Statue of Prosperity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 108 feet tall bronze statue of Sri Nadaprabhu Kempegowda in Bengaluru on November 11, 2022.

Also Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan Train was flagged off at Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) railway station in Bengaluru.
- Chennai-Mysore Vande Bharat Express was also flagged off from KSR railway station by Prime Minister on the same day.

Nadaprabhu Kempegowda

Nadaprabhu Hiriye Kempe Gowda is also known as Kempe Gowda.
He was fourth in succession from Rana Bhairave Gowda, founder of the dynasty of the Avati Nadu and great grandson of Jaya Gowda, a separate Vijayanagara feudal vassal, Kempe Gowda is the most famous of the Yelahanka rulers.
- Kempe Gowda assumed the chieftaincy of Yalahanka Nadu from his father in 1513 and would reign for 46 years and died in 1569.
- He was a chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire.
- Kempe Gowda was one of the well-educated rulers of all time.
He is famous for founding the present-day southern Indian city of Bangalore.
- Bengaluru, was fortified by Kempe Gowda in 1537.
He erected many Kannada inscriptions in the region.
Kempe Gowda was a patron of arts and learning.
- In spite belonging to a purely Kannada speaking community,he was a polyglot and authored Gangagaurivilasa, a yakshagana play, in Telugu, the court-language of the time.

About the Statue

The ‘Statue of Prosperity’ is 108-feet tall bronze statue of Bengaluru founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda. It is made with 98 tonnes of bronze and 120 tonnes of steel.
It has been built to commemorate the contribution of Kempegowda towards development of the city.
The statue was conceptualized and sculpted by Ram V Sutar, who also curated the Statue of Unity.
This statue is registered as a record in the World Book of Records, as No other airport in the world has such a tall statue of its founder.

3 Indian Cities in UNESCO Network of Learning Cities

Recently, three cities in India have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. These include two cities Thrissur and Nilambur in Kerala and Warangal in Telangana.

About the Cities

Thrissur - Cultural Capital of Kerala

Popularly known as the cultural capital of Kerala, Thrissur is home to academic and research institutions. It is also known for its jewellery industry, especially gold.
As a member of the UNESCOI GNLC, Thrissur hopes to contribute to the intellectual and peer learning processes, focusing on equitable access to learning for all, digital learning ecosystems and skills for sustainability.
Thrissur ticked UNESCO’s check boxes in aspects of good practices, equity and inclusion among other factors. For eg, the presence of a MSME-Development Institute of India regional centre in Thrissur offers institutional support in promoting decent work and entrepreneurship through upskilling.

Nilambur- Kerala’s Eco-Tourism Destination

It is a city with various socio-economic patterns marked by an urban and rural mix. The majority of the population depends on agriculture and allied industries.
The city offers free healthcare facilities to all citizens and utilizes health volunteers to provide door-to-door treatment for bedded patients. It also promotes first-aid training for students and young citizens.
Nilambur aims to promote sustainable development, gender equality, inclusivity and democracy through community ownership.
It also aims to ensure employment opportunities and UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, ‘zero hunger’.

Warangal- The Tourism Spot

The city is a major tourism venue, welcoming 3.2 million tourists every year. Warangal’s economy is primarily composed of agricultural, industrial and service sectors.
The city promotes equity and inclusion, for which it has implemented several strategies, including Women and Child Welfare policy, Urban Policy, and the creation of an advisory committee to monitor and evaluate the impact of initiatives on marginalized groups.

About UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC)

Launched in 2013 by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, the key objective of UNESCO GNLC is to promote social cohesion, economic development and sustainability in urban areas.
As part of this, the institute recognizes cities which promote lifelong learning among local communities and connects them with each other for knowledge transfer.
In 2019, UNESCO made Sustainable Development Goals part of its core policy framework and it was adopted as one of the key ingredients of UNESCO GNLC.
In line with this, the cities that are identified and inducted under Learning Network also have to comply with all 17 SDGs, especially SDG 4 (‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’) and SDG 11 (‘Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’).

What is a Learning City?

According to UNESCO, a learning city is one that-

effectively mobilizes its resources in every sector to promote inclusive learning from basic to higher education;
revitalizes learning in families and communities;
facilitates learning for and in the workplace;
extends the use of modern learning technologies;
enhances quality and excellence in learning;
fosters a culture of learning throughout life.

Dharohar – National Museum of Customs and GST

As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Iconic week of the Ministry of Finance, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 11^th June, 2022 dedicated to the nation, Dharohar - the National Museum of Customs and GST in Goa.

