Rani Velu Nachiyar.

Rani Velu Nachiyar is remembered as the first queen from India to fight
against the British East India Company. She was a princess of
Ramanathapuram. Remembered as ‘veeramangai’. She sought an alliance
with Hyder Ali of Mysore.

Jagannath Temple.
The power will now be delegated to temple administration and concerned
officials for sale and lease of land in the name of Jagannath temple.

The temple is believed to have been constructed in the 12th century by

King Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.

Jagannath Puri temple is called ‘Yamanika Tirtha.

Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala.

The Hoysala Temples of Chennakesava at Belur, Hoysaleswara at Halebid
and Kesava at Somnathapura in Karnataka are India’s official nominations
for the World Heritage List for the year 2022-2023.

HOYSALA ARCHITECTURE: The Hoysala temples have a basic Dravidian

morphology.
Architecture Style is Hybrid or Vesara. Building Stone is Soapstone:
A relatively soft stone. Time Period is 10th to 14th Century AD.

Stellate Plan: looking like a star.

Intricate Carvings: Seen in the jewellery of gods at temple walls.

 Double building with a large hall for mandapa. Vimana (where most
sacred shrine is present) is simple on inside and lavishly decorated
on outside.

Follows Shaivism tradition, includes themes from Vaishnavism and

Shaktism and Jainism too.

HOYSALA DYNASTY:
Founder was Nripa Kama. Main revenues from an agrarian
economy. Used Kannada and Sanskrit languages.

Senior ministers, called Pancha Pradhanas, ministers responsible

for foreign affairs, designated Sandhivigrahi, and chief treasurer,
Mahabhandari or Hiranyabhandari conducted top level government
affairs.

Dandanayakas led armies while Dharmadhikari served as the chief

justice of Hoysala court.

Hoysala Dynasty defeated by Vijayanagar dynasty

The sculpture of a goat-headed Yogini idol belonged to a group of stone deities

in sandstone and was installed in Lokhari temple.

Kathakali Dance.
Ms. Milena Salvini.

Chakiarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Krishnattam and Ramanattam are few of the

ritual performing arts of Kerala which have had a direct influence on
Kathakali in its form and technique.

Kathakali is a blend of dance, music and acting and dramatizes stories,

which are mostly adapted from the Indian epics. Heavy make-up and
 stunning costumes (elaborate masks, huge skirts and big head-dresses)
are used.

Launch of Pandit Jasraj Cultural foundation:

Pandit Jasraj is regarded as the doyen of Hindustani classical music.
Recipient of Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.
Belonged to the Mewati Gharana which is a school of Hindustani classical
music.

The Mewati Gharana is a musical family (Gharana) of Hindustani classical

music founded in the late 19th century by Ustad Ghagge Nazir Khan.
Ustad Ghagge Nazir Khan belonged to the kingdom of Jodhpur in the
Mewat region in Rajasthan.

Heli Borne Survey Technology.

It is a geophysical mapping technique that provides high-resolution 3D
images for subsurface up to a depth of 500 metres below the ground level.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
15th-century Indian Saint. His mode of worshiping lord Krishna with
ecstatic song and dance has a great influence on Vaishnavism in Bengal.

He was the chief proponent of the Vedantic philosophy of Achintya Bheda

Abheda Tattva. Mahaprabhu founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

Composed the Shikshashtakam (eight devotional prayers).

Maharaja Surajmal.
 Maharaja Suraj Mal or Sujan Singh was a Hindu Jat ruler of Bharatpur in
Rajasthan was born in 1707.

Modern historians describe him as “the Plato of the Jat tribe” and “Jat
Odysseus”.

Sustainable Cities India Program’.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the World
Economic Forum and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) to work
in collaboration towards making the cities sustainable.

The city sprint process is a series of multisectoral, multi-stakeholder

workshops that engages businesses, government and civil society to join
the initiative of reducing the carbon footprint.

Swaminatha Iyer.
Also known as ‘Tamil Thatha’. Revolutionary role in the revival of Tamil
literature.

The Tamil poet and nationalist, Subramania Bharati equated Swaminatha

with the sage Agastya who was among the first exponents of Tamil.

The palm leaf manuscripts, a Buddhist work, were transcribed by him into
paper and edited.

He was awarded with the title ‘Mahamahopadhyaya’ which decodes as

‘Great Teacher’, by the Government of Madras in 1906.

The title of ‘Dakshina Kalanidhi’ was awarded to him by Sri Sankara

Swamigal.

He published his autobiography named as ‘En Saritham’ which appeared

in the Tamil weekly called ‘Ananda Vikatan’.
Global Summit on ‘Reimagining Museums in India’.
To discuss best practices and strategies of museum development and
management from India and around the world.

Medaram Jathara.
Celebrated by the Koya tribe of Telangana. Honouring the goddesses
Sammakka and Saralamma.

Idol of Saralamma is installed in the temple at Kannepalli, a small village

near Medaram. The rituals are performed by the Koya priests called Kaka
Vaddes.

About the Koya Tribes:

Warrior tribe. Speak Odia and Telugu languages.

Koya rebellion took place under the leadership of Koya youth Tama
Dora.

Shri Guru Ravidas.

Saint of the Bhakti Movement during the 15th to 16th century and was a
mystic poet.

He was a contemporary to saint Kabir. He propagated the Ravidassia

religion that comprised his teachings directed against the prevalent evil
practices of society.

Statue of Equality.
 216 feet tall statue of saint Shri Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad. The statue
was installed in the ashram of Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy.

Made of panchaloha which is a combination of five metals namely gold,

silver, copper, brass and zinc. It is mounted on a 54 feet high base
building named ‘Bhadra Vedi’. The Bhadra Vedi has floors devoted to a
Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, an
educational gallery detailing many works of Shri Ramanujacharya. The
statue is surrounded by Divya Desams which are ornately carved temples.

Shri Ramanujacharya:
11th century Bhakti Saint, advocated the message of equality.
Composition for Sanskrit Granth and gave the Tamil language equal
importance.

Vishishtadvaita philosophy is the non-dualistic school of Vedanta

philosophy.

Statue of Peace of Swami Ramanujacharya in Srinagar located in a temple

in the Sonwar region.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay:

He promulgated the principles of sarvodaya (progress for all) and swadeshi
(self-sufficiency). He wrote a biography on Shankaracharya.

Red Fort Festival - Bharat Bhagya Vidhata.

The festival will feature a wide range of experiences including
“Matrubhumi” –Projection Mapping Show, YATRA - A 360° immersive
experience, a Cultural Parade, Khao Galli, Live performances at Rang
Manch, Dances of India, AnokheVastra, Khel Manch and Khel Gaon and
Yoga on the Go.
Yamunotsav.
Under Namami Gange Programme, the focus was on the main stem of
Ganga Basin and the positives results are now showing.

Matrubhumi.
The projection mapping show ‘Matrubhumi’ offers a grand spectacle using
light, sound and music’ with stare-of-the-art technology.

Hindu New Year Festival.

