Indian History - A journey of rediscovery and redemption

[Marathaman]

Great thread Licit!

[Licit Mortal]

Glad, you are enjoying this thread.

[Licit Mortal]

Ancient Brassieres

Turns out that Wonder-bra is not a fashion of the twentieth century alone! In this historically authentic pictures and references, Dr. (Mrs.) Jyotsna Kamat discusses the blouses and brassieres of ancient India.
Line drawings by K. L. Kamat.

Although majority of female figures in ancient Indian sculptures are devoid of a blouse, there are several instances of ancient Indian women wearing brassieres. The first historical reference to brassieres in India is found during the rule of king Harshavardhana (1st century) in Kashmir. The half-sleeved tight bodice or kanchuka figures prominently in the literature of the period. From Basavapurana (1237 A.D.), we learn that kanchukas were worn by young girls as well. The Somanathacharita speaks of an aged harlot who used a special blouse to hold up her drooping breasts. Poet Harihara refers to wearing of tight white clothes (bigidudisi) before throwing of a shawl embroidered with gold, over the shoulders. Sewn brassieres and blouses were very much in vogue during the Vijayanagar empire and the cities brimmed with tailors (chippiga) who specialized in tight fitting of garments.

Tailored brassieres were popular during the Vijayanagar period, 14th century

The Leelavati Prabhanda mentions a kind of brassier prevalent in 10th century. While no pictures or detailed descriptions of it are found, a sculpture of the time has just a narrow strip to cover the nipples.

Medieval padded brassier

In a medieval sculpture from Karnataka, a brassier is sculpted around a deity (shown below) that appears to have been made up of thick cotton. Regularly sewn brassieres of cup-like shape are also found; some others appear to be propped up by ornaments.

Ornamental Brassier
Line drawing based on a temple sculpture.
The necklace is disguised as the support to hold up the cups




Women in Undergarments
Careful inspection of this 16th century sculpture shows hooks on the blouses of the women!


Woman Doorkeeper from a Goan Temple
Notice the strap of cloth the artist has depicted on this ancient sculpture. Is that a bra?


Brassiere from a Medieval Sculpture


Beauty Puts on a Brassiere (?)
Sculpture from Khajuraho

Source

[Licit Mortal]

Social Life in Medieval Karnataka by Dr. Jyotsna Kamat

Foreword

by C. Sivaramamurti

I have gone through the manuscript 'Social Life in Medieval Karnataka' by Dr. Jyotsna K. Kamat. The manuscript, a very interesting one, well documented, is a very useful contribution towards the cultural history of India. As can be seen from her bibliographical notes, she has taken great pains to consult freely literary works of the period, as well as epigraphical literature. She has drawn from Sanskrit and Prakrit sources, accounts of foreign travellers, as well as from Kannada literature. This interesting study of hers is illustrated by the sculptural wealth of the period, mainly drawn from Chalukyan and Hoysala monuments.

