History, Art & Culture: August 2022 Current Affairs | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Lingaraj Temple

• Devotees were seen queuing up inside the Lingaraj temple to offer holy water.

Key Points

• Lingaraj Temple, built in 11th century AD, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is considered as the largest temple of the city Bhubaneswar (Odisha).
• It is believed to have been built by the Somvanshi King Yayati I.
• It is built in red stone and is a classic example of Kalinga style of architecture.
  • The temple is divided into four sections - Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum), Yajna Shala (the hall for prayers), Bhoga Mandap (the hall of offering) and Natya Shala (hall of dance).
• The sprawling temple complex has one hundred and fifty subsidiary shrines.
• Lingaraj is referred to as ‘Swayambhu' – self-originated Shivling.
• Another important aspect of the temple is that it signifies the syncretisation of Shaivism and Vaishnavism sects in Odisha.
  • Perhaps the rising cult of Lord Jagannath (considered an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) which coincided with the completion of the Lingaraja Temple had a role to play.
  • The presiding deity in the Temple is known as Hari-Hara; Hari denotes Lord Vishnu and Hara meaning Lord Shiva.
• The temple is out of bounds for non-Hindus.
• The other attraction of the temple is the Bindusagar Lake, located in the north side of the temple.
• On the western banks of Bindusagar, lies the garden of Ekamra Van named after the Hindu mythological texts where Bhubaneswar the capital city of Odisha was referred as Ekamra Van or a forest of a single mango tree.
• Other Important Monuments in Odisha:
  • Konark Sun Temple (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
  • Jagannath Temple
  • Tara Tarini Temple
  • Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves

Kalinga Architecture

• About:
  • The Indian temples are broadly divided into Nagara, Vesara, Dravida and Gadag styles of architecture.
  • However, the temple architecture of Odisha corresponds to altogether a different category for their unique representations called Kalinga style of temple architecture.
  • This style broadly comes under the Nagara style.
• The Architecture:
  • In Kalinga Architecture, basically a temple is made in two parts, a tower and a hall. The tower is called deula and the hall is called jagmohan.
  • The walls of both the deula and the jagmohan are lavishly sculpted with architectural motifs and a profusion of figures.
  • The most repeated form is the horseshoe shape, which has come from the earliest times, starting with the large windows of the chaitya-grihas.
  • It is the deula which makes three distinct types of temples in Kalinga Architecture:
    • Rekha Deula.
    • Pidha Deula.
    • Khakhara Deula.
• The former two are associated with Vishnu, Surya and Shiva temples while the third is mainly with Chamunda and Durga temples.
• The Rekha Deula and Khakhara Deula houses the sanctum sanctorum while the Pidha Deula constitutes outer dancing and offering halls.

Qutub Minar

Key Points

• It is a five-storeyed red sandstone tower (72.5 m high) built by Muslim conquerors in the thirteenth century to commemorate their final triumph over the Rajput rulers of Delhi (Qutub means victory), while also serving as a tower from where muezzins (criers) call for prayer at the Quwwatu’l-Islam mosque nearby.
  • A 7 m-high iron pillar stands in the courtyard of the mosque.
• Its surrounding contains Alai-Darwaza Gate, the masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art (built in 1311).
• The building process of Qutub Minar took about 75 years. Its construction was started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak (1206-1210) in 1193 and finished by Iltutmish (1211-1236).
  • In 1368, it was repaired by the rulers of the day, Muhammad-bin-Tughluq (1325-51) and Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-88).
• The minar (tower) is engraved with fine arabesque decorations on its surface, mainly verses from the Quran.
• Qutub Minar and its monuments were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Yakshagana

• The all-night Yakshagana performances by more than a century-old theatre troupe ‘Kateel Durgaparameshwari Prasadita Yakshagana Mandali’ will be changed to a short duration format in the background of the recent Karnataka government circular which has banned the use of loudspeakers during night time.

Yakshagana

• Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form of Karnataka.
• It is a temple art form that depicts mythological stories and Puranas.
• It is performed with massive headgears, elaborate facial make-up and vibrant costumes and ornaments.
• Usually recited in Kannada, it is also performed in Malayalam as well as Tulu (the dialect of south Karnataka).
• It is performed with percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or elathalam (small cymbals).

To read more information on Dance forms:

• Nitin Singhania: Summary of Indian Dance Forms

Ministry of Culture Releases The Third Comic Book on Stories of 20 Tribal Freedom Fighters

• The Ministry of Culture has released the third Comic book on stories of 20 Tribal Freedom Fighters on 2nd August at Tiranga Utsav celebration in New Delhi.
• This collection of stories recalls the sacrifices of some of the bravest men and women who inspired their tribes and gave up their lives to fight British rule.

