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Subject: History

  • Vaikom: A Symbol of Social Justice and Eradication of Caste Barriers

    Vaikom

    Central Idea

    • Vaikom is a town in Kerala, India, that became a symbol of social justice due to the temple entry movement launched in 1924, aiming to end the prohibition imposed on backward communities in using the roads around the Vaikom Mahadeva temple. The Kerala government has organized various cultural events to commemorate the movement and its significance in the state’s history. Tamil Nadu also observes the occasion, as announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, recognizing the role of Tamil leaders like Periyar E.V. Ramasamy in the movement’s success.

    Vaikom

    All you need to know about Vaikom Satyagraha

    1. Objective:
    • The primary goal was to end the prohibition on backward communities from using the roads surrounding the Vaikom Mahadeva temple, which symbolized the caste-based discrimination prevalent in society.
    • The movement sought to create a more inclusive society where people from all castes could access public spaces and religious sites without discrimination.
    1. Leaders:
    • Kerala:K. Madhavan, K.P. Kesava Menon, and George Joseph were prominent leaders from Kerala who initiated and guided the movement.
    • Tamilnadu: Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, then president of the Tamil Nadu Congress, played a crucial role in sustaining the movement and leading it to success.
    • Mahatma Gandhi: Mahatma Gandhi advised the movement leaders and helped in negotiating between the government, protesters, and orthodox Hindus.
    1. Significance:
    • Social equality and justice: The Vaikom Satyagraha was a groundbreaking non-violent protest that fought for social equality and justice, challenging the caste system in India.
    • Temple entry: The movement’s success paved the way for the temple entry proclamation of Kerala in 1936, which granted lower caste individuals the right to enter temples.
    • Fight against caste barriers: The Vaikom Satyagraha remains a symbol of the fight against caste barriers in India and the struggle for social justice.
    1. Challenges and Hurdles:
    • The movement faced repressive action from the government and the administration, with many protesters and leaders arrested during the course of the protest.
    • Orthodox Hindu traditionalists organized counter rallies marked by violence, aiming to suppress the movement and maintain the status quo.
    1. Outcome and Legacy:
    • The movement spanned 603 days, witnessing many significant events.
    • The Travancore princely state government eventually granted access to three of the four streets around the Vaikom temple, signaling the end of the protest.
    • The Vaikom Satyagraha continues to inspire the fight for equality and justice in India, serving as a reminder of the importance of challenging caste-based discrimination.

    Vaikom

    Periyar’s Role and the Movement’s Progress

    • Periyar E.V. Ramasamy played a significant role in leading the protest, earning him the title Vaikom Veerar (Hero of Vaikom).
    • The movement was marked by day-to-day protests, arrests, inquiries, jail terms, and agitations.
    • People from various communities participated in the movement, including the Akalis from Punjab, who traveled to Vaikom to supply food to the protesters.

    Vaikom

    Facts for prelims: Vaikom Satyagraha

    Aspect Details
    Time Period March 30, 1924 – November 23, 1925
    Objective End caste-based discrimination; Allow backward communities access to roads around Vaikom Mahadeva temple
    Key Leaders T.K. Madhavan, K.P. Kesava Menon, George Joseph, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, Mahatma Gandhi
    Significance Paved the way for temple entry proclamation of Kerala in 1936; Symbol of fight against caste barriers
    Challenges and Hurdles Repressive action from government and administration; Opposition from orthodox Hindu traditionalists
    Outcome and Legacy Access granted to three of the four streets around the Vaikom temple; Inspired continued fight for equality
    Commemoration Cultural events organized by the Kerala government; Observations in Tamil Nadu to recognize Tamil leaders’ role

     Conclusion

    • Vaikom is not just a name of a town but a symbol of social justice and the eradication of caste barriers. It is a significant part of the history of the social justice movement in India and continues to inspire the fight for equality and justice.

  • The Contested Legacy of Tipu Sultan and the Politicization of Historical Scholarship

    Tipu Sultan

    Central Idea

    • Tipu Sultan, a historical figure who continues to fascinate people even today, had a powerful hold on the imaginations of the British during his reign. His afterlife in India has been more mixed, with conflicting views and interpretations from different communities and stakeholders. However, in the currently overheated State of Karnataka, the province of the historian has severely shrunk, yielding place to politicians and religious heads who now adjudicate historical truth.

