Prelims 2020 Current Affairs Revision History, Art & Culture (May - December 2019) Click Here for Prelims 2020 CA Revision Environment, Economy, Social Justice, Polity & Governance, Science & Technology www.skholar.com Table of Contents Lingdum monastery................................................... 20 Art and Architecture ........................................................ 4 Saptamatrika cult Inscription................................... 21 Buddhist Sites .............................................................. 4 Festivals .......................................................................... 22 Traditional water preservation systems ................... 4 Tawang festival .......................................................... 22 Pothamala Menhirs ..................................................... 4 Kharchi Festival .......................................................... 22 Fossils in the Kutch desert ......................................... 5 Pushkar Camel Fair ................................................... 22 Kondapalli Toys ............................................................ 5 Aadi Mahotsav ........................................................... 22 Kolam Art ...................................................................... 6 Hornbill Festival ......................................................... 23 Keeladi Excavations .................................................... 6 Ashadhi Bij Festival ................................................... 23 Markandeshwar temple .............................................. 7 Losar Festival ............................................................. 23 Graves of Chalukyan kings ......................................... 8 Ambubachi Mela ........................................................ 23 Gottiprolu Excavation .................................................. 8 Kheerbhawani Mela ................................................... 24 Sulawesi paintings ....................................................... 8 Chamliyal Mela ........................................................... 24 Ajanta and Ellora caves ............................................... 8 Mandu Festival ........................................................... 24 Vivekananda Rock Memorial ..................................... 9 Historical Events ............................................................ 25 Gupta period Idols ........................................................ 9 Tiananmen Square Protests .................................... 25 Mamallapuram ........................................................... 10 Dixon Plan (1950) ...................................................... 25 Chaukhandi Stupa ...................................................... 10 Velvet Revolution ....................................................... 25 Stucco Statue ............................................................. 11 Nehru-Liaqat Pact ...................................................... 25 Vishwa Shanti Stupa .................................................. 11 Partition of India ........................................................ 26 Ugratara Temple ........................................................ 12 Personalities ................................................................... 27 Paintings and Crafts ...................................................... 13 Sri Vedanta Desikan .................................................. 27 Pattachitra paintings ................................................. 13 Guru Nanak Dev ......................................................... 27 Karikiyoor Rock Paintings ........................................ 13 Dr. B. R. Ambedkar .................................................... 28 Pashmina Textile ....................................................... 13 Maharaja Surajmal..................................................... 28 Gamosa cloths ........................................................... 14 Hansaben Mehta ........................................................ 28 GI Tags......................................................................... 14 Subramanian Bharathi .............................................. 29 Music and Dance forms ................................................ 16 Thiruvalluvar ............................................................... 29 Assamese Bhaona ..................................................... 16 Muhammad Iqbal ....................................................... 29 Thudumbattam ........................................................... 17 Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar ..................................... 29 Language and Literature ............................................... 18 Dadabhai Naoroji ....................................................... 30 Indus Valley Script ..................................................... 18 Sree Narayana Guru .................................................. 30 Marsiya Poetry ........................................................... 18 Schemes and Initiatives ................................................ 31 Sign Language Dictionary ......................................... 18 Paryatan Parv 2019 ................................................... 31 Travelogues on Ayodhya .......................................... 19 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2019 31 Classical language status......................................... 19 Iconic Tourist Sites Initiative ................................... 31 Religion and Philosophy ............................................... 20 Adopt a Heritage scheme ......................................... 32 Schools of Buddhism ................................................ 20 National Mission on Natural Language Translation ...................................................................................... 32 Gurbani and Shabad Kirtan ....................................... 20 www.skholar.com www.skholar.com SPPEL .......................................................................... 33 Khon Ramlila............................................................... 37 JATAN software ......................................................... 34 Awards ......................................................................... 38 Jaipur- World Heritage Site ...................................... 34 Institutions ...................................................................... 39 Rakhigarhi Project ..................................................... 35 National Institute of Sowa Rigpa ............................. 39 UNESCO Creative Cities Network ............................ 36 CCRT ............................................................................ 39 World Monument Watch list ..................................... 36 National Maritime Heritage Museum ..................... 40 Indian Culture Portal .................................................. 37 Imphal Peace Museum ............................................. 40 www.skholar.com www.skholar.com Art and Architecture Buddhist Sites 1. Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda Sites are situated near Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh). They were built between the 4th and 9th century AD. 2. These sites are among the most important Buddhist sites in South Asia because they feature elements from three schools of Buddhism, namely Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Bojjannakonda 1. Bojjannakonda was excavated in 1906 by Alexander Rea, a British archaeologist. 2. It is a rock-cut cave and has a stupa that is surrounded by 16 pillars. 3. This cave has several statues of the Buddha in different postures, though most of them are defaced. 4. Atop the hill is a huge platform made of bricks and surrounded by 52 viharas, that were used for meditation by the monks. These are surrounded by several small stupas. Lingalakonda 1. It has over 250 rock-cut stupas. 2. Stupas are arranged in the descending order of size. About Stupas 1. Stupas were burial ground prevalent in India from the Vedic Period. 2. Although a Vedic tradition, it was popularised by the Buddhists. 3. After the death of Buddha, many stupas were erected. 4. 8 stupas have the relics of Buddha. Traditional water preservation systems 1. Recently the Central Water Commission has warned that Water storage in reservoirs of most States of west and south India has dipped to less than the average of last 10 years. 2. In relation with it, it is imperative to take a glance on water conservation systems developed in the history of India. 3. Historical evidences such as Images, rituals, cultural practices etc. displays the community ownership of the water resources. 4. Women has important role in building water bodies and keeping them clean for centuries. For Example, Rani Ki Vav in Patan, Gujarat, and the Rani and Padam Sagar in Jodhpur. 5. There is the mention in a Kaifiyat (an early colonial document on land holdings) of a Devadasi building a tank in Yagati, and Nagamandala in Karnataka. 6. Dances on special ‘Ganga Geet’ songs are performed by Women to create awareness on water conservation. 7. The sanctity and hygiene of the water is extended to the sacred realm in several regions. For example, there is a pre-monsoon ritual called Lasipa in Rajasthan. The entire village gathers, cleans, mends and desilt all water bodies. 8. The ancient Apatani tribe of the Ziro valley in Arunachal practice the wet rice cum fish cultivation. This system consists of various waste recycling techniques. 9. Heritage knowledge on irrigation is also practiced in