Subject: Art and Culture

Why in the News?

Tiwa tribesmen recently celebrated Langkhun festival in Umsowai village in Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

About Langkhon Festival:

• Overview: A pre-harvest thanks-giving festival of the Tiwa tribe of Assam.
• Timing: Celebrated in October–November, just before the Rabi crop season.
• Core Belief: Involves worship of bamboo, seen as a symbol of prosperity and sustenance in Tiwa culture.
• Deities: Special prayers to Ramsa Devota and other local gods for crop protection, family welfare, and village prosperity.
• Ritual Practices: Include offerings, sacrifices, and prayers to drive away pestilence and evil forces and ensure a good paddy harvest.
• Duration: Celebrated for 2–4 days with active community participation.
• Traditional Dances: Langkhon dance, Moinari Khanthi, and Yangli form the cultural highlights.
• Folk Songs: Songs such as Lo Ho La Hai (naming, weddings, harvests) and Lali Hilali Lai (weddings) are integral to the festival.
• Games & Sports: Local games like Plasele and Sam Kava are organised, strengthening community bonds.

Why in the News?

PM extended wishes to the Odia-speaking communities on the occasion of Nuakhai.

About Nuakhai Festival:

• Meaning: Derived from “Nua” (new) and “Khai” (food); literally “new food”, marking the first consumption of freshly harvested rice.
• Region: Celebrated mainly in Western Odisha and also observed in parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand by Odia-speaking communities.
• Significance: Agrarian thanksgiving to deities, ancestors, and the earth; symbol of prosperity, good harvest, and family unity.
• Date: Observed on Bhadraba Sukla Panchami (5th day after Ganesh Chaturthi).
• Historical Roots: Traces to Vedic rituals of first grain offerings (Pralambana yajna); formalized in the 14th century by Raja Ramai Deo of Patna State, Sambalpur.
• Social Role: Strengthens community bonds; people greet with “Nuakhai Juhar”, reconcile disputes, and seek elders’ blessings.

Festivities and Cultural Elements:

• Preparations: Begin 15 days in advance; involve nine ritual steps (Navaranga) such as fixing the date, cleaning homes, harvesting grain, offering puja, and sharing food.
• Ritual Practice: Family head or priest performs puja, offering the first grain to the local deity, followed by distribution within the family.
• Cultural Celebrations: Sambalpuri folk dances like Rasarkeli, Dalkhai, Maelajada, Sajani; folk songs praising harvest and community spirit.

Why in the News?

For the first time, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced Indian classical music, dance, theatre, and visual arts into primary and middle school textbooks (Classes 3 to 8).

About Classical Arts in School Textbooks

• For the first time, NCERT has integrated Indian classical arts (music, dance, theatre, and visual arts) into textbooks for Classes 3 to 8.
• The reform aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which mandates rooting education in India’s ethos and cultural heritage.
• Music content includes swar, laya, shabd, Sanskrit shloka recitations, folk songs, ragas from Hindustani & Carnatic music.
• Dance content covers 8 classical dance forms — Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, and Sattriya.
• Draws from ancient texts like Natyashastra, Brihaddeshi, Sangita Damodara, Abhinaya Darpanam.
• Pedagogy: Emphasis on exposure, appreciation, and creativity rather than mastery. Includes storytelling, abhinaya (expressions), theatre, group performances.

Classical Dance Forms Mentioned:

Why in the News?

The Gugga Naumi festival was widely celebrated across northern states of India on 17th August.

About Gugga Naumi Festival:

• Festival: Folk religious celebration in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and northern states.
• Timing: Observed on the ninth day of Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapad month, usually after Janmashtami.
• Deity: Dedicated to Gugga (Gugga Pir / Gugga Zahir Pir / Guaaji), a Chauhan Rajput prince believed to control snakes.
• Tradition: Reflects syncretic worship by Hindus and Muslims, showcasing folk religiosity beyond formal religion.

Key Features:

• Duration: Begins on Rakhi and lasts nine days, with pilgrimages to Gugga Medi village in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan.
• Rituals: Garudas (snake charmers and healers) carry Gugga Pir’s Chahad (standard).
• Devotion: Pir ke Sole (songs) sung, fairs organised at shrines (Marhis).
• Depiction: Gugga shown riding a blue horse, with blue and yellow flags.
• Belief: Worshipped by mothers for children’s health, and by barren women for fertility blessings.

Why in the News?

Many legislators of the Goa Assembly across party lines demanded the legalisation of Dhiri Bull Fighting in Goa.

About Dhiri Bull Fighting:

• Overview: Goan sport where two bulls lock horns in paddy fields or grounds.
• Cultural Link: Associated with post-harvest feasts and church celebrations.
• Nature of Contest: Bulls push until one retreats; no matadors or killing involved.
• Event: Bulls given unique names, treated like local icons.
• Betting: High-stakes wagers involve locals and Goan diaspora.

Recent Controversy:

• Legal Ban: Banned in 1997 under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act after a fatality.
• Judicial Position: Supreme Court upheld the ban; events continue secretly.
• Political Push: Lawmakers (2024–25) seek legalisation for cultural/tourism value.
• Proposed Model: Advocates want regulated events, citing Jallikattu’s example.

