Art & Culture

ART & CULTURE
Index
1.Art and architecture

1. World capital of Architecture
2. National War Memorial
3. Bharati script
4. Sharda script
5. Sanauli- Archaeological Site
6. Stucco sculpture
7. Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat (Meghalaya)
8. Markandeshwar Temple In Maharashtra
9. Iron Age settlement in the Vidarbha region
10. Indus Valley Civilization
11. Sangam Civilization (Older Than Thought)
12. Ancient Burial site of Chalukyas
13. Scientists excavate „Ancient River‟ in Uttar Pradesh
14. Excavation in Gottiprolu
15. Sisseri River bridge connecting Dibang Valley and Siang in Arunachal Pradesh.
16. South India„s Earliest Sanskrit Inscription
17. Nagardhan Excavations
18. Kumbhabhishekam at Brihadeshwara Temple
19. Konark Sun temple
20. Dholavira-A Harappan City„ and „Monuments & Forts of Deccan Sultanate‟
21. Chaukhandi stupa
22. Suranga Bawadi
23. Bibi Ka Maqbara
24. Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda caves
2.Festivals
1. Makaravilakku Festival Season
2. Garia Puja festival
3. Vishu, the Malayalam New Year
4. Thrissur Pooram
5. Ambubachi Mela
6. Lord Jagannath Car Festival
7. Navroz and Van Mahotsav
8. Festival of Nuakhai
9. Bathukamma Festival
10. Shirui Lily Festival
11. Hornbill Festival
12. Nagoba Jatara Festival
13. Zo Kutpui Festival (Mizoram)
14. Surajkund International Crafts Mela
15. Lai Haraoba festival
3.Music and dances,Paintings,languages and literature

● Konyak dance
● Ghumot to get Heritage Instrument Tag
● Haka dance
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● Pattachitra painting
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● Pullikali art
DELHI: VIJAY NAGAR 9717380832 & OLD RAJENDER NAGAR 9811293743 | JAIPUR: 8290800441
BENGALURU: KORMANGALA 7619166663 & CHANDRA LAYOUT 7619136662 | BHOPAL: 7509975361
PATNA: 7463950774 | INDORE: 7314977441 | RANCHI: 9939982007 | www.ksgindia.com
ART & CULTURE
● KiLiki Language
● Kambala
● Bagru block printing
● Assamese Bhaona
● Khon ramlila
● International Year of Indigenous Languages
● Republic day 2020 tableaux
● Tulu language
4.Historical personalities and events

1. Guru Padmasambha
2. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
3. Salt Satyagraha Memorial
4. Battle of KanglaTongbi
5. Sri Vedanta Desikan
6. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
7. Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat
8. Vaidyaratnam, Shri P.S. Varier
9. Some Lesser Known Freedom Fighters
10. Tipu sultan
11. ParamahansaYogananda (125th birth anniversary)
12. Battle of Sinhagad
13. Skandagupta Vikramaditya
14. Satnami Rebellion
15. Guru Ravidas
16. Veer Savarkar
17. Thiruvalluvar
18. Battle of Panipat
19. Paika rebellion
20. Swami Shraddhanand
21. Lord Curzon
22. Dara Sikoh
23. Nehru-Liaquat pact
24. Guru Nanak
25. Asfaqullah khan
26. Jayaprakash Narayan
5.Awards
1. Gandhi peace prize
2. Seol peace prize
3. Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman
4. Bharat ratna award
5. Sardar Patel National Unity Award
6. Ramanujan prize
7. The Nobel Prize in Literature 2019
8. Nobel peace prize 2019
6.Miscellaneous
1. Kumbha mela
● Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage from India
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2. Dard Aryans
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3. Bharat Rang Mahotsav
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4. World‟s Largest Bhagwat Gita
5. Kandhamal Haldi
6. Orchha town of Madhya Pradesh
7. Abujh Maria Tribe of Chhattisgarh
8. “Find the Incredible You” campaign
9. Indian Side of Kailash Mansarovar on Tentative List of world Heritage site of India
10. Palani Panchamirtham gets GI tag and other GI tags
11. Pashmina Product Received BSI Certification
12. Sowa Rigpa Medicine practice system of Himalayas
13. UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)
14. Asiatic Society, Mumbai
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ART & CULTURE
Art and Architecture

1. World capital of Architecture
● The United Nation Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has
named the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro as the World Capital of Architecture for
2020.
● The city will also host the next UIA(International Union of Architecture) world congress,
which is held every three years.
● Through the initiative of the World Capital of Architecture, UNESCO and the UIA are
joining forces to develop urban solutions for the benefit of future generations through
culture.
● As part of the programme, Rio de Janeiro will host several events on the theme "All the
worlds. Just one World" and promote the 11th goal of the Sustainable Development
Agenda for 2030: "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and
sustainable‖.
● Rio will be the first city to receive the title under a programme launched together by
UNESCO and UIA.
Note: The UIA(International Union of Architecture) is an international representative body for

architects. The organization also manages international design competitions for significant
buildings.
2. National War Memorial
It has been built as a tribute to the soldiers killed during the Indo-China War in 1962, the Indo-
Pak Wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, the Kargil Conflict in 1999, and the Indian Peace Keeping
Force Operations in Sri Lanka.
Features:
● The National War Memorial will have a new 'eternal flame' positioned at the bottom of the
stone-made obelisk (The existing eternal flame at the Amar Jawan Jyoti will continue to
burn).
● It draws inspiration from the 'Chakravyuh' formation.
● The names of 25,942 war casualties have been inscribed on 16 walls of the National War
Memorial.
● The main structure has been built in the form of four concentric circles, each chakra
signifying different values of the armed forces
● The Amar Chakra (circle of immortality): The 'Amar Chakra' comprises a15-metre tall
obelisk and the eternal flame.
● The Veerta Chakra (circle of bravery): The 'Veerta Chakra' is about the six important
battles of the army, air force and navy, which have been depicted in bronze.
● The Tyag Chakra (circle of sacrifice): The 'Tyag Chakra' holds the names of about 25,700
battle casualties which have been written on a 1.5 metre wall.
● The Rakshak Chakra (circle of protection): The outermost tier is the 'Suraksha Chakra',
comprising 695 trees depicting 'standing soldiers guarding.
● Adjacent to the main complex lies a tribute to the 21 Param Vir Chakra with a bronze
bust.
Source:https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-
national-war-memorial-in-delhi-1464404-2019-02-25
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ART & CULTURE
3. Bharati Script
Why in News?
A team from IIT Madras has developed a method for reading documents in Bharati script using a
multi-lingual optical character recognition (OCR) scheme.
About Bharati Script: Bharati script is a unified script for nine Indian languages (Devanagari,
Bengali, Gurmukhi, Gujarati, Oriya, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil) developed by a
team from IIT Madras. Bharati is being proposed as a
common script for India.
4. Sharda script : The Sharada script evolved from Gupta Brahmi in the 9th century AD. In its
earlier forms it was widespread over the northwest parts of the Indian subcontinent and was the
progenitor of the Gurmukhi script, but later it became restricted to Kashmir, where it was the
principal means of writing until the 20th century.
5. Sanauli- Archaeological Site
Why in News?
A recent excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India at Sunauli has unearthed several
fascinating artifacts, including two wooden legged coffins with skeletons.
Features:
● The site is dated back to 2100-1900 BC -to a culture that was contemporary to the late
phase of the mature Harappan period.
● These artifacts belong to the Copper Hoard Culture and the Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP)
Culture.
● The Copper Hoard and OCP cultures were urban cultures found around the second
millennium BC and these excavations reveal a great deal about their ways of living and
burying the dead.
● These cultures are different from the Harappan or Indus Valley civilization since they have
different making techniques for pottery and beads, as well as distinct burial.
6. Stucco sculpture
Why in News?
A life-sized stucco sculpture from a Buddhist site at Phanigiri in Suryapet (Telangana) was
unearthed recently sculpture. It is the biggest stucco sculpture found in the country so far. The
life-size figurine found in the excavations is thought to represent one of Bodhisattva in Jataka
Chakra.
Details
● Apart from the life-sized stucco, these excavations brought to light a Mahastupa,
apsidal chaitya grihas, votive stupas,pillared congregation halls, viharas, platforms with
staircases at various levels, sculptural panels with Brahmi inscriptions, belonging to
Satavahana period from first century BC, continued with Mahayana till the end of
Ikshvaku period in the third-fourth century AD.
7. Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat (Meghalaya)
Why in News?
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To preserve the geological site and raise awareness, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) recently
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installed geological display boards at Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat, Sobhar in East Khasi
ART & CULTURE
district of Meghalaya. Meghalaya has a unique geological history of more than 2,000 million
years.
About Mawmluh Cave:

● High resolution stable isotopic studies of the stalagmites from the Mawmluh cave showed
that there was a major climatic event about 4,200 years ago.
● The stalagmite in the Mawmluh cave has now been tagged as a global boundary stratotype
section and point.This is the first formally ratified marker of a geological time period in
India.
About Therriaghat: It marks the cretaceous paleogene mass extinction event.
8. Markandeshwar Temple in Maharashtra
● Known as the “Khajuraho of Vidarbha situated on the bank of River Wainganga in

district Gadchiroli of Maharashtra.
● The temples belong to the Saiva,Vaishnava and Sakta faith.
● It belongs to the Nagara style of temple.
● Most of the temples have a simple plan with ardha mandapa, mandapa, antarala,
garbhagriha.
● The most striking feature of this temple is the large scale destruction caused on the main
shrine (garbhagriha) and the very first recordings made by Alexander Cunningham states
that about 200 years ago the shikhara of the main shrine and maha mandapa was
struck by a lightning which led to the partial collapse of the shikhara (the finial, north
and south facade).
● The restoration of the temple was done by the Gond ruler 120 years ago.
9. Iron Age settlement in the Vidarbha region
Why in News?
The recent excavation carried out by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at

Maharashtra‘s Phupgaon has revealed evidence of an Iron Age settlement in
the Vidarbha region.
Pre connect:
● The excavations by ASI in Phupgaon, a region in the Amravati district, have unraveled
houses, remains and other associated features like hearth, postholes and artefacts.
● The site is situated in the vast meander of the river Purna, a major tributary of Tapi.
● ASI is of the view that the excavation at Phupgaon has provided important insights into
Iron Age people of Purna river basin. The remains of a sedentary village settlement
possibly dating back to the Iron Age in Maharashtra Vidarbha region. The site is
chronologically placed between 7th and 4th century BCE.
10. Indus Valley Civilization
Why in News?
A professor of Harvard Medical School, David Reich, in partnership with Indian archaeologist
Vasant Shinde and other experts studied skeletal DNA from Rakhigarhi, an Indus Valley
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Civilisation (IVC) site.

