The religion, which discriminates between two people, is partial. There cannot be more degrading system of social organization then ‘chaturvarna ashram’. It is the system, which legitimized notions of purity and impurity, divides humanity mere on the accident of birth regardless of any talent or virtues. Life for the untouchables was worse than the slaves as per the laws of Manu. But there came a man, known as Baba Sahib Ambedkar, who gave his life to live the Untouchables (Dalits) up from the darkness of thousands of years old social brutality and injustice. He gave them dignity, self -respect and the will to fight for their human rights. He was a unique thinker of the world who himself suffered much humiliation, poverty and social stigma, right from childhood, yet he rose to great educational and philosophical heights. He built civic and political institutions in India and criticized ideologies and institutions that enslaved people.

Keywords: Achuhata, Chaturvarna ashram, Dalit, Mahar, Shudra.

This research paper is based on the conducted field work in the six tribal villages of the Gondwana region of the Maharashtra state. The major aim of this paper is to explore the Traditional Crop Protection Techniques of Gond, Kolam and Pardhan tribal communities from the same region. It has been pointed out that these local tribal communities have developed traditional and indigenous knowledge, tools and techniques of crop protections in their regions. However, their traditional knowledge, arts, skills and techniques are varied across the regions and communities. These communities have their social, cultural and economic cognizance about the use of the natural and local resources. They have developed their arts, skills techniques, traditional knowledge based on their own experiences and wisdom in their natural settings. Thus, their knowledge, wisdoms, arts and skills are region wise and specific to certain communities. In the case of this region, study focused on the pre and post harvesting traditional crops protection techniques of the Gond, Kolam and Pardhan communities of the Nanded and Chandrapur district in Gondwana region of the Maharashtra state. In the present context, due to the many forces, the indigenous knowledge of the local tribal communities is in crisis and in endangered positions, thus, this study has significance and importance in the present context to explore and document the traditional techniques of these local tribal communities who have been using to protect their crops from the various attacks by insects, nematodes, mollusks, rodents, or birds, or infestations by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. Thus, the major findings of this study would be helpful to provide policy inputs to the natural resources managements, agriculture departments, crop protection strategies for strengthening the organic farming for sustainable growth and the development of agriculture.

Keyword: Agriculture, Crops, Knowledge, Protections and Techniques.

This paper seeks to analyse transformations in the folk idiom under the influence of a radical agrarian movement in Bhojpur, Bihar from the 1960’s. The folk here get pulled out of the private sphere and metamorphose into a tool in political mobilization. It overturns the very meaning and purpose of singing. This transformation of the folk is the entry point for this paper. There is an attempt made to understand the trajectory of this transformation through analysing song -texts, their poetics and aesthetics.

Keywords: Folk Songs, Bhojpuri, Radical Peasantry, Sohar.

In the first part, we have seen his visit to Lucknow, describing its beauty, monuments, and people, the king’s menagerie, and animal fights. We also experienced the festive dinner hosted by the king bof Awadh, Nassurdin Shah of Lucknow. In the second part, his onwards journey from Delhi is being taken, reaching Meerut, Moradabad, and Kalddhungi and reaching Nainital, where he stayed for more than 20 days. What he and the prince did at Nainital during those leisure days has been discussed. In Dwarahat he described the Kedarnath temple. The temples mentioned by Atkinson and in Wikipedia have been added along with photos collected from the website. Similarly, the Adibadri temples met on the way have been described along with sketches of the prince and the photos from the websites. Similarly, the Kedarnath temple and the Gangotri temple have been described along with the sketches of the prince and with the photos collected from the websites. It has shown how gradually Kedarnath and Gangotri developed from lonely places to a towns. Not only this, the Kedarnath disaster has been also discussed briefly as being the part of the history. as how it happened and the losses. From Gangotri, the party entered into little Tibet and from there to Panjab (present-day Himachal Pradesh) and to Firozpur (now in Pakistan), where the Hoffmeister died and was buried.

Keywords: Butter tree, Jhula Devi, Mariana North, Mr. Fraser, Patal Devi, Sangho-bridges, Sir George Everest.

