Savitribai Phule: A Crusader Of Gender Justice

Savitribai Phule was a poet, reformer and educationist. Born on January 3, 1831 in Naigaon in a lowly Mali family in Maharashtra she was married off at the tender age of 10.

Critical of the prevailing Hindu religion and custom she along with her husband, Jyotirao Phule, established several schools for the uplift of the untouchables and women. 

Savitribai Phule started India’s first school for girls at Pune's Bhide Wada in 1848.

To make the depressed classes conscious of their rights, she and her husband founded the Satya Sodhak Samaj in 1873. 

Savitribai passed away on March 10, 1897.

Savitribai Phule was born in Maharashtra’s Satara district to Lakshmi and Khandoji Nevase Patil on January 3, 1831. 

Her important works include:

• Kavya Phule (“Flowers of Poems”) (published in 1854)

• Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (published in1892)

• Matushri Savitribai Phulenchi Bhashane Va Gaani

• Jotibanchi Bhashane Vol. 1 to 4 – [Collection of Mahatma Phule’s speeches, edited by Savitribai Phule],

In Savitribai’s honour, the Pune University was renamed the Savitribai Phule Pune University in 2015. 

Key Takeaways

• Savitribai Phule is hailed as the first female teacher in India. 
• Savitribai Phule opposed child marriage, dowry, Sati and child infanticide. She stood for women’s education and widow remarriage. 
• She has been popularly called the ‘Crusader of Gender Justice.’ 
• Along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai established two educational trusts in the 1850s. One was called the Native Female School of Pune, and the other was The Society for Promoting the Education of Mahars, Mangs and Etceteras.

108th Indian Science Congress

On January 3 Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated and witnessed the entire inaugural session of the 108th Indian Science Congress through video conferencing . 

Where was 108th Indian Science Congress held?

The 108th ISC was held at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) which is also celebrating its centenary this year.

The first session of the Indian Science Congress was held in 1914.

Theme of 108th Indian Science Congress

The theme of the event this year was “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment.” The public talks and exhibitions were open to the general public.

The technical sessions of the 108th Indian Science Congress ware divided into 14 sections under which parallel sessions were conducted at different venues in the university’s Mahatma Jotiba Phule Educational Campus.

A special attraction of the event was a mega expo “Pride of India”. The prominent developments, major achievements and the significant contributions largely of Indian Science and Technology to the society ware showcased in the exhibition, which brought together and displayed hundreds of new ideas, innovations, and products covering the entire canvas of the scientific world. 

Pride of India displays the strengths and achievements of Government, Corporate, PSUs, Academic and R&D Institutes, Innovators & Entrepreneurs from all across the country.

In the run-up to the event, the Vigyan Jyot programme, a tradition of the Indian Science Congress was held. Vigyan Jyot - Flame of Knowledge - was conceived on the lines of the Olympic flame. It is a movement dedicated to nurturing scientific temper in the society, especially the youth. 

Key Points 

• The 108th ISC was held at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, which is also celebrating its centenary this year.
• The first annual session of the ISC was held in 1914. 
• The 108th ISC was held at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University. 
• The university is celebrating its centenary in 2023. 
• The theme of ISC 2023 was “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment.” 

ASI Discovers 1,300-yr-old Buddhist Stupa in Odisha

                                                Sanchi Stupa - The Dome / Image Credit

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found a 1,300-year-old stupa in Odisha’s Jajpur district.There is possibility that the 4.5-metre tall stupa belongs to the 7th or 8th century.

The stupa was found at Khandolite mining site at Parabhadi in Sukhuapada hamlet in the district. Stones from the site were supplied for the beautification project around the famed 12th century AD Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Parabhadi is situated near Lalitagiri, a famous Buddhist site housing a large number of stupas and monasteries.

Another smaller stupa was completely destroyed due to mining at the site.

In ancient temple complexes in Odisha Khondalite stones were used on a large scale. The State government had made an ambitious plan to spend 3,208 crore under the Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme in three years to transform Puri into a world heritage city.

Stupas in Buddhism
Stupas or tumuli were over the divided ashes of the Buddha. These stupas were built by Ashoka, the greatest Mauryan emperor, in honour of the Buddha in many parts of India and Nepal. The stupa in Nepal is in its original form. Chief among the stupas built by the great emperor are those at Bharhut and Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh.