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ART & CULTURE
The report was titled “An Ancient Harappan Genome Lacks Ancestry from Steppe Pastoralists
or Iranian Farmers”.
Highlights of report
● Woman whose skeleton was found consisted of DNA from two different lineages i.e
Andamanese tribe and ancient Iranians.
● Ancient DNA evidence reveals that the people of the mysterious and complex Indus Valley
Civilization are genetically linked to modern South Asians today.
● The same gene sequences, drawn from a single individual who died nearly 5,000 years ago
and was buried in a cemetery near Rakhigarhi, also suggest that the Indus Valley
developed farming independently, without major migrations from neighbouring farming
regions.
● The study of DNAs from 11 other IVC sites showed a missing Aryan gene from the
indigenous population — highlighting that the Aryan migration to the region happened
after the IVC declined.
11. Sangam Civilization (Older Than Thought)
Why in News?
Six carbon samples collected from Keezhadi, Tamil Nadu, the Sangam-era site, have been found
to belong to 580 BC suggesting that the urbanisation of Vaigai plains happened earlier than
thought, around the 6th century BC.
About findings
● By analyzing six carbon samples at the Keezhadi site it was proved that the Keezhadi
samples could be dated between the 6th century BC and 1st century AD.
● It also proves that the Tamil Brahmi script originated in the 6th century BC. It suggests
that People were either literate or at least knew the art of writing as early as the 6th
century BC.
● The results of the analysis showed that the species such as ox, cow, buffalo, goat were
used for agriculture. The cut marks found on the skeletal remains of goat and wild boar
suggested that they were consumed.
● The report suggested that people then mainly depended on agriculture and cattle rearing
Sangam Age and Literature
● The Sangam Age in South India is a landmark in her history. The Tamil
Sangam was an academy of poets and bards who flourished in three different
periods and in different places under the patronage of the Pandyan kings.
● Sangam literature can be divided into two groups- narrative and didactic. The
narrative texts are called Melkannakku while the didactic texts are called
Kilkanakku.
● The narrative texts glorify heroes and perpetual wars and cattle raids are
frequently mentioned.
● The didactic texts cover the early centuries of the Christian era and prescribe
a code of conduct not only for the king and his court but also for the various
social groups and occupations.
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12. Ancient Burial site of Chalukyas
Why in News?
Recently some inscriptions have been found on an ancient temple at Huligemma Kolla near
Pattadakal that probably belongs to the Chalukya dynasty.
About the temple
● The temple may have once been the royal burial site of the Chalukya dynasty.
● There are eleven temples with lingas which were usually placed on top of a cremation site.
● Another linga without the tower has an inscription stating that the place served as the
funerary casket bearing shrine of Vikramaditya-II.
About Chalukyas
● The Chalukya Dynasty was a powerful Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of
southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th century C.E.
● The earliest dynasty, "Badami Chalukyas", ruled from their capital Vatapi (modern
Badami) from the middle of the 6th century.
● There was efficient administration, overseas trade and commerce and the development of a
new style of architecture called "Chalukyan architecture".
13. Scientists excavate „Ancient River‟ in Uttar Pradesh
Recently, the Union Water Ministry has excavated an old, dried-up river in Prayagraj (formerly
Allahabad) that linked the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
had conducted excavations under Saraswati Project since 2003 at different sites. But this report
concluded that evidence from palaeochannels suggested that the mythological Saraswati River did
indeed exist. The aim is to develop it as a potential groundwater recharge source, according to
officials at the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
What are Palaeochannels?
Palaeochannels are remnants of once active rivers/streams or in other words, are paths
abandoned by rivers when they change their course either due to movement of tectonic plates or
severe floods and cut new ones.
14. Excavation in Gottiprolu
Why in News?
The excavation by Archaeological Survey of India at Gottiprolu near Naidupeta in Nellore (now
renamed as Sri Potti Sriramulu) district, Andhra Pradesh has discovered the remains of a huge
settlement surrounded by a massive brick Enclosure.
Highlights
● The site of Gottiprolu lies on the right bank of a distributaries of river Swarnamukhi.
● The excavation revealed the presence of brick-built structures in different sizes and forms.
● The most outstanding discovery is of a massive sized brick enclosure wall at the southern
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part of the mound.
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● The small rectangular brick tank is also found near the inner lining of the curved brick
structure.
● Apart from the excavated remains, one of the most major finds was the discovery of a
buried Vishnu sculpture from the western part of the village.
Major Findings of ASI
Stone Vishnu Idol
● Subsequent excavations conducted around the image revealed it to be a life size image of
Vishnu measuring about 2 meters in height.
● It displays a four-armed Vishnu standing over a pedestal carrying chakra and conch in his
upper right and left hands respectively.
● The lower right is in bestowing boon and the left hand in katihastha (resting on the hip)
posture.
● The iconographic feature like the elaborate headgear, thick holy thread and decorative
drapery dates it to the Pallava period (circa 8th cent. CE).
Terracotta Female Figurine:
● It is the molded female terracotta figurine with two hands lifted upwards.
● Interesting pottery finds are the base of conical jars placed at the eastern side of the
structure. Such conical jars are widely distributed in Tamil Nadu and considered to be an
imitated variety of Roman Amphorae jars.
● Other major retrieved antiquities unearthed are copper and lead coins, iron spear head,
stone celts, terracotta beads, ear stud in semi precious stone and hopscotches. The
ceramic assemblage of the site consisted of fine quality black and red ware collected from
the lower levels, conical jars, rouletted sherds, russet coated ware etc.
15. Sisseri River bridge connecting Dibang Valley and Siang in Arunachal Pradesh.
● It is a 200-metre long bridge that will provide connectivity between Dibang Valley and
Siang and would cut down the travel time from Pasighat to Roing by about five hours.
● The Sisseri River Bridge provides connectivity to Tinsukia via Dhola-Sadiya Bridge. It was
constructed by Project Brahmank of Border Roads Organisation (BRO). This bridge will be
a part of Trans Arunachal Highway.
16. South India„s Earliest Sanskrit Inscription
Why in News?
Archaeological Survey of India recently has discovered the earliest epigraphic evidence so far for
the Saptamatrika cult. The discovery was made in Chebrolu village in Guntur district of
Andhra Pradesh. It is also the earliest Sanskrit inscription to have been discovered in South
India (Andhra Pradesh) as on date.
Pre connect:
● Saptamatrikas are a group of seven female deities worshipped in Hinduism as

personifying the energy of their respective consorts.
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● The inscription is in Sanskrit and in Brahmi characters and was issued by Satavahana
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king Vijaya in 207 A.D.
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● There are references of Saptamatrika worship in the early Kadamba copper plates and the
early Chalukyas and Eastern Chalukya copper plates. But the new discovery predates
them by almost 200 years.
● So far, the Nagarjunakonda inscription of Ikshvaku king EhavalaChantamula issued in
his 11th regnal year corresponds to the 4th century A.D. was considered the earliest
Sanskrit inscription in South India.
● The place also yielded another inscription which is in Prakrit language and of Brahmi
characters and belongs to the 1st century A.D.
17. Nagardhan Excavations
Why in News?
Recent archaeological excavations at Nagardhan in Ramtek taluka, near Nagpur,

have provided concrete evidence on the life, religious affiliations and trade practices of the
Vakataka dynasty that ruled parts of Central and South India between the third and fifth
centuries (A.D).
Pre connect:
● The Nagardhan Fort stands south of present-day Nagardhan village.

● This was constructed during the Gond Raja period and later renovated and re-used by the
Bhonsles of Nagpur during the late 18th and 19th centuries.
● There were assumptions that the excavated site of Nagardhan is the same as
Nandhivardhan, the capital city of the eastern branch of the Vakatakas. It was after
archaeological evidence from here that Nagardhan was understood to have served as a
capital of the Vakataka kingdom.
● Scholars say archaeologists who had previously excavated the site had not done detailed
documentation; thus an archaeological exploration was needed. During the joint
excavations carried out by archaeologists some new facets of the life of the Vakatakas have
emerged.
● Besides, the scholars have traced archaeological evidence revealing the dynasty‗s religious
affiliations — the types of houses and palaces of the rulers, coins and sealings circulated
during their reign, and their trade practices.
18. Kumbhabhishekam at Brihadeshwara Temple
Why in News?
The ‗kumbhabhishekam‘ (consecration) of the 1,010-year-old BrihadeshwarTemple

was held after 23 years.Consecration ceremony is generally performed when new idols are
installed in a Temple. The kumbhabhishekam or sprinkling of holy water marks the end of the
ritual.
Pre-Connect:
● The Great Living Chola Temples were built by kings of the Chola Empire. The UNESCO
site includes three great 11th and 12thcentury Temples: the Brihadisvara Temple at
Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara
Temple at Darasuram.
● Brihadeshwara Temple at Thanjavur (By Chola King Rajaraja I (985 –1020 CE)).The most
impressive aspect of the Brihadeshwara temple is its vimana,which reaches to a height of
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sixty meters.
● The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, is famous for its bronze sculptures including
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that of Bhoga Shakti and Subramanya.The Brihadisvara temple at
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Gangaikondacholapuram (By Rajendra I (1012-1044 CE)).
● The Airavatesvara temple at Thanjavur (by the Chola king Rajaraja II (1143-1173
CE.))The Airavatesvara temple complex at Darasuram features a 24-m vimana and a stone
image of Shiva. The front mandapa known in the inscriptions as Rajagambhiran
tirumandapam, is unique as it was conceptualized as a chariot with wheels.
Hampi
● Hampi was the last capital of the Vijayanagar empire (14th – 16th century AD) and is
located at the bank of Tungabhadra river.
● The first capital of the Vijayanagar Empire was Anegundi which is also situated on the
bank of river Tungabhadra.
● By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world‗s second-largest medieval-era city after
Beijing, and probably India‗s richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and
Portugal.
● The Group of Monuments at Hampi is a UNESCO world heritage site.
● Virupaksha Temple is the oldest and the principal temple in Hampi with its inception in
the 7th Century AD.
● The Vittala Temple in Hampi was built in the 15th century AD. It is famous for its large
stone chariot (which is also used in Konark and Mahabalipuram temples). Another feature
of the Vittala Temple is the 56 musical pillars also known as SaReGaMa pillars.
● The Vittala temple represents the culmination of Vijayanagara temple architecture with
associated buildings like Kalyana Mandapa and Utsava Mandapa.
● Vijayanagara architecture is also known for its adoption of elements of Indo Islamic
Architecture in secular buildings like the Queen‗s Bath and the Elephant Stables,
representing a highly evolved multi-religious and multi-ethnic society.
Some recent additions to UNESCO world heritage site list
● Rani-Ki-Vav at Patan, Gujarat (2014)

● Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (2014)
● Archaeological Sites of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda Bihar (2016)
● Khangchendzonga National Park (2016)
● The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (2016)
● Historic City of Ahmedabad (2017)
● Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (2018)
● Jaipur City, Rajasthan (2019)
19. Konark Sun temple
● It is a 13th-century CE Sun temple attributed to king Narasinga Deva I of the Eastern

Ganga Dynasty.
● It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Also called the Surya Devalaya, it is a classic
illustration of the Odisha style of Architecture or Kalinga Architecture. It is also known as
Black Pagoda.
Some other Sun Temples in India
● Sun Temple, Modhera (Gujarat): Built during the rule of Bhima I of the Chalukyan
Dynasty in 1026-27 CE.
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● Sun Temple, Martand (Jammu and Kashmir): Built during the rule of Karkota dynasty in
the 8th century.
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20. Dholavira-A Harappan City„ and „Monuments & Forts of Deccan Sultanate‟.
Why in News?
Government of India has submitted two nomination dossiers namely ‗Dholavira:

