Ancient Temples and Mosques under Archeological Survey of India

[Hindustani78]

Return to favour: A vigorous campaign has brought back the Manipuri script | Photo Credit: 2001 SNOWBOUND, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-script-stages-a-comeback/article19743482.ece

Manipur’s king chose Bengali script in 18th century, but the fortunes of the local script have revived

The Manipuri script, over 3,500 years old by some accounts and edged out by a Bengali import, is on a revival course, with street signs, newspapers, literature and even records of Assembly proceedings adopting it.

The script was lost to the speakers of the language when Shantidas Gosai, a Hindu missionary, spread Vaishnavism in the region in 1709, during the reign of Pamheiba. The King, who assumed the name Garib Niwaz, decreed its replacement with that of Bengali.

Books and other written materials in Manipuri were then incinerated. But many of his subjects opposed the imposition and continued to follow dual religions, Vaishnava and Sanamahi. They also preserved the Manipuri script.

June 20 marked a milestone in the revival efforts, when college teachers completed a 10-day reorientation programme.

Manipur’s Education Minister T. Radheshyam said, “It is a must for college and university teachers to be well-acquainted with the Manipuri script. In due course, it will be taught at the university level.” Necessary teaching resources were readily available, he noted.

Pursuing the restoration plan is Meelal, a registered body with 24 organisations that took off on August 18, 2003. It has been at the forefront of the campaign. Meelal has kept a hawk eye on the use of non-Manipuri words in writing and social media, and in open air theatre, a widely enjoyed form of entertainment.

There are campaigns led by Meelal for teaching of the Manipuri script in schools and colleges, doing away with Bengali-script textbooks. It organises free classes for the young and the old.

Redundant letters

Manipuri belongs to the Tibeto-Burmese branch of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages and has no use for several Bengali letters, some of which its speakers are unable to pronounce correctly. Writers are known to use Bengali letters whimsically, with the result that writers use different spellings for several words. Personalised spellings imposed by university professors on the research scholars have aggravated the linguistic problem.

Militant enforcement

Occasionally, activists have used extreme methods to advance the cause. Signboards without the Manipuri script were defaced with tar. A plaque at a city flyover was vandalised and the government library in Imphal, which housed a considerable number of Bengali books, was burned down one night by unidentified protesters.

Thanks to the revivalist moves, Manipuri language newspapers have to publish at least one news item in the traditional script on their front pages.

Hoardings, billboards and other material for public events must also be in the script. Organisers have had to tender public apologies if this requirement was defied or ‘forgotten’. Also, vehicle owners must display their registration numbers in the Manipuri script.

The plan to return to the old has faced rough weather. Litigation and objections by some groups prompted the government to drag its feet over the reintroduction. The State government accepted the 27-alphabet script in 1980, but some groups claimed that the 18-letter, 27-letter or 36-letter alphabets were the ‘genuine’ ones.

While it is also called ‘Meitei,’ the late Lt. Col. Haobam Bhuban, a former Minister, demanded that it be called the Manipuri script for three reasons: it is the one used for the royal chronicle of the kings of the land, King Gambhir signed the Jeeree Agreement of April 18, 1833 in it, and most importantly, in 1979 the Manipur Assembly, under the leadership of Yangmasho Shaiza, of the Tangkhul tribe, approved the 27-letter Manipuri alphabet.”

The State language is also spoken by Manipuris in several places, including Assam, Tripura and other northeastern States, and Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Writing on the wall

The results of the campaigning are visible. It is no accident that many public signboards no longer have the Bengali script. Widely published newspapers that have not gone Manipuri, like Poknapham, Sangai Express and Hueiyen Lanpao, are losing younger readers. Since 2006, students have been taught in the Manipuri script, creating a new generation of educated Manipuris.

Publishers with a longer-term view of the market began printing newspapers in the Manipuri tradition, and in English. Many organisations, including those supporting insurgency, use Roman in lieu of the Bengali script for their press releases. Most writers have stopped using the Bengali script, while others have rewritten their old books using the traditional alphabet.

In another move that has received a big welcome, Manipur Speaker Y. Khemchand recently announced that one copy of the State Assembly proceedings would be recorded in the Manipuri script.

JBS Umanadh in Yadadri, Sep 24 2017, 0:03 IST
Govt spends 1,800 crore on Yadagirigutta

The main temple (in golden yellow) of Yadadri that house the presiding deity.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/634607/telangana-rebuilds-ancient-temple.html


The ancient Yadagirigutta temple of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy will be transformed into Yadadri, akin to hill temple Tirumala by February 2018. This has become possible with a massive grant of Rs 1,800 crore made by the Telangana government, dedicated work of 500 stapathis (sculptors) and latest technology under the watchful eyes of newly constituted Yadagirigutta Temple Development Authority (YTDA).

Located some 50 km from Hyderabad, the ancient temple is known as Pancha Narasimha Kshetram. The legend says that in Treta Yuga, sage Yadarishi, son of Rishyasrunga and Santa Devi, did penance inside a cave with the blessings of Anjaneya on the hills between Bhongiri and Raigiri. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Vishnu appeared in five different forms as Jwala, Yogananda, Gandabherunda, Ugra and Lakshinarasimha. All the five forms are still worshipped here.

The transformation of Yadagirigutta into Yadadri, rechristened by seer Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, began with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, an ardent devotee of the temple, wishing to recreate the congested temple into an architectural marvel. He established the YTDA under the Urban Areas Development Act, 1975. The authority is headed by the chief minister. After consolidation of seven villages, namely Yadagiripally, Saidapur, Mallapur, Datarpalli, Gundlapally, Raigiri and Basavapur, under the YTDA, encroachments were removed from the 14 acres surrounding the temple on the main hill, now called the Yadadri.

