Indo-Saracenic Architecture

One such architectural marvel is Indo-Saracenic architecture, a unique fusion of Indian, Islamic, and European styles that captivates visitors with its intricate designs and grandeur. Join us as we explore the rich heritage of India through its iconic monuments and sites that showcase the beauty and diversity of Indo-Saracenic architecture.

Sites in India

India is a land of rich cultural heritage and architectural wonders that never fail to leave visitors in awe. From the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra to the magnificent Mysore Palace in Karnataka, each site tells a story of India's vibrant history and artistic prowess.

The historic Red Fort in Delhi stands as a symbol of India's struggle for independence, while the intricate carvings of Khajuraho temples showcase unparalleled craftsmanship. The serene backwaters of Kerala offer a peaceful retreat, contrasting with the bustling streets of Mumbai filled with colonial-era buildings.

Venture to Rajasthan to marvel at the opulent forts and palaces that speak volumes about India's royal past. And don't miss out on exploring Hampi's ancient ruins or taking a boat ride along the Ganges River in Varanasi - each site offering a unique glimpse into India's diverse architectural landscape.

Chidambaram Dance Festival

 Chidambaram Dance Festival has become renowned as it hosts the dance performances by distinguished dancers from all over the country. In addition to that, the dance festival has gathered fame as Natyanjali temple provides a magnificent background for the festival. This dance festival is held during the months of February and March. It continues for five days. The festival is organized in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (Government of Tamil Nadu), The Ministry of Tourism (Government of India) and The Natyanjali Trust (Chidambaram).

Nataraja is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built as a tribute to His dancing form. The temple bears beautiful ornate carved pillars, with portrayal of Lord Nataraja in 108 poses of Bharatanatyam classical dance. Thus, the temple plays an ideal venue for the dance festival. The Natyanjali Dance Festival is organized in the ancient Nataraja temple of the city. This dance festival is held during the months of February and March and continues for five days. The festival is organized in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (Government of Tamil Nadu), The Ministry of Tourism (Government of India) and The Natyanjali Trust (Chidambaram). Natyanjali Dance Festival begins with the auspicious festival of Mahashivratri, the birth anniversary of Lord Shiva. Dancers from across the country take part in this festival. Nataraja Temple serves as the backdrop for splendid performances during the festival. The festival aims at conveying the message of 'Unity in Diversity' through the language of music and dance.

The holy city of Chidambaram, known as the 'city of the Cosmic Dancer' is located 245 Kms away from Chennai. The ancient Nataraja temple of Chidambaram pays special tribute to Lord Nataraja- the dancing Shiva. The magnificent gold roofed temple situated in the middle of the town has a bronze image Bharat Natyam Dance of Nataraja in a dancing pose known throughout the world as the most perfect synthesis in metal art. The temple has carved pillars depicting Lord Nataraja in 108 poses of Bharathanatyam classical dance in the eastern tower.

Smitha Rajan

 Smitha Rajan was born in the year 1969. She is one of the popular Mohiniattam Dancers from Kerala. She is the granddaughter of Shri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, and daughter of Sreedevi Rajan, who is a reputed Mohiniattam Guru. Smitha took her initial training from her mother. Her father, T R Rajappan, died when she was very young. She became a professional dancer at the age of 12. In 1980, Smitha accompanied her grandmother, her mother, and her aunt to popularize Mohiniyattam in India and other countries. She was the leading performer of Kerala Kalalayam from 1979 to 1992. She has assisted her mother, grandmother, and aunt in teaching Mohiniyattam to a number of today's Mohiniyattam performers. In 2014, she received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award.

Today, Smitha lives in St. Louis, Missouri, along with her family, and is running the institution Nrithyakshetra "Temple of Dance" as a branch of the institution Guru Sreedevi Rajan started in Kochi, in association with the parent institution Kerala Kalalayam.

She produced as well as appeared in the 2019 documentary on Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma titled "Mother of Mohiniyattam," which was directed by Dr. Vinod Mankara.

To know more about Smitha Rajan, Visit the page link

 

Padayani Dance

Padayani dance is one of the popular traditional folk dances of Kerala state of India. Generally, padayani dance is associated with the festivals of  certain temples in southern Kerala like Alappuzha, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam district. It is performed in Bhagavati temples in honour of Bhadrakaali.

Padayani means a 'row of warriors'. This dance form is an amalgamation of music, dance, theatre, satire, facial masks, and paintings. In relation with this folk art, there are mainly series of divine and semi-divine impersonations in the performance of the dance.

