god, where her elder women pray for her wellbeing throughout her life.
- Rignai: It is primarily used to cover lower part of the body and literally translates into ‘to wear’.
- Rituku: It covers the upper half of the body, wrapping it all around. However, it is also used like a ‘chunri’ or a ‘pallu’ of the Indian saree. It is also used to cover the head of newly married Tripuri women.
Jerenga Pothar: A Notable Chapter Of Ahom History
- PM Narendra Modi addressed an event at Sivasagar's Jerenga Pothar, an open field where the legendary Joymati sacrificed her life for her husband in the 17th century.
- Formerly known as Rangpur, Sivasagar was the seat of the powerful Ahom dynasty, who ruled Assam for six centuries (1228-1826).
- From 1671 to 1681, the Ahom kingdom was undergoing a period of tumult under ‘ministerial superiority’, meaning the nobles and prime ministers were more important than the king, who were often puppets.
Tribes/Ethnic Groups In News
Zomi Ethnic Group
Manipur's Zomi ethnic group has renewed its demand for the creation of Zoland Territorial Council (ZTC) under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, a self-administered zone on the lines of the Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam.
Zomi identify themselves as descendants of the Zo, the Tibeto-Burman people that speaks Chin-Kuki language group. They are scattered in Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam.
Malayali Tribes
- Malayali is a tribal group from the Eastern Ghats in North Tamil Nadu.
- With a population of around 3,58,000 people they are the largest Scheduled tribes in that region.
- The tribals are usually hill farmers and they cultivate different types of millet.
- Recently TRIFED under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sourced Giant Rock Bee Honey, a unique variant of honey from these tribes and added to Tribes of India Collection.
Pateliya Tribes
- The Pateliya is a scheduled tribe. They are found in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and some parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
- The term 'Pateliya' has been derived from the term Patel which locally means 'headman'.
- The Pateliya are mostly distributed in Dahod Mahisagar Panchmahal districts of Gujarat and Jhabua, Dhar, Indore, Dewas, Guna districts of Madhya Pradesh.
- They speak Malvi among themselves and Hindi with others.
- Traditional occupation of the Pateliya is agriculture.
- Recently TRIFED under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sourced micro-beaded jewelry (mainly neckpieces) from these tribes and added to Tribes of India Collection.
Vasava Tribes
- The Vasava are a clan of the Bhil ethnic community found in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
- They have scheduled tribe status. In Rajasthan, they are also known as Vasave.
- The Vasava in Gujarat trace their mythological descent from Eklavya. They speak Bhili language, although most can now speak Gujarati.
- Recently TRIFED under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sourced organic varieties of dals and spices from these tribes and added to Tribes of India Collection.
‘Mon Shugu’: Monpa Handmade Paper
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has installed a Monpa handmade paper making unit in Tawang which not only aims at reviving the art but also engaging the local youths with this art professionally and earn.
- The art of making Monpa handmade paper originated over 1000 years ago and was an integral part of local custom and culture in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. However, the handmade paper industry almost disappeared in the last 100 years due to cheap inferior Chinese paper.
- The fine-textured handmade paper, which is called Mon Shugu in the local dialect, is integral to the vibrant culture of the local tribes in Tawang.
- The paper has great historic and religious significance as it is the paper used for writing Buddhist scriptures and hymns in monasteries.
- The Monpa handmade paper will be made from the bark of a local tree called Shugu Sheng, which has medicinal values too.
- Monpas used to sell these papers to countries like Tibet, Bhutan, Thailand and Japan as no paper making industry existed in these countries at that time.
Exhibition ‘Raag-Bhopali’ For Promoting Zari-Zardozi Crafts
- Madhya Pradesh Government is introducing campaign regarding promotion of “Ek Zila- Ek Shilp ''.
- The State Government is focussing on local traditional art of each district in the state and making efforts to promote it.
- The first of such kind of exhibition called ‘Raag-Bhopali’ is being organized to promote Zari-Zardozi crafts of Bhopal.
