Swami Vivekananda Values’ Education Project

Government of India had earlier decided to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda in a befitting manner. A National Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

The National Implementation Committee in today’s meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has approved in principle Swami Vivekananda Values Education Project at the cost of Rs.100 crore with the following objectives:

· To emphasize upon inculcation of Swami Vivekanada’s values among the students of different schools and colleges all over the country who are busy in highly competitive environment at the cost of other aspects of life.
· Involving the youth through competitions, essays, discussions and study circles.

· Publishing Swami Vivekananda’s complete work in different languages.

· Emphasis on Swami’s ideals in colleges and universities as well as setting up of Swami Vivekananda’s ‘Chairs’ in different universities and Centers.

· International programmes including conferences, seminars and lectures abroad in overseas universities.
· Focusing on Vivekananda’s teachings on Yoga to develop its proper understanding and establish standard for it.

· Utilizing the electronic media for prorogating of Swami’s message through All India Radio, Television, CDs, DVDs, Internet, Website and Films on Vivekananda.

· Encouraging research on religion and harmony, interfaith dialogue and bringing Swami’s ideals into current scope.

· Commemorating his CHICAGO Address about Indian culture through an Endowment for an Annual Lecture.

· Involving States and different organizations in commemorating CHICAGO travels throughout India and to preserve some important heritage sites.

· Creating a campaign through catch word or phrase or logo and involving fresh ideas through press and competitions.

· Under the ‘Print Media’ programmes various publication activities will be taken up including distribution of complete work of Swamiji’s to the libraries of 311 Indian universities , 465 government approved libraries and 100 Indian Embassies in different countries.

Under ‘Electronic Media’ programme, two feature films on Swami Vivekananda’s life & activities and Swami Vivekanands’s Call to the Nation, two animated films for children, TV programme entilted “Swami Vivekananda’s Answers” will be produced and made available at subsidized rates, besides producing 3-4 audio-DVDs on selected works of Swami Vivekananda.

Under the ‘Youth Programme’, Vivekananda Centre for Youth Counselling will be set up in 9 major cities for counseling to groups and invidividuals, two National Youth Conventions with the themes ‘National Growth/Development’ and ‘Religious Harmony’, five Regional Youth camps and a number of youth camps at State level will be held.

Under the “Special Service Activities”, a project titled “Gadadhar Abhyudaya Prakalpa” named after the child Ramakrishna will be taken up for development of neglected children by providing food, dress, basic education and health care at 150 places.

Under the Cultural Programmes, two International Seminars on India’s role in building terror-free society and Swmai Vivekananda’s vision of the future of Mankind, 10 National Seminars on Swami Vivekananda’s relevance in 21st Century, 16 State level seminars on Indian culture beside an exhibition on national integration will be organized.

Besides above, the National Implementation Committee also approved the following proposals in principle:

The Committee approved to assist Kolkata Municipal Corporation in converting Sister Nivedita’s residence in Baghbazar into a befitting memorial. Archeological Survey of India (ASI) would undertake work for restoration of aforesaid building while Ministry of Culture, Government of India would support to set up a Museum as part of Vivekananda Memorial Celebrations.

The Committee also approved in principle to extend necessary support to Ramakrishna Mission, Barrackpore, West Bengal which is involved in propagating and disseminating the ideals and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.
The Committee approved commemoration of CHICAGO Address of Swamiji’s in 1893 through a memorable programme and an Endowment for an Annual Lecture among others.

Besides above, the Committee also agreed in principle to design Logo and issue commemorate Coins on the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Union Minister for Health and Family & Family Welfare suggested to name District Wellness Centres for propagating Yoga to be renamed as Swami Vivekananda District Wellness Centre to mark the occasion. He suggested that 150 such District Wellness Centres will be set up in the first year followed by 75 such centers each in next two years. Thereby, the total 300 such centers will be setup in the country in next three years.

Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission & Portal

  Gandhi Heritage Sites (GHS) Panel was chaired by Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the then Governor of West Bengal, with eminent Gandhians as Members like Ms. Nirmala Deshpande, Shri B.R. Nanda, Shri. Narain Desai, Shri Ranesh Ray and Shri Ramachandra Guha and Officers of the Government of India.
The major recommendations of the Panel were the setting up of the Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission with five Zonal Centers, and setting up of a Gandhi Heritage Sites Portal in Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT) at Ahmedabad.