    Who was Tipu Sultan?

    • Tipu was the son of Haider Ali, a professional soldier who climbed the ranks in the army of the Wodeyar king of Mysore, and ultimately took power in 1761.
    • Tipu was born in 1750 and, as a 17-year-old, fought in the first Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69) and subsequently, against the Marathas and in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84).
    • Haider died while this war was on, and Tipu succeeded him in 1782

    Tipu Sultan’s portrayal in England

    • During his reign, Tipu Sultan was feared and envied by the British, who portrayed him as a formidable foe and used him as a metaphor in multiple art objects, skits, and plays.
    • The pictorial versions of his defeat and death satisfied a very British need, asserting a badly dented British valour following decades of Mysore opposition to easy conquest.

    Tipu Sultan’s afterlife in India

    • Contested legacy: In 19th century Mysore, Tipu was admired for his firm stand against the British and for his efforts to prohibit the use of alcohol and drugs. However, in Karnataka today, the only story that can be told about Tipu is of his villainy and his opposition to Kannada and Hindus (and some Christians) alike.
    • Politicization and suppression of viewpoints: The politicization of historical scholarship has resulted in conflicting interpretations and the suppression of certain viewpoints.

    Admiration for Tipu Sultan

    • Resistance against British colonialism: Tipu Sultan was known for his resistance against British colonialism and fought against the British East India Company in four Anglo-Mysore wars. He refused to accept British supremacy and formed alliances with the French to fight against them. His bravery and military tactics are admired by many.
    • Agricultural and economic reforms: Tipu implemented several agricultural and economic reforms in his kingdom, including the introduction of new crops, irrigation systems, and the construction of roads and canals. These reforms helped to improve the agricultural productivity and the overall economic condition of his kingdom.
    • Support for the arts and culture: He was a patron of the arts and culture and supported the development of literature, music, and architecture. He was known for his love for poetry and encouraged the development of the Urdu language.
    • Use of new military tactics: Tipu Sultan is credited with pioneering new military tactics, including the use of rockets and iron-cased warships. His use of rockets in particular gave him an advantage over the British, who were initially unprepared for his tactics.
    • Promotion of religious tolerance: Tipu Sultan abolished the jizya tax on non-Muslims and promoted interfaith dialogue and understanding. He had a diverse court that included Hindus, Muslims, and Christians, and he was known for his tolerance towards other religions.

    Criticism of Tipu Sultan

    • Religious policies: Tipu Sultan’s religious policies have been a subject of criticism, with some accusing him of being intolerant towards non-Muslims. He was known for his forced conversions of Hindus and Christians to Islam and the destruction of temples and churches. The destruction of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangapatna, which is said to be carried out on Tipu Sultan’s orders.
    • Treatment of prisoners of war: Tipu Sultan has been criticized for his treatment of prisoners of war, especially during the Third Anglo-Mysore war when he ordered the execution of several British prisoners.
    • Oppression of certain communities: Tipu Sultan’s oppression of certain communities, including the Kodava people of Coorg and the Nairs of Kerala, has been a subject of criticism. He imposed heavy taxes on these communities and forced them to convert to Islam.
    • Suppression of dissent: Tipu Sultan is known to have punished those who spoke out against his rule, including writers and poets. One example of this is the punishment of the poet Diwan Kurnool Srinivas, who was imprisoned and tortured for writing a satirical poem about Tipu Sultan’s rule.

    Facts for Prelims

    • Tipu Sultan had alliances with the French and Ottoman empires, and he had diplomatic relations with the United States.
    • He was also a supporter of the French Revolution and sent a delegation to Paris to learn about the principles of the revolution.
    • Tipu Sultan’s kingdom of Mysore was one of the few Indian states to have a coinage system independent of the Mughal Empire.
    • He was interested in science and technology, and he established a library and a centre for scientific research in his palace.
    • He is credited with introducing new crops and plants to his kingdom, such as the silk worm and the sandalwood tree.
    • Tipu Sultan was a polyglot and could speak Kannada, Persian, Arabic, and Urdu fluently.
    • Tipu Sultan was known for his innovative military tactics, such as the use of rockets and iron-cased warships.

