Art and Culture Prelims 2019 Sep-Feb Vol 1

Contents
September 2018 .........................................................................................................................................................4

Khirki Mosque ........................................................................................................................................................4
Hindi Diwas 2018 ..................................................................................................................................................4
Swadesh Darshan Scheme .................................................................................................................................5
Swadesh Darshan Scheme .................................................................................................................................5
Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha .........................................................................................................5
Battle Of Haifa ........................................................................................................................................................6
Haifa day ..................................................................................................................................................................6
India in World War I .............................................................................................................................................6
Paryatan Parv 2018 ..............................................................................................................................................7
Swachh Iconic Place - Ajmer dargah...............................................................................................................8
Archaeological Survey of India ..........................................................................................................................8
October 2018 ..............................................................................................................................................................9
Person In News : Chhotu Ram ..........................................................................................................................9
Azad Hind Government .......................................................................................................................................9
Indian National Army (INA) ................................................................................................................................9
Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan.................................................................................................................10
Sardar Patel Statue Of Unity ...........................................................................................................................10
Sardar Patel ...........................................................................................................................................................10
Unesco Global Geopark Network Status .....................................................................................................11
Lhotshampa ..........................................................................................................................................................11
Man Booker Prize ................................................................................................................................................11
Tagore Award For Cultural Harmony ...........................................................................................................12
International Arya Mahasammelan ...............................................................................................................12
Channar Revolt ....................................................................................................................................................12
Ancient City of Sabratha ...................................................................................................................................12
Purana Qila ...........................................................................................................................................................12
Shang-dongs .........................................................................................................................................................13
November 2018 ........................................................................................................................................................14
Nongkrem Dance Festival .................................................................................................................................14
Myson Temple Complex - Vietnam ................................................................................................................14
Other conservation efforts by ASI across Asia ...........................................................................................14
Kartarpur Corridor ..............................................................................................................................................14
Guru Nanak Dev ji ..............................................................................................................................................15
Rename Ahmedabad As Karnavati ................................................................................................................15
Kambala .................................................................................................................................................................15
www.facebook.com/historyartculture Unacademy Educator – Ranganathan SVN Kondala
Sangai Tourism Festival ....................................................................................................................................16
Char Dham Pilgrimage ......................................................................................................................................16
Jharsuguda Airport In Odisha ........................................................................................................................17
Commemorative Coin to Mark Anniversary Of Tricolour Hoisting By Bose.....................................17
Rani Lakshmibai Of Jhansi .............................................................................................................................17
Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre ............................................................................................................................17
Aipan .......................................................................................................................................................................18
Kartarpur ...............................................................................................................................................................18
Qaumi Ekta Week ...............................................................................................................................................19
Sangai Festival .....................................................................................................................................................19
South Asia Regional Youth Peace Conference ...........................................................................................19
World’s Oldest Rock Art ....................................................................................................................................19
December 2018 ........................................................................................................................................................20
Hornbill Festival...................................................................................................................................................20
Mayurbhanj Chhau ............................................................................................................................................20
Kamsale Dance.....................................................................................................................................................20
Heritage Park For Hindus, Buddhists In Elum Valley In Pak ..............................................................21
Karmapa - Dominican Citizen .........................................................................................................................21
Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019 ...........................................................................................................................21
‘Adopt A Heritage’ Project .................................................................................................................................21
Buddhist Site Museum At Lalitgiri In Odisha ............................................................................................22
Tansen Samman ..................................................................................................................................................22
Prelims ....................................................................................................................................................................23
Rosgholla ................................................................................................................................................................23
Incredible India Mobile App .............................................................................................................................23
Legacy Vintage Hotel ..........................................................................................................................................23
Indian Culinary Institute (ICI), Noida Campus..........................................................................................23
Rajkumar Shukla ................................................................................................................................................23
Paika Rebellion .....................................................................................................................................................24
Goa Liberation Day .............................................................................................................................................24
Prasad – Scheme..................................................................................................................................................24
Bhasha Sangam ...................................................................................................................................................25
January 2019 ...........................................................................................................................................................26
ASI Monuments ...................................................................................................................................................26
New Monuments ..................................................................................................................................................26
Harappan Excavations ......................................................................................................................................26
Graves in Harappan sites .................................................................................................................................26

Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) .........................................................................................................................26
‘Sanjhi – Mujh Mein Kalakar’ ..........................................................................................................................27
Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) ........................................................................................................................27
Intangible Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................................28
Pancha Theerath..................................................................................................................................................28
Indian Harvest Festivals....................................................................................................................................28
Bharat Ratna ........................................................................................................................................................29
Bharat Ratna - Award ........................................................................................................................................29
Padma Awards ......................................................................................................................................................29
Kerala – Spiritual Circuit ..................................................................................................................................30
Meghalaya Circuit ...............................................................................................................................................30
Gandhi Circuit......................................................................................................................................................30
Swadesh Darshan Scheme ...............................................................................................................................31
Battle of Bhima Koregaon .................................................................................................................................31
‘Opinion Poll Day’ - Goa ...................................................................................................................................32
Armed Forces Veteran Day...............................................................................................................................32
Republic Day Parade 2019 ...............................................................................................................................32
Republic Day 2019..............................................................................................................................................33
Republic Day 2019..............................................................................................................................................33
North Eastern state folk dances presented.................................................................................................33
International Gandhi Peace Prize (2015-18) ...............................................................................................33
Gandhi International Peace Prize Winners .................................................................................................34
Pravasiya Bharatiya Divas................................................................................................................................34
World Capital of Architecture ..........................................................................................................................34
Kurumba Painting ...............................................................................................................................................35
Pithora Paintings .................................................................................................................................................35
Elephanta Caves ..................................................................................................................................................35
Etikoppaka Bommalu ........................................................................................................................................35
Budithi Brass Craft.............................................................................................................................................36
Maagh Bihu ...........................................................................................................................................................36
Losar Festival........................................................................................................................................................36
Guru Gobind Singh ............................................................................................................................................36
February 2019 ...............................................................................................................................................................38
Maithili Language ................................................................................................................................................38
Bharat Rang Mahotsav (Brm) ..........................................................................................................................39
Sentinelese Tribe .................................................................................................................................................39
Sangeet Natak Akademi ....................................................................................................................................39

Ghumot ...................................................................................................................................................................40
Eco Circuit .............................................................................................................................................................40
Guru Ravidas ........................................................................................................................................................40
Salt Satyagraha Memorial ................................................................................................................................41
Jallianwala Bagh – 100 years ..........................................................................................................................41
40th Anniversary Of Iran Revolution ............................................................................................................42
Bagru Block Printing ..........................................................................................................................................43
National War Memorial ......................................................................................................................................43
Prelims ....................................................................................................................................................................43
Battle of Sinhagad .....................................................................................................................................................43
Suraj Kund Mela..................................................................................................................................................44
Arikamedu .............................................................................................................................................................44
Indo Saracenic Architecture ............................................................................................................................44
Guru Padbmasambhava ...................................................................................................................................44
Pope Francis UAE Visit......................................................................................................................................45
Luira Phanit ..........................................................................................................................................................45
Kattaikuthu ...........................................................................................................................................................45
Padayani .................................................................................................................................................................45
Gita Govinda .........................................................................................................................................................46
Angkor .....................................................................................................................................................................46
Feni ..........................................................................................................................................................................46
September 2018
Khirki Mosque
The Archaeological Survey of India (Delhi Circle) of Ministry of Culture has discovered a
hoard of 254 Copper Coins in the premises of Khirki Mosque during the course of
conservation of the monument. This mosque lies on the southern periphery of the village
Khirki. The mosque was built by Khan-i-Jahan Junan Shah, the Prime Minister of
Firoz Shah Tughluq (1351-88), and is believed to be one of the seven mosques built by
him The Mosque, which is in a quadrangular shape, with an unusual fusion of Islamic
and traditional Hindu architecture. It is said to be the only monument style mosque in
North India, which is mostly covered; the totally covered mosque of the Sultanate
period is, however, in South India at Gulbarga in North Karnataka
Hindi Diwas 2018
National Hindi Divas or Hindi Day is observed every year on September 14 in India to
promote Hindi as Matra Bhasha (mother tongue) of India. The day is a celebration of
the Hindi language and its cultural heritage and values among the people of the country
and abroad. The Constituent assembly of India adopted Hindi as the official language of

the country on September 14, 1949 under Article 343. It started being observed as
Hindi Day after stalwarts like Beohar Rajendra Simha, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Kaka
Kalelkar, Maithili Sharan Gupt and Seth Govind Das lobbied hard for the cause. Hindi
language is spoken by as many as 250 million people as the original language and it is
the fourth language of the world. Hindi in India is written in Devanagari Script
Swadesh Darshan Scheme
Two coastal tourism projects taken up under Swadesh Darshan scheme were recently
inaugurated by the Vice- President.
 The first circuit includes beautification of Nellore tank and Pulicat Lake, facelift
to Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, construction of a restaurant and development of
Ubbala Madugu, Kotha Koduru, Mypadu, Rama Theertham, and Isukapalli project.
 The second coastal tourism circuit is aimed at developing Kakinada port, Hope
Island, Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, construction of cottages and wooden huts at
Passarlapudi, Aduru and S Yanam and development of Kotipalli project.
The Tourism Ministry had launched ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme with an objective to
develop theme-based tourist circuits in the country. These tourist circuits will be
developed on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in
an integrated manner The scheme is 100% centrally funded for the project components
undertaken for public funding. To leverage the voluntary funding available for Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Central Public Sector Undertakings and
corporate sector. Funding of individual project will vary from state to state and will be
finalised on the basis of detailed project reports prepared by PMC (Programme
Management Consultant). A National Steering Committee (NSC) will be constituted
with Minister in charge of M/O Tourism as Chairman, to steer the mission objectives and
vision of the scheme. A Mission Directorate headed by the Member Secretary, NSC as a
nodal officer will help in identification of projects in consultation with the States/ UTs
governments and other stake holders. PMC will be a national level consultant to be
appointed by the Mission Directorate.
Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the centenary celebrations of
the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha on September 22, 2018.
Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha was established by Annie Besant in 1918 with
support from Mahatma Gandhi, who became the founder president of the Sabha, who
held the post till his death.
In 1964, the institution was recognized by the Indian Government as one of the Institutes
of National Importance.
It was established to propagate the study of Hindi in the then Madras Presidency and
princely states of Banganapalle, Cochin, Hyderabad, Mysore, Pudukkottai, Sanduru
and Travancore.
The first Hindi class was taken by Gandhi’s son Devdas Gandhi.

Battle Of Haifa
Israel and India would commemorate Centenary of the Battle of Haifa on September23.
The northern Israeli coastal city of Haifa, in September , celebrated the centenary year of
its liberation from Ottoman rule during World War I, honouring the brave Indian soldiers
who laid down their lives in what is considered “the last great cavalry campaign in
history”
Haifa
It is third largest city in Israel.
It is home to the Bahá'í World Centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a destination for
Bahá'í pilgrims (one of the religious group in Israel).
The Indian cavalry brigades fighting under the leadership of British General Edmund
Allenby helped liberate Haifa from the clutches of the Turkish-German forces inn 1918
Haifa day
The Indian Army commemorates September 23 every year as Haifa Day to pay its respects
to the three Indian Cavalry Regiments – Mysore, Hyderabad and Jodhpur Lancers, that
helped liberate Haifa following a dashing cavalry action by the 15th Imperial Service
Cavalry Brigade of the then British Indian Army at the Battle of Haifa in 1918
Israeli port city of Haifa was a strategic supply base ( Rail and Port ). In addition to Haifa,
the Allied Forces also engineered a plan to annexe Nazareth and Damascus in present-
day Israel and Syria.
On September 23, 1918, the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade comprising lancers
from the regiments of princely states of Jodhpur and Mysore inflicted heavy assault on
positions held by Ottoman Turks in and around the city of Haifa. Eventually, the Indian
cavalry brigades fighting under the leadership of British General Edmund Allenby helped
liberate Haifa from the clutches of the Turkish-German forces.
The victory was even more special as the Indian soldiers were armed only with lances
(a kind of spear) and swords while the Turks had in their possession advance
artillery and machine guns. The Indian troops displayed exemplary cavalry skills and
valour during what was considered to be the last major cavalry campaign in military
history.
India in World War I
3.7 million tonnes of supplies, over 10,000 nurses, 1,70,000 animals, £146m of Indian
revenue, and political support including that of Gandhi, who helped recruit Indian
volunteers in the face of nationalist opposition. - East Africa, Mesopotamia, Egypt and
Gallipoli.

