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Contents
INDIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE ........................................................................................................2
ARCHITECTURE IN ANCIENT INDIA ......................................................................................................4
LANGUAGES & LITERATURE IN INDIA ..................................................................................................6
MUSIC ..................................................................................................................................................7
FESTIVALS AND RELIGIONS IN INDIA ...................................................................................................7
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ...................................................................................................................10

INDIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE

KNOW INDIA PROGRAMME: is a flagship programme of Ministry of External Affairs for engagement with Indian
origin youth (between 18-30 years) to enhance their awareness about India, its cultural heritage, art and to
familiarise them with various aspects of contemporary India. Eligibility: Minimum qualification required for
participating in KIP is graduation from a recognized University /Institute or enrolled for graduation~ability to speak
in English~applicant should not have visited India through any previous Programme of Government of India~Those
who have not visited India before will be given preference.
IRON AGE SETTLEMENT AT PHUPGAON: excavation carried out by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at
Maharashtra’s Phupgaon has revealed evidence of an Iron Age settlement in the Vidarbha region. ~site is situated
in the vast meander of river Purna, a major tributary of Tapi,perennial river~Findings:exposed antiquities like beads
of agate-carnelian, jasper, quartz and agate,Iron, Copper objects,Large quantity of graffiti marks observed on the
potsherds
INDUS SCRIPT: A recent research paper published in Palgrave Communications, a Nature group journal, has
claimed that a majority of the Indus Valley inscriptions were written logographically (by using word signs) and not
by using phonograms (speech sounds units). ~ inscriptions can be compared to the structured messages found on
stamps, coupons, tokens and currency coins of modern times~popular hypothesis that the seals were inscribed
with Proto-Dravidian or Proto-Indo-European names of the seal-owners does not hold ground.~study could serve
as a basis in future for the deciphering of the script.
SHONDOL: Ladakhi Shondol dance has created history by breaking into the Guinness book of world records as
the largest Ladakhi dance. ~known as the royal dance of Ladakh~performed by Takshoma or women dancers to
praise the King of Ladakh on special occasion.
PULIKALITIGER DANCE: A folk art of Kerala~Artists wear a tiger mask, paint their bodies like tigers and dance
to the rhythm of traditional percussion.
Indus Valley settlers had a distinct genetic lineage: study of DNA from skeletal remains excavated from the
Harappan cemetery at Rakhigarhi argues that the hunter-gatherers of South Asia- people from Indus Valley
Civilisation, who then became a settled people, have an independent origin. ~India had a heterogeneous population
right from the beginning of settled life ~ With these findings, the theory of the Harappans having Steppe pastoral
or ancient Iranian farmer ancestry thus stands refuted
Swachh Iconic Places: Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir
has been named country’s ‘Best Swachh Iconic Place’.~ an initiative of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
under Swachh Bharat Mission Implementation of the project: collaborative project with three other central
Ministries: Urban Development, Culture, Tourism; all levels in the concerned States and more importantly, Public
Sector and Private companies as partners
VT-NMD: Test flights of VT-NMD (Narendra Modi Devendra), India’s first experimental aircraft ~ named his TAC003
prototype aircraft after Narendra Modi and Devendra Fadnavis
AZAD HIND GOVERNMENT: About Azad Hind Government: Subhash Chandra Bose had announced the
establishment of the provisional government of Azad Hind in occupied Singapore in 1943 ~nown as Arzi Hukumat-
e-Azad Hind, supported by the Axis powers of Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, the Italian Social Republic, and their
allies~Bose had launched a struggle to free India~under the banner of the provisional government-in exile during
the latter part of the Second World War.~INA drew ex- prisoners and thousands of civilian volunteers from the
Indian expatriate population in Malaya (present-day Malaysia) and Burma (now Myanmar)~The formation:October
21, 1943: Announced the setting up of the provisional government on the battlefield of Singapore which was once
the bulwark of the British Empire ~ Bose was the head of the state, the prime minister and the minister for war and
foreign affairs.~Captain Lakshmi headed the women’s organisation~S A Ayer headed the publicity and propaganda