Soon, Sunshine Infra Engineers was selected for the construction of retaining wall and other civil work on the hillock. Art director Anand Sai of Ealain Events Pvt Ltd submitted designs as per Aagama, Vaastu and Pancharatra Sastras. Anand Sai has associated himself with the stapathis of the endowment department and archakas while designing the new temple which is expected to last for over 1,000 years. The temple designs have been approved by the seer and the decision to rebuild the temple as per the new plan was taken on May 30, 2016.

Ahead of the decision, the main temple of Yadagirigutta was closed on April 21, 2016 and the daily rituals began at the temporary “Balalayam”. Pilgrims have been allowed only inside the Balalayam. “However the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was not touched and all the daily poojas are being conducted at the old temple as per Agama Shastra,” temple executive officer Geetha Reddy said. The new temple will be ready by Brahmotsavam in February 2018 or Narasimha Jyanthi of 2018 which falls in May. “Eventually the Balalayam and the temporary Kalyana Mantapam will be removed to provide space for Brahmotsavams, similar to the four Mada streets of Tirumala,” she added.

The temple with Lord Narasimha as presiding deity which occupied only half an acre earlier will now be spread across 3 acres and a Brahmotsavam area of 11 acres which could accommodate 15,000 devotees at any given time. Construction work on the seven gopurams is in progress. Superstructure work for two gopurams at the entrance and the exit are nearing completion. Work on seven-storeyed Maharaja gopuram is under progress.

“No mortar or brick has been used in the construction of the temple. As per the temple architecture of the Kakatiya rulers of the Telangana region only “Krishna Sila”, the black granite procured from a single quarry in Gurijepalli of Andhra Pradesh, has been put to use,” Kishen Rao, adviser of the YTDA, said. A Giri Pradakshana, a 2.7-km road, has been developed for the devotees to circumambulate the hillock as a ritual. A 160-metre ring road linking four different highways passing through Yadadri has been developed for smooth movement of traffic.

“The state government has granted Rs 1,800 crore for the entire project. So far, Rs 300 crore has been released and spent. We believe that we will be able to finish the temple work with another Rs 200 crore. Remaining amount will be spent on developing infrastructure and the upcoming temple city,” Kishen Rao said. A major chunk of the funds released by the state government has been spent on land acquisition from private owners. After the completion of work, the footfall which is around 10,000 to 15,000 per day is expected to touch 30,000 to 60,000 and the income of the temple is also expected to cross Rs 100 crore per year.

The main attraction of the temple will be the Alwar Mantapam with 12 Alwars of the Vaishnavaite sect in standing position barring Nammalwar who will be in sitting position. Chief stapathi Soundarajan says that each pillar is made of black granite. “The total weight of each pillar will be around 85 tonne. They have been divided into three pieces each so that the cranes can lift them. Around 100 artisans from Karaikudi and Pudukkottai are working at a brisk pace at the camp near the temple. Sculpting was done in six camps, including Allagadda, Marteru, and Gurijepalli in Andhra Pradesh.

Apart from the 108 feet bronze Hanuman idol, the stone work for Mukha mantapam, Prakara, Ramanuja Kutam, Yagashala, Addala Mantapam, Ashtothara mantapam, Parakamani, Vahanashala, Peshkar, Swayambhu Anjaneya, Yada Maharishi, Prahlada, Simha Padam, Balapadam is under progress and the stones are ready to be lifted to the hillock for assembly. Similarly work is also in progress for the 10 lakh litre capacity “pushkarini” for the Lord’s Chakrasnana.

A central bus terminus in the shape of “Govinda Namas” will be built with elevated roads linking the national highways. As no private vehicle will be allowed on the hillock. All devotees are expected to reach the temple only through the terminus.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/punja...ing-and-how/story-9zUn1i66gnArFwAF1lBE0L.html
Before the army action in 1984 nearly destroyed it, the library had 12,613 books, including manuscripts; the number now stands at 24,540
Updated: Sep 24, 2017 21:09 IST

Surjit Singh
Hindustan Times, Amritsar

An employee cleaning a rare book for preservation at Sikh Reference Library in the Golden Temple complex on Sunday, September 24. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)


Nearly destructed during Operation Bluestar in the Golden Temple complex in 1984, the Sikh Reference Library has since not only been revived, but it now has double the number of books, including rare manuscripts, than it did before the army action to flush out militants.

It was established by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in 1946, and in 1984 it was alleged that the army took all the items except some newspapers from the library. The SGPC has since moved the Union government several times to seek recovery of the items, including handwritten manuscripts of Guru Granth Sahib and hukamnamas (edicts) with signatures of the Sikh Gurus.

An employee cleaning a rare book for preservation at Sikh Reference Library in the Golden Temple complex on Sunday, September 24. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

However, since the library hit headlines for the arson it faced in the operation, people started donating more documents and books, reveals data assessed by HT. Before 1984, it had 12,613 books, with 10% of those being manuscripts on general issues. Plus, it had 512 manuscripts of Guru Granth Sahib’s birs (copies). The total stood at 13,125.

In the 33 years, 540 manuscripts of Guru Granth Sahib have been collected, besides 24,000 other books and documents, including 1,200 general manuscripts. Thus, the total number has risen to 24,540 as of September this year. The books are not only related to Sikh religion but Indian culture at large too.

A researcher finding a piece of writing in a Hindustan Times edition from 1965. Besides other newspapers’, editions of Hindustan Times have been preserved at the Sikh Reference Library since 1955. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

While the SGPC collected some books on its own, individuals too donated, prominent being Prof Surjit Singh, Prof Parkash Singh, and historian Sangat Singh, who donated 3,000, 450 and 750 books, respectively, said Bagicha Singh, the librarian.

