CURRENT AFFAIRS INDIAN CULTURE AND HISTORICAL EVENTS
28th October- 2nd November
1. Lakshmi Narasimha Temple Why in News? The 13th century Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Bhadravati of Shivamogga district, Karnataka is being renovated.
About Lakshmi Narasimha Temple
• The temple, built in the 13th century by Veeranarasimha, the grandson of Vishnuvardhana, is also known as Trikutachala temple with three raja gopuras (towers). • It is built in ‘Trikuta’ style- a temple with three shrines-dedicated to Lakshmi Narasimha, Venugopalaswamy and Purushothama. • Located in the old town area of Bhadravathi, the temple is built on a three-feet-high star-shaped solid foundation. • The temple’s exterior is decorated with exquisitely done Hoysala style sculptural carvings that can be seen in hundreds all around the outer walls. • The concrete flooring on the platform, also called jagati, is used by devotees as pradakshina path (ambulatory passageway for circumambulation).
About Hoysala Temple Architecture
• Hoysala temples developed between the 11th and 14th centuries, mostly concentrated in southern Karnataka. • They are sometimes called hybrid or vesara as their unique style seems neither completely Dravida nor Nagara, but somewhere in between. • They contain multiple shrines grouped around a central pillared hall. • Hoysala sculptures show deep carving and undercutting, soft rhythms of the body contours, delicate and intricate designs. o Deep carving and undercutting is facilitated by the soft stone. It gives the rich surface texture and is responsible for the intricate and detailed scenes. o These sculptures are rich with religious and cultural iconography depicting gods and goddesses, wars and victories, dance and music, hunting, games, processions, and the dress, jewelry, and daily life of people and scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Bhagavatham. • A navaranga was usually included as a place for people to gather and participate in cultural programs such as music and dance performances, story-telling from mythology, and religious discourses. • Gently curving bell shaped chajja, and lathe turned stone pillars with circular rings carved on them are stylistic elements of Hoysala architecture. • Mantapa, pavilions or pillared halls of all sizes, are a typical feature and occurred with temples and without. • Kalyani or stepped wells are commonly found in the Hoysala sacred ensembles. These wells served as an important source of water and were an important architectural structure. • A pushkarani or well was often located within the temple premises and a tank or lake adjacent to the temple. • Some of the famous temples are: o Hoysaleswara temple at Halebid, Karnataka. o Chennakeshava temple in Somnathpur, Karnataka. o Kesava temple at Belur in Hassan, Karnataka.
2. Hyderabad figures in UNESCO list for rich culinary heritage
Why in News? Hyderabad, has been officially designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy on the occasion of World Cities Day. • It is among the 66 cities named by UNESCO in the list of new Creative Cities which aims at pushing the Sustainable Development Goals through innovative thinking and action. • The UNESCO recognition can go a long way in creating more business and employment opportunities to stimulate tourism. • Mumbai has also been designated as Creative City of Films. • In India, Chennai and Varanasi are UNESCO cities of music while Jaipur is the City of Crafts and Folk Arts.
UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)
• The UCCN was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. • By joining the UCCN, the cities pledge to share their best practices and develop partnerships involving public and private sectors as well as civil society to strengthen creation, production, distribution and dissemination of cultural activities, goods and services. • The network covers seven creative fields: crafts and folk arts, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature and music.
World Cities Day
• The United Nations General Assembly has designated the 31st of October as World Cities Day. • It aims to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization and addressing the challenges of urbanization while contributing to sustainable urban development around the world. • The theme of 2019 is - Changing the world: innovations and better life for future generations.