Years ago, I had felt it was absolutely necessary that some young scholar should take up the Manasollasa of king Somesvara for a special study of medieval Deccan. This encyclopaedic work, from which a very interesting chapter has been freely drawn for understanding painting, metal casting, iconography and other studies pertaining to the silpa in Medieval India, has for a long time remained unexplored for all the rest of the most valuable information that it offers. This encyclopaedic work along with several other important books has been made use of by Mrs. Kamat to great advantage. The very opening chapter pertaining to food and drinks is bound to reward the perusal of one who desires to know the food habits of the South, how they were derived and how they have survived till the present day, in most items of eatables, which a thousand years ago were still enjoyed by the people of the time in this area in a startlingly similar manner. An unbroken succession of a mode of life, habits, usages, outlook and environmental prediction thus becomes an established fact. Similarly, in the chapter on cosmetics, dress and ornaments, she has almost given a long commentary on several lines of Bana and Kalidasa, so to say, regarding such items. The verse in the Meghaduta, ending ekas sute sakalam abalamandanam kalpavrikshah, has been made very vivid here. Bana has an elaborate description of the bath of a prince but Mrs. Kamat has gone a step further to delve into the details of all the ingredients used for making bath as pleasant as possible. Modes of prasadhana of which poets have given such magnificent descriptions, and sculptors and painters illustrations, as, for instance, the mandana of Sundari in Sundaranada and Gandhara carving are again here wonderfully elaborated. She has gone into the details of dress and jewellery. Kshemendra and Rajasekhara have drawn distinctions in modes of dress in different parts of India like the tight bodice of the Gujarat damsel and the bare-breasted one from the Dravida area. She has here dealt with special peculiarities in dress, designs and patterns of embroidery on cloth worn. She has also discussed special forms of sartorial equipment. The adornment of the braid which has been so beautifully represented in Hoysala sculptures has not escaped her attention as she has documented it from literary sources focusing on its colour effect as well. She has gone into details of footwear, another very interesting feature. Equally interesting is her description of ornaments. One can recall that in the Tamil country, during Chola times, almost an encyclopaedic variety of ornaments is mentioned in Rajaraja's inscriptions in the Brihadesvara temple. Dr. Kamat has given an excellent picture of the jewelry of the time.

In the Mrichchakatika, there is at least one interesting fact admitted by Sakara that Vyayama or exercise is good for health. Sports and games and pastimes in the Deccan about this period are elaborately described, making the chapter both interesting and instructive.

We know from history and are glad actually to have a portrait of the great queen of Vishnuvardhana, Shantala, who was a learned and versatile as she was tolerant. Dr. Kamat gives a number of examples of princesses and queens who were distinguished in learning, patrons of literature and art, heroic in spirit and could raise the position of women to admirable heights. This chapter also is a very instructive and important one. She has specially laid stress on the capacity of women to associate themselves with administration, statecraft and even to give a lead in heroic battles.

Mrs. Kamat has illustrated the material not only with literary documentation but also with innumerable sketches based on the sculptural wealth available in monuments of this period in the area. I congratulate Dr. Kamat on a very commendable performance.

C. Sivaramamurti
Former Director, National Museum
New Delhi.

Introduction

Historians usually give much importance to political events and the study of social life is often ignored. In a democratic set-up, it is the people who matter more than those who rule or govern. The social history of our country in general and of Karnataka in particular has not been brought out so far as an independent study except as a small part of political history. The present study of a few aspects of social life in medieval Karnataka attempts to give a clear picture of our heritage. It covers four centuries, namely, 1000-1400 A.D. and is restricted mainly to the nineteen districts of Karnataka State. It is based on path of my dissertation submitted to the Karnataka University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

However, the size of the Karnataka Empire has changed from time to time and at times it was much bigger than the present State. During the period under study, the territory or part of it was governed by the Chalukyas of Kalyani (973-1200 A.D.), the Kalachuris (1156-1183 A.D.), the Yadavas (1175-1312 A.D.) and the Hoysalas (1022-1348 A.D.). The social life of the people has evolved over a long period of time and it is therefore almost impossible to draw a demarcating line between preceding and succeeding dynasties. Before the Chalukyas of Kalyani, the Rashtrakutas were in power and the latter part of the fourteenth century saw the rise of another powerful empire, that of Vijayanagara. A few references to everyday life under these dynasties have thus become inevitable.

Traditional historical sources by themselves do not provide much information regarding social life. Literary sources --Sanskrit and Kannada, accounts of travelers, sculptures and paintings, besides inscriptions have been drawn upon for this work. Following is a brief account of the utilized sources.