Ugadi festival marks the beginning of the traditional New Year in India.

The first day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar’s month of Chaitra is

celebrated as Ugadi.

Geological Heritage Sites.

Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified two geological heritage
sites in the Indian Himalayan Region of India.

Siwalik Fossil Park:

The Siwalik Fossil park displays a rich collection of vertebrate
fossils recovered from the Siwalik rocks of the area of
Plio-Pleistocene age. The deposition of Siwalik sediments
took place in the narrow linear depression, called the 'fore
deep', which started developing in front of the Himalayas since
the inception of its uplift in the middle Miocene.

Stromatolite bearing Dolomite /Limestone of Buxa Formation:

The Geoheritage site at Mamley exposes lithounits of Buxa
Formation, Daling Group of Proterozoic age. The dolostones
are profusely stromatolitic (Precambrian algal structures). This
site provides one of the rare examples of early life in Sikkim
Himalaya.
Utsav Portal.
The Utsav Portal website, a digital initiative launched by the Ministry of
Tourism, aims to showcase all the events, festivals and live darshans
across India to promote different regions of the country as popular tourist
destinations worldwide.

Discovery of a number of megalithic stone jars in Assam’s Dima Hasao

district.

Scientists discover an almost 35 million years old rare snake fossil.

Madtsoiidae is an extinct group of medium-sized to gigantic snakes, firstly
appeared during the late Cretaceous and mostly distributed in the
Gondwanan landmasses, although, their Cenozoic record is extremely
scarce.’

International Buddhist Confederation.

Construction of a unique centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage within
the Lumbini Monastic Zoneduring on the occasion of Vaishakha Buddha
Purnima.

Buddha was born in Lumbiniin Nepal, he attained enlightenment in

Bodhgaya in Bihar, preached his first sermon at Sarnath and attained
Nirvana in Kushinagar, in Uttar Pradesh.

Lumbini is the holy place where according to Buddhist tradition, Queen

Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama at around 623 BC.

Kanheri Caves.
The name Kanheri is derived from ‘Kanhagiri’ in Prakrit and occurs in the
Nasik inscription of the Satavahana ruler Vasisthiputra Pulumavi.
 The Kanheri caves comprise more than 110 different rock-cut monolithic
excavations, primarily undertaken during the Hinayana phase of Buddhism
but also has several examples of the Mahayana stylistic architecture, as
well as few printings of the Vajrayana order.

Earliest reference of Kanheri is ascribed to Fa-Hein. Kanheri flourished

under the patronage of Satavahana, Traikutakas, Vakatakas and Silaharas
and through donations made by the wealthy merchants of the region.

Proximity to the ancient port towns of Sopara (Nalasopara known for its
trading ties with Mesopotamia and Egypt), Kalyan, Thane and Bassein
(Vasai).

Heritage By-Laws:
National Monuments Authority (NMA), has made a record number of 101
Heritage By Laws

For regulating the property and individual growth around the monuments,
along with the need to balance it with the cause of protecting and
preserving the monuments itself.

The Nation Dharohar.

Nation ‘Dharohar’– the National Museum of Customs and GST in Panaji,
Goa.

Dharohar is one of its kind museums in the country that showcases not
only the artefacts seized by Indian Customs across the country but also
depicts basic customs procedures for the knowledge of general public.

The four Holy Kapilvastu Relics of Lord Buddha reach Mongolia for an
11-day exposition.
The four relics come from among 22 Buddha relics, together, they are
known as the ‘Kapilvastu Relics’.
 The relics were displayed at the Batsagaan Temple in Gandan Monastery
complex in Ulaanbaatar. The Holy Relics were placed under the ‘AA’
category of Antiquities and Art Treasures.

Discovery of an inscribed casket in 1898 at the stupa site in Piprahwa

(UP).

Buddha attained salvation in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district.

Named after its black basaltic stone, it is located in the forests of Sanjay
Gandhi National Park in Mumbai.

New Dinosaur Species.

Belonging to the group Therizinosaurs, the newly found fossilised claw has
been associated with the species named Paralitherizinosaurus japonicus.

UNMESHA.
The Ministry of Culture, and Sahitya Akademi are organizing Unmesha, an
International Literature Festival in Shimla as part of Azadi ka Amrit
Mahotsav celebrations.

Shree Kalika Mata temple.

Redeveloped temple of Shree Kalika Mata at Pavagadh Hill in Panchmahal
district of Gujarat.

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.

National Monuments Authority is observing the great warrior Baba Banda
Singh Bahadur's martyrdom.

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was a great Sikh warrior and a commander of
Khalsa army who defeated the Mughals and freed a large part of North
India. He established the Khalsa rule in Punjab.
 Introduced the Nanak Shahi coins. He was given the name ‘’Madho Das’’.
He established a monastery at Nānded, on the bank of the river Godāvarī,
where in 1708 he became a disciple of, Guru Gobind Singh, who gave him
the new name of Banda Bahadur.

Bonalu festival.
The festival is dedicated to Goddess Mahakali. Bonalu is a popular festival
celebrated in Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

National Culture Fund.

To administer and apply the Fund for conservation, maintenance,
promotion, protection, preservation and up gradation of monuments.

Under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890. Managed by a (Governing)

Council and an Executive Committee.

Tiranga Utsav.
Pingali Venkayya, a freedom fighter and the designer of India’s National
Flag was a follower of Gandhian principles, and it was upon the request of
Mahatma Gandhi that he designed the Indian National Flag with saffron,
white and green colors with chakra in the middle.

Global Engagement Scheme.

Under which Festivals of India are organized in other countries showcasing
folk art and other cultural events as exhibitions, dance, music, theatre, food
fest, literary fest, film fest, yoga etc.

Mistaken identity.
Thalaivetti Muniyappan temple near Salem will be treated as a Buddhist
temple.

Features of Sculpture:
 Made of hard stone. The figure was in a seated position known as
ardha-padmasana on a lotus pedestal. The hands are posed in
‘dhyana mudra’. The figure is Sagati.

SEED Scheme.
Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Denotified, Nomadic and
Semi-Nomadic Tribes.

It aims to provide free competitive exam coaching to these students, to

provide health insurance to families, to uplift clusters of these communities
through livelihood initiatives, and to provide financial assistance for
housing.

Union Cabinet gives nod to inclusion of 4 tribes in ST list, skips Gorkhas.

Varanasi has been nominated as the first-ever SCO Tourism and Cultural
Capital during the period 20222023 at the 22nd Meeting of Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Odisha publishes India’s first encyclopedia on tribal communities.

Published by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and
Training Institute (SCSTRTI) and Odisha State Tribal Museum.

Project Mausam.
Christened “Jaladhipurayatra: Exploring Cross- Cultural Linkages along the
Indian Ocean Rim Countries”, the Conference incorporated manifold
aspects of maritime exchanges and interactions.