Around 5,000 books were shifted from Guru Ram Das Library, also run by the SGPC near the Golden Temple, to this library. Many rare manuscripts were provided by Narinder Singh who collects such birs. This library is only meant for the research scholars, hence the material is not allowed to be carried outside, says its website.

Digital leap: 15% work done

More than 15% of the collections have been digitised since 2008. The SGPC had first assigned the project to a private agency, which did not work properly, and later restarted it on its own in 2013. Besides appointing technical experts, it set up a studio in the library that has two cameras, a scanner, four lights, and other equipment. The process is on for six days a week, 10am to 5pm, and turns six books into PDF format every day.

Technical staff scanning books for digitisation at the Sikh Reference Library in Amritsar on Sunday, September 24. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

Of the 4,000-odd documents that have been digitised, 700 are general manuscripts and 290 are birs of Guru Granth Sahib.

Also, as the paper of manuscripts in particular is affected by micro-insects and moisture, the library has a treatment plant equipped with a fumigation chamber to preserve these. Guru Nanak Dev University too has installed such as chamber on its lines.

An SGPC employee keeping rare manuscripts and old books in a fumigation chamber at the Sikh Reference Library. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

Plan for new building

Until 1984, the library was a small, two-storey building. With the stock having increased, the SGPC later expanded it to include a a sizeable adjoining portion. But now the need for more space is being felt, and the gurdwara body has recently resolved to build a new building at Bhai Gurdas Hall closer to the Golden Temple.

Outside the Sikh Reference Library situated near the Golden Temple’s entry gates. This building also houses the Sikh History Research Board. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

However, no progress has been made on the ground. “As the resolution in this regard has been passed, the project will be executed soon,” said SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar.

In addition, a building for a Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan has already been proposed on the shrine premises for manuscripts of Guru Granth Sahib to be put up for public display too.

 

[Hindustani78]

UPPUTHARA (IDUKKI), September 26, 2017 18:49 IST
Updated: September 26, 2017 18:49 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/saga-of-a-century-old-settlement/article19757485.ece

The first of the settlers arrived in Upputhara in 1918
A sleepy town in the High Range on the banks of the Periyar is all set to celebrate a unique milestone. Upputhara, said to be the first systematic settlement which developed in to a town with the nearby Ayyappancoil as the main rural market in the early days, is turning hundred next year.

Though, the town has lost much of its glory with the emergence of Kattappana as the main town, some landmark buildings and structures remind you of a century-old existence and the early life in the High Range.

Sajin Scaria, who was instrumental in compiling the history of Upputhara, has an interesting fact about the early settlers here. In 1918, five families came here from Central Travancore with the prospect for starting life afresh. However, they returned.

It was not long before three of these families came back to Upputhara accompanied by two other families. They are believed to be the first settlers. “Now only one member among the five families lives here,” says Mr. Scaria.

The settlers to Upputhara were mainly from Thidanadu, near Pala. The reasons that prompted the migration were that first there was a social system prevailing then in Central Travancore where the land was in the hands of the upper caste and those who preferred farming had no land and had to work under the caste system as bonded labourers. The other factor was severe food shortage following the First World War.

The fertile soil helped life flourish for those who arrived later and the town soon developed into a hub for supplying grocery and food items to the nearby tea plantations where Tamil labourers had migrated during the Raj days.

The name of the town then was Thannimoodu and with the passage of time it came to be known as Upputhara. Thannimoodu caught the name as there was a Thanni tree (Indian almond) in the region, says 94-year-old V. Bhaskaran, an early settler. He came here as a child along with his parents. It was from here that people moved to the nearby areas such as Ayyappancoil and Kanchiyar.

Upputhara also hosted the first church and first school in the High Range. The first church was built in 1928. The second church was constructed in 1948 at Varattayar, near Adimali, says Mr. Scaria.

According to early documents, it was an information passed by the Peerumade Parvathyar (village officer) that revenue land was available in area between the tea plantations of Peerumade and the reserve forestland of Kakkathodu that made early settlers come here.

The first school was set up in 1926 and was named Onamkulam Memorial School later. The school was started in Upputhara as it had by then become the main settlement area.


************

September 26, 2017 21:33 IST
Updated: September 26, 2017 21:33 IST

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...erest-unearthed-in-ramnad/article19758037.ece

They are said to belong to Megalithic age and Sangam period
RAMANATHAPURAM

A team of local amateur archaeologists has discovered celt and other artefacts, said to belong to Megalithic age and Sangam period, at Bogalur near here.

The team of archaeologists of Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation, led by its president V. Rajaguru, found the artefacts near the Mullaikottai Muneeswarar Temple on the banks of Kaathan odai.

“This is the first new stone age artefacts discovered in the district and the findings clearly indicated that neolithic or new stone age people led a settled life in the area till the Sangam age,” Mr. Rajaguru told The Hindu.

After schoolteachers Gandhi and Bhoominathan informed about potsherds strewn in an area of 40 acres near the temple, he, along with association secretary Gnanakalimuthu and research scholar Hari Gopalakrishnan, conducted an exploration and found the celt and other artefacts.

The stone celt measured 7 cm in length and 5.5 cm in width, he said, adding it was also found well-polished and sharpened. The tool had some holes in the upper portion and this could be due to long use. The tool would have been used with a wooden handle, he added.

The team also found a grinding stone, sling stone, graffiti marked potsherds, pot stand, black and red potsherds, spindle whorls, hopscotches, broken part of terracotta kettle, terracotta handle, piece of deer horn, iron ore and iron slags. The iron-based artefacts indicated that megalithic age people also lived in the area, he said.

A black and red potsherd had the graffiti of Tamil Brahmi letter and another had trident graffiti and these artefacts could be 2,000 years old and belong to the Sangam period, he said.