It was customary for the contemporary scholars to study and write in Sanskrit, irrespective of the language of their own region. The Agni Purana, an encyclopedic work, written in the ninth century, has an all-India relevance. It encompasses much of the available knowledge of the time and deals with a variety of subjects like statecraft, elephant lore, medicine, military science, cookery and cosmetics, though dealing mainly with religious rites. Somadeva Suri of Karnataka wrote Yasastilaka Champu (c.959 A.D.), a classic on Jaina philosophy of life. It contains references to flora and fauna of the country, besides several facets of social and political life of the period. Bilhana from Kashmir was a court poet of the Chalukya king, Vikramaditya VI, and wrote his master's biography Vikramankadevacharita. Though it is written in traditional Kavya style and is mainly a literary piece, it provides readers with factual information of court life and festivities, as also outdoor activities of the king and his retinue. Not hailing from Karnataka, Bilhana could observe and note with keen interest certain customs peculiar to the region which normally would have been missed by a native litterateur. Poet-historian Kalhana of Kashmir (12th century A. D.) deals with cultural links between Kashmir and Karnataka, and describes the fashions and coinage from Karnataka introduced by king Harsha in his own country. Chalukya king Somesvara III (1126-1138 A.D.) wrote Manasollasa or Abhilashitartha Chintamani as a handbook of all knowledge for the princes. It deals with many subjects which an ideal king ought to know-from architecture to music and cookery to Kamasastra. Divided into one hundred chapters, it throws light on the contemporary life of the royalty and the nobility, fashions of the elite, their amusements and pastimes. The techniques for the manufacture of unguents as described in this work have been more or less the same as those given in the Agni Purana.

Among Kannada literary sources, Vaddaradhana (c. 900-1070 A.D.) while dealing with tenets of Jainism, gives details about social customs, education of women and refers to certain savouries which have come down to us over the centuries. The Vikramarjunavijayam or Pampabharata and the Adipurana of Pampa (10th century A.D.) give glimpses of court life, amusements and pastimes and of the educational system prevalent in that age. The Lokopakara of Chavundaraya (1025 A.D.) is a vade-mecum of everyday life for commoners and describes cookery, plant protection, medicine, perfumery and cosmetics, besides veterinary science. The Jaina poet Brahmasiva, in his Samayaparikshe, has criticized certain social customs of other religions while upholding his own. Nayasena, another Jaina, has served the same purpose humorously in his work, Dharmamrita. Incidentally, he refers to the status of women in Jainism. In the Vachanas or pithy sayings, Basavesvara, the revolutionary saint, criticises several superstitions of that age and advocates reformation. In the Ragalegalu or blank verse innovated by Harihara (c. 1185-1280 A.D.), glimpses of social gatherings, dance-dramas, fashions in dress and use of cosmetics are given. Nemichandra (c. 1100 A.D.) tells about amusements and leisurely life of the time in his Lilavatiprabandha. The Somanathacharitra of Raghavanka (1200 A.D.) speaks of certain contemporary social customs of the Virasaiva and Jaina communities and the life of courtesans. The Anantanathapurana of Janna (1200 A.D.) refers to court life, sports and amusements. In the Parsvanathapurana of Parsva, a description of dress of different strata of society is found. Choundarasa's Nalachampu tells of dress, ornaments and feasts arranged on the ocassion of a wedding. The Padmaraja-purana of Padmarasa and the Basava-purana of Bhima, both Virasaiva works of the fourteenth century, describe music and dance performances, life in the harems and houses of courtesans and the elite.

The Prakrit work Akhyanakamanikosa of Nemichandra Suri (c. 1073-1083 A.D.) throws light on the dress, food, sports, and pastimes, traders and their activities and corroborates details found in Kannada classics.

Travelers from foreign countries have left behind interesting social data. Alberuni (1030 A.D.) gives some characteristics of the South though he did not visit it. Marco Polo (1292 A.D.) traveled in parts of South India and has left authentic information. Ibn Batuta (1336-1342 A.D.) actually traveled in Karnataka and has vividly described food, dress and other social customs of the time.