Project ‘Mausam’ aims to understand how the knowledge and manipulation

of the monsoon winds has shaped interactions across the Indian Ocean
and led to the spread of shared knowledge systems, traditions,
technologies and ideas along maritime routes.
Mother Tongue Survey.
Government recently completed the Mother Tongue Survey of India (MTSI)
project.

Assam CM releases theme song of 400th birth anniversary celebration of

Lachit Barphukan. Theme song for the program, composed by Zubin Garg.
Lachit Borphukan, born on November 24, 1622, was a commander and
Bophukan (councillor) in the Ahom Kingdom, which reigned present-day
Assam for over 600 years while successfully resisting the Mughal Empire.
Borphukan is known for his leadership in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat.

The Battle of Saraighat was a naval battle fought between the Mughal
Empire (led by the Kachwaha raja, Ram Singh I) and the Ahom Kingdom
(led by Lachit Borphukan).

Lachit Borphukan gold medal is awarded to the best cadet from the
National Defence Academy.

AHOM DYNASTY:
Rearing Muga worms. Buranjis, chronicles written in a prose
tradition. Built elaborate maidams (burial tombs). Built temples like at
Shivdhol, Devidol and Vishnudal.

Ahom or Tai-Ahom language. Later shifted to Assamese.

Ahom king was known as Swargadeo. Council of ministers was

referred as patra mantris. Borbarua (military and judicial head) and
Borphukan (military and civil) were important officers. They replaced
the older political system of the bhuiyans (landlords).

Society was divided into clans or khels. A khel often controlled

several villages. Worshiped tribal gods. Adopted Hinduism.
 Ahom rule came to end with the annexation of Assam by British in 1826
(Treaty of Yandaboo).

Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

To bring the two knowledge and cultural traditions (of the North and South)
closer, create an understanding of our shared heritage and deepen the
people-to-people bond between the
regions.

It is being organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with other

ministries like Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing,
Information & Broadcasting etc. and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

King Parakrama Pandya, who ruled over the region around Madurai in the
15th century, wanted to build a ​temple to Lord Shiva, and he travelled to
Kashi (Uttar Pradesh) to bring back a lingam.

Pandyas had built the Kasi Viswanathar Temple in what is today ​Tenkasi in
southwestern Tamil Nadu.

Manipur Sangai Festival.

It is a cultural extravaganza organized every year to showcase the
uniqueness of ​Manipur.​It also celebrates Manipur’s state animal, Sangai
Deer, which is found only in floating Keibul Lamjao National ​Park in Loktak
Lake.

The theme for the event is “Festival of Oneness”.

Gang-Ngai Celebrated for five days in the month of December/January,

Gang-Ngai is an important festival of ​the Kabui Nagas. Lui-Ngai-NiIt is a
collective festival of the Nagas.
 Yaoshang is the premier festival of Manipur. The Thabal Chongba – a kind
of Manipuri fold dance, where ​boys and girls hold hands together and sing
and dance in a circle, is particularly associated with this festival.

Cheiraoba: The Manipuri New Year.

Swar Dharohar Festival.

Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with “Swar Dharohar Foundation,”
inaugurated three day ​“Swar Dharohar Festival under Kalanjali.

It is a Music, Art & Literature Festival to showcase the iconic art and
culture of India and the rich literary Art ​& Heritage of Indian States.

Dhanu Yatra.
The Dhanu Yatra' festival, considered to be the world’s largest open-air
theatre, began recently in the Western ​Odisha town of Bargarh.

Dhanu Yatra’, which marks the victory of good over evil, came into
existence in Bargarh in 1947-48.

Padhe Bharat.
​A 100-day reading campaign has been launched by the Union Education
Minister with an objective to promote the ​practice of reading among
children.

NEAT 3.0.
NEAT 3.0 is a single platform to provide the best-developed ed-tech
solutions and courses to students of the ​country. AICTE is the facilitator in
the process.

IRON EXCAVATIONS FROM TAMIL NADU.

 From Mayiladumparai near Krishnagiri. Late Neolithic phase in Tamil Nadu
has been identified to have begun before 2200 BCE. Black and red ware
pottery was introduced in the late Neolithic phase.

ANANG TAL LAKE.

In Mehrauli in South Delhi. Built by Anangpal II.

Anangpal II, popularly known as Anangpal Tomar, belonged to the Tomar

dynasty that ruled parts of present-day Delhi and Haryana between the 8th
and 12th centuries. Built Lal Kot fort (also known as Qila Rai Pithora) and
Anang Tal Baoli.

The Tomars were the feudatories of the Pratiharas. They founded the city
of Delhi in 736 AD. Language of Tomars was Apabhraṃśa.

The Delhi Sultanate was established in 1192 after Prithviraj Chauhan’s

(grandson of Anangpal II) defeat in the Battle of Tarain (present-day
Haryana) by the Ghurid forces.

RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY.

He was given the title of ‘Raja’ by Mughal Emperor Akbar II in 1831. He
said that monotheism is also the fundamental message of Vedanta.

Established Hindu College in 1817. Established the Anglo-Vedic School in

1822 followed by the Vedanta College in 1826. The General Assembly’s
Institution in 1830.

He founded the Atmiya Sabha (Society of Friends). Brahmo Sabha, 1828.

Muslim defender: He wrote the ‘Tuhfat-Ul-Muwahhiddin’ (1803) and the

‘Monozeautul Adiyan’.

He also brought out a newspaper in Persian called Mirat-ul- Akhbar (the

Mirror of News) and a Bengali weekly called Sambad Kaumudi (the Moon
 of Intelligence). His 'Gaudiya Byakaran' in Bengali is one of his best prose
works.

He published: 'Sambad Kaumudi' (Moon of Intelligence),1821, this Bengali

weekly was the first newspaper in an Indian language. 'Miratul- Akhbar'
(Mirror of News): Founded in the year 1822, it was India’s first Persian
newspaper.

SANT TUKARAM.
Sant Tukaram Shila (rock) Mandir in the temple town of Dehu in Pune
district.

Sant Tukaram was a 17th century Marathi poet and saint of Warkari sect
(Marathi Vaishnaw tradition). Tukaram is best known for his devotional
poetry called Abhanga (poetry sung in praise of Lord Vitthal) and
community-oriented worship with spiritual songs known as kirtans. His
poetry refers to earlier Bhakti saints Namdev, Dnyaneshwar, Kabir, and
Eknath, who influenced his spiritual growth.

SANT KABIR.
Sant Kabir Academy and Research Centre at Kabir Chaura Dham,
Maghar, Uttar Pradesh.

Born in the city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Kabir was a 15th-century

Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti
movement.

Kabir’s Compositions:
These can be classified into three literary forms – dohas (short two
liners), ramanas (rhymed 4 liners), sung compositions of varying
length, known as padas (verses) and sabdas (words).

His poems were in vernacular Hindi. His verses are found in

Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, Satguru Granth Sahib of
Sant Garib Das and Kabir Sagar.
 He was the member of Nirguni tradition.

Kabir Panth - a sect in northern and central India. Established in

India between 1600 and 1650. They regard Kabir as their guru and
treat the Bijak as their holy scripture.

