GS Paper: GS1-01.Indian Culture- Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

The Sittanavasal Rock Cave Temple, a major centre of Jain influence for 1,000 years just before the Christian era, is in need of better upkeep.

Sittanavasal

• Sittanavasal is a small hamlet in Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu, India.
• It is known for the Sittanavasal Cave, a 2nd-century Jain cave complex. From the 7th to the 9th century A.D., the village flourished as a Jain centre.
• Sittanavasal is the name used synonymously for the hamlet and the hillock that houses the:

1. Arivar Kovil (temple of Arihants — Jains who conquered their senses)
2. Ezhadipattam (a cavern with 17 polished rock beds), megalithic burial sites and the
3. Navachunai tarn (small mountain lake) with a submerged shrine

What makes it special?

• The artwork on the ceiling of the sanctum and the ardha mandapam of Arivar Kovil is an early example of post-Ajanta cave paintings of the fourth to sixth centuries.
• It was also done using the fresco-secco technique (a process that dispenses with preparation of the wall with wet plaster).

Features of the cave paintings

• The ceiling paintings show ‘bhavyas’ (exalted souls who work to achieve moksha or spiritual liberation) enjoying themselves in a pool, full of lotuses; today much of it is obscured by patchy plastering.
• Faint outlines linger of dancing girls on the ‘ardha mandapam’ pillars.
• The colours are a mixture of plant dyes and mineral elements such as lime, lamp black, and clay pigments such as ochre for yellow and terre verte for the greyish-green tints.

Why in news now?

• Unrestricted public access and general exposure to the elements have led to a gradual fading away of these paintings.
• At the Ezhadipattam, inscriptions have been vandalised beyond recognition.

Also try this PYQ:

Q.There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings?

(a) Bagh caves

(b) Ellora caves

(c) Lomas Rishi cave

(d) Nasik caves

 

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The Central government has announced a special tourist circuit encompassing five key sites associated with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Why in news?

• Activists have urged that Mahad, located in Raigad District of Maharashtra, famous for Mahad Lake Satyagraha should also be included in the proposed circuit.

Ambedkar Circuit

• The five cities in the tourist circuit as announced are Mhow (his birthplace), London (where he resided and studied), Nagpur (also studied here), Delhi (where he passed away) and finally Mumbai (where he was cremated).
• With a special AC train, the government is looking to trace the footsteps of Ambedkar in India by giving better connectivity to four of these spots.
• The idea is to attract tourists beyond the Dalit community, who mostly visit these places as a pilgrimage.
• The journey will include meals, ground transportation, and entry to the sites.

About the sites

1. Janma Bhoomi– Ambedkar’s birthplace in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow
2. Shiksha Bhoomi– the place in London where he stayed while studying in the UK
3. Deeksha Bhoomi– the place in Nagpur where he embraced Buddhism
4. Mahaparinirvan Bhoomi- the place of his demise in Delhi and
5. Chaitya Bhoomi- the place of his cremation in Mumbai

Back2Basics: Tourism Circuits

• The government had identified 15 tourist circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15.
• Besides the Ramayana and Buddhist Circuits, others include Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage, North East, Himalayan, Sufi, Krishna, Rural, Tribal, and Tirthankar Circuits.
• In terms of train collaboration, the Ramayana, Buddhist, and North East Circuits are already active, while Ambedkar will be fourth.

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The Vice President has released the Arabic Version of “Majma Ul-Bahrain” of Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh.

The course of the history of the Indian subcontinent, had Dara Shikoh prevailed over Aurangzeb, has been a matter of some conjecture among historians. Critically analyse.

Who was Dara Shikoh?

• Dara Shikoh, who was Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s son and expected heir, was killed on the orders of his brother Aurangzeb in 1659 after losing the war of succession.
• He was the eldest son and heir-apparent of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
• Dara was designated with the title Padshahzada-i-Buzurg Martaba (Prince of High Rank) and was favored as a successor by his father and his older sister, Princess Jahanara Begum.
• In the war of succession which ensued after Shah Jahan’s illness in 1657, Dara was defeated by his younger brother Prince Muhiuddin (Aurangzeb).
• He was executed in 1659 on Aurangzeb’s orders in a bitter struggle for the imperial throne.