A Harappan City and ‗Monuments & Forts of Deccan Sultanate‘ for inclusion in the World
Heritage List for the year 2020.
About Dholavira-A Harappan City:
● Dholavira is the largest well-preserved Harappan city in Gujarat. It was excavated by R.S
Bisht in 1985.
● Dholavira, belonging to the urban phase, represents the easily recognizable face of the
Indus civilization. With its sheer size and fabulous architectural remains, Dholavira has
few parallels among the Indus cities.
● This major Harappan city is remarkable for its exquisite planning, aesthetic architecture,
amazing water management system, fortification wall etc.
About Monuments and Forts of Deccan Sultanate
● The Deccan Sultanate capitals characterise an ensemble of royal, religious, funerary

monuments (tombs and mausoleums), defence structures commissioned for the royal
citadel and urban quarters.
● The Deccan Sultanates were five dynasties that ruled Bijapur, Golconda, Bidar,
Ahmadnagar and Berar. The Kingdoms became independent in the late 15th and early
16th century as the Bahmani Sultanate broke up.
● The Kingdoms were taken over by the Mughals in the 17th century. Their architecture is
predominantly Indo-Islamic, with influences from Persia and central Asia.
● The contributions of the Deccan Sultanate to the arts and architecture of India is
impressive with iconic Indo Islamic monuments constructed in Gulbarga, Bidar, Bijapur
and Hyderabad.
● Individually, each of the components of Deccan Sultanate cover important aspects of
Sultanate history with Gulbarga evolving as the first capital of Bahmani Kingdoms in
mid14th Century CE including its impressive fortifications, Jami Masjid and royal
tombs; Bidaras the next Bahmani capital in mid15th Century CE; further evolution of the
Deccani Sultanate style by Adil Shahi dynasty in the monuments at Bijapur such as the
Gol Gumbaz that standsas the 2nd largest dome in world history; and the final
diversification and manifestation of the style in the Qutb Shahi monuments of Golconda
fort, tombs and the Charminar at Hyderabad.
21. Chaukhandi Stupa
Chaukhandi Stupa is a huge mound of brick –work whose square edifice is surrounded by an
octagonal tower. The Stupa was built during Gupta Period between 4th to 6th century A.D. The
site has great significance for the Buddhists devotees as this is the place where Lord Buddha met
his first five disciples after attaining enlightenment.
Source : http://uttarpradesh.gov.in/en/details/chaukhandi-stupa/320034003400
22. Suranga Bawadi
Why in News?
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Recently Suranga Bawadi was included on the World Monument Watch list.
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Pre connect:
● The monument has been selected under the ‗Ancient Water System of the Deccan Plateau‘
by World Monuments Fund [the NGO], which monitors restoration of ancient monuments
across the globe.
● It is an integral part of the ancient Karez system of supplying water through subterranean
tunnels built during the Adil Shahi era in Vijayapura.
Source:https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/suranga-bawadi-on-world-
monument-watch-list/article29947854.ece
23. Bibi Ka Maqbara
● The Bibi Ka Maqbara was commissioned by Aurangzeb in 1660 in the memory of his wife
Dilras Banu Begum.
● The structure, known as the ‗Taj of the Deccan‘ because of its striking resemblance to the
Taj Mahal.
● It is in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
Source:https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/marble-domes-of-aurangabads-
bibi-ka-maqbara-to-get-new-glow/article30490750.ece
24. Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda caves
● Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda are two Buddhist caves which are situated near a village
called Sankaram in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is believed that the caves were constructed
between the 4th and 9th century A.D. It was the period when all the Buddhism ideology-
Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana flourished at Sankaram.
● It is believed that around 2000 years ago, Buddhist monks used to worship on the hill
since it was known as Buddhuni Konda. Literally, it means the hill of the Buddha and in
due course of time, it began to be known as Bojjannakonda.
● In Bojjannakonda some of the caves have sculptured panels which consist of seated
Buddha statues and his attendants.
● Lingalakonda caves consist of a large number of rock-cut small stupas forming the shape
of a ridge. It is recorded that when the excavation was conducted, a large number of
antique Buddha statues and Buddhist relics were recovered.
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FESTIVALS
1. Makaravilakku Festival Season
● It is an annual festival held at Sabarimala temple Kerala on Makar Sankranti.
● Makara vilakku is a light lit at Ponnambalamedu, a plateau across the Sabarimala shrine.
● Makar jyothi is a star that appears in the sky on makar sankaram,when the Sun moves
from dhanu rashi (Sagittarius) to Makara Rasi (Capricorn).
● According to beliefs, Lord Ayyappa affirms himself as Makarajyoth to bless his followers.
2. Garia Puja festival: Garia Puja is a Puja done by the tribes of the Tripura state. This festival is
celebrated as a harvest festival by the ethnic tribes and celebrations are done during March-April.
3. Vishu, the Malayalam New Year:Vishu is the Hindu New Year of Kerala which follows the
solar cycle of the lunisolar as the first day of month called Medam.
● The word Vishu, which means 'equal' in Sanskrit, ushers in spring equinox. Lord Krishna
is worshipped on this day.
● Vishu coincides with Baisakhi (Sikh New Year), Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year),
Bohag Bihu (Assamese New Year) and Puthandu (Tamil New Year).
● New Year in Vikram Samvat starts from the first day of Chaitra Shukla Paksha which
roughly falls around 21/22 march.
4. Thrissur Pooram:
● The name Thrissur is derived from ―Thiru-Shiva-Perur‖, which literally translates to ―The
city of the Sacred Siva‖
● Thrissur Pooram, Kerala‘s most extravagant temple festival.Thrissur Pooram festival was
started in the 18th century by Raja Rama Varma, the ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin.
● He was also known as the SakthanThampuran who played a vital role in shaping Thrissur
city and making it Kerala‘s cultural capital.
5. Ambubachi Mela
 It is a 4 day festival celebrated to mark the annual menstruation of goddess Kamakhya
(Sati) at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, Assam.
 The Kamakhya Temple is situated on the Neelanchal Hill in Guwahati.
 It is believed that Mother Goddess Sati‘s(consort of Shiva)womb and genital fell here
when she burnt herself to death.
 The temple is regarded as one of the Shaktipeeth and an important shrine for the
Tantric sects.
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6. Lord Jagannath Car Festival
● The world famous Car Festival of Lord Jagannath is held on' Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya'
the 2nd day of the bright fort-night of Ashadha (July) takes place every year attracts huge
crowds across the world in puri, odisha.
● This festival is popularly known as Ratha Yatra, Gundicha Yatra and also Ghosha Yatra
Nandighosha‘, the chariot of Lord Jagannath having 16 wheels is the largest of the three
chariots. The second chariot is of Lord Balabhadra and is known by the name
‗Taladhwaja‘. The third and the last chariot is of goddess Subhadra and is called
‗Devadalana‘.
● The temple is called „Yamanaka Tirtha‟ where, according to the Hindu beliefs, the power
of ‗Yama‘, the god of death has been nullified in Puri due to the presence of Lord
Jagannath.
7. Navroz and Van Mahotsav
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8. Festival of Nuakhai
● Nuakhai Juhar is a harvest festival of Odisha. Nuakhai is a combination of two words,

'nua' meaning new and 'khai' means eat, it thus signifies "eating of new rice.
● Nuakhai Juhar is also called Nuakhai Parba or Nuakhai Bhetghat and is a greeting
exchanged on the special day. People worship food grain on this auspicious day. Special
meals are prepared and everyone eats it together. The farmers offer the first produce from
their lands to Goddess Samaleswari, the famous mother goddess of Sambalpur district of
the state.
9. Bathukamma Festival
● It is a floral festival celebrated particularly by the women of Telangana. The festival takes
place towards the end of the monsoon season, just before the onset of winter.
● The most widely used flowers are ―gunuka‖ and ―tangedu‖.
● Traditionally, Bathukamma is all about worshipping the local goddesses of Telangana and
revering to their power during the monsoon season.
● Bathukamma„ a state festival of Telangana.
10. Shirui Lily Festival
● The Department of Tourism of Manipur recently hosted the 3rd state level Shirui
Lily Festival.
● It is an annual five-day State festival celebrated in Ukhrul district to spread awareness
about the endangered state flower and to promote Ukhrul districtas a potential tourist
destination in Manipur.
● Shirui Lily, or Lilium mackliniae, a rare, pink-white flower, is the State Flower of Manipur
found only in the upper ranges of Shirui Hills in Ukhrul district of Manipur.
11. Hornbill Festival
● To encourage inter-tribal interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the

Government of Nagaland from 2000 started to organise the Hornbill Festival every year in
the first week of December. The festival coincides with the celebration of Nagaland
Statehood Day on 1st December.
● It is also called the ‗Festivals of Festival‘ and is a showcase of Naga life, its past and
present.
● The festival is named after the Hornbill, the globally respected bird and which is displayed
in folklore in most of the state‗s tribes.
12. Nagoba Jatara Festival
● NagobaJatara is a tribal festival held in Keslapur village, Inderavalley Mandal Adilabad

district, Telangana, India. It is the second biggest tribal carnival and celebrated by the
Mesram clan of Gond tribes for 10 days.
● Tribal people from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh belonging to
the Mesram clan offer prayers at the festival.
● The Gusadi Dance performance by dancers from the Gond tribe is a major special
attraction of the event.
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13. Zo Kutpui Festival (Mizoram)
● The Zo Kutpui festival is an attempt to unify and strengthen the brotherhood among
various Mizo tribes living in different parts of the world.
● The first edition of the festival will start in Tripura and then move to other states which
have significant Mizo populations.
● The Mizoram government is organising Zo Kutpui (festival) in at least 10 states across
India and countries such as the US, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Harvest festivals of India
● Makar Sankranti (January)-North India

● Baisakhi (April)-Punjab
● Lohri (January)-Punjab
● Basant Panchami (Jan-feb)-Pan-India
● Bhogali Bihu (January)-Assam
● Wangala (November)-Meghalaya and Assam
● KaPomblang Nongkrem(November)-Meghalaya
● Nuakhai(August)-Odisha
● GudiPadwa (March)-Maharashtra)
● Nabanna (November)-West Bengal
● Onam (Aug-Sep)-Kerala
● Pongal (January)-Tamil Nadu
● Ugadi (March)-Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
● Vishu (April)-Karnataka and Kerala
● Agera (October)-Maharashtra
● Dree (July)-Arunachal Pradesh
14. Surajkund International Crafts Mela
● 34th Surajkund International craft mela was organized in Surajkund, Faridabad

, Haryana.
● The Surajkund Mela is unique as it showcases the richness and diversity of the
handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India, and is the largest crafts fair in the
world.
● It is organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority & Haryana Tourism in collaboration with
Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.
● Surajkund, the place where it is held, is named after Surajkund lake which according to
Bardic traditions was built by Tomar dynasty king Suraj Pal (son of Anang Pal I) in the
10th century.
15. Lai Haraoba festival
● Lai Haraoba is a a ritualistic festival observed by Manipuri meitei communities since

ancient times.
● Lai Haraoba is celebrated through oral literature, music, dance and rituals.
● It is performed through various cultural and traditional musical skits including Manipuri
martial arts, folk music and folk dances during the festival.
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MUSIC/DANCES/PAINTINGS/LANGUAGES
Konyak Dance:
● Konyak is one of the 16 Naga ethnic tribes and they are inhabited in Nagaland's Mon
district.
● The Guinness World Records has acknowledged Konyak dance as record holder for the
"largest traditional dance".
● The largest traditional Konyak dance consists of 4,687 participants, and was achieved by
the Konyak Union (India) in Mon of Nagaland.
Ghumot to get Heritage Instrument Tag:

Ghumot, Goa‘s indigenous traditional percussion instrument made from an earthen vessel, will
soon be notified as a heritage instrument of Goa.
Haka Dance:
Haka Maori (Maori: ―dance‖) posture dance that involves the entire body in vigorous rhythmic
movements, which may include swaying, slapping of the chest and thighs, stamping, and
gestures of stylized violence. Since 1972 the performance of haka has been one of the hallmarks
of the widely popular Te Matatini performing arts festival, held biennially in New Zealand.
Pattachitra Paintings:
Pattachitra style of painting is one of the oldest and most popular art forms of Odisha. The name
Pattachitra has evolved from the Sanskrit words patta, meaning canvas, and chitra, meaning
picture. Pattachitra is thus a painting done on canvas, and is manifested by rich colourful
application creative motifs and designs, and portrayal of simple themes, mostly mythological in
depiction.
Pulikali art
● Pulikali (Tiger dance), a folk art is celebrated at the time of Onam in Kerala in the form of
dance and performances in the first week of September.
● The origin of Pulikali is supposed to be 200 yrs back with the King Ramama.
● Onam is one of the most celebrated festivals of Kerala State. It is being celebrated on the
harvest of new crops. The joy of festivity with colour of happiness can be easily observed in
the festival of Onam.
● On the fourth day of Onam, people celebrate the Pulikali Play. Pulikali means Tiger and
the Pulikali Play exhibit the haunting and hide.
● It is a dance performed by men adorning the costume of a tiger.
KiLiki Language
KiLiki is a language created by lyricist Madhan Karky in 2013 for the Indian blockbuster
Baahubali. Started as a fictional language, now kiLiki has evolved into a language with script
grammar and more than 3000 words. KiLiKi is designed to be a minimalistic language using a
minimum number of symbols to cover maximum sounds. The KiLiKi alphabet consists of 22
symbols.
Kambala:
It is a traditional buffalo race in paddy fields and generally takes place in coastal Karnataka
(Udupi and Dakshina Kannada) from November to March. Traditionally, running buffaloes
through the fields was used to thoroughly churn the soil, before sowing. It is also observed as
thanksgiving to gods for protecting the animals from diseases.
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Bagru Block Printing:

It is a block printing method in Rajasthan practiced by Chhipa Community, a caste of printers
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who continue day after day to stamp lengths of cotton fabric with color using hand-carved wood
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blocks. In this a printer first dips the wooden printing block in the dye tray before pounding the
center of the block onto the fabric with his or her fist. The pattern is repeated, aligning the blocks
by eye.
Assamese Bhaona:
● In this the performers incorporate music, dance and drama into the folk art form.
● It is a mythology-based theatrical performance, and monastic dances that evolved into the
classical Sattriya by Sankardeva.
● A Bhaona, involving dialogues, songs and dances by performers in costumes and
ornaments, usually involves 40-50 people, including those playing heavy drums and
cymbals.
Source:https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/assamese-bhaona-to-make-an-english-debut-
in-abu-dhabi/article29826079.ece
KHON Ramlila
The Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh government is going to organise the country‘s first
training and performance programme of world famous KHON Ramlila, a masked form of Ramlila
art of Thailand in collaboration with Thai government.
● It's a form of masked dance depicting the scenes of Ramlila.