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wing~Rash Behari Bose was designated as the supreme advisor.~was also formed in the Japanese-occupied
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.~islands were reoccupied by the British in 1945.~How it came to an end? Bose’s
death was seen as the end to the Azad Hind movement ~Second World War, also ended in 1945 with the defeat
of the Axis powers.
TAANAJI MALUSARE: Subedar Taanaji Malusare, a Maratha military leader and a close aide of Chhatrapati
Shivaji.~Popularly remembered for the Battle of Singhagad ~took place in 1670~In 1665 Treaty of Purandar signed
between Jai Singh & Shivaji which required the Maratha ruler to give up Fort Kandhana (later named Singhagad)
to Mughals.~Later, Shivaji entrusted Taanaji the task of reconquering the fort Kondhana~In the battle, Taanaji
fought against Udaybhan Rathore, who was in charge of Fort Kandhana appointed by Jai Singh~The fort was
renamed as Singhagad (lion’s fort) by Shivaji to honour Tanaji.
NATIONAL SECURITY GUARD (NSG): Parent agency:Ministry of Home Affairs~Establishment:raised in 1984,
following Operation Blue Star and the assassination of Indira Gandhi~Status:formed under the National Security
Guard Act, 1986~it is one of the 7 Central Armed Police Forces
VEER SAVARKAR: In his teenage, Savarkar formed a youth organization. Known as Mitra Mela, this organization
was put into place to bring in national and revolutionary ideas~was against foreign goods and propagated the idea
of Swadeshi. In 1905, he burnt all the foreign goods in a bonfire on Dussehra.He championed atheism and
rationality and also disapproved orthodox Hindu belief.~he even dismissed cow worship as superstitious.In his
book, The History of the war of Indian Independence, Savarkar wrote about the guerilla warfare tricks used in 1857
Sepoy Mutiny.~book was banned by Britishers, but Madam Bhikaji Cama published the book in Netherlands,
Germany and France, which eventually reached many Indian revolutionaries.~arrested in 1909 on charges of
plotting an armed revolt against the Morle-Minto reform.~also Worked on abolishment of untouchability in Ratnagiri.
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar also compared his work to Lord Buddha.~founded the two-nation theory in his book
‘Hindutva’ calling Hindus and Muslims two separate nations~In 1937, Hindu Mahasabha passed it as a resolution
PHENAKISTISCOPE: a device that led to the birth of cinema by creating the illusion of a moving image.
VESHTI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared in the traditional south Indian attire of a white veshti (dhoti), half-
sleeved spotless white shirt and an angavastram (upper cloth) while hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping in
Mamallapuram ~Dhoti: also known by regional names such as panche, vesti, dhuti, mardani, chaadra, dhotar,
panchey
2019 BOOKER PRIZE: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
have jointly won this year’s Booker prize.~ this year’s award was an exception as the rules do not allow for the
award to be either split or withheld.~ awarded every year to the best novel that was “written in english and published
in the uk or ireland”.launched in 1969.sponsored by man group ~ .
ASI PROTECTED TEMPLES IN INDIA: largest number of Hindu temples under the ASI’s protection is in
Karnataka, followed by Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.
GOVARDHAN MUTT: Govardhan Mutt of Puri, one of the four key mutts established by Adi Shankara, the
prominent Hindu saint, is all set to be kept out of the Odisha government’s administrative purview. ~three others—
Sharada Mutt (at Sringeri in Karnataka), Dwarka Mutt (in Gujarat) and Jyotir Mutt (at Joshimath in Uttarakhand)—
function autonomously ~management of these mutts vested with the respective Shankaracharyas
BHAONA: A mythology-based theatrical performance~a traditional form of entertainment, with religious
messages~prevalent is Assam~creation of Sankardeva, written in the early sixteenth century~plays of bhaona are
popularly known as Ankiya Nats and their staging is known as bhaona~generally staged at satras and namghars
in Assam~written in the Assamese and Brajavali languages.
GANJIFA: Ganjifa, an ancient card game brought to India during Mughal period.~Persian word, Ganjifeh, means
playing cards. ~cards mainly circular(some-square) ~have coloured backgrounds traditionally hand-painted
~colours and iconography differed across regions
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE WEEK: The Objective of celebrating World Heritage Week is to increase
awareness among people about safety and preservation of cultural heritages and monuments ~There are 38 World
Heritage Sites located in India. ~include 30 cultural sites, seven natural sites and one mixed site ~India has the
sixth largest number of sites in the world ~Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the
site is located and UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserve each site ~Legal
status of designated sites: provides prima facie evidence that such culturally sensitive sites are legally protected
pursuant to the Law of War, under the Geneva Convention, its articles, protocols and customs, together with other
treaties including the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and
international law.
SURANGA BAWADI: An integral part of the ancient Karez system of supplying water through subterranean tunnels
built during Adil Shahi era in Karnataka ~built in 16th century to supply water to Vijayapura in Karnataka ~With this,
the Suranga Bawadi get funds for restoration within next two years ~Karez system was built by Bahmani kings in

