Different forms of traditional theatre

Bhavai

• It is a traditional theatre form of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Kutch and Kathiawar are the main centres of this theatre form.
• It is a synthesis of devotional and romantic sentiments.
• It consists of dance to narrate series of small plays known as Vesha or Swanga.
• It is accompanied by semi-classical music.
• Bhungal, tabla, pakhaawaj, rabaah, sarangi, manjeera etc.

Nautanki

• Nautanki is popular in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is an offshoot of Swang.
• It is mentioned in Abu Fazl’s Ain-e-Akbari.
• The theme is based on historical, social and folk tales, delivered through dance and music.
• Kanpur, Lucknow, and Hathras are the most popular centres of this theatre form.
• Dialogues are delivered in a lyrical fashion accompanied by drum beats called Nagara.

 

Rasleela

• It is a theatre form popular in Uttar Pradesh.
• It depicts the legends of Lord Krishna.
• In this theatre form, dialogues are in pros combined with songs and scenes from the pranks of Krishna.

Bhand Pather

• It is a traditional theatre form of Kashmir.
• It consists of unique combinations of dance, drama, and acting.
• Surnai, Nagara, and dhol are the instruments used in this theatre form.
• It is mainly performed by the farming community, reflecting their ideas and way of living.

Swang

• It is a popular theatre form of Punjab and Haryana.
• It is mainly a musical drama sung through verses.
• Ektara, Harmonium, Sarangi, Dholak, and Kharta are the instruments used in it.
• Rohtak and Haathras are the two important style in this theatre form.

Maach

• Maach is a theatre form of the region of Malwa in Madhya Pradesh.
• The term Maach is used for the stage as well as the play.
• It is based on mythological themes and later romantic folks tales were also included.
• Songs are given importance between the dialogues in this theatre form.
• Dialogues in this form are called Bol and Ryhm in narration is termed as Vanag.
• Tune of the theatre is known as Rangat.

Ankia Naat

• It is a theatre form present in the state of Assam.
• It was started by Shankaradeva and his disciple Mahadeva in the 16th century A.D.
• Cultural glimpses of Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Mathura, and Brindavan can be seen this theatre form.
• The narration begins with a story in Sanskrit and later switch to Brajboli or Assamese.
• the narrator called as Suthradhar is accompanied by a group of musicians known as Gayan-Bayan Mandali who play the ‘Khol’ and cymbals.
• Use of Masks to depict special expression is one of the unique features of this theatre form.

Dashavatar

• It is the most developed theatre form of Konkan and Goa.
• The ten incarnation of Lord Vishnu– the god of preservation and creativity are personified by the performers.
• Apart from makeup, performers wear a mask of wood and papier mache.

Krishnanattam

• It is a folk theatre form of Kerala.
• It came into existence in the 17th century under the patronage of Calicut king Manavada.
• It narrates the birth, childhood pranks and various deeds depicting victory of good over evil by Sri Krishna.
• It is performed for eight consecutive days.
• Different plays are Avataram, Kaliamandana, Rasa Krida, Kamasavadha, Swayamvaram, Bhanayudham, Vivida Vadham, and Swargarohana.

Yakshagana

• It is the oldest theatre form popular in Karnataka.
• It emerged in the Vijayanagara empire and was performed by Jakkula Varu community.
• It is a descriptive dance drama.
• It is presented from dusk to dawn.
• The stories are drawn from Ramayana, Mahabharata and other epics from both Hindu and Jain tradition.

Therukooth

• Therukooth is a popular folk drama of Tamil Nadu.
• Therukooth means “street play”.
• It is performed during the annual temple festival of Mariamman(Rain God) for a rich harvest.
• It plays various themes and one the theme is based on Draupathi in Hindu epic Mahabharata.
• It is a combination of song, music, dance, and drama.
• Harmonium, drums, and cymbals are the instrument used in it.

Koodiyattam

• It is Sanskritic theatre tradition of Kerala.
• Chakyaar(actor), Nambiar(instrumentalist) and Nangyaar( those taking woman’s role) are the main characters of Koodiyattam.
• The main protagonists are Suthradhar(narrator) and the Vidushak(jesters). Dialogues are delivered by Vidushak alone.
• Hand gestures and eye movements are the features of this theatre form.

Villu Paatu

• It is a musical theatre popular in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• Villu Paatu means bow-song.
• In this, using a bow-shaped instrument, the stories of Ramayana are narrated.