● It has no dialogues and background voices narrate the whole story of Ramayana.
● KHON Ramlila of Thailand is included in the list of UNESCO‘s Intangible cultural heritage.
International Year of Indigenous Languages

Recently 2019 has been declared as the United Nations' International Year of Indigenous
Languages.
Some facts about Indigenous Languages:

● The Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea has the highest number of 'living'
indigenous languages in the world (840), while India stands fourth with 453.
● Chinese, Spanish, English, Hindi and Arabic are the most widely spoken languages
worldwide when only first-languages are considered. These five languages account for
what is spoken by over 40% of people worldwide.
● Among regions, Asia and Africa account for the highest number of indigenous languages
(over 70% of the total).
● According to UNESCO's 'Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger', 228 languages have
become extinct since 1950. About 10% of the languages are classified 'vulnerable', while
another 10% are 'critically endangered'. In India, five languages have become extinct since
1950, while 42 are critically endangered.
Republic day 2020 tableaux by states

The Ministry of Defence has shortlisted 22 tableaux that will be showcased during the Republic
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Day 2020 Parade. Six of these tabeaux will be showcased by central ministries and departments
and 16 by states and Union Territories.
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Tableaux refers to a group of models or motionless figures representing a scene from a story or
from history.
Tableaux shortlisted for Republic Day Parade 2020:
● Gujarat tableau: Gujarat tableau showcased the state's architectural and cultural
heritage. The main piece was Rani Ki Vav of Patan, and it was fronted by a statue of a
village woman wearing Patola saree of the region.
● Rajasthan tableau: The Walled City of Jaipur, which was accorded the UNESCO World
Heritage tag in 2019, was the overriding theme of the Rajasthan tableau that depicted the
Pink City's architectural grandeur and the state's vibrant culture.
● Punjab tableau: The year 2019 was the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and this
was the theme of the Punjab's tableau in the parade. Sikhism's architectural and cultural
heritage will be portrayed in its tableau, with messages 'Kirat Karo', 'Naam Japo' and
'Vand Chhako'.
● Jammu & Kashmir tableau: The tableau showcased the rich sartorial and cultural
heritage of the region with a shawl weaver being depicted in the front.
● Chhattisgarh: The tableau depicted jewellery/ornaments and art of Chhattisgarh. It also

saw participants presenting „Kaksar‟ dance.
● Goa: The theme of the tableau of Goa for Republic Day 2020 was 'seashore' and
showcased seashore, biodiversity and livelihoods of people of the state.
● Meghalaya: Tableau of Meghalaya showcased the Double Decker Living Root Bridge
during the Republic Day 2020 parade.
● Assam: The tableau of Assam showcased Ssattriya tradition in the form of „Bhortal
Nritya‟ discovered by renowned sattriya artiste Narahari Burha Bhakat.
Kaksar Dance:It is a folk dance of chhattisgarh.To invoke the blessings of the deity and to enjoy a
rich harvest, young boys and girls of Bastarper form Kaksar dance. Boys put on a peculiar
costume of a long white robe while girls are clad in all their finery. An interesting trivia about the
Kaksar dance is that it allows its dancers to choose their life partners from the same dance
troupe.
Bhortal Nritya: It is the proud discovery of Satriya artist Narahari Burha Bbakat.In this dancers
has to be way too energetic and fast, and very creative with expressions because of the signature
‗Zhiya Nom‘ beats.' Six to seven dancers use symbols to make it even more vibrant, and colorful.
Generally, it is performed during the festival season like Bihu.
Tulu Language
There is demand for including Tulu in the Eighth Schedule.
Pre connect:
● Tulu is a Dravidian language whose speakers are concentrated in two coastal districts of
Karnataka and in Kasaragod district of Kerala.
● Kasaragod district is called ‗Saptha bhasha Sangama Bhumi (the confluence of seven
languages)‘, and Tulu is among the seven.
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● According to Census 2001 reports 18,46,427 native speakers of Tulu in India.

● The Tulu-speaking people are larger in number than speakers of Manipuri and Sanskrit,
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which have the Eighth Schedule status.
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● At present, Tulu is not an official language in India or any other country.
● Efforts are being made to include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. If
included in the Eighth Schedule, Tulu would get recognition from the Sahitya
Akademi.
HISTORICAL PERSONALITIES AND EVENTS
1. Guru Padmasambha
A conference on the Life and Legacy of Guru Padmasambhava was organized by India
International Centre, Centre for Escalation of Peace, and Sahapedia recently.
About Guru Padmasambhava:
● Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche is known all over the Himalayan region as the
Sage of Himalayas.
● He lived in the 8th century and is credited with having spread the message of Lord
Buddha to the countries and regions located in the Himalayan belt, including India, Nepal,
Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Tibet.
● He is one of the most revered and iconic figures in the Buddhist world today and to many
Buddhists, he is the Second Buddha.
● Guru Padmasambhava taught the Vajrayana. The Vajrayana is also known as Tantra.
Tantric teachings are based on the Sutra Mahayana, but offer a more subtle
understanding of our experience and additional methods to realize enlightenment.
2. Jalliawalabagh Massacre
The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution, seeking an apology from the British
government for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
About Jallianwala Bagh Massacre:
● In 1919, the British government passed the Rowlatt Act, which authorised the government
to imprison any person without trial and conviction in a court of law.
● Gandhiji started ‗satyagraha‘ and called for a countrywide passive resistance movement in
protest against the Act.
● At the same time, two prominent leaders, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlu and Dr. Satyapal, were
arrested in Punjab. In protest against these arrests, an unarmed and defenseless crowd
gathered on 13 April 1919 in Jallianwala Bagh at Amritsar.
● Under the orders of General R.E.H. Dyer, British troops surrounded the Bagh, closed the
only exit and mercilessly fired on the peaceful gathering. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
was indeed a dark tragedy.
● Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest against the Punjab
tragedy.Congress boycotted the special committee headed by Lord Hunter to enquire into
the killings.
3. Salt Satyagraha Memorial
Dandi March Memorial was dedicated to the nation on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi‘s death
anniversary. The Salt Satyagraha March, also known as ‗Dandi March‘.
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● The memorial, located in Dandi, Gujarat is conceived as an experiential journey recreating
the spirit and the energy of the March 12-April 6, 1930 Dandi March led by Mahatma
Gandhi and 80 of his fellow Satyagrahis.
● The project is endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, GoI
● A project for ―Development of Gandhi Circuit: Bhitiharwa-Chandraiah Turkaulia under
Rural Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme '' has been sanctioned in Bihar with
central financial assistance.
Background
Mahatma Gandhi, in protest against the British Raj, led by Satyagrahis, marched from
Ahmedabad‘s Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (241 miles). Upon reaching the place, he made salt
from seawater, breaking Salt Law announced by the Britishers.
It inspired millions of Indians to join the freedom struggle and brought worldwide attention to the
movement. The Dandi March demonstrated the effectiveness of nonviolent civil disobedience as a
form of protest for the first time.
4. Battle of Kangla Tongbi
The Platinum Jubilee of the Battle of Kangla Tongbi War was commemorated on 07 Apr 2019 by
Army Ordnance Corps at Kangla Tongbi War Memorial near Imphal honouring the valiant brave
hearts of Ordnance Personnel who made their supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during the
battle of World War-II on the night of 6/7 April 1944.
About Battle: Japanese forces had planned a three pronged offensive to capture Imphal and the
surrounding areas. In their attempt to extend their line of communication to Imphal, the 33rd
Japanese Division cut in behind the 17th Indian Division at Tiddim (Myanmar) and establishing
themselves firmly on the main Kohima – Manipur highway, started advancing towards
KanglaTongbi. At Kanglatongbi, a small but determined detachment of 221 AOD put up stiff
resistance against the advancing Japanese forces.
5. Sri Vedanta Desikan
A postage stamp was recently released to commemorate the anniversary of Sri Vedanta Desikan.
About Sri Vedanta Desikan:

● He was celebrated as ‗sarva the title ‗kavitarkika-kesari poets and logicians; and glorified
as ‗ramanuja-daya-patram‘ Ramanuja‘s blessings. Anyone, irrespective of caste and creed
could join the Sri Vaishnava fold. This is a truly democratizing movement that obliterated
caste distinctions.
● Vedanta Desikan rejected the offer of the court of the King of Vijayanagara and considered
that the greatest treasure he had was the grace of the Lord.
● Some of his major works were as under: RahasyaTraya Saram: It is a masterly treatise on
Prapatti or surrendering oneself to the divine.
● PadhukaSahasram: It reveals his poetic eloquence and his mathematical ingenuity.
● Silpartha-saram: A treatise on sculpture
● Bhugola-nirnayam: A research text on geography
● SubhashitaNeevi: It contains a fund of moral and ethical advice which is relevant and
practical.
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6. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

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● Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820 who managed to continue the social reforms movement
that was started by Raja Rammohan Roy in the early 1800s.
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● He brought about a revolution in the Bengali education system and refined the way
Bengali language was written and taught. His book, ‗BornoPorichoy‘ (Intro letter), is still
used as the introductory text to learn Bengali alphabets.
● Born in Bengal as Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay, the title Vidyasagar was given to him
due to his vast knowledge.
● His major publications Bodhadoy (1851); BornoPorichoy (1854); Sitar Bonobash (1860);
● Vidyasagar was an ardent advocate of women education and empowerment and also
challenged the widespread practice of child marriage. He rightly viewed education as the
primary way for women to achieve emancipation from all the societal oppression they had
to face at that time.
● He challenged the Brahmanical authorities and proved that widow remarriage is
sanctioned by Vedic scriptures.
● He was instrumental in Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856 to legalize remarriage of
widows.
7. Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat
In order to commemorate the 50th year of Vivekanand rock memorial, a major contact
programme, "EK BHARAT-VIJAYEE BHARAT' was planned from 2nd September across the
country.
About Vivekanand rock memorial: Vivekanand rock memorial has been an iconic landmark at
the Tri-junction of Indian ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea in Kanyakumari, where
Vivekananda meditated in 1892 and decided to restore the glory of Bharat.
Swami Vivekanand
He coined a new word Daridra Narayana. Daridra-Narayana brought in an element of the sense of
duty which was enjoined on men and women to serve the poor if they wanted to serve God. He
explained that Vedanta philosophy was not Brahmanic or Buddhist, Christian or Muslim, but the
sum total of all these.
8. Shri P.S. Varier Vaidyaratnam,
Pre connect:
● Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier, was a great visionary who brought about a renaissance of
Ayurveda, over the course of the last century
● PS Varier, the founder of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, was a representative of Indian
Renaissance in Ayurveda. He was an effective clinician with a unique healing touch, an
academician-cum-educator, a benevolent entrepreneur, a philanthropist, a man of letters
and a promoter of fine arts.
About Ayurveda:The Atharva Veda is a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom in the field of
medicine. It is lauded as the earliest source of medical information in India.
Despite, the non-supportive political environment created by foreign rulers, Ayurveda
survived, thrived and earned global recognition as a benign healthcare science with timetested
healing and wellness capabilities.
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9. Tipu Sultan
Contributions of Tipu Sultan:

● Tipu was instructed in military tactics by French officers in the employ of his father, Hyder
Ali, who was the Muslim ruler of Mysore.
● During the second Mysore War he defeated Col. John Brathwaite on the banks of the
Kollidam (Coleroon) River (1782). He succeeded his father in December 1782 and in 1784
concluded peace with the British and assumed the title of Sultan of Mysore.
● He fought Company forces four times during 1767-99 and gave Governors-General
Cornwallis and Wellesley bloody noses before he was killed defending his capital
Srirangapatnam in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. With Tipu gone, Wellesley imposed the
Subsidiary Alliance on the reinstated Wodeyar king, and Mysore became the Company‗s
client state.
● Tipu reorganised his army along European lines, using new technology, including what is
considered the first war rocket.
● He devised a land revenue system based on detailed surveys and classification, in
which the tax was imposed directly on the peasant, and collected through salaried agents
in cash, widening the state‗s resource base.
● He modernised agriculture, gave tax breaks for developing wasteland, built irrigation
infrastructure and repaired old dams, and promoted agricultural manufacturing and
sericulture.
● He built a navy to support trade and commissioned a state commercial corporation‖ to
set up factories. As Mysore traded in sandalwood, silk, spices, rice and sulphur, some 30
trading outposts were established across Tipu‗s dominions and overseas.
10. Paramahansa Yogananda (125th birth anniversary)
About ParamahansaYogananda
● Paramahansa Yogananda (1893–1952) is considered one of the pre-eminent spiritual

figures of modern times.
● Author of the best-selling spiritual classic „Autobiography of a Yogi‟,
● He is widely recognized as the Father of Yoga in the West. He founded the Self-
Realization Fellowship (1920) and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (1917), which
continue to carry on his spiritual legacy worldwide under the leadership of Brother
Chidananda.
● Paramahansa Yogananda has profoundly impacted the lives of millions with his
comprehensive teachings on:
1. the science of Kriya Yoga meditation,
2. the underlying unity of all true religions,
3. the art of balanced health and well-being in body, mind, and soul.
11. Battle of Sinhagad
Recently, a feature film was announced on the life of Tanaji Malusare, a brave military leader of
the Maratha Empire. He is most famously known for his role in the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670
A.D.
About the battle :

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● In the late 16th century, when Shivaji raised his arms against the Mughals, various iconic
battles were fought between the Maratha and Mughal armies.
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● In 1665 as per the Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji had to give up the fort of Kondana to
Mughals. The fort was thereafter considered almost impenetrable as this strategically
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placed fort was then one of the most heavily fortified. The fort was commanded by
Udaybhan Rathore, appointed by Mughal army chief Jai Singh I.
● In February 1670, Shivaji deputed one of his most senior and trusted generals,
Tanaji Malusare, to head a mission to capture Kondana.
About Tanaji Malusare:
● He was the childhood friend and subedar of Chhatrapati Shivaji's kingdom.

● He participated in various operations and campaigns of Chhatrapati Shivaji, especially
during the attack of Lal Mahal.
● In the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670, he fought against Mughal fort keeper Udaybhan
Rathore, until his last breath and paved the way for the Maratha victory.
12. Skandagupta Vikramaditya
About Skandagupta
● The Gupta period has been described as the Golden Age of Indian history.
● The Junagarh Rock Inscription of Skandagupta of the Gupta era may be considered as the
earliest epigraph of the Imperial Guptas.
● Skandagupta (455 - 467 AD) took over the Gupta Empire and soon had to face the
formidable enemy, the Huns. He successfully repelled their early invasions and proved
himself as an able king and administrator in times of crisis.
● As per Bhitari pillar inscription Chandragupta's reign is characterized by a constant
struggle to maintain the empire mainly against the Huns.
13. Satnami Rebellion
Recently author Amita Kanekar, whose book Fear of Lions deals with the Satnami Rebellion
during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb has spoken about the conditions which led to the peasant
revolt.
In the year 1672, the Satnamis - a sect comprising peasants, artisans and untouchables -rebelled
against the mighty Mughal Empire.
Who were Satnamis?
● Historians have called the Satnamis a monotheistic sect who followed neither Hinduism
nor Islam and whose scriptures emphasised leading a life based on good conduct rather
than on rituals and dogma.
● The earliest Satnamis were a sect of mendicants and householders founded by Birbhan in
Narnaul in eastern Punjab in 1657.
● In the way of their religion, they have dignified themselves with the title of 'good name‗,
this being the meaning of Satnami.
● They are not allowed to acquire wealth in any but a lawful calling.
Key Highlights of the Revolt
● A Satnami Cultivator was murdered by a Mughal Pyada or foot-soldier. The Satnamis hit
back and killed the foot-soldier.
● The local Mughal official sent a troop of soldiers to arrest those who had killed the foot
soldier.
● But the community drove them away. Emboldened, the Satnamis attacked Narnaul, the
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main township in the area and destroyed the Mughal garrison. They even set up their own
administration.
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● The Satnamis marched towards Shahjahanabad (old Delhi), armed with the latest
European Designed muskets that their leader had taught them to make. As Delhi quaked
with fear, the emperor Aurangzeb himself took to the field.
● The Satnamis took on the over 10,000-strong Mughal army on March 25, 1672. Though
the Satnamis fought bravely, they lost the battle and 2,000 Satnamis were killed.
14. Guru Ravidas
● Sant Ravidas was a mystic of Bhakti movement from North India. He was one of the
disciples of Ramananda. Also known by the name of Raidas, he is believed to be active in
the 15th century CE.
● Like many poet saints of that era, he is venerated in the region of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh
as well as Maharashtra. His devotional songs and verses made a lasting impact upon the
Bhakti movement.
● Often called a ― Bhagat because of the devotional content in his philosophy. He was also a
socio-religious reformer, a thinker, a theosophist, a humanist, a traveler, and a pacifist.
● Meera Bai considered Sant Ravidas as her Guru. She believed that one's future fate
emerges from the very real substance of their Karma, rather than the illusion of
"substance" that is their caste or creed.
● Adi Granth of Sikhs, in addition to the Panchvani are the two of the oldest documented
sources of the literary works of Guru Ravidas.
15. Veer Savarkar
● Born on May 28, 1883, in Baghpur, near Nasik, he was a great revolutionary in the history
of India‗s struggle of independence. He was an orator, scholar, prolific writer, historian,
poet, philosopher and social worker.
● He encouraged the Indian students against the British colonial masters during his stay in
London and supported the use of arms in India‗s Struggle of Independence.
● He wrote The Indian War of Independence, 1857 in 1909, with the view that Sepoy
Mutiny of 1857 was the first expression of Indian mass rebellion against colonial rule.
● He established an organization, 'Mitra Mela„, which influenced the members to fight for
absolute political independence‖ of India. The organization later came to be known as
Abhinav Bharat Society.
● He was arrested for the assassination of a British district magistrate in India, and after
sentencing, he was transported to the Andaman Islands for detention.
While imprisoned, he wrote ―Hindutva: Who Is a Hindu? in 1923.
● He also founded the Ratnagiri Hindu Sabha to preserve ancient Indian culture and
worked in the direction of social welfare.
● He also joined Swaraj Party, formed by Tilak and founded the Hindu Mahasabha, a
separate political party and was elected its President.
16. Thiruvalluvar
● Thiruvalluvar, also called Valluvar, (1st century BC or 6th century AD, India), Tamil poet
saint known as the author of the Tirukkural (―Sacred Couplets‖).
● He was considered as a masterpiece of human thought in India and has been compared
abroad to the Bible, John Milton‗s Paradise Lost, and the works of Plato.
● He is regarded as a cultural and moral icon for Tamils across caste and religious lines.
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The period when he lived is debated, as is his religious identity.

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● He was probably a Jain ascetic of humble origins who worked as a weaver. Both
Buddhists and Shaivites, however, claim him as their own, and he is especially revered by
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those of low caste. He dismissed the caste system. However, Dravidian groups count him
as a saint with no religious identifiers except his Dravidian roots.
17. Battle of Panipat
● The Third Battle of Panipat was fought between Maratha forces and invading armies of
Afghan general Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1761.
● They clashed in the plains of Panipat in present-day Haryana.
● The Maratha army, under the Bhao Sahib, uncle of the peshwa (chief minister), was
trapped and destroyed by the Afghan chief Aḥmad Shah Durrānī.
● Apart from the Marathas and the Afghans, the battle and its prelude involved key roles by
players in north India, including SurajmalJat of Bharatpur, Shuja Ud-Daulah of Awadh,
and the Rohillas. Court intrigue within the Peshwa household and disunity among
Maratha generals are believed to have contributed to the Maratha‘s defeat.
● Two other major battles had been fought on the Panipat plains. The First Battle of
Panipat in 1526, laid the foundation of the Mughal Empire in India after its first ruler,
Babur, ended the Delhi Sultanate, which at the time was led by the Lodi dynasty. The
Second Battle of Panipat, in 1556, cemented Mughal rule when Akbar fought off a
threat from the king Hemu ‗Vikramaditya‗.
18. Paika Rebellion
President Ram Nath Kovind recently laid the foundation stone for a memorial to mark 200 years
of the Paika Rebellion.
About Paika Rebellion
● The Paikas (literally foot soldiers„), were a class of military retainers had been
recruited since the 16th century by kings in Odisha from a variety of social groups to
render martial services in return for hereditary rent-free land (nish-kar jagirs) and titles.
● Paikas were essentially the peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who
rendered military service to the king during times of war while taking up cultivation
during times of peace.
● The advent of the British and establishment of colonial rule brought new land revenue
settlements, which led to the Paikas losing their estates.
● In 1817, some 400 Kondhs descended from the Ghumusar area rose in revolt against the
British. Baxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the highest-ranking military general of Mukund
Dev II, and erstwhile holder of the lucrative Rodanga estate, led an army of Paikas to
join the uprising of the Kondhs.
● The Paikas were supported by the rajas of Kanika, Kujang, Nayagarh and Ghumusar and
zamindars, village heads and ordinary peasants.
● Buxi Jagabandhu was finally arrested in 1825 and died in captivity in 1829.
● The Odisha government has demanded for the 1817 revolt to be recognised as India‗s first
mutiny against the British.
19. Swami Shraddhanand
● Shraddhanand was born on February 22, 1856 at village Talwan in Jalandhar district in
Punjab province. Sometime in the early 1880s, he came into contact with Swami
Dayanand, the founder of the Arya Samaj.
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● Shraddhanand wrote a book called -Hindu Sangathan. Furthermore, he called

untouchability a ‗curse‘ and a ‗blot‘ on the reputations of the Hindus.
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Arya Samaj
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement that was founded by Dayanand Saraswati in 1875 in
Bombay. The movement believes in the infallible authority of the Vedas.
The central objectives of Arya Samaj are to, -eradicate Ignorance (Agyan), Indigence or Poverty
(Abhav) and Injustice (Anayay) from this earth. This mission is enshrined in the ten Niyams or
Principles.
20. Lord Curzon
About Curzon:
● On January 6, 1899, Lord Curzon was appointed the new Governor General and Viceroy of
India. He was the youngest Viceroy of India. This was a time when British unpopularity
was increasing due to the impact of recurring famine and the plague.
● Curzon did little to change the opinion of the educated Indian class. Instead of engaging
with the nationalist intelligentsia, he implemented a series of repressive measures.
● For instance, he reduced the number of elected Indian representatives in the Calcutta
Corporation (1899). The University Act of 1904 brought the Calcutta University under
the direct control of the government. The Official Secrets Act (1904) was amended to
curb the nationalist tone of Indian newspapers.
● Few Significant Events likeAppointment of Police Commission (1902) under Sir Andrew
Frazer to review police administration, Ancient Monuments Preservation Act (1904),
Younghusband„s Mission to Tibet (1904), Establishment of Department of Commerce
and Industry, etc. took place under Lord Curzon‗s Rule.
● Finally, Curzon ordered partition of Bengal in 1905. The partition led to widespread
protest all across India, starting a new phase of the Indian national movement.
21. Dara Shikoh
The Ministry of Culture has set up a seven-member panel of the Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI), to locate the grave of the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh (1615-59). He is believed to be buried
somewhere in the Humayun‗s Tomb complex in Delhi.
Pre connect:
● He was the eldest son of Shah Jahan and was killed in 1659 after losing the war of
succession against his brother Aurangzeb. According to the Shahjahannama, after
Aurangzeb defeated Dara Shikoh, he brought the latter to Delhi in chains. His head was
cut off and sent to Agra Fort, while his torso was buried in the Humayun‗s Tomb complex
● No one knows where exactly Dara Shikoh was buried. All that is known is that it‗s a small
grave in the Humayun‗s Tomb complex. Italian traveller Niccolao Manucci gave a graphic
description of the day in Travels of Manucci, as he was there as a witness to the whole
thing. That is the basis of the thesis.
● He is often described as a ―liberal Muslim‖ who tried to find commonalities between Hindu
and Islamic traditions. He translated Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads (‗Sirr-i-Akbar‗ or
‗The Greatest Secret‗) into Persian.
● French traveller, Francois Bernier, was briefly a physician to Dara Shikoh.
● He is said to be deeply syncretic, warm-hearted and generous but at the same time, an
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indifferent administrator and ineffectual in the field of battle.

