Why India was invaded many times since ancient times, but India did not invade? (2)

Why India was invaded many times since ancient times, but India did not invade? (2)

The reason, why India was invaded: If the reason is analyzed, from the Persian, Greek, Arab and European writings, it is given as follows on many grounds –

1. India was rich with wealth (this is the main reason cited by most of the writers and authors of history books),
2. Honey and milk were flowing (literary version of describing the wealth of India),
3. Pearls and valuables were found on the roads.
4. India was opulent with gold and diamonds
5. Even ants were of dog size carrying golden powder (thus, Indians paid tribute to the Persians).
6. Gorgeous clothes were grown on trees (Herodotus[1].)
7. Many interesting, strange and valuable goods were available that were not available anywhere on the globe.
8. It was paradise heaven and dreamland on the earth.
9. It was the origin of the human race and the land of gods (18^th to 20^th centuries narratives[2]).
10. If “India” was won, that was equal to conquering the world.

These are only for illustrative purposes and not exhaustive, as the Persian, Greek, Arab and European literature and writings give only one-sided narratives.

Critical analysis of the above reasons: A simple analysis of the above reasons in any context of time and place proves that such propositions have been a violation of human values, principles and code of conduct. Just because, “India was rich with health,” could anyone invade and loot? Were the Persian and Greek civilizations were with all advances science and technology, they must have been much rich than other civilizations. How then, they decided to invade “India”? They were also boasted themselves of the highest form education, how they could have been so unkind, heartless and mean to do so? This clearly points to some abnormal, aberrant and unsocial mindset, psyche and attitude of them. Like this, every point can be discussed and elaborated, but, no ethical standard, nor mal principle or code of good conduct admits, permits or accepts such violations. It is irony that when the western scholarship advocates such lofty principles, human rights, woman rights, children rights, animal rights,  and so on, they do not bother about what their forefathers committed on /Indians. Yet, such violations are not discussed, but, made Indians to accept that they were weak, divided and so on. This ideology or compromise contradicts, because, one cannot or have right to dishonour or molest a woman, just because, she is weak, alone or beautiful or physically challenged. If one dies so, his cruel mentality has to be analyzed and exposed, than the weakness of the victim. This is understood, if the psychology of “invader” and “invaded” are critically analyzed.

The psychology of “invader” and “invaded”: If the issue is analyzed, the psychology of “invader” and “invaded” can easily be understood, in any angle, perspective and purview. Perhaps, none has pointed out the morality, ethics and code of conduct in the context. That “India-1947,” still survives, proves that something make her sustain, condition and get along with the times. It has been definitely, the struggle between ahimsa (non-violence) and himsa (violence) since earlier, historical or protohistorical times. Whether 3500 BCE-India, 1500 BCE-India, 550 BCE-India or 326 BCE-India, Indians never knew that such things as “invasion of the Persians and the Greeks” ever happened. No common man knew or anywhere recorded such event, till, the British came and try to discover “Alexander” in the Greek literature comparing many similar words. Though, scholars point out the impact of them on Indians, Indians never felt or cognized such influence. When the 1947-India has still been living with 5000-years old tradition, heritage, culture and civilization, the other civilizations disappeared and the existing ones have been in the zones of  “violence”.  Expansionism, aggression, violation of treaties, no respect for human values, code of conduct, ethics, etc., the “invaders” even today have been the advocates of violence, interested in battles and war; supply of arms and ammunition to continue the war, explode bombs and kill innocent people; exporting such extreme violence now mentioned as “terrorism” in different forms to developing, under-developed and weaker nations. Bertrand Russell[3] analyzed different types of war – war of colonization, war of principle, war of self-defence, war of prestige – but, now, more can be added. And they continued even today after hundred of years.