His legacy

• Dara was a liberal-minded unorthodox Muslim as opposed to the orthodox Aurangzeb.
• He authored the work Majma Ul-Bahrain (The Confluence of the Two Seas), which argues for the harmony of Sufi philosophy in Islam and Vedanta philosophy in Hinduism.
• It was Dara Shikoh who was responsible for making the Upanishads available to the West as he had them translated.
• He had commissioned a translation of Yoga Vasistha.
• A great patron of the arts, he was also more inclined towards philosophy and mysticism rather than military pursuits.

• He translated the Upanishads and other important works from Sanskrit to Persian. He was convinced that the Upanishads are what the Qur’an calls ‘Al-Kitab Al-Maknoun’ (The Hidden book).

Try this PYQ:

Q.Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait?

(a) Humayun

(b) Akbar

(c) Jahangir

(d) Shah Jahan

 

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Warangal, Nilambur, and Thrissur have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC).

What does UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities mean?

• An international policy-oriented network, the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities is a network of inspiration, know-how and best practices.
• It is coordinated by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL).
• The Network has member cities that it supports in aspects like promoting policy dialogue and peer learning, documenting effective strategies and best practices; building partnerships; capacity development; and more.

What is a learning city?

• According to UNESCO, a learning city is one that

1. effectively mobilizes its resources in every sector to promote inclusive learning from basic to higher education
2. revitalizes learning in families and communities
3. facilitates learning for and in the workplace
4. extends the use of modern learning technologies
5. enhances quality and excellence in learning
6. fosters a culture of learning throughout life

• In doing so, the city enhances individual empowerment and social inclusion, economic development and cultural prosperity, and sustainable development

Inclusion of Indian cities

• The Indian cities, Nilambur and Thrissur in Kerala, and Warangal in Telangana became the nation’s first entrants in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.
• As per UNESCO, 77 cities from 44 countries across the globe have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.
• The group of global cities also includes cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Hamburg, Athens, Incheon, Bristol, and Dublin.
• The inclusion will foster sharing of ideas with other cities, provide already applied solutions to issues and much more.

About the cities

(1) Thrissur – the cultural capital of Kerala

• Popularly known as the cultural capital of Kerala, Thrissur is home to academic and research institutions.
• It is also known for its jewellery industry, especially gold.
• As a member of the UNESCOI GNLC, Thrissur hopes to contribute to the intellectual and peer learning processes, focusing on equitable access to learning for all, digital learning ecosystems and skills for sustainability.
• Thrissur ticked UNESCO’s check boxes in aspects of good practices, equity and inclusion among other factors.
• For e.g., the presence of a MSME-Development Institute of India regional centre in Thrissur offers institutional support in promoting decent work and entrepreneurship through upskilling.

(2) Nilambur, Kerala’s eco-tourism destination

• Nilambur is an eco-tourism destination in the Kerala.
• It is a city with various socio-economic patterns marked by an urban and rural mix.
• The majority of the population depends on agriculture and allied industries.
• The city offers free healthcare facilities to all citizens and utilizes health volunteers to provide door-to-door treatment for bedded patients.
• It also promotes first-aid training for students and young citizens.
• Nilambur aims to promote sustainable development, gender equality, inclusivity and democracy through community ownership.
• Nilambur also aspires to become a women-friendly city by ensuring equal opportunities in all sectors, promoting capacity-building and reducing harassment.
• As a learning city, Nilambur aims to work to innovate in agriculture and handicrafts, promote eco-tourism and improve water management.

(3) Warangal, the tourism spot

• Warangal has a rich cultural heritage. The city is a major tourism venue, welcoming 3.2 million tourists every year.
• Warangal’s economy is primarily composed of agricultural, industrial and service sectors.
• The city promotes equity and inclusion, for which it has implemented several strategies, including Women and Child Welfare policy, Urban Policy etc.
• Further, it also provides free training to the transgender community which helps in employment opportunities.

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Heavy floods in Pakistan has pushed the archeological site of Mohenjo Daro – near the bank of the Indus river – to the “brink of extinction”.

What is the news?

• Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology has said that Mohenjo Daro might be removed from the world heritage list, if urgent attention towards its conservation and restoration is not given.