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About Humayun‟s Tomb, Delhi
● Humayun‗s Tomb was built in the 1560‗s, with the patronage of his son Akbar. It is an
example of the Charbagh (a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise
represented), with pools joined by channels.
● The tomb is located near the Shrine of the 14th century Sufi Saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin
Auliya.
● Since it is considered auspicious to be buried near a saint‗s grave, the area has become
the dormitory of the Mughals as in the cells are buried over 150 Mughal family members.
● UNESCO‗s world heritage site, it is the first of the grand dynastic mausoleums; and set a
precedent for subsequent Mughal architecture.
22. Nehru-Liaquat pact
Liaquat Ali Khan was the prime minister of Pakistan when he and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
signed an agreement in Delhi in 1950. The Delhi Pact is more commonly called the Nehru-
Liaquat pact.The agreement was signed in the backdrop of large-scale migration of people
belonging to minority communities between the two countries in the wake of attacks by the
majority communities in their respective territories.
Under the Nehru-Liaquat pact
● refugees were allowed to return unmolested to dispose of their property

● abducted women and looted property were to be returned
● forced conversions were unrecognized
● minority rights were confirmed
As a result minority commissions were established in the two countries to implement these terms
of the Nehru-Liaquat pact. This measure led to restoration of confidence.
23. Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak Dev Ji , the founder and first Guru of Sikhism, was born in the year 1469, in the
village Talwandi which is located in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. The village, now
known as Nankana Sahib, is situated near the city of Lahore in present day Pakistan. In the later
years of his life, Guru ji founded and settled down at the township of Kartarpur ("creator's town"),
on the banks of river Ravi in Punjab. On Asu sudi 10, 1596 [Monday September 22, 1539 AD]
Guru Nanak breathed his last breath at Kartarpur.
Pre connect:
● Guru Nanak ji preached the new concept of God as "Supreme, All powerful and Truthful,
Formless (Nirankar), Fearless (Nirbhau), Without hate (Nirvair), the Sole (Ik), the Self-
Existent (Saibhang), the Incomprehensible and Everlasting creator of all things (Karta
Purakh), and the Eternal and Absolute Truth (Satnam).
● He taught people that the 'One' God dwells in every one of his creations, and that all
human beings can have direct access to God without the need of any rituals or priests.
Setting up a unique spiritual, social and political platform based on equality and fraternal
love, Guru Nanak attacked the citadel of the Hindu Caste System, and condemned the
theocracy of Mughal rulers.
● He called upon the people to engage in worship through the "Naam" (the name of God). He
rejected the path of renunciation (Tyaga), emphasizing a householder's (family) life
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based on honest conduct, selfless service (Sewa), and constant devotion and remembrance
of God's name.
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● Guru Nanak promoted the equality of all mankind and upheld the causes of the
downtrodden and the poor, laying special emphasis to assert the equality of women.
● He introduced the institution of Langar (free communal kitchen) at Kartarpur,
establishing the basic equality of all people regardless of their social and economic status.
● In the year 1539, knowing that the end was drawing near, Guru Ji, after having tested
his own two sons and some followers over the years, installed Bhai Lehna ji (Guru Angad
Dev Ji) as the Second Nanak.
● Guru Nanak's writings, in the form of 974 spiritual hymns comprising the Japji Sahib, Asa
di Var, Bara Mah, Sidh Gosht and Dakhni Onkar were incorporated in the scripture Adi
Granth by the fifth Guru Arjan Dev ji.
● Guru Nanak founded and formalised the three pillars of Sikhism:
1. Naam Japna Guru Ji led the Sikhs directly to practise Simran and Naam Japna –
meditation on God through reciting, chanting, singing, and constant remembrance
followed by deep study & comprehension of God‘s Name and virtues.
2. Kirat Karni : He expected the Sikhs to live as honourable householders and
practise Kirat Karni – To honestly earn by one's physical and mental effort while
accepting both pains and pleasures as GOD's gifts and blessings.
3. Vand Chakna. The Sikhs were asked to share their wealth within the community
by practising Vand Chakna – ―Share and Consume together‖.
24. Ashfaqullah Khan
Recently, The Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved a proposal to set aside Rs 234 crore for a zoological
garden in Gorakhpur, to be named after the freedom fighter and revolutionary Shaheed
Ashfaqullah Khan.
Pre connect:
● He was born on October 22, 1900, in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

● He grew up at a time when Mahatma Gandhi had launched the non-cooperation
movement and urged Indians not to pay taxes to the government or co-operate with the
British.
● He was among the youth who was disillusioned because of retreating of the non-
cooperation movement after the chauri-chaura incident.
● After that incident he joined the revolutionaries and became acquainted with Bismil.
● In the mid-1920s, Khan and Bismil went on to found the Hindustan Socialist
Republican Association (HSRA), with the aim of winning freedom for the country through
an armed revolution.
● HSRA published its manifesto titled “The Revolutionary” in 1925, which, among other
things, said, ―The immediate object of the revolutionary party in the domain of politics is
to establish a federal Republic of United State of India by an organized and armed
revolution. The final constitution of this Republic shall be framed and declared at a time
when the representatives of India shall have the power to carry out their decision. But the
basic principles of this Republic will be universal suffrage and abolition of all system
which make the exploitation of man by man possible, e.g. the railways and other
means of transportation and communication, the mines and other kinds of very great
industries such as the manufacture of steel and ships all these shall be nationalized.‖
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The Kakori Conspiracy
In August 1925, an armed robbery took place on board the Kakori Express, going from
Shahjahanpur to Lucknow.
In this planned robbery, carried out to fund the activities of the HSRA, Bismil, Khan and over 10
other revolutionaries stopped the train and fled with the cash they found in it. Within a month of
the robbery, many members of the HSRA were arrested.
In September 1926, Bismil was arrested but Khan was on the run but he was also arrested after
sometime.
The trial for the case went on for about 1.5 years. It ended in April 1927, with Bismil,
Ashfaqullah Khan, Rajendra Lahiri and Roshan Singh sentenced to death, and the others given
life sentences.
25. Jayaprakash Narayan
Pre connect:
● He was born on 11th October, 1902, in village Sitab Diyara of Saran district of Bihar.
● During his work and study phase, he got a closer insight into the hardships of the working
class. Having deep influence on the writings of M.N. Roy on his mind, he was convinced
that the central problem of human society was inequality of wealth, property, rank,
culture and opportunities and the passage of time never obscure it.
● After completing his education abroad, when he returned to India in 1929.
● On invitation from Jawaharlal Nehru, he joined Indian National Congress in 1929. From
here onwards, he played an active role in Indian freedom movement.
● He was jailed in 1932 for actively participating in Civil Disobedience against British rule.
● During his imprisonment in Nasik jail in 1932, he came in closer contact with leaders like
Ram Manohar Lohia, Ashok Mehta, Minoo Masani, Achyut Patwardhan, C K
Narayanswami and others. This contact influenced him to join Congress Socialist party
(CSP) headed by Acharya Narendra Dev, a group with left leaning within the Congress
party.
● As general secretary of the CSP in December 1939, Jayaprakash called upon the people to
take advantage of the 2nd World War to stop British exploitation of India and to overthrow
British Government.
● JP actively worked underground for Indian Freedom Movement during the Quit India
movement period.
● For fighting the tyranny of British rule, he organised an “Azaad Dasta” (freedom brigade)
in Nepal.
● In 1974, the students of Gujarat requested him to lead the Nava Nirman Andolan.
The same year in June, he gave a call of peaceful “total revolution”.
● The Government of India posthumously awarded him Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian
award of the country in 1999.
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AWARDS AND PERSONS
1. Gandhi Peace Prize: Winners of the Gandhi Peace Prize for four years beginning 2015 to 2018
were announced.
● It was last conferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2014.
● 2015: Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, gets the award for 2015 for their
contribution to rural development, education, development of natural resources.
● 2016: It has been jointly given to Akshaya Patra foundation for its contribution in
providing mid-day meals to children and Sulabh International for its contribution in
improving the condition of sanitation and emancipation of manual scavengers.
● 2017: Ekal Abhiyan Trust has won the award for 2017 for their contribution in providing
education for rural and tribal children in remote areas, rural empowerment, gender, and
social equality.
● 2018: Yohei Sasakawa for 2018, who is Goodwill Ambassador of the World Health
Organisation for Leprosy Elimination, for his role in leprosy eradication.
2. Seoul Peace Prize:Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize for
2018 for his contribution to international cooperation and fostering global economic growth.
● The Prize was established in 1990 to commemorate the success of the 24th Olympic
Games held in Seoul. The award was established to crystalise Korean people‘s yearning
for peace on the Korean peninsula and in the rest of the world.
3. Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman
● The Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman award is conferred to persons who have done
extraordinary contribution to keep alive the following languages: Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic,
Pali, Prakrit, Classical Oriya, Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu and Classical
Malayalam.
● Maharshi Badrayan Vyas is considered as the author of Brahma Sutras, which are also
known as Vedanta Sutras. He is also regarded as the founder of the Vedanta system of
philosophy.
4. Bharat Ratna Award
Former President Pranab Mukherjee, Assamese singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika and social
activist Nanaji Deshmukh were conferred with Bharat Ratna, country‘s highest civilian award.
● Assamese singer Bhupen Hazarika was most popular in Bengal and Bangladesh and was
responsible for introducing the culture and folk music of Assam and northeast India to
Hindi cinema.
● Nanaji Deshmukh played a key role in the Jai Prakash (JP) movement against Emergency
in 1974 and was instrumental in the formation of the Janata Party government in 1977.
● The provision of Bharat Ratna was introduced in 1954.
● Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian honour, awarded every year (though not mandatory)
given for exceptional service towards advancement of Art, Literature and Science, and in
recognition of Public Service of the highest order.
5. Sardar Patel National Unity Award

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The Government of India has instituted the highest civilian award in the field of contribution to
the unity and integrity of India, in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
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Pre connect:
● The Award seeks to recognize notable and inspiring contributions to promote the cause of
national unity and integrity and to reinforce the value of a strong and united India.
● The Award shall be conferred by the President by a Sanad under his hand and seal and
presented by him in a presentation ceremony along with the Padma award presentation
ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhawan.
● No monetary grant or cash award would be attached to this Award. Not more than three
Awards would be given in a year. It would not be conferred posthumously except in very
rare and highly deserving cases.
Sardar Patel
● He was the first Indian Municipal commissioner of Ahmedabad.
● He was a member of important committees of the Constituent Assembly on Fundamental
Rights, Minorities, and provincial Constitution.
● He was much instrumental in Bardoli satyagraha.
● He presided over the Karachi session of congress in which gandhi-irwin pact endorsed and
resolution on fundamental rights and national economic programme passed.
6. Ramanujan Prize: Recently the international prize committee of 6 mathematicians decided the
SASTRA Ramanujan prize for 2019 will be awarded to mathematician Adam Harper, Assistant
Professor with the University of Warwick, England
7. The Nobel Prize in Literature 2019: The Nobel Prize in Literature 2019 was awarded to Peter
Handke "for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the
specificity of human experience."
8.The Nobel Peace Prize for 2019:The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the
Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for his efforts to
achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve
the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea. The prize is also meant to recognise all the
stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast
African regions.
MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS
1. Kumbh Mela
● 2019 Kumbh Mela is being held at Allahabad (Prayagraj). It is a UNESCO intangible

cultural heritage.
● The Kumbh Mela is an event that intrinsically encapsulates the science of
astronomy,astrology, spirituality, ritualistic traditions, and socio-cultural customs and
practices.
● The government of Uttar Pradesh has decided to change the nomenclature of the mega
religious congregation. Now Ardhkumbh held every six year would be called as Kumbh
and Kumbh, organised every 12 years, would be termed MahaKumbh.
● The geographical location of Kumbh Mela spans over four locations in India and the Mela
site keeps rotating between one of the four pilgrimages on four sacred rivers:
1. Haridwar on the Ganges in Uttarakhand
2. Ujjain on the Shipra in Madhya Pradesh
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3. Nashik on the Godavari in Maharashtra

4. Prayagraj at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati in
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Uttar Pradesh.
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● Each site‘s celebration is based on a distinct set of astrological positions of the Sun, the
Moon, and the Jupiter.
Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage from India
1. Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana.