SAO JOAO FESTIVAL.

Dedicated to St. John the Baptist, who baptised Lord Jesus on the river of
Jordan.

GULABI MINAKARI.
Gulabi Minakari is a GI-tagged art form of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh that
involves colouring the surface of metals by fusing different colours.

Minakari can be found popularly in three forms:

Ek Rang Khula Meena. Only gold outlines are exposed and a single
transparent colour is used

Panch Rangi Meena. Five colours of red, white, green, light blue and
dark blue are used.

Gulabi Meena. In which pink is the dominant colour.

AUROBINDO GHOSE.
He published articles in the Bombay-based journal Indu Prakash attacking
the British.

Marked him as “the Prophet of Indian Nationalism”.

In 1914, he started a magazine “Arya” which led to the founding of Sri

Aurobindo Ashram in 1926 with Mirra Alfassa. Mirra Alfassa founded the
Auroville, the city of dawn. He developed the concept of “Integral Yoga”.
 Literary contributions:
'New Lamps for Old'. Started Bande Mataram (English Daily),
Karmayogin (English newspaper) and Dharma (Bengali Weekly).
Wrote articles in Jugantar Patrika (Bengali revolutionary newspaper).
Essays on the Gita (1922), Collected Poems and Plays (1942), The
Synthesis of Yoga (1948), The Human Cycle (1949), The Ideal of
Human Unity (1949), Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol (1950), etc.

He was the first proponent of ‘Purna Swaraj’. He was one of the founders
of the youth club Anushilan Samiti. Charged in the Alipore Bomb Case.

MANDALA ART.
Mandala literally means “circle” or “centre” in Sanskrit. While it continues to
appear in thangka paintings, it has a central place in the practice of
mainstream artists associated with the tantric and neo-tantric spiritual
movements.

VEER DURGADAS RATHORE.

He is credited with preserving the rule of the Rathore dynasty over Marwar,
following the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh in the 17th century. In doing
so he had to defy Aurangzeb.

He commanded the Rathore forces during the Rajput War (1679–1707)

and played a major role in the Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710) which
became one of the main reason of decline of Mughal Empire.

WOMEN HEROES OF INDIA.

Rani Laxmibai:
The queen of the princely state of Jhansi, Rani Laxmibai is known
for her role in the First War of India’s Independence in 1857.

Jhalkari Bai:
A soldier in Rani Laxmibai’s women’s army, Durga Dal. She is often
presented as a representative of Bundeli identity.
 Durga Bhabhi:
Revolutionary who joined the armed struggle against colonial rule. A
member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, she helped Bhagat Singh
escape in disguise from Lahore.

Married to Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)

member Bhagwati Charan Vohra, Durgawati, along with other
revolutionaries, also ran a bomb factory in Delhi.

Rani Gaidinliu:
Naga spiritual and political leader who fought the British. She joined
the Heraka religious movement which later became a movement to
drive out the British.

Jawaharlal Nehru, described Gaidinliu as the “daughter of the hills”,

and gave her the title of ‘Rani’.

Rani Chennamma:
Was among the first rulers to lead an armed rebellion against British
rule. Kittur was a princely state in present-day Karnataka.

Velu Nachiyar:
Waged a war against the British and emerged victorious. She went
on to produce the first human bomb as well as establish the first
army of trained women soldiers in the late 1700s.

SHUMANG LEELA.
Atraditional form of theatre in Manipur. Literally, Shumang means courtyard
and Leela means play.

HYDERABAD STATE LIBERATION DAY.

The Centre has decided to mark Hyderabad State Liberation Day on 17th
September.
 Mir Osman Ali Khan, the ruler of Hyderabad, chose independence and
hoped to maintain his own army. In November 1947, Hyderabad signed a
standstill agreement with the Indian government, declaring a status quo.
This meant that until November 1948, the Nizam could let things be as
they were and not finalise a decision as negotiations with the Indian union
continued.

India officially launched ‘Operation Polo’ on September 9 and deployed its

troops in Hyderabad.

Razakars:
Formed in 1938 by the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), the
Razakars were the paramilitary force which supported the rule of
Osman Ali Khan.

MAHAKAL LOK CORRIDOR.

The second phase of the project is being developed with funding from
Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) under the City Investments to
Innovate Integrate and Sustainable (CITIIS) programme.

Mahakaleshwar is the only jyotirlinga facing the south, while all the other
jyotirlingas face east.

The Mahakal temple is mentioned in several ancient Indian poetic texts. In

the early part of the Meghadutam (Purva Megha) composed in the 4th
century, Kalidasa gives a description of the Mahakal temple.

It is described as one with a stone foundation, with the ceiling on wooden

pillars. There were no shikharas or spires on the temples prior to the Gupta
period.

The city of Ujjain was also one of the primary centres of learning for Hindu
scriptures, called Avantika in the 6th and 7th centuries BC.

As per the Surya Siddhanta, one of the earliest available texts on Indian
astronomy dating back to the 4th century, Ujjain is geographically situated
 at a spot where the zero meridian of longitude and the Tropic of Cancer
intersect. In the 18th century, an observatory was built here by Maharaja
Jai Singh II, known as the Vedh Shala or Jantar Mantar, comprising 13
architectural instruments to measure astronomical phenomena.

BOOKER PRIZE.
Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker Prize for his novel
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. The Booker Prize is the world’s
leading literary award for a single work of fiction.

ASI FINDINGS IN BANDHAVGARH.

ASI reported Buddhist caves in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger
Reserve.

The 26 caves dating back to the 2nd and 5th centuries are associated with
the Mahayana sect of Buddhism. These date back to the same time as the
Ajanta caves in Aurangabad.

The caves and some of their remains had ‘Chaitya’ (rounded) doors and
stone beds typical of Mahayana Buddhism sites.

Besides the caves, the team also found the remains of 26 temples, two
mathas, two stupas, 46 idols and sculptures, 26 fragments and 19 water
bodies. The remains of 26 temples date to the Kalachuri period between
9th-11th centuries.

ASI team found 24 inscriptions in Brahmi text, all dating back to the
2nd-5th centuries. The inscriptions mention sites such as Mathura and
Kaushambi, and Pavata, Vejabharada and Sapatanaairikaa. The kings
they mention include Bhimsena, Pothasiri and Bhattadeva.

Bandhavgarh, located in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh was declared

a national park in 1968 and became a tiger reserve in 1993.
NATIONAL MARITIME HERITAGE COMPLEX.
At Lothal, Gujarat.

Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley civilization,
located in the Bhāl region. Known for the discovery of the oldest
man-made dockyard.

SHARDA PEETH.
Sharda Peeth is an ancient Hindu temple and cultural site in
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Neelum Valley and has been completely
deserted since Partition in 1947. It is believed to be the place where Adi
Shankaracharya was elevated to Sarvajna Peetha (seat of omniscience).

The Peeth finds mention in Nilamata Purana, a 7th century text.

JAI SINGH II.