The sling stone was in use since new stone age and it was used for hunting as well as safety, he said.

A lush green Miswak, a medicinal plant native to Palai, one of the five landscapes of Sangam period, was found in the area. He suggested that it was an ideal location for exaction by the Archaeological Survey of India or the State Department of Archaeology, he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

September 26, 2017 21:33 IST
Updated: September 26, 2017 21:33 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...erest-unearthed-in-ramnad/article19758037.ece


They are said to belong to Megalithic age and Sangam period
RAMANATHAPURAM

A team of local amateur archaeologists has discovered celt and other artefacts, said to belong to Megalithic age and Sangam period, at Bogalur near here.

The team of archaeologists of Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation, led by its president V. Rajaguru, found the artefacts near the Mullaikottai Muneeswarar Temple on the banks of Kaathan odai.

“This is the first new stone age artefacts discovered in the district and the findings clearly indicated that neolithic or new stone age people led a settled life in the area till the Sangam age,” Mr. Rajaguru told The Hindu.

After schoolteachers Gandhi and Bhoominathan informed about potsherds strewn in an area of 40 acres near the temple, he, along with association secretary Gnanakalimuthu and research scholar Hari Gopalakrishnan, conducted an exploration and found the celt and other artefacts.

The stone celt measured 7 cm in length and 5.5 cm in width, he said, adding it was also found well-polished and sharpened. The tool had some holes in the upper portion and this could be due to long use. The tool would have been used with a wooden handle, he added.

The team also found a grinding stone, sling stone, graffiti marked potsherds, pot stand, black and red potsherds, spindle whorls, hopscotches, broken part of terracotta kettle, terracotta handle, piece of deer horn, iron ore and iron slags. The iron-based artefacts indicated that megalithic age people also lived in the area, he said.

A black and red potsherd had the graffiti of Tamil Brahmi letter and another had trident graffiti and these artefacts could be 2,000 years old and belong to the Sangam period, he said.

The sling stone was in use since new stone age and it was used for hunting as well as safety, he said.

A lush green Miswak, a medicinal plant native to Palai, one of the five landscapes of Sangam period, was found in the area. He suggested that it was an ideal location for exaction by the Archaeological Survey of India or the State Department of Archaeology, he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

The former Director (Epigraphy), Archaeological Survey of India, Shri Khwaja Ghulamus Syedain inaugurating the fourth small scale exhibition from the reserve collections of National Museum entitled “The Saga of the Modern Seals”, in New Delhi on September 28, 2017.

 

[Hindustani78]

Union minister Kiren Rijiju today said that Nartiang village in West Jaintia Hills district - which is home to a 500-year-old Durga temple will be declared as a national heritage site.

"I will ask the village council and people here to send a proposal (in this regard).... This place deserves a recognition," Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, told reporters at Nartiang.

Perched on a hill top and overlooking the Myntang river, the Durga Bari at Nartiang in the Jaintia Hills district was built by Jaintia kings in 16th or 17th century.

Nartiang is also a famous tourist destination for its monoliths, the tallest in the entire Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.

"I will talk to both the union tourism minister and union culture minister to provide assistance to this area. This is my commitment," Rijiju said.

West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India



The Jaintia Hills in the State of Meghalaya is bounded on the North and East by the State of Assam. On the South by Bangladesh and on the West by East Khasi Hills District.

The natural vegetation changes according to the topography of the land kingdom of Jaintiapur now in present day Bangladesh.


the word "Jaintia" is derived the shrine of Jayanti Devi or Jainteswari, an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga


The origin of the Jaintia kingdom is unknown, but the Jaintia people share a megalithic culture with the related Khasi people on the Shillong plateau which is of uncertain age, but their common oral history claims that they settled the region in the distant past. After the 17th century invasion by the Kachari king Satrudaman, the Jaintia kingdom came under increasing Kachari and Ahom political influence.

 

[Hindustani78]

MADURAI, TAMIL NADU, 14/11/2016: The Sangam age pearls found at ASI's excavation site at Keezhadi in Sivaganga district. Photo: R. Ashok | Photo Credit: R_ASHOK

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...controversy/article19779268.ece?homepage=true

The excavation in southern Tamil Nadu points to an urban civilisation, over 2,100 years old, on the banks of the Vaigai river. But the project has been mired in all kinds of contentious issues right through, requiring frequent intervention of the court on several issues.
The third season of the ongoing excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Keezhadi village of Sivaganga district came to a close on September 30. But there is no uncertainty over the commencement of fourth phase post-monsoon, thanks to the intervention of the Madras High Court. The fact that a higher court had to be approached since the second season shows how controversies, most of them avoidable, had taken the sheen off one of the most significant and challenging excavations undertaken by the ASI.

Keezhadi, located 12 km south east of Madurai, threw up many surprises when excavation began in 2015. The ASI zeroed in on this village after a four-member team, led by K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, then Superintending Archaeologist, Bengaluru, assessed the potential of 293 sites over a distance of 250 km along the banks of the Vaigai in Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts in 2013-14. Among them, 100 were identified for excavation. And Pallichanthai Thidal in Keezhadi, a naturally protected site, was chosen for its proximity to Madurai. The coconut grove, spread over an area of 100 acres, provided for unobtrusive excavation. Ironically, it was not to be.

Vibrant civilisation

Starting from March 2015, the ASI could unearth over 7,500 antiquities, unique wall structures, drainage and wells — all pointing to the existence of an urban civilisation, with trade links with other nations. Scholars saw the hardware of a vibrant civilisation in the finds as software in the form of information was available in Sangam literature. Dating of two carbon elements weighing 25 grams each, done by Beta Analytic Inc., Florida, USA, placed them at 2,160+30 years and 2,200+30 years respectively. The samples were taken at a depth of two metres from trenches with a depth of 4.5 metres. The most significant aspect of Keezhadi site has been its secular nature. No artefact resembling a religious symbol or ritual has been unearthed so far.

