Cultural and Civilisational Newsletter : March-2024

Buddha relics return to India after historic Thailand tour- The Economic Times

The relics of Lord Buddha, along with those of his disciples Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Maha Moggallana, after 26 days returned to the National Museum in Delhi on March 19 and was open to brief exposition to the New Delhi based diplomatic corps on March 20. Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi participated in the ceremony of prayers and chanting in the presence of representatives of the diplomatic corps from 15 countries. Click here to read... [2]

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar movie review: Randeep Hooda packs an impeccable punch in this hard-hitting & eye-opening biographical drama- Firstpost

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, which marks the directorial debut of actor Randeep Hooda, revolves around the life of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who chooses the path of violence unlike Mahatma Gandhi for freedom and how his ideologies turn out to be a threat for Britishers. Click here to read... [3]

Varanasi court to hear Gyanvapi mosque basement plea on April 11- The Economic Times

The Varanasi district court has fixed April 11 for hearing a plea seeking to stop Muslim devotees from walking on top of the Gyanvapi mosque's southern cellar, where the court recently allowed Hindu prayers.
The plea filed by the Hindu side has stated that the cellar's roof is very old and weak. It also said the pillars of this basement, also known as 'Vyas Tehkhana', needed repair. Click here to read... [4]

Alka Pande's New Set of 14 Collectible Books is an Ode to the Best of Indian Culture and Heritage- The Wire

Eminent art historian and curator Alka Pande’s recent set of 14 collectible books, 108 Portraits of Indian Culture and Heritage, puts the spotlight on 14 disciplines ranging from art, architecture, objects, crafts and more. The immersive collection set is an encyclopaedic work examining the development and history of Indian visual culture through various eras of history to the contemporary world. The set of books features a comprehensive historical, cultural and visual exploration of subjects ranging from objects, dance, food, architecture, printmaking, crafts and music to photography, sculpture, design, traditional art, textiles, modern and contemporary art and vernacular and indigenous art. Click here to read... [5]

India’s first museum dedicated to cooperatives is coming up in Kozhikode-The Hindu

Amul, Indian Coffee House, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), Kerala Dinesh Beedi: these are brands from diverse sectors with one uniting factor — they are all cooperatives. These and many others will be showcased at the almost-ready 14-storey International Cooperative Museum (ICM) in the heart of Kozhikode, Kerala. It will be a destination to learn about India’s cooperative movement that has a history of more than a century. Click here to read... [6]

'Sacred job': Iraq Kurds digitise books to save threatened culture- The Times of India

Rebin Pishtiwan digitizes historic Kurdish books to preserve the culture and history of Kurdistan. The Kurdistan Center for Arts and Culture launched a digitization project to provide primary sources for Kurdish readers and researchers. Access to rare manuscripts is made possible through the project. Click here to read... [7]

Dubai Launches “India by The Creek” Festival to Celebrate Deep Ties with India- DD News

Dubai inaugurated the first-ever “India by the Creek” festival on March 8th, bringing the vibrant culture of India to Al Seef Park. This three-day celebration highlights the long-standing historical and cultural connections between India and Dubai.” India by the Creek” offers a diverse array of programmes, featuring musical performances, literary discussions, poetry readings, and interactive workshops. This immersive experience promises to solidify the deeply entrenched cultural ties between India and Dubai, paving the way for a future enriched by artistic expression. Click here to read... [8]

Feeling of pride towards Indian culture basis of national consciousness: President Murmu- The Print

The feeling of pride towards Indian culture is the basis of our national consciousness, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday, noting that spreading cultural awareness in Sanskrit language is service to nation.
The President made the remarks at the first convocation ceremony of the Central Sanskrit University. Click here to read... [9]

Vikram Sampath book launch ticked many boxes: Shiva, Aurangzeb, Hindu resilience, bias, Nehru- The Print

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched 'Waiting for Shiva: Unearthing the Truth of Kashi’s Gyan Vapi', whose author Vikram Sampath said 'shrines fell, shrines rose but Hindus of Kashi never gave up'.
The book is an impressive tome that brings together historical, religious, archaeological, and legal arguments to the ongoing Hindu reclamation project in Varanasi. Sampath says that Hindus have been waiting for Shiva just like the Nandi bull waits for a darshan in temples. In the book, Sampath bemoans the historians’ denial and denunciation of the umbilical cord India has with its civilisational ethos. Click here to read... [10]

Soft power: India sends Buddha relics to Thailand to counter Chinese efforts- Hindustan Times

India has sent several sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples to Thailand, where they were personally received by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, with the development being seen as part of New Delhi’s efforts to counter Beijing’s attempts to use Buddhism to project soft power in Southeast Asia. The relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Maha Moggallana, were taken to Bangkok last month by an Indian delegation and will be displayed for 25 days in four cities of Thailand. Click here to read... [11]

ASI to publish report on first two phases of Keeladi excavation in nine months, Centre tells HC- The Hindu

The Centre on Monday told the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will publish the report on the first two phases of Keeladi archaeological excavations in Sivaganga district, submitted by Superintending Archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, in nine months. Click here to read... [12]

India’s cultural renaissance has begun. IGNCA leading it with Vastu, Vedas, and ‘new’ history- The Print

A cultural renaissance is underway. It has happened around the world, and ‘Bharat’ is next in line—courtesy the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. “It takes place differently everywhere. Europe’s renaissance was different,” admits IGNCA chairman Ram Bahadur Rai. This 21st-century cultural resurgence, being ushered in by the centre located in Delhi’s Janpath, is fast-paced, robust, and technologically driven, with digital courses on Vastu, the Vedas, and art appreciation. Click here to read... [13]

Met museum head talks art of repatriation and relevance- The Times of India

Max Hollein, the director and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, discusses collaborations with India's culture ministry, repatriation efforts, provenance research, transparency, and the museum's relevance to the younger generation. Click here to read... [14]