Cultural Heritage of India and North East Region: SEBA Class 10 Solution
Cultural Heritage of India and North East Region SEBA Board Class 10 (X) Question Answer Solution, Notes. Students can also take this Notes in Pdf format.
Very short answer type questions:
1.) What was the eastern border of the Indus Valley civilization extended up to Ganga Valley?
The Harappan Civilization developed in around 4000 BC and its eastern border extended from Sindhu Valley to Meerut.
2.) When was the town culture developed during the Indus Valley civilization?
The town culture during the Indus Valley Civilization developed around 2600 B.C.
3.) What was the presumed time of writing of the Rig Veda?
The oldest Veda, Rig Veda was written during the period between 1500 BC to 1000 BC.
4.) The term Satyameva Jayate in the National symbol was taken from which book?
The term Satyameva Jayate in the National symbol was taken from Mundak Upanishad.
5.) Which book did establish the term ‘unity in diversity’?
The term ‘Unity in diversity’ was written by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in his book, ’Discovery of India’.
6.) Greek-Roman techniques were used in which style of sculptures of India?
The Greek and Roman style were used in building many Buddha styles.
7.) What is the name of the famous book on political science written in ancient India?
The famous book written on political science in ancient India was Kautilya’s Arthashastra.
8.) When was the Natyasastra by Bharat Muni written?
The Natyashastra was written by Bharat Muni between 200 BC to second century.
9.) How many slokas are there in the Natyashastra ?
There are around 6000 slokas in Natyashastra.
10.) What is Heraka movement?
The Heraka movement was launched by freedom fighter Rani Gaidalu for the emancipation and preservation of the traditional religious, beliefs and cultural heritage of the tribes of Nagaland.
11.) Hornbill festival of Nagaland is based on which name of organism?
Hornbil festival is one of the most popular festivals in Nagaland celebrated in the first ten days of December.
12.) The traditional festival Chapchar Kut belong to which state?
The traditional festival ‘Chapchar Kut’is celebrated in Mizoram.
13.) What is the meaning of the word Mizo?
The term ‘Mizo’ means inhabitants of the Hills.
14.) Which state of the North East has a matriarchal society?
The state of Mizoram has a matriarchal society.
15.) What is the main theme of Manipuri dance?
The Manipuri Dance form developed mainly on the basis of the childhood of the saint Chaitanya and of Lord Krishna etc.
16.) What is the ancient name of Assam?
The ancient names of Assam were Pragjyotishpur and Kamrup.
17.) From which Bodo word the name Assam is considered to be derived?
Some experts have opinion that the name Assam (Asom) emerged from Sanskritization of the words ‘a-cham’ and ‘ha-chom’ used by the Ahom and the Bodo people respectively.
18.) What is Charyapada?
‘Charyapada’ was the only written Assamese literature consisting of collection of songs composed during the period from 10th to 14th century.
19.) When was the Charyapada written?
The Charyapada was written between 10th to 14th centuries.
20.) Under whose patronage did Madhab Kandali translate the Saptakanda Ramayana?
Under the patronage of Barahi King Mahamanika, Madhab Kandali translated the Saptakanda Ramayana.
21.) Who was the first to introduce prose literature in Assamese?
Sankaradeva and Madhabdeva were the first to introduce prose literature in Assamese.
22.) Who composed Zikir and Zari?
The ‘Zikr’ and ‘Zari’ were popular religious songs written by Ajan Peer.
23.) Who is Ajan Peer?
Ajan Peer was a famous poet who came to Assam during the reign of Gadadhar Singha.
24.) When did Ajan Peer come to Assam?
Ajan Peer came to Assam during the reign of King Gadadhar Singha.
25.) When was the stone gate of Da-Parbatia made?
The stone gate of Da-Parbatia was made in the 6th century which were influenced by Gupta sculptures.
26.) What was the duty of the Changrung Phukan?
The officer of the Ahom period Chanrung Phukan was given the duty to supervise the construction and measurements of the roads, palaces, temples, houses etc.
27.) Which artist got Padmashree award for the contribution in folk song?
Pratima Pande Baruah was a prominent Goalparia folk song artiste who was awarded Padmashree award for her contribution to folk songs.