Whiteman’s burden: The expression may have been popularized through Rudyard Kipling’s book, “The White Man’s Burden” published in 1899. It is implied as ‘the supposed responsibility of European people to govern and care for their colonial subjects’. What was that “burden,” the white man was carrying or responsible for? Who had / has loaded the burden? Ws it loaded by Whiteman himself or by non-Whiteman, black man or brown man? By colonizing, extracting taxes, looting economically, enslaving, breaking families, and all other inter-related socio-economic violations and crimes, the Whiteman devastated many societies on the globe, including India. Thus, the Whiteman became a burden for all other people on the earth and India also. That is why perhaps, the Whiteman was  / is still called mentioned and recorded as vellakkaran, mlecha, angliyan, parangi and so on[4], evidently with contempt. Unless, the Whiteman had made Indian to suffer by many methods, they would not have considered them, so, consciously. Because, these words and expressions had been that of common people of India coming from villages and rural areas. Therefore, the colonial forces, by their various methods of rule, evidently tyrant enough to register their image in the minds of the common people.

Race, racism and racialism in USA and EC: Even in 21^st century, in spite of all progressive, forward looking and scientific temper thinking, race, racism and racialism work in one way or the other. In USA and in certain places of Europe, it has been explicit, in other places, it is implicit working consciously. In hospital admission, the race is asked and it has to be mentioned in the application[5]. It s noted that a pregnant woman of USA is asked whether “she was Northern European, Southern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Hispanic, African American.” It is also mentioned that, “Before drawing blood, a nurse asked the pregnant woman to state her race.” Race, and its by-product racism, are major factors in the U.S. health system and help define one of America’s health dilemmas[6]. Michael Byrd and Clayton Linda point out, “Racism in medicine and health care has paralleled racism in society…. From the American health system’s very beginnings, race has been, and remains, a pervasive yet enigmatic issue. …Race is important in American health and health care, whether viewed from the perspective of racism adversely affecting clinical decision-making regarding patients”. In London, such issues have gone to courts also. In Germany, Australia and other places one has to live and realize. In UAE, it works differently including religious belief-system. However, Indian sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, historians and others rarely discuss these issues. However, the concepts of British “born to rule,” “white man’s burden” etc., are taught, questions asked in the exams and marks given in India. This is also part of invader-invaded, ruler-ruled, oppressor-oppressed, suppressor-suppressed and so on in research studies.

India never invaded, why?: There have been Itihasa and Puranic references to the effect that  the entire world was “Indian.”[7] Slowly, Indian influence of culture, tradition, heritage and other factors got reduced with changing times. Thus, the climatic, geological and other related factors, made people groups living in different areas started developing their culture with material and non-material modifications. After Mahabharat War dated to 3102 BCE[8], the participant nations spread to various places and they could not reach their destinations. Thus, they settled down wherever possible, thus, they because part and parcel of the culture of the respective places. Thus, during the last 5000 years, many changes had taken place. The geologists, archaeologists, geo-physicists and related experts talk in terms of evolution, epochs, ages, Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, megalithic; chalcolithic, protohistoric and other concepts. In any case, India has history, studied by others.

Will Durant summarized the position of “India”:

“India was the motherland of our race, and Sanskrit the mother of Europe’s languages, she was the mother of our philosophy; mother through the Arabs, of much of our mathematics; mother, through the Buddha, of the ideals embodied in Christianity; mother, through the village community, of self-government and democracy. Mother India is in many tvays the mother of us all”

Sir Charles Elliot has commented about such “invaded” psyche imposed on India:

“Scant justice is done to India’s position in die world by those European histories which recount the exploits of her invader and leave the impression that her own people were a feeble dreamy folk, sundered from the rest of mankind by their seas and mountain frontiers. Such a picture takes no account of the intellectual conquests of the Hindus. Even their political conquests were not contemptible, and are remarkable for the distance, if not the extent, of the territories occupied …. But such military or commercial invasions are insignificant compared with the spread of Indian thought.”

Thus, India was dominating culturally, traditionally with inherited factors and it could have been possible, only when Indians were there in all places of the world. Then, as noted, the geographical area of “India” got reduced and her the Indian influence is felt again through such factors only. Now, they might be dubbed as “nationalist,” “communal” and so on. But, the opinion of others is / has been suppressed and oppressed, yet, they talk about freedom of opinion, speech, writing etc. if such values are to be applicable, they have to be applied universally to all.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

10-09-2022

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[1] Herodotus, the “father of history” gives such fantastic descriptions and he even mentioned that Indians were having two heads, three eyes, eye in the stomach and so on.

