Jingkieng jri: Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes

NOTE-Living root bridges related state has been asked in past Prelims question paper.

• Locally known as Jingkieng Jri, Living Root Bridges (LRB) are Ficus-based rural connectivity and livelihood solutions within dense subtropical moist broadleaf forest eco-region of Meghalaya in the eastern extension of the Indian Peninsular Plateau. 
• Grown by indigenous Khasi tribal communities
• Ficus-based Living structures also contribute to the ecology through forest and riparian restoration. 

Geoglyphs of Konkan Region of India

• Large concentration of geoglyphs on the laterite plateaus (Sada) of the Konkan region (south western Maharashtra to Southern Karnataka) is the most remarkable open-air ensemble of prehistoric human expression of rock art in the Konkan region (south western Maharashtra to Southern Karnataka) from Mesolithic (10Kya) to Early Historic (1.7Kya.)
• Geoglyphs are rock art produced on the surface earth either by positioning rocks, rock fragments or by reduction technique i.e. carving out or removing part of a rock surface to form a design. These are a critical typology of material heritage being the only evidence pointing to the presence of human settlement in the Konkan region and, from a stylistic analysis, their features point to their continued existence from Mesolithic era till early historic era and possibly, were contemporary to other Deccan Chalcolithic cultures.
• Further, these are also the key proof of existence of certain types of faunal lifeforms that are no longer present in the region today.

Sri Veerabhadra Temple and Monolithic Bull (Nandi), Lepakshi (The Vijayanagara Sculpture and Painting Art Tradition)

• Sri Veerabhadra temple, also known as Lepakshi Temple is located in Lepakshi Village, named after a main shrine dedicated to Veerabhadra (the fiery incarnation of Lord Shiva). From the inscriptions engraved on the prakara walls of the temple, the village is alternatively called as Lepaksha, Lepakshi and Lepakshipura.
• The literal meaning of the word is –Lepa + Akshi– an embalmed eye or a painted eye. 
• The significance of the place dates back to the Indian epic Ramayana. It is believed that the bird Jatayu, wounded by the king of Lanka, Ravana, fell here after a battle against the king who was carrying away Sita, the wife of Rama, the king of Ayodhya. When Rama reached the spot, he saw the bird and said compassionately to him, “Le Pakshi” — meaning “Arise, bird” in Telugu.
• Major building activity took place from 1350 – 1600 CE representing the period of matured Vijayanagara architecture. During this period, the place was developed into a large complex by adding several shrines and mandapas and multi-pillared mandapas. During the Vijayanagara period, Lepakshi temple went through gradual development in the reign of king Achyutaraya (1529-42 CE) and bears witness to Vijayanagara period at an important stage of its evolution.
• Monolithic Bull (Nandi): The gigantic bull is a sculpture carved out of a huge granitic rock. This monolithic sculpture is a unique example of its kind. It faces west and is looking towards the mentioned Naga-linga located at Sri Veerabhadra temple. On the eastern face of a granite boulder in second enclosure,is a basaltic sivalinga canopied by a monolithic sculpture of seven hooded Naga.
• Paintings: With the support and help of Vijayanagara kings, Krishna Devaray and Achyutarya created notable development in the field of art in the empire which is distinctly visible in the paintings at Verrabhadra Temple. The technique used is known as Fresco-secco or painting in lime medium on plaster. The fresco paintings on the walls and ceilings of mandapas and pradakshinapada depict illustrations from Ramayana and Mahabharata, gods and legendary stories like Parvathi’s marriage, Kiratarjuniyam, different manifestations of Siva, Draupadi Swayamvaram and Virupanna and his brothers worshipping Veerabhadra.

SATPURA TIGER RESERVE

• Located in Satpura ranges of Central Indian Landscape, is one of the major geographical plateau of India lies in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh (India).
• It is part of the Deccan bio-geographic zone of India.
• Satpura, basically meaning “Seven Folds“, forms a watershed between Narmada and Tapti River is triangular in shape. 
• Twenty-six species of the Himalayan region and 42 species of Nilgiri areas are found hence Satpura Tiger Reserve also known as the northern extremity of Western Ghats.
• Some of the species common to Satpura and Himalayas are Asterella khasiana, Bambusa polymorpha, Rubus ellipticus, Berberis asiatica. Examples of species common to Satpura and Western Ghats are, Cochlospermum religiosum, Pterocarpus santilenus (Red sandal).
• Archaeological significance of the place cannot be neglected considering more than 50 rock shelters with painting that are 1500 to 10,000 years old.

Hire Benkal, Megalithic Site- Karnataka

• The word ‘Megalith’ has been derived from two Greek words ‘megas’ meaning big/large and ‘lithos’ means stone. The megalith is a nomenclature used for certain burial style which involves stone erect structures for dead. 
• The site under consideration is megalithic burial complex at Hire Benkal in Gangavati Taluka, Koppal District, state of Karnataka, INDIA, a Centrally Protected Site under Archaeological Survey of India, Hampi Circle.
• The site is located on top of castellated granite hillock within the zone of peninsular gneissic complex of the Dharwad series of rocks.
• Gigantic port-holed dolmens dominate over all other types of burial monuments .
• Another unique feature of Hire Benkal is prehistoric rock paintings.