It is the first museum of its kind in India, show casing the rich history of the Department of Customs and Indirect Taxes.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs decided to set up the Customs and GST Museum at the heritage Customs building, popularly known as Blue Building, in Goa on the banks of the Mandovi River.
The heritage two‑storeyed building is of particular interest to the Customs department as the root of the word Mandovi comes from the Arabic word 'mand' for tax.
The two-storey building, which was earlier known as Alfandega during Portuguese rule, is 400 years old.

Dharohar is one of its kind museums in the country that showcases not only the artefacts seized by Indian Customs but also depicts various aspects of work performed by the Customs Department while safeguarding the economic frontiers of the country, its heritage, flora and fauna and the society.

The museum houses eight galleries: Introductory gallery, History of Taxation Gallery, Guardians of our economic frontiers gallery, Guardians of our Art & Heritage, Guardians of Flora & Fauna, Custodians of our social well-being, Journey of Indirect taxes –Salt Tax to GST and the GST gallery.

Further, the tour de force of the museum is a unique ‘Battle of Wits’ gallery which showcases the cerebral battle between the smugglers and the Customs officers. It contains chronicled seizures of antique coins, statues, endangered wildlife, weapons and narcotics.
It also displays the manuscript of Ain-i-Akbari intercepted by the Indian Customs at the Indo-Nepal border at Raxaul, replica of Amin pillars from Kaurkshetra, medieval period astronomical instruments, seized metal and stone artefacts, ivory items and wildlife items.

Amin Pillars

(Replicas at Dharohar)

The Amin pillars were part of the Surajkund temple in Amin Village near Kurukshetra, Haryana.
Amin Village, as the local lore goes, was the site of t h e Chakravyuha during the epic battle of Mahabharata where Abhimanyu, son of Arjun was killed. The well‐preserved red sandstone pillars are dated to the Sunga period of the 2nd Century BCE. They are carved with yaksha‐yakshi mithuna figures which are placed in the temple precincts as they are believed to be auspicious and symbolise fertility and abundance.
The pillars were smuggled to London 1967 and were duly returned to India later and found their new home at the National Museum in New Delhi.

Dharohar Museum’s GST Gallery

This is a brand-new addition to the Dharohar Museum. A first of its kind initiative in the country, the GST Gallery shows the long and arduous journey to GST spanning two decades. Beginning with the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government initiating discussions on GST in 2000, the Gallery chronicles various stages and processes that paved the way for introduction of reformed unified indirect taxation in the form of GST on July 1, 2017.

New Finds at Rakhigarhi - A Harappan Site

A recent three-month-long excavation (in 2022) at Rakhigarhi – a 5,000-year-old Harappan site has revealed new insights of this settlement.

So far, seven mounds have been excavated in Rakhigarhi, each of which has revealed a range of artefacts. This time, the digging was done in three of the seven mounds, out of which mounds number 6 and 7 have been notified by ASI as sites of national importance.

New Finds

Jewellery-Making Unit: The highlight among the finds this time seems to be that of a jewellery-making unit/factory.
Walled Settlement: At burnt-brick wall has been traced leading to a possibility of a walled settlement.
The antiquities found at mounds include steatite seals, terracotta unbaked sealing with relief of elephants and Harappan script.
The structures and frameworks of tiered houses, a kitchen complex, lanes, a drainage system, graveyards, thousands of clay pots and seals, terracotta toys, statues and figures, as well as jewellery of copper, gold, agate and other semi-precious stones have also been found all over the site.
Skeletons of two Women: The skeletons of two women were found at mound number 7 (named RGR 7 by the Archaeological Survey of India), believed to be nearly 5,000 years old. Pots and other artefacts were also found buried next to them in a pit, part of the funerary rituals back in the Harappan Civilisation era. The outcome of the DNA analysis will help tell about the ancestry of the people who lived at this ancient city, whether they were native or had migrated from elsewhere to settle.
Animal bones were also found at the site.

Cultural Span of Harappan Civilisation

The cultural span of Harappan Civilisation can be broadly subdivided into three periods — early (3300 BC to 2600 BC), mature (2600 BC to 1900 BC), and late (1900 BC to 1700 BC), as per archaeology experts.
Five major urban sites — Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, Ganweriwala, all three sites now in Pakistan, and Rakhigarhi and Dholavira in India, have been identified as regional centers of the Harappan Civilisation.

Rakhigarhi: One of the Five Iconic Sites

Rakhigarhi site is one of the “five iconic sites” declared by the central government as per the Union budget 2020-21.
The iconic sites which would be developed are Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Shivsagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat, and Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu.

‘Devayatanam’ – An Odyssey of Indian Temple Architecture

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of Ministry of Culture is organizing a two-day international conference ‘Devayatanam’ – An odyssey of Indian temple architecture during 25th - 26th February, 2022 at Hampi, Karnataka.

Aim of the Conference

The conference aims to deliberate upon the philosophical, religious, social, economic, technical, scientific, art and architectural aspects of temple.
It also intends to initiate a dialogue on the evolution and development of the various styles of temple architecture.