- The richest embroidery of India is the Zari and the Zardozi, which is known since late 16th century. This art form was introduced in India by the Mughal invaders.
- Zari zardozi is a form of embroidery, which came to India from Persia. Its literal translation, Zar means gold and dozi meaning embroidery. Zari zardozi embroidery undergoes the process of using metallic-bound threads to sew on the various products.
Four Indian Sites Won UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards For Cultural Heritage Conservation
- India won UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation towards its four sites.
Award Category & Sites
- Award of Excellence/Special Recognition for Sustainable Development: Sunder Nursery, the sprawling park set amid historical structures at Nizamuddin, has become Delhi’s first heritage complex to receive two Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for Cultural Heritage Conversation, bagging the Award of Excellence and the newly announced Special Recognition for Sustainable Development.
- Award of Distinction: Koothambalam at Guruvayoor Temple in Thrissur. Koothambalam or Kuttampalam meaning temple theatre is a closed hall for staging Koothu, Nangiarkoothu and Koodiyattam, the ancient ritualistic art forms of Kerala.
- Award of Merit: Amar Singh College, Srinagar; and Malabari Hall Building, Mumbai(A multipurpose hall that formed part of the SevaSadan Society - one of the earliest of such spaces that catered to the emerging middle-class community, where women began to be recognised for their contribution towards the society).
Since 2000, the Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation Programme have been lauding the efforts of private individuals and organisations in successfully restoring, conserving and transforming structures and buildings of heritage value in the region.
Tomb Of Abdur Rahim Khan- I- Khana Restored
- The tomb of poet Abdur Rahim Khan- I- Khana, popularly known as 'Rahim'- one of Akbar's 'Navratnas' and a military leader has been restored by Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and InterGlobe Foundation.
- The tomb stands within an ensemble of 16th century medieval monuments in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital.
- The tomb was originally built by Rahim for his wife, making it the first ever Mughal tomb to be built for a woman, with the more celebrated Taj Mahal having been built later.
- Abdul Rahim was the son of Bairam Khan, Akbar's trusted guardian and mentor, who was of Turkic ancestry.
- Apart from writing various dohas, Rahim translated Babar's memoirs, Baburnama from Chagatai language to Persian language. In Sanskrit, he wrote two books on astrology -‘Khetakautukam’ and ‘Dwatrinsha Yogavali’.
‘Anubhava Mantapa’: First Parliament Of The World
Context: Recently, while laying foundation for the new Parliament Building in Delhi, the Prime Minister in his speech, said that the Parliament system had come into existence in 12th century itself with Bhagwan Basavanna establishing the Anubhava Mantapam.
About Anubhava Mantapa
- Anubhava Mantapa whose literal meaning is "experience center" was an academy of mystics, saints and philosophers of the ‘Veerashaiva’ faith in the 12th century.
- It was the fountainhead of all religious and philosophical thought pertaining to the Human Values, Ethics.
- It was presided over by the mystic AllamaPrabhu and numerous Sharanas from all over Karnataka and other parts of India were participants.
- Prabhudeva, a great Yogi of extraordinary achievement, was the president and Lord Basava acted as the prime minister. Chennabasava can be compared to the speaker while at the same time working as the editor, and compiler of Vachana literature.
- The only difference between the present day parliament and AnubhavaMantapa is that the members were not elected by the people, but were picked up or nominated by the higher authorities of the Mantapa; the necessary qualification expected being spiritual attainment.
- The problems tackled were of a various nature covering social, religious, spiritual, yogic psychological, economic and literary spheres.
- Members of the Mantapa and followers of the religion were given full freedom of thought, speech and action. They were allowed to put any questions or doubts to get them cleared in front of the congregation and a systematic program was launched to record and to preserve the dialogues that were going on in the House.
- Anubhava Mantapa criticized sharply the meaningless differentiation of human beings as high or low either on their birth or on their occupation.