Popularly known as Sawai Jai Singh was a Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the
kingdom of Amber. He was given the title of Sawai by the Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb.

He had also received the titles of Maharajah Sawai, Raj Rajeshvar, Shri
Rajadhiraj and Saramad-i-Rajaha-iHind.

He built Astronomy Observatories at Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and

Mathura known as the Jantar Mantar. He also got the Euclid’s ‘Elements of
Geometry’ translated into Sanskrit.

BALIYATRA.
Baliyatra, literally means voyage to Bali and is one of the country’s largest
open-air fairs. The festival is organised by the Cuttack district
administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation.

It is organised every year to commemorate the 2,000-year-old maritime

and cultural links between ancient Kalinga (today’s Odisha) and Bali and
 other South and Southeast Asian regions like Java, Sumatra, Borneo,
Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Kalinga Kingdom:
Some of the famous ports, Tamralipti, Manikpatna, Chelitalo, Palur,
Pithunda. Trade links with Srilanka, Java, Borneo, Sumatra, Bali and
Burma. Bali formed a part of the four islands that were collectively
called the Suvarnadvipa, today known as Indonesia.

Kalidasa in Raghuvamsa referred to the King of Kalinga as ‘The Lord

of the Sea’ (Mahodadhipati).

The Masakapan ke Tukad festival celebrated in Bali is similar to the Bali

Yatra festival in Odisha.

WANGALA FESTIVAL.
Celebrated in Meghalaya. Celebrated by the Garo Community, it is also
known as the 100 drums festival.

Wangala depicts the onset of winter and is a harvest festival held in honour
of Saljong, the Sun-God of fertility.

The occasion includes two important events – “Rugala” and “Kakkat”.

TIRUPATI’S MEGALITHIC BURIAL SITES.

Anthropomorphic sites are those marked by a representation of human
form above the megalithic burials. A megalith is a large stone that has
been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or
together with other stones.

The most prominent one is the ‘pillared dolmen’ of the megalithic era,
found at Mallayyagaripalle, on a hillock between Chandragiri and
Dornakambala. The structure locally referred to as Pandava Gullu or
Pandavula Banda in memory of the Pandavas.
 Bull’s horn. Devara Yeddhu.

JANAKI AMMAL.
The 125th birth anniversary of Edavalath Kakkat Janaki Ammal was
celebrated. Born in Thalassery in Kannur district of Kerala in 1897, Janaki
Ammal, was pioneering botanist and the first Indian woman to be awarded
a PhD in the botanical sciences.

STATUE OF PROSPERITY.
A bronze statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, was unveiled at the
premises of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru.

Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, a 16th century chieftain of the Vijayanagara

empire, is credited as the founder of Bengaluru. He was from the dominant
agricultural Vokkaliga community in south Karnataka.

After receiving permission from emperor Achyutharaya, he built the

Bangalore Fort and town in AD 1537.

Abolishing the finger cutting of girls called Bandi Devaru. Authored a

Yakshagana play in Telugu named Gangagaurivilasa.

ODISHA TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE.

JAGANNATH TEMPLE, PURI:
Built by King Ananta Varman Chodaganga Deva, first king of Eastern
Ganga dynasty, in 12th century. Constructed in Kalinga architecture.
Temple is also called 'Yamanika Tirtha'. At entrance stands the
Aruna stambha or sun pillar.

LINGRAJ TEMPLE:
Kalinga type of architecture. Divided into four sections:. Garbha
Griha (sanctum sanctorum). Yajna Shala (hall for prayers). Bhoga
Mandap (hall of offering). Natya Shala (hall of dance).
KALINGA ARCHITECTURE:
Sub-class under Nagara category. With Sandstone.

Types of temples: Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula and Khakhara Deula.

Temple made in two parts, a tower (called deula) and a hall (called
Jagmohan).

Rekha Deula and Khakhara Deula: houses are sanctum sanctorum.

Pidha Deula constitutes: Dancing (called NatyaMandap) and offering

halls (called BhogaMandap).

Prominent Temples:
Sun Temple at Konark

Jagannath Temple at Puri

Lingraja Temple at Bhubaneswar

Laxmaneswar Temple at Bhubaneswar

 Related News:
Asurgarh as Odisha’s oldest fortified settlement (ninth century BC).

CHOLA ERA IDOLS.

Panchaloha idols of Tripuranthakam, Thirupurasundari, Nataraja,
Dakshinamurthy Veenadhara, and Saint Sundarar with his wife Paravai
Natchiyaar.

Panchaloha idols are traditional five metal alloys prescribed by Shilpa

Shastras. Made using lost wax casting technique.

Constructed by Rajendra Chola I (1014-44 AD). He also built

Gangaikondacholapuram temple, built after victory over Pala King
Mahipala.

CHOLA SCULPTURE:
Made using the cire perdue or lost-wax casting technique. Bronze
Nataraja sculpture, dancing Shiva, presiding deity of Chola dynasty.
 CHOLA ARCHITECTURE:
Architecture Style is Dravidian. Building Stone is Gneiss and
Granite. Time Period 8th to 12th Century AD.

Early temples like Vijayalaya temple influenced with Pallava

architecture. Later temples like Brihadishwar temple of Thanjavur
and Gangaikonda Cholapuram have Chalukya influence.

Temples surrounded by high boundary wall unlike nagara, Main

entrance with a tower (gopura), an entrance porch, vestibule
(antarala), main temple tower (vimana), inner sanctum
(garbhagriha).

Paintings: Related to Lord Shiva, Shiva in Kailash, Shiva as

Tripurantaka, Shiva as Nataraja, dancing figures etc.

Prominent Temple:
Brihadishwara temple at Thanjavur by Rajaraja Chola.
Brihadiswara temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram by
Rajendra Chola 1. Airavatesvara Temple by Rajendra Chola 2.

CHOLA DYNASTY:
Successor of Pallava Dynasty. Founder was Vijayalaya. 8th to 12th
century AD.

Puravu-varitinaik - katam system of land revenue was in existence.

Officials were paid by assignments of land called jivitas. Official
Tamil and Sanskrit.

Kingdom was divided into provinces which were known as

mandalams. Each village acted as self-governing unit. Buddhism,
Jainism, Saivism and Vaishnavism were all supported by Chola
kings.

QUTB SHAHI ARCHITECTURE.

Step wells at the Qutb Shahi tombs of the Golconda fort was awarded
UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific award (2022) for cultural heritage conservation.

Structure is made in Persian style. Monument got the Award of Distinction.

Award of Excellence:
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum, Mumbai,
Maharashtra.

Award of Merit:
Domakonda Fort, Kammareddy, Telangana. Byculla Station,
Mumbai, Asia’s oldest railway station commissioned in 1853.

QUTB SHAHI ARCHITECTURE:

Architecture Style is Indo-Islamic type. Building Stone is Use of
Black Basalt. Time Period 1518-1687 AD.