Mudiyettu

• Mudiyettu is a traditional folk theatre of Kerala.
• It is performed in the month of Vrichigam. ie November-December.
• It is performed only in Kali Temple as a presentation to Goddess.
• It is a part of Bhadrakali cult. It depicts the triumph of Goddess Bhadrakali over the asura Darika.
• Mudiyettu is performed by Marar and Karuppu community.
• Shiva, Narada, Darika, Danavendra, Bhadrakali, Kooli, and Koimbidar are the seven charaters of Mudiyettu.
• In 2010, Mudiyettu was inscribed in the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity after Koodiyattam

Some of the other important theatre forms are Kala of Vaishnaite tradition, Bhuta in Karnataka, Daskathia in Odisha, Garodas in Gujarat, Jatras in Eastern India, Kariyila in Himachal Pradesh, Powda in Maharashtra, Burra Katha in Andhra Pradesh, Bayalata in Karnataka and Kuruvanji in Tamil Nadu.

Dear students,

We understand that the UPSC exam is a generalist exam. It’s more important to cover more issues than to cover one issue in more depth. Hence, through Samachar Manthan, we are trying to maintain a fine balance of covering many important news items and having a detailed discussion on selected topics which require the same. On daily basis a news gets repeated multiple times. Scattered knowledge is not adequately useful when you have to write a 200 words answer within 6-7 minutes. To handle this, Samachar manthan covers such issues in a comprehensive and consolidated manner which is the smart strategy.

Benefits of Samachar Manthan

• Packed 3 – 3.5 hours Weekly videos will focus on news and its importance from both prelims and mains perspective.
• This program will also help you understand how to utilize current affairs in all your prelims and mains papers.
• This ideology makes this course the best utilization of your time.
• Detailed coverage would mean analysis from all the angles like background or history, features, significance, challenges and way forward. Also, multiple sources like epw, diplomat magazine etc will be referred to in the video lectures.
• Such an approach will help in writing multidimensional answers.
• Also which part of the topic is important from mains and prelims perspective will also be discussed.
• Audio Visual Learning is more impactful than simply glancing through the material. So that you are able to retain information for long also interlink with any new information you get.
• 4 stage structure of Video->Notes->testing->review to perfect your preparation
• The sequence of video->Notes->testing->review is the best way to ensure maximum retention and a rock solid preparation. Each component of the program has been meticulously crafted.

For example this week, we will be covering the following issues;

Economics
[op-ed snap] Slowing down fast: Industrial growth
Renewable Energy Certificates
[op-ed snap] Hard landing: Jet Airways’ temporary halt
[op-ed snap] Capital gains

Enviro & Biodiversity
[pib] Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific (RCAP) Congress
Long Period Average: The IMD yardstick for determining rainfall
Western Disturbances
The Face of Disasters 2019 Report
[op-ed snap] Humanise the law

Governance
India short of 6 lakh doctors, 2 million nurses: U.S. study
Explained: What Supreme Court said on petition to disqualify tainted candidates
[op-ed snap] The ethical act of voting
[op-ed snap] The Lack of a Legal Status for the Model Code of Conduct Leaves Room for Ambiguity
CSIR plans genome sequencing to map population diversity
[op-ed snap] A manifesto for health

International Relations
Bhutan govt to place bill for ratification of BBIN initiative at its upper senate
[op-ed snap] Indian elections, South Asian concerns
External Affairs Ministry sets up Indo-Pacific Wing
China backs “Wuhan spirit” despite differences on BRI
[op-ed snap] A bad deal

Polity
[op-ed snap] Level-playing field matters
How Justice Chandrachud’s dissent on Aadhaar influenced Jamaica ruling
[op-ed snap] Indelicate imbalance
[op-ed snap] Sealed disclosure
[op-ed snap] The legacy of Ambedkar
Voting rights of undertrials and convicts

Science Tech
CSIR plans genome sequencing to map population diversity
Saturn’s moon Titan has 100-m deep methane lakes
Universe’s first molecule detected in space

Security Issues
India successfully test-fires Sub-sonic cruise Missile Nirbhay

Trivia
Explained: History behind Notre Dame- Soul of the French nation

 

And these issues will be covered in detail

• Genome Sequencing
• Wuhan Spirit
• Loc Trade Suspension
• Industrial Growth
• Aviation Sector Concerns

So to be thorough in your preparation and to have an integrated approach, join Samachar Manthan here.

 

Technology and Energy Security

Report name – Technical Cooperation Report

Issuing agency – IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)

 

Report name – Nuclear Technology Review

Issuing agency – IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)

 

Report name – Safety Reports

Issuing agency – ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)

 

 

Report name – Global Innovation Index

Issuing agency – Cornell University INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

 

Report name – World Energy Outlook (WEO)

Issuing agency – International Energy Agency

 

Report name – Southeast Asia Energy Outlook

Issuing agency – International Energy Agency

 

Report name – OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report

Issuing agency – OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries )

 

Report name – World Oil Outlook

Issuing agency – OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

 

Report name – World Intellectual Property Report (WIPR)

Issuing agency – WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)

 

 