Three Main Styles of Temple Architecture

There are three main kinds of temple architecture in India: Nagara or the Northern Style, Dravida or the Southern style, and Vesara or the Mixed styles.

A Brief on different Temple Architecture Styles

Nagara

The Nagara style has two particular features:
- The first being presence of several graduated projections or rathakas in the centre of all sides of the square temple, thus bearing a cross-shape with several re-entrant angles on all sides.
- The second feature includes design of the spire or Shikhara that follow principles of concentric squares and circles and gradually taper in a convex curve while stretching upwards.
Example: The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh is a fine example of this style.

Dravidian

Predominantly comprise of temples built of sandstone, soapstone or granite. The square-shaped temple called Vimana has one or more storied pyramidal roof while its cell houses the image or emblem of the God.
The Mandapas/Mandapams or porches are built in such a way that these precede and cover the door that leads to the cell. The Gopurams/Gopuras or elaborate gateway-towers or gate-pyramids encloses the temples.
The Chaultris or pillared halls employed for different purposes forms one of the principal and constant features of this style.
Example: Thanjavur temple of Tamil Nadu

Badami-Chalukya

Indian architecture saw an illustrious phase during the Badami Chalukyas rule. The foundation of cave temple architecture was laid by them on the banks of Malaprabha River in Karnataka during 500 and 757 CE.
Examples: Badami Cave temples (Karnataka), Virupaksha temple, Mallikarjuna temple

Gadag

The Western Chalukya architecture or Gadag style of architecture is a specific style of decorative architecture that originated from the old Dravida style and defines the Karnata Dravida tradition.
A distinct feature of this style was articulation.
Examples: Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi and Saraswati temple in the temple complex of Trikuteshwara at Gadag

Kalinga

This style having three specific types of temples prospered in Odisha and Northern Andhra Pradesh.
The three styles are Pidha Deula, Rekha Deula and Khakhara Deula with the first two linked with Shiva, Surya and Vishnu and the latter is predominantly associated with Goddesses Durga and Chamunda.
Example: Jagannath Temple of Puri and Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar portray Rekha Deula style while Vaital Deula of Bhubaneswar typifies Khakhara Deula and the Sun Temple at Konark remains a prominent example of Pidha Deula.

Maru-Gurjara

This temple architecture with two notable styles namely Maru-Gurjara and Maha-Maru originated in Rajasthan and its vicinity.
Maru-Gurjara temple architecture is considered as an exclusive Western Indian architectural style that differs distinctly from temple architecture of North India. However, it is regarded to have some associative features with Hoysala temple architecture as sculpturally rich architecture is palpable in both the styles.
Example: Nagda temple in Rajasthan

Republic Day Parade Awards 2022

Best Marching Contingent

Among Three Services: The Indian Navy
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)/other Auxiliary Forces: Central Industrial Security Force

Best Tableau among States & UTs

First Place: Uttar Pradesh

The tableau of Uttar Pradesh has been selected as the best tableau among the 12 States/UTs.
The tableau of Uttar Pradesh was based on the theme ‘One District One Product and Kashi Vishwanath Dham’.

Second Place: Karnataka

The second place went to Karnataka for its tableau based on ‘Cradle of Traditional Handicrafts’.

Third Place: Meghalaya

The third position went to Meghalaya for its tableau on ‘Meghalaya’s 50 years of Statehood and its tribute to women-led cooperative societies & SHGs’.

Best Tableau among Central Ministries/Departments

The tableaux of Ministry of Education and Ministry of Civil Aviation have been declared as joint winners.
The theme of the tableau of Ministry of Education & Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship was ‘National Education Policy’, while the tableau of Ministry of Civil Aviation was based on the theme ‘Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik’.

Note: The tableaux of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (CPWD), based on the theme ‘Subhash @125’ and the ‘Vande Bharatam’ dance group have been selected for the special prize category.

Popular Choice Awards

This year, for the first time, the general public was invited to vote for the best marching contingents and best tableaux in the popular choice category through the MyGov platform.

Best Marching Contingent

Among Three Services: Indian Air Force
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)/other Auxiliary Forces:Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

Best Tableau among States & UTs

First Place

Maharashtra was voted as the best Tableau among the States/UTs in the popular choice category. The tableau of Maharashtra was based on the theme ‘Biodiversity and State Bio-symbols of Maharashtra’.
The Maharashtra tableau had depicted five bio-diversity symbols of the state that include the state animal 'Shekru' or the Indian giant squirrel, the state bird 'Hariyal', state butterfly 'Blue Mormon', state flower 'Jarul' and the state tree 'Mango'.
It also showcased Icius tukarami – a new spider species named after Mumbai policeman Tukaram Ombale, who captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab during the 26/11 attack.