Padyani is a modern form of Kolam Thullal, a ritual dance, which had been performed by the magico-medicine men of Kerala (The Tinta endogamous section of Ganaka community) .In olden days, this elaborate and expensive event was carried out to heal illnesses of deep psychological dysfunctions without any identifiable serious physical cause, and cases that seemed to be not amenable to medical modalities of intervention. This form of psychic or spiritual healing other wise known as Kolam Thullal, was solely designed, controlled and performed by the Tinta sub sect of the Ganaka community, as a method of exorcism. The folk art, Padayani made its development from this dance performance, as a divine ritual tradition in association with festival occasions of Bhagavathy (Bhadrakaali) temples of Kerala.

"Elanthoor Padayani" is being performed along with 8 days long Padeni maholtsavam at Elanthoor Bhagavathikunnu Devi Temple during February–March month of every year (Malayalam month of kumbam)(starts on makayiram naal). 8th day from makayiram naal is the grand padeni or Valya Padeni. Large crowd on valya padeni's procession is a main attraction follows kaappoli program. Main kolams are Ganapathi, Pishaachu, Sivakolam, Marutha, Koottamarutha, Rudra Marutha, Naayattu, Kuthira, Pakshi, Sundara Yekshi, Anthara Yekshi, Maya Yekshi, Arakki Yekshi, Erinaaga Yekshi, Maadan, Karinkkaali, Kaalankolam, Nina Bhairavi, Bhairavi, Kaanjiramaala and Mangala Bhairavi. Other performances include Velakali, Thaavadi, Pulavrittham, Pooppada and various types of Vinodhams such as Kaakkarashi Drama, Paradeshi, Sharkarakudam, Ammumma, Pattarum Pennum, Ooraali, Pulayan, Naadukaani, etc.

 

Jhora Dance

 Jhora is one of the famous folk dances of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. It is basically a dance form which is performed by the people belonging to both the high and low caste. This is a community dance form where all the barriers related to the caste system are thrown to the wind. This dance form is performed with the accompaniment of songs.

The men and women join hands and move in the circular formation. They bend their bodies smoothly. The dancers sway their bodies with every beat starting from left to right.There is no restriction on the number of people who can participate. Everyone keeps on joining with every beat of the song. The whole place gets full of people enjoying the dance very soon.Jhora dance is incomplete without the famous traditional drum known as “Hurka”.  Imagine the drum beating in the background and a large group of people dancing their feet on the beats. The beats are different from traditional Indian drums.

This type of folk dance is usually conducted when the spring season starts and the local tribe dance twice a day, morning and evening, throughout the season. It is also performed during the weddings of the local tribe and during the festivals and fairs conducted in the town or village. Many people from across the state and country come and visit the town to witness the colour Jhora dance performance by the local tribe.

Costumes of Jhora

Costumes are a critical part of the tradition and women turn up in their glamorous best. They also adorn themselves with certain simple ornaments like bangle, necklace and ear ring.

Shambhu Maharaj

 Pandit Shambhu Maharaj was born in the year 1910 and was a famous name among the classical dancers fraternity. He was a dancer who belonged to Lucknow Gharana of Indian classical dance form, Kathak.

Early Life and Training:-

Shambhu Maharaj was born in Lucknow as Shambhunath Mishra. He was the youngest son of Kalka Prasad Maharaj who was at the court of the Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah. Kalka Prasad's father was Thakur Prasad was known to have taught the intricacies of Kathak to the Nawab. While reporting Shambhu's death in 1970, The Indian Express wrote, "The Kathak, as we know it today, can be wholly traced to this dilettante's patronage and the body of work written at his court for this mode of dance."Shambhu received his training from his father, uncle Bindadin Maharaj and his eldest brother Achchan Maharaj. Dancer Lacchu Maharaj was also another his older brothers. He learned Hindustani classical music from Ustad Rahimuddin Khan.

He had two sons, Krishnamohan and Rammohan and a daughter, Rameshwari. Amongst his pupils, the most noted exponents of Kathak are his nephew Birju Maharaj, Kumudini Lakhia, Damayanti Joshi, Maya Rao, Bharati Gupta, Uma Sharma, Vibha Dadheech and Rina Singha. His son Rammohan was also his disciple and continues to perform his style. Shambhu was tre ated for throat cancer at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for three months before he died on 4 November 1970 there.

Harsh Mohan Mishra is the son of Pt. Ram Mohan Maharaj and nephew of Lt. Pt. Birju Maharaj, who is a renowned Film Maker and Visual Effects Supervisor in Bollywood Industry.

