Proceedings of the symposium on ‘Art and Culture of Tamil Nadu Reflected Through Excavations’ – held Meenakshi college, on august 29th and 30th 2019 [1]

 Proceedings of the symposium on ‘Art and Culture of Tamil Nadu Reflected Through Excavations’ – held Meenakshi college,  on august 29^th and 30^th 2019 [1]

Meenakshi college for women (Autonomous): I have been at the Meenakshi College for several times. I attended the National Conference conducted on “Contribution of Tribals of Tamilnadu” held from June 17^th and 18^th 2006, for which I was the convener. In 2016, I attended “Salvage archaeology and Heritage Management in India” and presented a paper on theme of the topic. Meenakshi College for Women arranged the symposium on ‘Art and Culture of Tamil Nadu Reflected Through Excavations’ by the Department of History sponsored by the Archaeological Survey of India and ICHR. It was to be inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, but, he could not come. A photo exhibition on excavations was also arranged at the Homibaba Hall, first floor. For paper presenter Rs. 500/- and student participant Rs.200/- was charged as delegate fees. In the file given, no details of the symposium – speakers / paper presenters, heir titles etc., were available, but, one scribbling pad and a pen. It appears that the college conducts such seminar / conference every year. I am attending after 2016, when they conducted seminar on “Salvage archaeology.” This year, as I received information and invitation through e-mail, I could attend. Of course, I take such occasions as an opportunity to meet friends again, as I have been watching them since their student days. In these 35 years, they have become professors, HODs, VCs and some of them retired and getting retired also, as time goes.

For registered delegates, what were given….

After registration………………..

The broadcast of “Fit India”: As already mentioned that he symposium was to be inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, but, he could not come, because of his official preoccupation, it was inaugurated by N. Rajendran, VC of Kaikkaudi University. The Circular No. CBSE/DIR (ACAD)/2019 and Acad- 43/2019 Dated August 26, 2019 issued to all the Heads of Schools affiliated to CBSE on the Subject: Launch of Fit India Movement on 29th August, 2019, which read as follows[1]: “The Fit India Movement will be launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 29th August, 2019 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi from 10.00 am to 11.00 am. During the launch function, Hon’ble Prime Minister would also administer a Fitness Pledge. The event will be broadcast live by Doordarshan through DD National, DD News and DD India. All schools are requested to make necessary arrangements for viewing/hearing of the launch function of the Fit India Movement by the Honorable Prime Minister on 29th August, 2019 and take the Fitness Pledge. Details of the participation along with video and photographs should be uploaded on the link https://forms.gle/H4NioqV867jcGjfW9 on or before 30th August 2019”. Accordingly, it was shown up to 11.23 Hrs. Then, the symposium business started.

Note all were watching the direct telecast…..

Fit India, the audience

Indian historiography should be “Bharat centric” and not “Euro-centric” – N. Rajendran: After the introduction of the theme of the symposium by V. Rajeswari, of the college, N. Rajendran started his presidential speech: “I believe what Swami Vivekananda told that men of nerves like steel and body like iron are required to carry out certain  work…..it is said that archaeology is the handmaid of history, in fact, without archaeology, there is no history……. According to Rene Descartes history and literature would not come under the realm of knowledge like science. Many times, it is suggested that the past has to be forgotten, as it is not necessary, but, it is not possible. Man has to live with the past…..Stating that education was based on western ideologies during the Colonial period, laying less importance to Indian ethos and culture, N. Rajendran, Vice-Chancellor, Alagappa University, has said the new draft education policy laid emphasis for providing India-Centric or Bharat-Centric education. during the Colonial period education was based on the Western ideologies and it did not take into account Indian ethos, culture and tradition………….Whether India has the sense of history is the moot question. Rajatarangini fits in the frame of historiography, as Kalhana quoted his narrative based on 18 puranas of which onlt Jivanatha purana is available[2]…………………Definitely Indians had a sense of history. …In this world, every nation’s history has been written by its own person, but, Indian history by foreigner / European. Therefore avoiding “euro-centric bias” Indian history has to be “Bharat centric”……Linguistic skills should be taught to students…. ”

