Vastu Shastra in Ancient Texts

  

 Vastu Shastra or Shilpa Shastra finds numerous references, implicit and explicit in the ancient texts, like, the Vedas, Brahmanas, Upanishads and Indian Puranas. Vastu Shastra is derived from the verb 'was' meaning 'to dwell', or place of residence. Vastospatu the lord of a house is a deity in the Rig Veda. It also applies to conveyances, furniture and all constructed structures. The principal Vastu, however, is the ground on which others rest.

The sacred writings are arranged in four groups: (1) the Vedas; (2) the Upavedas or Supplementary Vedas; (3) the Vedarigas or Limbs of the Vedas; and (4) the Upangas or Supplementary Arigas. The four Upavedas are: (1) Ayurveda, or the science of life and medicine, derived from the Rig Veda; (2) Gandharva Veda, or the science of music, derived from the Sama Veda; (3) Dhanur Veda, or military science, derived from the Yajur Veda; and (4) Shilpa or Sthapatya Veda, or the mechanical arts and architecture, derived from the Atharva Veda.

The text-book of Vastu Shastra are records of oral traditions which go back into an undefined past. The Brihat Samhita, for instance, compiled by Varahamihira in the middle of the sixth century A.D., is based on the authority of Master Architects Maya, Visvakarma, Gargya and Manu. It is the earliest datable source on Vastu Shastra.

The Visvakarmanvaya-pradipika explains that creation is another name for Shilpa, and the origin of Shilpa or 'form' is Brahma, Tvastra and Prajapati put together, called Visvakarma. Visvakarma is Prajapati as the universal constructive principle. He is called Visvakarma because he created the activity of everything. The five heads of Visvakarma are Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusa an Isana, representing East (Rig Veda), South (Yajur Veda), West (Sama Veda), North (Atharva Veda) and North-East (Pranava Veda), respectively. The fifth direction North-East arose from the middle of these four heads. While destroying he is called Rudra, while protecting Lord Vishnu and while creating he is known as Lord Brahma.

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History of Kerala

 History of Kerala states that this state was the melting pot of many civilisations and cultures and hence contains a rich heritage. A very famous mythological legend is there which speaks of the land's origin - the own country of the God. According to the legend, Parasurama, incarnation of Vishnu, took his position over a lofty cliff and asked the violent sea to move back by throwing his axe in the sea and accordingly the sea responded to the command and the land came out as the sea receded to form Kerala. As per the Archaeologists; the early inhabitants of the state included the food gatherers and hunters of Negrito tribe. After them, came the Austric people. These Austric people were then followed by people who came from the Mediterranean region and called the Dravidians. These Dravidian people moved away to the south but were able to leave a mark of their cultural impact on the Aryans who brought Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism with them.

Ancient History of Kerala
There is not much known to the historians regarding the ancient history of Kerala since very less is available in written form. Whatever remains is in the form of conjectures and myths and one of the myths is the Legend of Parasurama. The ancient History of Kerala is primarily steeped into myths and legends. According to the geologists, the land of Kerala was elevated from the sea due to a seismic activity, either gradual or sudden.

Besides the legends, the first arrival in Kerala can be identified today only with regard to the burial practices followed by them. Although there are no records, sensible assumption is that those people spoke an archaic form of Tamil and built strange burial monuments of granite. The historians have assumed a time bracket in between the tenth century BC and fifth century AD for these people. It is evident from the grave relics, which includes daggers and iron tridents that these megalithic builders had emerged out of the Stone Age to the Iron Age without moving through the Bronze Age.

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Meditative Asanas, Yoga

  

Meditative Asanas are the postures one assumes in order to sit or stand comfortably for extended durations, enabling one to concentrate and meditate without interference from muscle proprioceptors. The idea behind Meditative Asanas is merely to position oneself in such a way so that one’s limbs cease to send stimuli to the mind, allowing the practitioner to concentrate on meditation.

Meditative Asanas have been consistently mentioned in various Indian Text on Yoga over the ages, including the Puranas and the Vedas, and have formed the core around which a comprehensive physical culture of asana practice was developed.