[2] Leon Poliokov, Aryan Myth,

[3] Russell, Bertrand. “The ethics of war.” InThe International Journal of Ethics 25.2, 1915, pp. 127-142.

[4]  வெள்ளக்காரன், …மிலேச்சன், ஆங்கிலேயன், பரங்கி……such other expressions were used in Tamil clearly denote them describing their nature.

[5] Morning, Ann. The nature of race: How scientists think and teach about human difference. University of California Press, USA, 2011, Introduction, p.2.

[6] Byrd, W. Michael, and Linda A. Clayton. “Race, medicine, and health care in the United States: a historical survey.” Journal of the National Medical Association 93.3 Suppl (2001): pp.11S-34S

[7]  Chaman Lal, India Mother of all of us, Published by the author, New Delhi, 1968.

[8]  Historians and scholars give different dates c.2450 BCE, 1400 BCE etc, however, this date has been expected now based on astronomical and other evidences.

Annigeri skulls and skeletons, found in August 2010: Different misinterpretations made initially are used even today to beat Rajaraja and Rajendra! [1]

Annigeri skulls and skeletons, found in August 2010: Different misinterpretations made initially are used even today to beat Rajaraja and Rajendra! [1]

Aug 29, 2010 – A worker unearths many human skulls while digging a small canal in Annigeri of Navalgund Taluk near Hubli: Around 60 to 75 human skeletons were recovered from the outskirts of Annagiri / Annigeri[1] ( ಅಣ್ಣಿಗೇರಿ) town in Karanataka’s Dharwar District[2]. The first 20 skeletons were discovered on 28-08-2010, Saturday when municipal corporation workers were digging the area for widening the drainage system[3]. The skeletons were buried in a very systematic manner[4]. S. Shreya, a professor of archaeology in Karnataka University said[5], “On the northern side, one can see only the systematic burial of the heads, and in the southern side you can see the burial of large number of them in a single layer, the legs and hands, and other parts of the body.” The skeletons had been dismembered at the time of burial, as all the skulls were recovered from one site whereas the other parts of the skeletons were found buried at a nearby spot adjacent to the drainage system. Thus, this had led to the involved scholars to interpret differently.

31-08-2010 (Tuesday) officials visited: A retired Geologist T. Shetty suspects that the skeletons were buried following a battle fought during the British period. “Such groups of heads joined in one place are very rare in south India. This is only possible, when there is a small war or some fight between two groups. Those are the possibilities. After DNA (testing), we will come to know the age. If you come to know the age, then we can decide whether it has occurred during the British period,” said Shetty. Local police have sought the assistance of the Anthropology-Genetics section of Karnataka University as well as the Archaeological Survey of India to unravel the intricacies of the case. Experts who visited the spot on 31-08-2010, Tuesday felt that it could also be a matter of organized crime. Local people say that the area used to be a burial ground and the mass burial have taken place after a war or famine. The site has been cordoned off to prevent people from entering the area. Police have sent the skeletons to the forensic lab for further investigation. (ANI). Thus, here, the version of the local people appeared to be reasonable.

February 2011 – More skeleton found: However, the newspapers carried various stories. There was a report that 300 more skeletons were found[6]. Thus, the number was increasing[7]. More than 600 skulls were recovered in the village of Annigeri near Dharwad in Karnataka in 2010. The skulls were dated as being ~200 years old—all victims of a 1790 famine in the region. This is a rare example where the District Commissioner’s Office and State Archaeological Department formally asked for teeth to be used in estimating age-at-death and sex of the post-mortem remains, which contributed to solving the mystery in the case. Addressing a press conference here, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Darpan Jain, Director of the Department of Archaeology and Museums R. Gopal and historian M.S. Krishnamurthy said there was no report on the existence of such a mass grave so far. Initially, only 50 skulls were found next to a drain after the ground was dug up for clearing the silt. As the finding caused a sensation, the administration cordoned off the area and requested the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums to conduct a study. A team of experts, led by Gopal and Prof Krishnamurthy, visited the site, but put off excavation because the area was damp.