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15th Century in Bidar, Gulbarg and Bijapur in Karnataka & Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh ~these are Underground
canals, built to underground water streams to provide drinking water to civilian settlements.
THIRUVALLUVAR: Commonly known as Valluvar ~celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher ~Some place him in
the third or fourth century; others in eighth or ninth ~Some call him a Hindu, some Jainism ~Dravidian call him as
a saint with no religious identifiers except his Dravidian roots. ~author of Thirukkuṛaḷ, a collection of couplets on
ethics, political and economical matters, and love.~thought to have lived sometime between the 4th century BC
and the 1st century BC. ~Tamil poet Mamulanar of the Sangam period mentioned that Thiruvalluvar was the
greatest Tamil scholar.
RATNAM PEN: Ratnam Pen: named after K.V. Ratnam (originally from a family of goldsmiths in Rajahmundry),
was made iconic by Mahatma Gandhi ~pen was made in 1934 by Ratnam, by using indigenous materials upon
Mahatma Gandhi's request to create a 'swadeshi' (locally made) pen ~Gandhi had written over 31,000 letters in his
quest to take India to its freedom ~Many of these letters were written using Ratnam Pen.~Call of Ladakh: stole,
known as “Call of Ladakh”,
GOTTIPROLU: Excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Gottiprolu, Andhra Pradesh has
unearthed a trade centre of early historic period~The site of Gottiprolu lies on the right bank of a distributary of river
Swarnamukhi,
UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY : This year,
UNESCO has included 20 elements – such as “Nuad” Thai massage, Irish harping, Portugal’s Carnival of Podence
– in its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at its recent meeting that was held in
Bogota, Columbia. ~UNESCO maintains three lists under its “Intangible Cultural Heritage” banner: the list of
intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding;list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity;register
of good safeguarding practices. ~Intangible culture includes performing arts like song, music, drama, skills, crafts
etc.
UNESCO’S LIST OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
From India the Intangible Cultural Heritages added into this list includes: Ramman, religious festival and ritual
theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas.Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala.Kalbelia folk songs and
dances of Rajasthan.Chhau dance.Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-
Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir. ~Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of
Manipur.Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab
RAMSAR SITES IN INDIA
India has added 10 more wetlands to sites protected by the Ramsar Convention. A total of 37 sites in the country
have been recognised under the international treaty ~The 10 new ones are:Nandur Madhameshwar, a first for
Maharashtra; Keshopur-Miani, Beas Conservation Reserve and Nangal in Punjab; and Nawabganj, Parvati Agra,
Saman, Samaspur, Sandi and Sarsai Nawar in Uttar Pradesh. ~ About Ramsar convention: an international treaty
for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. ~named after the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the Caspian Sea, where
the treaty was signed on 2 February 1971. ~Known officially as ‘the Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat’ (or, more recently, just ‘the Convention on Wetlands’), it came into
force in 1975.Montreux Record: under the Convention is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of
International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur
as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. ~maintained as part of the Ramsar
List ~two wetlands of India are in Montreux record: Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak Lake (Manipur).
~Chilka lake (Odisha)was placed in the record but was later removed from it.

ARCHITECTURE IN ANCIENT INDIA

CHAUKHANDI STUPA: An ancient Buddhist site in Uttar Pradesh's Sarnath known as Chaukhandi Stupa has
been declared to be a "protected area of national importance” by the Archaeological Survey of India ~ Govardhan,
the son of Raja Todarmal, gave the present shape to the Chaukhandi Stupa
ELEPHANTA FESTIVAL OF ART AND CULTURE: kicked off at the Gateway of India in Mumbai. ~ Elephanta
Caves are located in Mumbai Harbour, on the Elephant island, also known as Gharapuri Island ~History: rock-cut
Elephanta Caves were constructed about the mid-5th to 6th centuries AD~Features of cave: consists of two groups
of caves: (1) Hindu cave temples which contain rock cut stone sculptures dedicated mainly to Lord Shiva and (2)
Buddhist caves ~Caves were cut into granite rocks~ called elephanta caves because the Portuguese called the
island Elephanta on seeing its huge gigantic statue of an Elephant at the entrance.Recognition: a UNESCO World
Heritage Site
RAIGAD FORT: a hill fort situated in the Mahad, Raigad district of Maharashtra in the Sahyadri mountain range
~Historical significance: Shivaji Maharaj seized the fort in 1656, then known as the fort of Rairi from Raje
Chandraraoji More, The King of Jawali. ~fort was looted and destroyed by the British after it was captured in 1818.