About Mohenjo Daro

• Mohenjo Daro, a group of mounds and ruins, is a 5000-year-old archaeological site located about 80-km off the city of Sukkur.
• It comprises the remnants of one of two main centres of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation, the other one being Harappa, located 640 km to the northwest, in Punjab province.
• Mohenjo Daro, which means ‘mound of the dead’, was one of the oldest cities of the world.
• Known to be a model planned city of the ancient civilisation, the houses here had bathrooms, toilets and drainage system.
• The sheer size of the city, and its provision of public buildings and facilities, suggests a high level of social organization.
• Though in ruins, the walls and brick pavements in the streets are still in a preserved condition.

How did it came to prominance

• The ruins of the city remained undocumented for around 3,700 years, until 1920, when archaeologist RD Banerji visited the site.
• Its excavation started in 1921 and continued in phases till 1964-65.
• The site went to Pakistan during Partition.

Other Indus Valley sites

• The Indus Valley Civilisation spanned much of what is now Pakistan and the northern states of India (Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan), even extending towards the Iranian border.
• Its major urban centres included Harappa and Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan, and Lothal, Kalibangan, Dholavira and Rakhigarhi in India.
• Mohenjo Daro is considered the most advanced city of its time, with sophisticated civil engineering and urban planning.
• When the Indus Valley Civilisation went into sudden decline around 19th century BC, Mohenjo Daro was abandoned.

What next for the site

• According to media reports, many streets and sewerage drains of the historical ruins have been badly damaged due to the floods.
• However, the work of removing the sediments deposited due the flooding is still underway.
• But if this kind of flooding happens again, the heritage site may once again get buried under the ground, archaeologists say.
• It is expected that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will visit the site during his visit to Pakistan on September 11.
• The visit might provide some clarity on if the site has lost some of its attributes that are necessary for it to retain its prestigious world heritage tag.

Losing world heritage tag

• There are around 1,100 UNESCO listed sites across its 167 member countries.
• Last year, the World Heritage Committee decided to delete the property ‘Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City’ (UK) from the World Heritage List.
• This was due to the irreversible loss of attributes conveying the outstanding universal value of the property.
• Liverpool was added to the World Heritage List in 2004 in recognition of its role as one of the world’s major trading centres in the 18th and 19th centuries – and its pioneering dock technology, transport systems and port management.
• Before that, the first venue to be delisted by the UNESCO panel was the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman, in 2007, after concerns over poaching and habitat degradation.
• Another site to be removed from the World Heritage list in 2009 was Elbe Valley in Dresden, Germany, after the construction of the Waldschloesschen road bridge across the Elbe River.

Back2Basics: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area, selected by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance, which is legally protected by international treaties.
• The sites are judged to be important for the collective and preservative interests of humanity.
• To be selected, a WHS must be an already-classified landmark, unique in some respect as a geographically and historically identifiable place having special cultural or physical significance (such as an ancient ruin or historical structure, building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, mountain, or wilderness area).
• It may signify a remarkable accomplishment of humanity, and serve as evidence of our intellectual history on the planet.
• The sites are intended for practical conservation for posterity, which otherwise would be subject to risk from human or animal trespassing, unmonitored/uncontrolled/unrestricted access, or threat from local administrative negligence.
• The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 “states parties” that are elected by their General Assembly.

UNESCO World Heritage Committee

• The World Heritage Committee selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
• It monitors the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
• It is composed of 21 states parties that are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term.
• India is NOT a member of this Committee.

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In May this year, some pilgrims offered prayers inside the Martand Temple, an Archaeological Survey of India-protected (ASI) monument

About Martand Sun Temple

• The Martand Sun Temple is a Hindu temple located near the city of Anantnag in the Kashmir Valley.
• It dates back to the eighth century AD and was dedicated to Surya, the chief solar deity.
• The temple was destroyed by Sikandar Shah Miri in a bid to undertake mass conversion and execution of Hindus in the valley.
• According to Kalhana, the Temple was commissioned by Lalitaditya Muktapida in the eighth century AD.
• The temple is built on top of a plateau from where one can view whole of the Kashmir Valley.
• From the ruins the visible architecture seems to be blended with the Gandharan, Gupta and Chinese forms of architecture.

Why in news now?

• According to ASI, prayers are allowed at its protected sites only if they were “functioning places of worship” at the time it took charge of them.
• No religious rituals can be conducted at non-living monuments where there has been no continuity of worship when it became an ASI-protected site.

What are the living/non-living monument?