Shambhu Maharaj died of throat cancer in Delhi on November 4, 1970. Birju Maharaj, his nephew, and others were with him till the last. His work lives on through his students such as Maya Rao, Uma Sharma, Kumudini Lakhia and his two sons Ram and Kishan Mohan.

 

 

Fire Dance

 Fire dance is one of the unique dances performed in the desert region of Rajasthan state of India. This dance is the marvelous example of the Jasnathis of Bikaner and Chum’s lifestyle who are well known for their tantric powers throughout Rajasthan. Fire dance is very tricky and difficult to enact and is mainly performed by the Banjara community who are well versed with the art. Some of the dance steps involve awe-inspiring fire stunts wherein the performers dance by holding fire rods in their hands and filling up their mouths with kerosene.

Fire performance is a group of performance arts or skills that involve the manipulation of fire. Fire performance typically involves equipment or other objects made with one or more wicks which are designed to sustain a large enough flame to create a visual effect.

Fire performance includes skills based on juggling, baton twirling, poi spinning, and other forms of object manipulation. It also includes skills such as fire breathing, fire eating, and body burning; sometimes called fakir skills. Fire performance has various styles of performance including fire dancing; the use of fire as a finale in an otherwise non-fire performance; and the use of fire skills as 'dangerous' stunts. Performances can be done as choreographed routines to music (this type being related to dance or rhythmic gymnastics); as freestyle (performed to music or not) performances; or performed with vocal interaction with the audience. Some aspect of fire performance can be found in a wide variety of cultural traditions and rituals from around the world.

The devotional and exciting performance of fire dance can be seen at late nights of winter in Rajasthan. The music which plays during fire dance rises in tempo and ends like a crescendo. The Rajasthani folk music play with dhol, nagada, and dholak during fire dance. The drumbeats give a tempo for the performance and gradually rises & sets a dance in a fast tempo. At a certain point, it reaches at a crescendo, where the dancers seem to be in a trance like state. Some of the traditional folk dances, performed by the Banjara Community of Rajasthan is also sometime called as the fire dance, but is completely different from the above-mentioned performance. Here, the dance is performed around the Fire. The person dancing usually takes two flamed sticks in his hands and fills up his mouth with kerosene oil. With the accompaniment of some dancing steps, he throws the oil over the lamps.

Indian Dancers

Indian dancers liven up the Indian Dance by entertaining as well as enlightening the people. The performance of the artists intensifies the dancing sequence and highlights the theme. The dances of India are either religiously reverent in nature, based on mythology, or they are intended to mark occasions, special ceremonies such as marriage, birth of a child or other auspicious events.

Famous Indian Dancers
Following are the famous Indian Dancers:

1.      Uday Shankar:- Uday Shankar (born Uday Shankar Chowdhury; 8 December 1900 – 26 September 1977) was an Indian dancer and choreographer, best known for creating a fusion style of dance, adapting European theatrical techniques to Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, which he later popularised in India, Europe, and the United States in the 1920s and 1930s.He was a pioneer of modern dance in India.

2.      Birju Maharaj:- Brijmohan Mishra , known as Pandit Birju Maharaj , (4 February 1938 – 17 January 2022, Delhi), was an accomplished dancer of the Allahabad-based Kalka-Bindadin dynasty of Kathak dance. He is descended from the Maharaj dynasty of Kathak dancers, including his two uncles Shambhu Maharaj and Lacchu Maharaj and his father and mentor, Achan Maharaj. Although dance was his first love, he was also a student and singer of Hindustani classical music .

3.      Mrinalini Sarabhai:- Mrinalini Vikram Sarabhai (11 May 1918 – 21 January 2016) was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and instructor. She was the founder and director of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, an institute for imparting training in dance, drama, music and puppetry, in the city of Ahmedabad. She received Padma Bhushan in 1992 and Padma Shri in 1965. She also received many other citations in recognition of her contribution to art.

4.      Mallika Sarabhai:- Mallika Sarabhai is an activist and Indian classical dancer and actress from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Daughter of a classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and space scientist Vikram Sarabhai, Mallika is an accomplished Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer and performer who has specialized in using the arts for social change and transformation.

 

 

Caste laws in Manu Smriti

 

 The caste Laws in Manu Smriti claims a divine origin and codifies some of the laws of the Hindu caste system. The rigidity in the caste system is one of the main features of the caste laws. The divine order of caste as prescribed:

1. The Brahmin came from the mouth of Lord Brahma.
2. Kshatriya issued from the arms of Brahma.
3. The Vaishya comes from the thighs.
4. The Shudra comes from Brahma's feet.