The Indian Army was the largest volunteer force in the world, which provided 1.5 million
troops to serve overseas from regions such as the Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Tamil Nadu and Bihar around 50,000 died, 65,000 were wounded, and 10,000 were
reported missing, while 98 Indian army nurses were killed. Volunteering offered a
chance to break through the caste system, because becoming a soldier paid well and
it meant becoming part of the ‘warrior’ caste, which gave high status in society. Indian
forces had their greatest impact in West Asia, with 60 per cent of all
Indian troops serving in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq), and another
10 per cent in Egypt and Palestine. India Gate in New Delhi
commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting
for the British Army during the World War I. The memorial bears the
names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed in the
Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919. India’s contribution
to the British became one of the reasons for passing the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms
which introduced dyarchy to the provinces (meaning Indian representatives would be
elected and would represent the province to the British Crown.) Following this period,
Gandhi launched his first India-wide campaign of civil disobedience against British
authority in February 1919. It was not driven by anti-Western or anti-British sentiment
per se, but by the pursuit of self-determination.
Paryatan Parv 2018
Union Ministry of Tourism recently organized the second edition of “Paryatan Parv”- a
nation-wide celebration of Tourism. Paryatan Parv is being organized with the objective
of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the
country and reinforcing the principle of “Tourism for All”.
Components of Paryatan Parv
 Dekho Apna Desh: It will encourage Indians to visit their own country. It will include
video, photograph and blog competitions visited during event, stories of India through
Travelers’ Eyes to promote tourism.
 Tourism for All: It will promote tourism events at sites across all States in country.
These will mainly be People’s events with large scale public participation. The
activities at these sites will include Cultural Programmes of Dance, Music, Theatre,
Tourism Exhibitions showcasing culture, cuisine and handicrafts and handlooms etc.
 Tourism & Governance: It will have interactive sessions and workshops with
stakeholders on varied themes like Skill Development in Tourism Sector, Innovation
in Tourism, and Developing Rural Tourism in locations near established destinations.
India Tourism Mart 2018(IMT-2018): The Tourism Ministry in partnership with the
Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) will organize the
first ever ITM 2018 during Paryatan Parv. FAITH is the apex organization of all the
important trade and hospitality associations of the country. The objective of the event is
to create an annual Global Tourism Mart for India in line with major international travel
marts being held in countries across the world. The Mart will provide a platform for all
stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries to interact and transact business
opportunities.

Swachh Iconic Place - Ajmer dargah
Ajmer dargah is included among the Swachh Iconic Places, a clean-up initiative focused
on iconic heritage, spiritual and cultural places through a multi-stakeholder approach
model. MoU signed to give facelift to Ajmer dargah - Ajmer Municipal Corporation and
Hindustan Zinc to spend ₹5.68 crore to clean and manage the shrine. In Ajmer, the
Collector will act as the project’s nodal agency with the Dargah Committee and
‘khadims’ (workers) being the primary stakeholders. The campaign was initiated under
the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2016
Archaeological Survey of India
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act 1958)
provides that an area of 100 mtrs from protected boundary has been declared as
prohibited area and an area of 200 mtrs further beyond prohibited limit has been
declared as regulated area, in which construction activities are regulated
Ministry of Culture’s note suggests following amendments
It suggests giving legal powers to the Central government with respect to new construction
in protected sites by superseding existing bodies like the Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) and National Monuments’ Authority (NMA) respectively.
In other words, the amendments suggested tends to do away with the prohibited zones
around protected national monuments whenever it chooses to do so for some supposed
“public” purpose.

October 2018
Person In News : Chhotu Ram
A 64-foot-tall statue of peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram has been unveiled at his native
village Sampla in Haryana’s Rohtak district. Sir Chhotu Ram, who was born on
November 24, 1881, was regarded as a messiah of peasants and was instrumental in
empowering farmers in pre-Independence era and getting pro-farmers law enacted. He
had fought for farmers’ rights during the British rule. He was a co-founder of the
National Unionist Party which ruled all the time Punjab Province in per-Independent
India and kept Congress and Muslim League at bay. His legacy has been evoked by the
formation of a new party, the National Unionist Zamindara Party by guar farmers in
Rajasthan in 2013. He conceived the Bhakra Dam project way back in 1923. He, along
with the King of Bilaspur, signed the Bhakra Dam project. He was considered as an
agrarian reformer. Under him, various legislations were passed such as Punjab Land
Revenue (Amendment) Act, 1929, Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act was passed
in 1939 (Mandi Act), Punjab Relief of Indebtedness Act, 1943. For his work, the peasantry
rewarded him with the titles of Deen-bandhu and Rahbar-e-Azam. Also, the British
honored him with a knighthood in 1937. He joined the Congress in 1916. In 1920, he
launched Zamindaran Party, which later became the Unionist Party in 1923 in alliance
with Fazl-e-Hussain and Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan. His party won the general elections
of 1936 and formed a coalition government along with the Congress and Sikh Akali Dal.
He became the Revenue Minister.
Azad Hind Government

Seventy years after Subhash Chandra Bose assumed the leadership of the ‘Azad Hind
Government’, PM Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag and unveil a plaque to
celebrate the 75th anniversary of the erstwhile government on October 21 at the Red Fort
Subhas Chandra Bose on October 21, 1943, established the provisional Azad Hind
government in Singapore. He was the leader of Azad Hind Government and also the
Head of State of this Provisional Indian Government-in-exile. Known as Arzi Hukumat-
e-Azad Hind, it was supported by the Axis powers of Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, the
Italian Social Republic, and their allies. The existence of the Azad Hind Government gave
a greater legitimacy to the independence struggle against the British. The role of Azad
Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army (INA) had been crucial in bequeathing a much
needed impetusa to India’s struggle for Independence. Under the provisional
government, Bose was the head of the state, the prime minister and the minister for
war and foreign affairs. Captain Lakshmi headed the women’s organization while S A
Ayer headed the publicity and propaganda wing. Revolutionary leader Rash Behari Bose
was designated as the supreme advisor. The provisional government was also formed
in the Japanese-occupied Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The islands were reoccupied by
the British in 1945. Bose’s death was seen as the end to the Azad Hind movement.
Indian National Army (INA)

The idea of INA was first conceived in Malaya by Mohan Singh. The Indian National Army
was founded by prisoners of wars of British Indian Army captured by the Japanese in
Singapore, Malaysia and other countries of Southeast Asia during the World War II. On
1 September 1942, the first division of INA was formed. The main task of gathering
them and forming the INA was carried out by Rashbehari Bose, one of the stalwarts of
the freedom movement. Later it was reconsolidated as an army by Subhas Chandra Bose.
The INA was also at the forefront of women's equality, and the formation of a women's
regiment, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment was formed as an all-volunteer women's unit to
fight the British Raj as well as provide medical services to the INA.
Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan

Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan (VSAS) 2018 took place in Mangi-Tungi in Satana
Taluka of Nashik District, Maharashtra. Mangi Tungi Hills are the two hills of Sahyadri
range. The hills have about 10 cave temples belonging to Jainism. These two peaks have
special significance in Jainism because around 990 million Digambar Jains achieved
salvation on these two hills. Therefore, the area is called ‘Siddha Kshtera’ (gateway to
the state of enlightenment). Mangi Tungi is also the site of the 108-feet tall statue of
Jain Tirthankar Bhagwan Rishabhdev. This is the tallest monolithic Jain statue in the
world, erected in 2016. Before that 57-feet tall Gommateswar statue of Bahubali (Son
of Lord Rishabhdev) at Sravan Belagola was the tallest single-rock Jain statue in the
world Symbol or emblem is Bull. He is considered as the founder of Ikshvaku dynasty to
which Lord Rama belonged.
Sardar Patel Statue Of Unity

Statue of Unity - inaugurated in Surat. The Statue of Unity is built in dedication to Iron
Man Sardar Vallabhai Patel, who served as the first home minister of independent India.
At 182 meter, the statue is 23 meter taller than China’s Spring Temple Buddha statue
and almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty (93 metre tall) in US. Located on
the Sadhu Bet island, near Rajpipla on the Narmada river, the Statue of Unity is located
between the Satpura and the Vindhya mountain ranges. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET), a special purpose vehicle set up by Modi in 2011,
arranged some 129 tonnes of iron implements from nearly 100 million farmers in
169,000 villages across all states to construct the base of the statue in the ‘Loha’
campaign. The Statue of Unity was brought to fruition by Padma Bhushan-winning
sculptor Ram V Sutar and intricate bronze cladding work was done by a Chinese
foundry, the Jiangxi Toqine Company (JTQ).
Sardar Patel
In 1917, Sardar Vallabhbhai was elected as the Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha, the
Gujarat wing of the Indian National Congress. In 1918, he led a massive “No Tax
Campaign” that urged the farmers not to pay taxes after the British insisted on tax after
the floods in Kaira. The peaceful movement forced the British authorities to return the
land taken away from the farmers. His effort to bring together the farmers of his area
brought him the title of ‘Sardar’. He actively supported the non-cooperation Movement
launched by Gandhi. Patel toured the nation with him, recruited 300,000 members and
helped collect over Rs. 1.5 million. o In 1928, the farmers of Bardoli again faced a problem
of “tax-hike”. After prolonged summons, when the farmers refused to pay the extra tax,
the government seized their lands in retaliation. The agitation took on for more than six
months. After several rounds of negotiations by Patel, the lands were returned to
farmers after a deal was struck between the government and farmers’ representatives.
In 1930, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was among the leaders imprisoned for participating in
the famous Salt Satyagraha movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. Sardar Patel was
freed in 1931, following an agreement signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin,
the then Viceroy of India. The treaty was popularly known as the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. The
same year, Patel was elected as the President of Indian National Congress in its
Karachi session where the party deliberated its future path.
Unesco Global Geopark Network Status

Heritage locations in Maharashtra and Karnataka have been chosen for UNESCO
Global Geopark Network site status
 Lonar Lake, Maharashtra:

o It is the world's oldest meteoric crater formed around 50,000 years ago and
the only one formed in basalt rock.
o It is a salt water lake.
o It became a national geo-heritage site in 1979.
 St. Mary’s Island and Malpe Beach, Karnataka:
o It is a hexagonal mosaic of basaltic rocks in an island off Udupi.
o It is estimated to be an 88-million-year-old formation that goes back to a
time when Greater India broke away from Madagascar.
o It was declared a national geo-heritage site in 1975.
UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and
landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of
protection, education and sustainable development. It aims to enhance awareness and
understanding of key issues facing society, such as using our earth’s resources
sustainably, mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing natural disasters-
related risks. The Global Geoparks Network (GGN), is a legally constituted not-for-
profit organisation. Its membership is obligatory for UNESCO Global Geoparks. At
present, there are 140 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 38 countries. An aspiring Global
Geopark must have a dedicated website, a corporate identity, comprehensive
management plan, protection plans, finance, and partnerships for it to be accepted. As
of now there is no geo-heritage site from India is included under UNESCO Geo park
Network.
Lhotshampa
They are a heterogeneous Bhutanese people of Nepalese descent. The Lhotshampa
people are native to southern Bhutan. The Nepali-speaking Lhotshampa were branded
as immigrants and stripped of citizenship rights when the then-king introduced a “One
Nation, One People” policy in 1985. The edict made following the customs of the Buddhist
majority mandatory, including wearing their traditional dress, and speaking Nepali was
banned. Bhutan is holding elections this week. But the Lhotshampa people, brutally
driven out of the small kingdom in the 1990s, won’t be voting. Bhutan still describes
the Lhotshampa as immigrants, justifying its nationalistic laws as essential for cultural
identity and political stability.
Man Booker Prize

Northern Irish writer- Anna Burns has won the 2018 Man Booker Prize for her third full-
length novel- “Milkman”. The leading literary award in English, The Man Booker Prize
was launched in 1969. It aims to promote the ‘finest in fiction’ and is awarded each year
to the book adjudged as the best novel of the year written in English and published in
the United Kingdom. The winner of The Man Booker Prize receives £50,000. Sponsored
by Man Group, the foundation also awards £2,500 and a designer bound copy of their
book to each of the six shortlisted authors. The judges of The Man Booker Prize are
chosen from a wide range of disciplines including critics, writers, academics, poets,
politicians, actors and ‘all with a passion for quality fiction’.
Tagore Award For Cultural Harmony

The Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014, 2015 & 2016 is being
conferred on the doyen of Manipuri dance Sh. Rajkumar Singhajit Singh;
Chhayanaut (a cultural organization of Bangladesh) and on one of India’s greatest
sculptors, Sh. Ram Vanji Sutar, respectively. The annual award was instituted by the
Government of India during the commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Gurudev
Rabindranath Tagore. The first Tagore Award was conferred on Pt. Ravi Shankar, the
Indian Sitar Maestro in 2012 and second was conferred on Shri Zubin Mehta in 2013.
The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque as well as an
exquisite traditional handicraft/ handloom item. The award is open to all persons
regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or sex. Awardees are selected by a
jury headed by the Prime Minister of India.
International Arya Mahasammelan

The global convention of the Arya Samaj, the International Arya Mahasammelan 2018
was recently inaugurated in New Delhi. It aims to spread a message of human welfare
originating from the Vedas, promote universal brotherhood and ensure safeguarding of
social morals. The Arya Samaj declared representatives from 32 countries across Asia,
Africa, Europe and North America will attend this global convention
Channar Revolt
Kerala Chief Minister in October 2018 recalled an iconic civil rights protest – Channar
revolt. It was happened in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore in the early 19th
century. It is also referred to as Marumarakkal-Samaram - Protest to cover the upper
body. It began when women from the Channar caste who had converted to
Christianity sought to cover the breasts, a right only Hindu upper caste women were
allowed to exercise. The diwan of Travancore state, Colonel Munro, issued an order
favouring the demand. The upper castes (Nairs) refused to allow the order to be followed
and attacked (Nadar Christian) women who sought to wear an upper garment. In the
face of resistance from the upper castes, the order was even amended to say that Nadar
Christian women could wear a jacket (blouse) that was different from the dress worn by
Nair women. The revolt exposed the caste fault-line that ran deep in the kingdom of
Travancore.
Ancient City of Sabratha

It is located west of Tripoli in Libya's Mediterranean Coastal area. It is one of three former
cities that constituted Roman Tripolitania. It was declared as a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO. In 2016, UNESCO classified it as an "Endangered" site along with four other
Libyan sites on its World Heritage list. The listing is because of great damage caused by
armed groups and excavation and smuggling of antiquities due to lack of security.
Purana Qila
It is an iconic fort in Delhi, believed to be constructed by the Mughal Emperor
Humayun. It is known as ―Dinpanah‖ meaning the ―The refuge of the faithful‖. It has
3 majestic gates – Humayun Darwaza, Bara Darwaza and TalaqiDarwaza, all built in red
sandstones. The other attractions at the fort sites are Qila-I-Kuhna Masjid (Built by
Sher Shah), Sher Mandal(Observatory) and Museum. This iconic site recently underwent
a facelift after it was adopted by NBCC (Central PSU) under Ministry of Tourism‘s Adopt
a Heritage Scheme. NBCC in support with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has
completed the refurbishment work in the site. The total cost of restoration is equally
between ASI and NBCC through its CSR fund
Shang-dongs
Buddhist monks in Leh‘s Chushul village restructured a shang-dong into a stupa. This
was a symbolic gesture to mark peace between man and wolf. Shang-dong is a traditional
contraption used by Changpa people of Leh to capture the wolves that lift their prized
pashmina goats. This wolf trap is made of stones and buried in the ground. Once the
wolves leap in, the conical walls ensure they can ‘t clamber out. Generally, these wolves
are caught and stoned to death. But researchers of the Nature Conservation Foundation
(NCF), were long been concerned by the threats these traps posed to large carnivores
including snow leopards. They found Buddhist communities had more positive attitude
towards carnivores and they integrated ―locally relevant religious philosophies‖ into
conservation. It was also important to tighten the traditional link between culture,
livelihood and conservation. So, the shang-dongs which are a part of Changpa culture
were not destroyed but merely dismantled.
Additionally Pashmina wool produced by the people in the region are given ‗Snow
Leopard Friendly‘ certificate by NCF, if it meets 15 conditions including neutralising
shang-dongs.
Others include rotational grazing, maintaining a village wildlife reserve where grazing
and hunting are prohibited, predator-proofing livestock corrals and stopping all
retaliatory killing of carnivores including wolves and snow leopards.

November 2018
Nongkrem Dance Festival
It is an annual dance festival celebrated for the harvest thanksgiving and for peace and
prosperity for all the community people. It is one of the most important festival of Khasi
tribe – Hima Khyrim during which men, women and children dance to the tunes of
drums and pipes. The celebration begins with the sacrifice of a goat. In fact, the the word
Nongkrem means “goat killing ceremony”. A special dance is performed by the men
called ‘Ka Shad Mastieh’ in which they hold sword in their right hand and a whisks in
left hand.
Myson Temple Complex - Vietnam

President of India on his recent visit to Vietnam went to the My Son temple complex in
Kwangnan province. It is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples in
Vietnam, constructed between the 4th and the 14th century AD by the Champa kings
of Vietnam. It has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Here many
temples were built to the Hindu divinities such as Krishna and Vishnu, but most
importantly to Shiva. (the most important of which is Bhadreshvara.). The temples have
a variety of architectural designs symbolizing the greatness and purity of Mount Meru,
the mythical sacred mountain home of Hindu gods at the center of the universe. They are
constructed in fired brick with stone pillars and decorated with sandstone bas-reliefs
depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. The Archaeological Survey of India is
undertaking the restoration of three temple groups at My Son.
Other conservation efforts by ASI across Asia

 The Angkor Wat in Cambodia
o It is the largest religious structure ever built.
o It was built to the Hindu god Vishnu by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in
the period 1113–50.
 Ananda Temple in Myanmar: It is a Buddhist temple.
 Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan: It was destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban.
 The Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia
 The Vat Phou Temple in Laos
Kartarpur Corridor
Government of India has decided to commemorate 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru
Nanak Dev Ji.
About the Project: The proposed project will connect the Dera Baba Nanak Sahib
Gurdwara in India's state of Punjab to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur shrine in
Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province which is reportedly to be completed before
the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in November 2019. The length of the corridor
is about 4 km, 2 km on either side of the international border and runs cross over Ravi
River.
About Gurdwara: It was ordered by Maharaja of Patiala between 1921-1929 and is
believed to be place where Nanak ji spent about last 18 years of his life
Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines: Pilgrimages between India and Pakistan are
governed by the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, which includes a list of

shrines in Pakistan and India open for visitors from the other country, and for which
visas are required. The Kartarpur Corridor, which will provide visa-free access from India
to the shrine inside Pakistan may need a separate treaty.
Importance of Corridor: Every year Sikh pilgrims from India travel to Pakistan to offer
prayers at the Gurudwara. The Kartarpur corridor will provide smooth and easy passage
to pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib throughout the year. It would act as a bridge
between the people of the two countries.
Guru Nanak Dev ji

He was the founder of Sikhism (the first of the ten Sikh Gurus) and a Bhakti saint. He
was born in 1469 in Nanakana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan and died in Kartarpur, Pakistan.
Guru Nanak and Sikhism were influenced by the nirguni (formless God) tradition of
Bhakti movement in medieval India.
Rename Ahmedabad As Karnavati

Gujarat government is planning to rename Ahmedabad as Karnavati. Historically, the
area around Ahmedabad has been inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known
as Ashaval. Chaulukya ruler Karna of Anhilwara (modern Patan) had waged a successful
war against the Bhil king of Ashaval and established a city called Karnavati on the banks
of the Sabarmati river. Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1411 A.D. Had laid the foundation of a
new walled city near Karnavati and named it Ahmedabad after the four saints in the area
by the name Ahmed.
Unesco Asia-Pacific Award For Conservation
 Award of Distinction: Restoration of LAMO Center from a state of partial ruin in

Ladakh.
 Honourable Mention: Rejuvenation of iconic Rajabai Clock Tower and Ruttonsee
Muljee Jetha Fountain in Mumbai, along with a project in China.
 Award of Excellence: Shijo-cho Ofune-hoko Float Machiya, of Kyoto, Japan.
 New Design in Heritage Contexts: Kaomai Estate 1955, Chiang Mai (Thailand)
and Harts Mill, Port Adelaide, (Australia).
The Award, Launched in 2000, UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage
conservation programme is aimed at acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and
conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in the region
comprising 48 countries. The awards are classified under four categories — Award of
Excellence, Awards of Distinction, Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage
Context. They are being given to encourage the efforts of all stakeholders and the public
in conserving and promoting monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region.
Kambala
Location - Dakshina Kannada and Udupi - under the auspices of the District Kambala
Committee. Karnataka government had promulgated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 on July 20 last year. The President gave his
assent to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill making
Kambala a legal rural sport in Karnataka. The Bill seeks to exempt kambala and
bullock-cart racing from the ambit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act,
1960. Kambala in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to
race one after another in paddy fields, which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods
for protecting the animals from diseases. It’s an organised sport with animal rights
activists claiming that the buffaloes run in the race due to fear of being beaten, which
the organizers dismiss, saying no violence is involved and that several modifications had
been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event.
Sangai Tourism Festival

“Manipur Sangai Festival” from 21st to 30th November. Sangai Festival is an annual
cultural extravaganza in Manipur Labelled as the grandest festival of the State today and
helps promote Manipur as a world class tourism destination. Every edition of the festival
showcases the tourism potential of the state in the field of Arts & Culture, Handloom,
Handicrafts, Indigenous Sports, Cuisine, Music and Adventure sports of the state etc.
The ‘Festival’ is named after the State animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered deer found only
in Manipur. The festival Reflects the State’s proud cultural heritage and the love for art
The State’s classical dance form, ‘Ras Leela’ is quite famous all over the world for its
distinctiveness from any other dance forms in India. Indigenous sports will also be a
major highlight of the State’s biggest tourism festival this year. Manipur’s famous martial
arts-
 Thang Ta (a combination Spear & Sword skills)

 Yubi-Lakpi (a game played with greased coconut like rugby)
 Mukna Kangjei (a game that combines hockey and wrestling)
 Sagol Kangjei- Modern Polo (believed to have evolved in Manipur) will all form part
of the festival.
Char Dham Pilgrimage

Char Dham pilgrimage spots in Uttarakhand by all-weather highways – NOW UNDER
SCRUTINY. The Supreme Court (SC) has sought the Centre’s response on why it should
not stay the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) clearance to the project. Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways - Proposed four-lane expressway to
 Gangotri
 Yamunotri
 Kedarnath
 Bardinath
900-kilometre road network in the sensitive mountains of Uttarakhand drew skepticism
from environmental activists – Cost of Ecological Balance
About Chardham project:
The project involves developing and widening 900-km of national highways connecting
the holy Hindu pilgrimage sites of; Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri at an
estimated cost of Rs.12,000 crores. The highway will be called Char Dham Mahamarg
(Char Dham Highway) and the highway construction project will be called as Char Dham
Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojana (Char Dham Highway Development Project). The roads
will be widened from 12m to 24m and the project will involve construction of tunnels,
bypasses, bridges, subways and viaducts.