Though the inscriptions are written historical documents on stone, regarding dates, deeds and donations of rulers and chieftains, one has to be cautious while using them for social history. Most of them were erected to glorify certain individuals or events, mainly donations and hence are bound to contain exaggerations. It is, therefore, necessary to read in between the lines and draw one's won conclusions. It is also an extremely difficult and painstaking work to collect a word or a line from volumes of inscriptions and sift useful information. However, part of the most interesting and authentic information comes from this source. They tell us about women who distinguished themselves as administrators, philanthropists, patrons of education and about those who faced death bravely.

Most of the sculptors and painters of the time have depicted mythological themes in their creative and imaginary art. But on close scrutiny, one will be surprised to find social themes hidden in these art treasures. Some of these exclusively depict social scenes and others form part of a story. Some are exclusively executed and some are very crude; a few are just miniatures which a casual visitor may hardly observe.

My husband, Dr. K.L. Kamat, has taken extreme pains to visit different temples of the period, some in remote parts of Karnataka and has taken extensive photographs of figures in stone, depicting social themes. He has later drawn line drawings based on these photographs. These drawings are true to the original sculptures. All sculptures do not have the same artistic value.

In order to enhance readability, footnotes have been given where found necessary. Kannada and Sanskrit passages have been translated into simple English; at times original Kannada and Sanskrit words are given in parentheses. The material has been divided under different titles and sub-titles. All the illustrations are numbered serially and relevant numbers are incorporated in the text itself.

I am grateful to Dr. G.S. Dikshit without whose encouragement and guidance this work would not have been completed. I am beholden to Dr. C. Sivaramamurti for his keen interest in my work and for his scholarly Foreword which has embellished my book.

I shall be failing in my duty if I do not acknowledge assistance from my father, Shri G.V. Burde, throughout my work and from my cousin Shri D.R. Amladi, Assistant Director of Archives, Maharashtra State, who took upon himself the sole responsibility of going through my manuscript and made valuable suggestions. I should also be grateful to my husband Dr. K.L. Kamat for all the illustrations and art work for my book.

Shri Shakti Malik of Abhinav Publications deserves kudos for the excellent get-up of the book.

(Jyotsna K. Kamat)

Source


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Body Conditioning

Body Conditioning

Does it show wrestling or homosexuality????

[Marathaman]

I can't see any of the photos licit.

[Licit Mortal]

ahh. Thanks for notifying. I will try to fix the problem

[Licit Mortal]

Are the pictures visible now?

[Licit Mortal]

Social Life in Medieval Karnataka - Food and Drinks


Karnataka had contributed many delicacies to the country. Somesvara had even used Sanskritised Kannada names of dishes as shown below:

Sanskrit Kannada
Dhosaka Dose
Gharika Gharige
Idarika Idli
Purika Puri
Vataka Vade
Angara polika Kendada rotti

Creaming the Butter
A medieval sculpture from Karnataka


Milk products being carried to the market place


A Drunken Woman being Helped by Friends

Read the full story!

[Licit Mortal]

Social Life in Medieval Karnataka - Vanity Fair

Hairstyle and Hair dressing



Parasols and Umbrellas


Men's Ornaments in Hoysala

Read here!

[Licit Mortal]

Social Life in Medieval Karnataka - Leisure and Pleasure

Wrestling Scene
Sculpture from Khetappaya Narayan Temple, c. 16th Century


Women's archery in medieval Karnataka


Woman rides a cart
Detail from a temple sculpture, Bhatkal, 16th century A.D.


Hunting Scenes


Adventure Sport- Fighting with animals

Read here!