28.) What is the name of the first news magazine of Assam?
The first news magazine in Assamese language was Assamese Journal ‘Journal’.
29.) Which tribe of North East is a part of the Austric ethnic group?
The Khasi tribe of Meghalaya is a part of the Austric ethnic group.
30.) Name the writers of the books : Arthashastra, Hashtividyarnava, Kirtan, Naamghosa, Chordhora aru Pimpara Goshowa, Kaliya Daman, Ramvijoy, Katha Geeta, Rajtarangini, Bharat Sambhed.
Name of the writers of the books are as follows:
Arthashastra- Kautilya, Hashtividyarnava-Sukumar Borkaith, Kirtan- Sankardeva, Naamghosa-Madhabdeva, Chordhora aru Pimpara Goshowa-Sankardeva, Kaliya Daman- Sankardeva, Ramvijoy- Sankardeva, Katha Geeta-Bhattadeva, Rajtarangini-Kalhan, Bharat Sabhed-Jawaharlal Nehru
Short answer type questions :
1.) Write the names of two foreign communities which came to India after 6th century.
The two foreign communities which came to India after the sixth century BC were Greek and Portuguese.
2.) Name two statues used for worshipping and which were discovered during Indus Valley civilisation.
The two statues used for worshipping and were discovered during the Indus Valley Civilization were Shivalinga and Mother Goddess and seals with symbols of Swastika.
3.) Mention two contributions of the Austrics to Indian culture.
Use of sindoor in religious works and cultivation of rice are two contributions of the Austrics to Indian Culture.
4.) How does the geography of India play a role in creating cultural diversity of India?
The geographical differences of India has resulted in the development of the cultural heritage of the people. Many areas of the country have fertile land and the communication system was very much improved. This resulted in the areas to become economically and culturally developed. Thus, the geography of India has played an important role in creating cultural diversity of the country.
5.) Write the names of the four Samhitas of the Vedas.
The name of the four Vedas- The Rig Veda, The Sama Deva, The Yajur Veda, The Atharvaveda.
6.) What is written about religious tolerance in the 12th main stone carvings of Ashoka?
The Kings of India always accepted the religious tolerance and Emperor Ashoka believed that no people should consider his or her own religion as superior to others. People should take the path of unity by understanding the essence of other religions. This message of Ashoka was found in the No.12 main stone writings of Girnar of 3rd century BC.
7.) What is multiculturalism?
The main two characteristics of Indian culture are multi -culturalism and unity in diversity. The multiculturalism refers to the respect that various people of the country have for each other’s cultural heritage and traditions.
8.) What are the divisions in the ancient Indian culture?
The divisions in ancient Indian culture are divided as the pre-Vedic and Vcedic periods. It starts with the Indus Valley civilization and coming of the Aryans.
9.) Write names of two scientists in ancient India.
Aryabhatta and Baramihir are the two scientists of ancient India.
10.) Write names of two medical books written in ancient India.
Two medicinal books Sarak and Susruta Samhita.
11.) Write names of two Moghul emperors who patronized arts.
The two Mughal Emperors who patronised arts were Akbar and Jahangir.
12.) Write names of two pictorial books wtirren in “Sanchipat” in Assam.
The pictorial books written in ‘Sanchipat’ in Assam are Kumor Haran, Sankhachur Badh
13.) Write the names of the two painters of Hastibidyarnava.
The painters of the book Hastibidyamava were Dibar and Dosai.
14.) What is jhum cultivation?
It is a type of method of growing crops in which a piece of land in the forest is cleared by burning the trees and the vegetation. This method is also known as ‘Slash and Burn’ agriculture. It is practiced in hilly areas.
15.) What is Zeng bihu?
The women of Upper Assam perform a type of dance known as Jeng Bihu.
16.) Write two divisions of Ojhapali.
Ojapali is one of the famous folk dances of Assam. Ojapali has two styles -Byash Ojha and Sukannani Ojha.
17.) Write names of two philosophers of ancient India.
The philosophers of the ancient India were Patanjali and Jamini.
18.) Write names of two histories written during the Ahom era.
The histories written during the Ahom era have enriched the Ahom literature. The most important ones were Deodhai History, Jayantia History.