Keezhadi is only the third habitation site, next to Arikamedu (1947) and Kaviripoompattinam (1965), in the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry region excavated by the ASI. Alagankulam in Ramanathapuram district is another habitation along the Vaigai where the State Department of Archaeology is involved in an excavation now.

The artefacts, according to archaeologists, point to the presence of a vibrant, sophisticated urban society in Keezhadi. Stone structures oriented in cardinal directions suggest systematic urban planning; pot shreds with Tamil Brahmi inscriptions point to a highly literate society; graffiti of the sun and moon demonstrate their astronomical sense and ivory dice indicate the presence of an elite society.

Delay in sanctioning

The three-year journey has been dotted with controversies. Problems started when there was delay in sanctioning the third season of excavation, citing non-submission of report as reason. But, at that time, reports from at least 56 sites, including Adichanallur, where excavation took place in 2005, were pending. Political parties, including the CPI (M) and DMK, and other organisations raised the issue of delay in public fora and Parliament. When the extension was approved, there was further delay in allocation of funds. When the funds actually came in the first quarter of 2017, Amarnath, who was in charge of the excavation, was shifted to Assam. This triggered a wave of protest with some organisations crying foul.

The Union Minister of State for Culture, Mahesh Sharma, accompanied by the then Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirrmala Sitharaman, and Rakesh Tewari, Director General, ASI, descended on Keezhadi on April 28, 2017, to allay fears over the suspension of excavation and gave an assurance that it would go on for at least for three more years. Mr. Tewari explained that Mr. Amarnath's transfer was based on the policy of not retaining Superintending Archaeologists in one station for more than three years.

The third phase of excavation did start on May 27, 2017, under P. S. Sriraman, Superintending Archaeologist, also hailing from Tamil Nadu. In between, there was furore over shifting the antiquities from Keezhadi to Bengaluru for testing and documentation. Here again, the Madras High Court had to intervene, even while frowning at the delay in continuing the excavation.

Two judges of the Madras High Court — Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice N. Sathish Kumar — hearing the public interest litigation on the preservation of excavated artefacts, on-site museum and other issues inspected the site on September 19.

While the Union Minister of State for Culture had given an assurance that the artefacts would be kept in museums in Sivaganga, Madurai and Chennai, the State government identified a place for housing the museum in Keezhadi. However, residents of nearby Konthagai said that the proposed site was earlier meant for the extension of a government higher secondary school that faced severe space crunch.

A new controversy has come up on the findings of the third season. After a delay of five months, the ASI took up excavation in 10 trenches over an area of 400 metres. Mr. Sriraman said that the key objective of this season was to trace the continuity of remnants of brick structures discovered earlier. The team did not find any continuity or related artefacts, barring three ring wells and a small fragmentary brick wall below the level of brick structures.

Size of excavation

Su. Venkatesan, Sahitya Akademi awardee and general secretary of Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artistes' Association, questioned why the excavation was restricted to 400 square metres, while an area of 2,500 square meters had been dug up in earlier phases. He pointed out that 43 trenches were dug up in 2015, when there was a delay of three months, and 59 in 2016. He also saw a conspiracy in not extending the excavation till virgin soil in this phase as any carbon dating of materials found above this level would place Keezhadi as a recent society. Mr. Sriraman, however, refused to be drawn into any controversy by saying that his focus was on the meticulous archaeological work his profession demanded and not on unreasonable allegations. Another ASI official said that the allegations were largely unfounded and made due to lack of domain knowledge.

Mr. Sriraman was of the view that carbon dating of samples collected from the fragmentary wall in this phase, which must have been constructed earlier, could push the period of the site further behind. About 1,500 of the roughly 1,800 artefacts found in the third season were only beads, of which nearly 90% were glass beads, he said. The remaining artefacts included five small objects made of gold, a broken piece of a comb made of ivory, copper coins, earrings, and small toys. He said that at least 14 inscriptions of names in Tamil Brahmi script, similar to those discovered in earlier seasons, were found in pot shreds.

During the judges’ visit, Mr. Sriraman told them that the artefacts excavated thus far had not given any clear indication of the type of settlement — urban or industrial — particularly because of the absence of structures generally associated with urban or industrial settlements and artefacts like human or animal bones and tools.

On the question why the excavation was done on the northern side of the site instead of south, which could have shown the continuity of brick structures, another ASI official said that it was primarily because of the reluctance of land owners since the area had coconut trees. “Moreover, there was no strong possibility that the continuity of brick structures would be found on the southern side,” he said.

Similarly, on the allegation that the area excavated was small compared to earlier two seasons, the official said that the size of the area was not a significant factor in an excavation. “Had we found the continuity of structures, we would have extended the area. Also, this season was just three months long, with intermittent rains.”

Fourth season

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has, meanwhile, ordered the continuance of excavation into its fourth season. It has also directed the ASI to grant permission to the State Department of Archaeology as well to excavate the site. Though ASI officials said that such simultaneous excavations had happened elsewhere in the past, a decision on the modalities and when to commence the excavation was yet to be decided.

“It may not commence before January since a lot of procedures are involved. Importantly, documentation of all the artefacts and findings of the third season must happen in the meanwhile,” a senior official said. Despite controversies, Keezhadi promises to be an ‘index site’ for the ASI, if work goes on, uninterrupted.