The Kakatiya kings had ruled the Telugu speaking regions from Warangal as their capital during the period from 1000AD to 1323 AD. During the rule of Ganapathi Deva (1199-1262 AD), Rudrama Devi (1262-1289) and Prathapa Rudra (1289-1323AD), the Kakatiya Kingdom emerged as a powerful state and there was all-round development1. The Kakatiya Rulers had patronised scholars and artists and promoted literature and fine arts like music, dance, sculpture art and architecture.2 The Kakatiya Rulers had constructed several temples and forts. The Temples of Palampeta, Jakaram, Ramanujapuram, Pillalamarri, Nagulapadu, Kusumanchi and several other places are known for their beautiful art, architecture and sculpture. The Ramappa Temple, Thousand Pillar Temple, Swayambhu Temple, Ganapeswara Temple of Kusumanchi, Ghanapur group of Temples of Mulugu region are well known. The sculpture art and architecture of these temples reflect the life and culture, art, crafts, costumes, sports, music and dance forms of their times and are inspiring the present generation. In this paper an attempt is made to focus light on the Ornaments of Males and Females in Kakatiya Temple sculpture in Telangana.

Keywords: Temples and Forts, Ornaments of Males and Females, Sculpture Art and Architecture.

The images of various sculptures of the goddess Cāmuṇḍā as terrible aspects of the mother goddess (as icons of Śakti) have been unearthed from various parts of North Bengal during the early medieval period. Different types of sculptural forms of the goddess Cāmuṇḍā seen sitting, standing, or in dancing postures have been discovered from North Bengal during the period of our study. Almost all the images of the goddesses Cāmuṇdā belonging to the Pāla-Sena period are made of black basalt, few of them of brass, bronze or octo-alloy found from different parts of North Bengal. These artistic activities and the images are considered valuable resources in Bengal art as well as in eastern Indian art from iconographic and epigraphic point of view.

Keywords: Cāmuṇḍā, Emaciated Body, Naramuṇḍamālā, Sculptural Art, Terrible Aspects.

Odisha is bearing the direct/indirect evidence of maritime activities in comparison to other coastal state of India. Odisha played a significant role in spreading Indian culture to other parts of the world in various context with the land and people of Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Africa and Indian ocean region (Southeast Asia). The maritime trade of the Odisha with other countries were started during early historical period. The coast of Odisha had transoceanic relation in the context of Indian-made, or Indian-influenced, objects found in archaeological sites in Southeast Asia belongs to the early historical period. Which is the formation and evolution of regional and inter-regional trading scope. The non-Indianized material such as ceramics, numismatic evidence from the coastal or hinterland Odisha shows the direct and indirect contacts of the land. The Indian influences in Southeast Asia were shows the multiple dimensions in expansion of socio-cultural-political history. Archaeological findings, explorations and excavations at various sites, epigraphical and numismatic evidences of different periods, and literary records reveals the seafaring archaeology of Odisha. From early historical period the maritime trade activities of Odisha was started and continued till medieval period.

Keywords: Indo Roman Trade, Southeast Asia, Architecture, Sculpture, Inscription, Palm leaf Manuscript, Foreign coin, Pottery, Buddhism.

The study of death in anthropology opens a window to life, one which does not show death as an end but rather the beginning of a new journey. In cultures throughout the world, the path of this journey is paved with rites and rituals. Similarly, in Hinduism, the event of death is followed by an array of rituals that has its source in the Garuḍa Purāṇa. This Sanskrit text is the most superior doctrine that resolves the mysteries of death. It disseminates knowledge about the proper rituals that are to be conducted after death, the importance of charity as well as living a sin free life, all to ensure a peaceful death and a luxurious afterlife. At one glance these may seem obligatory religious processes, but when given a closer look with the help of anthropological theories, they reveal the inner workings of both the human mind and the society.

Keywords: Anthropology, Culture, Death, Funerary rituals, Garuḍa Purāṇa.

Radhanagar, An Early Historic Fortified settlement of Odisha was subjected for archaeological excavation for three consecutive sessions from 2010 to 2013 sessions. Prolonged investigations carried out in context of other contemporary sites of South Eastern India which resulted fresh insights into the growth of Buddhism, trade and urbanism. The major contribution of the study is identification of provincial headquarter of Ashoka and Eastern Indian coastal trade route with evidence of series of Buddhist settlement sites on the east coast starting from Tamralipti to Bhattiprolu. The criss-cross net-work of Buddhist centres and port sites of Radhanagar, Langudi, Dhauli, Aragarh, Jaugarh, Salihundam, Dantapura, Kalingapatna, Thatlakonda, Linglakonda, Kottur Dhulikota, Phangiri, Guntupali, Amaravati up to Sannathi and Kanaganhali are all contemporary and had cultural interactions in the Mauryan and Post- Mauryan period in the ancient Kalinga- Andhra Desha and Karnataka which is evident from the discovery of coins of Sri Sada, the Maharaja of Kalinga-Mahisasaka country from Dharanikota and Vaddamanu and significant discovery of Kalinga Edict of Ashoka from Sannathi. An up-to-date analytical study is thus made in considerations with archaeological findings of Radhanagar Settlement.