19.) Write the names of two homogenous festivals of Bihu celebrated in lower Assam.
The two homogenous festivals of Bihu celebrated in lower Assam are Magh Bihu and Kati Bihu.
20.) Write names of two folk dances of Darrang.
Ojapali and Deodhani are two folk dances of Darrang district.
21.) What are the main ethnic groups of India?
There were already many ethnic groups who have settled in India before the Dravidians or Mediterraneans and the Nordic Aryans entered India. These groups of people were Proto-Australoid, Negros, Austics, Mongoloids and Western Brachycephalic groups of people entered the country and settled.
22.) Write three factors that create unity among cultural diversity in India.
The most important characteristics of Indian culture are multi-culturalism and unity in diversity. There are many languages, religion, geographical and economic diversity. Many important leaders of the nation like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Abul Kalam Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose and others have popularised the term ’unity in diversity’. The factors which have created unity the unity among the cultural diversity of the country were: –
i.) Hinduism, with its multiple aspect of culture and political unity have created by the different empires in different ages contributed to the unification of the nation.
ii.) The Ramayana and Mahabharata also united the different parts of the nation. The various communities that have settled in the country have intermingled and enriched the culture of the country.
iii). The groups divided geographically were often united by religion or language and those divided by religion are unified through geographical features and languages.
23.) What are the main divisions made for the Indian archetectural setup?
The temples and other places of worship reflect the architectural magnificence of India. There were four types of architecture during the Sultanate period: Mosques (Masjids), Pillars (Minars), Palaces (Manjils)and Makowara. These architectures were built through the patronage of the kings. The style of architecture of South India was different from North India and these differences could be witnessed at the top of the structure. Most of the ancient architectures are in stone which are of three styles: Nagar in North India, Dravid in South India, and Vesara style in between Bindhya mountain and Krishna River. The Parsi style was very much found in the reign of the Turky, Afghan and Moghul kings.
24.) Write names of three architectural setup of India which are declared as World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.
The architectural setup of India which have been declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO are the Ajanta Caves, the Sanchi Stupa and the Taj Mahal.
25.) What statues were mainly created in the field of Indian sculptures?
During the ancient time the Indian sculpture reached its glorius height. From the time of ancient Indus Valley Civilization many beautiful statues were made with soil, stone, copper, silver and gold etc. The statues of Gautam Buddha, Mahavir and different Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu religion were mainly created.
26.) What are the three main styles of Indian Sculptures?
The sculptures of ancient India are broadly divided into three categories which were Gandhara, Mathura and Amarawati Sculptures.
27.) Name three pictorial books of Moghul age.
During the Mughal period, culture of making smaller paintings were done which were patronised by the emperors themselves. The most famous among them were Padsahnama, Jahangirnama and Dastan-e-Amir.
28.) What are the six skills (sorangas) of paintings?
During the first century B.C. the culture of six skills or Saranga of painting was started. They were Shape, Measurement, Feelings expressing techniques, Artistic presentations, Knowledge of Similarity and Rule of Using brush.
29.) Write about three places of India having ancient wall paintings.
The paintings of ancient India were categorised as big wall paintings and smaller paintings. The places where these paintings on walls are found are Ajanta in Maharashtra, Bagh in Madhya Pradesh and Armamalai in Tamil Nadu.
30.) Write briefly on the culture of Yoga in India.
Yoga is a gift of Indian traditional culture and has been practised from the ancient times from the Indus Valley Civilization. The culture of Yoga was in predominance during the Vedic era. During the Second century Maharshi Patanjali compiled a book named as Yogasutra. According to Patanjali, Yoga was a way of physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing for the human beings and shaped Yoga as a philosophy of life.
31.) By what names the first seven days of Rongali Bihu are commonly known?
Bihu is the community festival of Assam. The seven days of Bohag (Rongali) are called as Chot, Kutum, Mela, Raati, Goru, Manuh and Chera,
32.) What are the main subject matters of Kamrupi and Goalparia folk songs?
The Kamrupi and Goalparia folk songs Assam. The main subject matter of these folk songs was worshipping of the Manasa Goddess along-with different religious stories and stories of Lord Krishna. The Kamrupi folk songs also dealt with similar subjects. The main themes of Goalparia folk songs described love songs and natural descriptions.