Report name – Global Information Technology Report

Issuing agency – WEF (World Economic Forum)

 

Report name – The Energy Report

Issuing agency – WWF (World Wildlife Fund)

 

Social development

Report name – Global Wage Report

Issuing agency – ILO (International Labour Organization)

 

Report name – World Employment and Social Outlook

Issuing agency – ILO (International Labour Organization)

 

Report name – World Social Protection Report

Issuing agency – ILO (International Labour Organization)

 

Report name – Global Hunger Index

Issuing agency – Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide

 

Report name – World Happiness Report

Issuing agency – Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

 

 

Report name – Global Corruption Report (GCR)

Issuing agency – Transparency International

 

 

Report name – Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report

Issuing agency – UN Inter-agency Group

 

 

Report name – The State of the World’s Children reports

Issuing agency – UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund )

 

 

Report name – Report on Regular Resources

Issuing agency – UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund )

 

Report name – The Global Report

Issuing agency – UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). To read more about UNHCR, click here and here.

 

Report name – State of world population

Issuing agency – UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund)

 

Report name – Global education monitoring Report

Issuing agency – UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

 

Report name – Global Gender Gap Report

Issuing Agency – World Economic Forum (WEF)

 

 

Report name – Human Capital Report 2016

Issuing agency – World Economic Forum

 

Security Issues

Report name – World Wildlife Crime Report

Issuing agency – UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)

 

 

Report name – World Drug Report

Issuing agency – UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)

 

Report name – Global Report on Trafficking in Persons

Issuing agency – UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)

 

Report name – Reports on Counterfeiting and Organized Crime

Issuing agency – UNICRI (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute)

 

Report name – Global Money Laundering Report

Issuing agency – FATF (Financial Action Task Force)

1.Why India wants to study human microbiome

Background

1. From November 19 to 22, Pune hosted an international conference on microbiome research- a field of study that is still in its infancy in India.
2. That could be set to change, with a proposed project that would study and map the human microbiome across the country.

What is human microbiome?

1. The human body carries diverse communities of microorganisms, which are mainly bacterial. These are referred to as “human microbiome”.
2. These organisms play a key role in many aspects of host physiology, ranging from metabolism of otherwise complex indigestible carbohydrates and fats to producing essential vitamins.
3. Not all microbiomes are harmful. They help maintaining immune systems and acts as a first line of defense against pathogens.

Scope for Research

1. Research on the human microbiome has thrown light on various aspects how different parts of the human body are occupied by characteristic microbial communities.
2. It throws light on how various factors contribute in shaping the composition of the microbiome, including the genetics, dietary habits, age, geographic location and ethnicity.
3. These studies laid a strong foundation to decipher the microbiome’s implications on health and a wide range of diseases.

Indian Microbiomes are Unique

1. Scientists at NCSS have conducted a meta-analysis on intestinal microbiota (community of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms) of healthy Indian individuals and compared it with that of individuals from other parts of the world.
2. It shows that the Indian population harbours a distinct gut microbial community, which, scientists calls for an in-depth investigation of the Indian microbiome.

2.A universal flu vaccine identified

Potential vaccine for flu

1. Scientists have identified a potential universal influenza vaccine that could protect people against most strains of the virus
2. The candidate vaccine elicited a strong antibody response to a structure on the surface of flu viruses, called the hemagglutinin (HA) stalk
3. It has the potential to be developed into a universal flu vaccine, which — unlike the current seasonal flu vaccines — could be given a few times over a lifetime to provide protection potentially similar to a tetanus vaccine.

3.Hybrid pixel detector technology (Medipix3)

The next wave in medical imaging

1. The hybrid pixel detector technology which the Large Hadron Collider used to track accelerated particles has been used to produce the first three-dimensional colour images of the human body
2. A chip of the Medipix family developed by CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, has been used to take colour see-through images of body parts which are a generation ahead of the currently available technology

Current technologies and their shortcomings

1. The traditional radiological practices are complementary
2. Techniques based on X-rays suffer from the deficit that they can sharply visualise only hard tissues
3. The shadows of soft tissues are less precise
4. Blood vessels and other conduits are imaged with invasive dyes
5. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a slightly different picture, based on the difference in water and fat content in tissues
6. Positron emission tomography (PET) finds widest use in oncology

New Technology and its advantages

1. The Medipix3 promises a single solution superior to its predecessors
2. Using algorithms to model very accurate spectroscopic data in three dimensions, it shows all tissues with equal clarity, in colour
3. In the case of a fracture, for instance, not only would it show physical damage to a bone — which is what an X-ray depicts — but it would also reveal trauma to surrounding tissue and reveal if blood and nerve supply is compromised
4. Also, it would depict structures exactly as they are, and not all of us are built exactly the same
5. In the near future, when medical care will be customised to the individual, this exactitude would make a difference to the efficacy of care
6. If a complete image of a human were taken by a future iteration of this technology, it might even be possible to 3D print a lost limb or a malfunctioning organ
7. Researchers have already used Medipix to image cancerous tissue, bones and joints and the blood supply to the heart.