Keywords: Buddhist Settlement, Archaeology, City, Trade Route, Ashoka, Kalinga and Andhra Desha.

This article describes the origin of postal stamp system in India during the East India Company period. The first postal stamp of the Indian postal system was the Scinde Dawak stamp which was released on 1 July, 1852. Released in the province of Sind by its Commissioner Frere, it was also the first in Asia. The introduction of postage stamps charged fixed rates for conveyance of letter irrespective of the distance thus wiping out several corrupt practices that existed in the system. Apart from the introduction of stamp Frere brough in several changes to improve the then existing postage arrangements. Apart from these stamps, the semi-autonomous princely states of pre independent India used their own stamps or the stamps of British India overprinted with their state’s name. The first postal stamp of Independent India depicting the country’s flag was released on 21 November 1947. With the evolution of the postage stamps, the method used for printing them has also undergone changes.

Keywords: Scinde Dawak, Edward Frere, Rowland Hill, British-India stamps, Azad-Hind stamps.

Susunia in Bankura District of West Bengal is famous for several reasons like its scenic beauty, prehistoric cultural remains and also for the development of different indigenous crafts. At present, focus has been given on the craft of stone carving. Susunia is very rich in stone quarry. The type of stone dominated in the area is reddish and sandy in texture, geologically known as sillimanite. Due to availability of raw material needed for stone carving artisans from nearby villages are practicing stone carving. They are mostly Karmakars by caste. They carve out different types of idols of Gods and Goddesses, utensils, decorator items and token of gifts. These products have demand in local areas as well as to the tourists. Thus, a huge amount of stone mining was done by the local stone suppliers. Recently a legal prohibition was enacted by the State Government to prevent this illegal quarry and to protect the Susunia hill itself. Due to scarcity of raw materials, they also import different types of stone from different parts of the country. The artisans who are mostly depended on Susunia stones shifted to the other occupations. In spite of these problems the artisans are traditionally inherits the skill and knowledge of stone carving through generations. They preserve both tangible and intangible aspects of cultural heritage. Present paper is an attempt to study the technology of stone carving and related artisans associated with the craft from the view point of cultural resource management.

Keywords: Heritage, Tangible Culture, Intangible Culture, Culture Resource Management.

This manuscript highlights the fundamental principles of Buddhism taught by Buddha and their importance in the life of a monastic community known as the Sangha. It highlights the comprehensive manner in which the Buddha imposed the Dhamma on the spiritual and ethical evolution of monks (Bhikkhus). Among the many issues raised in this discussion, one of them is the interrelationship between ethical behavior (Sīla), mental concentration (Samādhi), and wisdom – the three essentials that govern the practice of a monk in relationship to liberation. The study draws attention to vinaya, the monastic code of discipline and practice aimed at modifying conduct and controlling order within the Sangha. This manuscript also emphasizes Buddhaw’s procedures concerning behavior, attention, and focus. It demonstrates that such teachings are intended to assist the individual monk and protect the Dhamma and its transmission across time. The text examines how the Dhamma is an integral part of the communal lives of the members of the Sangha so that the members can live together in peace, help each other out, and have similar aspirations which are spiritually inclined. This investigation looks into how the fourfold Sangha practices embeddedness of the Buddha’s life in its rhythm – performing individual practices of Meditation and incorporating them into collective dynamics of Work. The research further analyzes how these issues relate to the centrality of the Buddha in the contemporary monastic settlement and the focus of Buddhists in arts and culture today. The text as a case study analysis of the Dhamma teachings affirms that even in this contemporary age, the relevance of the Buddha’s teachings to the people, particularly the monks, is very high, and this day focus remains to be enlightenment, which is key in preservation and dissemination of authentic Buddhist teachings generations to come.

Keywords: Dhamma, Sangha, Vinaya, Monastic Discipline, Buddhist Ethics, Meditation.