A rare 1000-year-old inscription, detailing the self-sacrifice of a Jain monk, has been discovered by research scholars of Pandyanadu Centre for Historical Research. The discovery also throws light on why a village in Melur, Arittapatti, also known for its Jain monuments, got its name. Senior epigraphist and secretary of the centre C Santhalingam said scholars R Udhayakumar, T Muthupandi and P Murugan discovered the inscription dating back to the 9th-10th century CE at the slope of the Thirupparankundram hill, behind Sikkanthardharga. He said the inscription describes a place where a Jain ascetic Arittanemi sacrificed his life by fasting unto death. The term ‘Nisithikai’ is mentioned in the inscription, which denotes the place or base where the ascetic died. “Such evidence has been seen in Thirunatharkundru (near Gingee) in Thondaimandalam and Vijayamangalam in Kongumandalam.

But this is the first time such an inscription is noticed in the Pandya region,” he said. The name Arittanemi is closely associated with the village Arittapatti in Madurai district. The original name Pathirikudi was renamed after saint Arittanemi.

Till now it was an assumption but the new discovery proves that a saint in the name of Arittanemi had lived and sacrificed his life by fasting unto death at Thirupparankundram hill, he said. Thirupparankundram is known for its Murugan temple, mentioned in Sangam literature. But the existence of Jain rock beds and 3 Thamizhi inscriptions dating to the first century BCE, are also proof of the hillocks having Jain connections. There are many examples for the influence of Jainism in the region, including the Jain sculptures near the Kasiviswanathar temple, from the 8th century CE and images of Parsvanatha and Mahaveer chiselled near the natural fountain behind the Palani Andavar temple.

All of them date back to the 9-10th century CE. He said that Thirupparankundram is considered to be the first among the eight sacred hills of Jain religion around Madurai. Fasting unto death was in practice since Sangam period in Tamil Nadu. It was otherwise known as ‘Sallekanai’ (Vatakkiruthal). Chola king Kopperuncholan and Tamil poet Pisiranthaiyar are said to have lost their lives by fasting unto death as mentioned in Sangam literature Purananuru. “Now, this inscription proves that the practice continued in the 10th century AD in the Pandiya kingdom also,” Santhalingam added.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/rare-jain-inscription-found-at-thirupparankundram/articleshow/92578057.cms, July 1, 2022

INTACH's founding member Amit Kumar Sahu, in his address, said that during the freedom struggle, people from every section of the society came forward to establish these centres. Venkata Library, which is one of the oldest libraries in Katni, and has quenched the thirst for knowledge of thousands of knowledge seekers and book lovers, celebrated its centenary on July 8.

Edwin Ashley, grandson of George Forester and daughter-in-law of Venkataraman, Pratima Raman, participated in the centenary celebrations of Venkata library and Tilak National School, which were built during the British era and continue to inspire the present generation. INTACH's founding member Amit Kumar Sahu, in his address, said that during the freedom struggle, people from every section of the society came forward to establish these centres.

On this occasion, the guests shared their memories and said that in order to develop cultural, national, intellectual consciousness among Indians during the colonial era, libraries and schools were established. Even after a century, these institutes are useful for society. Sangam Lal Jaiswal, Dr Pratap Bhanu Rai, NP Prohibit, library incharge Adesh Jain, Tilak National School principal Ramkripal Tiwari, teachers and students were present.

https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/katni-intach-organises-centenary-celebrations-of-venkata-library, July 4, 2022

A recent talk by INTACH Chennai chapter drew attention to the terracotta horse dolls of Tamil Nadu, their making and significance. Terracotta prayer dolls are a common sight in Tamil Nadu’s temples. From its origins as an offering to the gods in exchange for the granting of wishes to its presence in homes as decor items and tourist collectibles, they have come a long way. The forms are many — baby dolls, bull dolls and doll houses — depending on what the devotee might wish for, but the most common remains the horse doll.

Shedding light on their origins, the craft and their significance as an art form was architect and multidisciplinary designer Balamurali Kumaraswamy at an online talk titled Puravi – the Horse Doll, organised by INTACH Chennai Chapter. "Horse dolls are given as offerings to temples dedicated to the deities Ayyanaar or Karuppuswamy, believed to be sons of Lord Shiva, and they are often found in temples bordering the peripheries of a village, since they’re seen as guardians of the village," said Kumaraswamy. Other deities — Periyannan, Chinnayyan etc. often local warriors or chieftains who rise to mythical status among the people — are also given these offerings.

The horse being their vehicle and the sickle being their weapon, the latter is also commonly offered, he added. The practice is prevalent through many areas of Tamil Nadu, though Kumaraswamy restricted his research to the practice around the Chettinad areas. The samples chosen for the study came from three temples, all of them dedicated to Ayyanaar.

The origin story
Like most religious rituals, there’s a mythical story attached to the practice of terracotta doll making. The legend is that a kumbham or copper casket arrived at a village through a river. In villages without rivers, the kumbham is believed to have emerged from a lake or pond. Whoever came into contact with the casket was possessed by the spirits and began to utter the word of the Gods. This voice later instructed the villagers to make such offerings to the Gods so as to please them.

The making
The ritual of doll making, which is held during the festive season in Tamil Nadu (Mid-October to February), begins with a ceremony called ‘Pidimann Kuduththal’, where the village head visits the site from where silt for the making of the dolls is collected, and places it on the potter’s head. This tradition of doll making is also sustainable since the silt (called karambai mann) is collected from the edge of the water bodies so as to retain their depth. The collected silt is then pounded with the feet and mixed with water till it reaches a plastic consistency. It is then kept aside for a day, after which the potter starts working on it. The first to be made are the four legs of the horse. The making is moved indoors, to prevent the clay from the harsh sun. Slowly, layer by layer, the horse takes shape in the potter’s studio. Once the horse achieves its final shape, it is left to dry (indoors again). This might take a week or so, and the longer it is kept to dry, the stronger it becomes. This is followed by the baking process, where the doll is made to lie flat on the ground and covered with firewood and hay before being sealed with mud paste.

After the baking starts the painting. Kann Thirappadhu is the last stage in the process, where final touches are made to the doll. The eyes are usually the last part to be painted. The whole process takes about 14 days. After this, the doll is brought to the savukkai, the nodal point of any village where village gatherings, panchayat meetings and the like are conducted. The dolls made until then are lined up at this place, ready for the procession. The last stage in the procession is kayir mattram where the doll is handed over to the temple. “Once installed, the dolls remain where they are. Several dolls dating back centuries can still be seen in these temples,” remarked Kumaraswamy.

Motif magic
The craft of terracotta doll-making is seldom taught formally; it is handed down from one generation to the other. While they are often custom made under commission for local patrons, a temple in Soorakkudi makes at least 100 dolls every year for clients, sometimes more, the only temple to mass produce terracotta dolls. Terracotta horse dolls also come in varying sizes, starting from 9 inches and going all the way up to 10 feet. The mass produced ones are usually of 4’6” height. While the final style may vary, certain motifs remain common for all these terracotta horses. The reins, the crown and mane, large eyes and a half-open mouth. Some horses may have their tongues extended. For the torso, a mandatory element is the saddle, which is sometimes painted or shown in relief. When it comes to painting, the artist or patron generally has a free hand. One can track the style in painting evolving over the centuries, even while sticking to the prescribed motifs. It is not unusual to see patterns inspired by ceramic ware imported from countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Burma, which were predominantly seen in Chettinad homes. The artist sought inspiration from what they saw around them.

The degree of ornamentation may vary between horses, all of which depend on the artist’s or patron’s whim. What is remarkable about these dolls is that, without standardised rules or measurements, their proportions remain more or less the same despite the varying sizes. “The larger dolls require a great deal of structural strength to remain stable, and the artisans manage to do it without relying on modern devices for measuring proportions and so on,” Kumaraswamy said. With its emphasis on blocky forms, prominent lines, contrasting colours and movement, these terracotta horses have more in common with the international art movements of the past century than it does with other folk arts, he argued.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2022/jul/11/indigenous-craft-gets-international-appeal-2475431.html, July 5, 2022

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) organised a "Heritage and citizenship workshop - "Jaggo", for school teachers, at Arya Girls College. Colonel (rtd) RD Singh, INTACH Ambala convenor, informed that the aim was to promote heritage awareness and conservation as good citizenship values.

As many as 72 participants from 20 schools and Arya Girls College, attended the workshop. Dr Desh Bandhu, an educationist, and senior member of INTACH, exhorted the teachers to imbibe good values in their students, and think big. The participants also visited the Kharga Heritage Park on the staff road, and learnt about the Army's history, and its various war victories.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/national-conference-at-nit-411328, July 5, 2022

The hill of Anjanadri in Kishkinda has rapidly become a popular pilgrimage, with a footfall of 30,000 or more on Saturdays and Tuesdays and 20,000 on other days. The influx of large funds for the development of the famous Anjanadri Hills in Koppal district, the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, may completely change the natural beauty of the area. The multiple plans that are being made to develop the fast-growing religious centre may dent the beauty of areas such as boulder-studded hillocks, lakes, and agricultural habitats.