[Licit Mortal]

Social Life in Medieval Karnataka - Status of Women in the society

Somadeva has compared women to the Ocean of Milk (Kshirasagara) which brought out nectar (amrita) and also poison (halahala) and felt that they were an admixture of both desirable and undesirable qualities. Juts like the river which becomes inseparable from the ocean after the merger, a woman loses her individuality in married life [138]. Parsva felt that women who thought only of the welfare of their husbands were indeed rare. Others were of doubtful integrity and were not worthy of happiness in heaven [139]. Brahmasiva identifies certain categories of women, who did not have faith in Jainism and who worshipped stones and trees; they did not give charities; they were responsible for bad habits of their sons and condemned their husbands when they did not allow them to attend fairs [140]. While enumerating the virtues of queen-mother Malaladevi, an inscription of the Ratta chieftain Madiraja gives glimpses of classification of women of the period. Some hoarded all riches, denying anything to their husband and children. Some did not show any hospitality towards visitors and instead hid in their homes. There were pervert (kutile), immoral (kumarge), contemptible (kutsite), wretched (kubhagye), of bad character (kushile), loquacious (jivhalampate), depraved (sathe), deceitful (dhurte) and vexatious (kashte). A few of them despising their husbands attracted other men by wanton behavior [141]. A sculpture depicts beautifully a case of woman's infidelity. A husband catches the paramour of his wife red-handed and is about to punish him by inflicting a wound with his dagger and the wife is shown as pleading for her lover (Fig. 246).

With bad intentions, some women gazed on neighbor's houses, mixed with low people under the pretext of visiting pregnant women for fulfilling a vow, or of going to shops or presenting offerings to a goddess. There were women who were wicked and shrewish who shamed their husband by their rude behaviour. Some used poisonous herbs to bring their husbands under control. These could never be good housewives (kulangane) [142]. Sculptural evidence proves that the husbands punished their wives occasionally. In one, a woman's hands are tied above her head and a male is engaged in beating her with a stick (Fig. 247). Wife-beating seems to been have a common event (Fig. 248).

According to the Dharmasastras, a woman is incompetent to bear witness [143]. However, in Karnataka, a women acted as witnesses for many deeds. Sirideviyakka was a witness for a deal of trees [144]. Kontidevi was a witness to another grant [145]. Consent of the wife along with those of sons and relatives was necessary while disposing of property [146]. Even kings used to consult their wives or mothers before making a grant [147].

There was a class of men who believed in the superiority of women. Somadeva thought that the discrimination between men and women was valid in respect of physical activity, but the latter were superior in intellectual activity [148]. Achale was a lady of rare distinction, and it is said that Chandramauli, a minister of the Hoysala king Viraballala II, was a befitting husband (arhat kanta) for her [149]. This is an expression used contrary to the normal belief of a wife being worthy of her husband. Poet-saint Moligeya Marayya wanted to bring an end to his physical existence by merging in the Supreme God and informed his wife accordingly. But Mahadevi was herself a spiritually emancipated soul and convinced her husband that already there was no difference between him and the Almighty. The saint admitted that she was the real jnani or seer [150].

The women of medieval Karnataka were complementary to men and not competitive in all the fields and they together made a complete unit. Women faced difficult situations bravely, and excelled in the field of charity, exhibiting their sense of social service. They were good housewives, pursued fine arts and, given a chance, shone as good administrators and fought battles also. In the spiritual field also, they made their contribution.

Women served as

1) Rural, Divisional and Provincial administrators
2) Trustees, Nuns(Hindu, Jain, etc...), Priestesses
3) Artists, Musicians, Dancers, Writers, Drummers

4) Philanthropists
5) Courtesans
6) Temple girls
7) Actresses
8) Bond maids,
etc...

Read here!

[Licit Mortal]

Blissful state of Mind- Recipes

Manasollasa (maa-nus-O-llaa-sa, from Sanskrit, Happy State of Mind) is an ancient treatise written by King Sovadeva III, son of the Chalukyan emperor Vikramaditya. Manasollasa, also known as Abhilashitartha Chintamani is a Sanskrit encyclopedia, which is divided into five books (Vimsati), each one further divided into 20 sections. The Kalyana Chalukya king, Somadeva III (1127-1138 A.D.) has taken all the pains to collect up data information on art, architecture, dance, music, ornaments, food and drinks, love and lust, and presents them in a logical and methodical way. Gaekwad's Oriental Series, Bardoda (Gujarat) has published this manuscripts in three parts. Late G.K. Shrigondekar had to work for thirty six long years, from 1925 to 1961 to edit these volumes.

