Culture and Civilisational Digest: September-2024

New study suggests existence of a dockyard at Lothal, Gujarat, during Harappan Civilisation- The Indian Express

Since the discovery of Harappan sites at Lothal, located in the Bhal region of Gujarat, in the 1950s, archaeologists have been divided on whether a dockyard existed at the location during the Indus Valley Civilisation.

This may now change as a new study by the Indian Institute of Technology-Gandhinagar (IITGn) has found fresh evidence which can confirm the dockyard’s existence. The study has revealed that the Sabarmati River used to flow by Lothal (currently, it flows 20 km away from the location) during the Harappan Civilisation. Click here to read... [2]

Harappa’s 5 mega-urban sites were located on a grid, at calculated distances- The Print

Five major regional centres were located on what appears to be a grid with calculated distances separating them: Mohenjo-daro (250 ha, Sindh) on the Indus in the south; Harappa (150 ha, Punjab) on the Ravi in the north; Ganweriwala (80 ha, Cholistan) on the Ghaggar-Hakra; Rakhigarhi (+80 ha, Haryana) on the Chautang in the northeast; Dholavira (100 ha, Kutch/Gujarat) in the southwest. Rakhigarhi and Dholavira were situated towards the outer edges of the Indus region and with Ganweriwala in the centre formed a crescent on the western boundary of the Thar. Ganweriwala was 407 kms from Rakhigarhi, 558 kms from Dholavira, 280 kms from Harappa and 308 kms from Mohenjo-daro. Harappa was 570 kms distant from Mohenjo-daro and 350 kms from Rakhigarhi. Click here to read... [3]

PM Modi’s announcement of setting up first Thiruvalluvar cultural centre in Singapore lauded- Organiser

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his two-day visit to Singapore, announced the establishment of the world’s first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre. This significant move has been hailed by the Tamil community globally and is set to strengthen cultural and economic ties between the two countries. The establishment of the Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre is particularly meaningful for the Tamil community worldwide. Thiruvalluvar, a renowned Tamil poet and philosopher, is the author of the Thirukkural, a collection of poetic wisdom composed nearly 2,000 years ago, whose teachings remain timeless. Click here to read... [4]

ASI to outsource some excavation projects to states and universities- The Indian Express

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is planning to outsource a portion of its excavation projects to states and specialised universities as it faces a shortfall in staff and resources to carry out these activities, The Indian Express has learnt.

The ASI will, however, continue to handle major projects. Sources said the plan is to assign the other projects to state archaeological departments and premier universities with archaeology departments from this year, and fund them from the annual budget set aside for excavations. Click here to read... [5]

Monsoon shift, like today's erratic weather, wiped out Indus civilization 4,000 years ago, finds a study by top Indian institute- The Economic Times

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) have found that a combination of climate factors, similar to those influencing today's monsoons, likely contributed to the collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization over 4,000 years ago. The study was conducted by analysing ancient cave formations from Gupteswar and Kadapa caves in southern India. The research highlights how prolonged droughts may have played a crucial role in the ancient civilization's downfall. Click here to read... [6]

Hyderabad Liberation Day 2024: Know How Hyderabad Became a Part of India? Jagran Josh

On September 17, people celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day to honour the incorporation of the princely state of Hyderabad into India in 1948. This event ended Nizam Mir Usman Ali's authority and absorbed Hyderabad into the Indian Union after a military action known as Action Polo.

Hyderabad was one of the largest and richest princely states of India at the time of India’s independence. It was ruled by Nizam Mir Usman Ali, who did not easily commit to joining India. His hesitation was for the selfish interest of not wanting to lose his authority and wealth. Under feudal conditions, the majority of the people in his kingdom were burdened with taxes and were exploited by the landlords. This division brought dissatisfaction and resulted in different movements that demanded integration with India. Click here to read... [7]

Kulpreet Yadav's Haji Pir recounts soldiers' bravery in key 1965 war battle- Business Standard

Fifty-nine monsoons ago, India fought a bloody war with Pakistan, which had pushed some 30,000 infiltrators through the Ceasefire Line (now called the Line of Control, or LoC) on August 5, 1965. These infiltrators were Pakistani soldiers on a covert military operation called “Gibraltar”. Their mission: To pluck Kashmir from India by precipitating insurgency in the state. Click here to read... [8]

Stone Age rock paintings found in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh- Deccan Herald

Historians have recently uncovered Stone Age rock paintings, cup marks and sharp-edged artefacts in a village in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district, offering fresh evidence of the region's ancient human history. Located approximately 50 kilometres from the Aalaniya river in Kota, the findings add to the region's significance as a hub for Stone Age carvings, further underlining the prehistoric importance of Hadauti and Chittorgarh. Click here to read... [9]

Harappan civilisation: enigma remains even after 100 years of exploration- The Hindu

Exactly 100 years ago, on September 20, 1924, The Illustrated London News published an article containing explosive news, which has reverberated down the decades and continues to cast a long shadow in South Asia even a century later. Headlined, First Light on a Long-forgotten Civilisation: New Discoveries of an Unknown Prehistoric Past, the article authored by John Marshall, then-Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), announced the discovery of what he called the “civilisation of the Indus Valley”. A century later, this Bronze Age civilisation is called the Harappan civilisation. Click here to read... [10]

"Tourists will experience rich cultural heritage shared by India, Nepal": Ashwini Vaishnav inaugurates Bharat Gaurav Train- ANI

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav inaugurated the Bharat Gaurav Train for Bharat-Nepal Yatra at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi on Friday and said that tourists will be able to experience the rich cultural heritage shared by India and Nepal. Addressing the media here on Friday, Railway Minister Vaishnav said, "Bharat Gaurav Yatra trains are being added one after the other as part of PM Narendra Modi's resolve to make people experience Indian culture via railways, in the form of Bharat Gaurav Yatra. Tourists will now be able to experience the best of India and Nepal's shared cultural heritage." Click here to read... [11]

‘Keeladi excavations highlight Madurai’s heritage tourism potential’- The Times of India

The Keeladi excavations suggest that the ancient Keeladi civilization may have played a role in the rise of present-day Madurai, said K Amarnath Ramakrishna, superintending archaeologist with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Chennai. He emphasized that preserving historical sites in and around Madurai could greatly boost heritage tourism. Click here to read... [12]

US to return a trove of nearly 300 history-spanning antiquities to India- CNN Style

The US is returning 297 history-spanning antiquities stolen or smuggled from India, many dating back centuries. In July, the US and India signed an agreement to protect cultural property by preventing illegal trades and streamline the process to return stolen antiquities back to India. The relics — most of which are terracotta artifacts from Eastern India — are expected to be repatriated “shortly,” according to the Indian government in a statement on Saturday. Click here to read... [13]

How ‘woke’ themes are eroding the sacredness of festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi- Hindu Post

Over the years, Ganesh Chaturthi has taken different forms and meanings in Bharat. What started as an initiative to bring people together during the freedom movement by Lokmanya Tilak has today become a display of “social messaging”. Click here to read... [14]

Bhartiya Kala Mahotsav off to a thunderous start at Rashtrapati Nilayam- Deccan Chronicle

The Bhartiya Kala Mahotsav at Rashtrapati Nilayam, inaugurated by President Draupadi Murmu on Saturday, saw an overwhelming turnout on Sunday. The event is dedicated to celebrating the rich and diverse culture of the north-eastern states. The Mahotsav opened to the public with a dance titled ‘Colours of the North East", showcasing the traditional dance forms. State pavilions were among the major attractions, featuring rich artisanal traditions of the Northeast. Click here to read... [15]