Starting from the widening of roads, creating large parking facilities and buildings for pilgrimage needs to be done in tandem with the local environment that remained the same from mythological times. The hill of Anjanadri in Kishkinda has rapidly become a popular pilgrimage, with a footfall of 30,000 or more on Saturdays and Tuesdays and 20,000 on other days. The government has now taken a lead and sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the overall development of the region. But heritage experts caution that before taking up large-scale infrastructure works to accommodate such a large number of pilgrims, they should consider doing it without erasing the original beauty of Kishkinda. This region is a backdrop to an important chapter of the Ramayana known as the Kishkinda Kand. Kishkinda stands at a precipice of change looking at the future as a popular tourism and pilgrimage destination. "It is imperative to have a team that has a professional yet sensitive and holistic approach towards planning and development," points out Shama Pawar, Convener, INTACH, Anegundi-Hampi. "The urgency to spend funds without sensitive planning and execution will yield results that are not beneficial for the destination or the local community. There is a need to prevent the loss of an outstanding spiritual and visual experience that Kishkinda offers.

It is our responsibility to leave this sacred and natural landscape for the next generations to come," Shama said. "It is of utmost importance to find solutions for mobility and crowd management to make the visitor experience be as though they walk in the footsteps of Lord Ram himself. It is important to revive the garden-like forests of Kishkinda to once again be a living entity and a sacred landscape. An entity that has a unique culture shaped by spirituality, history and nature," she said. As we spend funds on the physical infrastructure, it is most important to set systems towards maintenance, operation and management through skilling of the local communities and empowering them. These measures will create stable employment and avoid degradation of the site," she added.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2022/jul/12/heritage-experts-lay-stress-on-preserving-natural-beauty-while-developing-anegundi-2475710.html, July 5, 2022

They also focus on keeping the tradition alive for future generations by engaging youth, developing entrepreneurial skills in craftsmen. Young men clad in dhotis, with swords and shields in their hands, stomp their feet rhythmically to the drum beats and leap and kick in the air, as they take on their opponents in a tribal dance called Mayurbhanj Chhau that has roots in martial arts. Mayurbhanj Chhau, which originated from the forests of east India’s Orissa state, is one of several art forms that have been revived by a royal sister duo in Mayurbhanj, Orissa, who are part of royal descendants across India trying to conserve history and tradition. India’s royal families were strong patrons of the country’s textiles tradition and arts and craft but their patronage waned as India modernised and the royals’ popularity declined. In recent years, Indian royal descendants have stepped up conserving and promoting traditional art forms. In Mayurbhanj, Princess Akshita Bhanj Deo and her sister restored their family’s palace by converting the 18th-century home, the Belgadia Palace in Baripada, into a boutique hotel. Part of the funds from the hotel’s operations are earmarked for use by the family’s Mayurbhanj Foundation for community development.

“The foundation works with reviving Chhau, an ancient martial art, dhokra (a metal casting technique without iron) artists, sabai grass (a local grass used in making baskets and ropes) work and ancient weaves and handlooms from the region,” she said. “We make sure that these craftsmen are trained to make not just trinkets and souvenirs but convert it into something of luxury and also functional like a dhokra work door handle or a waste-paper basket made of sabai grass,” she said. “We approach conservation and reviving these dying art forms from all angles. We make sure they develop as entrepreneurs and we help them upgrade their skills, we work with self-help groups, and take tourists who stay in our palace to meet these organisations and people,” Deo said. Fellow royal Yuvrani Meenal Kumari Singhdeo of the Dhenkanal family, who reopened the restored Dhenkanal Palace to guests and tourism, highlighted the importance of ensuring crafts remain a profitable trade to keep the tradition alive. “The younger generations within these artisan families too are moving out of their villages and are in search of more lucrative careers, not many of them want to continue to work in the crafts as their families did. The challenge is to make the crafts a field that is both traditional and profitable to ensure that this cultural heritage is not lost.” Singhdeo works extensively with Pattachitra, an art form that dates back to the fifth century BC. This freehand scroll painting technique uses motifs from mythology and nature and is used to decorate sari, Western outfits, stoles, scarves, batuas and utility items. “I started a brand called Minaketan, which is the name of our family emblem. I began working with dhokra artisans and the lost wax technique of metal casting, giving them my designs as well as making objects more user friendly and utility based, suited to today’s living and requirements.” Of the reopened Dhenkanal Palace, she said: “Dhenkanal is a cauldron of art and craft. It has clusters and entire villages engaged in crafts such as basket weaving, dhokra, kansa (bell metal), brass jewellery and handloom.” Painter Vivasvat Pal Karauli, the scion of the Karauli family of Rajasthan, has revived the miniature style of painting and frescoes in his town.

Foreign students and organisations are invited to explore the town and study the art form and restoration works. “After our establishment of the Karauli chapter of Intach (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), there is also a group of local youth who conduct cleaning and repair-work sessions at our old forts and are sensitised to collecting information about the rich history we all share.” “We also conduct experiential and training workshops where students and researchers from universities and organisations in the US, Europe and India visit to explore our social activities and study the restoration and conservation at the City Palace,” said Karauli. Karauli worked with a small team of artists and glass workers to begin restoration of the Karauli City Palace, which required training in techniques of local miniature painting. “My love for art is expressed in two distinct forms via media. The first is my personal project – oils and watercolours focused on wildlife, landscapes and portraiture. The second is through the revival of the Karauli school of miniature painting and through the conservation of ancient miniatures at the City Palace. Yaduveer Singh Bera of the royal family of Bera, which is known for the art of quilting, has revived the old art and is making hunting jackets that were once made for his great-grandfather in the early 1900s. He said the project has had a “huge impact” for locals “as the tailors are now training their next generation with the skills and not sending them to the cities to work”. “Also now these jackets are known as Bera jackets and are easily recognised all over the world,” added Bera.

Singhdeo of the Dhenkanal family said: “To be able to reach out and help them (craft artisans) I felt it important to first understand their crafts, their hardships. I have spent hours learning the craft. We have tried to give them exposure in whatever little way we can, by taking their craft out of the villages but also by bringing people from around the world to their craft.”

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3184661/how-indian-royals-rajasthan-bera-are-helping-revive, July 8, 2022

A team of four schoolchildren from the Army Public School, Beas, and Little Angels School, Kapurthala, has won the Best Chapter Award in the prestigious INTACH Heritage Quiz-2021 that concluded few days back in the national capital. The winning team includes Aaryan Rajput and Anmol Banka of Army Public School and Harshit Vasudev and Laksh Sehgal of Little Angels School. Sharing details, Maj Gen Balwinder Singh (retd), Convener of the INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), Jalandhar, said he had conducted quiz competitions for nearly 30 schools separately, including Army schools, schools of the city and the cantonment.

“A final round for the Jalandhar chapter of INTACH quiz was held in the Vajra Corps. The quiz had 10 questions pertaining to the culture of Punjab, 20 from the national heritage and five related only to INTACH’s works,” he said. In addition, the Jalandhar chapter gave 200 entries for INTACH poster-making competition on India’s struggle for Independence, which too were evaluated for overall result. “We screened our finalists and sent them for the next round of contests to be held at national level from where they won the award,” he said adding that participation came from 230 chapters of the INTACH from across the country. The teams were prepared for the final rounds by Maj Gen Balwinder Singh, who is an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, and National Defence College.

As an Army officer, he had a privilege of visiting a number of foreign counties as a delegate on various missions of the Government of India. He was deeply impressed and influenced by the way foreign countries have preserved and conserved their heritage and culture. After retirement, he dedicated himself to INTACH in 2015 and started contributing in awareness, preserving and conserving heritage. In 2018, he was elected as the Governing Council Member of INTACH at the national level. Since then, he has been striving to uncover the hidden heritage of the country.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/jalandhar-kapurthala-students-shine-in-intach-quiz-406855, July 9, 2022

India has served as a member of the ICH Committee twice -- from 2006 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2018. India has been elected to the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) for the 2022-2026 cycle, the government said on Thursday. India has served as a member of the ICH Committee twice — from 2006 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2018. Union Culture and Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, in a tweet, said, “As the nation celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, India will be a part of two prominent Committees of UNESCO — Intangible Cultural Heritage (2022-2026) and World Heritage (2021-2025). This is yet another opportunity for India to reinstate the values of ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam’.”

According to UNESCO, the core functions of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage are to promote the objectives of the convention, provide guidance on best practices and make recommendations on measures for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. It also examines requests submitted by States Parties for the inscription of intangible heritage on the Lists as well as proposals for programmes and projects. The committee is also in charge of granting international assistance. In a statement, the Union Culture Ministry said against the four seats falling vacant within the Asia-Pacific group, six countries — India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand — had presented their candidature. India received 110 votes from the 155 State Parties that were present and voting. The Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention comprises 24 members and is elected in the General Assembly of the Convention according to the principles of equitable geographical representation and rotation. States Members to the Committee are elected for a term of four years. For its 2022-2026 term, India has formulated a clear vision for the protection and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the statement said. Some of the priority areas that India will focus upon include fostering community participation, strengthening international cooperation through intangible heritage, promoting academic research on intangible cultural heritage and aligning the work of the Convention with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it said.