• If some activity, like any kind of worship, has been going on for years in the structure, then it is taken over as a living monument.
• But where no activity has taken place, say an abandoned building, then it is declared a dead monument.
• The latter is difficult to restore because it is generally covered by a lot of overgrowth.
• The best-known example of a living ASI monument is the Taj Mahal in Agra, where namaz is held every Friday.

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The Vice Chancellor of a renowned university recently criticized the Manusmriti, the ancient Sanskrit text, over its gender bias.

What is the news?

• The VC said that the Manusmriti has categorised all women as shudras, which is extraordinarily regressive.

What is Manusmriti?

• The Mānavadharmaśāstra, also known as Manusmriti or the Laws of Manu, is a Sanskrit text belonging to the Dharmaśāstra literary tradition of Hinduism.
• Composed sometime between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE, the Manusmriti is written in sloka verses, containing two non-rhyming lines of 16 syllabus each.
• The text is attributed to the mythical figure of Manu, considered to be ancestor of the human race in Hinduism.
• There has been considerable debate between scholars on the authorship of the text.
• Many have argued that it was compiled by many Brahmin scholars over a period of time.
• However, Indologist Patrick Olivelle argues that Manusmṛiti’s “unique and symmetrical structure,” means that it was composed by a “single gifted individual,” or by a “strong chairman of a committee” with the aid of others.

What is the text about?

(A) Social aspects

• The Manusmriti is encyclopaedic in scope, covering subjects such as the social obligations and duties of the various castes and of individuals in different stages of life.
• It seeks to govern the suitable social and sexual relations of men and women of different castes, on taxes, the rules for kingship, on maintaining marital harmony and the procedures for settling everyday disputes.
• At its core, the Manusmriti discusses life in the world, how it is lived in reality, as well as how it ought to be.

(B) Political aspects

• They argue that the text is about dharma, which means duty, religion, law and practice.
• It also discusses aspects of the Arthashashtra, such as issues relating to statecraft and legal procedures.
• The aim of the text is to present a blueprint for a properly ordered society under the sovereignty of the king and the guidance of Brahmins.
• It was meant to be read by the priestly caste and Olivelle argues that it would likely have been part of the curriculum for young Brahmin scholars at colleges.

What is its significance?

• By the early centuries of the Common Era, Manu had become, and remained, the standard source of authority in the orthodox tradition for that centrepiece of Hinduism, varṇāśrama-dharma (social and religious duties tied to class and stage of life)”.
• Indologists argue that it was a very significant text for Brahmin scholars — it attracted 9 commentaries by other writers of the tradition, and was cited by other ancient Indian texts far more frequently than other dharmaśāstra.

How did colonists consider this text?

• European Orientalists considered the Manusmṛiti to be of great historical and religious significance as well. It was the first Sanskrit text to be translated into a European language, by the British philologist Sir William Jones in 1794.
• Subsequently, it was translated into French, German, Portuguese and Russian, before being included in Max Muller’s edited volume, Sacred Books of the East in 1886.
• For colonial officials in British India, the translation of the book served a practical purpose.
• In 1772, Governor-General Warren Hastings decided to implement laws of Hindus and Muslims that they believed to be “continued, unchanged from remotest antiquity.
• For Hindus, the dharmasastras were to play a crucial role, as they were seen by the British as ‘laws,’ whether or not it was even used that way in India.

Why is it controversial?

• The ancient text has 4 major divisions: 1) Creation of the world. 2) Sources of dharma. 3) The dharma of the four social classes. 4) Law of karma, rebirth, and final liberation.
• The third section is the longest and most important section.
• The text is deeply concerned with maintaining the hierarchy of the four-fold varna system and the rules that each caste has to follow.
• Then, the Brahmin is assumed to be the perfect representative of the human race.
• While Shudras, who are relegated to the bottom of the order, are given the sole duty of serving the ‘upper’ castes.
• Some verses also contain highly prejudicial sentiments against women on the basis of their birth.
• There are many verses in the text that are considered highly controversial.

Dr. Ambedkar and Manusmriti

• On December 25, 1927, Dr B R Ambedkar had famously burned the Manusmṛiti, which he saw as a source of gender and caste oppression.
• However, he widely acknowledged that Manusmriti is NOT a religious decree but a social doctrine, manipulated since centuries to normalize oppression of the population.

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