Students as audience looking at

Bharat-centric, what Rajendran talks about

Indian Historians with ideologies and changing ideologies: After becoming VC, he started talking in this way[3]. As I have been listening to them [historians] for the last 35 years, I could note the inconsistency, changeability and contradiction of speech, because of the ideologies followed by them. How they fought with each other at IHC, WAC-III etc., have been discussed y the media, research journals and recorded in the documents. As an executive member of IHC or otherwise, he cannot talk that [Bharat-centric] in the proceedings of IHC. Therefore, while welcoming his changed “ideology” that Indian historiography should be “Bharat-centric,” whether he would continue with such ideas or change, when the government changes in 2024. The so-called historians of India have been imbibed with certain ideologies that is known to all. Most of them have been Marxist and other Communist ideologists from JNU, Delhi University and Universities from West Bengal. In the same way, there have been Mohammedan ideologists who give importance to the medieval period, hailing from Aligarh Muslim University, Jamila Milia Islamia and so on. As I have been attending the proceedings of IHC, SIHC, TNHC, APHC, AIOC etc., for the last 35 years, contesting elections and interacting with the members, I could understand as to how they have been chaging their attitudes towards historiography and ideologies.

12.05 to 12.18 – Dr G. Maheswari, Superintendent Archaeologist, ASI, West Bengal: She talked in very generalized, abstract and  theoretical manner. She appreciated that nowadays, private organizations like Sharma Centre for Heritage Education, India has engaged in the archaeological excavations[4]. She lamented that nowadays, students do not take “history” for their educational pursuit. A book written by Mani was released in between on “Tirumaiyam Fort and Temple.” If history and related subjects are updated and job-oriented, then, only students would come forward to take and read for future benefit.

Dr S. Rajavelu, former prof & HOD, Dept of Maritime History and Maritime archaeology, Tamil University, Thanjavur – About female terracotta female figurines: After lunch, the symposium started with the presentation of S. V. Rajavelu on “Terracotta figurines found, particularly female”. Generally, it is considered that the terracotta art has been poor-man’s art, but, it is not so, as even royal courts appreciated and promoted it. He pointed out that Harsha Carita, wherein, the king orders to manufacture terracotta figurines for decorative purposes. He pointed out that broken terracotta female figurines were found at Modhur, Mandakappattu, Appukkallu, Kaveripumpattinam, Melapperumpallam, Andippatti and other places.

Quoting from Divakaram, he pointed out that there were 10 types making sculptures with different media:

“கல்லும் உலோகமும் செங்கலும் மரமும்

மண்ணும் சுதையும் தந்தமும் வண்ணமும்

கண்ட சருக்கரையும் மெழுகும் என்றிவை

பத்தே சிற்பத் தொழிற்குறுப் பாவன’’ (திவாகர நிகண்டு – 12ஆவது பல்பொருட் கூட்டத்தொரு பெயர்த் தொகுதி)

1.       Stone 2.      Metal 3.      Brick 4.      Wood 5.      Earth /clay

6.      Mixed clay 7.      Ivory 8.     Coloured sand 9.      Sugar 10.  wax

They were recovered as surface collection and as well as by excavation. In Tamilnadu context, one Shanmugam has written a book on “Tamilnadu Terracotta figurines.”

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

01-09-2019

[1] http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Circulars/2019/43_Circular_2019.pdf

[2] But, only, Nilamata Purana is found mentioned and therefore, what he refrrred to is not known. The Nilamata Purana. Sprinagar-Jammu [India]: J. & K. Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, 1968.

[3] The Hindu, New draft education policy is Bharat-centric: VC, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT JULY 29, 2019 20:03 IST; UPDATED: JULY 29, 2019 20:03 IST.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/new-draft-education-policy-is-bharat-centric-vc/article28749347.ece

[4] The Sharma Center for Heritage Education, Chennai (est. 2^ndApril, 1999, Reg. No. 308/4), is a non-profit Public Educational Trust and aimed at promoting research into India’s natural and cultural heritage; and communicating an awareness of this amongst the public. Our areas of contribution are in the fields of cutting-edge research in Indian archaeology, results of which are published in high-ranking scientific journals such as Science.  http://www.sharmaheritage.com/index.php