As a member of the intergovernmental committee, India will have the opportunity to closely monitor the implementation of the 2003 Convention. “To strengthen the scope and impact of the Convention, India seeks to mobilize the capacity of different actors worldwide to effectively safeguard intangible heritage. “Also noting the imbalance in the inscriptions on the three lists of the Convention, i.e. Urgent Safeguarding List, Representative List and Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, India shall endeavour to encourage international dialogue within the State Parties to the Convention to better showcase the diversity and importance of living heritage,” the statement added.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-elected-unesco-panel-intangible-cultural-heritage-8015585/, July 10, 2022

The roots of Yoga can also be found in the archaeological evidence from Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations. A number of idols excavated from these sites were found in Yogic postures similar to those performed in modern day Yoga routines. Yoga originated in India in ancient times and its roots can be found in archaeological evidence from Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations. John Marshall, who excavated the sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, had compiled a series of evidence in the form of idols and caricatures from the site that turned out to be the Yogic postures.

Dr Bhagwan Singh, a PhD in ancient Indian history from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), who has also written books that helped the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in many excavations, said that the postures in which the idols were found in the Harappan excavation are similar to the modern Yogic postures. “The kind of evidence that we have found from Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites, if we put them together and compare it with today’s Yogic postures, one will be shocked to see that it hasn’t changed much for thousands of years. The most important evidence is the idol of Pashupatinath (God Shiva) found in the excavation. The Pashupatinath is sitting in a Yogic posture similar to the one performed in today’s Yoga routine,” Singh said. “The civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro spread across India and despite linguistic and cultural versatility, the source of religion is similar and so is Yoga. It was spread from ancient Kabul to Kanyakumari, from ancient Balochistan to Indonesia before the Islamic invasions,” he added.

He further said that other evidence connecting Yoga to the Harappan civilization is the idols of other goddesses found in the excavation. “The other idols of different goddesses, similar to those which are worshipped across the country today, were found from the Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites in Yogic postures. These were documented by John Marshall, a renowned historian and archaeologist who helped in the excavation of the sites,” Dr Bhagwan Singh noted. The Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites were inhabited from 3300 to 1300 BCE.

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY
The International Day of Yoga is celebrated worldwide on June 21 every year. The theme for this year’s Yoga Day is "Yoga for Humanity". In India, the Yoga Day celebrations were led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Mysuru Karnataka. Cabinet ministers and citizens across the country marked the day by attending Yoga sessions.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/yoga-root-found-archaeological-evidences-harappa-mohenjo-daro-civilization-historian-1965028-2022-06-21, July 11, 2022

The roots of Yoga can also be found in the archaeological evidence from Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations. A number of idols excavated from these sites were found in Yogic postures similar to those performed in modern day Yoga routines. Yoga originated in India in ancient times and its roots can be found in archaeological evidence from Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations. John Marshall, who excavated the sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, had compiled a series of evidence in the form of idols and caricatures from the site that turned out to be the Yogic postures.

Dr Bhagwan Singh, a PhD in ancient Indian history from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), who has also written books that helped the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in many excavations, said that the postures in which the idols were found in the Harappan excavation are similar to the modern Yogic postures. “The kind of evidence that we have found from Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites, if we put them together and compare it with today’s Yogic postures, one will be shocked to see that it hasn’t changed much for thousands of years. The most important evidence is the idol of Pashupatinath (God Shiva) found in the excavation. The Pashupatinath is sitting in a Yogic posture similar to the one performed in today’s Yoga routine,” Singh said. “The civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro spread across India and despite linguistic and cultural versatility, the source of religion is similar and so is Yoga. It was spread from ancient Kabul to Kanyakumari, from ancient Balochistan to Indonesia before the Islamic invasions,” he added.

He further said that other evidence connecting Yoga to the Harappan civilization is the idols of other goddesses found in the excavation. “The other idols of different goddesses, similar to those which are worshipped across the country today, were found from the Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites in Yogic postures. These were documented by John Marshall, a renowned historian and archaeologist who helped in the excavation of the sites,” Dr Bhagwan Singh noted. The Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites were inhabited from 3300 to 1300 BCE.

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY
The International Day of Yoga is celebrated worldwide on June 21 every year. The theme for this year’s Yoga Day is "Yoga for Humanity". In India, the Yoga Day celebrations were led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Mysuru Karnataka. Cabinet ministers and citizens across the country marked the day by attending Yoga sessions.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/all-you-need-to-know-about-champaner-pavagadh-archaeological-park/articleshow/92807387.cms, July 1, 2022

The finding is significant as it sheds light on south Indian Jewry, as well as information relating to what may be the oldest synagogue in the area. An ancient stone pillar dating back to the 13th century CE in southern India was found containing inscriptions relating to the area's old Jewish community, according to Indian media reports. The pillar was found near the Ramanathapuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India's east coast.

The finding is significant as it sheds light on south Indian Jewry, as well as information relating to what may be the oldest synagogue in the area. Jews in India Though often overlooked amid the subcontinent's vast and diverse population as well as the reaches of the Jewish community in the Middle East and Europe, India has its own distinctive rich Jewish history. Traditionally, there thought to be a few distinct groups of Jews in India today, who are located throughout the country. Considering how vast India is and the varying backgrounds of these communities, they formed some distinct traditions, learning different languages and so on. One of these Jewish communities were known as the Jews of Madras, also known as the Chennai Jews. These consisted of Paradesi Jews, meaning Jews who came to India following the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, with the world Paradesi being derived from a Malayalam word for "foreign." As they came to India following the Alhambra Decree expelling all Jews from Spain, these Jews were largely Sephardi, and as such had many links to other Sephardi Jewish communities.

In particular, the Paradesi Jews who came to Madras – now Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu – tended to work as traders and merchants and spoke Ladino, though they soon learned Tamil. Today, this community largely no longer exists. In fact, it was reported in 2020 that Tamil Nadu's last Jewish family left. However, while this is the longest and most established Jewish presence in Tamil Nadu, it doesn't seem to be the earliest. After all, the Paradesi Jews only came to Tamil Nadu in the 15th and 16th centuries, whereas this latest finding is several hundred years older. Three of the other groups of Jews in India claim to have been there longer. The Bnei Menashe and Bene Ephraim Jews are both groups who converted to Judaism but claim ancestry from the 10 lost tribes. Another relevant group were the Nagercoil Jews: Arabian Jews who supposedly came to India around 52 CE and were known to have been as far south as Cochin, also in southern India. But overall, Jewish history in India may predate most of these groups. The Cochin Jews traditionally date their arrival in the subcontinent during the reign of King Solomon, specifically some immigrating after the destruction of the First Temple. There are records that seem to show the presence of Jews near Cochin after the destruction of the Second Temple, as well, but the first significant piece of evidence is a trade deed from 849 CE with a Hebrew signature among it. "Jewish trade links with southern India going back to 9-10th centuries (CE) are well established and documented," Indian Ambassador to Israel Sanjeev Singla said in an emailed statement. "During his historic visit to Israel in July 2017, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gifted a replica of two copper plates one of which was inscribed in mid-9th century in an ancient Tamil script and is believed to be the earliest documentation of Jewish trade with India."

These copper plates are arguably the most famous relic relating to the presence of Jews in Cochin, which are a royal charter given to Jewish merchant Joseph Rabban, who was involved with the Anjuvannam, around 1,000 CE and is clear evidence of Jewish presence in the area. Noably, Cochin is located in the modern state of Kerala, itself one of the southernmost states of India directly bordering Tamil Nadu.
The stone pillar
The stone was supposedly brought to the area where it was discovered by a resident of nearby Valanthariai 80 years ago for use in construction. It was now found by Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation president V Rajaguru, who claimed that the stone was being used to wash clothes, according to a report in the Times of India. According to Rajaguru, the stone had 50 total inscriptions, though one side of it had its inscriptions destroyed. The text, analyzed by epigraphist S. Rajagopal, reportedly spoke of a trade guild known as Ainnurruvar constructing Suthapalli in the Ramanathapuram district, specifically in the port village of Periyapattinam, as well as further mentions to the construction of Tharisapalli and Pizharpalli.

Now, what does this mean?
First off, the Ainnurruvar are a well-known medieval merchant guild from Tamil Nadu who were one of the most prominent merchant guilds of their era - and merchant guilds already had significant influence at this time. Several inscriptions have been found attesting to their existence and activities, and they were heavily intertwined with the expansion of the Chola Empire and have even been found in faraway Sumatra in modern-day Indonesia. They also were known to have operated around the same time as the Anjuvannam, another merchant guild that mainly consisted of non-Indian traders, which usually included Arabs and Persians - specifically including Syrian Christians, Muslims, Zoroastrians and Jews.

