Culture Flashcards
India’s national war memorial
India’s national war memorial (first proposed in 1960) was inaugurated at the India Gate complex in Delhi.
Spread across 40 acres, it is built to honor soldiers who laid down their lives defending the nation, post-independence.
It also commemorates the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers sent on peace-keeping missions of the United Nations, Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) and counter-insurgency operations.
The Memorial has four concentric circles, a central stone obelisk (15.5m), and an eternal flame built at a cost of 176 crore.
The concentric circles are designed as a Chakravyuh (an ancient Indian war formation) and are called:
o Amar Chakra or Circle of Immortality: innermost circle, at its centre stands the obelisk topped by a bronze lion capital. It has a hollow centre where the eternal flame is situated.
o Veerta Chakra or Circle of Bravery: a covered gallery, with bronze murals depicting Battles of Gangasagar, Longewala, Tithwal, Rizangla, and Operation Meghdoot (1984), Trident(1971).
o Tyag Chakra or Circle of Sacrifice: two circles within Raksha Chakra consisting of 16 walls made of 25,942 granite tables dedicated to soldiers who fell in China and Pakistan wars and operations such as that of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka.
o Rakshak Chakra or Circle of Protection: outermost circle comprising of 600 trees symbolises soldiers who ensure the territorial integrity of the nation, round the clock.
The Param Yodha Sthal has the busts of 21 recipients of the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honour, with short descriptions of their acts of valour.
MAITHILI LANGUAGE
Mithilakshar or Tirhuta is the script of the language Maithili.
It is mainly spoken in India (Bihar, Jharkhand etc.) and Nepal.
The oldest form of Mithilakshar is found in the Sahodara stone inscriptions of 950 AD.
Vidyapati Thakur, was the first writer to use Maithili as a literary language, his poetic works and songs are full of devotion to the God Shiva.
In the 14th century, Jyotishwar enriched the literature in a holistic way. His work Dhurt Samagam is very popular in Maithili.
In the 20th century, Baba Nagarjun, Ramanand Renu contributed in the field of prose writing.
In 1910 the first Maithili organization, the Maithili Mahasabha came into being for the development of Maithili and Maithils.
The language has been accorded a constitutional status in the 8th Schedule of the constitution.
The lack of use of Mithilakshar script has become the reason for the decline in the Maithli language.
The committee has suggested establishing a Script and Manuscript Centre at Darbhanga and creating of audio-visual teaching material for mithilashkar script.
BAGRU BLOCK PRINTING
The ‘Titanwala Museum’ in Bagru, Rajasthan was inaugurated to preserve the art of traditional Bagru block printing.
It is a traditional technique of printing with natural colour done by the Chippa community in Bagru village of Rajsthan.
Traditionally, motifs printed at Bagru are large with bold lines. The motifs include wild flowers, buds, leaves and printed geometrical patterns.
The main colors used in Bagru are Red and Black.
Some other important traditional block printing techniques in India
Gujarat: Ajrakh Print
Rajasthan: Sanganeri, Ajrakh, Dabu
Madhya Pradesh: Bagh Print, Bherogarh Print (Batik) Andhra Pradesh: Kalamkari
Calcutta, Serampur (West Bengal), Varanasi and Farrukabad (Uttar Pradesh) are also important centres of block printing in India.
Sanskriti Kumbh
The Ministry of Culture is organizing Sanskriti Kumbh, a 29 days cultural extravaganza at Kumbh Mela area, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
Kumbh Mela
One of the oldest and largest congregation in the world.
UNESCO has inscribed Kumbh Mela on the list of Intangible Cultural heritage for humanity in 2017.
The Kumbha Mela is held four times over the course of 12 years, in rotation between four Hindu pilgrimage places on four sacred rivers:
o Haridwar (banks of Ganga),
o Prayagraj/Allahabad (Confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati),
o Nashik (banks of Godavari)
o Ujjain (banks of Shipra).