Excavations carried on – August 28^th 2010 and January 12, 2011: First the reported discovery of the skulls were on 28-08-2020. Then, the excavation perhaps by the professionals started on 12-01-2011. Thus, in between, nearly for more than four months what happened is not known. The excavation began on January 12 2011 after the drain was diverted so as to allow the ground to dry. After the excavation, Jain said 471 skulls were found on a stretch of 15.6 metres by 1.7 metres. “The human skulls [only the upper portion, with the jaws missing] had been placed neatly facing different directions, and next to them were human bones on the same stretch. There is a missing patch in the arrangement, which experts believe might have been due to the digging for the drain… According to experts, around 600 human skulls might have been buried at the site.” The experts reckoned that the skulls were those of adults, he said, and the period to which they belonged was yet to be ascertained.

March 2011 – Proposal for testing of the skulls and skeletons: After the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad, expressed its inability to ascertain the period, the skulls were sent to the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneshwar, where tests were underway to ascertain the period through carbon dating. Jain said the next course of action would be decided only after the test results were out, possibly in two to three weeks. Gopal and Professor Krishnamurthy said the skulls were of those slain in a massacre. In the past, evidences for massacre and mass burial were found in the country, including those related to the Vijayanagara empire, but nowhere had such a neat arrangement of skulls been reported. Gopal said Annigeri boasts a history of more than 1,000 years, and there is a mention of a massacre at Annigeri in an inscription dating to the 12^th century[8]. Professor Krishnamurthy said the skulls were buried just two feet below the top soil, and there were chances of it being a secondary burial. “We are also searching for any mention of a massacre in the local folklore, so that we can relate it to a particular period.” He said 286 of the skulls were intact, and if the test results were to be unclear, a few of these skulls would be sent again for fresh tests[9].

AMS machine was not working properly – earlier dates ascertained not correct – the dates were changed from 7^th cent.CE to 14^th-15^th cent.CE: Deputy Commissioner Darpan Jain, “A majority of adult skulls do not have lower jaws. Also, the number of body parts found are less when compared to the skulls unearthed. This has led to opinion among archaeologists that skulls were buried after the bodies started decomposing,” he said. As a couple of bodies in sitting posture have been unearthed near the site, it can be presumed that the site was once a burial ground, he added. The institute, after carrying out Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) analysis, concluded that the skulls belonged to the latter part of 14^th century or beginning of 15^th century. That was the best-possible result under the given conditions, Prof. Mahapatra said and added that the tests could not be carried out early as AMS machine was not working properly. Dharwad DC Darpan Jain, who received the report on Monday evening, said the department of archaeology has been informed of the findings. Thus, naturally, doubt arose about the dating.

March – 2011 – Religious massacre, black magic – the hypotheses continued: The department decided to send the samples to Archaeological Survey of India’s Central Institute (Ahmedabad) for corroborative tests. The findings indicate that the skulls were buried in 1373 AD[10]. Now, the historians have to find out whether it was a massacre or deaths in the war or mutiny. There are inscriptions in Annigeri’s Amruteshwar Temple, which belong to a period between 1100 AD and 1200 AD. But the skulls found are reportedly of the later period[11]. R Gopal, director of the state department of archaeology, is of the opinion that there was a religious massacre in Annigeri in 13th century AD, and another by a unit of Adil Shahi army in 15th century AD, which killed hundreds of people in Annigeri. The historical evidence should throw light on the exact cause of death. Jain said historians/ archaeologists are welcome to throw more light on the issue, provided they have material to substantiate their statements. A decision on whether to shift the skulls to a museum or retain them in the place where they were found will be taken soon, he added.