Minars in place of domes are used. Ornamentation and decoration of

buildings particularly the parapets. Surface in stucco or cut plaster
with occasional use of tiles.

Golconda Fort:
Architectural styles: Blend Persian, Pathan and Hindu and are
built with local granite. Surfaces ornamented with intricate
incised plasterwork and few monuments also bear glazed tile
work.

Charminar:
First monument in the world constructed using lime mortar and
granite.

Qutb Shahi Tombs:

Material used are Grey granite embellished with stucco
ornamentation.

QUTB SHAHI DYNASTY:

 Successor of Bahamani Kingdom. Founder: Sultan Quli Qutb-ul
Mulk. 1518-1687 AD.

Persian was court language whereas Telugu was language of the

people. Qutb Shah Sultans belonged to Shia sect of Muslims.

Contemporary Telugu author Ponnaganti Telaganarya in his work

Yayathi Chritra informs about poor status of women in society.

MEGALITHIC SITES.
Megaliths in India: Peninsular South, Deccan plateau, Vindhyas and
Northwest region of Indian subcontinent.

Megalithic jars in Assam’s Dima Hasao District.

Megalithic Period Cave in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka.

Martand Temple (Jammu and Kashmir).

Built by King Lalitaditya of Karkota Dynasty of Kashmir (724 to 761 CE).
Example of Kashmiri architectural skills built in a square field using
limestone and pillars in Greek Pattern.

Mahuli Group of Temples.

Also known as Dakshin Kashi, comprises five temples. Temple
Architecture: Hemadpanthi style of architecture.

Adichanallur.
ASI unearthed a gold diadem from a huge burial urn while excavating the
museum site at Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu. Korkai, ancient seaport
mentioned in Sangam literature
ASI unearthed artefacts on outskirts of Chennai (at Vadakkupattu village),
suggesting some 12000 years of continuous habitation in the region. These
artefacts give evidence of continuous habitation dating from Mesolithic age
(approximately from 10,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE) to Pallava period (early
4th-century to late 9th-century CE).

CRAFTS IN NEWS.
Pahari Miniature Painting (Kangra style):
Developed in independent states of the Himalayan foothills in India.
Patronage of Raja Sansar Chand (1775–1823). Popular themes:
Bhagvata Purana, Gita Govinda, Nala Damayanti, Bihari Satsai,
Ragamala and Baramasa.

Mata Ni Pachedi:
Nomadic Vaghari community from Gujarat created their own places
of worship with illustrations of the Mother Goddess (Mata) on pieces
of cloth. Also called Kalamkari of Gujarat. Using a pen (kalam) made
of bamboo.

Pithora Paintings:
Find their roots in the cave paintings, thousands of years old.
Characterized by seven horses representing the seven hills that
surround the area where the Rathwas reside.

Agate Bowls:
Agate or akik is the semi-precious stone found in underground mines
of Rajpipla and Ratanpur in riverbeds.

Patan Patola:
Double ikat or Patola is woven in pure silk and dates to the 11th
century. Colours and design on both sides. Origin in knot dyeing,
known as ‘bandhani’.
 Kinnauri Shawl:
From Himachal Pradesh. Heavily influenced by the Central Asian
culture which symbolizes religions and cultures.

OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS.

Rogan painting:
Rogan is a form of cloth painting that is four centuries old and now
practiced by only a single family in Kachchh. The craft uses paint
made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes.

Sanjhi Painting:
Painting, flourished in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh during 15th -16th
century, involves creating stencils based on incidents from the life of
the Krishna.

Pattachitra painting:
Cloth based scroll painting unique to Odisha.

Rock Carvings (Petroglyphs) of Ratnagiri:

Classified as protected monuments, these rock carvings are made in
hard lateritic rock during Prehistoric era. Added to tentative list of
UNESCO’s world heritage sites. Total rock cravings in Konkan
region goes over 1,000 (also called katal Shilpa). Unlike Bhimbetka
and Mirzapur carvings, no scenes of animal hunting are depicted
here.

Indian Classical musical instruments:

Santoor Maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, an Indian Classical
Musician and a Padma Vibhushan.
 Indian Classical musical instruments are classified into four groups
by Bharat Muni in Natya Shastra (around 400-200 BC) as:
Avanaddha Vadya (membranophones or percussion
instruments) producing sound by a stretch membrane. E.g.,
Damaru, Nagara.

Ghan Vadya (idiophones or solid instruments) producing

sound through vibration. E.g., Bell, Portal, Chimta.

Sushir Vadya (aerophones or wind instruments) producing

sound by wind. E.g., Flute, Harmonium.

Tat Vadya (chordophones or stringed instruments) producing

sound by way of vibration strings. E.g., Sarangi, Saraswati
Veena, Santoor.

Rang Swadheenta:
Sangeet Natak Akademi organized Rang Swadheenta, a festival to
cherish memories of freedom fighters.

Panduan ka Kada, from 17th century Mewat, centred around

episodes from Mahabharata and narration of Maharana Pratap's
valor in battlefield.

Oggukatha, folk theatre form of Telugu-speaking regions.

Dhadi singing tradition from Punjab was begun by Guru Hargobind

to inspire bravery among armed men in battlefield.

Powada, a traditional style of singing ballads popular in

Maharashtra.

Dastangoi, Persian traditional storytelling, Artists who performed

dastangoi for Rani Laxmibai did come alive in their sonorous voices.
 Shumang Leela:
Shumang Leel is a courtyard play/Manipuri theatrical art form.

Palm- leaf manuscript:

First palm leaf manuscript museum was inaugurated in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Dokra art:
Bengal village Lalbazar on the boundary with Jharkhand is becoming
a hub for Dokra metalcraft. Dokra is a metal casted art that uses
ancient lost-wax casting technique.

CYLOPEAN WALL.
The Cyclopean Wall is a 40 km long wall of stone (more than 2,500 years
old structure) which encircled the ancient city of Rajgir in Bihar. Rajgir was
the capital city of King Bimbisara.

Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bihar:

Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara. Founded by
Kumaragupta.

Mahabodhi temple of Bodhygaya. Site where Lord Buddha had

attained enlightenment.

100 years of discovery of Mohenjo-daro. Archaeological ruins were discovered in

1922 by Rakhaldas Banerji.

UNESCO’S TENTATIVE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE SITES.

Gujarat’s Vadnagar town, Sun Temple at Modhera, and rock cut sculptures
of Unakoti in Tripura have been added to the list.
 At Vadnagar, two major ancient trade routes crossed each other. One of
them joined central India with Sindh and further northwest regions while
another connected port towns on Gujarat coast to northern India.

Sun Temple at Modhera was built in Maru-gurjara architectural style of 11th

century (under patronage of Solanki dynasty).

ANANG TAL LAKE.

Ministry of Culture has declared Anang Tal Lake as a monument of
national importance under Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites
and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958.

Dated back to 1060AD, is situated to north of Jog Maya temple and

northwest of Qutub Complex in South Delhi.