    Conclusion

    • The contested legacy of Tipu Sultan highlights the importance of protecting historical scholarship from politicization and using it to promote understanding and dialogue instead of being weaponized for narrow political gains. The conflicting views and interpretations of Tipu Sultan’s legacy demonstrate the need for a nuanced and multi-perspective approach to history.

     

     

  • Places in news: Sharda Peeth

    sharda

    Home Minister said that the government will move forward to open Sharda Peeth on the lines of the Kartarpur corridor.

    Why in news?

    • Activists request that the Sharda Peeth corridor should be made operational on the lines of Nankana Sahib Gurudwaras and the Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan.

    Sharda Peeth

    • Sharda Peeth is a Hindu temple located in the Neelam Valley in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
    • It is considered one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, or major shrines, of the Hindu goddess Shakti.
    • The temple is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus, particularly those from the Kashmir Valley.

    History and Significance

    • The temple is believed to have been established in the 6th century CE by Adi Shankaracharya, a famous Hindu philosopher and saint.
    • Sharda Peeth became an important center of learning and scholarship during the medieval period, attracting scholars from all over India and even from as far as Central Asia.
    • The temple was destroyed several times by invading armies and underwent major renovations and restorations under various rulers over the centuries.
    • The temple’s importance declined during the colonial period and it fell into disrepair in the years following India’s partition in 1947.

    Current rundown state and Controversy

    • Sharda Peeth is now located in a remote and inaccessible part of Pakistan-administered Kashmir and has become a subject of political and religious controversy.
    • The Indian government has long sought to open a pilgrimage corridor to Sharda Peeth for Hindu devotees, but this has been complicated by the ongoing conflict and tension between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
    • In recent years, there have been calls for the temple to be handed over to India or for it to be converted into a museum that can be visited by people from both sides of the border.

    Significance in Kashmiri Identity

    • Sharda Peeth is an important part of Kashmiri Hindu identity and culture, and its restoration and revival have been a longstanding demand of the community.
    • Some Kashmiri Pandits view the temple as a symbol of their lost homeland and argue that its restoration would be a step towards reclaiming their cultural and religious heritage.
    • Others, however, caution against politicizing the temple and argue that it should be seen as a shared heritage of all Kashmiris, regardless of their religious or political affiliations.

     

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  • The Decolonization Drive: Monuments of National Importance Reflects Bharat’s history

    Central Idea

    • The decolonization drive started by the present government in India to change the British mindset of those responsible for writing history books, which led to the neglect of important monuments and archaeological sites. The Economic Advisory Council’s report on Monuments of National Importance, which he sees as a significant step in the right direction for the preservation and designation of monuments that reflect Bharat’s history. There are some anomalies in the list of monuments of national importance and suggests changes in the way India looks at the preservation of monuments.

    What are the recommendations given by the report?

    • Rationalise and evolve criteria for India’s list of monuments: The report underlined the urgent need to rationalise India’s list of monuments of national importance and recommended that the ASI should evolve substantive criteria and a detailed procedure for declaring monuments to be of national importance.
    • Book of detailed information: ASI should publish a book of notifications with detailed information about each MNI’s provenance, hand over protection and upkeep of monuments of local importance to respective states and denotify to the extent possible, all standalone antiquities like cannons and statues.
    • Funds: Allocation of funds for the preservation of MNI should be increased and ASI should retain the proceeds generated from revenue streams like tickets, events, fees and other sources.

    Neglect of Monuments and Archaeological Sites in Post-Independence India

    • Inadequate efforts: After India’s independence, little effort was made to correct the British mindset of those responsible for writing history books, which resulted in the neglect of monuments and archaeological sites.
    • British view of India: History books continued to teach the history of India’s defeats and its enemies’ victories, which perpetuated the British view of India.

    The Decolonization Drive under the present Government

    • National Heroes: The present government led by PM Modi started the decolonisation drive to bring out the sagas of King Suheldev, Rani Durgavati, and Lachit Barphukan, among others.
    • For example: The government highlighted the story of the founder-king of Delhi, Anangpal Tomar, and declared the neglected Anang Tal as a monument of national importance.
    • Names, sites, insignia of national importance: The government also held national and international events at the Sindhu-Saraswati site of Dholavira and unveiled a new Shivaji-era inspired naval insignia.