May 2011 – 638 YBP date fixed wrong: The first report submitted by the Institute of Physics in Bhubaneswar in May 2011 used Carbon-14 or carbon dating technology and stated that the skulls were 638 years old, give or take 60 years, placing the deaths around 1370 A.D. The institute used its technology on the skulls directly. The skulls were carbon-dated to – their age fixed at 638 years YBP (with an error margin of 10 per cent), scholars attached to the state department of archaeology and museums immediately concluded that people were massacred during the Adil Shahi dynasty and then their heads were buried deep under the earth. On the other hand, two different examinations and analysis of the skulls, one undertaken by Prof R M Shadaksharaiah and the other by Prof M M Kalburgi[12] and Associate Prof J M Nagaiah (all of the Karnataka University, Dharwad) appear to support a more grisly interpretation — human sacrifices associated with prevailing tantric practices and cultic killings as a perverse religious ritual in the period the between 11^th and 15^th centuries. All these interpretations conform to a savagery-barbarism-civilisation social evolution model. According to Shadaksharaiah, who conducted a stratigraphical study of the soil, the skulls are ‘unique’ in that they form a ‘pavilion’ which, in his analysis, was the work of a secret society of tantrics who used the surface of the pits to perform black magic and other grisly rituals. “If there was a localised massacre in Annigeri around the 12^th century AD, it would have found mention in the many inscriptions that have been found in and around Annigeri,” Shadaksharaiah said. Brushing aside the theory that Veera Maaheshwara cultists destroyed Jaina temples in the region and then committed suicide, Prof Shadaksharaiah said: “Since there is no mention of the destruction of Jaina, or even Shaiva temples by the Veera Maaheshwara cult in inscriptions, we have to go by circumstantial evidence.” Nagaiah is convinced that the skulls belong to the early 11^th century AD when people of Annigeri were put to the sword by a huge army of the Chola emperor Rajaraja I during 1007-08 AD[13].

May 2011 – J.M. Nagaiah – the origin of misinterpretation: J.M. Nagaiah has relied on a Hottur inscription in Shiggon village of Haveri district, which is about 40 km from Annigeri[14]. According to the inscription Rajaraja Chola I ravaged the whole countryside, murdering women, children and brahmins and “overthrew the order of the caste.” Among others who doubt the veracity of the radiocarbon dating is KUD’s archaeology Professor Ravi Korisettar who, for the want of specific and more precise scientific testing of the bones does not attach any historical or archaeological context to the skulls. Clearly, the Annigeri find has created dissonance among Karnataka’s scholars of history and archaeology as an explanation for the 601 pieces of skulls has ranged from warfare to ritual killing to tantric practices to mass massacre. As there is no consensus, forensics science skills could be applied to arrive at the probable cause of death in Annigeri approximately 638 years ago. Another means to unravel the mystery of the splendorous skulls is to carbon-date the residual skeletal remains that have been found in nearby pits.

January 2012 – Pampa’s birthplace, selling of the site etc: Besides the skulls, Annigeri was in news for the controversy over a recent resolution passed by the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana. The resolution seeks to shift the venue of the presentation of the annual Pampa award from Banavasi to Annigeri. Annigeri is the birthplace of Pampa, considered to be the father of Kannada poetry. Meanwhile, the land where the skulls and skeletons found was sold by the owner[15]. Obviously, he did not want more controversies from the archaeologists, historians and researchers[16]. Speaking to Deccan Herald over the phone from Bhubaneswar, Institute of Physics (IoP) Prof D P Mohapatra, who conducted the Carbon-14 dating on the skull samples, said the scientific process undertaken in his laboratory “has been able to consistently ascertain” that the skulls are 638 years old, with an error of plus or minus 60 years[17]. The Government of Karnataka decided that since the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneshwar, has offered results that come with the caveat of a 60-year margin of error, there is a need for greater precision. Samples will now be sent to Beta Analytic Inc, a private lab located in Miami, Florida, USA, a dedicated radiocarbon laboratory, also considered the world’s largest radiocarbon dating lab[18]. India head of Beta Analytic Inc Operations, Andrew Pal, said, “The skull samples from Karnataka would be received at New Delhi first, and then sent to Miami via courier services[19]. [Continued in second part].