MANGARH HILLOCK.
In 1913 some bhils revolted against British rule under leadership of a
social reformer Govind Guru (a local tribal) and Punja. Hundreds of tribals
had gathered at the Mangarh hillock for a peaceful meeting when they
were surrounded and shot dead by British forces.

National Monuments Authority has also recommended following two sites

to be declared as Monuments of National Importance:
Sankalp Bhumi Banyan tree campus in Vadodara, where Dr.
Ambedkar had taken a resolve to eradicate untouchability on 23rd
September 1917.

Pratap Rao Bhosle High School, place in Satara in Maharashtra

where Dr Ambedkar received his primary education.

PROJECTS UNDER PRASHAD SCHEME.

President inaugurated several projects under PRASHAD scheme.

About the Projects:

 SRISAILAM TEMPLE (KURNOOL, ANDHRA PRADESH).

RUDRESHWARA (RAMAPPA TEMPLE, MULUGU, TELANGANA).

SRI SEETHA RAMACHANDRA SWAMIVARI DEVASTHANAM,

BHADRACHALAM, TELANGANA.

ANGKOR WAT TEMPLE COMPLEX (CAMBODIA):

Angkor Wat, meaning city of temples, is an ancient temple complex built by
Suryavarman II in early 12th century.

ADI SHANKARACHARYA.
Janma Bhoomi Kshetram at Kalady village in Kerala.

His Teacher was Govinda Bhagavatpada (student of Gaudapada).

Gaudapada-karikas: Earliest extant Advaita Vedanta text.

HIS PHILOSOPHY:
Belonged to: Vedanta philosophy and gave Advaita Vedanta
(Non-dualism) philosophy.

Opposed: Mimamsa philosophy (one of six-Astika or orthodox

philosophies), for its ritualism and idea of attaining salvation after
death.

HIS DISCIPLES:
Padmapada, Totakacharya, Hastamalaka, and Suresvara.

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS:
Shanmata. Six Religions, is a synthesis of six sub-sects.

Dashanami Sampradaya. It is a monastic tradition of Hinduism

founded by Adi Shankara for living a monastic life.

RELIGIOUS TEXTS:
 Commentaries on Brahma Sutras, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.

Wrote ‘Upadesasahasri’. A thousand teachings- a comprehensive

description of his philosophy of advaita (non-dualism).

ABOUT ADVAITA VEDANTA (NON-DUALISM):

According to it, Brahman (Atman) is the Paramartha or absolute
reality which doesn’t change. It is metaphysically true and
ontologically (study of concepts such as existence, reality etc.)
accurate.

SIX SCHOOL OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY:

Vedanta/ Uttara mimamsa. Nyaya. Yoga. Vaisheshika. Purva
Mimamsa. Samkhya.

CHHATRAPATI SHAHU MAHARAJ.

orn in Kolhapur District. He was a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj, the founder of the modern Maratha Empire.

Shahu maharaj staked his claim to Vedokta. Provided financial support to

Ambedkar. Influenced by the works of Jyotiba Phule and patronised his
Satya Shodhak Samaj.

HIS KEY CONTRIBUTIONS:

Established Miss Clarke Boarding School. Established Vedic
Schools.

Established the Deccan Rayat Association in Nipani during 1916. To

secure political rights for non-Brahmins.

He helped the Shivaji Club, who undertook revolutionary activities.

ALLURI SITARAMA RAJU.

PM launched year-long 125th birth anniversary celebration of legendary
freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju in Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh by
 unveiling his bronze statute. Also referred to as 'Manyam Veerudu' - hero
of forests.

Played significant role during Rampa rebellion. Member of a Calcutta

Secret Society. Spreading Non-cooperation movement in the hill region
(Rampa and Gudem).

About Rampa Rebellion (August 1922 – May 1924):

Also referred to as the Manyam Uprising, was a tribal rebellion.

The Muttadars who were the actual rulers, were forcefully brought
under the colonial structure. Declaration of Podu cultivation (shifting
cultivation) as illegal. Colonial government usurped the rights of the
local people to collect Minor Forest Produce. The tribals were
forcefully engaged in Vetti, that is, free or unpaid labour. Fight
against the oppressive Madras Forest Act, 1882.

Komaram Bheem:
He was a Gond tribal leader from Telangana. Gave slogan of
Jal,Jangal, Jameen fight for tribal freedom and rights. Formed a
guerrilla army with young men of Gondu and Koya to fight against
Nizams.

OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONALITIES IN NEWS:

Acharya Charak:
Father of Indian Medicine. Court physician of King Kanishka. Written
Charaka Samhita, a Sanskrit text on Ayurved. Charaka Samhita is
dedicated to Maharshi Bharadwaja, as it traces its root to Atharva
Veda.

Devasahayam Pillai:
Devasahayam Pillai (Blessed Lazarus) has been granted sainthood
by the Vatican RomanCatholic church. He is the first Indian layman
to be declared a saint by the Vatican.
 Served in the court of Marthanda Varma of Travancore. Baptised in
1745, and assumed the name ‘Lazarus’, meaning ‘God is my help’.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji:
Eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji (founder of Maratha Empire) and
the second ruler of Maratha Empire. Books written by Sambhaji:
Sanskrit treatise Budhabhushan-Rajneeti, Nayikabhed, Nakhshikha,
Satshatak. He wrote these books in Braj language.

Dara Shikoh:
Vice-President released the Arabic Version of Majma-ul-Bahrain of
Dara Shikoh. Majma-ul-Bahrain (which means ‘Confluence of Two
Oceans’) throws light on the similarities between Hinduism (Vedanta)
and Islam (Sufism).

He was eldest son of Shah Jahan. He translated into Persian the

Bhagavad Gita as well as 52 Upanishads.

Other Famous works:

Safinat-ul-Awliya, Risala-i-hak Numa, Shathiyat or
Hasanat-ulArifin and Iksir-i-Azam, Jug Bashist and
Tarjuma-i-Akwal-i-Wasili.

Dadabhai Naoroji (1825 to 1917):

First person of Indian origin to be elected to British House of
Commons. Member of the Bombay Association (1852). Founded
East Indian Association (1867) and One of the founders of the Indian
National Congress (1885).

Founder-editor of the journal Rast Goftar. Major works: Poverty of

India, Poverty and Un-British Rule in India etc.

Uda Devi:
 Uda Devi was a Dalit freedom fighter in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
She was part of the royal guard of Begum Hazrat Mahal of Awadh.
She was Known for her courageous battle in Lucknow termed as
Battle in Sikandar Bagh.

Braj Basi Lal (BB Lal):

He worked on sites associated with Harappan civilisation and epic
Mahabharata and discovered number of Painted Grey Ware sites in
Indo-Gangetic divide and upper Yamuna-Ganga Doab.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS IN BANDHAVGARH FOREST RESERVE.

It is located between Vindhyan and Satpura ranges of Madhya Pradesh.

Architectural features of Stupa:

A hemispherical mound or anda’s shaped dome.

A square railing or harmika.