Types of Meditative Asanas
Asanas classified as meditative are considered highly important in the canonical Yoga texts. There are 12 meditative postures listed in various Hatha Yoga manuals, and variations on the same have been devised over the years, of which 16 are known, resulting in a total of 28 Meditative Asanas. Only 19 of these, however, can be considered real Meditative Asanas, since the others are corrective or cultural.

Postures of Meditative Asanas
All the meditative Asanas are similar, and invariably involve keeping the neck and body erect to let the blood flow freely along the spine and to avoid pressure on the visceral organs. The legs are rooted to the ground to maintain a steady posture. Meditative Asanas are also performed with either of two gazes; the nasal gaze and the frontal gaze (focusing on the nose or directly in front) and also involve the three Bandhas: the chin lock, abdominal compression and anal contraction. Some hand and finger symbolisms known as ‘Mudras’, are also performed in some meditative Asanas.

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Indian Folk Music

  

Indian Folk Music encompasses a wide variety of musical styles which defy any definition. It is a rather popular genre of music which has captivated music lovers since the remote past with its rhythm, tune, lyrics and pulse. Essentially, folk music of India is a community-based style of music dealing with some kind of social discourse or feelings of the singer and situation. The great diversity that prevails in India culture and civilisation has greatly facilitated the origins and establishment of the folk style of music. Every region of India has its own distinctive style of music. These folk songs are full of rustic charm and appeal. They have simple and touching lyrics which have an immense appeal for the rural masses.

Most of the folk music of India is dance-oriented. This means that the songs that are sung are usually accompanied by some dance form, typical to the region in which it is being performed. There is no definite system of education that is imparted in the genre of folk music. It is a style that is picked up and followed and thus the tradition of folk music has mainly been aural. 'Desi folk', as it has been termed, is viewed as a classical art form where in the midst of dance, mime, lasya and natya the symbolic attributes of traditional Indian culture finds a definite diction.

Themes of Folk Music in India
Folk music is an indispensable part of functions such as childbirth, wedding, engagement etc. There are a number of songs for such occasions. Due to the nature of their lifestyle, and the priority of agriculture in the lives of the rural people, there are a number of songs associated with agricultural activities like planting and harvesting. The villagers give vent to their hopes, fears and aspirations by means of these songs. Folk music is also sometimes employed for educational purposes, such as instructing a girl about womanhood.

Instruments used in Folk Music in India
The kind of musical instruments used in folk music are quite different from the type used in Indian Classical Music. They are not as refined as the ones used in classical music. The most distinct feature of these instruments is that they are usually crafted by the singers themselves. They use commonly available materials such as bamboos, coconut shells and pots to make these instruments. Usually, cruder forms of instruments like dholak, dhaf, nal etc are used. In the places of classical string instruments like the sitar and sarod, much simpler versions such as the ektara, dotar, saringda etc are used. Apart from these, there are also a number of instruments which are used only in particular styles of folk music. Most of these instruments have their own name in the local dialect.

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Hormonal Disorders, Naturopathy

  

Hormonal disorders are conditions that affect the endocrine system and the hormones they release. As such the effect of hormonal disorders can range throughout the whole body as different disorders can manifest in different areas. Hormones are produced primarily in the endocrine glands but certain parts of the body such as the kidney or the placenta can also release hormones in conjunction with the endocrine system.

Hormones play a large and important role in a person’s daily health and well-being. Diseases, certain stages of life and different health conditions can affect the body’s ability to make or use the hormones one need.

Causes of Hormonal Disorders
There are many different causes of hormonal disorders. Some may be genetically linked, as some may seem to run within the family, such as diabetes. Others may involve nutritional factors. Age also plays a factor in the development of hormonal disorders, especially in the production of sex hormones which reduces in both sexes as they age. Sometimes auto-immune disorders can affect the hormone production by attacking hormone production sites in the body, disrupting the normal processes of the organ.

Symptoms of Hormonal Disorders
Typically hormonal disorders involve either an overproduction by hyperactive glands or deficiency of a certain hormone by hypoactive glands. Depending on the hormonal disorder, the symptoms may vary greatly. Some may not even manifest symptoms immediately until the problem is severe.