The Manasollasa has dedicated a separate section for the erotica (Yosidupabhoga, enjoyment of women). On the basis of inheritance, physical strength and attitude towards sex, Somadeva classifies women into six types, namely, Chitrini, Padmini, Hastini, Sankhini, Mrugi, and Vadava. He says, " ... a virtuous woman is one who is beautiful, youthful, is a musician and a dancer. However, it is extremely difficult to find a woman who is excellent in every accomplishment of life. Therefore one has to try to get a woman as best as physically possible." He further warns about the physical incompatibility of "Linga" and "Yoni", the male and female organs. He insists that they should be complimentary each other. However, if linga is slightly larger it could be adjusted. But an extra large linga should be avoided at all costs as it may rupture yoni itself. Similarly a woman with too small or very large yoni should not be selected for bhoga (union) as she fails to satisfy the man.

Source

Also read this!

[megacity30]

Incredible thread; there's a lot of material to absorb in this thread.

Thanks Licit!

[barrykul]

Since this thread is about rediscovery and redemption, how about that torrid period of British rule in India. Here is Brit Paper publishing the gory details...
Colonised and coloniser, empire's poison infects us all

By George Monbiot

Ideas that underpinned Britain's imperial project led not only to torture in Kenya, but war and catastrophe in Europe.

The government's secret archive, revealed this April, shows that the attorney general, the colonial governor and the colonial secretary knew what was happening. The governor ensured that the perpetrators had legal immunity: including the British officers reported to him for roasting prisoners to death. In public the colonial secretary lied and kept lying.

In his book Exterminate All the Brutes, Sven Lindqvist shows how the ideology that led to Hitler's war and the Holocaust was developed by the colonial powers. Imperialism required an exculpatory myth. It was supplied, primarily, by British theorists.

In 1799 Charles White began the process of identifying Europeans as inherently superior to other peoples. By 1850 the disgraced anatomist Robert Knox had developed the theme into fully fledged racism. His book The Races of Man asserted that dark-skinned people were destined to be enslaved and then annihilated by the "lighter races". Dark meant almost everyone: "What a field of extermination lies before the Saxon, Celtic and Sarmatian races!"

Remarkable as it may sound, this view soon came to dominate British thought. In common with most of the political class, W Winwood Reade, Alfred Russell Wallace, Herbert Spencer, Frederick Farrar, Francis Galton, Benjamin Kidd and even Charles Darwin saw the extermination of dark-skinned people as an inevitable law of nature. Some of them argued that Europeans had a duty to speed it up: both to save the integrity of the species and to put the inferior "races" out of their misery.

These themes were picked up by German theorists. In 1893 Alexander Tille, drawing on British writers, claimed that "it is the right of the stronger race to annihilate the lower". In 1901 Friedrich Ratzel argued in Der Lebensraum that Germany had a right and duty, like Europeans in the Americas, to displace "primitive peoples". In Mein Kampf, Hitler explained that the German empire's eastward expansion would mirror the western and southern extension of British interests. He systematised and industrialised what imperial nations had been doing for five centuries. The scale was greater, the location different, the ideology broadly the same.

I believe that the brutalisation of empire also made the pointless slaughter of the first world war possible. A ruling class that had shut down its feelings to the extent that it could engineer a famine in India in the 1870s in which between 12 million and 29 million people died was capable of almost anything.

[barrykul]

While we are on the subject of British rule in India, here is a BBC video series on the contribution of India towards World Knowledge. It is rather ironic that the show is hosted by Brits. This show is rather late in their realization of a culture with more depth. They did not realize this during their colonial time rule which was blinded by their maniacal notion of subjugation and looting. The same colonial mindset still pervades current thinking in many areas of the world.