    Significance of this Report

    • The Economic Advisory Council’s report on Monuments of National Importance is a significant step in the right direction.
    • The report will bring a whiff of fresh thinking in the direction of preserving and designating monuments that reflect Bharat’s history.
    • All the recommendations made by the report can be implemented without amending the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act and need only executive orders.

    Anomalies in the List of Monuments of National Importance

    • There are some anomalies in the list of monuments of national importance.
    • There is not a single monument connected with the struggles of Dalits and B R Ambedkar’s life that has been declared a national monument.
    • Some monuments, like Tota-Maina ki Qabar and Dadi Poti ka Gumbad, have no history, and nobody knows whether they should be declared as Monuments of National Importance.
    • Therefore, all agencies working on monuments be unshackled from the British slave mindset and given into the hands of those who know their subject.

    Conclusion

    • There is hope that the Bibek Debroy-Sanjeev Sanyal report will bring a whiff of fresh thinking in the direction of preserving and designating monuments that reflect Bharat’s history. There is the need for an Archaeological Foundation to preserve the civilizational and revolutionary monuments of India.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the recommendations given by the Economic Advisory Council’s report on Monuments of National Importance and its significance in preserving and designating monuments that reflect Bharat’s history.

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  • Antiquities abroad: What Indian, international laws say

    antiq

    Central idea: Indian authorities are pushing for restitution of stolen antiquities and ancient religious artefacts.

    What is an antiquity?

    • An antiquity is defined by the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 as-
    1. Any coin, sculpture, painting, epigraph or other work of art or craftsmanship;
    2. Any article, object or thing detached from a building or cave;
    3. Any article, object or thing illustrative of science, art, crafts, literature, religion, customs, morals or politics in bygone ages;
    4. Any article, object or thing of historical interest that has been in existence for not less than one hundred years.
    • For manuscripts, records or other documents of scientific, historical, literary or aesthetic value, this duration is not less than seventy-five years.

    What do international conventions say?

    • The UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property defined “cultural property” as the property designated by countries having “importance for archaeology, prehistory, history, literature, art or science.”
    • The Convention further stated that “the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property is one of the main causes of the impoverishment of the cultural heritage of the countries of origin of such property and that international co-operation constitutes one of the most efficient means of protecting each country’s cultural property.”
    • The General Assembly of the UN and the UN Security Council in 2015 and 2016 also raised concerns about the illicit international traffic of cultural items and related offenses.
    • An INTERPOL report in 2019 indicated that almost 50 years after the UNESCO convention, the illicit international traffic of cultural items and related offenses is increasingly prolific.

    What do Indian laws say?

    • In India, Item-67 of the Union List, Item-12 of the State List, and Item-40 of the Concurrent List of the Constitution deal with the country’s heritage.
    • The Antiquities (Export Control) Act was passed in April 1947 to ensure that no antiquity could be exported without a license.
    • The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act was enacted in 1958.
    • The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 (AATA) was implemented on April 1, 1976, after an uproar in Parliament over the theft of a bronze idol from Chamba and some important sandstone idols from other places.
    • Under the AATA, it is not lawful for any person other than the Central Government or any authorized agency to export any antiquity or art treasure, and no person shall carry on the business of selling or offering to sell any antiquity except under and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a license granted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

    What is the provenance of an antiquity?

    • Provenance includes the list of all owners from the time the object left its maker’s possession to the time it was acquired by the current owner.

    How is ownership proved?

    • The requesting party needs to furnish, at its expense, the documentation and other evidence necessary to establish its claim for recovery and return, according to the UNESCO 1970 declaration.
    • In India, the first thing in order to prove ownership is the complaint (FIR) filed with the police. In many cases, there is no FIR for missing antiquities.
    • However, other proof such as details mentioned by reputed scholars in research papers can also be helpful.

    How to check for fake antiquities?

    • Every person who owns, controls or is in possession of any antiquity shall register such antiquity before the registering officer and obtain a certificate in token of such registration under section 14(3) of the AATA.
    • The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities, launched in March 2007, has registered
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  • Who were Alluri Sitharama Raju and Komaram Bheem?

    raju

    A Telugu movie with its story and characters rooted in the lives of Indian freedom fighters Alluri Sitharama Raju and Komaram Bheem is garnering attention on the global stage.

    Who was Alluri Sitharama Raju?

