Monument Mitra Scheme to be revamped

Khajuraho

A revamped version of the Monument Mitra Scheme will be launched. Under the revamped scheme the Culture Ministry will go for partnerships with private firms for the upkeep of 1,000 ASI monuments.  The revamped scheme would be based on the Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR) model. 

The Monument Mitra scheme entails adopting a heritage site and maintaining it.

The government is set to sign MoUs with partners for 500 sites under the revamped Monument Mitra scheme by August 15 when the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav ends.

Launched a few years ago under the Ministry of Tourism, the Monument Mitra scheme entails adopting a site for upkeep and other related activities.

 A few months ago the Monument Mitra scheme was transferred from the Ministry of Tourism and has now come under the ambit of the Ministry of Culture. The Culture Ministry would be projecting India as a “cultural superpower” during the year-long presidency of the G20.

The scheme will be based on corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Hampi, Mysuru selected for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0

Hampi and Mysuru  in Karnataka have been selected for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0. scheme.  

Mysuru and Hampi are among the 19 places identified across the eight states and UTs in India to be promoted under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 Scheme.

Ministry of Tourism has revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0  with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations, following a tourist and destination-centric approach. 

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

• Swadesh Darshan Scheme aims to promote, develop and harness the potential of tourism and integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits in India.
• It is a Central sector scheme launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
• Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to the State government for the infrastructure development of circuits.

Thiruvananthapuram houses World's only palm-leaf manuscript museum

Located in the Kerala capital of Thiruvananthapuram, the recently opened Palm Leaf Manuscript Museum is the world’s first of its kind and deals exclusively with both obscure and celebrated tales of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom that comes lauded as Asia's first to defeat any European power on Indian Soil. 

The museum houses 187 manuscripts and other artefacts related to the erstwhile kingdom dating back to a period of 650 years till the end of the19th century. It also contains documents from the regions of Kochi and Malabar.

Accounts of the famous Battle of Colachel in 1741 AD between Travancore ruler Marthanda Verma (1729-58) and the Dutch East India Company are among the manuscripts of the museum. The battle resulted in the defeat of the European power by the valiant Travancore ruler at Colachel, 20 km northwest of Kanyakumari in present day Tamil Nadu 

This battle put an end to the expansionist designs of the Dutch in India and resulted in Travancore becoming Asia's first state to defeat a European power.

The museum houses eight galleries ready to be explored. These galleries represent different segments of Travancore history: ‘History of Writing’, ‘Land and people’, ‘Administration’, ‘War and peace’, ‘Education and Health’, ‘Economy’, ‘Art and culture’, and ‘Mathilakam Records’. 

These galleries also feature films and QR code technologies meant for securing information.

The museum is located in a three-century-old building that functions as the Central Archives under the state government. 

Palm Leaf Manuscript Museum is an invaluable introduction to the erstwhile Travancore kingdom. If you're interested in the history of the kingdom, this museum should be one of your stops in Kerala. 

Itmad- ud- Daulah’s tomb: Magnificent Mughal edifice

Built by Nur Jahan, wife of fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir, for her father, Itmad-ud- Daulah’s tomb is one of the earliest buildings in which pietra dura, a method of decorating the walls with floral designs studded with semi-precious stones, was used. Pietra dura is also used on a large scale in the Taj Mahal.

Also known as mini Taj, the structure is the first Mughal building built entirely from marble. Built between 1622 and 1628 it is also the first tomb to be built on the banks of the Yamuna.

Nur Jahan’s father Mirza Ghiyas Beg was given the title of Itmad- ud- Daulah (pillar of the state). He was the wazir (Prime minister) of the Mughal empire under Jehangir. 

Bhatti

Bhatti, the author of Ravanavadha, was the court poet of Dharasena IV (AD 645-650), the Maitraka ruler of Valabhi. Ravanavadha, (the Death of Rāvaṇa), more popularly known as Bhattikavya (Bhatti’s Poems), is a poem on the story of Rama.    

Bhattikavya is sometimes included in the list of mahakavya.

Namalinganusasana or Amarakosha by Amarasimha

Also called Trikanda, Amarakosha is a Sanskrit lexicon compiled in ancient India by Amarasimha who was one of the famous Navaratnas, or Nine Gems who adorned the court of the Gupta ruler Vikramaditya Chandragupta II (c. 376-415). 

Most of Amarakosha’s works have been lost to us. 

 

Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan: Poet Warrior

Illuminated mausoleum of Rahim in Delhi / Image Credit: Parveen Sharma 

Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, popularly known as Rahim, was a medieval Hindi poet, scholar of Sanskrit and Persian and powerful minister and military commander during Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign. 

According to tradition he was one of Akbar’s ‘Navratnas (“Nine Jewels”). The Navratnas were nine individuals of extraordinary ability gracing the court of Akbar. 

                                                                        Rahim's Tomb 

Rahim was born in 1556 to Bairam Khan, the preceptor to Mughal emperor Akbar. The father-son duo were both titled Khan-i-Khanan. Rahim was four years old when his father was killed in 1561 AD by an Afghan at Patan on his way to Mecca. 

On the instruction of Akbar, Baburnamah was translated into Persian in 1589 by Rahim.

Rahim died in 1627. He lies buried in the mausoleum built by him for his wife Mah Banu in 1598. The tomb is situated in Nizamuddin East on the Mathura Road in Delhi.