Over fifty manuscripts of the Manusmriti are now known, but the earliest discovered, most translated and presumed authentic version since the 18th century has been the "Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) manuscript with Kulluka Bhatta commentary".Modern scholarship states this presumed authenticity is false, and the various manuscripts of Manusmriti discovered in India are inconsistent with each other, and within themselves, raising concerns of its authenticity, insertions and interpolations made into the text in later times.

The metrical text is in Sanskrit, is dated to the 1st to 3rd century CE, and presents itself as a discourse given by Manu (Svayambhuva) and Bhrigu on dharma topics such as duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and others. The text's influence had historically spread outside India. The text influenced Hindu kingdoms in Cambodia and Indonesia.

The structure and contents of the Manusmriti suggest it to be a document predominantly targeted at the Brahmins (priestly class) and the Kshatriyas (king, administration and warrior class).The text dedicates 1,034 verses, the largest portion, on laws for and expected virtues of Brahmins, and 971 verses for Kshatriyas.The statement of rules for the Vaishyas (merchant class) and the Shudras (artisans and working class) in the text is extraordinarily brief. Olivelle suggests that this may be because the text was composed to address the balance "between the political power and the priestly interests", and because of the rise in foreign invasions of India in the period it was composed.

 

 

 

 

 

All about Indian Communities

India is one of the world's oldest civilisations. The Indian culture, often labelled as an amalgamation of several various cultures, spans across the Indian subcontinent and has been influenced and shaped by a history that is several thousand years old. Throughout the history of India, Indian culture has been heavily influenced by Dharmic religions.They have been credited with shaping much of Indian philosophy, literature, architecture, art and music.Greater India was the historical extent of Indian culture beyond the Indian subcontinent. This particularly concerns the spread of Hinduism, Buddhism, architecture, administration and writing system from India to other parts of Asia through the Silk Road by the travellers and maritime traders during the early centuries of the Common Era. To the west, Greater India overlaps with Greater Persia in the Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountains. During medieval period, Islam played a significant role in shaping Indian cultural heritage. Over the centuries, there has been significant integration of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs with Muslims across India

Some of the Hindu communities are:-

Balahi Caste:-  Balahi caste is the functional caste of weavers and village watchmen. They are mostly scattered over several regions of central India. They are practically confined to Hoshangabad District and Nimar District. They are the offshoots of the Kori caste of weavers. Further, it is also believed that in the central provinces, the Balahi caste have received accretions from Katias, the spinner caste and also from the Mahars, the menial caste of Maharashtra. Interestingly, in Hoshangabad District, the Balahi caste is alternatively called as Mahars whereas in Burhanpur, they are called as Bunkar or weavers by outsiders.

Bharbhunja Caste:-  Bharbhunja caste is considered as the occupational caste of grain parchers. The name of the caste has been derived from the Sanskrit term bhrastra, meaning a frying-pan, and bharjaka, meaning a person who fries. The Bharbhunjas chiefly belong to the northern region of the country. Bharbhunja caste is said to have a mixed origin, it is also connected with the Kahars. Bharbhunja caste in Saugor claims that their ancestors were Kankubja Brahmans who were ordered to dry rice.

Bhatia Community:-  Bhatia Community is basically the enterprising mercantile community of India. Originally a warrior race, Bhatia community is now mostly involved in trade and commerce. In the past, Bhatias were called "Bhattis". They claim to be the descendents of Kshatriyas or Rajputs. It is believed that they have originated from the Sindh province.Today, this community is mostly found in the north-western province of the country.

Chitari Caste :-  Chitari caste is a caste of painters. Chiter, Chitrakar and Maharana are the other names used for Chitari caste. Chiter is the Hindustani, and Chitari is the Marathi name of the caste. Both these terms are corruptions of the Sanskrit term 'Chitrakar'. Further, it is also said that Chitari is an occupational term applied to Mochis or leather workers, who lately have adopted the profession of wall-painting. Thus, it is also said that Chitaris from the Mochis. They also claim that their ancestors were Rajputs, whose country was taken by Akbar

Chitrakathi Caste  :-  Chitrakathi is a small group mainly comprising religious mendicants. They are found in several places of Central Provinces of India. The name of Chitrakathi is derived from chitra, which means a picture, and from the term katha, meaning a story. Traditional occupation of Chitrakathi caste is to travel around and exhibit pictures of heroes and gods, and reciting stories about them. It is believed that the community is of mixed functional origin. They have several exogamous sections and their names have been taken from those of Marathas.