33.) Name three books where the ancient names of Assam– Kamrup and Pragjyotishpur are mentioned.
In books like Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Vishnu Puran, the old names of Pragjyotishpur and Kamrup are mentioned.
Long answer type questions Cultural Heritage of India and North East Region:
1.) Write briefly on the source and development of multi-culturalism in India.
The two most important characteristics of Indian culture are multi-culturalism and unity in diversity. Multi- culturalism is the respect that the different people of the country share and feel for each other. The traditions and the heritage that has developed for a long period of time from ancient times have enhanced the culture and tradition of the country.Many important leaders of the nation like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Abul Kalam Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose and others have popularised the term ’unity in diversity’ The many factors have created unity the unity among the cultural diversity of the country like Hinduism, with its multiple aspect of culture and political unity have created by the different empires in different ages contributed to the unification of the nation. The Ramayana and Mahabharata also united the different parts of the nation. The various communities that have settled in the country have intermingled and enriched the culture of the country. The groups divided geographically were often united by religion or language and those divided by religion are unified through geographical features and languages. These factors have enriched the culture of our nation from very ancient time.
2.) The soul of Indian culture and civilization is regarded to be existed in the Sanskrit literature of ancient India– discuss the meaning of the sentence.
The Sanskrit language has been regarded as the soul of Indian culture and civilization. The ancient books like Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita and Puranas express the lives of people living in the country, their customs, traditions, stories of courage etc have been described in the texts. Books on politics like Kautilya’s Arthashastra, medicinal books of Susruta, Sarak, literature of Kalidas, Sudraka, Banabhatta etc depict the lives of the ancient people, kings and kingdoms. All these books have developed the mind and thoughts of our people, they have huge intellectual implications on the society. These books have taught people about liberation, heaven and hell, sin and virtue and correctly portray the ways of life of the people. The universal messages like ‘Satyameva Jayate’, from Mundak Upanishad,’Ahimsa Param Dharma from ‘Mahabharata’. Basudhaiba Kutumbakam from the Mohopanishad etc have formed the base of value system of our country. The Indian families have followed these values for ages and enriched the customs of the nation.
3.) Write about religious traditions in India.
From the Indus valley Civilization many different ways of worshipping have been followed.During the Aryan culture the religion and social traditions started to get adopted. In the books like Samhita, Aranyak, Ramayana and Mahabharata and Upanishad this adoption was clearly understood. Many deities and Goddesses were worshipped by the people of the country. In the Vedic system the presence of one Supreme God has been followed. The religion of our country has always propagated the principles of tolerance, co-existence and assimilation as new traditions of religion. The new ways of meditation and prayer have been followed through the emergence of new religion like Buddhism and Jainism along-side Hinduism. The Kings patronised the path of tolerance acquiring the path of freedom through understanding the various tenets of another religion. Emperor Ashoka always believed in the co-existence of various religions and propagated that no one should consider his or her own religion to be superior than others. This message is inscribed on the No.12 min stone writing of Girnar of 3rd century B.C. In the later stages people started following religions like Christianity, Islam and Jews etc along-with other local religions, new culture and traditions grew up following the new religions. There was great influence on the art, literature, architecture, festivals and lifestyle of the people.
4.) Write how the common and separate identity of the North-East is developed.
The term North East has been coined by the British rulers of India. The states of this area Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam have a distinct traditional, cultural heritage and political history. The north-eastern region comprises a different common identity. The fertile Brahmaputra and Barak Valley is in the centre and all the other states placed in the north, south and east. The surrounding states are hilly. Assam has a central position which makes the state convenientfor transport connection. The civilization has developed from the ancient ages in the Brahmaputra valley but written documents are available from the rule of Barman rulers during 4th century. The rulers of different states have accepted subordination or engaged in marital relations with each other in different times. The history about the relations of neighbouring states during the Ahom royal families are found in the history during that age. The ruling kingdoms helped each other with military and communication was set up between through a system of messengers (dut). Barter system was prevalent. The majority of the people living in this area belong to the Mongoloid group and the Khasis of Meghalaya belong to the Austric group. During the British era, the missionaries started expanding Christianity in the North East though Hinduism was already deep- rooted in these areas like other states. Some tribes of Arunachal Pradesh follow Hindu, Christian and Buddhist religion as well as worship their local God. Doney Polo. In Manipur majority of people are Hindus and follow Bengali culture. They are also ardent follower of Saint Chaitanya and Lord Krishna and also follow the Animist way of life. Mostly in all states we can find the individuality and commonness, they have their distinctive culture as well as their great amount of common identity that they share with rest of the country.