2. Tradition of Vedic chanting.
3. Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre, which is practised in the province of Kerala.
4. Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas.
5. Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala.
6. Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan.
7. Chhau dance.
8. Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan
Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir.
9. Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur.
10. Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala
Guru, Punjab.
11. Yoga
12. Nowruz
13. Kumbh Mela
Source: https://ich.unesco.org/en/state/india-IN?info=elements-on-the-lists
2. Dard Aryans (Aryan Valley)
A delegation of the Dard Aryans submitted their charter of demands to the Minister of State for
Tribal Affairs. The tribe is not part of the notified scheduled tribe list.
Who are the Dard Aryans ?
● Some 200 km from Leh are the villages of Dha, Hanu, Garkone and Darchik on both sides
of the Indus River, inhabited by the Buddhist Dard Tribes. The villages are together
called the ―Aryan valley‖.
● The word ‗Dard‘ is derived from a Sanskrit word, ‗Daradas‘, which means people who live
on hillsides. People of this region are culturally and linguistically different from those in
other parts of Ladakh.
● Dards find mention in the Mahabharata and other Hindu scriptures. They have adopted
Buddhism but their customs are very similar to those of hindu brahmins.
3. Bharat Rang Mahotsav:
● Bharat Rang Mahotsav was established two decades ago by the National School of Drama
to stimulate the growth and development of theatre across the country.
● It is the largest theatre festival of Asia.
● The National School of Drama (NSD), one of the prominent training institutions in the
world, is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India.
4. World‟s Largest Bhagwat Gita:
World's largest and heaviest Bhagavad Gita was inaugurated recently by the Prime Minister of
India at the Delhi ISKCON temple.The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON),
known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a worldwide confederation of more than 400
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temples.
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5. Kandhamal Haldi:
'Kandhamal Haldi' is a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha. Orissa has recently
earned the Geographical indication (GI) tag for 'Kandhamal Haldi' from Intellectual Property India
(IPI), an organisation under the Union ministry of Commerce & Industry. 'Kandhamal Haldi' has
been placed under Class-30 type.The GI recognition coincided with the Orissa‘s Foundation Day
(Utkal Divas).
6. Orchha Town of Madhya Pradesh
The Orchha town of Madhya Pradesh (MP), which is situated on the bank of Betwa River, has
been UNESCO world heritage sites Madhya Pradesh and is 15 km from Jhansi of Uttar Pradesh.
According to the rules, to be a part of UNESCO‘s World Heritage sites, the heritage or any
historical site first has to be on the tentative list. After it makes it to the tentative list, another
proposal is sent to UNESCO.
Orchha is a famous town depicting the peculiar style of Bundela Dynasty.It is famous for
chaturbhuj temple.
7. Abujh Maria Tribe of Chhattisgarh
Why in News?
The Chhattisgarh government is processing habitat rights for Abujh Marias Particularly
Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
About Abujh Maria Tribe

● They live in isolation and inhabit the secluded enclaves of Bastar (Chhattisgarh).
● They are one of the few tribes that have many to keep their quintessential culture alive
and unaffected by the vestiges of time.
● In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate
category, who are less developed among the tribal groups.
● In 1975, the Government of India initiated to identify the most vulnerable tribal groups as
a separate category and declared 52 such groups.
● Again in 1993 an additional 23 groups were added to the category, making it a total of 75
PTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes, spread over 17 states and one Union Territory (UT),
in the country (2011 census).
● In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal
Groups (PVTGs).
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
PVTGs have some specific features such as dependency on hunting, gathering for food, having
pre-agriculture level of technology zero and negative growth of population and extremely low level
of literacy. These are additional to general tribal specific signs such as primitive traits, distinct
culture, geographical isolation, shyness to contact with the community at large and
backwardness.
How are they identified?
According to the procedure for identification, the state governments or UT governments submit
proposals to the Central Ministry of Tribal Welfare for identification of PVTGs. After ensuring the
fulfillment of criteria, the Central Ministry selects those groups as PVTGs
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ART & CULTURE
8. “Find the Incredible You” campaign:
The ―Find the Incredible You‖ by the Union Tourism Ministry has been declared winner of the
PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Award 2019 under the ―Marketing – Primary
Government Destination category.
About PATA Gold Awards: These awards are given by PATA to tourism industry organizations
and individuals making an outstanding contribution towards the promotion of the travel industry
throughout the Asia Pacific Region.
9. Indian Side of Kailash Mansarovar on Tentative List of world Heritage site of India
Proposal for ‗Sacred Mountain Landscape and Heritage Routes‘(Indian side of Kailash
Mansarovar) has been included in Tentative List of World Heritage of India as mixed sites.
About Kailash Mansarovar
● The Kailash Mansarovar is in the mixed category of the list (both natural and cultural
heritage).
● The Indian site is part of the larger landscape of 31,000 sq km constitutes the Mount
Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in the remote south-western portion of the Tibet
Autonomous Region of China and adjacent districts in the far western region of Nepal.
● The Indian portion of the landscape in the State of Uttarakhand comprises four major
watersheds viz the Panar-saryu,the saryu-ramganga,the gori-kali, and the dhauli-kali.
● The tantric practitioners of Buddhism regard Mount Kailash as the sacred fortress of
Buddha Shakyamuni (Chakrasamvara)-a wrathful deity with four faces and twelve hands,
who is also said to symbolize supreme bliss.
● For the Jains, the mountain holds a special place in their faith, because this was where
Risabhdev the first of the tirthankaras, attained liberation from the cycle of karma.
About World Heritage Site
Various areas or objects are inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. The sites are designated as ―outstanding universal
value‖ under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World cultural and Natural
Heritage.
There are three types of sites:
● Cultural heritage sites include hundreds of historic buildings and town sites, important
archaeological sites, and works of monumental sculpture or painting.
● Natural heritage sites are restricted to those natural areas that are outstanding examples
of Earth‘s record of life or its geologic processes, sites of ongoing ecological and biological
evolutionary processes, sites that are rare, unique, superlative, or of outstanding beauty,
or sites of rare or endangered animals or plants or are sites of exceptional biodiversity.
● Mixed heritage sites contain elements of both natural and cultural significance.
10. Palani Panchamirtham gets GI tag
The famous Palani Panchamirtham, given as ‗prasadam‘ at the Murugan temple, has been
granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. It is sweet in taste and one of the main offerings for
Lord Dhandayuthapani Swamy, the presiding deity of ArulmiguDhandayuthapaniSwamy Temple,
36
situated on Palani Hills.

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ART & CULTURE
About GI tags:
● A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical
origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
● In order to function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place.
In addition, the qualities, characteristics or reputation of the product should be essentially
due to the place of origin.
● Since the qualities depend on the geographical place of production, there is a clear link
between the product and its original place of production.
● In India, GI tag is governed by the Geographical Indications of Good (Registration and
Protection Act), 1999. This act is administered by the Controller General of Patents,
Designs and TradeMarks, who is also the Registrar of Geographical Indications.
Some other GI tags are:
11. Pashmina Product Received BSI Certification

● Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published an Indian Standard for identification,
marking and labelling of Pashmina products to certify its purity.
● The certification will help curb the adulteration of Pashmina and also protect the interests
of local artisans and nomads who are the producers of Pashmina raw material.
Changthangi or Pashmina goat
● The Changthangi or Pashmina goat, is a special breed of goat indigenous to the high
altitude regions of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir.
● They are raised for ultra-fine cashmere wool, known as Pashmina once woven.
● The Textiles are handspun and were first woven in Kashmir.
● The Changthangi goat grows a thick; warn undercoat which is the source of Kashmir
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Pashmina wool – the world‘s finest cashmere measuring between 12-15 microns in fiber
thickness.
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ART & CULTURE
12. Sowa Rigpa Medicine practice system of Himalayas
The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of the National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) in
Leh as an autonomous organization. It will be an autonomous national institute under the
Ministry of AYUSH.
Highlights
● Sowa-Rigpa commonly known as Tibetan system of medicine, is one of the oldest, Living
and well documented medical traditions of the world. It originated from Tibet and
popularly practiced in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia and Russia.
● The majority of theory and practice of Sowa-Rigpa is similar to ―Ayurveda.
● Sowa-Rigpa is based on the principles of Jung-wa-nga (Skt: Panchamahabhutas) which
means bodies of all the living beings and non-living objects of the universe are composed
of Jung-wa-nga (Skt: Prithvi, Jal, Agni, Vayu and Akash) and the imbalance in the
proportion of these elements results in the disorder.
13. UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)
Recently UNESCO has designated MUMBAI as a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network
(UCCN) in the field of FILM and HYDERABAD in the field of GASTRONOMY.
● UCCN, created in 2004, is a network of cities which are thriving, active centres of cultural
activities in their respective countries.
● The member cities that form part of the Network come from all continents and regions
with different income levels and populations.
● They work together towards a common mission: placing creativity and the creative
economy at the core of their urban development plans to make cities safe, resilient,
inclusive and sustainable, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
● The 7 categories for recognition under UCCN are as follows-Crafts and Folk Arts,
Design, Film, Gastronomy, Music, Media Arts, Literature.
● Previously, 3 Indian cities were recognized as members of UCCN, namely-
1. Jaipur-Crafts and Folk Arts(2015)
2. Varanasi-Creative city of Music (2015)
3. Chennai-Creative city of Music(2017)
14. Asiatic Society, Mumbai
Recently Asiatic Society of Mumbai, elected the first woman president in the 215 years of its
existence.
● It is a learned society whose activities include conducting historical research, awarding

historians, and running an institute of postgraduate studies.
● Its library, home to over 1 lakh books, consists of rare manuscripts contributed to it by
the East India Company, as well as generous donations by the likes of Mountstuart
Elphinstone, Jagannath Shankarsheth, Cowasji Jehangir, and Bhau Daji Lad.
● The Society offers Junior Fellowships for research and recommends scholars for the
Tagore National Fellowship of the Ministry of Culture.
38
● The Governor of Maharashtra is the Society‘s Chief Patron.