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

01-05-2020

[1] Annigeri (Kannada: ಅಣ್ಣಿಗೇರಿ)is the place of birth of the famous Kannada poet Adikavi Pampa (Kannada: ಆದಿಕವಿ ಪಂಪ). It is well known for the black stone temple built by the Western Chalukya Empire. known as Amruteshwara Temple. A temple of mythological figures supported by 76 columns, located in the Dharwad district, and has a derasar dedicated to Parshva, the 23rd Tirthankara in Jainism. Annigeri also has temples dedicated to Banashankari, Basappa, Gajina Basappa and Hanuman. There is an ancient Lingayati temple near the railway station. Annigeri has seven mosques and two Lingayati Mathas.

[2] Sify.com, Human skulls found, Sept.1, 2010.

[3] https://www.sify.com/news/human-skulls-found-in-dharwar-imagegallery-national-kjckVmcahbjsi.html

[4] Top News, Several skeletons recovered in Dharwar in Karnataka, Raman Iyer, 1 sept.2010.

[5] https://topnews.in/law/several-skeletons-recovered-dharwar-karnataka-225647

[6] Deccan Herald, 300 more skulls found at Annigeri, Annigeri (Dharwad dist), Feb 28, DHNS, FEB 28 2011, 23:07 IST, UPDATED: FEB 28 2011, 23:08 IST

[7] https://www.deccanherald.com/content/141900/300-more-skulls-found-annigeri.html

[8] The Hindu, At Annigeri, a rare find of human skulls, Girish Pattanashetti, ANNIGERI (DHARWAD DISTRICT):, MARCH 08, 2011 00:44 IST, UPDATED: MARCH 08, 2011 02:46 IST

[9] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/At-Annigeri-a-rare-find-of-human-skulls/article14938189.ece

[10] Deccan Herald, Annigeri: Results of carbon test in 2 weeks Hubli, March 7, DHNS, MAR 07 2011, 23:38 ISTUPDATED: MAR 07 2011, 23:38 IST

[11] https://www.deccanherald.com/content/144020/annigeri-results-carbon-test-2.html

[12] Eminent researcher, critic and former vice-chancellor of Hampi Kannada University

[13] Deccan Herald, In studying Annigeri skulls, a collision of histories By Chandan Nandy, MAY 12 2011, 22:16 IST, UPDATED: MAY 12 2011, 22:16 IST

[14] https://www.deccanherald.com/content/160889/in-studying-annigeri-skulls-collision.html

[15] Deccan Herald, Site of Annigeri skulls find sold Sale shocker, Srinidhi R,Dharwad, Jan 8, DHNS, JAN 09 2012, 01:39 IST, UPDATED: JAN 09 2012, 01:39 IST

[16] https://www.deccanherald.com/content/217738/site-annigeri-skulls-find-sold.html

[17] Deccan Herald, C-14 dating gives Annigeri skulls 638 years, Chandan Nandy, Bangalore, May 9, DHNS:, MAY 10 2011, 01:15 ISTUPDATED: MAY 10 2011, 10:52 IST

https://www.deccanherald.com/content/160243/c-14-dating-gives-annigeri.html

[18] DNA, Nine months after 600 skulls were found in Annigeri, US lab roped in to solve mystery, B R Rohit, Updated: Jul 6, 2011, 01:10 PM IST.