5.) Write briefly about the religious environment in the North-East.
The religious environment of the North -East is homogenous in nature. There is presence of mostly all types of religion, people follow Islam, Christianity, Jain, Buddhism, Sikh and other religions. The Hindu religion is also an important religion of the area. The Vaishnavite movement launched by Sankaradeva and Madhabdeva in the 15th century influenced the life of the people mainly in Assam. The religious movement had impact on literature, poetry, songs, charit puthi, drama etc. were written during that time. The main subject matters of these works were Ramayana, Mahabharata, Purana, Hindu religion etc. The neo-Vaishnavite movement inspired many people to follow Vaishnavism.The Islamic religion was first found in the North eastern region during the 13th century. Poa Macca in Hajo is a holy place, Zikir and Zakir were well known religious songs. The invasion of the Burmese invasion, Ranjit Singh of Punjab sent military help to the Ahom king Chandrakanta Singha. Some of the soldiers stayed back and the Sikh religion spread in the region. People in the eastern part of the region like Khamti, Aitan, Turung etc Buddhism spread. The Ahom Kings were secular in their approach to the religions of their state.
6.) Assam has a mixed culture due to assimilation of Aryan and non Aryan cultures— discuss briefly this aspect.
The Vedic culture developed from the people who were Nordics who spoke Aryan language. Groups like the proto -Australoid, Negros, Austrics, Mongoloids etc entered India and the culture of the country evolved and got enriched. The Aryans also after intermingled with the people of the country and they enriched the culture and tradition. Assam is the state with a varied cultural tradition. The ethnic groups of people in India are also found in Assam also the culture and traditions of the country also developed in the state. The state of Assam witnessed the growth of both Aryans and non-Aryan (Anarya) culture. The ancient name of Assam was Pragjyotishpur and Kamrup which can be found in the books like Ramayana. Mahabharata, Vishnu Puran, writings of Hiuen tsang etc and in the inscriptions of ancient inscriptions of the Royal families. The state linked itself with both Hindu mythology and astrology. The noted scholar Banikanta Kakati viewed that the words Pragjyotishpur and Kamrup came from similar words in the Austric language.
7.) Write briefly on the heritage of paintings in Assam.
During the 17th century, the paintings in Assam developed. The Kings gave patronage to the paintings, the pictorial books developed in the satras like small pictured books of North India. The famous pictorial books were Hashtividyarnava, Anand Lahari, Chitra Bhagawat, Geet Govinda, Kumar Haran etc on Sanchipat. The paintings were made using natural colours. A particular colour was painted on the Sanchipat first, then pictures of kings, palaces, deities, animals etc were drawn as the demand of the subject matter. Different flowers, cripples were used, colours used were red, green, yellow and black.Hashtividyarnava written by Sukumar Borkaith had huge number of pictures of elephants of different sizes and colours. The pictures in the book were drawn by two artists named by Dilbar and Dosai which were published in print.
8.) Write about religious unity and diversity in Assam.
The people of also be divided into “Sakta”, Shaiva”,” Vaishnav” and “Sourya” cults. There is also presence of several Saktipithas.Assam follow Hinduism in majority. They can There is presence of mostly all types of religion, people follow Islam, Christianity, Jain, Buddhism, Sikh and other religions. The Hindu religion is also an important religion of the area. The Vaishnavite movement launched by Sankaradeva and Madhabdeva in the 15th century influenced the life of the people mainly in Assam. The religious movement had impact on literature, poetry, songs, charit puthi, drama etc. were written during that time. The main subject matters of these works were Ramayana, Mahabharata, Purana, Hindu religion etc. The neo-Vaishnavite movement inspired many people to follow Vaishnavism. The Islamic religion was first found in the North eastern region during the 13th century. Poa Macca in Hajo is a holy place, Zikir and Zakir were well known religious songs. The invasion of the Burmese invasion, Ranjit Singh of Punjab sent military help to the Ahom king Chandrakanta Singha. Some of the soldiers stayed back and the Sikh religion spread in the region. People in the eastern part of the region like Khamti, Aitan, Turung etc Buddhism spread. The Ahom Kings were secular in their approach to the religions of their state.