    • Raju is believed to have been born in Andhra Pradesh in 1897 or 1898.
    • He is said to have become a sanyasi at the age of 18 and gained a mystical aura among the hill and tribal peoples with his austerity, knowledge of astrology and medicine, and his ability to tame wild animals.
    • At a very young age, Raju channelled the discontent of the hill people in Ganjam, Visakhapatnam, and Godavari into an effective guerrilla resistance against the British.

    Advent into revolutionary activities

    • Colonial rule threatened the tribals’ traditional podu (shifting) cultivation, as the government sought to secure forest lands.
    • The Forest Act of 1882 banned the collection of minor forest produce such as roots and leaves, and tribal people were forced into labour by the colonial government.
    • While the tribals were subjected to exploitation by muttadars, village headmen commissioned by the colonial government to extract rent, the new laws and systems threatened their way of life itself.
    • Strong anti-government sentiment, shared by the muttadars who were aggrieved by the curtailment of their powers by the British, exploded into armed resistance in August 1922.

    Contribution to freedom struggle

    • The Rampa or Manyam Rebellion continued in the form of a guerrilla war until May 1924, when Raju, the charismatic ‘Manyam Veerudu’ or Hero of Jungle, was finally captured and executed.
    • The Rampa Rebellion coincided with Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement.
    • Raju often talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi, said he was inspired by the Non-Cooperation Movement, and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.
    • But at the same time, he asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of force, not non-violence.

    Who was Alluri Sitharama Raju?

    • Raju is believed to have been born in Andhra Pradesh in 1897 or 1898.
    • He is said to have become a sanyasi at the age of 18 and gained a mystical aura among the hill and tribal peoples with his austerity, knowledge of astrology and medicine, and his ability to tame wild animals.
    • At a very young age, Raju channelled the discontent of the hill people in Ganjam, Visakhapatnam, and Godavari into an effective guerrilla resistance against the British.

    Advent into revolutionary activities

    • Colonial rule threatened the tribals’ traditional podu (shifting) cultivation, as the government sought to secure forest lands.
    • The Forest Act of 1882 banned the collection of minor forest produce such as roots and leaves, and tribal people were forced into labour by the colonial government.
    • While the tribals were subjected to exploitation by muttadars, village headmen commissioned by the colonial government to extract rent, the new laws and systems threatened their way of life itself.
    • Strong anti-government sentiment, shared by the muttadars who were aggrieved by the curtailment of their powers by the British, exploded into armed resistance in August 1922.

    Contribution to freedom struggle

    • The Rampa or Manyam Rebellion continued in the form of a guerrilla war until May 1924, when Raju, the charismatic ‘Manyam Veerudu’ or Hero of Jungle, was finally captured and executed.
    • The Rampa Rebellion coincided with Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement.
    • Raju often talked of the greatness of Mahatma Gandhi, said he was inspired by the Non-Cooperation Movement, and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.
    • But at the same time, he asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of force, not non-violence.

    And who was Komaram Bheem?

    • Komram Bheem was born in the Gond tribal community at Sankepally village in Komarambheem District, which was renamed after him in 2016.
    • Bheem’s family’s land was occupied by a jagirdar who was an informer of the Nizam, which led to him killing the jagirdar in a fit of rage.
    • To avoid authorities, he went to Assam and worked as a labourer in coffee and tea plantations for five years.
    • Despite being illiterate, Bheem learned to read and write and became aware of movements like Birsa Munda’s.

    Resistance against the Nizam government

    • The Nizam government collected taxes in the name of “Bambram” and “Dupapetti” from people grazing cattle and collecting firewood for cooking.
    • Bheem spread the message of “Jal, Jangal, Zameen” among tribal people in opposition to this tax collection.
    • He trained tribal people to fight with weapons, and villages in Adilabad were ready with the help of a guerrilla army composed of Gond and Koya communities’ men.

    Death and legacy

    • Despite their efforts, Nizam’s army overwhelmed the tribal resistance.
    • Bheem died at their hands in the Jodeghat forest.
    • Bheem’s message of “Jal, Jangal, Zameen” has become a clarion call for indigenous people’s rights to natural resources, used in many parts of India to date.
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  • What are Oscar Awards?

    oscar

    A notable Indian song and a documentary has won the Oscar Award this year.