- Kumbh Mela can be traced back in history through the writings of 7th century Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang who came to India during the rule of Harshavardhan. The festival was also popularised among people by the eighth century saint Shankaracharya.
- At Prayagraj, Kumbh Mela held at every 6 years and Maha Kumbh at every 12 years. Earlier they were known as Ardh Kumbh and Kumbh. But this year the government has announced the Ardh Kumbh will be known as Kumbh and Kumbh as Maha Kumbh.
The Intangible Cultural heritage of india includes:
- Koodiyattam: Sanskrit Theatre, Kerala
- Mudiyettu: a ritual theatre of Kerala
- The Tradition of Vedic Chanting
- Ramlila: the Traditional Performance of the Ramayana
- Ramman: religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas
- Kalbelia: folk songs and dances of Rajasthan
- Chhau dance: 3 distinct styles from the regions of Seraikella, Purulia and Mayurbhanj
- Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir
- Sankirtana: ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur
- Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab
- Yoga
- Nawrouz
- Kumbh Mela (latest addition in 2017)
Sankhnaad
Played for the first time on Republic day this year.
It is a martial tune based on Indian classical music.
o Since Independence, the Indian defence forces have been playing ‘martial tune’ created by the British.
Karakattam folk dance
It is an ancient folk dance of Tamil Nadu performed in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman.
o The performers balance a pot on their head. Traditionally, this dance is categorized into two types- Aatta Karakam is danced with decorated pots on the head and symbolizes joy and happiness. It is mainly performed to entertain the audience. The Sakthi Karakam is performed only in temples as a spiritual offering
Taakala Folk Dance
Maharashtra
o It is related to the exchange of the ‘takla’ vegetable among local tribal groups.
Misra Raas Folk Dance
Raas popularly known as dandiya raas is one of the most popular folk dances of Gujarat. Mishra raas/Gop raas is a variant of this genre. It is performed by both men and women. It is not based on any criteria of caste or profession.
Monpa Folk Dance
It is a traditional dance form of the Monpa tribe, who inhabit parts of West Kameng District and Tawang District in Arunachal Pradesh. This dance is performed during the Losar Festival, which marks the tribe’s New Year.
Mamita Folk Dance
It is performed on the occasion of Mamita festival, which is harvest festival of Tripura People.
Satoiya Nitya Folk Dance
Assam
Tamang Seto Folk Dance
Sikkim
session of the Indian National Congress presided by Gandhi
39th session of the Indian National Congress held in Belagavi in 1924, which was presided over by Mahatma Gandhi
Harappa
2 rows of six granaries with big platform, stone symbol of lingam and yoni, mother goddess figure, wheat and barley in wooden mortar, dice, copper scale and mirror, sculptor of dog chasing a deer in bronze metal, nude dancing girl of stone and red sand stone male torso
Mohenjodaro
Great bath, great granary, post cremation burial, sculpture of bearded priest
Dholavira
giant water reservoir, stadium, dams and embankments, inscription comprising 10 large sized signs like an advertisement board.
Lothal
Dockyard, double burial, rice husk, fire altars, painted jar, modern day chess, terracotta figure of horse and ship, instrument of measuring 45, 90 and 180 degree angles
Ropar
Dog buried with human oval pit burials
Balathal and Kalibangan
Bangle factory, toy carts, bones of camels, decorated brickes, citadel, lower town
Surkotada
first actual remains of the horse bones
Banawali
toy plough, barley grains, only city with radial streets, oval shaped settlement
Alamgirpur
Impression of a cloth on a trough
Who first discovered Harappa in 1921.
Dayaram Sahni
Who discovered Mohenjodaro or Mound of the Dead in 1922.
R.D.Banerjee
The Name Harappa Civilization was given by
John Marshall after the first discovered site, Harappa
GANDHI CIRCUIT
The project is sanctioned under “Rural Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme” with central financial assistance.
• It is one of the projects identified for development under the Special Package for Bihar announced in 2015.