Next there is the term Suthapalli.
Note that the inscription was written in Tamil. As such, the exact spelling of these transliterations may differ. This is important because Suthapalli may actually be pronounced as Yudapalli, due to how the Tamil language works. The suffix "palli" means place of worship that were not temples associated with Shaivism and Vaishnavism, with Yudapalli therefore meaning Jewish place of worship. This is further supported by other lines in the text. Tharisapalli is known from other evidence in Kerala and is considered to be a Syrian Christian church. Pizharpalli, meanwhile, is Islamic and, according to reports, likely refers to Periyapattinam's Jalal Jamal Mosque. We can see more evidence for this in Malayalam, where "palli" is also used to refer to an Abrahamic house of worship. There, a synagogue would have been called Jootha Palli.

The implications of the findings
Though the Chennai Jews would not properly arrive in Tamil Nadu for some time, the activity of Jewish merchants and the prominence of the Cochin Jewish community shows that it is far from unfeasible. Interestingly, the Cochin Jews built a number of synagogues in Kerala throughout their history, supposedly including in the 12th and 13th centuries. However, this is backed by some shaky evidence rooted in oral tradition rather than archaeological findings. Currently, despite the long presence of the Cochin Jewish community in the area, the oldest known synagogue in recorded history in southern India was the Kochangadi Synagogue, built in what is believed to have been in the 1340s CE.

However, the synagogue was eventually destroyed, believed to have been by Tipu Sultan's troops during the Second Anglo-Mysore War in the late 18th century. It was never rebuilt, though a stone from it containing a Hebrew inscription about it, including year of construction, was taken by the community and later used in the wall of another synagogue – today, it can be found in the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry Jew Town in Kerala. The Kochangadi stone is the oldest known Jewish relic from an Indian synagogue. However, with the discovery of this stone pillar in Tamil Nadu, that might not be the case much longer. According to reports citing Rajaguru, the inscription on the stone dates between 1200 and 1250 CE. As such, it would indicate that a synagogue was built in Periyapattinam before the Kochangadi Synagogue was built. And this isn't too unfeasible either. Periyapattinam is a historic port city and the Ramanathapuram district was visited by several well-known historic travelers and chroniclers, such as Marco Polo.

As such, it was a well-known place for merchants - the kind of place Jews would have been found. But it is likely that this synagogue is no longer around. What fate befell it, though, remains a mystery. It is still proof, though, of how far back the Jewish community in India goes. "The recent archaeological discoveries in Ramanathapuram are yet another proof of the fact that the Jewish community lived peacefully in India throughout the years," the Israeli Embassy in India said in a statement following these discoveries. "The foundation of the strong friendship between Israel and India were laid centuries ago and it is part of the basis of our relations in modern days."



https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-712099, July 12, 2022

History and archaeology researchers stumbled upon a 13 AD stone pillar, which reportedly had information on Jewish trade links, in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district. Scholars and students of the Ramanathapuram Archaeological ResearchFoundation said that the stone pillar, which was unearthed at Valantharavai in Ramanathapuram, is a pointer to the trade that had taken place in this area with foreign areas. The pillar is three feet long and one foot wide and on all four sides, there are inscriptions. The first side, according to scholars, has 21 Tamil lines, the second side has 14 lines while the third side has 15 lines. The inscriptions on the fourth side are not clear.

“The inscriptions begin with ‘swasti shri’ and mention the boundaries of the land donated to Suthapalli or Ainutruvan Perumpalli,” scholar and Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation President V. Rajaguru told IANS. He said that Suthapalli is a Jewish worship place and according to the Archeological Survey of India records on epigraphy had mentioned a Hebrew epitaph of a Jewish woman named Mariam at Periapattanam. He also said that based on the writing style the inscriptions apparently dated between 1200-1250 AD. (IANS)



https://indianewengland.com/13-ad-stone-pillar-with-jewish-trade-inscriptions-found-in-tn/, July 15, 2022

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Ambala Chapter, has won the best chapter award for the fourth year in a row. Its convener, Col RD Singh (retd), said “INTACH, Ambala, is a leading chapter among 220 chapters in heritage awareness and education. Ambala is proud of its rich heritage and culture.”

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/intach-ambala-wins-award-414267, July 18, 2022

Says descriptive text on wall panels ‘improper’, signboards misspelt. Amid objections raised over fresh alterations done and structures raised during the multi-crore facelift project of Jallianwala Bagh, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has pointed out “improper descriptive text” on wall panels and “misspelt signboards written in Punjabi” at the historic site in Amritsar. An INTACH team, which visited the site, also brought its observations to the notice of the Prime Minister, who is the chairman of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, and other trustees, including the Punjab Chief Minister, for rectification. Prof Sukhdev Singh, state convener of INTACH, said the spelling errors and incorrect description had led to a change its original meaning and significance. “There is no wall panel or board mentioning details of those who sacrificed their lives on April 13, 1919,” he said. At the museum, the “Sufferers’ Accounts” were wrongly mentioned. Under the title, “That night of 13th April”, in Ratan Devi’s narration, it was written that she passed the whole night sitting beside heaps of bodies in that “solitary jungle”, whereas the Jallianwala Bagh was centrally located in the old walled city just a few yards away from the Golden Temple and surrounded by densely located markets. The “Kucha Kaurianwala” (referring to the passage from where people were made to crawl while whipping) was mentioned with wrong terminology in Punjabi as “Kodianwala”, which actually meant “leprosy affected”, thereby disrupting its actual meaning. Similarly, the exit too has a metallic board where directions in Punjabi are misspelt. Prof Sukhdev said such mistakes with funny narratives at the historic site were an insult to the martyrs. The INTACH team observed that the large-size metal murals of imaginary human figures never matched the originality of the 1919 Punjabi population with middle-aged Sikh men wearing “patkas” and children supporting “spiked hair” (modern hairstyle). The pedestal that was earlier there to mark the exact location from where British officer Reginald Edward Harry Dyer had ordered to shoot indiscriminately at the gathering was removed and replaced with a marble stone tile merged on the floor, which was hardly recognised by visitors. “Visitors just walk over the spot of the firing without knowing its significance,” he said. Also, the martyrs’ well that has been enclosed by a glass sheet from all sides, leaves some space for visitors to throw currency and coins. “Don’t make it a place of worship. Visitors may be throwing money as a mark of respect or donation for the upkeep of the Jallianwala Bagh, but the authorities should place a donation box nearby,” he said. Former MP Tarlochan Singh, one of the Trust members, said, “Certainly, the wrong description and misspelt Punjabi words give a wrong impression. The other shortcomings too would be taken up with the Secretary, Union Ministry of Culture, for rectification.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/intach-points-out-lapses-in-jallianwala-bagh-facelift-413308, July 19, 2022

The state chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) has sought PM Narendra Modi’s attention to flaws and omissions in the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial. Intach has said there were shortcomings in the memorial even after massive conservation. It added that the PM’s intervention was needed to correct the shortcomings.

Intach Punjab state convener Prof Sukhdev Singh said a team of theirs visited the memorial and found shortcomings in the recently concluded conservation work. He said they had approached the PM as he was the ex-officio chairperson of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust. Talking about the shortcomings, he said there were major spelling errors and the use of incorrect words in the information text written in Punjabi on the wall panels and signboards. Giving an example, Sukhdev said: “In the museum, there is the narrative of the April 1919 British government order of making everyone passing through a street in Amritsar to crawl and to be flogged. Since people were flogged in the street, it is named ‘korian wali gali’ (the street of flogging). In the museum, it reads ‘kodian wali gali’ (the street of shells).Those who wrote the text do not know the difference between flogging and shells in Punjabi.” Intach also objected to the sides of ‘shaheedi’ well being enclosed by a glass sheet from all sides, leaving just some space above for the people to throw currency notes and coins.

“Visitors throw currency as a mark of respect and devotion to the martyrs or as a donation toward the upkeep of the memorial. There is no clear sign board indicating the purpose of such a collection from the visitors, nor is there any specified sealed donation box for it,” he said. Some other mistakes include the alleged removal of a piece of stone that marked the position from where the British Army fired on Indians, and improper depiction in statue of Udham Singh.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/intach-seeks-modis-intervention-to-undo-jallianwala-memorial-mistakes/articleshow/92968883.cms, July 19, 2022

These lesser-known spots, a few kilometres from the popular temple town are worth a visit for lovers of history. Bishnupur can be considered the heritage capital of West Bengal. With old massive temples built in brick, terracotta or laterite stone, the town in Bankura district has some of the best examples of Bengal school of architecture. However, there is more to Bankura than Bishnupur, especially for those looking to explore Bengal’s built heritage. While the temples of Bishnupur are finer examples, these relatively lesser-known places, all within a 45km-radius of the town, are worth a visit for heritage lovers.