Jharsuguda Airport In Odisha
Union Cabinet has approved renaming of Jharsuguda Airport in Odisha as “Veer
Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda”. Veer Surendra Sai who is well-known freedom
fighter and a tribal leader of Odisha. Born in 1809 in Khinda in Sambalpur, he was direct
descendant of Madhukar Sai and was legally entitled to be crowned as king of
Sambalpur after demise of king Maharaja Sai in 1827. But he was not acceptable to
British power and ignored his claim for succession. He revolted against the British for
throne after it allowed widow of Madhukar Sai Rani Mohan Kumari to succeed him and
then followed by succession of Narayan Singh, a descendant of royal family but born of
low caste as king of Sambalpur. The aim of Surendra Sai’s revolt was to drive the
British out of Sambalpur. His revolution against the British commenced from 1827
when he was only 18 years of age and continued till 1862 when he surrendered and even
after that, until he was finally arrested in 1864.
Commemorative Coin to Mark Anniversary Of Tricolour Hoisting By Bose

The Union Ministry of Finance has decided to release a Rs 75 commemorative coin on
the occasion of 75th anniversary of the hoisting of Tricolour for the first time by
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Port Blair. During his visit to Andaman in on December
30, 1943, Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the Tricolor for the first time at Cellular Jail of
Port Blair, much before India attained Independence declaring the island as the free
territory from the British rule. On the same occasion, he announced the freedom of
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the first Indian Territory, from the British rule. The island
at that time was liberated from British rule by Japan which captured it during the World
War – II. Bose named Andaman Island as Shaheed and Nicobar Island as Swaraj and
appointed INA General AD Loganathan as the governor of the Islands. Azad Hind
Government was not merely a Government in Exile anymore but had its own land, own
currency, civil code and stamps.
Rani Lakshmibai Of Jhansi

November 19 is the birth anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai. Rani Lakshmibai, one of the
warriors of India’s struggle for Independence, was born as Manikarnika Tambe in 1828
in Varanasi. In 1842, Lakshmibai got married to Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, the Maharaja
of Jhansi and got the name of Rani Lakshmibai. Few years after marriage, in 1851,
Manikarnika gave birth to a boy but he couldn’t survive and died after four months. Then
Lakshmibai and Gangadhar Rao adopted Rao’s cousin’s son, Anand Rao, who was later
renamed as Damodar. Soon after they adopted Anand, Maharaja died due to an illness
in 1853. Rani Lakshmibai was just 18 at that time. The East India Company applied the
Doctrine of Lapse. The British rulers did not accept Damodar Rao, as the legal heir of late
Maharaja Gangadhar Rao and Rani Lakshmi Bai. Their plan was to annex Jhansi on the
ground that it did not have any legal heir. In March 1854, Rani of Jhansi was granted an
annual pension of 60,000 and was ordered to leave the Jhansi fort. She was firm on the
decision not to give up the dominion of Jhansi to the British. She died on June 17, 1958,
martyring her life for India’s freedom in the Battle of Kot-e-Sarai
Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre

Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Tourism initiative to remember 100 years of the
massacre
Coin and Postage Stamps

The commemorative coin and postage stamps will be released on 13th April 2019 (the
day the incident took place 100 years ago). Ministry of Culture will organize cultural
activities like kavi sammelan, plays, exhibition, seminars, etc. across the country. A
Committee is constituted to ensure timely implementation to Renovate, upgrade and
beautify the Jallianwalla Bagh Memorial, and Develop Virtual Reality Theme Based show
at the Memorial. The Ministry of Tourism earmarked an amount of Rs. 8 crore under
Swadesh Darshan Scheme for development of Virtual Reality Theme Based show at the
Memorial. Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre is also known as the Amritsar Massacre (dated
April 13, 1919) at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab.
On 13th April 1919, thousands of people were gathered at Jallianwala Bagh. This day
marks the beginning of New Year for the Sikhs, also celebrated as Baisakhi festival all
over Punjab. Colonel Reginald Dyer had announced curfew and a ban on all processions
that even prohibited a group of 4 or more people to meet publicly. However, General Dyer
sensed the number of people present there and the secret meeting that was about to take
place. Thus, he arrived with armed troops and ordered to open fire. The troops were
ordered to start shooting; this heinous act of violence resulted in extreme mass killing.
To keep in mind this significance of this place, a trust was founded in 1920 to build a
memorial site at Jallianwala Bagh. American architect, Benjamin Polk, built the
memorial site which was inaugurated by the then President of India, Rajendra Prasad
on 13 April 1961
Aipan
It is a traditional folk art in the state of Uttarakhand. It is the traditional terracotta and
white motifs drawn on floors and walls on ceremonial occasions. It consists of rhythmic
geometrical patterns on a terracotta painted base. A tiny organisation is trying to revive
the domestic interest in this traditional folk art.
Kartarpur
Kartarpur, a place in Pakistan on the banks of Ravi River, is the final resting place of
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh faith. It is where the guru lived the last 18 years of his
life and holds a special place for the community. The original shrine was built in 1539
after the demise of Sikh guru. It is the place where Guru Nanak first started the tradition
of Guru da langar (free community kitchen) and congregational worship. It is located 4
km from International border between India and Pakistan and it is visible from the Indian
side at Dera Baba Nanak. Since partition in 1947, access to shrines in Nankana Sahib,
Kartarpur and Panja Sahib was restricted in Indian pilgrims. Kartarpur sahib was finally
reopened to Sikh pilgrims from India as an outcome of former prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee's visit to Pakistan in 1999. In 2000, Pakistan agrees to allow Sikh pilgrims from
India to visit the shrine visa-free (and without a passport) by constructing a bridge from
the India side of the border to the shrine.
Telescope to view Kartarpur Sahib
The government has decided to install a high-powered telescope along the India-Pakistan
border for devotees to view kartarpur sahib in Punjab. It is organized to mark the 550th
birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikh faith. Kartarpur sahib, one of
the holiest shrines, is the final resting place of Guru Nanak. The telescope would be
installed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

Qaumi Ekta Week
The “Qaumi Ekta Week” (National Integration Week) was observed all over the country,
from 20 to 25th November, 2018. The objective of the celebration is to foster and reinforce
the spirit of Communal Harmony, National Integration and pride in vibrant, composite
culture and nationhood. This occasion also provides an opportunity to reaffirm age old
traditions and faith in the values of tolerance, co-existence and brotherhood in a multi-
cultural and multi-religious society. The National Foundation for Communal Harmony
(NFCH), an autonomous organisation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, organises
Communal Harmony Campaign coinciding with the Qaumi Ekta Week. The Foundation
promotes Communal Harmony and strengthens National Integration. It also provides
financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation of children rendered orphan or destitute
in communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence.
Sangai Festival
Sangai Festival is an annual cultural extravaganza in Manipur, the festival helps to
promote Manipur as a world class tourism destination. Every edition of the festival
showcases the tourism potential of the state in the field of Arts & Culture, Handloom,
Handicrafts, Indigenous Sports, Cuisine, Music and Adventure sports of the state etc.
The ‘Festival’ is named after the State animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered deer found only
in Manipur. The State’s classical dance form, ‘Ras Leela’ is quite famous all over the world
for its distinctiveness from any other dance forms in India. The Sangai is an endemic and
endangered subspecies of brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur, India. It is found in
its natural habitat only at Keibul Lamjao National Park over the floating biomass in the
south eastern part of Loktak Lake.
South Asia Regional Youth Peace Conference

The conference will be organized by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti (GSDS),
functioning under Ministry of Culture. UNESCO MGEIP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of
Education for Peace and Sustainable Development) is in partnership with GSDS for
organizing this conference. It is being organized to mark the beginning of celebration of
150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It focusses on building a network for young
leaders from South Asian countries to work towards achieving UN sustainable
development goals.
World’s Oldest Rock Art

Australian Scientists have recently found the world’s oldest figurative art in a cave in
Indonesia. The cave art on the island of Sulawesi is estimated to be about 40,000 years
old. This discovery challenges the idea that the oldest artwork had originated in Spain
and France. There is a theory that human capacity for abstract thinking originated in
Europe, but the new discovery makes the case that this development was occurring in
Asia at the same time

December 2018
Hornbill Festival
The Union Home Minister inaugurated the hugely popular Hornbill Festival 2018 in
Kohima, coinciding with the Formation Day of Nagaland.
Hornbill Festival offers unique opportunity for states to interact and exhibit their cultural
heritage in the true spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat”.
Significance of Nagaland Geographically: Nagaland is geographically located at the
vantage point. It is the gateway to the South-East Asia. North-East is the pivot of our
Government’s ‘Act East’ Policy.
It occurs during 1 – 10 December on an annual basis. It is also called the “Festival of
Festivals
Hornbill Festival: Nagas celebrate this festival to revive, protect, sustain and promote the
richness of the Naga heritage and traditions.
The festival pays tribute to Hornbill, the most admired and revered bird for the Nagas for
its qualities of alertness and grandeur.
It is organized by State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments and also supported by
Union Government. Hornbill Festival was established on 1st December 1963 and was
inaugurated by the then President Dr. S Radhakrishnan.
Mayurbhanj Chhau
Mayurbhanj Chhau dance form has a long history. Originally a tribal dance, which
originated from the forests of Mayurbhanj, Odisha in the 18th century, it got the status
of a martial art form in the 19th century.
Slowly & steadily Mayurbhanj Chhau left its martial character and mellowed. Under the
Royal Patronage it received proper attention & direction and showed a bright future and
utmost perfection as a dance of excellent style in the field of eastern art and culture of
India.
3 Styles - Purulia Chau of Bengal, the Seraikella Chau of Jharkhand, and the
Mayurbhanj Chau of Odisha. Seraikela and Purulia subgenres of Chhau use masks
during the dance, the Mayurbhanj Chhau uses none.
Kamsale Dance
Kamsale is known as Beesu Kamsale - performed by the devotees of God Mahadeshwara.
It is a group dance form performed by the menfolk in villages in the areas in Karnataka.
Mysore, Nanjanagudu, Kollegala and Bangalore
Kamsale is used both as an instrument and also as a prop by the dancers themselves.
Kamsale also refers to a mythological brass made musical instrument. The kamsale
comprises a cymbal in one hand and a bronze disc in the other and is used to produce a
rhythmic clang.
The Kamsale nritya is closely connected - Male Mahadeshwara, or Lord Shiva
worship by the haalu kuruba community.

The dance is performed to rhythmic and melodious music that is sung in praise of “Lord
Male Mahadeshwara” or “Shiva”. The dance is a part of a ‘diiksha’, or oath and is taught
by teacher or spiritual leader.
Heritage Park For Hindus, Buddhists In Elum Valley In Pak
The Khyber Pakthunkhwa province in Pakistan is planning to construct a heritage park
in Elum Valley, which carries a historical significance to both the Hindus and the
Buddhists, to promote religious tourism.
Elum Valley - safe abode for the followers of Hinduism and Buddhism
Located between the Swat and Buner districts in the province - a site of divinity and
pilgrimage for both the Hindu and the Buddhist communities.
According to Hindu belief, Lord Ram spent time meditating there during his 14 years of
exile, while Buddhists believe it to be the site where a previous incarnation of Lord
Buddha gave up his life.
Karmapa - Dominican Citizen
The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, who has been out of India since May 2017, has
taken the citizenship and passport of Dominica, a Caribbean island country.
The passport of Dominica allowed Karmapa the visa-free entry into many Commonwealth
countries
The Karma Kagyu lineage belongs to one of the 4 main schools of Tibetan Buddhism
Since the 12th century the Karmapas have been the heads of the Karma Kaygü lineage
and responsible for the continuation of this direct transmission lineage.
Karma Kagyu - emphasis on meditation and the realization of the direct experience of
mind gained through the guidance of a teacher.
Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019
Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019, a religious fair that will be held from January 15, 2019 to
March 4, 2019.
The Kumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) is anchored in Hindu mythology. It is
the largest public gathering and collective act of faith, anywhere in the world.
The Mela draws tens of millions of pilgrims over the course of approximately 55
auspicious days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the
mystical Sarasvati.
Primarily, this congregation includes Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis, and
Pilgrims from all walks of life.
‘Adopt A Heritage’ Project
The government recently handed over a Memorandum of Understanding to Resbird
Technologies under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project for the development of a mobile audio
guide application for five iconic sites.
‘Adopt A Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ of Ministry of Tourism was launched
on World Tourism Day i.e. 27th September, 2017. to develop the heritage sites /

monuments and making them tourist-friendly to enhance the tourism potential and their
cultural importance in a planned and phased manner
Successful bidders - Monument Mitras. The basic and advanced amenities of the tourist
destinations would be provided by them. They would also look after the operations and
the maintenance of the amenities.
The ‘Monument Mitras’ would associate pride with their CSR activities.
The aim of the project is to provide basic amenities that include cleanliness, public
conveniences, safe drinking water, ease of access for tourists, signages, illumination, Wi-
fi etc.
Funding of the Project: - The project envisages involvement of Private/Public
Companies/Organizations and Individuals to adopt Monuments, Natural Heritage Sites
and other Tourist Sites, primarily under CSR. No fund is given by Ministry of Tourism.
Buddhist Site Museum At Lalitgiri In Odisha
Buddhist site museum has been inaugurated at Lalitgiri in Odisha - Located in Cuttack
district, it will be the third site museum of the Bhubaneswar circle of the Archaeological
Survey of India after Ratnagiri and Konrak.
It is a major Buddhist complex in the Indian state of Odisha comprising major stupas,
‘esoteric’ Buddha images, and monasteries (viharas), one of the oldest sites in the region
Together with the Ratnagiri and Udayagiri sites, Lalitagiri is part of Puspagiri University
located on top of hills of the same names. The three complexes are known as the
“Diamond Triangle”. Tantric Buddhism was practiced at this site.
Excavations at Lalitgiri have yielded the remains of four monasteries, showing cultural
continuity from the post-Mauryan period till the 13th century CE. The center of attraction
is a relic casket containing corporal remains found inside the Mahastupta.
Location: It is hemmed between the Parabhadi and Landa sandstone hills in the
standalone Assian hill range. It is situated in the Mahanga Tahsil in Cuttack district.
Tansen Samman
Noted sitar player Manju Mehta has been conferred with the ‘Tansen Samman’ for 2018
by the Madhya Pradesh government for her contribution in the field of music
The prestigious ‘National Tansen Samman’ is a musical award conferred to the exponents
of Hindustani music. This award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 Lakh along with a memento.
The Tansen Music Festival is organised every year by Madhya Pradesh culture
department in the memory of Tansen, one of the greatest artists in Indian history. It is
held annually in Gwalior.
Hindustani Singer - Tansen began his career and spent most of his adult life in the court
and patronage of the Hindu king of Rewa, Raja Ramchandra Singh (1555–1592), where
Tansen’s musical abilities and studies gained widespread fame.
Akbar considered him as a Navaratnas (nine jewels), and gave him the title Mian, an
honorific, meaning learned man.