    What are Oscar Awards?

    • The Oscar Awards, also known as the Academy Awards, are an annual awards ceremony honouring excellence in the film industry.
    • The awards are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), a professional honorary organization of over 9,000 members.
    • The first Oscars ceremony was held in 1929, and the awards are now widely considered to be the most prestigious awards in the film industry.
    • The ceremony typically takes place in late February or early March, and is broadcast live on television in over 225 countries and territories worldwide.

    How are the winners decided?

    • Awards are given out in various categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and many more.
    • Nominees and winners are chosen by AMPAS members who work in various branches of the film industry, including actors, directors, writers, and producers.
    • Winning an Oscar can have a significant impact on a filmmaker’s career, as it is widely seen as a mark of prestige and can lead to increased funding and opportunities for future projects.

     

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  • Yaoshang festival begins in Manipur

    yaoshang

    The Yaoshang festival, which is Manipur’s version of Holi, has begun.

    Yaoshang Festival

    • Yaoshang festival is celebrated every year on the full moon of Lamta (February-March) of the Meitei lunar calendar.
    • It begins just after sunset followed by Yaosang Mei thaba, also known as Burning of the Straw Hut.
    • Children visit neighbours to ask for monetary donations, called nakatheng.
    • Yaoshang, unlike Holi, is celebrated with a traditional twist in Manipur.
    • During these five days, Manipur comes alive with sporting events during the day and traditional “thabal chongba” dance in the night.

    Key feature: Thabal Chongba Dance

    • The thabal chongba is a traditional dance of the Meitei, where boys and girls gathered in an open ground and dance in a circle.
    • But these days thabal chongba is performed throughout the month of Lamta.

     

     

     

  • Assam’s Maidams meet UNESCO technical requirements for heritage centre

    maidam

    Assam’s pyramid-like structures known as moidams or maidams have met all the technical requirements of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre.

    Charaideo Maidams

    • The Charaideo maidams represents the late medieval (13th-19th century CE) mound burial tradition of the Tai Ahom community in Assam.
    • The Ahoms preferred to place the departed family members at Charaideo where the first king Sukapha was laid to rest.
    • The historical chronicles inform that wives, attendants, pet animals and huge quantity of valuables were buried with the departed kings.
    • The Charaideo Maidams enshrine the mortal remains of the members of the Ahom royalty, who used to be buried with their paraphernalia.
    • After the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation and began entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Maidam at Charaideo.
    • Out of 386 Maidams explored so far, 90 royal burials at Charaideo are the best preserved, representative of and the most complete examples of mound burial tradition of the Ahoms.

    Architecture details

    • Architecturally it comprises a massive underground vault with one or more chambers having domical superstructure.
    • It is covered by a heap of earthen mound and externally it appears a hemispherical mound.
    • At the top of the mound a small open pavilion chow-chali is provided.
    • An octagonal dwarf wall encloses whole maidam.

     

    Ahoms Dynasty

    • The Ahom, also known as the Tai-Ahom, are an ethnic group from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in India.
    • This ethnic group is made up of interbred descendants of the Tai people, who first came to Assam’s Brahmaputra valley in 1228, and indigenous people who later joined them.
    • Sukaphaa, the Tai group’s leader, and his 9000 supporters founded the Ahom empire (1228–1826 CE), which ruled over part of modern-day Assam’s Brahmaputra Valley until 1826.
    • Charaideo, more than 400 km east of Guwahati, was the first capital of the Ahom dynasty founded by Chao Lung Sukaphaa in 1253.
    • The current Ahom people and culture are a mix of the ancient Tai people and culture, as well as indigenous Tibeto-Burman people and cultures that they assimilated in Assam.

     

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  • Women’s Role In Constitution Building

    Women

    Central idea

    • The process of drafting our Constitution during Partition and after a long period of colonization was a magnificent and dynamic process. Despite being part of the Assembly, voices and contributions of women have been neglected and overshadowed. The riveting work by Achyut Chetan,” The Founding Mothers of the Republic” published by Cambridge University Press in 2022 serves as a means of rectifying this historical omission and giving due credit to the women who played a crucial role in shaping India’s democracy.