 

4.Rajasthan institute comes up with new sheep insemination technique

New insemination technique for sheep

1. Scientists at the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSWRI), Avikanagar, have come up with a new laparascope-assisted insemination technique for sheep

Why important?

1. The new technique has resolved the difficulties involved in freezing of semen and inability to transit the tortuous reproductive tract of the ruminant mammals kept as livestock
2. The success with frozen semen in the sheep was earlier very low because of its poor freezability

How can the new technique help?

1. The new technique would help achieve up to 60% survival in the birth of lambs and would have an immense potential for rapid multiplication of elite germplasm
2. As many as 40 females can be inseminated from a single ejaculate using the technique
3. The new technique’s invention would be of great help in the breed improvement programmes.

5.IIT-Roorkee scientists develop app to monitor patients at risk of heart failure

Mobile app for monitoring Heart Failure

1. IIT Roorkee have developed a mobile app that can remotely monitor patients at risk of heart failure and provide them with medical assistance
2. Name of the app: ‘Dhadkan’ 

Particulars of the app

1. It can automatically send notifications to both the doctor and the patient, in case of any drastic changes in patient’s data indicating possibility of imminent heart failure
2. The mobile app has been designed to be ‘easy-to-use’ so that people in rural areas can also benefit
3. The app also provides for two-way communication between doctors and patient
4. In addition, patients have the freedom to send ECG reports to the doctor if needed

Working

1. It collects patient’s data (at any desired interval) on blood pressure, heart rate, and weight, and transmits it to the authorized caregiver (a doctor, nurse or paramedic) who is linked to the patient during the initial registration

6.Scientists report previously-unrecognised anatomical structure in the human body

 

Connective tissue proteins discovered

1. Researchers have reported a previously unrecognised structure in the human body which may have implications in the mechanisms of major diseases
2. The study reveals that layers below the skin’s surface, which were long thought to be dense, connective tissues are instead interconnected, fluid-filled compartments
3. This series of spaces, supported by a meshwork of strong (collagen) and flexible (elastin) connective tissue proteins, may act like shock absorbers that keep tissues from tearing as organs, muscles, and vessels squeeze, pump, and pulse as part of daily function

How is this new find helpful?

1. These anatomic structures may be important in cancer metastasis, oedema, fibrosis, and mechanical functioning of many or all tissues and organs
2. This finding has potential to drive dramatic advances in medicine, including the possibility that the direct sampling of interstitial fluid may become a powerful diagnostic tool.

7.In Haryana, the making of an Indian brain template

Database of brain images

1. A group of scientists is preparing a one-of-its-kind database of brain images that, when compiled together, could result in a so-called Indian Brain Template (IBT)
2. The research is being carried out at National Brain Research Centre (NBRC)

Usefulness of IBT

1. It will serve as a guide to neuroscientists and surgeons, who have so far based their knowledge of intricate brain anatomy on Caucasian models
2. Scientists will be looking out for the quantity of a molecule called glutathione, an antioxidant known to help repair cell damage
3. Reduced glutathione concentrations in the parietal cortical region — near the back of the brain near where the skull bulges — may help predict Alzheimer’s disease.

8.Electricity from soil bacteria and reading lights from plants

Generating electricity from plants and microbes

1. A group of researchers at the Wageningen University in the Netherlands has hit upon a method that generates electricity from living plants and the microbes
2. These microbes live beneath plants in the soil, where the plants drop their roots

Plant microbial fuel cells

1. The plant does photosynthesis, using sunlight, water, and atmospheric carbon dioxide, generating food in the form of carbohydrates and oxygen for our breathing
2. The microbes in the soil use some of this organic material coming out of the plants into the ground, metabolize them and, in the process, generate carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions and electrons
3. While the plant above the ground does photochemistry, the bacteria beneath do electrochemistry, generating positive and negative ions
4. Scientists have placed positive and negative electrodes in appropriate positions and obtained an electric current, just as we do with batteries
5. This method of producing electricity is through what is termed as plant microbial fuel cells (PMFC)

Advantages

1. The method is completely natural and environment-friendly
2. It needs no externally added material and is part of a cyclic process in nature

Making plants glow

1. A firefly glows because it has an enzyme that converts a molecule called luciferin into oxyluciferin, and the energy released in this reaction comes out in the form of visible light
2. The enzyme is called luciferase
3. Plants do not have luciferin or luciferase
4. If we can somehow inject into a plant luciferin and luciferase, perhaps the plant too will emit light
5. The technology of nanoparticles is being experimented to do this