Art & Culture
“The World of Rock Art Exhibition” at HP State Museum in Shimla showcases purity of rock art
SHIMLA- The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and State Museum Himachal Pradesh have collaborated to present “The World of Rock Art Exhibition” being organized at Museum Chaura Maidan.
IGNCA has conceived a major academic programme, which relates to exploring artistic manifestations emanating from man’s primary sense perceptions. The rock art forms a crucial component of the Adi Drishya programme. Its conceptual plan aims to open the doors to the realisation that rock art is pure and absolute and hence capable of dispensing great experience beyond its original culture and time.
The IGNCA’s concern with prehistoric rock art is neither restricted to the Archaeologists, and the prehistorians’ concern with establishing a linear chronological order of prehistoric rock art, nor is it restricted to the identification of style and school as criterion for establishing chronology. Instead, it is a concern for man’s creativity across time and space and civilizations and cultures through the perception of the sight.
In the ongoing exhibition people are getting opportunity to experience the ancient art form and hence learning about the change in civilization. The subject matter of the rock art is also varied starting from the simplest geometrical lines found in the Panaramittee tradition of Australia to complex geometrical deigns executed by the Chumash people of California. Animals are the most favored subjects of the early man as they were their source of life sustenance.
Exhibition is turning out to be very informative as it is giving insight into the rock art all over the world and hence making one identify with the art form which often goes unnoticed.
As Dr Hari Chauhan Curator state museum informs
In Himachal Lahaul and Spiti area there are nearly 2000 rock arts pieces can be found. Our main objective is to create awareness among the local people so that if they come across anything similar they can report to the department so that we can preserve it for future generations. Often for a lay man it is mere scribble and we believe they all need to know the significant role that rock art played in recoding human history.
List of World Heritage Rock Art Sites include
AFRICA
Rock Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus, Libya; Tassili n’ Ajjer, Algeria; Kondoa Rock Art Site, Tanzania; Chongoni Rock Art Area, Malawi; Twyfelfontein, Namibia; Drakensberg Park; .Matoba Hills; Tsodllo, Botswana
ASIA
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, India; Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly, Kazakhstan; Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai, Mongolia; Gobustan Rock Art South Africa Cultural Landscape, Azerbaijan
AMERICA (NORTH & SOUTH)
Rock Paintings of Sierra de San Francisco, Mexico; Prehistoric caves of Yagul and Mitla in the central valley of Oaxaca, Mexico; Serra de Capivara National Park, Brazil; Cueva de las Manos, Argentina ; Chavin, Peru
EUROPE
Prehistoric Sites and decorated caves of the Vezere Valley, France; Rock Engravings of Valcamonica, Italy; Rock Art of Alta, Norway; Cave of Altamira and Palaeolithic Cave Art, Spain; Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Coa Valley and Siega Verda, Portugal and Spain; Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain; Rock Carvings in Tanum, Sweden
AUSTRALIA
Kakadu National Park, Australia
Shimla– This clip of the the Singhtu dance, a captivating and popular folk tradition from Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, was captured at the Seepur Mela held in Mashobra recently.
It is a cherished jewel in the state’s rich and diverse cultural mosaic. This mesmerizing performance, steeped in ancient traditions, enjoys immense popularity, enchanting audiences on both local and international stages. In the Sirmauri dialect, “Singhtu” refers to a lion cub, and in Hindu mythology, the lion is revered as the sacred vehicle of Goddess Durga, lending profound spiritual significance to the dance.
Performed exclusively twice a year during Diwali and Ekadashi, the Singhtu dance is a ritualistic offering at temples and sacred sites, where it has been presented since time immemorial.
Performers don intricately crafted masks depicting animals such as lions, bears, leopards, and mythical forest beings, which are brought out from temples only for these occasions.
These masks, combined with the dancers’ rhythmic movements, vividly evoke Sirmaur’s ancient culture, transporting spectators to a bygone era while celebrating the region’s deep connection to nature.
Himachal Pradesh is a vibrant tapestry of unique traditions, with each district showcasing distinct folk dances, music, and rituals that reflect the state’s multifaceted heritage.
The Singhtu dance, blending spirituality, artistry, and environmental consciousness, stands as a powerful testament to this diversity. Beyond its aesthetic allure, it conveys a timely message of wildlife conservation and environmental preservation, resonating with global concerns.
Art & Culture
Use Offerings Made at Himachal’s Hindu Religious Institutions Only For Hindus, Employ Only Hindus: HP Govt
Shimla-The Additional Chief Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Language, Art & Culture Department has issued a notification barring the use of offerings made at the Hindu religious places or institutions for non-Hindu Communities.
Directions in this regard have been issued to Commissioners (temple) under Section 27 of the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984.
“All the receipts or offerings including gold and silver of the Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments shall be used only for the purposes pertaining to the welfare and other activities relating to only Hindus. No receipts or offerings shall be used for the purposes associated with activities relating to Non-Hindus,” the notification said.
Further, now, no non-Hindu person would be given any sort of employment at the Hindu religious institutions/places.
“All the officers and officials including the personnel related to security etc. whether appointed or deputed or taken on outsourcing basis shall be out of the persons professing the Hindu religion only,” the notification said.
No further clarification was provided regarding the intended purpose of this move.
Art & Culture
Kullu Dussehra 2021: All Religious Ceremonies to be Allowed, But No Commercial and Cultural Events
Shimla-The International Kullu Dussehra would be organised from 15th October to 21st October, 2021, the Himachal Pradesh Government informed today after holding a meeting regarding the same.
The HP Government has decided that all deities would be invited for the Dussehra festival. Orgnaization of all religious ceremonies would be allowed traditionally, but the cultural and commercial activities would not be held.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presided over meeting of State Level Kullu Dussehra Committee. Directions were given to ensure proper security system, uninterrupted electricity supply and adherence of Covid-19 guidelines.
It was also decided in the meeting that Language, Art and Culture Department would provide an additional amount of Rs. 10 lakh to district administration Kullu for organising Kullu Dussehra festival.
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