9.) Why the cultural diversity, assimilation and change are taking place more repidly in Assam than the other states of the region?
Assam has a very rich cultural heritage. The local common heritage is enriched with rich culture that comprises of literature, dance, folk songs etc. Each tribe of Assam also has its own rich traditional cultural heritage, they have their own dialects, folk-literatures, ornaments, food habits, housing culture, agriculture, social relationships, festivals, dresses, music etc. The culture of the state is around 750 years old which not only unifies the whole state but also welcomes new cultures. The Brahmaputra Valley has added to the richness of the state. Assam was once connected with China by the great Silk Route and China was connected to the Roman Empire through Assam. Many pilgrims, businessmen, invaders had come to Assam and many of them stayed back and mixed with the culture of Assam enhancing the heritage of the place. The ethnic groups of the rest of India are also found in Assam.The state of Assam witnessed the growth of both Aryans and non-Aryan (Anarya) culture. The ancient name of Assam was Pragjyotishpur and Kamrup which can be found in the books like Ramayana. Mahabharata, Vishnu Puran, writings of Hiuen tsang etc and in the inscriptions of ancient inscriptions of the Royal families. The state linked itself with both Hindu mythology and astrology. The noted scholar Banikanta Kakati viewed that the words Pragjyotishpur and Kamrup came from similar words in the Austric language. Thus, the assimilation of culture in Assam is more progressive and fast changing as the traditional culture and heritage of the state has adopted the foreign customs wholeheartedly without perishing their own identity.
10.) Really the society is like a book for studying the folk culture– provide your views on this issue.
The society is a mirror of the culture and traditions that evolve in a country The literature, art and architecture, folk songs, dances, food, language etc that develop for ages in a country become a part of the society as they are followed and practised by the people. When the cultural history of a country is studied the society is the best book for understanding. Assam has a very rich cultural heritage. The local common heritage is enriched with rich culture that comprises of literature, dance, folk songs etc. Each tribe of Assam also has its own rich traditional cultural heritage, they have their own dialects, folk-literatures, ornaments, food habits, housing culture, agriculture, social relationships, festivals, dresses,music etc.The culture of the state is around 750 years old which not only unifies the whole state but also welcomes new cultures. The people have acquired their cultural heritage through following and practising for years without any formal training. The people of Assam have observed traditions of different groups of people who have settled from outside along-with their own heritage. To understand the valuable tenets, one has to understand the traditions of a place. The society becomes the book and all customs and traditions followed by the common people of the society are the pages which help a person to understand the culture.
Write short notes:
1.) Sculptures of ancient India.
2.) Indian paintings.
3.) Traditions of songs and dances in India.
4.) Sculptures of Assam.
5.) Architectures of Assam.
6.) Vaishnavite literature of Assam.
7.) Folk songs of Assam.
8.) Religious unity in Assam.
9.) Historical literature of Assam.
10.) Bihu festival.
Solution:
1.) Sculptures of Ancient India-The ancient India was the glorius age of the sculpture of India. During the Indian Valley civilization, beautiful eye-catching sculptures were made with stone, stones, bronze, copper, silver and gold etc. The ancient India sculptures were made with mixture of local and foreign designs. The statues were simple, straight and unproportional, some were proportionally bifurcated, trifurcated and quadrifurcated styles. People constructed statues of Gautam, Buddha, Mahavir, different Gods and Goddesses of the Hindus fairies and different animals related to Buddhism. The sculpture on the top of the Ashoka Pillars is closely related to Buddha’s life. The sculptures of ancient India can be divided into three major categories Gandhara, Mathura and Amarawati sculptures.