Iconic Riverfront of the Historic City of Varanasi

The five ghats described as the most merit-giving and sacred, called Panchatirthis, are the following and their importance has been first mentioned in the ancient text Matsya Purana, ca 6^th century:

1. Asi, named for its location at the former confluence of the Asi and Ganga Rivers (both religiously, culturally and spiritually significant in their own right);

2. Dashashvamedha, the most important and active ghat with respect to historicity and continuity of traditions, where according to myth, Brahma performed the-ten horses sacrifice and where many important pilgrimage journeys and associated shrines are located;

3. Manikarnika, which is popularly eulogized as ‘the cremation ground’ and which contains what is considered to be the holiest spot in the city, and is the meeting point of Shaiva and Vaishnavite traditions;

4. Panchaganga, which is one of two sacred tirthas mentioned in ancient mythologies and is believed to be the meeting point of the five rivers: the Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Kirana and the Dhutpapa (of which only the first is visible), and which has strong ties to notable people such as Ramananda and Tulsi; and lastly

5. Adi Keshava, which is believed to be the original site of Lord Vishnu (it is amongst the oldest puranic listings of sacred sites in the city).

• In Hinduism, it is one of the rare places on earth that is naturally endowed with spiritual aura and deemed holiest of the seven holy cities of Hindus and the most important pilgrimage destination.
• Lord Buddha chose to give his first sermon “Turning the wheel of Law” in 528 BC at Sarnath near Varanasi, thus making it extremely significant for Buddhists.
• The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak visited Varanasi twice in the 16^th century.
• This is also the birthplace of some of the 24 Jain Tirthankars (supreme leaders and guides of Jainism), including the leading prophet, Passhvanatha in the 8^th century BCE.

Bhedaghat-Lametaghat in Narmada Valley

• Bhedaghat, often referred to as the Grand Canyon of India, is a town in the Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh (India), around 25 kms from Jabalpur. 
• One can experience the outstanding beauty of marble rocks and their various morphological glittering forms on either side of the graceful Narmada river which flows through the gorge. It has also been observed that the magical marble mountains assume different colours and even shapes of animals and other living forms as one moves through them.
• Several dinosaur fossils have been found in the Narmada valley particularly in Bhedaghat-Lametghat area of Jabalpur.
• The perpendicular magnesium limestone rocks fringe the crystal-clear waters of the Narmada, providing a fascinating view. 
• Dhuandhar fall waterfall gives the epic view of smoke coming out of the river.
• Bandar Kodini (“the monkey’s leap”) is a point where one finds the mountains at both sides so close while travelling through a boat between the marble rocks that monkeys can jump across them.

Serial Nomination of Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra

This consists of 14 forts from the era of 17th century Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Important among them includes:
o Shivneri Fort: It is the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1630.
o Alibag/ Kulaba Fort: It was chosen as one of the forts to be modelled as a naval base by Chhatrapati Shivaji.
o Rajgad Fort: It is one of the forts kept out from the Mughals when Shivaji signed the Treaty of Purandar (1655) and also the longest occupied by him (26 years).
• The networks of forts built on hills, land and sea are excellent examples of how existing terrain/ landscape was used for developing the guerrilla warfare strategy by Shivaji and Maratha army to combat the Mughals on the landside and European coastal powers from the seaside.

Temples of Kanchipuram

• Situated on the banks of River Vegavathi, the historic temple town of Kanchipuram once had 1,000 temples, of which only 126 (108 Shaiva and 18 Vaishnava) now remain.
• Kanchi was an important city mentioned in the Sangam literature under the rule of the Cholas.
• With the rise of the Pallavas under Simhavishnu about sixth century CE, who made Kanchi as his capital, it gained more political clout and importance.
• It remained the capital city of the Pallavas for next two centuries.
• It continued to be a secondary capital under the Cholas as always, they took pride in possessing it and embellishing it with many temples.
• All known Indian religious sects Saivism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism and Jainism flowered here at one point of time or another.
• The establishment of Kamakoti pitha, also known as Kanchi Matha by Sankaracharya and the Kamakshi amman temple made Kanchi as important centre of Saktism. 

• The 11 temples are identified under this nomination, are as follows:

  1. The Rajasimhesvaram or Kailasanatha Temple
  2. Piravatnesvara temple
  3. Iravathanesvara temple
  4. Paramesvara Vinnagaram or Vaikuntaperumal temple
  5. Muketswara temple
  6. Arulala or Varadharaja Perumal temple
  7. Ekambaresvara temple (Thirukachiekambam)
  8. Jvaraharesvara temple
  9. Pandava Dootha Perumal Temple
  10. Yathothkari Perumal Temple
  11. Ulagalanda Perumal Temple