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SAMADHI BUDDHA
The Samadhi Buddha is a famous statue situated at Mahamevnāwa Park in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. ~Depicted
in the position of the Dhyana Mudra, the posture of meditation associated with his first Enlightenment
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE TAG: India gets its 38th UNESCO World Heritage Site as Pink City Jaipur.~Govind
Dev temple, City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal excel in artistic and architectural craftsmanship ~ancient
Mesopotamian city of Babylon (Iraq) has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.
HAJ: Indian Haj mission in Saudi Arabia has adopted digital technology to reach out to a large number of pilgrims
as part of the Government of India’s initiative of Digital India. ~e-MASIHA:Health status and medical history of
visiting pilgrims is being stored at online “e-MASIHA” (Medical Assistance System for Indian Hajis Abroad).
PROVENANCE: In matters of antiques, the word means “the record of the ownership of a movable work of art”.
~When provenance is unclear, museums and institutions of repute do not usually deal with such works of art
MARKANDESHWAR TEMPLE IN MAHARASHTRA: Khajuraho of Vidarbha”~,the temple of Markandadeo is
situated on the bank of River Wainganga in district Gadchiroli ~ Nagara group of temples of North India ~9-
12th centuries CE belong to saiva, vaishnava and sakta faith.
ICONIC TOURIST SITES: 17 “Iconic Tourist Sites” in the country would be developed by the government “into
world class tourist destinations, to serve as a model for other tourism sites”. ~The Sites: Taj Mahal and Fatehpur
Sikri (Uttar Pradesh), Ajanta & Ellora (Maharashtra), Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort and Qutub Minar (Delhi), Colva
(Goa), Amer Fort (Rajasthan), Somnath and Dholavira (Gujarat), Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), Hampi
(Karnataka), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Kaziranga (Assam), Kumarakom (Kerala) and the Mahabodhi Temple
(Bihar).Objective:To develop these sites into world class tourist destinations~Implementing Agencies:Several
ministries, from Railways to Civil Aviation ~while the Tourism Ministry will be the nodal agency.
SHYAMOLI: Shyamoli’ is the heritage house of late Rabindranath Tagore. ~experimental mud-house built at
Santiniketan in 1935
VISHWA SHANTI STUPA: atop the Ratnagiri Hill, it is the world’s highest peace pagoda ~Built completely with
marble, the stupa comprises four golden statues of Lord Buddha with each representing his life periods of birth,
enlightenment, preaching and death ~About Rajgir: first Buddhist Council, immediately after the Mahaparinirvana
of Lord Buddha, was convened at this place which presently is called Rajgir.~was at the Gridhakuta, the hill of the
vultures, where Buddha made Mauryan king Bimbisara convert to Buddhism ~also known as Panchpahari as it is
surrounded by five holy hills. ~was the ancient capital city of the Magadh rulers until the 5th century BC when
Ajatashatru moved the capital to Pataliputra (which is now known as Patna). ~Lord Mahavira too spent 14 years of
his life at Rajgir and nearby areas.
THOTLAKONDA MONASTERY: Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex is situated near Visakhapatnam in Andhra
Pradesh, India. ~well within the influence of ancient Kalinga, which was an important source of dissemination
of Buddhism to Sri Lanka and various parts of Southeast Asia ~reveal Satavahana dynasty lead and Roman silver
coins indicating
ASI-PROTECTED TEMPLES: Archaeological Survey of India is an attached office of the Ministry of
Culture.History: was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its first Director-General
SAPTAMATRIKAS : Saptamatrikas are a group of seven female deities worshipped in Hinduism as personifying
the energy of their respective consorts ~inscription is in Sanskrit and in Brahmi characters ~issued by Satavahana
king Vijaya in 207 A.D
KUMBHABHISHEKAM: The ‘kumbhabhishekam’ (consecration) of the 1,010-year-old Brihadeeswarar Temple or
the Big Temple is being held at Thanjavur. ~About Brihadishvara Temple: also called as Rajarajesvaram or
Peruvudaiyar Kovil temple.It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva ~Kumbam (the apex or the bulbous structure on
the top) of the temple is carved out of a single rock ~Built by emperor Rajaraja Chola I (985 CE -1015 CE).It has
seen only five kumbhabhishekam ceremonies so far.As per the customs of Hinduism, ‘kumbhabhishekam’ is done
once in 12 years ~Located on the banks of Kaveri river, it is an exemplary example of a fully realised Dravidian
architecture.It is called as Dhakshina Meru (Meru of south).The temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Site known as the “Great Living Chola Temples”, along with the Chola dynasty era Gangaikonda Cholapuram
temple and Airavatesvara temple.
KONARK SUN TEMPLE: temple had been filled with sand and sealed by the British authorities in 1903 in order to
stabilise the structure ~About the Temple: Also called Surya Devalaya, ~dedicated to the Hindu god Surya ~Built
in the 13th century, the Konark temple was conceived as a gigantic chariot of the Sun God, with 12 pairs of
exquisitely ornamented wheels pulled by seven horses.It was built by King Narasimhadeva I, the great ruler of
Ganga dynasty. ~ originally constructed at the mouth of the river Chandrabhaga but the waterline has receded
since then ~The temple is perfect blend of Kalinga architecture, heritage, exotic beach and salient natural beauty
The Konark is the third link of Odisha’s Golden Triangle. The first link is Jagannath Puri and the second link is
Bhubaneswar (Capital city of Odisha).This temple was also known as ‘BLACK PAGODA’ due to its dark color and
used as a navigational landmark by ancient sailors to Odisha. Similarly, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called

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the “White Pagoda”.It remains a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, who gather here every year for the Chandrabhaga
Mela around the month of February.
T J ALONE PANEL: Ministry of Culture recently set up a seven-member panel of the Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI) headed by T J Alone, to locate the grave of the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh (1615-59).~Dara
Shikoh:eldest son of Shah Jahan, Dara Shikoh was killed after losing the war of succession against his brother
Aurangzeb ~a “liberal Muslim” who tried to find commonalities between Hindu and Islamic traditions ~translated
into Persian the Bhagavad Gita as well as 52 Upanishads ~buried somewhere in the Humayun’s Tomb complex in
Delhi, one of around 140 graves of the Mughal clan ~According to the Shahjahannama, after Aurangzeb defeated
Dara Shikoh, he brought the latter to Delhi in chains. His head was cut off and sent to Agra Fort, while his torso
was buried in the Humayun’s Tomb complex.
HISTORICAL GASTRONOMICA - THE INDUS DINING EXPERIENCE: The National Museum in New Delhi is
hosting a unique exhibition on India’s ancient food history called "Historical Gastronomica - The Indus Dining
Experience” till the 25th of this month that goes back to over 5000 years ago.
KOLAMS: in Tamil Nadu Kolam is a form of drawing that is drawn by using rice flour, chalk, chalk powder or rock
powder, often using naturally or synthetically colored powders, in southern Indian states~widely practised by female
Hindu family in front of their houses.