Significance of the Places
• Chandrahia: It is a village in Bihar’s East Champaran district, holding a special position in the Champaran movement because (1916) Gandhiji was stopped at this village when he was on his way to the hamlet of Jasaulipatti to listen to problems faced by farmers who were being forced to cultivate indigo instead of food crops.
• Bhitiharwa: This was one of the centre for social work selected by Gandhiji, when he was in Champaran in 1917. There is a Gandhi Ashram where Mahatma Gandhi had stayed during the Indian Freedom struggle.
• Turkaulia: It was a burning centre of Indigo agitation. It has been widely referred to as “Turkaulia Concern” in context of Champaran Satyagraha to refer to the plight of indigo cultivators.
Swadesh Darshan
(Central Sector Scheme)
• Ministry of Tourism (MoT) launched the Scheme for integrated development of theme based tourist circuits in the country in 2014-15.
• This scheme aims to synergise with other Government of India schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Make in India etc. with the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realise its potential.
• Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, thirteen thematic circuits have been identified, for development namely: North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit.
WORLD CAPITAL OF ARCHITECTURE
The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has named the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro as the World Capital of Architecture for 2020.
World Capital of Architecture initiative
- It is a joint initiative of UNESCO and the International Union of Architects (UIA) launched in 2018.
- World Capital of Architecture is intended to become “an international forum for debates about pressing global challenges from the perspectives of culture, cultural heritage, urban planning and architecture”.
- UNESCO also hosts the UIA’s World Congress, an event that takes place every three years.
The 6 monuments declared of national importance are as follows
o The 125-year-old Old High Court Building in Nagpur, Maharashtra,
o Two Mughal-era monuments in Agra ( U.P.):
✓ Haveli of Agha Khan
✓ Hathi Khana
o The ancient Neemrana Baori in Alwar, Rajasthan
o The Group of Temples at Bolangir, Odisha
o The Vishnu Temple, Pithoragarh, Uttarkhand
PRASAD SCHEME
Recently Gangotri, Yamunotri, Amarkantak, and Parsanath have been included in the list of sites under PRASAD scheme bringing the number of sites under the scheme to 41 in 25 states.
Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme
• It aims at integrated development of pilgrimage destinations in planned, prioritised and sustainable manner to provide complete religious tourism experience. It focuses on the development and beautification of the identified pilgrimage destinations
Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh
It is a unique natural heritage area and is the meeting point of the Vindhya and the Satpura Ranges, with the Maikal Hills being the fulcrum. It is a Hindu pilgrim site where the Narmada River, the Son River and Johila River emerge.
Parasnath, Jharkhand
It is the highest mountain peak in the state, the Shikharji temple, an important Jain pilgrimage site, is located here.
Gangotri and Yamunotri, Uttrarakhand
Gangotri is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi and origin of River Ganges while Yamunotri is the source of river Yamuna
Adopt a Heritage’ project
It’s a joint collaborative effort of The Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and State/UTs Governments to develop the heritage sites/ monuments and making them tourist-friendly.
• Under the project private sector companies, public sector companies and individuals with best vision for the heritage site will be selected through a bidding process (Vision Bidding). Successful bidders will be tagged as Monument
Mitra.
• These ‘Monument Mitras’ are expected to use Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for providing amenities like toilets, drinking water, accessibility for the disabled, signage, audio guides etc. No funds are given by Ministry of Tourism.
Bhasha Sangam Program
The Department of School Education & Literacy under MHRD has initiated Bhasha Sangam Program – As part of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’.
• Its objectives are:
o To enhance linguistic tolerance and respect, and promote national integration.
o To introduce school students to all the 22 Indian Languages of Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.
• This will be run by the State/UT Department of School Education.
• This initiative is not mandatory and there would be no formal testing of any kind.
SIKH TAKHTS
Recently, a proposal was made for a sixth Sikh takht at Guru Nanak Dev’s birth place in Nankana Sahib in Pakistan.
Panj Takht:
o Akal Takht(Amritsar), set up in 1606 by Guru Hargobind, is the Supreme of Panj takht.
o Four Other Takhts: Takht Keshgarh Sahib (Anandpur Sahib); Takht Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo, Bhatinda); Takht Patna Sahib (Bihar) and Takht Hazur Sahib (Nanded, Maharashtra).