Types of Hormonal Disorders
Hormone disorders include endocrine system diseases, which directly affect the glands of the endocrine system. Conditions relating to hormones can be wide-ranging.

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Classical Dances of India

  

Classical dances of India are one of the most comprehensive and oldest dance forms in the world. India offers a number of classical dance forms, each of which can be traced to different parts of the country. Each of these dance form represents the culture of a particular region or group of people. India is a land of multiple languages, culture and traditions. These classical dances of India have definite rules that have been followed traditionally over the years. Dance is a physical as well as virtual form of art. Natya Shastra, which is regarded as the fifth Veda, is considered to be the source of all classical dance forms in India. It is believed to have been written between 2nd century BC and 2nd century A.D.

The classical dances of India mainly focus on the Navarasas or emotions - Hasya Rasa, Raudra Rasa, Bibhatsa Rasa, Bhayanaka Rasa, Vira Rasa, Sringara Rasa, Karuna Rasa, Adbhuta Rasa and Shanta Rasa. Almost all the classical dance forms follow the same hand gestures. There are various names by which the dance forms are known. There are 8 classical dances of India that has got recognition from the Sangeet Natak Academy of India. And these classical dances of India are: Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Odissi and Sattriya. There are shlokas in Natya Shastra that describe how to perform all the movements in Indian classical dances.

Types of Classical Dances of India
Traditionally performed as an expressive dance-drama form of religious performance art, the classical dances of India relates to Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism along with pan-Hindu epics. It also relates to Vedic literature, or a folksy entertainment that includes story-telling from Sanskrit or regional language plays. The Natya Shastra, which is the foundational treatise for classical dances of India mentions 4 genres of ancient dance-drama in vogue when it was composed – Avanti, Dakshinatya, Panchali and Odra-Magadhi. Discussed elaborately below are the 8 classical dances of India.

Bharatnatyam: Considered to be a ‘fire dance’, the classical dance form of Bharatnatyam includes the element of air, water, earth and sky. The movements of a Bharatnatyam dancer reflect the mysterious display of the abstract element of fire. It is a solo, feminine type of a dance, which is tender and erotic. The basic theme is love, where the female dancers usually perform as a devotion to the Supreme Being; or love of a mother for child. It epitomizes the adoration of lovers separated and reunited. Bharatnatyam is one of the popular classical dances of India that originated in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. It is unique to the Dravidian culture of South India. In the ancient days, devdasis or temple dancers who were dedicated in service to the presiding deities used to perform Bharatanatyam in temples. It was E. Krishna Iyer was the one who raised the status of Bhartanatyam and popularized it. Rukmini Devi Arundale was influential in bringing it to the attention of the West. There are several religious mythologies associated with the origin of this dance form. It got its name from sage Bharata who was entrusted with the work of writing Natya Shastra following the instructions of Lord Brahma.

Kathak: A dance of northern India, Kathak is often a dance of love. From 16th century onwards it absorbed certain features of Persian dance and Central Asian dance which were imported by the Mughal era. There are 3 major gharanas of Kathak from which performers today draw their lineage: the gharanas of Jaipur, Lucknow and Varanasi along with the less prominent Raigarh gharana. It is performed by both men and women. The movements include intricate footwork accented by bells worn around the ankles and stylized gestures adapted from normal body language. It was originated by Kathakas, professional storytellers who used a mixture of dance, song and drama. Like other Indian dances it began as a temple dance, but soon moved into the courts of ruling houses.

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Influences on Indian Food

  

Influences on Indian Food have brought about an essential change in the concept of food. The cuisine of India is rich and is recognised all over the world for its subtle characteristic. Indian culinary is considered to be one of the most diverse cuisines of the world. It is enriched with various influences both by invasions and by religion. These influences have brought about wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques in the Indian society.

Religious Influence on Indian Food
The religious beliefs of India as well as the culture of the country played an influential role in the evolution of modern cuisine. Religion had shaped the Indian cooking since the commencement of several religions. Each new religion settled in the country and brought with them their own culinary practices.