[19] https://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report-nine-months-after-600-skulls-were-found-in-annigeri-us-lab-roped-in-to-solve-mystery-1562840

Formative Facades of Folklore – The Proceedings of two day National on Conference held at Madras University on July 4th and 5th 2019 [1]

Formative Facades of Folklore  – The Proceedings of two day National on Conference held at Madras University on July 4^th and 5^th 2019 [1]

The banner put-up at the entrance

The same F-50 hall, I would have come there for hundred times during 40 years listening to many………………

Formative Facades of Folklore: Two Day National Conference on “Formative Facades of Folklore,” was held on July 4^th and 5^th 2019, at the F-50 hall of the University of Madras. It was jointly organized by the  University of Madras, Department of Anthropology, Chepauk Campus, Chennai- 600 005 and Vanamaa Art, Cultural and Educational Trust, T. Nagar, Chennai-17 The Conference expected a participation of experts including academicians, researchers, activists, social workers, and students. Indeed, there was such a gathering with interaction taking place among them. Dr. M.P. Damodaran, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology University of Madras, had been the Conference Director and Convener and Prabhu Kumari Vanama, Assistant Professor, Department of Historical Studies, Bharathi Women’s College (A), organizing secretary.

A good rangoli inviting the delegates to the Folklore conference…….

Registration done…..

Department of Anthropology[1]: The Department of Anthropology was established in 1945. It is the second oldest academic department of anthropology in India. Since 1975, the department offers the two-year M.A. Course, and M. Phil. and Ph.D. programs. Fieldwork and Tribal Studies are regarded as uniqueness of the Department. The number of sponsored research projects completed in the Department is not only remarkable in terms of diversity of areas researched but also the sheer number of projects completed with funding from both national and international agencies. The Faculty of the department is involved in teaching, research, and guiding the students. The faculty also carryout extension activities, and being associated as consultants to various national and international bodies. The department students come from a different disciplinary backgrounds and professions. The department has students also from different states of India and from abroad. The students are encouraged to have an interdisciplinary approach in their research, and studies. An opportunity is given to the students to work in funded projects and internship works whereby they get hands-on experience. The department also organizes seminars regularly.

Inauguration, Damodaran inviting all…..

Folklore conference 2019 – inauguration.audience sitting on the RHS from the podium

Vanamaa Art Educational and Cultural Trust[2]: It was established in 2005 by Lionade V.J. Prasuna, Lion. V.S.D.P. Pulla Rao and Dr. Prabhu Kumari Vanama with the underlying objective of promoting, developing, creating, sustaining and improving the art and cultural heritage of India. The prime aim behind the constitution of this Trust is to promote research for the advancement of knowledge, skill based and vocational training and education of every kind to the youth as well as to the elders. This Trust is actively indulging in encouraging the young students with awards and prizes and a befitting example for this is the instituting of rolling shields at the Loyola Institute of Vocational Education at Loyola College, Loyola College, Chennai. The primordial motto of this Trust is to promote the poor and the indigent human folk of all ages and of all communities without any distinction of caste, creed, community, religion etc., mainly through its academic activities and the outcome of this genuine effort is the publication of the International Standard Serial Numbered (ISSN) Bi-Annual Journal of Art, Culture, Heritage and Tourism free of cost to the researchers of various disciplines which is now of immense help to the researchers as well as the academicians throughout India from past one decade. This Journal has been enlisted in the popular journals list of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Madhya Pradesh. Besides, it is also furthering the immortal art forms of Indian classical dances and music by organizing cultural programmes in India as well as abroad. A landmark in the history of this Trust is the organizing of a Book Release Function at Raj Bhavan, Chennai on 29^th August 2016.

Folklore conference 2019 – inauguration. view from the RHS of the auditorium

Folklore conference 2019 – inauguration. view from the LHS of the podium

About the Conference[3]: India is well known for her customs, and practices. They are unique, and fascinating too. Time immemorial, many people including foreigners, traders, travelers, hunters, adventurers, administrators, army personals, academics, researchers, and even tourists got attracted by the chanting beauty of Indian culture, and practices. They are often mesmerized by India, its folks, and her inexhaustible diversity. Folklore is one such spectacle of India.Folklore is a verbal, non-verbal, and visual composition of human history, culture, and life itself. We have rich treasures of folk-tradition, which manifest many volumes of glories, and agonies of our struggle, survival, and existence. These practices include numerous forms, especially performances. Some are closely associated with our sacred, and remaining stand independently. A few need single individual effort, and the others need group effort. All are part, and parcel of our life. Folklore naturally and necessarily, expresses the pulse, every walk of our life. It helps us to reorient, and reconstruct the by-gone past.