In this video see the Tipu Sultan inspired rockets, fired in salvo much like the modern day multi-barrel rocket launchers used in warfare. The rockets from Tipu, went to the Brits (Col. Congreve) who used them against the French. The same Congreve rockets were used in the American Revolutionary War and edified in the star spangled banner national anthem of the USA.




Of course, a lot more is missing. Panini's Ashtadhayi which describes the grammar of Sanskrit in computer language like syntax rules (Backus Naur Form which has been renamed to Panini Backus Naur). Sanskrit is of course the mother of many languages. The contributions of greats like Buddha is also missing.

[barrykul]

All the lies about "Aryan", PIE, Hinduism, Math origins etc is blown wide open by Rajiv Malhotra in this fascinating talk.

You will find numerous facts and ideas about Indian civilization and its influences on the world that are seldom taught in our education system. While some scholars are aware of such things, the general public is not and even the mainstream academics downplay or even block out such materials.
A rising India in economic terms cannot find its true place unless its civilization's history is also re-discovered and introduced in the education systems of the world, just as other great civilizations such as Greek are respected.



It starts of with some German enamored with Sanskrit, Vedas and its treasure trove. He can't reconcile with his Nicene Creed Faith of Christianity. Ergo usurp Sanskrit somehow (yes "Aryan" BS) and then ridicule the Indians and their achievement. Then they steal all the Arabic translated Indian Sanskrit text and make up Euclid and other greek nonsense.

Note the charlatans that populate India Studies dept of University of Chicago, Harvard, funded by endowments. They continue to riddle India and its ancient knowledge base with doubts and ridicule.

India can proudly claim a whole host of inventions, knowledge, the origin of Sanskrit, number theory, high philosophical concepts. I would add that the Indus Valley truly invented democracy, no grand poobah/maximum leader to rule the land but a self-governing system, all this 5000 years ago. India never invaded other nations nor did it persecute people of other religions/beliefs, in fact it nurtured them. There is a fundamental ethos that allowed differing viewpoints and its peaceful co-existence. The Occidental notions are truly rigid, like G. W. Bush "You are with us or with them" attitude.

Also note the lasting impression of Indian ideas on other Asian Countries.

[barrykul]

Rajiv Malhotra in the talk posted above refers to the term "secular" as an invention of Christian nations to accommodate people of other faith. The notion of secular, though not the same meaning as the occidental version, has long been in practice in India. Here a ruler in Malabar enshrines not only freedom but has engraved on copper plates about the 72 privileges given to the Jewish and Christian communities

‘The copper plates tell us about the 72 privileges given to the Jewish and Christian communities and will be the basis of my work’.

Contemporary artist Joseph Semah had a Eureka moment when he toured Kochi a few months ago to do the groundwork for his project at the forthcoming Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

At the Jewish synagogue in Mattancherry, the artist —who was born in Baghdad, brought up in Tel Aviv and settled in Amsterdam—chanced upon the two copper plates of privileges given by then ruler of the Malabar coast to the Jews and Christians. Semah at once realized this world be at the core of his art installation for the biennale.

“The copper plates tell us about the 72 privileges given to the Jewish and Christian communities at the same time. The plates and the number 72 will be the basis of my work, which will consist of an installation on site including, as it were, 72 copper plates and 72 drawings,” the artist said in an e-mail interview.

Semah intends to open his work with a performance featuring public figures of diverse religious denominations and a secular person, who will read aloud, back-to-back, from their scriptures /book of influence in an impromptu fashion.

A recorded version of this live performance will be integrated into Semah’s installation.

Kochi, for Semah, is a paradise for religious denominations of all kind. “Here we can see how the concept of tolerance took shape by promoting a kind of balance between different religious groups. This could be an example for us in the West. The current era is one of religious intolerance and communal disharmony in Europe and this is quite disturbing,” he says.

Like it or not, every artist is a public figure, he maintains. “The creative process is not the issue here — it is about the moment when the artist exhibits his work in the public sphere. This act is always a political act.”

But Semah thinks artists should steer clear of contemporary political issues.