Vaigai River, Tamil Nadu

 

[Hindustani78]

KOCHI, October 06, 2017 18:49 IST
Updated: October 07, 2017 00:13 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-priesthood/article19811805.ece?homepage=true

Six candidates from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes to be appointed as priests in temples under Travancore Devaswom Board
Centuries-old caste barriers that had kept their forefathers beyond even the gaze of upper caste Hindus would soon come crashing down with the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board selecting six members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to perform rituals at the temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

With the board issuing advice memo to the six candidates belonging to the once socially outcast communities, their entry into the sanctum sanctorum of temples under the Devaswom board has now become a mere formality. The priests, who would be appointed on a part-time basis, would now enter the temples, bathe the idols, adorn them with flowers and customary ornaments, and perform the daily pujas.

One candidate each belonging to the Thandar and Vettuva and four Pulaya community members figure on the list released on Friday. There were also 26 Brahmins, 21 Ezhavas, one each from Nadar and Viswakarma communities and two Dheevara candidates. The appointment order is considered as a path-breaking exercise as priesthood was the preserve of Brahmins and upper caste Hindus in most of the temples till recently.

The present list is for filling the 62 reported vacancies in the temples of the TDB. The list for other temples will follow soon. There are 1,252 temples under the TDB and the sanctioned strength of priest is around 2,500. There are around 70 major temples under the TDB, including the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, Mahadeva Temples at Vaikom, Ettumanur and Chengannur, Parasurama Temple at Thiruvallam, Sree Krishna Temple at Ampalapuzha, Ganapathy Temple of Kottarakkara, and Sreekanteswaram Temple of Thiruvanathapuram.

The Travancore Devaswom Board, which is the employer, will now have to issue appointment letters to the selected priests to temples based on the vacancies reported from there. The qualification fixed for the candidates included the knowledge of temple rituals, exposure to Sanskrit and appearance in Standard 9 examination. Any certificate in ‘Tantra Vidya’ was not insisted as an essential qualification though there were a few who had passed such courses, said M. Rajagopalan Nair, chairman of the recruitment board. The appointment of the members of SC and ST communities and OBCs was possible as the board decided to adhere to the caste reservation policy of the State government in appointments. The State government had also issued an order to this effect, he added.

There was resistance against the appointment of priests belonging to Ezhava community when that was attempted recently.

Resistance

This time too, there are indications that the recruitment board’s decision would trigger some debate. While Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha president T.V. Babu said the recruitment board’s decision is revolutionary, Malayala Brahmana Samajam president N. Anil Kumar said introduction of reservation in temples would do away with the purity and sanctity of temples. Priesthood is not a job but a ritual. Reservation can be considered only for a job. The current decision is unacceptable, he added.

 

[Hindustani78]

A pathetic condition of the vintage sculpture at Davuluru village in Kollipara mandal in Guntur district. | Photo Credit: HANDOUT_E_MAIL.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/a-historical-fault-comes-to-light/article19806386.ece

This incident was brought to light by E. Sivanagi Reddy, Chief Executive Officer, The Cultural Centre of Vijayawada & Amaravati.
In a bizarre incident, officials of the Panchayat Raj Department, not caring about the importance a vintage artefact, laid a road on a Bhairava sculpture adjacent to a temple at Davuluru village in Kollipara Mandal in Guntur District. The sculpture dates back to 12th Century AD.

This incident was brought to light by E. Sivanagi Reddy, Chief Executive Officer, The Cultural Centre of Vijayawada & Amaravati, on Thursday as part of the campaign ‘Preserve Heritage for Posterity’ launched by the CCVA in Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Reddy lamented the role of officials who did not take care about the historical significance of the sculpture while laying the road. “They could have shifted the sculpture inside the temple and erected it on a pedestal for proper display. It is insensitive on the part of the officials to lay the road covering the bottom part of the idol with concrete. I appeal to the Department of Archaeology & Museums to take necessary steps to extricate the sculpture and salvage it”.

Mr. Reddy said that there were inscriptions engraved on a slab at the temple dated back to 1132 AD, 1141 AD and 1143 AD confirming the glorious past of the place of worship.

********
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le-architecture-in-mysuru/article19814972.ece
The Department of Studies in Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, will conduct a three-day national workshop on temple architecture and iconography from October 9 to 11.

The inauguration will be at the seminar hall of the Department of Chemistry at Manasagangogtri at 10 a.m. The workshop is being conducted in collaboration with Maharaja’s College.

According to a press release, two master architects from Tamil Nadu — K. Dakshinamoorthy Sthapati of Chennai and K.P. Umapathy Acharya of Kumbakonam — will be the resource persons.

They will introduce the participants to ancient texts on temple building and iconography and also deliver lectures on the engineering aspects of temple construction and on iconometry and iconography. More than a hundred participants (MA students, research scholars and faculty members) from across the country are expected to participate in the workshop, the release said.

The workshop is being conducted in view of the “cultural traditions and ancient knowledge systems fast losing their relevance and importance in the modern era”. The aim is to introduce the younger generation — both students and faculty members — to the scientific and aesthetic aspects of sculpting and temple building, both of which represent the traditional knowledge system.

Such topics do not find a place in the regular graduate curriculum and it requires additional effort in the form of extended academic activities such as this to sensitise the modern generation to the importance of ancient traditions, the release said.

Sculptors’ camp

The Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, and the Department of History, Maharaja’s College, plan to conduct a sculptors’ camp in the city.

Ten senior sculptors from Goa and Karnataka will be invited. They will stay in the university campus for about three weeks, tentatively from the third week of October till mid-November, and create sculptures in ancient dynastic styles such as Kadamba, Hoysala, Chalukya, Gupta and Pala. They will be assisted by four junior sculptors. The camp will be run under the supervision of Puttaswamy Gudigar, director of Shilpa Loka, Goa.