LANGUAGES & LITERATURE IN INDIA

NATIONAL MISSION ON NATURAL LANGUAGE TRANSLATION: Ministry of Electronics and IT is planning to
launch a National Mission on Natural Language Translation~One of the key missions identified by the Prime
Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) ~aims to make science & technology
accessible to all by facilitating access to teaching & researching material bilingually — in English and in one’s
native Indian language
NATIONAL TRANSLATION MISSION(NTM): implemented through the Central Institute of Indian Languages
(CIIL), Mysore.~ Vande Mataram-a Bengali poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1870s, included in his
1882 novel Anandamath. ~'Bande Mataram' means "I praise thee, Mother ~poem was composed into song by
Rabindranath Tagore ~first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian
National Congress. ~In 1950, the first two verses of the song were declared the "national song" of India ~no time
limit or circumstantial specification for the rendition of this song (unlike the national anthem Jana Gana Mana that
specifies 52 seconds)
Hindi Diwas 2019: Constituent assembly of India adopted Hindi as the official language of the country on
September 14, 1949 under Article 343.Hindi is the fourth language of the world so celebrated.
URDU: origin of Urdu had taken place in Punjab state of India several centuries back.~ it had developed and
flourished in Delhi during the period of ‘Delhi Sultanate’ from 12th to 16th century and then during the period of
‘Mughal Empire’ in Delhi from 16th century to 19th centuryBefore it is called Urdu, it was familiar with other names
including Hindustani, Hindavi, Dehlavi and Rekhta Despite its Persian script, Urdu is an Indian language because
several Indian languages like Punjabi Shahmukhi language is also written in Persian Script.
CLASSICAL LANGUAGE : At the recently concluded 93rd edition of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya
Sammelan, a resolution was passed demanding the declaration of Marathi as a ‘Classical’ language.~ What are
‘Classical’ languages in India?Currently, six languages enjoy the ‘Classical’ status: Tamil (declared in 2004),
Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014).~How are they classified?
Guidelines for declaring a language as ‘Classical’ are:High antiquity of its early texts recorded history over a period
of 1500-2000 years.A body of ancient literature texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of
speakers.The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community
BHARATI SCRIPT : Researchers from IIT Madras have already developed a unified script for nine Indian
languages, named the Bharati Script ~ The scripts that have been integrated include Devnagari, Bengali,
Gurmukhi, Gujarati, Oriya, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil
ABOUT CICT : Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) is an autonomous Institute of higher research functioning
under the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India.
Bodo language: Bodo language is one of the key thrust areas in the bodo accord which was signed recently.~
bodo is listed in the eighth schedule of the constitution. ~spoken in assam, arunachal pradesh, nagaland,
meghalaya, and west bengal. ~while bodo is officially written in the devanagri script, the language has a history of
having been written in at least three different scripts — until in 1974, the government recognised devanagari as its
official script ~ Bodo Peace Accord 2020:makes Bodo the associate official language throughout Assam
22nd EDITION OF ETHNOLOGUE: world language database Ethnologue~ findings:Hindi is 3rd most spoken
language in the world with 615 million speakers after English, Mandarin.

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KILIKI LANGUAGE: new speech was invented for the terrifying warrior tribe called Kalakeya in the two-
part Baahubali franchise.

MUSIC
THANJAVOOR RAMAMOORTHY
mridangam exponent ~Mridangam,also known as Tannumai, maddal or maddalam like percussion instrument-
accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble
NISHAGANDHI SANGEETHA PURASKARAM: Kerala government presented the Nishagandhi Sangeetha
Puraskaram to musicians Parassala B. Ponnammal and T V. Gopalakrishnan.
Instituted by: Kerala Tourism
GUNDECHA BROTHERS: Classical singers of dhrupad genre of the Dagar van ~Dhrupad:oldest surviving
classical style of Hindustani vocal music ~name derived from dhruva-pada, simply meaning "refrain” ~today
denotes both a form of poetry and a style of music ~has three major parts - alap, jor-jhala, and composition
NATIONAL ANTHEM : On December 27, 1911, the National Anthem was first sung at the Calcutta session of the
Congress~ Key facts: ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was adopted as the country’s National Anthem by the Constituent
Assembly of India on January 24, 1950, the last day of its last session.Reverence to the National Anthem is a
Fundamental duty as per Article 51A (a) of the Constitution.Originally written in Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas
of a poem written and later set to notations by Rabindranath Tagore.
WORLD RADIO DAY: Radio is a low-cost medium specifically suited to reach remote communities and vulnerable
people ~also plays a crucial role in emergency, communication and disaster relief ~its inception-1937