2.) Indian Painting-The paintings of ancient India are broadly divided into two categories— the big wall paintings and smaller paintings. Paintings were madeusing both styles on the walls of Ajanta (Maharashtra), Bagh (Madhya Pradesh), Armamalai (Tamil Nadu) etc.Smaller paintings were painted on the barks of Sanchi tree (Sanchipat), silk cloth etc. in places like Assam, Rajasthan, Orissa etc and were made mainly made for demonstrations of the pictorial description of the subjects of the book.During the 1st century B.C., the concept of six skills (Saranga) of painting was started which included shape, measurement, feelings expressing techniques, artistic presentation, knowledge of similarity and rule of using brush.Colours were made from turmeric, sindur, earth worm etc. natural objects and the paintings were multicoloured. During the Mughal period, the smaller paintings were done and were patronised by the emperors like Akbar, Jahangir and Sahjahan. The most famous pictorial books of the time were Padsahnama, Tutinama, Jahangirnama, Dastan-e-Amir, Khansa etc.The portrait of kings and queens, Darbar,war winning etc were subjects during Mughal era. The pictorial descriptions of Hindu religious books like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are found in the Parsi style of painting.
3.) Traditions of Songs and dances in India- The cultural heritage of music of the country is very rich. The slokas of Sama Deva were read by priests like songs name ‘Udgata’ for worshipping the god, later on these groups were divided into various groups changing the style of singing. The tradition of the Mentor-disciple (Guru-sishya) is prevalent in the country which reached its glorious heights during the Mughal period. Different types of musical instruments like shehnai, tabla, santur, sitar, beena, flute, dhol were invented to accompany classical and folk music. India also has a rich culture of dances.Eight dances have been recognised by the Govt. of India as the Indian Classical Dance forms which are – Kathakali (Malayalam, Kerala) Mohiniyattam (Kerala), Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Odisha), Kathak (Northern India), Manipuri (Manipur) and Satriya(Assam)
4.) Sculptures of Assam- The state of Assam has a rich heritage of sculptures which are mainly on the temples of Assam. The sculptures are two-dimensional wall statues and three -dimensional complete statues. They are made of elephant trunk, gold, silver, copper and wood etc. Different sculptures of deities like Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Surya etc are found. Animal sculptures of lion, sun, elephant, horses are found in places like Da Parbatia in Tezpur,Bamuni Pahar, Madan Kamdev, Ambari, Dabaka etc. The Da Parbatiya sculptures were made in 6th century.
5.) Architectures of Assam- In Assam, in the Middle Ages most of the architectures were constructed under the patronage of the Ahom and Koch kings.Rong Ghar, Kareng Ghar, Talatal Ghar and many more temples built by the Ahom kings are the most famous ones. The most famous temples that were built under the Ahom Kings were Kamakhya, Ugratara, Umananda, Shiva Doul, Joy Doul, Devi Doul, Fakua Doul etc. Most of the temples were built in Nagara or Versa style and made of stones and bricks. The construction of the multi-storied Taltala Ghar was by Ahom King Rudra Singha. Bihu festival is celebrated in the two -storeyed Rong Ghar. Many stone bridges were constructed during the Ahom rule.
6.) Vaishnavite Literature of Assam- Sanskrit was used during the middle part of the 4th century and then Assamese became the official language.During the period from 10th to 14th century, the only written Assamese literature which was a collection of songs called Charyapada.Literature in verse form based on Purana and other ancient Indian epics were written by authors like Hem Saraswati, Rudra Kandali, Haribar Bipra etc in the 14th century. The Vaishnavite movement started in the 15th century by Sankaradeva and Madhabdeva which influenced the life of the people of Assam in all areas. The religious movement affected literature of Assam and great amount of poetry, songs, prose, Charit puthi, drama were written. Ramayana, Mahabharata, Purana, theories of Hindu religion etc were the subject matter of the literature.The plays (Ankiya Naats) of Sankardeva- Patniprasad, Kaliya Daman, Keli Gopal, Rukmini Haran, Parijat Haran, Ram Bijay etc were the most famous plays during the Vaishnavite movement. The other important Vaishnavite writers were Bhattadeva, Ananta Kandali, Ram Saraswati etc.