Central pillar supporting a triple-umbrella form (chattra), representing

three jewels of Buddhism.

Enclosure wall with decorated gateways (toranas) at cardinal

directions.

A circular terrace (medhi) for ritual circumambulation.

OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS.
Lumbini:
It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Archaeological remains of
Buddhist viharas (monasteries) and stupas (memorial shrines) from
3rd century BC to 15th century AD.

Ancient Buddhist site finally in focus after 20 years:

It is famous for discovery of a Buddhist Mahastupa (referred to as
Adholoka Maha Chaitya) and stone-portrait of Emperor Ashoka.

Kanheri caves:
Located within forests of Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Borivali in
Mumbai, they are a collection of rock cut monuments.

Sittanavasal:
ASI has recently undertaken conservation measures at Sittanavasal.

It is a hillock housing.
 A second century Rock cave temple of Arivar Kovil (temple of
Arihats, i.e. Jain Monks who conquered their senses) with
Mahavir statue, meditation hall and Pandya paintings. It uses
fresco-secco technique- a process that dispenses with
preparation of the wall with wet plaster).

17 polished rock beds- collectively known as Ezhadipattam,

Burial pots, known as Muthumakkal Thazhi, to bury the Jain

monks after death.

Nyingma sect of Buddhism:

Buddhist Nyingma sect has found the ‘reincarnation’ of late Taklung
Rinpoche, a scholar known for his knowledge of Tibetan Tantric
school. Nyingma literary means “Old Order”.

The Other three main Tibetan Buddhism schools, Sakya, Kagyu, and
Gelug, collectively refer to New Order (Sarma). The most important
teacher in the Nyingmapa tradition is Padmasambhava.

Paryushan Parv:
It is an important Jain festival.

Aparigraha:
It is Jainism principle of non-possessiveness that focuses on
creating a balance between desires and needs and detachment from
your own possessions.

MARATHA NAVY.
Navy was divided into two ‘Subhas’ or divisions; every division had five
Gurabs and, fifteen Galbats (fighting ships), each division was under the
command of two admirals; Darya Sarang and Mai Nayak (Bhandari).
 The fighting ships included Gurabs, and Galbats. The merchant ships
consisted of machuva, shibar, tarandiand pagar. Special among his
warships was Sanghameshwari.

Many coastal forts were built such as at Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg and others
along the Konkan coast.

STATE EMBLEM OF INDIA.

The Lion Capital was erected by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka during the year
250 BC to mark the spot where Buddha imparted Dharmachakra
Pravartana (first sermon after Enlightenment, explaining the Four-Noble
Truths). Along with the National Motto (taken From Mundaka Upanishad).

Five students of renowned artist Nandalal Bose created the emblem.

The four animals in between the chakras are regarded as the guardians of
four directions. These animals appear to be rolling the chakras in the
Abacus. The elephant represents the conception of Prince Siddhartha. The
bull is the representative of Prince Siddhartha in his youth. The horse
depicts Siddhartha renouncing his royal life in search of Enlightenment.
The lion is the depiction of Siddhartha attaining Enlightenment under the
Peepal tree and his transformation as Buddha.

Dharma Chakra or the Ashok Chakra is the ‘Wheel of Law’ that signifies
Dharma (virtue).

PANINI CODE.
Panini taught a "metarule" in the event of a conflict between two rules of
equal strength. New research argues that in such conflicts, Panini wanted
us to choose the rule applicable to the right side over the left side of a
word.

Significance: It could allow Sanskrit grammar to be taught to computers.

 Panini's grammar, known as the Astadhyayi (or Astaka, given in 6th or 5th
century BCE) contains 4000 sutras to explain the science behind Sanskrit.

CONVENTION FOR SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL

HERITAGE (ICH).
The “intangible cultural heritage” means the practices, representations,
expressions, knowledge, skills.

India was elected to Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003

Convention for Safeguarding of ICH.

FESTIVALS IN NEWS.
Hornbill Festival in Nagaland.

Ambubachi Mela:
AmbubachiMela, a four day annual fair celebrated at Kamakhya
Temple in Guwahati, Assam. It is celebrated to mark the annual
menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya (reigning deity).

Losar Festival. Marking the beginning of the Tibetan new year.

Nuakhai Juhar is celebrated in western Odisha and southern Chhattisgarh

to observe the welcome of the new season of rice.

Navroz (New day), popularly referred as Pateti, celebrates the first day of
Zoroastiran calender’s first month, Farvardin.

PRIZES AND AWARDS.

Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi Awards conferred.
Nobel Peace Prize for 2022:
Human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus. Russian human
rights organisation Memorial. Ukrainian human rights organisation
Center for Civil Liberties.

2022 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to French author Annie

Ernaux.

2022 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award to Angela Merkel, former

Chancellor of Germany, for protecting refugees at Syria crisis.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has won UNESCO Felix

Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize 2022 for her ‘efforts to welcome refugees.

UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Prize has been awarded to Franca Ma-ih

Sulem Yong from Cameroon.

Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, to

Pratham, an NGO functioning in the field of education.

Gandhi Mandela Award 2022 was conferred upon the 14th Dalai Lama.

India won its maiden Thomas Cup title beating Indonesia 3-0 in the final.
Thomas Cup is an international badminton competition.

Laureus World Sports Award. Max Verstappen (Formula One) and Elaine
Thompson-Herah (Athletics) have been named Laureus World Sportsman
and Sportswoman of the Year (2021) respectively.
TRIBES IN NEWS.
Revisions in Schedule Tribes (STs) lists:
Hatti tribe in Trans-Giri area of Himachal Pradesh, Narikoravan and
Kurivikkaran hill tribes of Tamil Nadu and Binjhia in Chhattisgarh,
were newly added to list.

Sahariya tribe are an ethnic group in state of Madhya Pradesh. Speak

Munda language that belongs to Austro-Asiatic language family.

Santhal tribes are the third largest schedule tribe community in the country
after Gond and Bhil. West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Assam.
Speak Santhali (belongs to the Austro- Asiatic language family) and Script
called Olchiki.

Korku tribe performed Korku tribal folk dance at Jharokha - Compendium

of Indian handicraft, handloom, art and culture.

Gonds are one of the largest tribal groups spread across Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, and also in parts of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa,
UP. They speak Gondi a language which belongs to the Dravidian family.

OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS.

Chapekar Brother Case:
Damodar Hari, Balkrishna Hari and Vasudeo Hari were involved in
assassination of British official W. C. Rand and his military escort
Lieutenant Ayerst at Pune, Maharashtra.

During 1896-97, bubonic plague was spread in Pune (Poona), also

called Poona plague.
Project Vanni:
It aims to build an artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)
model to collect language samples from 773 districts across India.

Mumbai samachar(Formerly called Bombay Samachar):

Founded by a Parsi scholar Fardoonji Murazban. For Business
news.

Harijan Sevak Sangh (HSS):

Also known as All India Anti-Untouchability League, was founded by
Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1932 to eradicate untouchability.

Meetei Mayek Script of Manipur.