Tejpal
Tejpal is one of the closest sites to Bishnupur. Though officially protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, the temple at Tejpal is in need of attention. Built in laterite stone, the aatchala temple has triple arched entrances and dates back to the 17th century. Some of the original stucco work still exists on the temple walls. There are only a few laterite stone aatchala temples in Bankura and none in Bishnupur town. Unlike in other ASI-protected sites in and around Bishnupur, there is no landscaped garden hemming the premises of the temple, which also serves as a makeshift workshop for artisans during Durga Puja.

Records by Amiya Bandopadhyay, author of Bankura Jelar Purakirti, and English-born academic David McCutchion have identified the structure as a Radha-Krishna temple; the ASI board declares it to be a Gour Nitai temple. The foundation stone indicates that the temple at Tejpal was built by Malla king Bir Singha Dev (or Beera Singha), son of Raghunath Singha Deva, in 1672 and dedicated to Radha-Krishna.

Avantika
The two-storeyed Rasmancha with nine pinnacles and a triple-arched entrance on all four sides is a significant structure of built heritage in Avantika, about six kilometres from Bishnupur. There are several such structures all over Bankura, but what makes this one unique is the presence of latticework on the walls of the lower floor. The top floor has some figurines worthy of note on its walls. The only other such structure with latticework is a Rasmancha at Bhara, but that is a recently built structure.

Dharapat
An early 17th-century Pancharatha Deul-style temple built in laterite stone stands at Dharapat. Recently plastered and painted, the structure is protected by the West Bengal Heritage Commission. The foundation stone indicates it was constructed in 1603 during the rule of Malla king Hambir Malla Deva (or Bir Hambir). The most important features of the temple are the three stone statues on the three walls — Jain deity Adinath on the northern side, Jain deity Pareshnath on the western wall, and Vasudev on the eastern wall.

Dihar
Dihar is a small village along the left bank of Dwarakeswar river. Two laterite stone temples called Sareswar and Saileswar are well-known heritage structures in Dihar. The upper levels of both temples have broken down, however the walls of the shrine feature small temple sculptures indicating that these temples could have originally been built as Deul-style temples. According to D.B. Spooner, erstwhile Superintendent of Archaeology, Eastern Circle ASI, the temples were built by King Prithvi Malla 1346.

Balsi
Located on the left bank of Dwarakeswar river, Balsi has several temples as well as a Rasmancha and Dolmancha. The most prominent structure is the stone aatchala temple of Laxmi Janardan in Chowdhury para. The foundation stone indicates that this temple was built in 1652. A Dolmancha and Rasmancha stand nearby. The other built heritage at Balsi worth mentioning are two brick temples with terracotta motifs, belonging to the local Barat family. The two temples stand side by side — one is an aatchala-style temple while the other is a Deul — and are believed to be over 220 years old. Balsi also has a twin Deul temple, a Durga Dalan and more memorable heritage structures.

Bamira
Bamira is famous for its east facing Navaratna-style Nilamadhab temple, which is now protected by the West Bengal Heritage Commission. The temple features terracotta panels and triple arch entrances. The other important built heritage structures in town include an aatchala temple with terracotta motifs on its facade, a flat-roofed temple, a Rasmancha and a Pancharatna Ram temple that is in ruins.

Patrasayer
Patrasayer is famous for Kalanjay Shiva temple, which in all probability, was originally a Deul-style temple but now looks like a Ekratna temple surrounded by closed corridors and arches. Close to Kalanjay Shiva is the Ghosal family’s east-facing aatchala Sridhar Temple. Adjacent to it is a temple complex also belonging to the Ghosal family, inside which stand three south-facing temples. The first is Saptaratha Deul temple with a Haraparbati sculpture on its facade; the second is an aatchala Raghubir temple built in stone but with detailed terracotta motif on its facade; and the third is a flat-roofed temple with triple-arched entrance with stucco work on the wall and large figurines behind.

Travel details: • Bishnupur is about 5 hours by road from Kolkata and well-connected by train. • All the towns are located within a 45-km radius of Bishnupur town and can be covered in one day.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/intach-seeks-modis-intervention-to-undo-jallianwala-memorial-mistakes/articleshow/92968883.cms, July 19, 2022

These lesser-known spots, a few kilometres from the popular temple town are worth a visit for lovers of history. Bishnupur can be considered the heritage capital of West Bengal. With old massive temples built in brick, terracotta or laterite stone, the town in Bankura district has some of the best examples of Bengal school of architecture. However, there is more to Bankura than Bishnupur, especially for those looking to explore Bengal’s built heritage. While the temples of Bishnupur are finer examples, these relatively lesser-known places, all within a 45km-radius of the town, are worth a visit for heritage lovers.

Tejpal
Tejpal is one of the closest sites to Bishnupur. Though officially protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, the temple at Tejpal is in need of attention. Built in laterite stone, the aatchala temple has triple arched entrances and dates back to the 17th century. Some of the original stucco work still exists on the temple walls. There are only a few laterite stone aatchala temples in Bankura and none in Bishnupur town. Unlike in other ASI-protected sites in and around Bishnupur, there is no landscaped garden hemming the premises of the temple, which also serves as a makeshift workshop for artisans during Durga Puja.

Records by Amiya Bandopadhyay, author of Bankura Jelar Purakirti, and English-born academic David McCutchion have identified the structure as a Radha-Krishna temple; the ASI board declares it to be a Gour Nitai temple. The foundation stone indicates that the temple at Tejpal was built by Malla king Bir Singha Dev (or Beera Singha), son of Raghunath Singha Deva, in 1672 and dedicated to Radha-Krishna.

Avantika
The two-storeyed Rasmancha with nine pinnacles and a triple-arched entrance on all four sides is a significant structure of built heritage in Avantika, about six kilometres from Bishnupur. There are several such structures all over Bankura, but what makes this one unique is the presence of latticework on the walls of the lower floor. The top floor has some figurines worthy of note on its walls. The only other such structure with latticework is a Rasmancha at Bhara, but that is a recently built structure.

Dharapat
An early 17th-century Pancharatha Deul-style temple built in laterite stone stands at Dharapat. Recently plastered and painted, the structure is protected by the West Bengal Heritage Commission. The foundation stone indicates it was constructed in 1603 during the rule of Malla king Hambir Malla Deva (or Bir Hambir). The most important features of the temple are the three stone statues on the three walls — Jain deity Adinath on the northern side, Jain deity Pareshnath on the western wall, and Vasudev on the eastern wall.

Dihar
Dihar is a small village along the left bank of Dwarakeswar river. Two laterite stone temples called Sareswar and Saileswar are well-known heritage structures in Dihar. The upper levels of both temples have broken down, however the walls of the shrine feature small temple sculptures indicating that these temples could have originally been built as Deul-style temples. According to D.B. Spooner, erstwhile Superintendent of Archaeology, Eastern Circle ASI, the temples were built by King Prithvi Malla 1346.

Balsi
Located on the left bank of Dwarakeswar river, Balsi has several temples as well as a Rasmancha and Dolmancha. The most prominent structure is the stone aatchala temple of Laxmi Janardan in Chowdhury para. The foundation stone indicates that this temple was built in 1652. A Dolmancha and Rasmancha stand nearby. The other built heritage at Balsi worth mentioning are two brick temples with terracotta motifs, belonging to the local Barat family. The two temples stand side by side — one is an aatchala-style temple while the other is a Deul — and are believed to be over 220 years old. Balsi also has a twin Deul temple, a Durga Dalan and more memorable heritage structures.

Bamira
Bamira is famous for its east facing Navaratna-style Nilamadhab temple, which is now protected by the West Bengal Heritage Commission. The temple features terracotta panels and triple arch entrances. The other important built heritage structures in town include an aatchala temple with terracotta motifs on its facade, a flat-roofed temple, a Rasmancha and a Pancharatna Ram temple that is in ruins.

Patrasayer
Patrasayer is famous for Kalanjay Shiva temple, which in all probability, was originally a Deul-style temple but now looks like a Ekratna temple surrounded by closed corridors and arches. Close to Kalanjay Shiva is the Ghosal family’s east-facing aatchala Sridhar Temple. Adjacent to it is a temple complex also belonging to the Ghosal family, inside which stand three south-facing temples. The first is Saptaratha Deul temple with a Haraparbati sculpture on its facade; the second is an aatchala Raghubir temple built in stone but with detailed terracotta motif on its facade; and the third is a flat-roofed temple with triple-arched entrance with stucco work on the wall and large figurines behind.

Travel details: • Bishnupur is about 5 hours by road from Kolkata and well-connected by train. • All the towns are located within a 45-km radius of Bishnupur town and can be covered in one day.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/places/explore-bengals-architectural-heritage-of-brick-terracotta-and-stone-temples-in-tejpal-vantika-daharapat-bamira-and-more-outside-bishnupur-town-in-bankura/cid/1874858, July 19, 2022

Music in the Rock capital of India, Shillong experienced something noble and exquisitely creative this weekend. The uniquely cheerful people of the Scotland of the East last Saturday witnessed its rich music being performed on a queer platform. Possibly for the first time in India, a musical concert was held inside a huge cave. The famous Arwah Cave at Sohra was the venue for the Grassroots Musical Projects event titled “KI Sur Na Pubon" (message from the cave) on the 16th of July evening. “It gave us so much purpose to be able to jam and play the songs of the young musicians.

