Culture: 8.1. Mini Khajuraho

8.
CULTURE
8.1. MINI KHAJURAHO
Why in news?
The Archaeological Survey of India is restoring the
Markandeshwar group of temples in the
Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
Details
• This group of temples were built between the
9th and 12th centuries and may have had up
to 24 different temples.
• It gets its name from the main temple
dedicated to Lord Shiva called
Markandeshwar or Markandadeo temple,
which lies in Markanda village on the banks of
the Wainganga river.
• They are famously known as the ‘mini
Khajuraho’ or ‘Khajuraho of Vidarbha’. They
belong to saiva, vaishnava and sakti faith.
• The temples belong to the Nagara group of
temples of North India.
• It is believed that a lightning strike about 200
years ago led to the partial collapse of the
shikhara. Then a Gond ruler about 120 years
ago tried to restore the temple.
8.2. AWARDS BY SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI

Why in news?
Recently, the Sangeet Natak Akademi has announced multiple awards.
About Sangeet Natak Akademi
• It was the first national academy of arts setup by the Government of India in 1952. It is registered as a
society under the Societies Registration Act, 1986.
• It functions as the apex body of the performing arts in the country, preserving and promoting the vast
intangible heritage of India's diverse culture expressed in the forms of music, dance and drama.
• The academy also collaborates with international organisation like the UNESCO to save the cultural heritage
of the country.
• Awards by Sangeet Natak Akademi
o The Fellowship of the Akademi is the most prestigious and rare honor, which is restricted to 40 numbers
at any given time. This year it has been awarded to: Zakir Hussain (Tabla), Sonal Mansingh
(Bharatnatyam and odissi), Jatin Goswami (Sattriya) and K.Kalyanasundaram Pillai (Bharatnatyam).
o Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards: forty-four artists from the field of Music, Dance, Theatre, Traditional/
arts forms etc. have been awarded this year.
o The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is conferred upon artists with the objective of identifying and
encouraging outstanding young talents in diverse fields of performing arts and giving them national
recognition early in their life. It is open to all Indian nationals upto 40 years of age. It would not be given
posthumously.
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8.3. INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES
Why in news? Related Information
2019 is the United Nations' International Year of Indigenous • The University Grants Commission
Languages. (UGC) has a scheme for 'Establishment
of Centres for Endangered Languages'
More on news under which centres were approved in
respect of nine Central universities.
• Papua New Guinea has the highest number of 'living'
• UGC has also invited proposals from
indigenous languages in the world (840), while India stands universities for establishment of
fourth with 453. Department of Devanagari Lipi (script)
• Among regions, Asia and Africa account for the highest in universities with a view to preserve
number of indigenous languages (over 70% of the total). dialects, which do not have a written
• According to UNESCO's 'Atlas of the World's Languages in script in Devanagari.
Danger', 228 languages have become extinct since 1950.
• About 10% of the languages are classified 'vulnerable', while another 10% are 'critically endangered'.
• In India, five languages have become extinct since 1950, while 42 are critically endangered.
• The Central Government is implementing ‘Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages of India'
(SPEEL)’ for protection, preservation and documentation of all mother tongues and languages of India, which
are spoken by less than 10,000 people.
o Dialects are also covered under this programme.
o It is being implemented by Mysore-based Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL).
8.4. JAIPUR GETS WORLD HERITAGE STATUS

Why in news?
Recently, the Pink City, Jaipur got the UNESCO World Benefits of UNESCO Heritage tag to the Pink city:
For a city to be designated as world heritage under
Heritage status.
UNESCO, it has to
Background • Be of ‘outstanding universal value’,
• In 2017, old Ahmedabad was India’s first city to • Needs to commit to protect and conserve its
heritage.
win the ‘heritage city’ tag.
In case of Jaipur, the challenge has been balancing
• With Jaipur's inclusion, the number of heritage heritage conservation with a growing city and the
sites across India that are on the UNESCO World phenomena of Urbanisation.
Heritage list, has grown to 38, including 30 cultural • The Heritage tag has led to several initiatives for
properties, 7 natural properties and 1 mixed site. protection and conservation of Jaipur, as committed
• India had proposed the nomination of Jaipur as an to UNESCO.
"exceptional urban example in indigenous city • Since progress on Jaipur conservation works now
planning and construction in South Asia". requires periodic reporting to the UNESCO World
Heritage Committee, it places the ongoing planning,
About Jaipur- City Planning projects and commitments on a mission mode to be
• The fortified city of Jaipur, in India's north western completed by December 2021.
state of Rajasthan was founded in 1727 by Sawai • The new recognition would boost tourism and
Jai Singh II. benefit the local economy.
o Jaipur is distinguished for its exemplary
development in town planning and architecture of the late medieval period.
o Unlike other cities in the region located in hilly terrain, Jaipur was established on the plain and built
according to a grid plan interpreted in the light of Vedic architecture.
o The city's urban planning shows an exchange of ideas from ancient Hindu and modern Mughal as well as
Western cultures.
• Designed to be a commercial capital, the city has maintained its local commercial, artisanal and cooperative
traditions to this day.
• Jaipur boasts of vibrant intangible culture and heritage reflected in it being preferred tourism destination
owing to its iconic monuments such as the Govind Dev temple, Amer Fort, City Palace, Jantar Mantar and
Hawa Mahal among many.

8.5. CULTURAL FESTIVAL IN NEWS
Festival State Details
Kharchi Tripura • It is week-long festival celebrated at Chaturdash Devata Mandir (14 Gods temple),
festival Old Agartala, Tripura to worship fourteen gods and mother earth.
• The Puja is performed to wash out the sins and to clean the post menstrual phase
of mother earth’s menstruation.
• It is performed 15 days after Ambubachi (annual festival held at Kamakhya temple,
Assam).
• On the day of the Puja, the fourteen gods are carried to river Saidra .
• Earlier, the kings of Tripura offered pujas to the 14 Gods and Goddesses, but later it
became the festival of common people.
• Animal sacrifice is also an important part of this festival and includes sacrificing of
goats and pigeons.
Ashadhi Gujarat • Ashadh Bij or Kutchi New Year is a distinguished culture where arrival of rain is
Bij celebrated.
• Kutchi community in Kutch region (desert area) of Gujarat observes Kutchi New
Year as per an indigenous calendar.
• Ganesha, Lakshmi and other regional deities are worshipped on this occasion.
• During Ashadhi-beej, they check the moisture in the atmosphere to help predict
which crop would do best in coming monsoon.

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8.

8.2. AWARDS BY SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI

80 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

8.4. JAIPUR GETS WORLD HERITAGE STATUS

81 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

82 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

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