7th Class Social Science The Making of Regional Cultures Notes - The Making of Regional Cultures

 

The Making of Regional Cultures

 

The culture comprises language, literature, music, dance, traditions and different forms of art. The language plays a very important part in shaping a particular culture and developing rich volume of literature. We Indians speak more than a hundred languages. The Indian culture is strikingly different in each region whether it is north, south, east or west. In this chapter, we will see how regional cultures developed in India over the period of time and how regional literature is used to reconstruct history.

 

The culture of each region is distinct and has evolved over time. Also, it continues to change through contact with other cultures. It is the end result of fusion of local traditions and ideas from other cultures. Distinctive styles developed as a result of this fusion during the medieval period.

 

REGIONAL INFLUENCES ON CULTURE

 

REGIONAL LANGUAGES

 

During the medieval period, there was development of Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu and many regional languages. Regional languages flourished and a large volume of literary work was done in these languages. These languages developed due to the patronage extended by local rulers.

 

Malayalam

There is evidence to suggest that Malayalam was one of the earliest languages to be used in court records. The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram existed in the region of present day Kerala. The rulers used Malayalam as the official language. With the patronage it received, it became an established language of the region. Much literature was written in this language since the 12th century. However, the stories written in Malayalam were of Sanskrit origin. A famous text Lilatilakam dates back to the 14th century. It is written in Manipravalam, a literary style which was a mixture of Tamil and Sanskrit. Manipravalam literally means ruby and coral, where Mani means 'ruby' in Tamil while Praualam means 'coral' in Sanskrit.

 

Sanskrit

The Persian speaking rulers spread Persian language. Though Persian gained importance, Sanskrit continued to co-exist. A centre for Sanskrit was opened in Mithila (Bihar). The kings of Vijayanagar and Rajput rulers also used Sanskrit. Important Sanskrit works of this period are Prithvirajavijaya and Rajatarangini. Many Sanskrit works were translated into Persian.

 

Urdu

Urdu came into existence during this period. Amir Khusrau experimented with poetry in a language that was a combination of Persian and Hindi. This was the origin of Urdu. Urdu is a Turkish word meaning 'army' or 'camp'. He called this Hindawi. In the Deccan, it was called Dakhini. It developed under Bahamani rule and was used in the Golconda and Bijapurkingdoms. Urdu was used in the Mughal court in the latter half of the 17th century and both Hindus and Muslims contributed to its growth.

 

Nizamuddin listening to Amir Khusrau

 

REGIONAL RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS

 

Religion was an integral part of life. The religious traditions had immense impact on the culture of a region. The Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha, has strongly influenced the culture. According to the Piiranic texts, Jagannatha was originally a deity of the local tribes. Later, the God manifested himself in the form of wooden images that were worshipped. The Ganga dynasty saw the recognition of Jagannatha as the patron deity of the royal family. A powerful Ganga monarch, Anangabhima-III, called his empire the Pumshottam Samrajya (the empire of Purushottama) and himself as the representative of Purushottama. Kapilendradeva, the founder of Suryavamsi Empire, invoked the name of Jagannatha in the day-to-day administration of the state. He prayed to the deity for permission to punish some rebellious officers of the State. When we think of the Puri temple, we also think of the presiding deities therein as well as the pattern of cultural life around it. Hence, the cult of Jagannatha has to be understood, interpreted and appreciated with all its social, cultural, religious and spiritual implications.

 

The Jagannath Temple in puri

 

History Reveals

It is believed that the image of Jagannath was buried thrice in the Chilka Lake for protection from invaders. Interestingly, the wooden images being worshipped are renewed during special occasions.

 

A patachitra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings

 

REGIONAL TRAITS

 

The term "Rajput" comes from rajaputra, which means "son of king". There were many groups of Rajputs. They once ruled numerous Indian princely states and are well-known for their bravery. The British grouped many of these states into the Rajputana Province. Today, it is the Indian state of Rajasthan. The Rajputs have contributed immensely to the culture of this state.

 

Rajputs are known to be fiercely proud and independent. Their patriotism is legendary, and they often chose death before dishonour. These are indeed the timeless values of the Rajput community. The heroism and sacrifice displayed by them is undisputed in the chronicles of Indian history. Many stories, poems and songs were written in praise of their heroic deeds. These were sung by bards or minstrels to keep alive the memories of the hero. These inspired others to perform heroic deeds. Rajasthani literature relating to the tales of chivalry and heroic resistance to the Muslim invaders, such as the 12th century epic poem Prithvimjaraso was written by Chand Bardai of Lahore. It is about the life of Prithviraj Chauhan, the Rajput king who ruled Delhi and Ajmer from 1165 to 1192. Rajputs honoured women and could give or take lives to protect women. Also, women were sometimes the causes of conflicts. Women also performed heroic deeds when the situation arose. Many popular stories and poems were written about Rajput heroes and their wives who committed sati or jauhar following the death of their husband.