We were there to do our part and encourage the upcoming artistes who performed soulfully," says Kit Shangpliang of Summersalt. Kit and his wife also sang the Khasi song in Rock On sequel. The one-of-its-kind musical extravaganza featured young folk singers from Sohra, performing special songs with the essence of conservation and the environment. The purpose of the event was twofold: to promote tourism by adding music value to the tourists’ trip to Meghalaya and secondly, to nurture the local natural talents. Clean Sohra Campaign leader Alan West Kharkongor said: “The idea of conducting such a unique event is to tell the world, how important it is to take responsibility to protect and preserve mother nature, whether it is the cave, the streams, the waterfalls and so on. This calls for a celebration of the scenic beauty that the Sohra area is blessed with and folksy music is the best way to message such a purpose".

Located in Sohra, the Arwah Cave is known for its limestone structures and stalagmite and stalactite formations which are believed to be millions of years old and are naturally carved. It houses many narrow passages and chambers as well as a stream that flows inside the cave. Arwah Lumshynna cave is a huge cave surrounded by the thick forest of Law Shynna. The Arwah Cave is a relatively new discovery and has speedily qualified as one of the “must-see” attractions in the Cherrapunjee of Meghalaya. Notably, Sohra is blessed with natural assets like Waterfalls, living root bridges, cave systems, and general beautiful vistas that are ecologically important and sensitive and need to be looked after by one and all. Most importantly the world’s only living bridge the “Living Root Bridge” is in Sohrah and is a major tourist attraction across the world. The natural marvel of Living Root Bridges in Meghalaya is mind-blowing. These wonderful structures have meticulously grown over a period of time and are among the biggest attractions in Meghalaya.

The ever-evolving Meghalaya bridges are made up of tangled thick roots that provide formidability to the structure and make it good enough to hold 50 or more people in one go. They are grown by trained Khasi and Jaintia tribes who have mastered the art of growing root bridges across raised banks of streams running through the dense woods of Meghalaya.

https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/indias-first-concert-inside-a-cave-in-meghalaya-sends-noble-message-on-environment-5588461.html, July 19, 2022

The latest edition of ‘Stories from the Mahabharata’, on July 16, at the performing art space Lahe Lahe in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, had an unusual audience member. A guy from the Netherlands. The co-founder of the space, Mansee Shah Thard, had not, until now, seen a foreigner participating in Aparna Jaishankar’s storytelling session on the Indian epic on every third Saturday. Mansee found out he was about to fly back home the following day.

“Of all the things he could have done on his last day in Bengaluru, he chose to buy a ticket for a storytelling session!” she says. Although oral storytelling is not the most popular or profitable performing art, it has a niche following in Bengaluru. The availability of performing art spaces such as Lahe Lahe, Ranga Shankara, Atta Galatta, Shoonya and Bangalore Creative Circus among others is an important reason for this, reckons Vikram Sridhar, who has been a professional storyteller for about a decade now. “Two weeks ago when I did a show at Lahe Lahe, I had 55 people coming in. It is a considerable number for a storytelling event,” he says. “For an art form to flourish, you need artists and spaces.

Bengaluru has both.” “You can call Bengaluru the capital of storytelling (in India),” says Geeta Ramanujam, who is considered among the pioneers of contemporary storytelling in the country. The Kathalaya International Academy of Storytelling, which she founded in 2003, has trained about 90,000 people in storytelling. The academy in BTM Layout offers a beginner’s certification course and a diploma. “For the first 9-10 years since we started, there were no professional storytellers. From 2012 onwards, we started witnessing them one by one — and most of them had taken up our course.” Purpose of stories Vikram was one of them. He has entertained children and adults across India. Although he tells tales from diverse genres, a recurring motif in his stories is wildlife. “For me, stories are are a way to look at wildlife, especially when we are slowly losing it. Today, we predominantly have human stories but forget that nature is a part of us,” he says, “Stories are an important part of our conservation activities.” Apart from wildlife, they also help us sustain our cultural heritage, adds Vikram. Aparna’s ‘Stories from the Mahabharata’ sessions are an example of this. “Usually when people ponder on the Mahabharata, they think of Pandavas vs Kauravas, good vs evil. But it is not black and white at all,” says Aparna, “For instance, Duryodhana, who is usually considered a villain, has temples in Kerala and Himachal. They worship him because he was against caste discrimination. The epic is also so fascinatingly complex. It talks about ethics, morality, and other areas of philosophy.”

“Even our folktales, which were passed on from one generation to the next, carry a lot of our heritage. Once people started migrating, they got lost lost. We, as storytellers, are reviving them in a form that is palatable in today’s age,” she adds. Sharath Prabhat, who belongs to the lineage of Saint Poet Purandara Dasa, is trying to preserve Harikatha, a centuries-old form of storytelling that involves music and dance. “To make it more accessible, I tweak the form and the content. I talk about contemporary issues instead of mythological stories. I speak and sing in English if my audience don’t understand Kannada.” Storytelling is an also an effective tool in education, says Sowmya Srinivasan, a professional storyteller, psychologist, and an educator. She believes stories can instil positive values in children without being too preachy. She cites an example. “I was narrating a story to second grade students about a boy elephant named Jaggu. In the story, there is a part where he paints his nails. As I finished the story, one of the boys got up got and said, ‘Ma’am, I also like to polish on my nails.’ To my surprise, everyone clapped when he said that, nobody laughed. The story promoted inclusivity and acceptance.” Stories are not just for kids. Sowmya also works extensively with adults through her ‘healing storytelling’ practice. It is a type of creative art therapy using mindfulness techniques, which making them unravel and understand their feelings. She regularly conducts online and offline sessions for people from diverse backgrounds.

Storytelling in digital age Sharath is concerned about the diminishing interest in traditional storytelling forms like Harikatha. Even though artists like him and the cultural centres in Bengaluru try to preserve them, the competition from digital entertainment platforms is tough to beat, he concedes. In the era of Virtual Reality and other immersive storytelling technologies, how relevant is oral storytelling? “Extremely relevant,” says Sowmya. “We have to understand that human beings are social animals. I despair when I hear about people hiring others just to cuddle in places like Japan. If we lose this human connection, we will be headed towards a mass mental health breakdown.” She cites an example to illustrate the impact of live, oral storytelling. “I did a storytelling course for a university’s communication students. It was online due to COVID.

After the first few classes, based on the students’ feedback, we weren’t sure if we were doing the right thing. A few months later, the college reopened after the lockdowns. We did the same course offline. This time, however, the reaction was overwhelmingly different. They were like, ‘Please give us this everyday!’” Vikram says he has had adults in tears telling him how therapeutic they felt after his sessions. “They felt that way because it it involves sitting together and interacting in an intimate setting. We should ask ourselves, ‘When was the last time we did that?’”

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/bangalore-storytellers-storytelling/article65659957.ece

Remnants of a temple built by the emperor of Chola dynasty Rajadhiraja Chola have been found at Gangenahalli, near Kothagere in Kunigal taluk of Tumakuru district. Following reports in a section of media about the temple, built 949 years ago in honour of his father Rajendra Chola, going missing, archaeology department officials visited the spot on Friday. The team inspected two small temples, once with a Shivalinga and another with a Nandi idol, at the spot. Officials said the foundations of the Chola temple might be lying under the fields surrounding the two small temples, but they were tightlipped about taking up any excavation work at the spot. A stone inscription engraved in old Tamil lying near the temples gives information about the Chola structure. It reads: "The inscription was engraved on the order of Swasthi Shri Udayar Rajadhiraja Thevar. Five years after the death of the emperor Swasthi Shri Udayar Rajendra Chola Thevar, his son Rajadhiraja Thevar, in honour of his deceased father, constructed a Sivan temple called 'Rajendra Choleeswaram'." The inscription also refers to Kunigal as a flourishing and famous commercial capital. Senior historian HS Gopal Rao told TOI, "We found a stone inscription from the 11th century of Rajadhiraja Chola, written in ancient Tamil, and a stone inscription belonging to Hoysala dynasty of the period of king Vishnuvardhana, written in Kannada." He said the team also found traces of a Basadi structure and the head of a Thirthankara idol on the premises. He added the temple, built near the banks of Kunigal Lake, is likely to have been destroyed naturally over time. After the old temple was destroyed, people might have built a smaller temple to protect the Shivalinga and another smaller temple to house the Nandi idol. R Gopal, director of the archaeology department, said, "A Shivalinga belonging to the 10/11th century, a Nandi idol in front of the Shiva idol built during the Vijayanagara period, and the Sun God idol belonging to 9/10th century were found in and around the temples built on the same premises as the Chola temple." Meanwhile, former Tamil Nadu inspector-general of police AG Ponn Manickavel said, "I had written to the Tamil Nadu minister for Hindu religious and charitable endowment, stating that a 949-year-old temple built by Rajadhiraja Chola is missing at Kothagere in Kunigal taluk." He said he requested the minister to speak to the Karnataka government to ascertain the existence of a temple over the remnants of the Chola temple built in 1049 AD and said that if it is true, it should be declared as a protected monument as per the Antiquity and Art Treasures Act, 1972.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/karnataka-archaeologists-confirm-remnants-of-chola-temple-near-kunigal-lake/articleshow/92943094.cms

