Art and culture

2021-08-22 17:07:01 Humayun's Tomb

This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent.

It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi is the first of the grand dynastic mausoleums that were to become synonyms of Mughal architecture with the architectural style reaching its zenith 80 years later at the later Taj Mahal.

Humayun’s Tomb stands within a complex of 27.04 ha. that includes other contemporary, 16th century Mughal garden-tombs such as Nila Gumbad, Isa Khan, Bu Halima, Afsarwala, Barber’s Tomb and the complex where the craftsmen employed for the Building of Humayun’s Tomb stayed, the Arab Serai.

Humayun’s Tomb was built in the 1560’s, with the patronage of Humayun’s son, the great Emperor Akbar.

Persian and Indian craftsmen worked together to build the garden-tomb, far grander than any tomb built before in the Islamic world.


Humayun’s garden-tomb is an example of the charbagh (a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise represented), with pools joined by channels.

The garden is entered from lofty gateways on the south and from the west with pavilions located in the centre of the eastern and northern walls


Humayun’s garden-tomb is also called the ‘dormitory of the Mughals’ as in the cells are buried over 150 Mughal family members.

The tomb stands in an extremely significant archaeological setting, centred at the Shrine of the 14th century Sufi Saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

Since it is considered auspicious to be buried near a saint’s grave, seven centuries of tomb building has led to the area becoming the densest ensemble of medieval Islamic buildings in India. Open / Comment

2021-08-22 15:31:16 Daily Answer Writing for CSE MAINS, 2022

New batch from 23rd August

Features
•Copy evaluation within 24 hours
•Flexible copy submission deadline
•Cover the General Studies Syllabus within 17 weeks
•Also includes 8 revision tests and 8 essay tests
•One on one session with mentors
•Evaluation by well experienced team
•Well experienced mentors for doubt clearance and guidance
•Daily small targets
•Approach answers for revision
•Answer enriching tips, keywords, examples, case studies for answers

For more details, click link below https://www.upscsupersimplified.com/courses/2022-2/daw-august-23/

For more details & Demo, feel free to contact @dr_gjsontake / +91-7827779142 

Join us on telegram @upscsupersimplified Open / Comment

2021-08-22 08:39:36 #current affair Open / Comment

2021-08-19 10:25:48 #current - tiwa tribe and wanchuwa festival Open / Comment

2021-08-19 09:10:34 Lion capital at Sarnath continued

--Four lions stand atop the drum, each facing in the four cardinal directions. Their mouths are open roaring or spreading the dharma, the Four Noble Truths, across the land. The lion references the Buddha, formerly Shakyamuni, a member of the Shakya (lion) clan. The lion is also a symbol of royalty and leadership and may also represent the Buddhist king Ashoka who ordered these columns. A cakra (wheel) was originally mounted above the lions.

--Some of the lion capitals that survive have a row of geese carved below the lions. The goose is an ancient Vedic symbol (Veda means knowledge in Sanskrit and the Vedas refers to the canonical collection of hymns, prayers and liturgical formulas that make up the earliest of the Hindu sacred writings.

-- Many of the Buddhist symbols and practices derive from these early texts). The flight of the goose is thought of as a link between the earthly and heavenly spheres.

--The pillar reads from bottom to top. The lotus represents the murky water of the mundane world and the four animals remind the practitioner of the unending cycle of samsara as we remain, through our ignorance and fear, stuck in the material world.
--But the cakras between them offer the promise of the Eightfold Path, that guide one to the unmoving center at the hub of the wheel.

---The lions are the Buddha himself from whom the knowledge of release from samsara is possible. And the cakra that once stood at the apex represents moksa, the release from samsara. The symbolism of moving up the column toward Enlightenment parallels the way in which the practitioner meditates on the stupa in order to attain the same goal. Open / Comment

2021-08-19 09:08:21 Lion Capital, Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath

--Site of Buddha’s First Sermon Dhammachakrapravartana

-built by Ashoka

-the site of Buddha’s First Sermon where he shared the Four Noble Truths (the dharma or the law). 