Religious Influence on Indian Food introduced the perception of Vegetarianism and Non-Vegetarianism. Thus a number of religions exist in India. Hindus followed the cuisine as laid down by the Aryans, whereas with the advent of the Mughals, the Muslims started to prepare food according to their techniques. The Christians came as missionaries and they added a different flavour to the cooking style of the Indians. Jainism is a religion that believes in non-violence and thus refrained from eating any kind of meat or root vegetables. They consume food that grow on trees and are ripe. In addition to that the Portuguese, the Persians and the British made important contributions to the Indian culinary panorama. Indian cuisine is also augmented by the influence varied religions.

Influences on Indian Food by Indian Invasions
Influences on Indian Food can be traced with the various Indian invasions. India on its journey went through a long history of invasions. These different cultures, that have entered the country created the spectacular palette of foods. Aryans, Mongols, Persians as well as Chinese people invaded India since the ancient times. These invasions also had set up specific culinary experiences for different region and in this present moment different regions have distinct cuisines of their own. Moreover in the colonial period, European cooking style was introduced to India. Mongolians brought to India the concept of hot pot cooking. Persians were the rulers who introduced elegant dining style and brought with them rich food with dry fruits. The Chinese influence introduced stir fries to India along with sweet taste of food. Portuguese were the initiator of vegetables such as tomatoes, chilli, and potato, which in the later years became the main components of Indian cuisine at present.

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Indian Musical Instruments

  

Indian musical instrument is as old as its musical tradition and culture. This fascination is passionately encased into the poetic and mythic imagination of the Indians and is reverberated amidst the fervour of folktales, fables, myths and legends. Indian musical instruments thus have a rich timeline. In fact when Lord Shiva as the epitome of the creator, destroyer and sustainers danced the Tandava then each pounding beat of his Damaru (the small drum Lord Shiva holds in His hand) alternated the forces of darkness and light. The terrible yet awe-inspiring, passionate yet fierce sound of the Damaru is said to be the origin of the concept of the musical instrument. Mythology asserts that Lord Shiva, the lord of dance, gifted humanity four instruments; the Veena, the Venu, the Damaru and the Mridanga. This indeed connotes that these might have been the primordial parent instruments. That was just the beginning of the journey of musical instruments in India as a devotional offering and accompaniment of music.

Realistically a number of ancient Indian mural paintings, sculptures, literal and ancient theoretical works hold reference of the presence of the four primordial instruments like the Veena, Venu Mridanga and Damaru. With the passage of time, these Indian musical instruments underwent a thousand transformation and mutations and diversified into numerous other instruments. Regional as well as the geographical factors indeed contributed to the diversity of the tonal quality and in the variations in the designs of the Indian musical instruments. Many of the musical instruments seen today evolved in the medieval India owing to contacts with the Persian and Middle Eastern cultures. A number of musical instruments germinated as a result of the cultural fusion with the Islamic invasion in India. Rubab is one such musical instrument which came to India from Persia via Afghanistan during the time of early Islamic invasion and was indeed a part of the musical ensemble of the Mughal era.

With the advent of the colonial era, Indian musical instruments underwent a sea change. Instruments like the violin, the guitar, the mandolin, the clarinet and the saxophone were imported from the West and were largely absorbed in the philosophy of Indian music.

Whatever be the origin, however deep may be the influence of society, culture, more and tradition in delineating the tone, form and designs of Indian musical instruments, in broader aspect Indian musical instruments can be classified into four main heads depending upon the sound they produce. Bharata muni in his Natyashastra also classified Indian musical instruments into four broad categories namely, the stringed instruments (tat or Tantra Vadya), the wind instruments (Sushira Vadya), the Ghana Vadya and the percussion instruments (Avanaddha Vadya). This mode of classification even survives today despite the introduction of newer musical instruments into the field.

The string instruments are those which produce sounds when the strings are plucked with a finger or strapped, slapped or strummed. Indian musical instruments like the Rudra Veena, sitar, sarod and even Surbahar fall in this category. There is another category of stringed instrument like the violin, esraj, dilruba and the tar Shehnai, which make use of a bow to produce an uninterrupted series of notes.

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