The Panel recommended setting up of the Portal at Sabarmati Ashram.  All documents related to Gandhiji in India and abroad will be compiled in the Portal which will serve as an Electronic Library of Gandhiji’s life and achievements. The central objective of the Portal is to preserve and perpetuate his invaluable heritage with proper research, in an authentic manner.

The Portal will be regularly updated by the SAPMT to ensure that all relevant details on Gandhiji are incorporated in one site which will be unique in more senses one. It will be interactive and provide a virtual walk–through to an incomparably distinguished leader, whom the Nation and the entire International community looks up to with reverence, admiration and gratitude.

  The Mission will be assisted by the existing Zonal Cultural Centers – SZCC Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), NCZCC, Allahabad (U.P), SEZCC Nagpur, EZCC Kolkata and WZCC, Udaipur which will be provided additional officers and a fixed budget outlay. The Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission will be headed by the Chairperson who will be the eminent Gandhian and the Director of the Mission will be an officer of the rank of Joint Secretary.

The Mission will initiate conservation/restoration and preservation of Gandhi Heritage Sites which will be an ongoing exercise.

The Panel has recommended 39 Core Sites which include Porbandar and Rajkot sites of the childhood period, Tilak Ghat, Chennai, Mani Bhavan, Mumbai, Beliaghata, Kolkata, the venue in Madurai where Gandhiji took to the loin-cloth, the prison cell in Yeravda Jail, Pune, and the prison room in Aga Khan Palace (Pune) etc.

“Gandhi Heritage sites” refers to two indivisible yet distinct forms of “heritage” - the tangible heritage in terms of structures and sites on the one hand, and the legacy and of texts and visuals on the other, consisting of published and unpublished documents, non-text photographs and audio-visual footage. 

The list of Gandhi Heritage Sites has covered almost every single place visited and associated with Gandhiji from 1869 to 1948, in India, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Mauritius, Burma (Myanmar), Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and venues in what now form parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Comprehensive Master List is being published by the Publications Division (I&B Ministry) with support worth 21.55 Lakhs rupees from Ministry of Culture.

Handicrafts - a overview

Paintings & Murals

S.No.	Name of the Panel	State
1.	Mural Dhokra Panels	Chhattisgarh
2.	Gond Painting	Madhya Pradesh
3.	Warli Painting	Maharashtra
4.	Santhal Painting	West Bengal
5.	Mural Glazed Terracotta Tiles	West Bengal
6.	Patua Painting	West Bengal
7.	Pithora Painting	Gujarat
8.	Cherial scroll Painting	Andhra Pradesh
9.	Mural Terracotta tiles	Molella, Rajasthan
10.	Kalamkari	Tamilnadu
11.	Mata-Ne-Pachedi	Ahmadabad Gujarat
12.	Rogan work	Gujarat
13.	Mural Ceramic Tiles	Delhi
14.	Hase Chitra	Karnataka
15.	Mithila Painting	Madhubani, Bihar
16.	Godna Painting	Madhubani, Bihar
17.	Mural Terracotta tiles	Orissa
18.	Kali Ghat Painting	West Bengal
19.	Phat Painting	Rajasthan
20.	Patta Chitra	Orissa
21.	Mural Sanjhi Art	Rajasthan
22.	Stone Dust Painting	Delhi
23.	Kotah School Painting	Rajasthan
24.	Chamba School Painting	Chamba, Himachal Pradesh
25.	Mural Camel Bone	Delhi
26.	Kishan Garh School Painting	Rajasthan
27.	Thangka Style Painting	Rajasthan
28.	Mewar School Painting	Rajasthan
29.	Mural Brass Embossed	Delhi
30.	Tanjore Painting	Tamilnadu
31.	Straw Work	Kerala
32.	Tussar Painting	Orissa