Tansen is remembered for his epic Dhrupad compositions, creating several new ragas, as
well as for writing two classic books on music Sri Ganesh Stotra and Sangita Sara.
Prelims
Rosgholla
A postal stamp dedicated to Nabin Chandra Das, inventor of Rosogolla was launched on
the inaugural day of the three-day festival, BagbazarO-Rosogolla Utsob marking the
150th year of its invention. Bagbazar-O-Rasogolla Utsob Bagbazar O Rosogolla Utsob, a
three-day Rosogolla Utsav is being held at Bagbazar, Kolkata as a tribute to Nabin
Chandra Das, inventor of Rosogolla. The statue of Nabin Chandra Das was also unveiled
during the inaugural programme
Incredible India Mobile App
Ministry of Tourism launched Incredible India Mobile App on 27th September, 2018 to
showcase India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, like
spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more.
The app has been equipped with features to assist the traveler in each phase of their
journey to India.
Legacy Vintage Hotel
Ministry of Tourism has introduced the concept of Legacy Vintage Hotels to cover hotels
constructed/built with materials from heritage properties/buildings (i.e. properties or
buildings which were built/constructed/erected prior to the year 1950). Such hotels will
help recreate the ambience and atmosphere of the bygone era.
Indian Culinary Institute (ICI), Noida Campus
The Indian Culinary Institute (ICI), Noida campus was inaugurated on 27th April, 2018
for starting culinary courses. The campus also has an “Indian Culinary Museum” where
the rich historical and diversified culinary objects and other literature will be displayed.
Rajkumar Shukla
Commemorative Postage Stamp on Rajkumar Shukla
In drawing the attention of Mahatma Gandhi to the plight of peasants suffering under an
oppressive system established by European indigo planters in Champaran, Bihar,
Rajkumar Shukla made a seminal contribution culminating in the launch of the
Champaran Satyagraha in 1917 by Mahatma Gandhi.
Champaran Satyagraha was undertaken in the erstwhile undivided Champaran district
in northern Bihar. Mahatma Gandhi went there in April, 1917 on learning about the
abuses suffered by the cultivators of the district, forced into growing indigo by British
planters/estate owners
In June 1917, the British administration declared the formation of a formal inquiry
committee with Gandhi aboard. The Government accepted almost all its
recommendations. The principal recommendation accepted was complete abolition of
Tinkathia system. It was a major blow to the British planters who became resentful. But
they could not prevent the passage of Champaran Agrarian Act in Bihar & Orissa
Legislative Council on March 4, 1918.

Paika Rebellion
The government is planning to release the commemorative coin and postage stamp in
memory of Paika Rebellion.
Two-hundred years ago in 1817, a valiant uprising of soldiers led by Buxi Jagabandhu
(Bidyadhar Mohapatra) took place in Khurda of Odisha. This is known as Paika rebellion.
The Paikas were the traditional land-owning militia of Odisha and served as warriors.
When armies of the East India Company overran most of Odisha in 1803, the Raja of
Khurda lost his primacy and the power and prestige of the Paikas went on a decline
The British were not comfortable with these aggressive, warlike new subjects and set up
a commission under Walter Ewer to look into the issue
The commission recommended that the hereditary rent-free lands granted to the Paikas
be taken over by the British administration and this recommendation was zealously
adhered to. They revolted against the British.
Although initially the Company struggled to respond they managed to put down the
rebellion by May 1817. Many of the Paik leaders were hung or deported. Jagabandhu
surrendered in 1825.
Goa Liberation Day
18 Dec - Goa celebrated the 57th Liberation Day – 450 years Portuguese Rule. The
Portuguese invaded Goa in the year 1510.
Operation Vijay began on December 17, 1961, when the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru ordered the invasion.With minimal blood shed, the attack was successful and was
carried forward to retrieve the other Portuguese-controlled areas, Daman and Diu
At this point on December 18, the Portuguese Governor General Vassalo da Silva gave
up control of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. Three days after the attack
began, Goa finally became a part of India.
The Goa Opinion Poll was a referendum held in the state of Goa, India, on 16 January
1967, to decide the future of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu within the Indian
Union.
It is the only referendum to have been held in independent India.
The people of Goa voted against the merger and Goa continued to be a union territory.
Subsequently, in 1987, Goa became a full-fledged state within the Indian Union.
Prasad – Scheme
Gangotri, Yamunotri, Parsanath have been included in the list of sites under PRASAD
scheme bringing the number of sites under the scheme to 41 in 25 states.
Gangotri and Yamunotri, Uttrarakhand: Gangotri is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks
of the river Bhagirathi and origin of River Ganges while Yamunotri is the source of river
Yamuna.
Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh: It is a unique natural heritage area and is the meeting
point of the Vindhya and the Satpura Ranges, with the Maikal Hills being the fulcrum. It
is a Hindu pilgrim site where the Narmada River, the Son River and Johila River emerge.

Parasnath, Jharkhand: It is the highest mountain peak in the state, the Shikharji temple,
an important Jain pilgrimage site, is located here
Bhasha Sangam
The Department of School Education & Literacy under MHRD has initiated Bhasha
Sangam Program – As part of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’. About the Program
Its objectives are: o To enhance linguistic tolerance and respect, and promote national
integration.
To introduce school students to all the 22 Indian Languages of Schedule VIII of the
Constitution of India.
This will be run by the State/UT Department of School Education.
This initiative is not mandatory and there would be no formal testing of any kind.

January 2019
ASI Monuments
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) 6 structures to the list of monuments of national
importance, taking the total number to 3,693.
Uttar Pradesh (745 monuments/sites), Karnataka (506) and Tamil Nadu (413) have the
highest number of ASI-maintained sites.
According to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958,
any structure, sculpture, inscription, etc., which is in existence for not less than 100
years is termed ancient.
The last monument to be included in the previous list, in 2015, was the Vishnu Temple
in Nadavayal in Kerala's Wayanad district.
New Monuments
 125-year-old Old High Court Building in Nagpur
 Mughal-era monuments in Agra - Haveli of Agha Khan and Hathi Khana
 Ancient Neemrana Baori in Rajasthan's Alwar district
 The Group of Temples at Ranipur Jharail in Odisha's Bolangir district
 The Vishnu Temple in Kotali, Pithoragarh district, Uttarkhand
Harappan Excavations
Rakhigarhi - Indian and South Korean researchers carried out excavations in Rakhigarhi
between 2013 and 2016
Skeletal remains of a young male and female have recently been discovered.
Among 62 graves discovered in Rakhigarhi, only this one had more than one skeleton
and of individuals of the opposite sex, together
Most archaeological recoveries show individuals were buried separately in Harappan
time. Joint graves have been very rare, and almost none have been found containing a
couple – except this new one at Rakhigarhi
Graves in Harappan sites
only 20% of graves are of women, while fewer than that of 1% are of children.
Broadly, three types of graves have been discovered at Harappan sites.
 Primary grave, the most common type, where archaeologists have found full-body
remains of the person placed inside a pit
 Secondary pits were those that contained partial remains of a few bones placed in
the pit
 In the third type, instead of skeletal remains there were just some accessories,
presumably the belongings of the deceased person. (Perhaps the body could not be
ever retrieved, due to deaths caused by wild animals or during wars.)
Indus Valley Civilization (IVC)
The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the four earliest civilizations of the world along with
the Mesopotamia, Egypt and China.
It forms part of proto-history of India and belongs to the Bronze Age.

 Early Phase: 2900-2500 BC
 Middle (Mature) Phase: 2500-2000 BC
 Later Phase: 2000-1750 BC
Dayaram Sahni first discovered Harappa in 1921.
R. D. Banerjee discovered Mohenjodaro or Mound of the Dead in 1922. • The Name
Harappa Civilization was given by John Marshall after the first discovered site, Harappa.
Rakhigarhi is the biggest Harappan site and the cemetery existing there with more than
70 skeletons helped archeologists extract DNA samples for the first time to gain more
knowledge about IVC
‘Sanjhi – Mujh Mein Kalakar’
Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama will
launch the second phase of the Web Campaign ‘SANJHI-MUJH MEIN KALAKAR’.
It is an initiative to document and promote the Intangible Cultural Heritage and diverse
cultural traditions of the country by direct public-participation. SANJHI is “to share” and
“to partner”.
The Second Phase:
The second phase of this campaign has its main focus area like the folk, traditional,
customary, socially events and ritualistic art forms – woven as a cultural fabric around
the harvest festival season of January.
It is widely celebrated as various nomenclatures like Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri,
Bhogali Bihu, Torgya, Uttarayan, Attukkal Pongal, etc
It intends to bring forth such forms that are aligned with the domains of intangible
cultural heritage as per the Convention of Safeguarding the ICH under UNESCO:
 Oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible

cultural heritage;
 Performing arts;
 Social practices, rituals and festival events;
 Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;
 Traditional craftsmanship.
Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA)
Founded in 31st May 1952 - HQ New Delhi
India’s national academy for music, dance and drama – First in India
It is the nodal agency of the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India to coordinate the matters
related to Intangible Cultural Heritage and various UNESCO Conventions addressing
Cultural Diversity and promotion and dissemination of multifarious cultural traditions
and expressions of the country.
It was created by a resolution of the then Ministry of Education.
In 1961, it was reconstituted as a society and registered under the Societies Registration
Act of 1860.