The Tamil Nadu state archaeology department has unearthed an intricately designed terracotta female figurine at the Vembakottai ancient site in Virudhunagar district. The department began its first phase of excavations at Vembakottai on March 14 this year. More than 1,500 artefacts, including beads, shell ornaments among have been unearthed so far. Two weeks ago, a terracotta handmade humped back bull was discovered. Now, another terracotta figurine, measuring 6cm in height and 4.1cm in width has been found. It is 1.6 cm in thickness. The top portion of the head is damaged, but it has a sharp pinched nose and the arms are outstretched. Ornaments are seen on the neck. A similar one is there around the hip of the figurine. Both legs are covered with embossed circular decorations.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/terracotta-figurine-unearthed/articleshow/93014348.cms

It has a 340-room main building that houses the president’s residence, reception halls, guest rooms, offices, apart from the sprawling President’s Estate. Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, is located in the Raisina Hills, the area that houses most of the government buildings of the country, including Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Parliament House, apart from places of heritage such as Rajpath and the India Gate. Why was the Rashtrapati Bhavan built? Before independence, India was ruled by the British during which Kolkata used to be national capital. But in 1911, the British made up their mind to shift their capital to Delhi. Before shifting, they wanted to set up a building that would be remembered for centuries. After much research and scouting for the best area, the British government chose the Raisina Hills for the construction. The then famous architect Edwin Lutyens was brought in to map this magnificent building and after it was approved, the work of its construction started.

It took 17 years for the construction
The Viceroy set a target of four years to complete the construction of the building. It started in 1912, which ended in 1929 after 17 years. According to government data, 700 million bricks and 3 million stones were used to build this 340-room building. At the same time, 29,000 artisans were employed. Along with the ancient Indian style, there is also a touch of Mughal and Western architecture in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.After independence, the building was known as Government House for two years. In 1950, Dr Rajendra Prasad became the first President of the country, during which time it came to be known as the Rashtrapati Bhavan. However, Dr Prasad could not accept the grandeur of the building and thus, started living in a guestroom.

All about the Rashtrapati Bhavan
It has a 340-room main building that houses the president’s residence, reception halls, guest rooms, offices, apart from the sprawling President’s Estate that comprises large gardens, open spaces, residences of bodyguards and staffers, stables and other offices. Its banquet hall can host up to 104 people.

Durbar Hall
The Durbar Hall is the most magnificent part of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Notably, Lord Mountbatten administered the oath to the country's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on August 15, 1947, in this Durbar Hall. On January 26, 1950, the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad also took oath in this hall. Apart from them, Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee have also taken the oath of their office in this hall. The Durbar Hall is decorated with a variety of colored stones with the huge chandelier adding to its beauty.

Ashoka Hall
Ashoka Hall, another part of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, has beautiful fine carvings on the walls and the ceiling. At present, the President holds the official meetings in this room.

Baquet hall
There is a table, several feet long, in the banquet hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, that can host up to 104 guests. A special kind of light has been arranged in the banquet hall that serves as an indication for the butler to serve food. Mughal Gardens One of the most beautiful places of the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the Mughal Gardens. Spanning across an area of about 15 acres, this area has a wide range of flowers from all over the world. This garden remains closed throughout the year and is opened to the public only between February and March.

https://news.abplive.com/news/india/rashtrapati-bhavan-340-room-building-that-took-17-yrs-to-construct-know-all-about-the-president-s-house-1543773

S. Abhiram of Sri Prakash Vidyaniketan of Class IX was among the 10 national winners in the poster making competition, conducted by INTACH, as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ on the topic ‘Heritage in Our Hands”, in which 7,600 students from 60 cities across the country participated. He made a poster on Padmabhushan awardee Gottipati Brahmaiah. Five students from Sri Prakash Vidyaniketan won prizes at the regional level.

K. Srivalli Seshadri, T. Sneha Syamala, P. Sai Akshitha, S. Vinay Sri Harshudu and N. Charvisree were the regional winners who made posters on Alluri Sitharama Raju, Potti Sreeramulu, Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, Pingali Venkayya and Sardar Gouthu Latchanna respectively. S. Abhiram was felicitated in Delhi by C.T. Misra, member-secretary of INTACH, O.P. Jain, executive committee member, and Purnima Dutt, Principal Director.

INTACH. The national winners were taken on a heritage trip of Delhi to Samskriti Museum, Anand Gram, Humayun’s Tomb, Lodhi Gardens and Prime Minister’s Museum. D. Rajasekhar Reddy, Convener of INTACH- Vizag chapter, Mayank Kumari Deo and Edward Paul, Member, INTACH Vizag Chapter. congratulated the school and the national winner. The School Director, Chitturi Vasu Prakash, congratulated all the winners on their achievement.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/visakhapatnam-school-students-win-laurels-in-intach-poster-making-competition/article65690329.ece, July 25, 2022

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Visakhapatnam chapter, will be conducting quiz competition for schoolchildren on Indian culture and heritage.

The quiz is being organised as part of INTACH’s initiative to create awareness on heritage among schoolchildren. The entry is open for students from Std VII to X and will be held in three stages, city, State and national. For more details, call D. Rajasekhar Reddy, convenor, Vizag chapter, on 98662 90915 or emial: [email protected] on or before July 30.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/visakhapatnam-intach-to-conduct-quiz-competition-for-schoolchildren-on-indian-culture-and-heritage/article65681462.ece, July 26, 2022

The department of town and country planning is set to formulate rules for grading all tangible and intangible heritage structures, precincts and other natural areas which have heritage value, in the state. The art and heritage commission, functioning under the department, is preparing the rules and the draft of which will be submitted to the state government in a month. The rules are formulated based on the Kerala Town and Country Planning Act. “A chapter in the Act itself is about heritage conservation. We will formulate rules for grading of all tangible and intangible heritage sites and submit it to the state government for approval. Grading gives the site a sanctity,” said a source in the department on condition of anonymity. Section 3 (1) of the Act says that “identify buildings and precincts which require conservation and prepare or get prepared list of such buildings and precincts and grade them.” As per the ‘Conservation of Heritage Sites including heritage buildings, heritage precincts and natural feature areas’ uploaded on the ministry of housing and urban affairs, Grade 1 comprises heritage buildings and precincts of national or historical importance, Grade 2 regional or local importance and Grade 3 importance for townscape. Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) had earlier submitted a report to the Centre asking it to grade the heritage sites. The state town planning department has also prepared a list of heritage sites. “There are numerous tangible and intangible heritage structures and sites in Kerala. But the government does not give importance to them. The listing of heritage sites is very important as it provides a database of the sites and will help GIS mapping. When a development project is envisaged in the future, the GIS mapping will help us to avoid the proposed project to pass through the site,” said Eugene Pandala, state co-convener of INTACH. S Hemachandran, former director of archaeology department, said many heritage structures or sites are in ruins across the state. “The government is not interested in protecting these structures and sites due to financial issues. What can be done is that the respective owners protect them and government can intervene when any structure or the site faces destruction,” he said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/guidelines-for-grading-heritage-structures-soon/articleshow/93097444.cms, July 27, 2022

Manu and Prerna of Dyal Singh Public School, Jagadhri, brought laurels to the institution by winning two regional awards in the national-level project on the theme ‘Heritage on wheels’, organised under INTACH Project. Principal Parul Kumar congratulated the winners and wished them good luck for future endeavours.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/schools/manu-prerna-win-awards-415506, July 28, 2022

Italian artist Antonio Moscheni’s frescoes present a feast for the eyes and the spirit. Imagine spending hours every day suspended on a scaffolding or lying on your back with a brush in hand, on a plank of wood high above the ground against the ceilings, painstakingly portraying the beauty of creation. Imagine doing this as an act of devotion, without expecting any worldly rewards, not for a year or two, but for decades, painting one church after another across Europe and then in India. Such was the life of Italian Jesuit artist Antonio Moscheni.

No, not just life, he died doing what he loved most - bringing portraits to life in the Cochin Cathedral. Now, in death, he is more loved and admired than when he was alive. In 1899, Antonio Moscheni arrived in Mangaluru and transformed the ceilings and walls of St Aloysius Chapel replicating the great chapel of Rome, leaving an indelible mark on the canvas of Indian art. Within two years of his arrival Antonio Moscheni transformed the newly built chapel into a gallery of both adulation and admiration. Over the next six years, this painter from the small village of Stezzano in Italy, gave life to the walls of several churches, including a cathedral in Mumbai. He passed away in 1905 while he was painting the walls of the Cochin Cathedral. But, none of his work received the kind of attention as the one he first painted in India and none other exist to carry his name into history, except the one surviving on these chapel walls.