● The Asiatic Society began its journey in 1804 as the Literary Society of Bombay.
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ART & CULTURE
● It was founded by Sir James Mackintosh, a Scottish colonial administrator who had a
keen interest in Oriental studies.
● In 1826, the Literary Society became the Mumbai arm of the London-based Royal Asiatic
Society of Great Britain and Ireland and came to be called the Bombay Branch of the
Royal Asiatic Society (BBRAS).
● In 1954, the institution was severed from its London parent and became the Asiatic
Society of Bombay. In 2002, it acquired its present name.
RECENT UPDATES:
Gorakhpur Terracotta:
Gorakhpur has got a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for its traditional terracotta craft.
Terracotta is a unique and special kind of ceramic craft. It is the term normally used for
sculptures made in earthenware, and also for various utilitarian products including vessels water
and waste water pipes, roofing tiles, bricks, and surface embellishment in building construction.
Highlights
 The terracotta work of Gorakhpur is a centuries-old traditional art form, where the potters
make various animal figures like horses, elephants, camel, goat, ox, etc. with hand-applied
ornamentation.
 Some of the major products of craftsmanship include the Hauda elephants, Mahawatdar
horse, deer, camel, five-faced Ganesha, single-faced Ganesha, elephant table, chandeliers,
hanging bells etc.
 The entire work is done with bare hands and artisans use natural colour, which stays fast for
a long time.
Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai

Tamil Nadu‘s Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai was granted the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.
 Kovilpattikadalai Mittai is a peanut candy originally prepared during village festivals using
palm jaggery and groundnuts.
 In the 1940s, it began to be prepared using sugarcane jaggery and peanuts.
 The candy also began to be cut into rectangular shapes instead of the traditional balls.
Highlights
 The candy is produced from groundnuts and organic jaggery.
 It gets its unique flavour from the use of the special Theni jaggery.
 The groundnuts are grown in the native black soil of Kovilpatti.
 The other recognised uniqueness includes the production process which is done using
‗VeraguAduppu‘ (firewood stove).
Telai Rumal
Puttapaka in Nalgonda, Telangana is now on the global map as the centre for a handloom
technique known as Puttapaka Telia Rumal. It secured the coveted Geographical Indication tag
recently.
39
 During the Nizam‘s dynasty, Puttapaka, a small, backward village of the Telangana region of
Andhra Pradesh had about 20 families engaged in handloom weaving, who were patronised by
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rich Muslim families and the Nizam rulers.
ART & CULTURE
 The officers working in the court of the Nizam would wear the Chituki Telia Rumal as a
symbolic representation of status.
 Telia Rumals are offered at the dargah of Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan with some devotees
offering 50 or even 100 cloths.
 Telia Rumals were worn as a veil by princesses at the erstwhile court of the Nizam of
Hyderabad; and as a turban cloth by Arabs in the Middle East.
 Telia Rumal is a unique tie and dye technique that uses oil for the treatment of the yarn that
helps it retain softness and has a distinct smell of gingelly oil.
Sohrai Khovar painting
Jharkhand‘s Sohrai Khovar painting was given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
 Khovar refers to the decoration of the marriage chambers and Sohrai is the harvest painting
on the mud houses, repairing it after the rains and offering a thanksgiving to the forces of
Nature.
 These paintings were discovered in Hazaribagh. One can see around 10 painted villages within
a 50 km radius.
 Each village belongs to a different community or tribe. Hence, their motifs and style of
drawing is different.
 The SohraiKhovar painting is a traditional and ritualistic mural art being practised by local
tribal women.
 It is practised during local harvest and marriage seasons.
 Local, naturally available soils of different colours in the area of Hazaribagh district of
Jharkhand are used.
Kashmir Saffron:
Kashmir saffron, which is cultivated and harvested in the Karewa (highlands) of Jammu and
Kashmir, has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
 Saffron cultivation is believed to have been introduced in Kashmir by Central Asian
immigrants around 1st Century BCE.
 In ancient Sanskrit literature, saffron is referred to as ‗bahukam‘.
 Iran is currently the largest producer of saffron in the world cultivating over 300 tonnes every
year.
 Kashmir Saffron, known as Zafraan locally, is the only saffron in the world grown at an
altitude of 1,600 m to 1,800 m AMSL (above mean sea level), which adds to its uniqueness
and differentiates it from other saffron varieties available the world over.
 The unique characteristics of Kashmir saffron are its longer and thicker stigmas, natural
deep-red colour, high aroma, bitter flavour, chemical-free processing, and high quantity of
crocin (colouring strength), safranal (flavour) and picrocrocin (bitterness).
 It is considered the highest quality of saffron worldwide because of the higher concentration of
crocin, a carotenoid pigment that gives saffron its colour and medicinal value.
Black Rice: Chack Hao
Chak-Hao, the black rice of Manipur has bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
40
 Black rice is indigenous of north-east and extensively grown in Odisha, West Bengal and
Jharkhand. It has medicinal importance.
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 That dark colour of Black Rice is due to an excess of anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant.
ART & CULTURE
 Chak-Hao is scented glutinous rice characterised by its special aroma.

 It is not grown commercially but in small pockets. The use of the rice is limited to ritual feasts
and festivities. It is normally eaten during community feasts and is served as Chak-Hao
kheer.
Bishnu Sendra Parva
For the first time, not a single animal was killed on Bishnu Sendra Parva.
 Bishnu Sendra Parva is an annual hunting festival observed by tribals of Jharkhand and the
neighbouring Odisha and West Bengal.
 The festival is a years old ritual where tribals from the state and bordering areas of Orissa,
Bihar and Bengal, join to hunt in the forests of Dalma hills on the outskirts of Jamshedpur.
 The tribals offer animals and birds as sacrifice to the local deity, Dalma Guru.
Katkari Tribe
A group of tribal youth from the Katkari community in Shahpur (Maharashtra) has come together
to market Giloy, an herb used in treatment of viral fever, malaria as well as diabetes. The herb
has a huge demand from pharmaceutical companies.
 Katkari is one of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India.
 There are certain tribal communities who use a pre-agricultural level of technology, face
stagnant or declining population growth, and are equipped with only an extremely low level of
literacy and a subsistence level of economy. .
 Katkaris are located primarily in Raigad district of Maharashtra. They are also found in
Gujrat.
 The youth were helped by the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) run by TRIFED,
Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Vesak: The Day of Fool Moon

 "Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the most sacred day for Buddhists
as on this Day two and a half millennia ago (623 B.C.) the Buddha was born.
 It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the
Day of Vesak that the Buddha in his eightieth year passed away.
Talamaddale
The traditional art of ‗Talamaddale‘, a variant of Yakshagana theatre, has gone virtual in times of
COVID-19. Performances were streamed live on social media.
 Talamaddale is a variation of Yakshagana theatre.
 It is well-known art-form in coastal Karnataka.
Yakshaganavs Talamadalle
 Unlike the Yakshagana performance, in the conventional ‗talamaddale,‘ the artists sit across
in a place without any costumes and engage in testing their oratory skills based on the
episode chosen.
 If music is common for both Yakshagana performance and ‗talamaddale‘, the latter has only
spoken words without any dance or costumes. Hence it is an art form minus dance, costumes
and stage conventions.
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ART & CULTURE
Mongolian Kanjur Manuscript
The Ministry of Culture has taken up the project of reprinting of 108 volumes of Mongolian
Kanjur under the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM).
 Historical interaction between India and Mongolia goes back centuries.
 Buddhism was carried to Mongolia by Indian cultural and religious ambassadors during the
early Christian era.
 Mongolian Kanjur, the Buddhist canonical text in 108 volumes is considered to be the most
important religious text in Mongolia.
 In the Mongolian language ‗Kanjur‘ means ‗Concise Orders‘- the words of Lord Buddha in
particular.
 It is held in high esteem by the Mongolian Buddhists and they worship the Kanjur at temples
and recite the lines of Kanjur in daily life as a sacred ritual.
 The Kanjur are kept almost in every monastery in Mongolia.
 Mongolian Kanjur has been translated from Tibetan.
 The Mongolian Kanjur is a source of providing a cultural identity to Mongolia.
Madhubani Art
Artisans are adding a pinch of Madhubani art to brighten up the otherwise dull face masks.
Priced between Rs 50 to Rs 100, these masks are finding takers from across the country.
 Madhubani painting, also referred to as Mithila Art (as it flourishes in the Mithila region of
Bihar), is characterized by line drawings filled in by bright colours and contrasts or
patterns.This style of painting has been traditionally done by the women of the region, though
today men are also involved to meet the demand.
 These paintings are popular because of their tribal motifs and use of bright earthy colours.
These paintings are done with mineral pigments prepared by the artists.
 The work is done on freshly plastered or a mud wall.For commercial purposes, the work is
now being done on paper, cloth, canvas etc.
 Cotton wrapped around a bamboo stick forms the brush. Black colour is obtained by mixing
soot with cow dung; yellow from turmeric or pollen or lime and the milk of banyan leaves; blue
from indigo and so on.
 The colours are applied flat with no shading and no empty space is left.
 Figures from nature & mythology are adapted to suit their style.
 The themes & designs widely painted are of Hindu deities such as Krishna, Rama, Siva,
Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Sun and Moon, Tulasi plant, court scenes, wedding scenes, social
happenings etc.
 Floral, animal and bird motifs, geometrical designs are used to fill up all the gaps.
Tribal Freedom Fighters of India
Government has decided to set up Museums to commemorate the contribution of Tribals in the
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freedom struggle of India.

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ART & CULTURE
Highlights
The museums sanctioned location of museum and tribal freedom fighters/heroes associated with
the museum are as under:
State Location Tribal Freedom Fighters
Chhattisgarh Raipur Veer Narayan Singh
Jharkhand Ranchi Birsa Munda
Andhra Pradesh Lammasingi Alluri Seetha Ram Raju
Madhya Pradesh Chhindwara Tantya Bheel, BheemaNayak, Khajaya Nayak, etc.
Kerala Kozhikode Thalakkal Chandu
Manipur Makhal Village Rani Gaidinliu
Telangana Hyderabad Ramji Gond
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ART & CULTURE

1.Art and architecture

3.Music and dances,Paintings,languages and literature

4.Historical personalities and events

3. Bharat Rang Mahotsav

Art and Architecture

Note: The UIA(International Union of Architecture) is an international representative body for

2. National War Memorial

5. Sanauli- Archaeological Site

7. Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat (Meghalaya)

About Mawmluh Cave:

About Therriaghat: It marks the cretaceous paleogene mass extinction event.

8. Markandeshwar Temple in Maharashtra

● Known as the “Khajuraho of Vidarbha situated on the bank of River Wainganga in

9. Iron Age settlement in the Vidarbha region

The recent excavation carried out by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at

10. Indus Valley Civilization

Civilisation (IVC) site.

11. Sangam Civilization (Older Than Thought)

Sangam Age and Literature

About the temple

13. Scientists excavate „Ancient River‟ in Uttar Pradesh

What are Palaeochannels?

14. Excavation in Gottiprolu

part of the mound.

Major Findings of ASI

Stone Vishnu Idol

Terracotta Female Figurine:

16. South India„s Earliest Sanskrit Inscription

● Saptamatrikas are a group of seven female deities worshipped in Hinduism as

king Vijaya in 207 A.D.

17. Nagardhan Excavations

Recent archaeological excavations at Nagardhan in Ramtek taluka, near Nagpur,

● The Nagardhan Fort stands south of present-day Nagardhan village.

18. Kumbhabhishekam at Brihadeshwara Temple

The ‗kumbhabhishekam‘ (consecration) of the 1,010-year-old BrihadeshwarTemple

that of Bhoga Shakti and Subramanya.The Brihadisvara temple at

Some recent additions to UNESCO world heritage site list

● Rani-Ki-Vav at Patan, Gujarat (2014)

19. Konark Sun temple

● It is a 13th-century CE Sun temple attributed to king Narasinga Deva I of the Eastern

Some other Sun Temples in India

Government of India has submitted two nomination dossiers namely ‗Dholavira:

About Dholavira-A Harappan City:

About Monuments and Forts of Deccan Sultanate

● The Deccan Sultanate capitals characterise an ensemble of royal, religious, funerary

21. Chaukhandi Stupa

22. Suranga Bawadi

23. Bibi Ka Maqbara

24. Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda caves

7. Navroz and Van Mahotsav

● Nuakhai Juhar is a harvest festival of Odisha. Nuakhai is a combination of two words,

10. Shirui Lily Festival

11. Hornbill Festival

● To encourage inter-tribal interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the

12. Nagoba Jatara Festival

● NagobaJatara is a tribal festival held in Keslapur village, Inderavalley Mandal Adilabad

13. Zo Kutpui Festival (Mizoram)

Harvest festivals of India

● Makar Sankranti (January)-North India

14. Surajkund International Crafts Mela

● 34th Surajkund International craft mela was organized in Surajkund, Faridabad