The camp is expected to provide an opportunity for students and members of the public to observe the creation of a sculpture from start to finish and appreciate the nuances of sculpting. Ten sculptures will be created and the programme will be open to schoolchildren, college students, art connoisseurs and the public.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...s-criticism/story-1bEK8ugi2W5YvSPh1M0RzO.html

The Muzrai department, which controls 34,543 temples in the state, has also called for recruiting priests from all castes.
india Updated: Oct 11, 2017 17:52 IST

Vikram Gopal
Hindustan Times, Bengaluru

A Ganesha shloka in Sanskrit.(Shutterstock/Representative image)

The Karnataka government’s proposal to set up Sanskrit pathshalas or schools to train priests in the southern state that is facing a shortage of people to officiate at temples has come under criticism from a former administrator for “promoting a monolithic view of Hindu culture”.

The Muzrai department, which controls 34,543 temples in the state that are classified into three categories based on the returns they receive in terms of gifts, has also called for recruiting priests from all castes, including from communities classified as Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

‘Mukhyamantri’ Chandru, a noted Kannada actor and the former chairman of the Kannada Development Authority, said the move to recruit people from different castes was welcome.

However, Chandru said the Congress government should rather pass an order asking priests of temples that come under the department to officiate in Kannada as that would help pilgrims understand the religious proceedings.

“It is troubling that the department feels a necessity to make priests learn Sanskrit,” Chandru said.

“There is no doubt that Sanskrit is a great language but should priests not use a language people who visit temples will understand? Besides, there is no diktat from any god that say they require Sanskrit to be the medium of worship,” he added.

Chandru said it showed a lack of historical knowledge of the administration as it insisted on Sanskrit because there were many gods and goddesses, especially in rural areas, who were not a part of the Vedic pantheon.

“There are many deities that are offered meat and alcohol by worshippers. What good will Vedic knowledge be to these gods?” Chandru asked.

He insisted that the move would privilege the Vedic traditions over the many local customs and beliefs that exist in the state, such as those of Dalits and backward castes.

Highlighting the Bhakti tradition and its rejection of ritualism, Chandru said the 12th-century reformer Basavanna had shown that Vedic rituals were not a prerequisite to worship gods. He said there were other Bhakti saints, who also composed devotional songs in the local languages to overcome Vedic ritualism.

Repeated attempts to reach Muzrai minister Rudrappa Lamani through calls and messages went unanswered.

With state elections scheduled to be held early next year, the promotion of Kannada has gained renewed significance as a result of a slew of measures proposed by the government.

Learning the language and standing up for the official state anthem has been made compulsory in schools, while usage of Hindi on signboards at Metro stations has been opposed, with the chief minister also supporting such opposition.

Chandru said his suggestion should be considered as a part of the state government’s proposal to regulate some superstitious practices.

“Is it not superstitious to believe that gods can only be addressed in Sanskrit?”

 

[Hindustani78]

The Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma holding discussions with the officials of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Thrissur Circle, at Kottayam, Kerala on October 12, 2017

 

[Hindustani78]

Amateur archaeologists inspecting the boundary stone with inscriptions which they unearthed at Mela Arumbur village in Ramanathapuram district. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ions-found-ramanathapuram/article19883595.ece

Amateur archaeologists also find two other stones belonging to Chola period
RAMANATHAPURAM

A team of archaeologists from Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation has found a Sethupathy period boundary stone with inscriptions, a first of its kind in the district.

The team, led by foundation president V. Rajaguru and secretary M. Vimalraj, found the inscribed boundary stone with a trident symbol, and two other boundary stones, believed to be belonging to Chola period, at Mela Arumbur in Thiruvadanai block.

The findings come close on the heels of the discovery of new stone-age celt and artefacts of Megalithic period and Sangam age at Bogalur near Vaigai river. The team, during a series of explorations, had earlier discovered Pandia period Shiva temples, stone inscriptions and ninth century Jain temple in Thondi.

“This is the first time that a boundary stone with inscriptions was found here,” Mr. Rajaguru told The Hindu. Boundary stones were used to mark the boundaries of lands donated to temples by kings and landlords to generate regular income to the temples for conducting pujas.

The Sethupathy period boundary stone was unearthed on the tank bed of Kootha Perumal Ayyanar Temple at Mela Arumbur during the recent exploration conducted based on information given by Pethiah, a local villager, about the temple, Mr. Rajaguru said.

The inscriptions indicated that it was the boundary stone of land donated to a Shiva temple at Pullukudi.

The stone, which measured one foot wide and 2.5 ft tall, had the symbol of trident in the middle and flanked by sun and crescent. The stone had inscriptions on all four sides. According to the inscriptions, the land was donated by Vilathur Thiruvina Pillai to Kailasanathasamy Temple in the name of Muthu Viyajaja Ragunatha Sethupathy, who ruled the kingdom between 1711 AD and 1725 AD, he said.

The location and extent of the donated land were not mentioned in the inscriptions. There were 32 lines but each line comprised only two or three letters. The date of donation was mentioned as ‘Vikari’ year, Tamil month ‘Thai’ 26, indicating that it was given in the year 1720 AD, he said.

Mr. Rajaguru said the inscriptions began with auspicious ‘srimadhu’ and end with ‘chandra-thithavar’, stating that the lands would belong to the temple as long as sun and moon existed in the universe.

The team also unearthed two boundary stones near two temples in the village. They had no inscriptions but the style indicated that they belonged to Chola period, he added.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...thic-age-tools-discovered/article19978150.ece

Some of the megalithic stone tools found in Bandipur measure up to 15 cm

A volunteer’s chance sighting of a few artefacts during the All India Synchronised Asian Elephant Census in May this year led to the discovery of a Neolithic and Megalithic site in Bandipur National Park.