    Women

    Women In constitutional Assembly

    • When the Constitution was completed, there were 11 women members of the Constituent Assembly who signed onto it.
    • These drafters were G Durgabai, Ammu Swaminathan, Amrit Kaur, Dakshayani Velayudhan, Hansa Mehta, Renuka Ray, Sucheta Kripalani, Purnima Banerjee, Begum Qudsiya Aizaz Rasul, Kamala Chaudhri and Annie Mascarene.
    • The Constituent Assembly first met on December 11, 1946 and had 169 sessions before all its members signed the document on January 24, 1950

    How do we know what happened in the Constituent Assembly?

    • Constituent Assembly Debates (CAD) is the only source: A rich but by no means the only source is the 12 volumes of the Constituent Assembly Debates (CAD), consisting of speeches made by members and the amendments to the draft articles.
    • CAD misses no. of reports and notes pf various committes: However, what the CAD does not have are the reports and notes of the various committees of the CA.
    • For instance: Much groundbreaking work was done in the Advisory Committee (chaired by Vallabhbhai Patel), which in turn had two sub-committees the Fundamental Rights Sub Committee and the Minorities Sub-Committee.

    Women

    Role of Women in the constituent assembly

    • Hansa Mehta and Amrit kaur: Hansa Mehta and Amrit Kaur were on the Advisory Committee, with both being members of the Fundamental Rights Sub Committee and Kaur serving also on the Minorities Sub-Committee.
    • G Durgabai: G Durgabai occupied effective positions on two important committees on procedural affairs The Steering Committee and the Rules Committee.
    • Women were highly active: Women members were present and highly active on almost all significant committees and subcommittees.
    • Women members often faced disrespect and discrimination: For instance, Renuka Ray opposed the clause on the Right to Property which put the compensation given within the purview of courts. During the debates on the floor of the Assembly too she was constantly interrupted and heckled even by the men of the eminence and tried to deride their amendments
    • Women members made their opinions known and stood firm: In the settings of the committees they wrote notes of dissent, Amrit Kaur and Hansa Mehta wrote notes of dissent against decisions that relegated the uniform civil code to the non-justiciable rights, allowed the state to impose conscription for compulsory military service, at each stage when the committees made their official recommendations to the higher bodies of the Assembly

    Women

    For Instance: Views of Dakshayani Velayudhan on reservation

    • Dakshayani Velayudhan, the only woman member from the Scheduled Castes communities, argued against reservations.
    • She refused by saying “to believe that 70 million Harijans are to be considered as a minority and argued that reservations would not be in the best interests of them.
    • She also argued that “the working of the Constitution will depend upon how the people will conduct themselves in the future, not on the actual execution of the law. When this Constitution is put into practice, what we want is not to punish the people for acting against the law, but for the state to take on the task of educating citizens for a transformation.”

    The present status of Women representation in politics worldwide

    • Representative governments increased but women count remains low: According to UN Women, as of September 2022, there were 30 women serving as elected heads of state and/or of government in 28 countries (out of a total of 193 UN member states).
    • Dichotomy in active participation: There is the dichotomy between the rapid increase of women’s participation as voters in elections and other political activities, and the slow rise of female representation in Parliament.
    • Global average women representation: As of May 2022, the global average of female representation in national parliaments was 26.2 percent.
    • Above average representation: The Americas, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa have women’s representation above the global average;
    • Below average representation: Asia, the Pacific region, and the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region, are below average.
    • Varied representation within Asian countries:
    • The South Asian countries faring worse than the others.
    • IPU data of May 2022 showed that women’s representation in Nepal, for example, was 34 percent, in Bangladesh 21 percent, in Pakistan 20 percent, in Bhutan 17 percent and in Sri Lanka 5 percent.
    • For India, women’s representation in the Lok Sabha (the Lower House) has remained slightly below 15 percent.
    • The study does not include Afghanistan, but World Bank data of 2021 stated that female representation in the country’s last parliament was 27 percent.

    Women

    Conclusion

    • As we approach 75 years of our Constitution, it’s time for scholars, teachers, students, lawyers, judges and all others who engage with our constitution-making efforts to look to sources that tell a more complete story of our drafters. The quiet women and the more visible men should both be recalled, for their roles and their contributions. That would be an accurate telling of how our founding document came to be.

    Mains Question

    Q. The role of women in constitution making has often been neglected. In light of this illustrate the participation of women during India’s constitution making process.

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