It also coordinates the matters related to Intangible Cultural Heritage and various
UNESCO Conventions
Intangible Cultural Heritage
The term ‘cultural heritage’ has changed content considerably in recent decades, partially
owing to the instruments developed by UNESCO.
Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects.
It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed
on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals,
festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the
knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts
Pancha Theerath
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in northwest Pakistan has declared the ancient Hindu
religious site of Panj Tirath in Peshawar as national heritage.
The government also announced a fine of up to Rs 2 million and five years’ imprisonment
for anyone found guilty of damaging the historic site.
About Panj Tirath
Panj Tirath, which got its name from the five pools of water present there, also contains
a temple and a lawn with date palm trees. • It is believed that Pandu, a mythical king in
the Mahabharata, belonged to this area and Hindus used to come to these pools for
bathing during the month of Karteek and worship for two days under the trees.
The site was damaged during the reign of the Afghan Durrani dynasty in 1747, however
it was restored by local Hindus during the period of Sikh rule in 1834 and worship started
again.
Indian Harvest Festivals
In January Harvest season festivities grip the nation from the north to down south
 Makar Sankranti: The festival of Makar Sankranti (Andhra, Telangana and

Maharashtra) is being celebrated when the Sun enters the Makar zodiac and the
days begin to lengthen compared to nights.
 Pongal: In South India and particularly in Tamil Nadu, it’s the festival of Pongal
which is being celebrated over 4 days at harvest time.
 Magha Bihu: In Assam and many parts of the North East, the festival of Magha
Bihu is celebrated. It sees the first harvest of the season being offered to the gods
along with prayers for peace and prosperity.
 Uttarayan: Gujarat celebrates it in the form of the convivial kite festival of
Uttarayan.
 Maghi: In Punjab, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Maghi. Bathing in a river in
the early hours on Maghi is important.
 Saaji: In Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh, Makara Sankranti is known as
Magha Saaji. Saaji is the Pahari word for Sankranti, start of the new month. Hence
this day marks the start of the month of Magha.
 Kicheri: The festival is known as Kicheri in Uttar Pradesh and involves ritual
bathing.
Bharat Ratna
Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh (posthumously) and Bhupen Hazarika
(posthumously) were awarded Bharat Ratna.
Pranab Mukherjee: He is an Indian politician who served as the 13th President of India
from 2012 until 2017.
Nanaji Deshmukh: He was a politician and a social activist from India. He worked in the
fields of education, health, and rural self-reliance.
He established Chitarkoot Gramodya Vishwavidyalaya in Chitrakoot, India's first rural
university and was its first Chancellor. o He established India's first Saraswati Sishu
Mandir at Gorakhpur in 1950.
He actively participated in Bhoodan Movement started by Vinoba Bhave and also joined
Jai Prakash Narayan when he gave the call for" Total Revolution".
Bhupen Hazarika: He was an Indian singer, poet, musician and film-maker from Assam.
He was popularly known as the 'Bard of Brahmaputra’.
He was also the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), as well as the
prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1992). o India’s longest bridge (Dhola-Sadia
bridge), which runs over the Lohit river in Assam has been named the after him.
Bharat Ratna - Award
‘Bharat Ratna’ is the highest civilian award of the country and was instituted in the year
1954.
It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in
any field of human endeavour. Any person without distinction of race, occupation,
position or sex is eligible for these awards.
The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister himself to the
President. No formal recommendations for this are necessary.
The number of annual awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year. It
is not mandatory for the government to announce the award each year.
On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the
President and a Peepalleaf–shaped medallion.
The Award does not carry any monetary grant.
In terms of Article 18 (1) of the Constitution, the award cannot be used as a prefix or
suffix to the recipient's name.
They are placed at 7A in the Table of Precedence.
There are two Non-Indian Bharat Ratna winners Khan Abdul Ghaffar (Pakistan National)
and Nelson Mandela (former president of South Africa)
Padma Awards
These are among the highest civilian Awards of the country.
The Awards are given in three categories:

 Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service)
 Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order)
 Padma Shri (distinguished service).
Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists,
are not eligible for these Awards.
The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
All nominations received for Padma Awards are placed before the Padma Awards
Committee (headed by the Cabinet Secretary) which is constituted by the Prime Minister
every year.
Kerala – Spiritual Circuit
PM Modi, inaugurated a project for the development of spiritual circuit comprising three
important pilgrimage centres of
 Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple

 Aranmula and Sabarimala in Kerala.
The Sree Padmanabaswamy Temple is one of the 108 divyadesams of Lord Vishnu.
The project is being implemented under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of the tourism
ministry.
Meghalaya Circuit
Development of North East Circuit: Umiam (Lake View) - U Lum Sohpetbneng-
Mawdiangdiang - Orchid Lake Resort was recently inaugurated.
It is implemented under Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS).
SDS is one of the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Tourism for development of thematic
circuits in the country in a planned and prioritized manner.
Lake Umiam is a part of a dam, constructed as a first Hydel Power Project ain this North-
East Indian State.
U Lum Sohpetbneng is a legendary mountain peak which symbolizes the deep rooted
spiritual belief of the Hynniewtrep – the seven huts people.
The Seven Huts people are predominating in the West Khasi Hills, East Khasi Hills, Ri-
Bhoi and Jiantia Hills districts of East Meghalaya.
Gandhi Circuit
“Development of Gandhi Circuit: Bhitiharwa-Chandrahia-Turkaulia” has been
sanctioned in Bihar - Centenary of Champaran Satyagraha during April 2017 to April
2018.
The project is sanctioned under “Rural Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme” with
central financial assistance.
It is one of the projects identified for development under the Special Package for Bihar
announced in 2015

Chandrahia: It is a village in Bihar’s East Champaran district, holding a special position
in the Champaran movement because (1916) Gandhiji was stopped at this village when
he was on his way to the hamlet of Jasaulipatti to listen to problems faced by farmers
who were being forced to cultivate indigo instead of food crops.
Bhitiharwa: This was one of the centre for social work selected by Gandhiji, when he was
in Champaran in 1917. There is a Gandhi Ashram where Mahatma Gandhi had stayed
during the Indian Freedom struggle.
Turkaulia: It was a burning centre of Indigo agitation. It has been widely referred to as
“Turkaulia Concern” in context of Champaran Satyagraha to refer to the plight of indigo
cultivators
Ministry of Tourism had launched ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme with an objective to
develop theme- based tourist circuits in the country. These tourist circuits will be
developed on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in
an integrated manner.
The scheme is 100% centrally funded for the project components undertaken for public
funding.
It leverages the voluntary funding available for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
initiatives of Central Public Sector Undertakings and corporate sector.
Funding of individual project will vary from state to state and will be finalised on the
basis of detailed project reports prepared by PMC (Programme Management Consultant).
A National Steering Committee (NSC) will be constituted with Minister in charge of M/O
Tourism as Chairman, to steer the mission objectives and vision of the scheme.
A Mission Directorate headed by the Member Secretary, NSC as a nodal officer will help
in identification of projects in consultation with the States/ UTs governments and other
stake holders.
PMC will be a national level consultant to be appointed by the Mission Directorate
Battle of Bhima Koregaon
January 1st, 2018 marks the 201st anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle. Battle was
fought in Bhima Koregaon, a district in Pune with a strong historical Dalit connection,
between the Peshwa forces and the British on January 1, 1818.
The British army, which comprised mainly of Dalit soldiers, fought the upper caste-
dominated Peshwa army. The British troops defeated the Peshwa army.
The victory was seen as a win against caste-based discrimination and oppression.
Peshwas were notorious for their oppression and persecution of Mahar dalits. The victory
in the battle over Peshwas gave dalits a moral victory a victory against caste-based
discrimination and oppression and sense of identity.
However, the divide and rule policy of the British created multiple fissures in Indian
society which is even visible today in the way of excessive caste and religious
discrimination which needs to be checked keeping in mind the tenets of the Constitution.

The battle has come to be seen as a symbol of Dalit pride because a large number of
soldiers in the Company force were the Mahar Dalits. Since the Peshwas, who were
Brahmins, were seen as oppressors of Dalits, the victory of the Mahar soldiers over the
the Peshwa force is seen as Dalit assertion.
On 1 January 1927, B.R. Ambedkar visited the memorial obelisk erected on the spot
which bears the names of the dead including nearly two dozen Mahar soldiers. The men
who fought in the battle of Koregaon were the Mahars, and the Mahars are Untouchables
‘Opinion Poll Day’ - Goa
Goa celebrated its 52nd ‘Asmitai Dis’ (Identity Day) or Opinion Poll Day on January 16.
It was on this date in 1967 that Goans voted against merging with Maharashtra and
chose to remain a Union Territory. Though referred to as an ‘opinion poll’, the vote was
in fact a plebiscite.
Soon after Goa’s liberation from colonial Portuguese rule in 1961, murmurs began of a
merger with Maharashtra on grounds of cultural similarity and the argument that
Konkani was a dialect of Marathi and not an independent language. With several Indian
states having been demarcated on a linguistic basis, the demand split the people of Goa
into those who backed Konkani and wanted to remain independent of Maharashtra, and
those who were in favour of Marathi and wanted to merge.
In December 1966, Parliament passed the Goa, Daman and Diu (Opinion Poll Act), 1966,
“to provide for the taking of an opinion poll to ascertain the wishes of the electors of Goa,
Daman and Diu with regard to the future status thereof and for matters connected
therewith”.
Majority of votes went against the merger.
 Soon afterward began demands for statehood for Goa; however, it was only on May
30, 1987, that Goa became India’s 25th state.
 Daman and Diu continue to be Union Territories. Konkani was included in the
Eighth Schedule of the Constitution on August 20, 1992 (71st Amendment).
Armed Forces Veteran Day
The Armed Forces are celebrating the Veterans Day on 14 Jan to honour the veterans
the Army, Navy and Air Force.
This special day started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our
country’s service and was originally called Armistice Day.
It fell on Nov. 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended
World War I.
However, in 1954, the holiday was changed to ‘Veterans Day’ in order to account for all
veterans in all wars.
For the first time the Indian Armed Forces celebrated the Veteran’s Day on 14th January
2015, the day on which the first Field Marshall General KM Cariappa retired from service
Republic Day Parade 2019
70th Republic Day Anniversary on 26th of January 2019.

The theme of this year's celebration was the 150th year of birth Mahatma Gandhi.
South African President Ramaphosa was the chief guest of the ceremony.
The parade saw 22 tableaux, comprising of 16 from different States & Union Territories
and six Ministries, Departments and other institutions displaying the life, times and
ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.
Republic Day 2019
Sankhnaad played for the first time o It is a martial tune based on Indian classical music.
Since Independence, the Indian defence forces have been playing 'martial tune' created
by the British
Kisan Gandhi: ICAR o The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was awarded
the first prize for its Tableau, ‘Kisan Gandhi’, with the theme of integrated farming.
It portrayed Mahatma Gandhi’s vision to improve agriculture and livestock for the
prosperity of rural communities.
Karakattam folk dance: Tamil Nadu o It is an ancient folk dance of Tamil Nadu performed
in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman.
The performers balance a pot on their head. Traditionally, this dance is categorized into
two types- Aatta Karakam is danced with decorated pots on the head and symbolizes joy
and happiness. It is mainly performed to entertain the audience. The Sakthi Karakam is
performed only in temples as a spiritual offering
Republic Day 2019
Taakala Folk Dance: Maharashtra
It is related to the exchange of the 'takla' vegetable among local tribal groups.
Misra Raas of Gujarat: Raas popularly known as dandiya raas is one of the most popular
folk dances of Gujarat. Mishra raas/Gop raas is a variant of this genre. It is performed
by both men and women. It is not based on any criteria of caste or profession.
North Eastern state folk dances presented
 Monpa of Arunachal Pradesh: It is a traditional dance form of the Monpa tribe, who
inhabit parts of West Kameng District and Tawang District in Arunachal Pradesh.
This dance is performed during the Losar Festival, which marks the tribe’s New
Year.
 Mamita of Tripura: It is performed on the occasion of Mamita festival, which is
harvest festival of Tripuri People. o Satoiya Nitya of Assam o Tamang Seto of Sikkim
 Karnataka: Its tableau was based on the 39th session of the Indian National
Congress held in Belagavi in 1924, which was presided over by Mahatma Gandhi
The all-women Assam Rifles contingent created history this year by participating for the
first time in a Republic Day parade
International Gandhi Peace Prize (2015-18)
This annual award was instituted in 1995 on 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi.

It is given to individuals and institutions for their contribution to social, economic and
political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods.
Jury includes Prime minister of India as Chairman, Chief Justice of India, Leader of
Opposition in Lok Sabha, and two other eminent persons. Posthumous award cannot be
given except in the case when death occurred subsequent to a proposal submission to
the jury
If it is considered that none of the proposals merit recognition, the jury is free to withhold
the award for that year.
Only achievements within 10 years immediately preceding the nomination are considered
for the award
Gandhi International Peace Prize Winners
 2018: Yohei Sasakawa, who is Goodwill Ambassador of the World Health
Organisation for Leprosy Elimination.
 2017: Ekal Abhiyan Trust for contributing in education for rural and tribal children
in remote areas, rural empowerment, gender, and social equality.
 2016: jointly given to Akshaya Patra foundation for contributions towards mid-day
meals to children and Sulabh International for improving the condition of
sanitation and emancipation of manual scavengers.
 2015: Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, for their contribution to rural
development, education, development of natural resources.
Pravasiya Bharatiya Divas
It is celebrated once in every two years to strengthen the engagement of the overseas
Indian community with the Government of India and reconnect them with their roots.
It sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs. · The day commemorates the return of
Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai on 9th January 1915.
During the Convention, selected overseas Indians are also honored with the prestigious
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to recognize their contributions to various fields both
in India and abroad.
The 15th PBD was held in Varanasi. · The theme was "Role of Indian Diaspora in building
New India" and PM of Mauritius was the Chief Guest.
World Capital of Architecture
UNESCO has named the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro as the World Capital of
Architecture for 2020.
Rio has a mix of modern and colonial architecture.
It will be the first city to receive the title under a programme launched together by
UNESCO and the International Union of Architects (UIA) in November 2018.
Rio houses some world-renowned sites like the statue of Christ the Redeemer and
contemporary constructions like the Museum of Tomorrow.
The city is also home to works of renowned architects such as Oscar Niemeyer, who also
designed the capital city of Brasilia.