FESTIVALS AND RELIGIONS IN INDIA

VALASA DEVARLU: the age-old rural festival, has returned to a number of villages in the western mandals of
Chittoor district (Andhra Pradesh) in the face of drought conditions and only a few weeks left for the sowing season
to close.
KHEER BHAWANI MELA: Location: Tulmul village, near Srinagar (J&K). Deity: dedicated to the Goddess kheer
Bhawani ~also called as Maharagya Devi, Ragnya Devi, Rajni, Ragnya Bhagwati. ~kheer refers to rice pudding
that is offered in the spring located in the temple to Please the Goddess. ~most important temple for Kashmiri
Pandits ~ IDU’L FITR: to mark the end of Ramadan/Ramzan, the holy month of fasting~known as ‘Meetha Eid’
KAILASH MANSAROVAR YATRA: KMY is known for its religious importance, cultural significance and arduous
nature ~annual pilgrimage holds religious importance for Hindus, Jains and Buddhists ~organized by the
government of India in close cooperation with the Government of the People’s Republic of China. State
Governments of Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Delhi, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Kumaon Mandal Vikas
Nigam Limited (KMVN) are other major Indian partners of the Ministry in organizing the Yatra.
AMBUBACHI MELA: held at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati~ celebration of the yearly menstruation course of
goddess Kamakhya ~believed Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation
during this time stretch.Other names: mela is also known as Ameti or Tantric fertility festival~attainment of
womanhood of girls in Assam is celebrated with a ritual called ‘Tuloni Biya’, meaning small wedding
JAGANNATH RATH YATRA: Known as the ‘Festival of Chariots’ dedicated to Lord Jagannath, his sister Goddess
Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra
ASHADHI BIJ: It is a Kutchi New Year observed on the second day of the Shukla Paksha or waxing phase of
moon in Ashada month~a traditional affair of Gujrat
KHARCHI PUJA: Popular festivals of Tripura ~celebrated at Agartala (Puran Agartala) in the temple premises of
fourteen gods~word ‘Kharchi’ is derived from the word Khya which means earth
ZAMZAM: Well of Zamzam is located in Mecca in Saudi Arabia.Haj pilgrims bring holy water from it.
SWADESH DARSHAN SCHEME
Tourism Ministry launched the scheme. ~Objective: to develop theme-based tourist circuits ~developed on the
principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner. ~Features of Swadesh
Darshan Scheme:100% centrally funded ~for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)initiatives of Central Public
Sector Undertakings and corporate sector.
PRASAD SCHEME
Introduced in 2015, the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) ~focuses on
identifying and developing the pilgrim sites across the country to enrich the religious tourism experience. ~launched
by Union Ministry of Tourism
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

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Government of India.Set up in 1952 ~academy functions as the apex body of the performing arts in the country to
preserve and promote the vast cultural heritage
INCREDIBLE INDIA CAMPAIGN: Incredible India “Find the Incredible You” campaign released globally by the
Ministry of Tourism
NAVROZ FESTIVAL: Parsi New Year festival celebrated to mark the beginning of the new Iranian calendar
~known as Jamshed-i-Navroz after the Persian King ~Jamshed, who is credited to have created the Persian
Calendar known as the Shahenshahi Calendar
AADI MAHOTSAV: a joint initiative of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India & Tribal Cooperative Marketing
Development Federation of India (TRIFED) recently held in ladakh~ Ladakhi folk dances:Jabro Dance: a nomadic
dance and song of people inhabiting eastern Ladakh and Spawo dance: a heroic song and dance associated with
a legendary hero of Himalayan region called K’sar.
EID-UL-AZHA: festival of sacrifice~ Eid al Adha is that it also marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in
Saudi Arabia, which is a mandatory religious journey undertaken by Muslims to the holy place of Kabbah
The National Handloom Day: August 7? :to mark the 1905 Swadeshi movement. It was on August 7, 1905 that
the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement was made in a meeting at the Calcutta Town hall ~movement
involved boycotting British products and the revival of domestic products and production processes
LALIT KALA AKADEMI: Also known as National Academy of Art. ~established to promote and propagate
understanding of Indian art, in and outside the country ~an autonomous organisation ~funded by the Union Ministry
of Culture ~Established in: 1954
ARCTIC WILDFIRES: Wildfires are frequent in the northern hemisphere between May and October,~forest fires
are igniting peat fires. Peat stores large amounts of carbon, which is burning and releasing record amounts of CO2
into atmosphere. ~Permafrost is any ground that remains completely frozen—32°F (0°C) or colder—for at least
two years straight
SEVA BHOJ YOJANA: Central Sector Scheme.~Features:financial assistance provided for free food offered by
charitable/religious institutions
MACHAIL MATA YATRA: In Jammu and Kashmir, the 43-day-long Machail Mata Yatra in Kishtwar district was
suspended due to security reasons. ~Machail Mata is a Goddess Durga shrine popularly known as Machail Mata
being located in the village Machail,
Bathukamma: Telangana government recently celebrated the eagerly awaited ‘Festival of Flowers’ (Bathukamma)
for which the State is known.~Traditionally celebrated by women across the state~In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma’ means
‘Mother Goddess come Alive
ONAM: Festival of Kerala ~ festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at
the time of Onam.~Vallamkali, the Snake Boat Race, held on the river Pampa
ASHOORA-E-MUHARRAM: event marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala, when Imam Hussein Ali, the
grandson of Muhammad, was killed by the forces of the second Umayyad caliph
NUAKHAI: Western Odisha districts are celebrating also in Simdega in Jharkhand ~ observed to welcome the new
rice of the season. ~word nua means new and khai means food
BALI YATRA: Bali Jatra also known as Boita Bandaṇa ~held in Cuttack at Gadagadia Ghata of the Mahanadi river
KITTUR RANI CHENNAMMA: One of the first women who fought against the British in India ~led force in 1824 in
defiance of doctrine of lapse ~defeated in the third war & imprisoned at Bailhongal Fort where she died in 1829
~Chennamma's legacy and first victory are still commemorated during the Kittur Utsava annually held on 22–24
October~Doctrine of Lapse:an annexation policy applied by the British East India Company in India until 1859
~based on the idea that in case the ruler of an independent state died childless, the right of ruling the State reverted
or ‘lapsed’ to the sovereign ~Dalhousie applied it for annexing princely states between 1848 and 1856, ~East India
Company annexed Kittur in 1824, Mandvi in 1839, Kolaba and Jalaun in 1840 and Surat in 1842.
SHIRUI LILY FESTIVAL: inaugurated in Manipur. ~ Shirui Lily, or Lilium mackliniae, is the State Flower of
Manipur found only in the upper ranges of Shirui Hills in Ukhrul district of Manipur.
WAQF: Property given in the name of God for religious and charitable purposes.In legal terms, permanent
dedication by a person professing Islam, of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by the
Muslim law as pious, religious or charitable ~What is a Waqf Board? a juristic person with power to acquire and
hold property and to transfer any such property ~board can sue and be sued in a court as it is recognised as a
legal entity or juristic person
KHON RAMLILA: masked form of Ramlila art of Thailand.Features: it’s a form of masked dance depicting the
scenes of Ramlila ~has no dialogues and background voices narrate the whole story of Ramayana
DURGA PUJA, DUSSEHRA AND VIJAYADASHMI: Major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navratri every
year ~performance arts tradition during the Dussehra festival was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the "Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity" in 2008.