The tribal freedom fighters, who were unsung heroes of freedom struggle,  and whose stories have been included are as follows:

• Tilka Majhi: He rebelled against the atrocities of the British East India Company.
  • He mobilized the Pahadia tribe to which he belonged and raided the Company treasury. He was hanged.
• Thalakkal Chanthu of the Kurichiyar tribe: It was an invaluable part of Pazhassi Raja’s war against the East India Company. He was hanged.
• Budhu Bhagat of the Oraon tribe: He was shot down in one of his many encounters with the British, along with his brother, seven sons and 150 men from his tribe.
• Tirot Singh, a Khasi chief: He realized the duplicity of the British and waged war against them. He was captured, tortured and imprisoned. He died in prison.
• Raghoji Bhangre: He belonged to the Mahadeo Koli tribe. He revolted against the British  and continued his struggle even though his mother was imprisoned. He was captured and hanged.
• Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu from the Santhal community: Revolted against the British and their stooges. They led the Santhal in the Hul rebellion.
  • Both were betrayed, caught and hanged.
• Rendo Manjhi and Chakra Bisoi of the Khond tribe: They objected to the British interfering in their customs.
  • Rendo was caught and hanged while Chakra Bisoi became a fugitive and died in hiding.
• The Indian Uprising in Meerut: Nilambar and Pitamber who belonged to the Bhogta clan of the Kharwar tribe were inspired to revolt and led their people to rise up against British oppression. They were both captured and hanged.
• Ramji Gond of the Gond tribe: Theyrose against the feudal system by which wealthy landlords oppressed the poor with the support of the British. He was caught and hanged.
• Telanga Kharia of the Kharia tribe: He refused to accept the tax system of the British and their governance.
  • He insisted that they follow their traditional method of self-governance and organized raids on the treasury. He was betrayed and shot dead
• Tantiya Bhil, known as the Robin Hood of the Central Provinces: Robbed trains carrying British wealth and distributed it among his tribe, the Bhils. He was trapped and hanged.
• Major Paona Brajabashi of Manipur: He fought to defend the kingdom of Manipur.
  • He was the hero of the Anglo-Manipur war. He fought like a lion but was overpowered and beheaded.
• Birsa Munda, of the Munda tribe, became a legend in his opposition to the British.
  • He led the Mundas in a series of confrontations with them. He was caught and imprisoned and according to British records, died of cholera. He was 25 years old when he died.
• Matmur Jamoh of the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh: He rebelled against the arrogance of the British. He and his companions surrendered to the British as their villages were being burnt. They were sent to the Cellular Jail and died there.
• Tana Bhagat of the Oraon tribe: He was inspired by a divine vision to preach to his people and make them aware of the exploitation of their British overlords. He was caught and tortured severely. He was released, a broken man, and died subsequently.
• Malati Mem of the Tea-garden community: was inspired to join Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha movement. She fought against the British monopoly over opium and educated her people about the dangers of opium addiction. During an encounter with the police, she was shot dead.
• Laxman Naik of the Bhuyan tribe: was also inspired by Gandhi and campaigned extensively to get tribes to join the freedom movement. The British framed him for the killing of a friend and he was hanged to death.
• Helen Lepcha of the Lepcha tribe: was an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Her influence over her people made the British restless. She was shot at, imprisoned and hounded but she never lost courage.
  • In 1941 she helped Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose escape from house arrest and travel to Germany. She was awarded the Tamra Patra for her invaluable contribution to the freedom struggle.
• Pulimaya Devi Podar: heard Gandhi when she was in school and wanted to join the freedom struggle immediately.
  • Despite stiff opposition from her family she joined the movement after her studies and encouraged women to join her.
  • She was imprisoned for her participation in protests.
  • After independence she continued to serve her people and was awarded the title of ‘Swatantra Sainani’.

Recalling ‘Quit India Movement’

The causes:

• Involvement of India in World War II without prior consultation with the leaders
• Failure of Cripps Mission
  • The British sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India to gain the cooperation of India, which failed because the Cripps Mission offered India not complete freedom but the Dominion Status to India, along with the partition.
• Shortage of essential commodities
  • There was widespread discontent due to the shortage of essential commodities and rising prices of salt, rice, etc., and commandeering of boats in Bengal and Orissa.
• Prevalence of anti-British sentiment
  • The sentiments were widely anti-British, and the masses were demanding complete independence from the British Government.
• Centralisation of many small movements

Phases of Quit India Movement

• First phase: The first phase of the movement had no violence. It began with civil disobedience, boycotts, and strikes that the British Government quickly suppressed. Almost all members of the Congress Committee, including Gandhiji, were arrested and kept in Jail till 1945 without any trial.
• Second phase: In its second phase, the movement shifted to the countryside. The second phase of the movement took a violent and aggressive turn. Any building or offices which were the symbol of the colonial authority was attacked and distracted. Communication systems, railway stations & tracks, telegraph poles and wires were also targeted.
• Third and last phase: In the last phase of the movement, there was the formation of many independent national or parallel governments in the isolated pockets of the country, such as Ballia, Satara, Tamluk, etc.

Successes of the Quit India Movement

• Women empowerment
  • This movement had the active participation of women of the country.
  • Aruna Asif Ali hoisted the national flag on the Gowalia tank maidan; Usha Mehta, on the other hand, helped set up the underground radio station to spread awareness about the movement.
• Rise of future leaders
  • This movement also gave some future prominent leaders such as Biju Patnaik, Aruna Asif Ali, Ram Manohar Lohia, Sucheta Kriplani, J.P. Narayan, etc. These leaders were helping the movement through underground activities.
• Rise of nationalism
  • A greater sense of unity and brotherhood emerged due to the Quit India Movement.

Failure of the Quit India Movement

• Britishers were supported by the Princely States, British Indian Army, Indian Civil Services, Viceroy’s Council (which had Indians in the majority), All India Muslim League, Indian Imperial Police
• The Hindu Mahasabha, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) & Muslim League also opposed the Quit India Movement.

To read more information on this topic:

• Spectrum: Summary of Quit India movement, Demand for Pakistan and the INA