Kurumba Painting
Kurumbas are the tribe who live in the mid-ranges of the Nilgiris or “blue-mountains”.
The Kurumba art is traditionally practiced by only either by the male members of the
temple caretakers, or priest to the Kurumba village.
The women of the family contribute to the decorations at home in the form of borders
around the door and windows and kolams on the floor.
The art is primarily ritualistic, describing various facets of tribal life.
Often it is painted on the outer wall of the temple and the house.
Eluthu paarai is an ancient 3000-year-old rock-painting site of Kurumbas in the
Kothagiri region of the Nilgiris.
The rock art depictions in this site come under the category of ‘petrographs’ means “rock
art”. · Rock engravings are called ‘petroglyphs
Pithora Paintings
The Pithora painting form is traditionally performed on walls inside the homes of the
Rathvas tribe.
In times of difficulty, Rathva seek the guidance of Badva, the chief priest or shaman of
the village.
Badva performs readings based on the skills he has acquired through ancestral
schooling, and recommends undertaking a vow to paint Pithora in the home in order to
gain a boon from Baba Pithora.
The person who undertakes the vow is known as Ghardhani, or in simple terms, home
owner
Elephanta Caves
An event that showcased the rich handloom and textile tradition of India was held at
Elephanta Caves.
It was organized by the Ministry of Textiles.
Elephanta Caves is a UNESCO World Heritage site constructed about the mid-5th
centuries AD. The Caves are located on Elephanta Island near Mumbai. It contains a
collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva. Sadashiva sculpture dominates the
entrance to one of the caves.
It represents three aspects of Shiva: the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer.
Etikoppaka Bommalu
Etikoppaka is a small village located on the banks of the river Varaha in Vishakhapatnam
district of AP.
Etikoppaka toys or Etikoppaka Bommalu, toys made of wood, are made in this region.
The wood used to make the toys is soft in nature and the art of toy making is also known
as Turned wood Lacquer craft.
They are also called as lacquer toys because of application of lacquer coating.
They are colored with natural dyes derived from seeds, lacquer, bark, roots and leaves.
Budithi Brass Craft
Budithi Brass Craft are the products made out of alloy like brass at Budithi, a village in
Srikakulam district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
It was registered as one of the geographical indication handicraft from Andhra Pradesh
as per Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
The art form is generally expressed in traditional cooking utensils and also in forms that
suit contemporary needs - like flower pots and planters.
Usually made of brass, the objects have patterns that are geometric, with straight lines
and curves forming simple and striking presentations.
Maagh Bihu
Bihu is the most important festival of Assam, which is actually a set of three festivals.
Bhogali Bihu or Maagh Bihu is celebrated during the month of January in Assam.
It the second largest Bihu festival of Assam after Bohag Bihu. It marks the end of the
harvest season.
People worship Lord Indra, who according to the Hindu mythology is “God of rains and
clouds”.
Losar Festival
It is the Tibetan New Year.
The structure of the Tibetan calendar is based simultaneously on the cycles of the sun
and the moon.
The Tibetan year begins the day of the new moon following the entry of the sun in the
constellation of the Ram. It generally falls on February.
The Tibetan year is composed of twelve “lunar” months.
Lunar month is the period between two new moons i.e begins the 1st day following the
new moon to finish with the following new moon.
Lunar months consist of 30 lunar days and 1 lunar day = 0.984 solar day (24 hrs).
So 1 lunar month lasts approximately 29,5 solar days. Thus, a Tibetan year, is composed
354 solar days.
Therefore, they add a 13th lunar month approximately every 30 months in order to catch
up with the Western year.
The calendar is known as “lunisolar”, as it catches up with the solar calendar by adding
one month.
Given its Tibetan population, Ladakh also celebrates this festival with much excitement,
Guru Gobind Singh
Prime Minister will release a commemorative coin to mark the birth anniversary of Guru
Gobind Singh.

He is the 10th and the last Sikh Guru.
He was a spiritual master, warrior, philosopher and poet.
Due to his huge contribution to Sikhism, he is considered as the eternal guru by many
of his followers.
His father Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth guru of the Sikhs.
Guru Gobind Singh and his Khalsa army inspired Sikh devotees to fight the Mughal
rulers for their religious freedom and political liberty.
The Var Sri Bhagauti Ji Ki, popularly called Chandi di Var, written in 1684, was his first
composition and his only major work in the Punjabi language.

February 2019
Maithili Language
A committee constituted for making a report for the Promotion and Protection of Maithili
Language and its scripts, has submitted its report to MHRD in which it has made several
recommendations for promotion and protection of Maithili language.
Important recommendations of the committee are as follows:
1. To establish a Script and Manuscript Centre at Darbhanga in any one of the
Universities viz. Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University or Lalit Narayan Mithila
Unviersity.
2. Early completion of the work pertaining to Unicode Scripts of Mithilakshar by
Technology Development of Indian Languages (TDIL)
3. To prepare audio-visual teaching materials for teaching the Mithilakshar scripts.
Mithilakshar or Tirhuta is the script of broader cultural Mithila. It is an extremely ancient
script and is one of the scripts of the broader North Eastern India.
The scripts of Mithilaksar, Bangla, Assamese, Nebari, Odia and Tibetan are part of the
family.
Mithilakshar had come to its current shape by 10th Century AD. The oldest form of
Mithilakshar is found in the Sahodara stone inscriptions of 950 AD. Afterwards, the
scripts has been used throughout Mithila from Champaran to Deoghar.
Why ?
Use of this script has been on decline since last 100 years and therefore our culture is
getting decimated.
Because its own script is not being used, the Maithili language is getting developed in a
composite manner despite having been accorded a constitutional status in the
constitution.
The oldest form of Mithilakshar is found in the Sahodara stone inscriptions of 950 AD.
Vidyapati Thakur, was the first writer to use Maithili as a literary language, his poetic
works and songs are full of devotion to the God Shiva.
In the 14th century, Jyotishwar enriched the literature in a holistic way. His work Dhurt
Samagam is very popular in Maithili.
In the 20th century, Baba Nagarjun, Ramanand Renu contributed in the field of prose
writing.
In 1910 the first Maithili organization, the Maithili Mahasabha came into being for the
development of Maithili and Maithils.
The language has been accorded a constitutional status in the 8th Schedule of the
constitution.
The lack of use of Mithilakshar script has become the reason for the decline in the Maithli
language.
The committee has suggested establishing a Script and Manuscript Centre at Darbhanga
and creating of audio-visual teaching material for mithilashkar script.
Bharat Rang Mahotsav (Brm)
National School Of Drama is organizing 20th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav is at New
Delhi.
Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM):
1. It is the annual international theatre festival of India organized by the National
School of Drama (NSD).
2. It was established two decades ago to stimulate the growth and development of
theatre across India.
3. Originally a national festival showcasing the work of the most creative theatre
workers in India, BRM has evolved to international scope, hosting theatre groups
from around the world, and is now the largest theatre festival of Asia.
Sentinelese Tribe
The Sentinelese are a negrito tribe who live on the North Sentinel Island of the Andamans.
The inhabitants are connected to the Jarawa on the basis of physical, as well as linguistic
similarities. Their numbers are believed to be less than 150 and as low as 40.
Based on carbon dating of kitchen middens by the Anthropological Survey of India,
Sentinelese presence was confirmed in the islands to 2,000 years ago. Genome studies
indicate that the Andaman tribes could have been on the islands even 30,000 years ago.
It is said they have made little to no advancement in the over 60,000 years and still live
very primitive lives, surviving mainly on fish and coconuts.
They are very vulnerable to germs since they have not had contact with the outside world.
Even a common flu virus carried by a visitor could wipe out the entire tribe.
Since the 1960s, there have been a handful of efforts to reach out to the tribe but all have
largely failed. They have repeatedly, aggressively made it clear that they want to be
isolated.
Steps by GOI to PROTECT :
1. The entire North Sentinel Island along with 5 km coastal sea from high water mark
is notified as tribal reserve.
2. The Government respects their way of life style, therefore, has adopted an ‘eyes-on
and hands-off’ practice to protect and safeguard the Sentinelese tribe.
3. A protocol of circumnavigation of the North Sentinel Island has been notified. The
ships and aircrafts of Coast Guard and boats of Marine Police make sorties around
North Sentinel to keep surveillance.
Sangeet Natak Akademi
The Sangeet Natak Akademi – India’s national academy for music, dance and drama – is
the first National Academy of the arts set-up by the Republic of India. It was created by
a resolution of Government of India. It was set up in 1952. The academy functions as
the apex body of the performing arts in the country to preserve and promote the vast
cultural heritage of India expressed in music, dance and drama. It also works with
governments and art academies in states and territories of the country. The academy
Renders advice and assistance to the government of India in the task of formulating and
implementing policies and programmes in the field. It carries a part of the responsibilities
of the state for fostering cultural contacts between regions in the country, as well as
between India and the world.
The Akademi Awards are the highest national recognition conferred on eminent artistes.
Each year the Academy awards Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships, Ratna Sadsya, to
distinguished individuals for their contribution to the field of arts, music, dance and
theatre. Ustad Bismillah Khan award is given to young artists for their talent in the fields
of music, dance and drama.
Ghumot
Ghumot, an indigenous earthen drum will soon be notified as a heritage instrument of
Goa
Ghumot is an indigenous earthen drum fashioned as a designed clay pot, with the skin
of the monitor lizard stretched taut across the pot’s mouth, forming a drumhead. It is a
percussion instrument widely played during Ganesh Chaturthi Aarties.
The instrument was banned due to the use of the skin of the endangered monitor lizard
for the drum membrane. In recent years, ghumot makers have started using goat skin
instead.
The ban is applicable to the use of any animal listed in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,
and that the goat is not one of them. Monitor lizard is listed under this.
Eco Circuit
‘Development of Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady’ under the
Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism was recently inaugurated.
Eco Circuit is one of the fifteen thematic circuits identified for development under
Swadesh Darshan Scheme- Integrated development of theme- based tourist circuits in
the country.
Major works carried out under the project includes Eco Adventure Tourism Park at
Vagamon, Cultural Centre at Kadamanitta, Eco Log Huts at Peerumedu, Idukki,
Approach Roads, Walking trails, Rain Shelters at Pine Valley Forest, Thekkady, Kumily,
Moozhiyar Dam, Penstock and Kakki Dam.
Guru Ravidas
Sant Ravidas Jayanti was celebrated on February 19th. This year is said to be the 642nd
birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.
Guru Ravidas was a North Indian mystic poet of the bhakti movement. While the exact
year of his birth is not known, it is believed that the saint was born in 1377 C.E. Guru
Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on Magh Purnima, which is the full moon day in the Hindu
calendar month of Magha. The Adi Granth of Sikhs, in addition to the Panchvani are the
two of the oldest documented sources of the literary works of Guru Ravidas.
Guru Ravidas:

 Guru Ravidas spoke against the caste divisions and spoke of removing them to
promote unity. His teachings resonated with the people, leading to a religion being
born called the Ravidassia religion, or Ravidassia Dharam based on his teachings.
 He taught about the omnipresence of God and said that a human soul is a particle
of God and hence Ravidas rejected the idea that people considered lower caste
cannot meet God. He said in his teachings that the only way to meet God was to
free the mind from the duality.
 Ravidas' devotional songs were included in the Sikh scriptures, Guru Granth
Sahib. The Panch Vani text of the Dadupanthi tradition within Hinduism also
includes numerous poems of Ravidas. Ravidas taught removal of social divisions
of caste and gender, and promoted unity in the pursuit of personal spiritual
freedoms.
Notably, he belonged to an untouchable caste and suffered a lot of atrocities as a result.
However, the saint chose to focus on spiritual pursuits and also penned several
devotional songs which made a huge impact in the Bhakti movement during the 14th to
16th century CE
Salt Satyagraha Memorial
National Salt Satyagraha Memorial has been opened at Dandi in Navsari district, Gujarat.
It was dedicated to the nation on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 71st death
anniversary (30th January).
The memorial encapsulates the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi- Agrah for Swadeshi,
Swatchagrah and Satyagraha.
The memorial aims to serve as a reminder of the great sacrifices made by the people of
the nation for the cause of freedom. It is a tribute to the Satyagrahis led by Gandhi Ji,
who worked for India’s freedom and is expected to be a major attraction for the tourists.
During that time, the British had prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt.
Indians were also forced to buy the staple diet ingredient from the British, who, not only
exercised monopoly over its manufacture and sale but also levied a heavy salt tax. The
Salt March was a collective beginning of a mass resistance movement against the British
tyranny
On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi embarked a historic Salt March from Sabarmati
Ashram in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad to the village of Dandi in the state’s coastal area to
protest against the steep tax the British levied on salt. The Salt March began on March
12, 1930 and continued till April 6, 1930.
It was a 24-day Salt March, which was non-violent in nature, is historically significant
as it led to the mass Civil Disobedience Movement.
Upon reaching the seashore in Dandi, Mahatma Gandhi broke the law by producing
illegal salt. This later turned into a mass civil disobedience movement throughout India
as millions broke salt laws by either making salt or buying illegal salt
Jallianwala Bagh – 100 years
The Punjab assembly has sought a formal apology from the British government for the
bloodbath in Amritsar on April 13, 1919. The House unanimously passed a resolution

for mounting pressure on the central government to pursue this issue with the UK
government.
The resolution seeks to pay a befitting tribute to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre martyrs
during the centenary year of the massacre.
Outcomes:
 Considered the ‘The Butcher of Amritsar’ in the aftermath of the massacre, General
Dyer was removed from command and exiled to Britain.
 Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi, as a sign of condemnation, renounced
their British Knighthood and Kaiser-i-Hind medal respectively. In 1922, the
infamous Rowlett Act that allowed internment of suspects without trial was
repealed by the British.
The Massacre
 April 13, 1919, marked a turning point in the Indian freedom struggle. It was
Baisakhi that day, a harvest festival popular in Punjab and parts of north India.
Local residents in Amritsar decided to hold a meeting that day to discuss and
protest against the confinement of Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew, two leaders
fighting for Independence, and implementation of the Rowlatt Act, which armed the
British government with powers to detain any person without trial.
 The crowd had a mix of men, women and children. They all gathered in a park
called the Jallianwala Bagh, walled on all sides but for a few small gates, against
the orders of the British. The protest was a peaceful one, and the gathering
included pilgrims visiting the Golden Temple who were merely passing through the
park, and some who had not come to protest.
 While the meeting was on, Brigadier-General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, who
had crept up to the scene wanting to teach the public assembled a lesson, ordered
90 soldiers he had brought with him to the venue to open fire on the crowd. Many
tried in vain to scale the walls to escape.
40th Anniversary Of Iran Revolution
Iran marks 40th anniversary of Islamic revolution
Iranian Revolution, also known as Islamic Revolution or the 1979 Revolution, was a series
of events involving the overthrow of the monarch of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi,
and replacing his government with an Islamic republic under the Grand Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini, a leader of one of the factions in the revolt.
The reason for the revolution was to stop the oppression under the western secular
policies.
The movement against the United States-backed monarchy was supported by various
leftist and Islamist organizations and student movements.
A multiclass opposition overthrew an autocratic ruler, leading to the establishment of a
theocratic state. This outcome contrasts sharply with other modern revolutionary
movements, which have been fought in the name of nationalism or socialism and which
have concluded with the transfer of power to a secular, modernizing intelligentsia.

Bagru Block Printing
The ‘Titanwala Museum' in Bagru, Rajasthan was inaugurated to preserve the art of
traditional Bagru block printing.
It is a traditional technique of printing with natural colour done by the Chippa community
in Bagru village of Rajsthan.
Traditionally, motifs printed at Bagru are large with bold lines. The motifs include wild
flowers, buds, leaves and printed geometrical patterns.
The main colors used in Bagru are Red and Black.
National War Memorial
India’s national war memorial (first proposed in 1960) was inaugurated at the India Gate
complex in Delhi by the PM.
Spread across 40 acres, it is built to honor soldiers who laid down their lives defending
the nation, postindependence.
It also commemorates the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers sent on peace-keeping
missions of the United Nations, Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) and
counter-insurgency operations.
The Memorial has four concentric circles, a central stone obelisk (15.5m), and an eternal
flame built at a cost of 176 crore.
The Param Yodha Sthal has the busts of 21 recipients of the Param Vir Chakra, India's
highest military honour, with short descriptions of their acts of valour.
The concentric circles are designed as a Chakravyuh (an ancient Indian war formation)
and are called:
 Amar Chakra or Circle of Immortality: innermost circle, at its centre stands the
obelisk topped by a bronze lion capital. It has a hollow centre where the eternal
flame is situated.
 Veerta Chakra or Circle of Bravery: a covered gallery, with bronze murals depicting
Battles of Gangasagar, Longewala, Tithwal, Rizangla, and Operation Meghdoot
(1984), Trident(1971).
 Rakshak Chakra or Circle of Protection: outermost circle comprising of 600 trees
symbolises soldiers who ensure the territorial integrity of the nation, round the
clock.
 Tyag Chakra or Circle of Sacrifice: two circles within Raksha Chakra consisting of
16 walls made of 25,942 granite tables dedicated to soldiers who fell in China and
Pakistan wars and operations such as that of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in
Sri Lanka.
Prelims
Battle of Sinhagad
This Battle took place on the fort of Sinhagad near the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India.
The battle was fought between Tanaji Malusare commander of Maratha ruler Shivaji and
Udaybhan Rathod, fort keeper under Jai Singh I who was a Mughal Army Chief.
Tanaji Malusare lost his life but the Kondana fort was captured.
The Sinhagad Fort was initially known as "Kondhana" after the sage Kaundinya. Shivaji
renamed the fort from Kondhana fort to Sinhagad to honour the Commander Tanaji
Malusare
Suraj Kund Mela
The 33rd Surajkund International Crafts Mela-2019 is being organized in
Faridabad,Haryana.
Surajkund Mela brings together artisans from all over the world and India to the fair,
especially from SAARC nations.
The Mela is organised by the Surajkund Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism in
collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.
Thailand is the Partner Nation Country for the Year 2019.
For, the state of Maharashtra has been chosen to be the Theme State.
Arikamedu
It is an ancient Roman trade centre.
It is situated in the south of Puducherry on the right bank of Ariyankuppam River.
The port town was inhabited by Romans, Cholas and French.
The exports must have included textile, beads, semiprecious gems, glass and shell
bangles as wastage at the manufacturing site suggests.
The Romans must have used the Red Sea to come to India as traces of beads have been
found in Alexandria and other Red Sea ports.
Indo Saracenic Architecture
Indo-Saracenic architecture represents a synthesis of Islamic designs and Indian
materials developed by British architects in India.
The style is prevalent during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The architecture style is characterized by a hybrid, combined diverse architectural
elements of Hindu and Mughal with cusped arches, domes, spires, tracery, minarets and
stained glass.
Chepauk Palace in Chennai designed by Paul Benfield is said to be the first IndoSaracenic
building in India.
The other outstanding examples are spread across the country - Muir college in
Allahabad, Napier Museum in Thiruvananthapuram, Gateway of India in Mumbai, the
Palaces at Mysore and Bangalore.
Guru Padbmasambhava
Odisha chief minister unveiled a 19-foot-high statue of guru padmasambhava at gajapati
district recently
He is the founder of tibetan buddhism.
He is also known as second buddha

Historians claim that guru padmasambhava was born and brought up in odisha before
he left for tibet.
In tibetan, guru padmasambhava is generally referred to as guru rinpoche, which means
―precious master
Pope Francis UAE Visit
Pope francis undertook his first-ever visit to uae following an invitation by the abu dhabi
crown prince sheikh mohamed bin zayed.
The visit coincided with uae‘s celebration of the year of tolerance.
Pope‘s visit was compared to the st francis of assisi‘s meeting with sultan al-kamil of
egypt in the early 13th century.
St.francis‘ meeting with the sultan took place under completely different circumstances.
St francis was no pope and was an italian catholic friar and preacher, canonized by pope
gregory ix in 1228.
In the 13th century, christianity and islam were fighting against each other in the fifth
crusade in an attempt by the former to reacquire jerusalem.
Luira Phanit
It is one of the most important festivals of the tangkhuls naga.
Tangkhuls are a major naga ethnic group living in the indo-burma border area occupying
the ukhrul district in manipur.
It is a traditional seed sowing festival which is famous for song ,dance and food.
It also remains the greatest agriculture festival celebrated by the tangkhuls.
It is also called as pork eating festival‘ as a pig or cattle is killed during the festival.
Kattaikuthu
It is a tamil-language based, physical and vocal form of rural, open-air ensemble theatre.
it is widespread in the northern and central parts of the state of tamil nadu in south
india.
kattaikkuttu uses different kinds of song, music, articulated prose, acting, movement,
make-up and elaborate costumes.
it produces all-night narrative events most of which are based on the pan-indian epic,
the mahabharata.
the performers – by tradition only men - sing, act and dance and the musicians
accompany them on the harmonium, the mridangam and the mukavinai.
it uses a wide range of media that require multiple skills, including a strong voice,
versatile acting and movement skills and a talent for spontaneous comedy.
Padayani
It is a ritual art and folk dance form performed at Bhadrakali temples in the state of
Kerala.
The word ‗Padai-ani‘ means line-up or formation of the soldiers.
The story behind Padaiyani is the re-enactment of the killing of Demon Darika and
calming the Goddess Kali after it.
Kolamezhutthu, Kolam thullal, Kolapattu, Thappumelam, Vinodam are the essential
parts of Padaiyani.
Kolams are folk deities drawn on green areca leaf sheaths with natural colours.
Kolappattu are songs in admiration of Bhagavathi, Kolam thullal is the rhythmic
footsteps and dance.
Vinodam is satire and protesting social evils.
Velichappadu, a comedy character, and then Paradeshi bring news from around the
world in comical mode
The folk dance participation is to appease the Goddess so that there is eradication of
social evils and there is rain and good crop and prosperity.
Gita Govinda
Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata has put on display a handwritten 18th-century copy of
Gita Govinda to mark the International Mother Language Day.
It is written in Sanskrit by Jayadeva.
It an important text of the Bhakti Movement and dates back to the 12th century.
It depicts the relationship between Lord Krishna and Radha.
It was also the inspiration for many beautiful miniature paintings of the Rajasthani and
Pahari schools in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Angkor
According to a study Angkor has suffered a gradual decline rather than a catastrophic
collapse.
It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Cambodia‘s northern province of
Siem Reap, South-East Asia.
It is the ancient capital of the Khmer empire.
Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of
the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century.
They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple
with its countless sculptural decorations.
Feni
It is popular local traditional brew (liquor) distilled from the cashew fruit.
Cashew feni was given the Geographical Indication tag as manufactured goods.
The name feni is derived from Sanskrit word ‗phena‘ meaning froth or foam.
It is also distilled from fermented toddy from coconut palm.
It is prepared in a typical Portuguese way that does not entail the use of electricity in the
process.

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September 2018 .........................................................................................................................................................4

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Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha

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Azad Hind Government

Indian National Army (INA)

Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan

Sardar Patel Statue Of Unity

Unesco Global Geopark Network Status

 Lonar Lake, Maharashtra:

Man Booker Prize

Tagore Award For Cultural Harmony

International Arya Mahasammelan

Ancient City of Sabratha

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Myson Temple Complex - Vietnam

Other conservation efforts by ASI across Asia

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Guru Nanak Dev ji

Rename Ahmedabad As Karnavati

 Award of Distinction: Restoration of LAMO Center from a state of partial ruin in

Sangai Tourism Festival

 Thang Ta (a combination Spear & Sword skills)

Char Dham Pilgrimage

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Commemorative Coin to Mark Anniversary Of Tricolour Hoisting By Bose

Rani Lakshmibai Of Jhansi

Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre

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South Asia Regional Youth Peace Conference

World’s Oldest Rock Art

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 Oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible

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 Makar Sankranti: The festival of Makar Sankranti (Andhra, Telangana and

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 Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple

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