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SANGAI FESTIVAL: Every year the State of Manipur celebrates the “Manipur Sangai Festival ~named after the
State animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur
AALMI TABLIGHI IJTIMA: In Madhya Pradesh, the four-day Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima, world's biggest Islamic
Congregation began in Bhopal. More than one million people from 54 countries
NANAK NAAM LEWA (NANAKPANTHI): Any person who believes in Guru Nanak and follows his teachings in
life, irrespective of belonging to any religion is a Nanak Naam Lewa or a Nanakpanthi. ~Nanak had spread the
message of oneness and people from different faiths had become his followers ~core value of his philosophy as
he said was “Sabhna jiya ka ik daata” (There is only one giver of life, one God) and “Na koi Hindu, na Musalman”
(There is no Hindu, no Muslim).
CHAVANG KUT: the post-harvest festival of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo communities is being celebrated across North-
Eastern states with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm.~In Manipur, Mizoram and Assam and other parts of country
CHHATH POOJA: four days long auspicious Chhath festival worship of the Sun God began with ritual of Nahay
Khaya.
HORNBILL FESTIVAL : 0th Edition of Hornbill Festival began at Naga Heritage Kisama in Nagaland ~organized
by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments~also called 'Festival of Festivals'
HORNBILL FESTIVAL : 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
GLOBAL MIGRATION FILM FESTIVAL (GMFF) : Launched by the International Organisation of Migrants (IOM)
in 2016 ~IOM:UN migration agency established in 1951. ~173 member states ~8 states-observer status
LAI HARAOBA : Lai Haraoba, a ritualistic festival began in Agartala, Tripura.~ Observed by Manipuri meitei
communities
BELUM CAVES : The Belum Caves Festival in Andhra Pradesh, which was to be organised in December 2019
will now be held this month (January 2020) to highlight the importance of the Balum Caves. ~Size: second largest
caves after Krem Liat Prah caves in Meghalaya~Features: known for its speleothems, such as stalactite and
stalagmite formations
‘ZO KUTPUI’ FESTIVAL : Mizoram govt to organise ‘Zo Kutpui’ globally to unify Mizo tribes.
WHAT IS EPIPHANY FESTIVAL? : the Epiphany festival was celebrated in parts of India, such as Goa and
Kerala.~ Epiphany is a feast day, or a day of commemoration, which in Christianity marks the visit of the Magi
(meaning the Three Wise Men or Three Kings) to the Infant Jesus (Christ from his nativity until age 12).
PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS 2020 : 9th January was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion since it
was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa and eventually led India’s freedom
struggle
INDIAN HARVEST FESTIVALS : Various festivals being celebrated across the Nations:Makar Sankranti:
Karnataka~.Pongal: In South India and particularly in Tamil Nadu~.Magha Bihu: In Assam and many parts of the
North East~Uttarayan: Gujarat~ In Punjab, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Maghi. ~Saaji: In Shimla District of
Himachal Pradesh ~Kicheri: The festival is known as Kicheri in Uttar Pradesh and involves ritual bathing
MADHAVPUR MELA : Annual fair is held at Madhavpur Ghed in Porbandar district ~North east
connection:Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat shares its connect to the Mishmi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. ~Mishmi
Tribe traces its ancestry to the legendary King Bhishmak
BHARAT PARV : celebrated as part of Republic Day since 2016. ~Objective: To generate a patriotic fervour,
promote the rich cultural diversity ~Organized by:Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with other central Ministries
THAI AMAVASAI : Thai Amavasai was observed throughout Tamil Nadu with devotion and traditional rites
RUKUNA RATHA YATRA : During the Republic Day celebrations of 2020, the tableau of Odisha displayed the
famous Rukuna Ratha Yatra of Lord Lingaraja worshipped as both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu in a sixth century
built temple named 'Lingaraj Temple' at Bhubaneswar
NAGOBA JATARA: has come to an end in Telangana.~ Also known as Keslapur jatara ~The Gusadi Dance
performed from the Gond tribe ~includes a ceremony called ‘bheting’,which incorporates new brides into the clan
SARASWATI PUJA: Marks the beginning of the spring season - Basant means spring and Panchami means "the
fifth day"
World wetlands day 2019: India is a party to the convention since 1982 and committed to the ramsar approach
of wise use of wetlands. ~the theme for 2020 is ‘wetlands and biodiversity’
VELUTHEEYAM: A tri-metal sculpture of Jesus is sculpted with an alloy of zinc, copper, and velutheeyam (an alloy
of tin and aluminium) in thiruvalla.
NAMASTE ORCHHA: Madhya Pradesh government is organizing a three-day multi-cultural festival to promote
tourism in the heritage city of Orchha, Madhya Pradesh. ~Orchha (or Urchha) is a town in Niwari district of Madhya
Pradesh ~lies on the Betwa River

