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GemsOfINDOLOGY

@GemsOfINDOLOGY

Feb 6

Thread exploring the tradition of 'Nose-Piercing in India. Some believe it's inherently Indian, although it was actually foreign to Indian customs 1000 years back. Let's dive in.

Female Beauty #Archaeohistories

1/14

The first mention of nose-ring (for nose piercing) is in Old Testament when Abhraham's servant gives his daughter-in-law 'Rebekah' a golden nose-ring ("Shanf" in Hebrew). This practice of gifting rings to brides continues even today.

2/14

Nose-Pin or नथ is expressed on sculptures paintings in Moghul period not before
Tavernier (c. 1638 ce) describes of Arabian woman wearing Nose-Pins while other Traveller 'Hanway' speaks irreverently of the 'nutt' is proof of Nose-pin of Arabic origin

3/14jstor.org/stable/41688398

Read 13 tweets

GemsOfINDOLOGY

@GemsOfINDOLOGY

Jan 30

Matrimonial connection between ancient Greece and modern India

The similarities between these two civilizations are striking, from fathers arranging marriages for their daughters to wedding rituals spanning several days.

Vases dating back to 500-400 BCE found in Greece and artifacts from 200 BCE-200 CE found in Chandraketugarh, Bengal hint at a connection.

Let's begin

#Thread #bookmark #Retweet

1/17

Preparation for marriage | Finding the groom

A woman's guardian, or kyrios, was responsible for arranging her marriage, as she couldn't legally do it herself. She likely had some social contact with her future husband. Marriages within extended family groups, such as first cousins, uncles and nieces, second cousins, or half-siblings, were common.

2/17

Preparation for marriage | The Dowry

In ancient Greek weddings, the first step was the dowry, provided by the woman's kyrios (guardian). It was usually given at the betrothal but could be delayed until the wedding ceremony if agreed upon.

The dowry often comprised money but could include items like furniture or, rarely, land. Non-monetary items were given a cash value. Land was seldom included, as men preferred to reserve it for their sons' inheritance.

3/17

Read 18 tweets

GemsOfINDOLOGY

@GemsOfINDOLOGY

Jan 30

Neglect Threatens Bagh Caves Artwork

While @ASIGoI established by Britishers preserving Graveyards, the descendent of Ajanta, the Bagh Caves in Madhya Pradesh, a series of fifth-century rock-cut caves adorned with exquisite Buddhist murals, are facing severe neglect despite their historical and cultural importance. Once vibrant with intricate artwork tied to the Ajanta school, the caves now suffer from water seepage and a lack of proper maintenance, putting the remaining wall art at risk of permanent damage.

Although these caves played a significant role in India's art history—the site today receives minimal tourist attention and no substantial preservation effort. Local authorities have voiced intentions to promote tourism around the caves, but immediate and focused conservation efforts are critical to prevent further deterioration of this invaluable heritage site.

@MinOfCultureGoI @narendramodi @DrMohanYadav51 @JansamparkMP @CMMadhyaPradesh @UNESCO A veena player. The original Bagh Cave paintings were made in tempera using mineral colours from ochre, clay, chalk, kaolin line, lamp-black, gypsum green glauconite, and lapis lazuli.

The rock-cut Bagh Cave temples served as monasteries for Buddhist monks who spent the monsoon months in meditation. Whilst the secular paintings depicted the life of their patrons, paintings such as the above portrayed the spiritual side of the monks’ lives.

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GemsOfINDOLOGY

@GemsOfINDOLOGY

Jan 28

Small #Thread on YG Srimati, who revitalized Indian classical painting, challenging the British replica tradition. She and her peers ignited a new Indian art movement with their innovative approaches.

As a young, educated supporter of India's independence, Srimati was a talented artist and musician. In 1946, she sang devotional songs at independence rallies in Chennai, supporting Mahatma Gandhi's vision of cultural unity.

Y.G. Srimati with Mahatma Gandhi at an independence rally
1946

Woman with Lotus
Y. G. Srimati Indian

August 27, 1951

Throughout her career Srimati enjoyed producing paintings that celebrate feminine beauty. While inspired by figure-types in the sixth-century cave murals at Ajanta, the studies are distanced from their source by the absence of narrative. Their success depends instead on the quality and purity of line. Woman with Lotus is one of the artist’s most daring works in this genre. Its large scale demanded an absolute sureness of line and the subtle manipulation of large areas of color washes. The resulting work is both sinuous and sensuous.

Carudatta Presenting a Pearl Necklace to Vasantesena
Y. G. Srimati
ca. 1952

Y G Srimati used figure-types from the sixth-century murals at Ajanta’s Buddhist rock-cut cave monasteries as the basis for a series of paintings that explore and, in a sense, celebrate the art of India’s past. In this she was following the teachings of Nandalal Bose and others who advocated looking to Indian history for appropriate subjects. In this work we see the Ajantaesque style deployed in the service of an early Sanskrit secular drama, Mrcchakatika (The Little Clay Cart). The play, likely dating to the third or fourth century A.D., explores the love of a rich courtesan, Vasantesena, and a noble-spirited Brahmin, Carudatta. The complexities of the drama and the celebration of the nobility of selfless giving are skillfully evoked in this small, intense painting.

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GemsOfINDOLOGY

@GemsOfINDOLOGY

Jan 27

'Hindu Marriage' carved on a Turtle shell c.200 bce, Chandraketugarh, W. Bengal, India

#Archaeology

1/9

The story starts with a Princess enjoying on a swing with her friends.

In yet another scene, she is seen enjoying in a pond. Lotus flowers make the scene lively.
#Archaeology

2/9

In next episode, she is seen peeling thorn from her feet while the aprince watches from distance. Her friends likely gossiping.

3/9

Read 9 tweets

GemsOfINDOLOGY

@GemsOfINDOLOGY

Jan 16

Thread on the global events surrounding the initiation of Kaliyuga, often termed "A Celestial Clock Reset." It was triggered by a rare planetary conjunction on 18th Feb 3102 BCE.

This era marked profound shifts in ancient civilizations, influencing cultural narratives and astronomical records.

This thread captures archaeological, paleological, Occeanographical, meteriotical records.

1/

#Archaeology #Astronomy #AncientHistory

Documented Celestial Events of 3100 BCE
- In a remarkable display of cosmic choreography, four notable comets blazed across the night sky, each arriving with a month's interval. These celestial visitors, meticulously chronicled by Duncan Steele, intersected Earth's orbit, captivating ancient sky-watchers.
- Among them, the mighty Proto-Encke made its closest approach, a spectacle that would have inspired awe and possibly fear, as it loomed large and bright.
- This period also witnessed a mysterious global dust veil, shrouding the Earth and leaving its mark on tree growth rings, particularly in regions like Ireland and England. This veil likely caused cooler temperatures and affected agriculture, embedding the memory of these celestial events into the very fabric of history and nature.

2/

Nestled within the remote expanse of Australia's Northern Territory, the imposing Henbury Meteorite Crater spans 500 feet wide. This awe-inspiring geological feature was formed around 3100 BCE when a fiery meteorite, hurtling through the cosmos, collided with Earth, leaving behind a breathtaking reminder of the universe's immense and untamed forces.

3/

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