7.) Folk Songs of Assam-Assam consists of a very rich tradition of folk songs and these songs are sung in various occasions and environments. Some songs have become obsolete but many are still sung various occasions. There are folk songs for all celebrations in Assam: Marriage songs (biya naam), appeasing song (nisukani geet) Kamrupi and Goalparia folk songs are most popular among other folk songs like Aainam, Dhainaam, Dotara (tokari) song, chiyageet, Nangeli geet (cow-boy song), cherradhek etc. The famous folk singers who have enriched the heritage are Khagen Mahanta, Rameswar Pathak and Pratima Pande Baruah who have been honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi awards. Pratima Pande Baruah, who is a prominent Goalparia folk song artiste was awarded the Padma Sree by the Government of India.
8.) Religious unity in Assam-The religious environment of Assam is homogenous in nature. There is presence of mostly all types of religion, people follow Islam, Christianity, Jain, Buddhism, Sikh and other religions. The Hindu religion is also an important religion of the area. The Vaishnavite movement launched by Sankaradeva and Madhabdeva in the 15thcentury influenced the life of the people in Assam.The religion has impact on literature, poetry, songs, charit puthi, drama etc. were written during that time. The main subject matters of these works were Ramayana, Mahabharata, Purana, Hindu religion etc. The neo-Vaishnavite movement inspired many people to follow Vaishnavism. The Islamic religion was first found in the North eastern region during the 13th century. Poa Macca in Hajo is a holy place, Zikir and Zakir were well known religious songs. The invasion of the Burmese invasion, Ranjit Singh of Punjab sent military help to the Ahom king Chandrakanta Singha. Some of the soldiers stayed back and the Sikh religion spread in the region. People in the eastern part of the region like Khamti, Aitan, Turung etc Buddhism spread. The Ahom Kings were secular in their approach to the religions of their state. This secular nature is prevalent in the present age also, the Bengali and Nepalese population also have enriched the religion and customs of the state and there is homogenous existence amongst the people.
9.) Historical literature of Assam- The Barman dyanasty of middle 4th century and other dynasties used Sanskrit as their official language initially. Assamese language was added in later stages. The modern Assamese language has evolved crossing many evolutions from Sanskrit which is clearly evident from the scriptures of Barman dynasty, Salastambha dynasty, Paul dynasty, Koch royal dynasty and Ahom scriptures. The modern form of Assamese language has developed from the time of the first Assamese Journal ‘Arunodoi’ which was published in 1846.From the period from 10th to 14th century, the only written Assamese literature was collection of songs called Charyapada. In the 14th century, Hem Saraswati, Rudra Kandali, Haribar Bipra, Kaviratna Saraswati and Madhab Kandali created literature in verse form based on Purana and other ancient Indian epics.Madhab Kandali who was a famous writer and patronised by Barahi King Mahamanikya translated the Ramayana into Assamese, titled ‘Saptakanda Ramayana’, which was the first work of translation from Sanskrit into a North Indian language.
10.) Bihu festival-Bihu is a community festival of Assam and three Bihu festivals are observed in Assam which are – Bohag (Rangali) bihu, Kati (Kongali) bihu and Magh (Bhogali) bihu. This festival is celebrated by all the people of Assam with lots of energy and interest.The Bohag Bihu is celebrated from the last day of Assamese month of Sot (Chait) to the first six days of Bohagand last day of the Sot month is known as the Sankranti or Domahi and is observed as “Garu bihu”. Cows play an important role in the lives of Assamese people and are specially treated on this day. The first day of the month of Bohag is called “Manuh bihu”.People wear new clothes and seek blessings from the elders.Different sports and cultural activities are organized in public places.Bihu naam (Huchari) followed by bihu dance are performed by the groups of people in all houses. The women of Upper Assam perform typical Jeng bihu. Different Communities of Assam observe Bahag bihu with their own styleThe bihu dance is accompanied by some instruments like Dhol (Drum), horn pipe (pepa), fluteetc which are different in different communities. Kati Bihu is observed on the last day of Assamese month of Ahin. People observe fasting in the day and light lamps under Tulsi and in paddy fields in the evening. Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu is celebrated on the last day of the Assamese month of Push. People construct bhelaghar which are temporary hut made of bamboo, straws etc. and meji in fields and community feasts are organized. People also prepare different types of traditional sweets, snacks etc. A communion of different tribes and communities can be observed in the festival of Bihu in Assam.
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