Folklore conference 2019- Indian Express news dated 05-07-2019

Folklore conference 2019 – inauguration. CMK Reddy, former member senate and surgeon spoke about Sushruta, Caraka etc.

The myth, rituals, and customs allied with it exemplify our values, ethics, morals, manners, and isms. It is the ‘creative expression’ of ourselves, and anthropologically speaking’ reflect culture’ . So, the seminar is aimed to explore our folk-traditions, and folk-knowledge for a better understanding of us since, it mirrors human life. Further, the conference also aimed to offer a worthwhile attempt to look at the folk-tradition through a multi-disciplinary, as well as inter-disciplinary viewpoint, in fact, a ‘holistic’ and ‘humanitarian’ perspective. And finally, the conference also aimed to provide a common platform for scholars to express their ideas, and experiences, who are expertise in the same field. So, it will give a great opportunity to the scholars as well to the students of University, and Colleges across subjects, and also persons who are interested in folklore, and anthropology. Since, folklore is an area of knowledge that is associated and interlinked with A to Z of any and every subject and even sky is not the limit to describe its ecstasy. The conference also has the following sub-themes.

Sub-themes for paper presentation[4]: The following sub-themes were also given for paper presentstion.

1. Anthropology and Folklore 2. Business and Folklore 3. Crime and Folklore 4. Economics and Folklore 5. Family and Folklore 6. Festivals and Folklore 7. Film and Folklore 8. Education and Folklore 9. Food and Folklore 10. Geography and Folklore 11. History and Folklore 12. Human Excellence and Folklore	13. Language and Folklore 14. Media and Folklore 15. Management and Folklore 16. Performing Arts and Folklore 17. Public Administration and Folklore 18. Religion and Folklore 19. Rights and Folklore 20. Science and Folklore 21. Tourism and Folklore 22. Travel and Folklore 23. Visuals and Folklore

“About these topics, anybody can talk …even people outside the curriculum also speak……: Prof. P. Duraisami, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras Chepauk, Chennai – 600 005 inaugurated the conference[5], spoke few words and left immediately, as he was having some other work. While speaking, he pointed out that “about these topics, anybody can talk …even people outside the curriculum also speak……Tamil Nadu is rich in folklore but little has been done to document it. Academicians need to document what is happening and it has to be disseminated,’’ said Duraisamy. He pointed out that Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchatantra and Jataka tales have kept the oral tradition alive”.

Folklore conference 2019 – paper presentation

Rites and rituals conducted from birth to death are important: Prof. S. Sumathi, Professor and Head, Department of Anthropology stressed the importance of culture and emphacized that the principles of Vedas, Itihasas and Puranas should be useful to day-to-day problems[6]. The rituals conducted from birth to death have significance. Now, the family members coming together and living together is important, as the joint-family system has been broken. In research also, truth should be told. In research, case study and enthnography are important. In India, 4635 communities have been identified. In Tamil Nadu alone, 36 tribes have been listed. The tribes have endogamy system, though, such practice reduces fertility and thus they preserve their identity. In Andaman and Nicobar islands, the birth of child is seen by the entire community. The child bearing woman would sit on the lap of her husband and she delivers baby. In certain tribe, there has been a practice of “Kosuvamma kuttu,” dance performed after drinking toddy like / home-brewn drink. After drinking and dancing, they choose their partner. The anthropologists have duty of idetifying the “tribal” nature of people by the government for notifying them so and issuing ST certificate.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

07-07-2019

[1] Based on the brochure issued by the organizers.

[2] Based on the brochure issued by the organizers.

[3] Based on the brochure issued by the organizers.

[4] Based on the brochure issued by the organizers.

[5] Indian Express ‘Folklore can promote literacy, curb addiction’, Published: 05th July 2019 06:04 AM | Last Updated: 05th July 2019 06:04 AM

[6] http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2019/jul/05/folklore-can-promote-literacy-curb-addiction-1999640.html