“What Moscheni has left behind is a great treasure for us to admire. This heritage is now as much Indian as it is European and we are doing everything within our capacity to preserve these paintings and frescoes,” said Father Melwin J. Pinto, Head of St Aloysius College, where the chapel is located. The St Aloysius Chapel was built in 1885 as a replica of Rome’s Sistine Chapel and the interiors of the chapel are no less ornate. This extraordinary work of art vividly depicts the history of creation according to Christian traditions, from the creation of the world to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In both frescoes and ‘oil on canvas,’ the artwork also showcases the life of the patron saint to whom the chapel is dedicated. According to Fr. Pinto, apart from these more popular of his works at St Aloysius, some of his paintings can be found in some suburban churches around Mangalore, but most of his work is lost.

Restoration
“Preserving his work is becoming a herculean task for us, it’s an expensive affair. The biggest problem we face is the weather of this region, the humidity and high levels of salinity that we have in the air here affect the paintings and frescoes adversely. Getting these paintings and frescoes restored has cost us millions of rupees, but this is part of our unique heritage and so far we have managed to preserve it through the support of our parishioners. We also get support from some of our Alumni, somehow we have managed to keep it in good condition,” added Fr. Pinto. The institution has also received some help from the descendants of the late painter.

“Moscheni’s grand niece, Silvana Ritsi, has shown great interest in preserving the work. She even visited us and has arranged some funds for restoration,” said Fr. Pinto. Recalling the state of the artworks some 50 years ago, Fr. Melwin added: “I passed out from St. Aloysius School here in 1979 and I remember most of the paintings at that time were faded with white patches on them, some of the canvases on the top were torn, those days the institution didn’t have the resources to get it restored and there was no expertise back then, thanks to INTACH we have managed to revive and restore the beauty of this place.”

Dedication
In addition to portraying the remarkable account of Moscheni’s skills, the 120-year-old artworks portray his indefatigable dedication to his art and faith. His feat stands out further when we consider how far he travelled to give expression to his imagination. Hailing from the village of Stezzano near Milan, Moscheni got trained in the famed Accademia Carrara of Bergamo and earned his recognition as a world class painter when he embellished the Sanctuary of Madonna Del Campo in Bergamo, Italy. When Moscheni joined the Society of Jesus, he was deputed to paint churches in many distant places, including in Albania and Piacenza. But, his biggest challenge came in the form of St. Alyosius Chapel in Mangaluru.

“When Moscheni arrived in Mangaluru in 1899, not only had he travelled far to express his talents, but he was also in an alien territory, facing the hot and humid weather conditions of Mangaluru,” said Fr. Melwin. To his credit, not only did Moscheni acclimatise well to the weather, but he also contended with the lack of resources to carry out his task in a small town where hardly anyone spoke his language. “Despite a plethora of challenges, he completed more than 800 square metres of art work in just over two years, bringing to life great stories of dedication and sacrifice in the face of great adversities,” added Fr. Melwin. As much as the lives of those who are portrayed on the canvases and frescoes, the life of the one who depicted them through his fine strokes shines through at St Aloysius Chapel. Head tilted back, as you move from one panel to another on the lively ceiling, you can imagine the artist moving with you, bring each scene alive.

The walls, pillars and arches literally speak to you, echoing the stories of great love and devotion. Whether or not you could appreciate and comprehend all the visual stories during your short visit to the chapel, as you walk out of the hallowed hall, you cannot help feeling overwhelmed by the exceptional imagery your eyes just feasted on.

https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/mangalurus-st-aloysius-chapel---the-sistine-chapel-of-india-1.89451857, July 28, 2022

The main aim behind observing the day is to protect various natural resources. Today is World Nature Conservation Day. It is observed to increase awareness about the importance of preserving nature and natural resources in order to protect the Earth. The main aim behind observing the day is protect various natural resources such as water, air, soil, energy, vegetation, minerals and animal life. The theme of World Nature Conservation Day 2022 is “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”. The world’s indigenous peoples are the best custodians of natural resources, especially forests and wildlife.

A 2019 report titled Forest and Trees: At the heart of land degradation neutrality released in 2019 by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification noted that indigenous communities were the custodians of around 40 per cent of protected and ecologically intact landscapes and managed nearly 300 billion tonnes of carbon on lands owned by them with almost negligible investment. In India too, indigenous peoples have proven to be the best stewards of nature. Here, we profile five communities across the length and breadth of the country, who preserve natural resources in their own unique ways.

Bishnois
The Bishnois are the stuff of legends. People whose women suckle antelope and who are willing to give up their lives for the Khejri tree. The Bishnois came in the national spotlight in 1998, when they reported how Bollywood star Salman Khan had hunted blackbuck near Jodhpur, while shooting for a film. “This sect was founded by Guru Jambheshwar around 550 years ago in western Rajasthan. He gave 29 principles for humans to follow and worship every form of nature,” Sumit Dookia, Assistant Professor, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, told Down To Earth.

“He preached that God is a divine power that is everywhere, in each element of biodiversity on earth. He also taught to protect plants and animals as they are important in order to peacefully co-exist with nature,” Dookia added. Over the years, the followers of Guru Jambeshwar or Jambhoji came to be called Bishnoi, from Bish (20) and Noi (9), who follow all of his 29 principles. Before Salman Khan, the Bishnois had distinguished themselves as protectors of natural resources back in September 1730. The Maharaja of Marwar, Abhai Singh, had sent his soldiers to cut down trees in the Khejarli village in Jodhpur district. The trees were needed for the construction of a new palace.

But the residents of the village, led by a Bishnoi woman called Amrita Devi hugged the trees and refused to let the soldiers cut them. The angry soldiers massacred 363 villagers. Dookia believes that with such a history and background, the Bishnois make for perfect guardians of nature. “Even today, in the 21st century, the ethos of the Bishnois and the belief in Guru Jambeshwar’s teachings is so strong that one can see the landscape change when you enter any Bishnoi village,” he said.

Khasis
The Khasis of Meghalaya are famous across India for their matrilineal social structure. What is less known is their devotion to nature and its conservation. “I strongly believe the Khasis are among those communities who have a legacy of nature conservation. Khasi customary laws and practices allow for conservation of forests in the form of sacred groves,” Abhishek Chakravarty, assistant professor of law, Sai University, told DTE. He added that these conservation practices were governed by the local village councils and had been a part of Khasi tradition since ancient times.

“The existence of the Sixth Schedule of India’s Constitution further helps in the continuation of these practices, as lands are still owned by communities,” he added. Chakravarty noted that sacred groves were dotted across the Khasi hills in Meghalaya, with the most famous one at Mawphlang. “One core reason behind such practices is the dependence of people on nature. Khasis depend on these groves for a variety of resources from food to traditional medicines and as sources of many of their streams and rivers. In spite of change in lifestyle and modernisation, many of these core values of conservation still remain intact,” he said.

Van Gujjars
The Van Gujjars are a semi-nomadic pastoral community, which continues to practice seasonal migration across forests in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh in pursuit of their pastoral livelihood. They have been villanised by the forest departments of these states for their nomadism. Throughout the last decade, numerous attempts have been made by the forest department to restrict entry for the Van Gujjars on the pretext of their pastures being declared as protected area or on the ground of encroachment. Pranav Menon, a consultant, Van Gujjar Tribal Yuva Sanghatan and research scholar, Centre for Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University, feels that many instances of Van Gujjars being classified as ‘poachers’ rests on the perceptions of criminality embedded while determining lives of de-notified nomadic tribes. He highlights how the transhumance of the community helps in conserving natural resources.

“The rotational grazing of the Van Gujjars and their buffaloes also help maintain water sources through embankments, removal of invasive species, facilitation in seed dispersal, remanuring the grazing areas and paths and creating fire lines within forests to protect the ecosystem for other species too,” Menon says. The phenomena of transhumance pursued by the community is among the few climate-adaptive and resilience strategies that ensures their pastoral livelihood remains viable and sustainable, he had written in an article for DTE. “The Van Gujjars Tribal Yuva Sanghatan celebrates Sela Parv, a traditional afforestation festival which used to be conducted in the rainy season, around World Nature Conservation Day,” he told DTE. “This festival involves planting native and endemic species of plants based on local climate and soil.

These species not only benefit in feeding their livestock but also provide source of food to other wildlife,” he said. By allowing sustenance of their pastoral livelihood and regenerating natural forests, the Sela Parv is an example of how forest dwellers engage in bottom-up conservation, Menon noted.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/forests/world-nature-conservation-day-these-5-communities-of-india-preserve-ecology-in-their-own-distinct-ways-84008, July 29, 2022