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GURU RAVIDAS: A Dalit-poet saint ~Ravidas was a North Indian mystic poet of the bhakti movement. ~ belonged
to a leather-working Chamar community ~ 41 hymns of Guru Ravidas included in the Guru Granth Sahib Adi Granth
of Sikhs, in addition to the Panchvani are the two of the oldest documented sources of the literary works of Guru
Ravidas ~He is believed to be a disciple of the bhakti saint-poet Ramananda and a contemporary of the bhakti
saint-poet Kabir ~his famous disciples was the saint, Mirabai. ~Among Ravidas’s moral and intellectual
achievements were the conception of “Begampura”, a city that knows no sorrow; and a society where caste and
class have ceased to matter ~ He said in his teachings that the only way to meet God was to free the mind from
the duality
MEDARAM JATARA: also known as Sammakka Saralamma Jatara ~What is it?:tribal festival honouring the fight
of a mother and daughter, Sammakka and Saralamma, with the reigning rulers against an unjust law
~Location:celebrated in Telangana~ after Kumbha Mela, the Medaram jatara attracts the largest number of
devotees in the country.
KAMBALA: Karnataka~kambala vs jallikattu:both are traditional animal sports, involving bulls, they are different
by principle.Kambala is “Buffalo RACING”.Jallikattu is “Bull TAMING” where a group of people try to hold on to the
bull and win).
HERATH FESTIVAL: One of the biggest festivals of Kashmiri Pandits ~marked by a night of praying followed by
a day of feasting ~Herath means the night of the Lord Shiva.
BHARAT-BANGLA TOURISM FESTIVAL: Tripura State Tourism Department has organized the festival in
memories of the contribution of Tripura in 1971 Bangladesh liberation war as well as giving a fillip to the Tripura
tourism sector
SURAJKUND INTERNATIONAL CRAFTS MELA: It is unique as it showcases the richness and diversity of the
handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India, & is the largest crafts fair in the world.
Mela is organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority & Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of
Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
NATIONAL MARITIME HERITAGE MUSEUM: India and Portugal will cooperate in the setting up of a national
maritime heritage museum at Lothal in Gujarat ~being implemented by the Ministry of Shipping through its
Sagarmala programme, with the involvement of ASI, the State government and other stakeholders ~ Lothal, an
Indus valley site, is one of the oldest man-made dockyards in India. Rigveda and Puranic Texts have several
references to naval and commercial expeditions.
KARTARPUR CORRIDOR TO BE COMPLETED BY SEPT. 30: will link Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur in
Punjab in India with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan.
PRABHAKAR BARWE: Prabhakar Barwe (1936 – 1995) from Maharashtra ~pioneer in Modern Indian painting
SADIKPUR SINAULI
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has started the process of declaring the site at Sadikpur Sinauli of national
importance, spread over 28 hectares in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district. ~The site was the “largest necropolis of
the late Harappan period of the early 2nd millennium BCE
OPERATION NIGHT WATCH: Amsterdam’s famed Rijksmuseum began the biggest ever restoration of
Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch”, erecting a huge glass cage around the painting so the public can see the work
carried out live.

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