After a new discovery of Ancient city in Mexico (which was pointed out a few days ago), there is another discovery of a new bronze age city in Saudi Arabia. They have named it al-Natah.

It was contemporary to our Harappan cities. It is entirely possible that they knew each other.

Who said Dead things are not interesting? Their study is very dynamic and exciting indeed.


https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/10/4000-year-old-town-discovered-hidden-arabian-oasis

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HOT500 2.0

This is the first lecture by Vishal sir. He has covered some part of the Sources chapter from Ancient Indian history. It is done through QnA format. Do watch it....

https://youtu.be/VOfuUz19aYc?si=uFeQDssbO4J0smST

There is a huge crop of toppers talk in recent years. Many toppers share their journey and strategy. Even though the actual usefulness of some such videos is doubtful, we all still like to watch them, because it gives a pleasure of vicariously living through the moments of triumphs.

However, at LevelUp IAS, we have a slightly different perspective. We are trying to bring a more methodical and scientific approach to things.

As a part of those efforts, we have started a podcast on mental toughness. We interview officers (both seniors and juniors) to probe their mental journey.

Mental health is emerging as a major issue and we take it very seriously. LevelUp IAS is the first civil services exam coaching institute which started completely free mental health counselling services for aspirants more than six months ago. Our experts are just a call away. In the same vein, we have started this podcast.

In this very special episode of our podcast, Dipika Kumar, an Assistant Director in the Ministry of Defence, and a UPSC CSE topper of 2017 batch, has provided an excellent example of resilience.

Resilience is a major part of mental toughness and Dipika mam has shown through her own living example that the most extreme odds in life can overcome with right mindset. Her life is a story to prove that clearing UPSC CSE is not only about conquering the syllabus. Its also about conquering your own mind and thoughts first.

Do watch it.
https://youtu.be/Wf_PkERyM6U

Ninth episode of BTQ is out.

https://youtu.be/4C633EyWOAc

Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBMfaGYFl3LwC_416k6CpxA

In this very short video, we get to see whether Gandhian ideas are still relevant.

It seems that a lot of section of new protectors prefer Fanon and not Gandhi. Will it help in resolution of the problem?

How relevant is Gandhi today? UPSC has asked this question a few times. Its an evergreen question. We generally write a very typical answer. This short video will provide a different case study and a different view point. Most revealing and must watch.

https://youtu.be/flNADE-IKYQ

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/royal-descendants-decry-rahul-gandhis-description-of-them-as-pliant/article68840668.ece

This is the topic we study naturally in Modern India history clases, in the very beginning of the course.

How did British conquer and rule India? Did the Maharajas put up opposition to the British or they became their Indian supporters?

Can the answer be black and white? It's easy. Some were defiant and opposed British, some were facilitators and sycophants. Its both.

However, if some Maharaja is today in politics and is doing good work, and his forfathers were pro British, I don't think it should have any relevance. We judge them by their work today not of their forefathers generations ago.

There is no point basking in the glory of achievement of ancestors nor is there any need to be ashamed of their anti-national deeds and defend them.

So, I don't agree with the outrage of Maharajas today. However, if you agree with the Maharajas, give thumbs up. If you don't agree, the reverse.

Preparing content for the upcoming Art and Culture lectures (in PMP) while traveling on some random road in Srilanka.

In this year's edition, I am planning to add some new content on linguistic history of India using a fantastic new book just published. It's by GN Devy, who has authored civilizational history of India through linguistic lens.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCTjqI6NK1B/?igsh=MTlzY3RsNnVpM284MA

#bookreview

Sigiriya

Today I visited Sigiriya, which is a unesco world heritage site in srilanka.

For last exactly 10 years, I have been teaching about it in my Art and Culture classes, when we dicuss Ajanta paintings. Ajanta paintings were trendsetter in a way that it influenced entire Asian art. Its replicas/derivative paintings are found in Srilanka, Afghanistan, Thailand and China. India was indeed the 'light of Asia'. More on this in our lecture on Art and Culture during Gupta Era.

This time though, I got to visit it. Climbed all the way up but it was worth it. Its a breathtaking view of surrounding.

An anecdote:
Once upon a time, Gandhiji collected public funds for Kaka Kalelkar to visit Girosoppa waterfall. When Kaka Kalelkar said he won't go alone without students and since funds were not enough, it would be better to cancel the plan. Gandhiji replied that if one student sees it, it is only one. But when a teacher sees it, it's all the students who get to see it through him. Kaka Kalelkar was thus persuaded to go.

I am hoping to be true to Gandhiji's ideal of a teacher.

(For photos, visit https://www.instagram.com/nikhilhistoryculture?igsh=ZjczcTUzdWMzMGZp )

#unesco

How did Shivaji Maharaj create the Maratha Navy?

Despite calling him as the father of Indian Navy, we don't often read about this fascinsting episode of Indian history.

Actually, there are a lot of fascinsting stories about it. Watch a historian of Marathas giving a very quick capsule perspective on hurdles faced and overall strategy followed by Shivaji. It must have been a hell lot of daring act...! And it did yield wonderful results.

https://youtu.be/Jq8bFLkhBWQ

Dambulla Cave Temple

The day started with another 600 steps hillock climb. There are 5 caves with many large and small painted Buddha murtis. The cave walls are all painted.

The era to which it belongs to spans from 100 BCE (Sangama period for our rederence, or specifically, pre-Christian period) to 1700 CE (Maratha period for our reference again).

It was originally constructed by the king Walagamba. He was the king of Anuradhapura in north srilanka. But invasion from South India Tamil kings led to his flight from his capital. He went to further south in Lanka and came to this area. When he reconquered his capital in Anuradhapura, he constructed this place.

If we take our reference, the caves belong to the time when Satavahanas started excavating Ajanta and Shakas started funding Kanheri. Exactly at the time when Satavahana and Shakas were fighting to control the Roman trade in Deccan, the king Walagamba accepted Buddbism and used it to consolidate his own power in Srilanka.

What I find wonderful is that we see spread of Buddhism to Andhra coast and Sri Lanka in this period. While Tamilnadu was sandwiched by these two areas, we see least impact of Buddhism in Sangam Literature, which has much more traces of Hinduism. And all these areas were not isolated but had frequent intercourse. This to me seems like a puzzle.

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This place also a unesco world heritage site. Well protected. There is not a single foodshop in a near vicinity and the entire hill is clean. Both Sigiriya and Dambulla are some of the cleanest historic sites that I have so far seen in Indian subcontinent.

Visit for Photos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCVttPHyUAZ/?igsh=MXR5YmZsazMxd3Nieg==

Sri Dalada Maligawa

Today afternoon I visited the The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple at Kandy, Srilanka. It is one of the holiest places of Buddhism in Lanka. However, the building housing it is not very old, it was constructed hardly a few centuries ago.

Notwithstanding, there is a long story of the chain of custody of Buddha's tooth relic. How it kept on changing hands from Khema to some Odiya King then finally it reached Srilanka. The role of Dantha and Hemamala, the Odiyan royals, who took it from India to Srilanka in the 4th century, sometime during the beginning of the Gupta era, is well remembered in this respect. The reason for this transfer is cited to be local rivalry, both political and religious.

Interestingly, after reaching Srilanka the story doesn't end. It rather takes a new lease of life. Many new episodes were added to it. The most recent episodes in the life of the tooth relic are from British era who added some new content to it. Its worth reading from it's very scratch.

This entire story/history/myth is very central to the identity of Srilanka Budhhism and Buddhists here. Everyone knows about it. Its a popular story. As recent as in 2014, there was even a movie on this named Siri Daladagamanaya.

Visit for Photos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCWqj75NDia/?igsh=ZW5ldmh5OGRlYmhm