✓ These 4 are linked to Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru. It was at Keshgarh Sahib that Guru Gobind Singh raised Khalsa, the initiated Sikh warriors, in 1699
• Control: The three takhts in Punjab are directly controlled by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) which appoints the jathedars (who leads Takht) for these while the two takhts outside Punjab have their own trusts and boards.
SRI SATGURU RAM SINGHJI
Recently Ministry of Culture inaugurated an International Seminar to commemorate the 200th Birth Anniversary of Sikh philosopher, Sri Satguru Ram Singhji, also known as Ram Singh Kuka.
- He was born in 1816 in Ludhiana and was a great spiritual guru, a thinker, a seer, philosopher, social reformer, and a freedom fighter.
- He fought against the caste system among Sikhs and encouraged inter-caste marriages.
- He preached against killing the girl child in infancy, stood firmly against the Sati Pratha and advocated widow remarriage.
Namdhari/ Kuka Movement:
- The movement was founded in 1840 by Bhagat Jawaharmal in Western Punjab.
- Its basic tenets were abolition of caste and similar discriminations among Sikhs, discouraging the eating of meat and taking of alcohol and drugs, and encouraging women to step out of seclusion.
- After the British took the Punjab, the movement transformed from a religious purification campaign to a political one.
- During the Mutiny of 1857, Satguru Ram Singhji formally inaugurated the Namdhari movement, with a set of rituals modelled after Guru Gobind Singh’s founding of the Khalsa.
- He strongly opposed to the British rule and started an intense non-cooperation movement against them. Led by him, the people boycotted English education, mill made cloths and other imported goods. The Kuka followers actively propagated the civil disobedience.
- All followers of satguru are distinguished by the white dress, straight and pressed turban and a woolen rosary. They were required to wear the five symbols of Sikhism, with only exception of the Kirpan (sword). However, they were required to keep a Lathi (a bamboo stave) with them.
INDIA’S FIRST MUSIC MUSEUM
• India’s first music museum will be set up in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, which is the birth place of Saint Tyagaraja.
Saint Tyagaraja
Saint Tyagaraja is one of the Trinity of Carnatic music (other two are Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri) and his compositions are outpourings of love, prayer and appeal. He was the most illustrious composer among the trinity and bhakti was the keynote of his compositions.
• He firmly believed that nadopasana (the practice of music as an aid to cultivate devotion and contemplation) can lead one to salvation only if it was combined with bhakti.
• He mastered selfless devotion without any desire and it was Nishkama Bhakthi. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Rama and majority of his krtis are in praise of Rama.
• He set his face against ‘narastuti’, praise of men for profit or benefit - a philosophy and principle underlying Hindu thought not to debase learning and knowledge. This principle was responsible for the old system of ‘gurukulavasa’ - of disciples learning at the feet of the master and the master imparting knowledge but not for money.
BABABUDAN SWAMI
The Karnataka government has opposed the
demand to declare the Sri Guru Dattatreya
Bababudan Swami Dargah near Chikkamagaluru
as an exclusively Hindu place of worship.
• Baba Budangiri shrine - shrine named after the
saint Sufi saint Baba Budan, who is revered by
both Muslims and Hindus.
• Its origin appears to be a syncretization of
reverence for an 11th-century Sufi, Dada
Hayath (Abdul Azeez Macci); for the 17thcentury
Sufi Baba Budan, said to have brought
coffee to India; and for Dattatreya, an
incarnation of Shiva (or of Brahma, Shiva and
Vishnu).
Tripura’s state fruit
Queen variety of pineapple is
declared as Tripura’s state fruit.
• It had received Geographical Indication (GI) tag in
2015.
Telangana government’s State Tree
Jammi Chettu
Telanagana govt’s state Bird
Palapitta (Blue Jay)
Telangana govt’s state animal
Jinka (deer)