--The pillar is a symbol of the axis mundi (cosmic axis) and of the column that rises everyday at noon from the legendary Lake Anavatapta (the lake at the center of the universe according to Buddhist cosmology) to touch the sun.

- The top of the column—the capital—has three parts. First, a base of a lotus flower, the most ubiquitous symbol of Buddhism.

--Then, a drum on which four animals are carved representing the four cardinal directions: a horse (west), an ox (east), an elephant (south), and a lion (north). They also represent the four rivers that leave Lake Anavatapta and enter the world as the four major rivers. Each of the animals can also be identified by each of the four perils of samsara. The moving animals follow one another endlessly turning the wheel of existence. Open / Comment

2021-08-16 08:53:05 Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred Pitcher) is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth, during which participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river.

Devotees believe that by bathing in the Ganges one is freed from sins liberating her/him from the cycle of birth and death. Millions of people reach the place without any invitation.

The congregation includes ascetics, saints, sadhus, aspirants-kalpavasis and visitors.

The festival is held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation and is attended by millions of people irrespective of caste, creed or gender.

Its primary bearers, however, belong to akhadas and ashrams, religious organizations, or are individuals living on alms.

Kumbh Mela plays a central spiritual role in the country, exerting a mesmeric influence on ordinary Indians.

The event encapsulates the science of astronomy, astrology, spirituality, ritualistic traditions, and social and cultural customs and practices, making it extremely rich in knowledge.

As it is held in four different cities in India, it involves different social and cultural activities, making this a culturally diverse festival.

Knowledge and skills related to the tradition are transmitted through ancient religious manuscripts, oral traditions, historical travelogues and texts produced by eminent historians.

However, the teacher-student relationship of the sadhus in the ashrams and akhadas remains the most important method of imparting and safeguarding knowledge and skills relating to Kumbh Mela. Open / Comment

2021-08-16 08:50:50 Yoga

The philosophy behind the ancient Indian practice of yoga has influenced various aspects of how society in India functions, whether it be in relation to areas such as health and medicine or education and the arts.

Based on unifying the mind with the body and soul to allow for greater mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing, the values of yoga form a major part of the community’s ethos.

Yoga consists of a series of poses, meditation, controlled breathing, word chanting and other techniques designed to help individuals build self-realization, ease any suffering they may be experiencing and allow for a state of liberation.

It is practised by the young and old without discriminating against gender, class or religion and has also become popular in other parts of the world.

Traditionally, yoga was transmitted using the Guru-Shishya model (master-pupil) with yoga gurus as the main custodians of associated knowledge and skills.

Nowadays, yoga ashrams or hermitages provide enthusiasts with additional opportunities to learn about the traditional practice, as well as schools, universities, community centres and social media.

Ancient manuscripts and scriptures are also used in the teaching and practice of yoga, and a vast range of modern literature on the subject available. Open / Comment

2021-08-16 08:48:27 Nawrouz

New Year is often a time when people wish for prosperity and new beginnings. March 21 marks the start of the year in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

It is referred to as Nauryz, Navruz, Nawrouz, Nevruz, Nooruz, Novruz, Nowrouz or Nowruz meaning ‘new day’ when a variety of rituals, ceremonies and other cultural events take place for a period of about two weeks.

An important tradition practised during this time is the gathering around ‘the Table’, decorated with objects that symbolize purity, brightness, livelihood and wealth, to enjoy a special meal with loved ones.

New clothes are worn and visits made to relatives, particularly the elderly and neighbours. Gifts are exchanged, especially for children, featuring objects made by artisans.

There are also street performances of music and dance, public rituals involving water and fire, traditional sports and the making of handicrafts.

These practices support cultural diversity and tolerance and contribute to building community solidarity and peace.

They are transmitted from older to younger generations through observation and participation. Open / Comment

2021-08-15 05:31:15 Open / Comment