 

Many women burnt themselves with the bodies of their husbands and this act of sacrifice called sati was praised by all. Jauhar was originally the voluntary death on a funeral pyre of the queens and royal womenfolk of defeated Rajputs in order to avoid capture and dishonour. This practice was carried out in medieval times by Rajput women. As the memoir of their heroic act, the ladies would leave only the imprint of the palm of their right hand on wet clay.

 

History Reveals

The historic fort of Chittor, the seat of the Sisodia kingdom of Mewar, was the site of the three most famous jauhars recorded in history.

 

 

REGIONAL DANCE FORMS

 

Dance has been an important part of the Indian culture. During the medieval period, it kept pace with the changing patronage patterns and socio-cultural background.

 

 

 

Kathak

The term Kathak is said to be derived from the word katha, meaning "the art of storytelling." It originated in North India. Initially, dancers known as kathakas were story tellers in temples. The kathakars used to tell religious and mythological tales through music and dance. They performed in village squares and temples unfolding tales from the ancient scriptures. It began to evolve as a dance form in the 15th and 16th centuries. The coming of the Mughals impacted the dance. It was taken to the Mughal courts, and thus it became more entertaining and less religious in content. In the Mughal court, it underwent a transformation due to the influence of Mughal dance and music. It was during this period that the spins were introduced in Kathak. The mesmerizing precise footwork, hand placements, and facial expressions demonstrate Kathak's diverse cultural influences. The costumes and themes of Kathak are often similar to those in Mughal miniature paintings.

 

 

 

CLASSICAL DANCES

 

Classical dances are usually considered to be superior as compared to folk dances but this is not necessarily true. This is because some characteristics are shared by both. So, folk dances and classical dances both have their own significance.

 

Some of the other classical dances of India are: Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Manipuri.

 

Slowly and gradually Gharanas or schools of Kathak emerged. The Jaipur Gharana and Lucknow Gharana developed, each having a distinctive style. One medieval ruler in particular invested himself greatly into the development of Kathak: Wajid Alt Shah of Lucknow. A dancer himself, he paid special attention to the emotional expressiveness of the dance.

 

Kathak soon spread throughout the country. It transitioned from its devotional origin to a more accessible entertainment form. Today, Kathak is one of the six classical Indian dance forms.

 

Q. what is the difference between Kathak and Kathakali?

 

REGIONAL SCHOOLS OF PAINTING

 

Culture is often reflected through the medium of paintings. Miniature painting gained impetus during this period. Miniatures are small-sized paintings done with utmost care and in minute detail, with strong lines and bold colours. The miniature artists used water colours to paint on paper, ivory panels, wooden tablets, leather, marble, cloth and walls. The earliest instances of the Indian miniature painting are those related to the Pala School and date back to the l l th century. The Mughals patronised miniature paintings. The paintings were viewed only by the royal family and were often given as gifts. Bright colours like red and turquoise blue were used. Court scenes, hunting and battle scenes and natural scenes were the main themes. These paintings are like binocular through which we can see the medieval history of India.

 

History Reveals

The miniature artists also painted animals like cheetah in the scenes involving the bravery of a prince. Such paintings were done for the illustration of events narrated in the book Akbamama.

 

After Shah Jahan, the art of painting declined steadily since his successor Aurangzeb did not support painting. The artists left the Mughal Empire and went to other regional states. The Mughal style of painting was influenced by the regional style and through this new distinctive styles developed. Several schools of painting evolved, such as Mewar, Bundi, Kotah, Marwar, Bikaner, Jaipur, and Kishangarh.

 

Another school of painting developed in the foothills of the Himalayas in the region of present day Himachal Pradesh. The style that developed was the Basohli style of painting. It is characterised by vigorous and bold line and strong glowing colours. The Basohli style spread to the various neighbouring states and continued till the middle of the 18th century. An artist named Devidasa executed miniatures in the form of Rasamanjari illustrations using this style.

 

The Basohli style of painting

 

A similar school of painting began to evolve in the Kangra region. This came to be known as the Kangra School of painting. Kangra paintings were more delicate and used soft colours like blue and green. Earlier the subjects were natural scenes like forests. Later, the eternal love story of Radha and Krishna was depicted through these paintings. Scenes from Ramayana have also been depicted by painters of Kangra.

 

History Reveals

An example of the Mughal style of art is the Turi Nanm

 painting; Tales of a Parrot', which is presently in the Cleveland Museum of Art.

 

The Tutinama Painting

CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF BENGAL                 

 

The culture of West Bengal is considered to be one of the richest cultures in India. Its culture is famous due to its variety. The language, music, painting, dances, cuisines and costumes form the prominent aspects of Bengal's culture. The Pala dynasty contributed immensely to the cultural heritage of Bengal. Art, architecture and literature flourished under the Pala rulers. During this period, Bengal saw the first consolidation of its culture.

 

 

Language and Literature

Bengali language is considered to have evolved from Sanskrit. However, there is evidence to suggest that people in the region of Bengal did not use Sanskrit.

 

Magadha, a kingdom in the Gangetic plains developed commercial ties with Bengal in the third to fourth century BCE. This is probably how Sanskrit influenced the language used in Bengal. Later, Bengal became a part of the Gupta empire. Many Brahmanas settled in Bengal which had a cultural impact on Bengal. A form of Sanskirt was more firmly established now.

 

The Palas ruled Bengal in the 8th century. Although the Pala rulers were Buddhists, they were patrons of Sanskrit literature. Bengali is said to have evolved during 1000-1200 CE from Prakrit which was a form of Sanskrit language. With the coming of the Turks, Persian became the court language. The importance of Sanskrit declined and Bengali developed as a regional language. By the 15th century, Bengali was fully developed. It has been derived from Sanskrit and has evolved gradually. Bengali has now incorporated many words from Persian, European languages and tribal languages.

 

Two types of Bengali literature developed:

 

·   The first kind was related to Sanskrit. This literature was composed between the 15th and 18th century. This included translations of Ramayana and Mahabharata and Bhakti poetry. Chaitanya, the great Bhakti saint inspired poets and writers. Radha Krishna lyrics became very popular. Jayadeva wrote poems called 'Geet Govinda'. It also included the Mongol Kavyas which became very popular. These were the poems about Gods and Goddesses.

·   The second kind was not related to Sanskrit. This included the Nath literature. The Naths were ascetics and the aim of the stories and songs was to attract people to the Nath cult. Maynamati- Gopichander is the story of Queen Maynamati who advised her son, Gopichandra, to accept the path of asceticism. Nath literature also had stories of Dharma Thakur, a local diety, fairy tales and folk tales. These were passed down by oral tradition and thus cannot be dated.

Music of Bengal

The Baul music of Bengal is well-known folk music. This was the music of the roaming Bhakti and Sufi mystics. The Baul singers travelled from place to place and preached devotion through their music.

 

Pirs and Temples

The land of East Bengal was more fertile than West Bengal. After the Sixteenth century, people began to migrate from the less fertile western Bengal to south-eastern Bengal. They cleared forests and settled down as cultivators. Over a period of time, the local tribals and fishing communities were absorbed with the newly settled communities.

 

The Mughals controlled Bengal and established Dacca as their capital in the region. The places of worship were required, so many mosques were set up. Also, religious transformation was carried out in the mosques. In this state of transition, stability was brought about by people who were called pirs. These pirs became famous and many of their shrines are found in Bengal.

 

Numerous temples and other religious structures were built by powerful individuals and groups to display their power. The temples were either double-roofed or four-roofed. This led to the evolution of Bengali style of architecture.

 

Four-roofed structures were relatively more complex. They had four rectangular roofs which were placed on the four walls and converged on a curved line or a point. Usually the temples were built on a square platform. The outer walls were decorated with paintings, ornamental tiles or terracotta tablets. Such beautifully decorated temples are found particularly in Vishnupur in the bankura district. West Bengal. The Malla rulers were Vaishnavites and built the famous terracotta temples during the 17th and 18th century at this place. The terracotta temples here are the best specimen of me classical style of Bengal architecture.

 

The Jor Bangla Temple, Vishnupur, west Bengal

 

Fish as food

Fish and rice have always been the staple food of the people living in the Bengal region. The fertile plains gave ample scope for production of rice and river was a source of fish. Since ancient times, these two foods were very popular. The Brahmanas were allowed to eat only vegetarian food but certain varieties of fish were allowed according to Brihaddharma Purana, which is a Sanskrit text from Bengal.

 

Around the world

 

Issac Newton

 

Between 1600 and 1800 CE, there was an explosion of new ideas in Europe. Scientists made dramatic discoveries; thinkers questioned the power of their rulers, and writers challenged the teachings of the Church. Many people started to see the world in a new light. The 18th century came to be known as the Age of Enlightenment. By observing the world around them and performing experiments, scientists made amazing progress. Johannes Kepler studied the way planets move, and Galileo used the newly invented telescope to help him prove that the Earth circles the Sun. Isaac Newton discovered how gravity Issac Newton works. Doctors studied the human body, and surgeons performed difficult operations. Some European rulers encouraged the search for knowledge. King Louis of France set up a society which paid scientists to carry out experiments, while Charles II of England started the Royal Society for scientists and thinkers.