Among the later stupas, those of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh and Nalanda in Bihar are very famous. 

Before the introduction of the Buddha’s images, wheel, an empty throne, footprints, pipal trees, stupas were the symbols used for his remembrance. 

Key Takeaways

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found a 1,300-year-old stupa in Odisha’s Jajpur district.
• The stupa was found at Khandolite mining site at Parabhadi in Sukhuapada hamlet in the Jajpur district. 
• Stones from the site were supplied for the beautification project around the 12th Century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
• In ancient temple complexes in Odisha, Khondalite stones were used on a large scale

Vadnagar, Buddhist Site in Gujarat

108 km from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Vadnagar has antiquities of centuries. Its importance as a thriving Buddhist centre since 2nd century AD finds mention in the travelogue of the great Chinese traveler and Buddhist monk, Hiuen-Tsang, also known as Xuanzang, who visited the place in the 7th Century AD. 

According to Hiuen-Tsang, there were ten monasteries in Vadnagar when he visited the place. 

Going by the description of Hiuen-Tsang who refers to Vadnagar as Anandpur in his accounts, the town was home to around 1,000 Buddhist monks of Sammitiya School’ .

The recent discovery of the remains of a Buddhist monastery in Vadnagar has reinforced the claim of Hiuen-Tsang. In 1992, a Bodhisattva statue dating back to 2nd century AD was excavated from Vadnagar. This Bodhisattva image seems to be produced at the Mathura school of art in the 2nd -4rth century and was brought here to be placed at the monastery. All these factors have led to the emergence of Vadnagar as an important Buddhist destination in Gujarat. 

In 2020, a Buddhist Chaitya has been found during excavations at Vadnagar.   

The glory of Champanagar

Champa or Champanagar in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar is a site of great significance for the Buddhists.

The place is deeply associated with the life of the Buddha. It was one of the six greatest cities during the time of the Buddha This can be gauged form Buddha’s disciple Ananda’s regret that his master should have died in either of the cities of Sravasti, Champa, Rajagraha, Saketa, Kausambi and Varanasi not in a small place like Kusinagar. 

In the times of the Buddha Champa served as the capital of the little kingdom of Anga which was annexed to the Magadhan empire by the 6th century BC Magadhan ruler Bimbisara. During those times Champa was a famous port city which was of substantial commercial significance. 

The Buddha paid several visits to Champanagar where he preached his several important discourses including Sonadanda Sutta and Kandaraka Sutta. Dasuttara sutta was delivered by his famous disciple Sariputta here in presence of the Buddha himslef.

Champanagar finds mention in the accounts of Chinese traveler Fa-hsien who came to India in the fifth century AD. According to him, the Buddhist monasteries in Champanagar were full of spiritual activities.

World’s First Living Heritage University

Founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1921,Visva-Bharati University  in West Bengal's Shantiniketan town is all set to become the world's first "living heritage university". The university will soon get the ‘heritage’ tag from UNESCO to become the world’s first living heritage university.

Generally heritage tag is accorded to a dead monument. It is for the first time in the world that a living university which is functioning is going to receive the heritage tag from UNESCO.

Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to win the Nobel literature prize, was proponent of open-air education and introduced that system at the university, which is still continuing.

Sirpur, A Buddhist Destination Waiting to be Discovered

Laxman temple, Sirpur / Image Source

Located on the banks of the Mahanadi River in the state of Chhattisgarh, Sirpur is a Buddhist destination that is still waiting to be discovered. In ancient times Sirpur served as the capital of Dakshin Kosala and was a great centre of Buddhist learning between the 6th and 10th centuries. The Chinese monk and scholar Hieun Tsang is believed to have visited the place in the 7th century AD.

According to Hieun Tsang, Sirpur was a home to hundred Buddhist monasteries inhabited by over 10,000 monks from South east Asia professing Mahayana form of Buddhism. Discovery of conch bangles seems to suggest the presence of Buddhist nuns in the viharas. 

The excavations at the site have unearthed important Buddhist sites and artifacts including 10 Buddhist visharas and a metre-high monolithic statue of Buddha in the "Bhumisparsh mudra", dating back to the 6th century. Another big find is the Buddhist Stupa built by Ashoka. Tradition is that the Buddha himself had visited Sirpur. 

The 7th century AD Laxman Temple is one of the most renowned structures in Sirpur.  Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple is one of the finest specimens of brick temples in India.