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

https://youtu.be/IZxbS9JVg0I

This is a fabulous after-story in the life of great Rakhaldas Banerjee, the man who discovered the identity of Mohenjodaro. Did he become a thief? Or it was a usual colonial arrogance of sorts?

All of it must have been a massive misunderstanding, if at all. But lI don't think he was unaware of the value of the item involved in the story.

Do watch this facinsting story, being retold by Prof Nayanjot Lahiri.

For more details, visit:

https://www.levelupias.com/upsc-cse-history-optional-test-series/

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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

Episode 9 of our Behind The Question (BTQ) Explained podcast is on its way. This is an early peak.

This time we dicuss a 2024 question on Gandhi and Aurobindo, and try to open its multiple layers in a very analytical way.

Stay tuned for a very insightful episode.

https://youtu.be/bDTO8gC9n7k?si=GH1TSRyK4S3ReKMI

For more details, visit:

https://www.levelupias.com/upsc-cse-history-optional-test-series/

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

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

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 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

Continuing our series in Eminent Historians, this is a video on a different perspective on Mughal Decline.

I have already planned about 20-22 new snippets in line. They cover many facets of Ancient, Medieval and Modern Indian History. You would be in for a treasure.

The whole idea is that as students you don't have time to dig into this treasure. We, as teachers, should bring you interesting nuggets that would add value to your preparation.

You can watch these video snips. Enrich your understanding as these are some of the stalwart authorities in their own fields. From these, you can add relevant content to your notes. You can quote this historians in your answers.

https://youtu.be/PfHacAPtHRA?si=9iSHpvQE_fhWcTlV

We have started a new initiative for CUET PG. If you are preparing for this exam, you must not miss it. Its a whole new YT channel completely dedicated to CUET.

Don't forget to subscribe for a lot of new exciting content.

https://youtu.be/7YW-gqNO_NE

https://www.youtube.com/live/OWeLMrTIEtg?si=hHAg1iNartiI7ywD

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