The discovery was made by S.G. Ramadas Reddy, Head of the History Department, Government First Grade College in Kuvempunagar, who followed up on the reports of A. Santosh, a guest faculty in the same college.

The sites were discovered very close to the existing Beladakuppe Mahadeshwara temple in the Hediyala range.

“We discovered a grinding stone at a short distance from the temple and walking further led to the discovery of a megalithic cist burial. However, these have been disturbed considerably,” he added. Besides, there was a stone axe, believed to belong to the Neolithic age, and all the artefacts are 3,000 years to 5,000 years, according to Dr. Reddy.

Some of the megalithic stone tools measure upto 15 cm, while the slab stones in the burial sites measure about 10 feet in length, 5 feet in breadth. These were surface explorations within a limited area close to the temple, as there is no entry into the forests, which is a notified tiger reserve.

However, the team did not discover any habitation site though it may be inside the forests where people cannot venture. He said there were similar sites close to Chikkabaragi forests and Benkahalli colony close inside Bandipur bordering Nanjangud taluk.

Similar artefacts and tools have been registered in the past at Molakalmuru, Ayarahalli in Mysuru besides in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, said Dr. Reddy.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
10-November, 2017 10:32 IST
Exhibition of Islamic Calligraphy from Rampur Raza Library opens in Brunei Darussalam as part of Festival of India

An exhibition of photographs of valuable collection of Islamic Calligraphy from the Rampur Raza Library of Ministry of Culture, Government of India was inaugurated as the inaugural event of Festival of India in Brunei Darussalam yesterday. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Government of Brunei Darussalam, His Excellency Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof. The exhibition consist of 36 photographs of calligraphy including of verses from the Holy Quran, and poetry in Persian and Arabic, selected from the over 3000 calligraphy pieces in the Rampur Raza Library collection. The Exhibition is being jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Government of Brunei Darussalam and the High Commission of India in Brunei Darussalam and will stay open to public till 25th November, 2017.

At the inaugural event, Smt. Nagma M Mallick, High Commissioner of India to Brunei Darussalam, described the Exhibition as a gesture of solidarity and friendship of the Government of India to the Government and the people of Brunei Darussalam on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty the Sultan. She described the calligraphy on display as another example of the syncretic culture that amalgamated the ancient Indian artistic traditions with Islamic culture over hundreds of years to produce a cultural flowering under the Mughal Empire. The Exhibition of Islamic and other Monuments of India held in Brunei in December 2016 had also showcased the architectural aspects of the same syncretic culture. The art of calligraphy is still a living tradition in India, where over 60 Departments of Arabic and Persian Studies flourish in Indian universities. Prof. Syed Hassan Abbas, Director of the Rampur Raza Library, gave details of some of the treasures stored in the Library, including 17000 original manuscripts. He detailed the names and careers of some of the renowned calligraphers whose works form part of the Rampur collection. The High Commissioner gifted an example of calligraphy in marble to the Minister of Brunei.



******

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei Darussalam, Mr. Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof inaugurating the exhibition of photographs of valuable Calligraphy collection of Raza Rampur Library of Ministry of Culture, Government of India, as part of the Festival of India, in Brunei Darussalam on November 09, 2017. The High Commissioner of India to Brunei Darussalam, Smt. Nagma M. Mallick is also seen.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei Darussalam, Mr. Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof visiting after inaugurating the exhibition of photographs of valuable Calligraphy collection of Raza Rampur Library of Ministry of Culture, Government of India, as part of the Festival of India, in Brunei Darussalam on November 09, 2017. The High Commissioner of India to Brunei Darussalam, Smt. Nagma M. Mallick is also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

Hyderabad, November 11, 2017 19:23 IST
Updated: November 11, 2017 19:23 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...r-sangareddy-in-telangana/article20222474.ece

A few kilometres away from the bustling district headquarters of Sangareddy, the 800-year-old temple to Shiva as Sri Kasi Visweswara in the village of Kalabgur has been a site of religious significance for decades. Apart from locals, pilgrims arrive here from neighbouring districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

But there is more to the temple than meets the eye. Till last year, only a portion of it was visible. Sustained and meticulous efforts by the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DAM) have resulted in the excavation of large portions of the temple buried seven feet under the earth.

“The temple belongs to the Kakatiyan period. Residents told us that abhisekam (ritual washing of the idol) water was not flowing outside the temple naturally. Our team found that the water was flowing into a basement. This prompted us to begin the excavation,” says N.R. Visalatchy, Director, DAM.

A water spout led the archaeologists to the basement and enabled them to understand the level at which the original prakara could have been.

Excavations over a period of 17 months led to the discovery of the temple’s pradakshina pada (circumabulatory path) and adisthana (base of the temple).

The discovery of the base encouraged the team to look skywards, which led to the piecing together of other architectural elements such as thekosamattam and chandramattam. “This is the final portion of the roof. It was missing,” says Ms.Visalatchy.

Surviving roof patterns carved in stone were studied. Local artisans, under the observant eye of experts, were then entrusted with replicating and fixing these patterns.

Once this was done, the focus moved to the uphill task of removing alien structures added to the temple. The restorers knew well that this could not be achieved unless they won the trust and confidence of the locals.

“Residents had constructed a concrete pandal by spending a considerable amount of money. This had to be removed. We explained to them that the restoration work would increase the temple’s beauty. They understood and cooperated with us,” Ms. Visalatchy explains.

The director added, “We will now focus on plinth protection. This will include measures to contain water seepage. Further, work is underway to reduce the load on the structure.”

As old as the temple is its step-well, which is also being restored. It has three storeys, with one level designed to be a bathing area. Rainwater harvesting is also being planned for the temple complex.