They must take recourse to a poetic outlook so that the message they want to convey will not be too direct and flaccid. “Poetry asks for active engagement,” he reasons.

On his own work, Semah says he has tried for 30 years to fathom the meaning of contemporary art using his mother tongue, the Hebrew language, as his window to the world.

“I still read each and every art work on display through the tradition/history of the Hebrew language. In this context, one can say each art work of mine is nothing but a footnote to my research, to my desire to understand what contemporary art actually means, what is meant by tolerance, what the meaning of being in exile is and what it means to be a guest.”

The KMB, he feels, will be a launch pad for Indian arts and the Indian arts scene to break into the space of international contemporary art, which has always been overshadowed by the West.

The true model of tolerance of other religions has been practiced in India for aeons. Indian tolerance can be a model for the entire world.

Another major concept is democratic rule and Indus Valley civilization trail blazed this concept. A more deeper study of such self governance can be the model for the rest of world, this would avoid dictatorship, hegemony, wars/conflicts, bullying etc.

[Mahesh Nanjunda]

Itinerary, the 'first ever book on India'

A copy of a rare 16th Century book that many are describing as the "first ever book on India" is on exhibition at the National Archives building in the capital, Delhi. (Illustrations: Courtesy Italian Cultural Centre and National Archives of India)

The itinerary was written by Italian adventure traveller Ludovico de Varthema, who toured India extensively from 1502 to 1508. The book was first published in Rome in 1510. The book was richly illustrated by the author, who described in minute detail the social practices prevalent in India at the time.

This picture shows a Kannada wedding:



See all pictures here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20038986

[barrykul]

More discoveries from Archaeology Survey of India about the Indus valley in Bhirrana (Haryana).
The excavation has shown that these early inhabitants of Bhirrana initially occupied the left bank of the river, Saraswati where its meander which runs from northeast to southwest with its thrust towards the north, provided a safe occupation zone.

“On the basis of radio-metric dates from Bhirrana (Haryana), the cultural remains of the pre-early Harappan horizon go back to 7380 BC to 6201 BC.”

Some images






copper bangles


beads

[Licit Mortal]

I have been very very busy with my work and couldn't log in for a long time. Thank you for all those who contributed and kept this thread still alive.

I will try to update as frequently as I can.

Professor. Nicholas Kazanas was born in the greek island Chios in 1939. He studied English Literature at University College, Economics and Philosophy at the School of Economic Science and Sanskrit at the School of Oriental and African studies - all in London; also post-graduate at SOAS and at Deccan College in Pune. (India)

He taught in London and Athens and since 1980 has been Director of Omilos Meleton Cultural Institute. In Greece he has published treatises of social, economic and philosophical interest. He has many publications in Western and Indian Journals and some books. He is on the Editorial Board of Adyar Library Bulettin (Chennai). He has also produced a three-year course of learning Sanskrit for Greeks.

From 1997 he has turned towards the Vedic Tradition of India and its place in the wider Indo-European culture. This research comprises thorough examination of Indo-European cultures, comparing their philosophical ideas and values, their languages, mythological issues and religions. He has translated in Greek many Gnostic texts (Gospel of Thomas, etc) and has composed an extensive study on Christ's original teaching (one in Greek and one in English). He has also translated the ten principal Upanishads (ISA, KENA, KATHA, MANDUKYA, BrHADARANYAKA, etc) from the original Sanskrit text into Greek.

Source : http://www.omilosmeleton.gr/en/nk_cv_en.asp

The collapse of Aryan Invasion Theory(AIT)

IIT Madras 2011







Interview





On one hand it is very interesting to note that one of the greatest technical schools of our country is interested in redeeming the history of our ancestors and our language and on the other hand, it is pathetic to realize that there is no linguistic school in our country that is capable of/interested in conducting these presentations/debates from Indic and vedic scholars across the country and world and changing our history books according to the outcomes of these presentations/debates.

Cheers.