Hand Crafted

S.No.	Name of the Panel	State
1.	Kani Weave	J&K
2.	Chain Stitch Embroidery	J&K
3.	Phulkari Embroidery	Punjab
4.	Chiken Embroidery	Lucknow(UP)
5.	Chamba Rumal Embroidery	H.P.
6.	Folk Embroidery	Kutch, Guj.
7.	Folk Embroidery	Barmer(Raj)
8.	Kasuti Embroidery	Karnataka
9.	Block Printing	Bagru(Raj)
10.	Tie & Dye	Rajasthan
11.	Applique work	Gujarat
12.	Bagh Print	Bagh(MP)
13.	Ajarakh Print	Kutch(Guj.)
14.	Parsi Embroidery	Delhi
15.	Kantha Embroidery	West Bengal
16.	Tie & Dye	Gujarat

Hand Woven

S.No.	Name of the Panel	State
1.	Kanchipuram Saree	Tamilnadu
2.	Paithani Weave	Maharashtra
3.	Banaras Brocade	U.P.
4.	Jamdani Weave	West Bengal
5.	Baluchar Weave	West Bengal
6.	Patola Weave	Gujarat
7.	Viman Saree	Orissa
8.	Vichitrapuri Saree	Orissa
9.	Shawl	Manipur
10.	Shawl	Nagaland

HILSA IN BENGAL ABSENT

Monsoon is at West Bengal’s doorstep but the ‘hilsa’ from Bangladesh, the Bengali’s culinary delight — usually abundant in the city’s fish markets at this time of the year — is almost absent.This is reported mainly to due to minimum export price(MEP) imposed by bangladesh government.A kg of hilsa fish costs around Rs.380 - 400.

World Heritage sites

Three sites — Jantar Mantar, the 18th century observatory at Jaipur, the eco-regions of the Western Ghats and the Matheran light railway in Maharashtra — have been nominated for possible inclusion in the world heritage list next year.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term. A World Heritage Site is a place of either cultural or physical significance.

The programme was founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on November 16, 1972. Since then, 185 state parties have ratified the convention.

Italy has largest monuments on list with toll as 43.

What should we do ?

India is more concerned with antiquity being nominated to list every year. There is also provision for signifying a city to cultural heritage based on modern structures. E.g Brazilia , berlin.

We could take effort for cities like chandigarh, jaipur etc.

Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List in India
Cultural

* Agra Fort (1983)
* Ajanta Caves (1983)
* Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
* Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
* Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)
* Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
* Elephanta Caves (1987)
* Ellora Caves (1983)
* Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
* Great Living Chola Temples (1987)
* Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
* Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
* Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)
* Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)
* Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
* Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
* Mountain Railways of India (1999)
* Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
* Red Fort Complex (2007)
* Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
* Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)
* Taj Mahal (1983)

Natural

* Kaziranga National Park (1985)
* Keoladeo National Park (1985)
* Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
* Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988)
* Sundarbans National Park (1987)

Properties submitted on the Tentative List

* Temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal (1998)
* Buddhist Monastery Complex, Alchi, Leh, known as Alchi Chos-kor (1998)
* Golconda Fort, Hyderbad, Andhra Pradesh (1998)
* Dholavira: a Harappan City, Gujarat, Disstt, Kachchh (1998)
* Rani-ki-Vav (The Queen's Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (1998)
* Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala (1998)
* Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, Sasaram, Bihar (1998)
* Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh (1998)
* Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (1998)
* Hemis Gompa (1998)
* Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab (2004)
* River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam (2004)
* Kalka Shimla Railway (2004)
* The Matheran Light Railway (extension to the Mountain Railways of India) (2005)
* Western Ghats (sub cluster nomination) (2006)
* Namdapha National Park (2006)
* Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch (2006)
* Kangchendzonga National Park (2006)
* Urban and Architectural Work of Le Corbusier in Chandigarh (2006)
* The Kangra Valley Railway - Extension to the Mountain Railways of India (2009)
* Churchgate - Extension to Mumbai CST (2009)
* The Maharaja Railways of India (2009)
* Oak Grove School (2009)
* Excavated Remains at Nalanda (2009)
* The Jantar Mantars : Astronomical Observatories of India (2009)



further refer

State wise heritage sites in india
hindu editorial
more info about World Heritage Site