Second and Third Place

The second place went to Uttar Pradesh (popular choice), while the tableau of Jammu and Kashmir, on the theme ‘Changing face of Jammu & Kashmir’, finished third.

Best Tableau among Central Ministries/Departments

The tableau of Ministry of Communication/Department of Posts was adjudged as the best tableau. The theme of this tableau was ‘India Post: 75 years @ Resolve - Women Empowerment’.

India nominates Hoysala Temples for inscription in the World Heritage List

On 31st January 2022 three Hoysala temples - Chennakeshava Temple (Belur), Hoysaleswara Temple (Halebidu), and the Keshava Temple (Somanathapura) in Karnataka were nominated by India for consideration as World Heritage for the year 2022-2023.

The 'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala' are on UNESCO's Tentative list since 15th April, 2014 and represent one of the highest points of human creative genius and stand testimony to the rich historical and cultural heritage of our country.

Hoysala Empire

The Hoysala Empire ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur but was later moved to Halebidu.
The Hoysala era was an important period in the development of art, architecture, and religion in South India. The empire is remembered today primarily for Hoysala architecture.

Few Distinguished Features of Hoysala Architecture

Hoysala temples are hybrid or vesara in nature as their unique style seems neither completely Dravida nor Nagara, but somewhere in between.
Vimana (shikara) in pyramidal shape.
They are made out of soapstone which is a relatively soft stone that gives artists room for intricate design.
The temples come with star-like ground-plans and a profusion of decorative carvings.
The jagati around the temple is the open pradakshinapatha.

India gets back Goat-Headed Yogini Statue

A 10th century stone idol of goat-headed Yogini was handed over to India by the High Commission of India, London.
The idol was illegally removed from Uttar Pradesh's Banda from a temple in Lokhari.
The theft had taken place somewhere in the 1980s.
The goat-headed Yogini sculpture belonged to a group of stone deities carved in sandstone and installed in the Lokhari temple.
Notably, another similar sculpture of the buffalo-headed Vrishanana Yogini was stolen from the same temple in Lokhari and was recovered by India in the year 2013. It was repatriated by the Embassy of India in Paris.
Yoginis are a group of powerful female divinities associated with the Tantric mode of worship. They are worshipped as a group, often 64, and are believed to possess infinite powers.

‘Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar’: First ever Cultural Survey of India’s Villages

The Union Ministry of Culture is going to survey the cultural aspects of Indian villages.
It has partnered with the Common Services Centres (CSC), a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), to undertake the first ever cultural survey of India’s villages.
The survey titled ‘Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar’ seeks to document the cultural identity at the village level by involving citizens to share what makes their village, block, or district unique.
CSC will develop a mobile application and train the VLEs in conducting the survey.
Over 4 lakh Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), managing the CSCs across the country, will conduct the survey in 6.38 lakh villages and upload the details on to the application.
VLEs will conduct meetings with citizens at the villages and then upload interesting facts about their village, its places of interest, customs and traditions, famous personalities, festivals and beliefs, art and culture, etc., on the application.

Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity

The Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity during its 16th session being held at Paris, France, from 13th to 18th December 2021.

The Committee commended Durga Puja for its initiatives to involve marginalized groups, and individuals as well as women in their participation in safeguarding the element.
Intangible Cultural Heritage: Intangible cultural heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated with them that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as a part of their cultural heritage.
Its relevance is not in the cultural manifestation itself, but in the wealth of knowledge, know-how and skills that are transmitted from one generation to the next.
Significance: This is a recognition of the confluence of our rich heritage, culture, rituals and practices and a celebration of the feminine divinity and the spirit of womanhood.
India’s ICH Elements: With the inscription of Durga Puja in Kolkata, India now has 14 intangible cultural heritage elements on the prestigious UNESCO Representative List of ICH of Humanity.
Recent Additions: The ICH elements that saw inscriptions in recent years are Kumbh Mela (inscribed 2017), Yoga (inscribed 2016) among others.
India is a signatory of the 2003 UNESCO Convention which aims for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage along with traditions and living expression.

Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum

On 22nd November 2021, Union Home Minister laid foundation stone for setting up the Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum at Luangkao village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district.

About Rani Gaidinliu

Rani Gaidinliu was born on January 26, 1915 at Nungkao village in Tamenglong district of Manipur.
She was a spiritual and political leader who belonged to the Rongmei tribe of Manipur.
At the age of 13, she joined the freedom movement and later spearheaded the socio-political movement to drive out the British.
In 1932, she was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. She spent 14 years in jail and was released only after India’s Independence in 1947.
In 1972, she was awarded Tamara Patra by the Government of India for her contribution to the freedom movement. She also received the Padma Bhushan in 1982.