Why in the News?

In recent years, community member few activists have emerged documenting and preserving Dard-Shin heritage.

About the Dard-Shin Tribe:

• Origin: Ancient Indo-Aryan group from migrations (2000–1500 BCE).
• Historical Mentions: Herodotus, Pliny, Ptolemy, Kalhana’s Rajatarangini.
• Homeland: Dardistan – Chitral, Yasin, Gilgit, Chilas, Bunji, Gurez Valley, Ladakh, N. Afghanistan.
• Political History: Chak dynasty ruled Kashmir for 25+ years in the 16th century before Mughal takeover.
• Current Location: Gurez (Bandipora, J&K), smaller clusters in Drass, Tulail, Chanderkote.
• Status & Language: Scheduled Tribe; speak Shina, distinct from Kashmiri.
• Population: ~48,440 (2011 Census).
• Livelihood: Farming, pastoralism, forest produce, handicrafts; tourism rising.

Cultural Significance:

• Heritage: Among the last Indo-Aryan groups in the Himalayas, preserving language and traditions.
• Historic Role: Gurez Valley – Silk Route link between Kashmir, Central Asia, Tibet.
• Traditions: Rich marriage customs, wool attire, juniper leaf burning for land purification.
• Architecture: Mix of ancient wooden style and modern influences; tools suited for mountain climate.
• Oral History: Migration legends, e.g., families from Gilgit to Ladakh.
• Religion: Islam, Buddhism, remnants of animism from cultural exchanges.

Why in the News?

A Ground Penetrating Radar survey in Topra Kalan, Haryana, has uncovered signs of a 1,500 BCE settlement, with painted grey ware (PGW), stamped pottery, moulded bricks, and a possible Buddhist stupa.

About Topra Kalan Excavation:

• Agencies: Haryana Archaeology and Museums Department with Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
• Method: Ground Penetrating Radar survey in January 2025 to map subsurface features without extensive digging.
• Purpose: Assess archaeological significance and preserve ancient heritage sites in Haryana.
• Location: Topra Kalan, Yamunanagar district — believed to be the original site of the Delhi-Topra Ashokan pillar moved by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century.
• Estimated Age: ~1,500 BCE, indicating continuous habitation and possible Buddhist presence.

Key Findings:

• Structures: Buried walls, platforms, and room-like enclosures at 4–5 m depth.
• Religious Feature: Dome-like structure possibly a Buddhist stupa.
• Material Culture: Painted grey ware, black-and-red ware, black-on-red ware, black ware, stamped pottery, moulded bricks, beads.
• Discovery Sources: Both official surveys and artifacts unearthed by locals during construction.
• Historical Links: Accounts by Sir Alexander Cunningham and Hiuen Tsang identify the site as a Buddhist centre.

Why in the News?

The 64th National Exhibition of Art (NEA), organized by the Lalit Kala Akademi, India’s National Academy of Art, was inaugurated in New Delhi.

About Lalit Kala Akademi:

• Establishment: Located in New Delhi, as an autonomous organisation.
• Inauguration: Launched on 5 August 1954 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Minister for Education.
• Legal Status: Granted statutory status in 1957 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• Funding: Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
• Structure: Operates through the General Council, Executive Board, and various Committees.
• Regional Centres: Present in Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, and Garhi (New Delhi).
• Functions:
  • Scope of Work: Promotes modern, contemporary, folk, and tribal visual arts of India.
  • Art Collection: Maintains a permanent collection of Indian visual art.
  • International Role: Facilitates global cultural exchange through international cultural agreements.

Key Events and Initiatives:

• National Exhibition of Art: Annual flagship event since 1955, showcasing artists from across India.
• 64th Edition (2025): Held from 5 August to 15 September at Kamani Auditorium and Lalit Kala Art Galleries, New Delhi.
• Triennale India: Major international art exhibition featuring global artists.
• Print Biennale India: Dedicated to printmaking; 3rd edition scheduled for 2025–26.
• Artist Promotion: Provides platforms for both emerging and established artists; strengthens India’s soft power through cultural diplomacy.

Why in the News?

The 155-year-old Patalpani–Kalakund heritage train services has resumed after a temporary halt.

About the Patalpani–Kalakund Heritage Line:

• Route: 9.5 km metre-gauge section between Patalpani and Kalakund in Madhya Pradesh.
• Section: Part of the Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow)–Khandwa route.
• Restoration Year: Revived in 2018 as a heritage line after being excluded from gauge conversion due to difficult terrain.
• Operational Details:
  • Average speed: 5–10 km/h.
  • Features scenic gorges, tunnels, embankments, Patalpani waterfall, and natural springs.
• Historical Origins:
  • Proposed by Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II in 1870.
  • First constructed as part of Holkar State Railways, completed in 1878.
  • Became part of Rajputana–Malwa Railway in 1881–82.
• Cultural Significance:
  • Patalpani station named after Tantia Bhil, a tribal revolutionary.
  • Kalakund station named after a local sweet delicacy.

Other Heritage Railways of India: