Ancient camping site dating 8500 BC discovered by ASI at 14000 feet above sea level on the way to Saser La to Ladakh

An ancient camping site dating ninth millennium BC has been discovered by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under Ministry of Culture, on the way to Saser La which leads to the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh. While exploring in Nubra valley during 2015-16, Dr. S.B. Ota, Joint Director General in ASI observed both sides of hill and valley as the serpentine road, gradually climbed along the Saser Stream. After covering a distance of about 22 km, he noticed a section, exposed due to road construction, showing successive layers comprising burning residue and immediately stopped to explore the area. It was a small flat area with snow-covered peaks on one extreme, dry barren land with loose rocks all around and gushing stream within the deep western gorges, an ideal place for camping in a picturesque setting.

A charcoal sample collected from the Site, was subsequently sent to BETA LAB, Florida, USA, for radiocarbon date determination in order to understand the antiquity of the above stated camp-site. The outcome i.e. 8500 BC (10500 years before present) was beyond even ASI’s expectation. Such an early antiquity on the basis of a scientific date was the very first for that region.

Realizing the significance of the evidence, a team of ASI officials including D.G. and Dr. Ota, Joint D.G. and other experts inspected the site in the month of July 2016 in order to assess the probabilities of further archaeological research. During this visit, more charcoal samples and associated bones were collected. Two of the charcoal samples from lower and upper deposits sent for dating have provided new radiocarbon dates of c. 8500 BC and c. 7300 BC (c. 10500 and 9300 years before present) respectively. These dates have indeed confirmed the earlier date. Apart from that, new dates also indicate repeated human activity at this camping site for about eight hundred years. Preliminary studies of charred bones collected from here, carried out by Prof P.P. Joglekar of Deccan Collage, Pune, have shown the presence of Gorel and Yak.

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Barter System

Barter System is a trade in which goods are exchanged without the use of money. This system has been used for centuries and long before money was invented. People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return. In ancient times, this system involved people in the same area, however today bartering is global. The value of bartering items can be negotiated with the other party. 

The history of bartering dates all the way back to 6000 BC. Introduced by Mesopotamia tribes, bartering was adopted by Phoenicians. Phoenicians bartered goods to those located in various other cities across oceans. Babylonian's also developed an improved bartering system. Goods were exchanged for food, tea, weapons, and spices. In the Middle Ages, Europeans traveled around the globe to barter crafts and furs in exchange for silks and perfumes. Due to lack of money, bartering became popular in the 1930s during the Great Depression. It was used to obtain food and various other services.

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Major Achievements of India since Independence

15 Major Achievements of India since Independence: It is not true that India has done nothing and not achieved in past 65 years of Independence Day. Post independence despite not having access to electricity, roads, better education, high level equipment and wealth, India has consistently doled out stalwarts in the fields of science, technology and social reforms.We believed there might be up and down but India achieved many things in last 65 years and here is Major Achievements of India since Independence under various prime ministers of India and people of India.

15 Major Achievements of India since Independence:

1. Creating The Republic: India became an independent nation within the British Commonwealth on 15 August 1947. The Constitution was adopted by the India Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, and came into effect on 26 January 1950.

2. Construction of New India with Dams and irrigation Projects.

Bhakra Dam (226 M) is a concrete gravity dam across the Sutlej River in Himachal Pradesh.

3. Heavy Industry in India.

Bombay High is an offshore oilfield by ONGC 162 kilometres off the coast of Mumbai.

4. Panchayat Raj system to Empower Rural India.

Panchayat Raj System was first adopted by the state of Rajsthan in Nagaur district on 2nd Oct 1959

5. Green Revolution is identified with India's being catapulted from a chronically food-short country, with a begging-bowl image, to one which was self-sufficient and which became over time even surplus in food. The change follows the major technological reforms that occurred in Indian agriculture, particularly from the mid-1960s. 

6. India-Pakistan War & Liberating Bangladesh, 1971

December 1971: Lt.Gen. AAK.Niazi (right) of Pakistan signs the surrender documents.

7. Pokharan 1 or 'Smiling Buddha' - India's first nuclear test by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Smiling Buddha (Pokhran-I) was the assigned code name of India's first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974. The bomb was detonated on the army base, Pokhran Test Range (PTR), in Rajasthan by the Indian Army under the supervision of several key army officials.

8. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, 1985: Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are a system of alternate schools for gifted students in India. There are approximately 600 JNVs across India (one school per district). JNVs are specifically tasked with finding talented children in rural areas of India and providing them with an education equivalent to the best residential school system, without regard to their family's socio-economic condition.

9. Rise of IT industry (1998-2008): Information technology in India is an industry consisting of two major components: IT services and business process outsourcing (BPO). The sector has increased its contribution to India's GDP from 1.2% in 1998 to 7.5% in 2012.

10. Golden quadrilateral and other new highways - Over 40,000 km of highways/expressways added in the past 15 years. The Golden Quadrilateral is a highway network connecting many of the major industrial, agricultural and cultural centres of India. A quadrilateral of sorts is formed by connecting Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai, and hence its name.

11. PMGSY, 2000: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is a nationwide plan in India to provide good all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages.

12. Right to Information (RTI) Act. that has turned thorn in govt flesh. Right to Information Act (RTI) is an Act of the Parliament of India "to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens" and replaces the erstwhile Freedom of information Act, 2002.

13. Chandrayaan: Chandrayaan-1 was India's first lunar probe. It was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in October 2008, and operated until August 2009. The mission included a lunar orbiter and an impactor.

14. Right to Education Act (RTE): Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE), is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009, which describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution.

15. Polio Free India: Ending polio among 1.3 billion people in India is world's greatest health achievement.  World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region, home to a quarter of the world’s population, was certified polio-free in March 2014 by an independent commission under the WHO certification process. This is the fourth of six WHO Regions to be certified, marking an important step towards global polio eradication. 

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Congress Split in Moderates and Extremists at Surat Split 1907

Surat Split is mainly known for separation of congress partymen into moderates and extremists at the surat session of congress in 26 December 1907. The extremists were led by Lokmanya Tilak, Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal and the moderates were led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta and Surendranath Banerjee. The divided Congress re-united in the crucial Lucknow session of congress in 1916.

The Extremists wanted to extend the Boycott and Swadeshi Movement to regions outside Bengal and also to include all forms of associations (such as government service, law courts, legislative councils, etc.) within the boycott programme and thus start a nationwide mass movement. The Extremists wanted a strong resolution supporting their programme at the Benaras session.
The Moderates, on the other hand, were not in favour of extending the movement beyond Bengal and were totally opposed to boycott of councils and similar associations. They advocated strictly constitutional methods to protest against the partition of Bengal. As a compromise, a relatively mild resolution condemning the partition of Bengal and the reactionary policies of Curzon and supporting the swadeshi and boycott programme in Bengal was passed. This succeeded in averting a split for the moment.

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Rock-cut Elephant, Dhauli

Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli: Dhauli is located in the ancient territory of Kalinga, now the state of Orissa, which the emperor Ashoka Maurya (reigned 272-231 BC) conquered with appalling loss of life in about 260 BC. Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli is one of oldest monument which sculpted elephant faces east.  The prime Buddhist attraction of Dhauli are the rock edicts of the Indian emperor Ashoka. These rock edicts are on the northern face of the southern range and primarily carry instructions for local administrators to rule with gentleness and justice. The inscription on the edicts read : '...these are my instructions to you. You are in charge of many thousands of living beings. You should gain the affection of men. All men are my children, and as I desire for my children that they should obtain welfare and happiness both in this world and the next, the same do I desire for all men...'. Immediately above the inscription is a terrace, on the right side of which is a forepart of an elephant. This forepart has been sculpted out of a solid rock and is widely believed to be one of the oldest carvings in India. In Buddhism, elephants are quiet often, linked with the Buddha, either as a form in which He enetered His mother’s womb or as the sacred symbol of Buddhism itself. The sculpture of elephant, here therefore, is an object of venration. This elephant sculpture also aids in drawing tourists attention to the inscription itself.

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Major Buddhist councils, King and Venue

Major 6 Buddhist councils, King and Venue: Six Buddhist councils have been convened. Buddhist Councils marked important turning points in the story of early Buddhism. This story spans the time from immediately after the death and parinirvana of the historical Buddha in the 5th century BCE to some time early in the first millennium CE.  Here is a short description:

First Buddhist Council (400 BC):

- Held soon after the death of the Buddha around 400 BCE.

- Presided by monk Mahakasyapa.

- Held by Magadha king Ajatasatru in Rajagriha.

- Objective was to preserve the Buddha’s sayings (suttas) and monastic rules (Vinaya).

- According to some sources, the Abhidhamma Pitaka, or its matika, was also included.

- Also the Sangha made the unanimous decision to keep all the rules of the Vinaya, even the lesser and minor rules.

Second Buddhist Council (4th Century):

- Held about 100 years after the Buddha’s demise in 383 BC.

- Held at Vaisali under the presidentship of Sabakami, convened by King Kalasoka.

- Objective was  to settle a dispute on Vinaya Pitaka, the code of discipline. The dispute was on 10 Points such as storing salt in horn, eating after midday, eating once and going to villages for alms, eating sour milk after one's meal etc. It was not settles and Buddhism sects appeared for the first time. The subgroups were Sthaviravada, Mahasanghika and Sarvastivada.  

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Indian Tricolour Meaning, Design, History

National Flag of India was designed by Pingali Venkayyaand and adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" refers to the Indian national flag.
The National flag of India is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.

Evolution of the Tricolour
It is really amazing to see the various changes that our National Flag went through since its first inception. It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom. The evolution of the Indian National Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to arrive at what it is today. In one way it reflects the political developments in the nation. Some of the historical milestones in the evolution of our National Flag involve as shown in picture.
The first national flag in India is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta now Kolkata. The flag was composed of three horizontal strips of red, yellow and green.

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Palaeoloithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic Periods Name, Dates

Palaeoloithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic Periods: Archaeologists have given lengthy names for the time that we are studying. They call the earliest period the Palaeolithic.

Palaeolithic comes from two Greek words, ‘palaeo’, meaning old, and ‘lithos’, meaning stone. The name points  to the importance of finds of stone tools. The Palaeolithic period extends from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. This long stretch of time is divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. This long span of time covers 99% of human history.  Our earlier human ancestors were hunter gatherers who led a nomadic existence using temporary camps or shelters. The main evidence of their activity is the stone tools they used and which can be picked up on the surface of the soil.
Mesolithic: Mesolithic means 'Middle Stone Age'. The Mesolithic period is a period of transition from the way people were living during the Palaeolithic period as hunter-gatherers to the development of farming in the Neolithic period. The period when we find environmental changes, beginning about 12,000 years ago till about 10,000 years ago is called the Mesolithic (middle stone). Stone tools found during this period are generally tiny, and are called microliths. Microliths were probably stuck on to handles of bone or wood to make tools such as saws and sickles. At the same time, older varieties of tools continued to be in use. Look at the illustration on page13. Do you notice any difference in the tools belonging to these periods?
Neolithic: The next stage, from about 10,000 years ago, is known as the Neolithic. Neolithic period in the AONB begins with the first farmers and the introduction of domesticated animals and plants e.g. sheep and wheat. Very often, we use presentday names of the places where people lived in the past, because we do not know what they called them.

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Gujarat's Rani ki Vav on UNESCO World Heritage site

Rani ki Vav (queen's stepwell), in Gujarat's Patan town, has been added to Unesco's list of World Heritage sites, an official statement said Sunday. "Rani ki Vav has been approved for inscription on the World Heritage list," said a statement of the ministry of culture, adding that the decision was taken by Unesco at the World Heritage Committee session currently on at Doha, Qatar.    It was nominated by ASI for the World Heritage List of UNESCO in Feb. 2013. The process of nomination of Rani ki Vav and the management strategy presented for the property and Buffer Zone as per Operational Guidelines of UNESCO can be credited to excellent teamwork between the Archaeological Survey of India and the State Government of Gujarat. The dossier was prepared by an in-house team of experts within the ASI and vetted by the Ministry of Culture through its Advisory Committee at various stages. The State Government of Gujarat supported the protection of Buffer Zone as a protected area in the Development Plan. They worked with ASI officials to mark the around the Rani ki Vav including the excavated area of the historic Sahastralinga Talao under ASI as well as the unexcavated areas of this Talao which falls under agricultural fields for future protection in the Development Plan. The initiative of additionally protecting surrounding area around Rani ki Vav with its inclusion in the Local Development Plan is an exemplary example of integrating heritage with planning and needs to be emulated for heritage sites across India. The inscription of Rani ki Vav on the World Heritage List as the single most example of a step well is a testimony to the traditional water systems of India. The local residents of Patan who were engaged actively in the process and provided full support to ASI and State Government in the process including its field evaluation by ICOMOS (the Advisory Body to UNESCO) deserve a special mention in achieving this target to place this stepwell on India’s World Heritage List.

Rani-ki-Vav is situated about 2 km to the northwest of Patan district of Gujarat State. Rani-ki-Vav, a stepwell built in the 11th century is the most developed, elaborate and ornate example of a unique type of Indian subterranean architectural structure, and it marks the zenith in the evolution of stepwells in India. It is a particularly large and complex example of a stepwell, with seven storeys of ornamented panels of sculptures and relief representing the height of the Maru-Gurjara style. Following the flooding and disappearance of the Saraswati River due to geotectonic changes, the property was buried under layers of silt for almost seven centuries and has been preserved underneath in an exceptional state of conservation by the Archaeological Survey of India.

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Kailash Temple, Ellora Cave Temple Complex

Kailasa temple is a famous rock cut monument, one of the 34 monasteries and temples known collectively as the Ellora Caves, extending over more than 2 km, that were dug side by side in the wall of a high basalt cliff in the complex located at Ellora, Maharashtra, India. It is a megalith carved out of one single black granite rock. It is estimated that about 400,000 tons of rocks was scooped out over years to construct this monolithic structure. It was built in the 8th century by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I .

The Kailash Temple is notable for its vertical excavation—carvers started at the top of the original rock, and excavated downward, exhuming the temple out of the existing rock. The traditional methods were rigidly followed by the master architect which could not have been achieved by excavating from the front.

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