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Abhilashitarthachintamani |
A twelfth century encyclopedia written by Western Chalukya king Someshwara
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Ahmednahar |
Town in the state of Maharashtra founded by Ahmed Nizam Shahi
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Amartya Sen |
(1933-) Economist and Nobel Laureate
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Annadurai C.N. |
(1909-1969) Thinker and Leader of Tamil Nadu. Founder of the D.M.K. Party. Also an eminent Tamil writer
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antahpura |
harem or woman's quarters in a palace
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Antakshari |
(a.k.a Antyakshari) A popular party game in India where the end of one song is continued as the start of another song.
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artha |
(from Sanskrit) money or worth; also means or meaning
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Arunachal Pradesh |
A state in North-East part of India
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Assam |
A state in North-East part of India rich in oils
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Bal Thackeray |
Leader of the Shiv Sena party and champion of Hindu revivalism; also a playwright and established cartoonist
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Besant Annie |
(1847-1933) An Irish woman who became an staunch supporter of Indian freedom and started Home Rule League; President of Indian National Congress in 1917
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Bhagiratha |
The Hindu sage who brought the river Ganga from heaven to earth.
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Bundelkhand |
Region in central India constituing parts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh states.
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Chanakya |
(3rd century B.C) also known as Kautilya, author of Artha Shastra, an ancient text on administration of Government and Economics. He was Chandragupta Maurya's prime minister
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Chandragupta Gupta |
(308 A.D. - 375 A.D..) Founder of the Gupta dynasty during whose reign the Indian arts and culture prospered
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Charles Wilkins |
A Civil Servant in the British administration, was fascinated by the culture of India and started Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784; regarded as the father of Indology
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Chattopadhyaya Kamaladevi |
(1903-1988) Social worker and an authority on Indian art and culture
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Chola |
A very important dynasty to rule South India (and other parts of South Asia) over along period of 300 B.C. to 1250 A.D.; under Rajaraja Chola I (reigned 985–1014) and Rajendra Chola I (reigned 1014–42), the Chola power reached its zenith
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Cholas |
A very important dynasty to rule South India (and other parts of South Asia) over along period of 300 B.C. to 1250 A.D.; under Rajaraja Chola I (reigned 985–1014) and Rajendra Chola I (reigned 1014–42), the Chola power reached its zenith
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Coorgis |
The martial race of Kodagu in Karnataka.
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Dharani |
(a.k.a. Bhoomi, Prithvi) Mother Earth worshiped by Hindus as as diety and an element
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Gandhara |
An ancient kingdom of India, roughly corresponding to present day Khandahar in Afghanistan. Gandhari, a queen of Mahabharat was a pricess from Gandhar.; Also name of an important school of Indian art that florished during the Kushanas.
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Hamsa |
Royal Geese; a.k.a. Rajahamsa, the bird has mythological significance in Indian art and literature
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Indra |
Leader of deities shown in Indian art riding an elephant ( Airawat)
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Janavashya |
A 15th century Kannada work by Kallarasa on practice of sex as an art and a science form.
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Jayaprakash Narayan |
(1902-1979) Popularly known as JP, he was instrumental in formation of Janata Party, once a formidable political force against Indira Gandhi; Freedom fighter and social reformer
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Kanishka |
A great emperor of India (apprx. 2nd century A.D.) of Kushana dynasty. A great patron of arts. The Gandhara school of art flourished during his rule.
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Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan |
(1890-1988) Popularly known as *the frontier Gandhi* dedicated his life for India; a close associate of Gandhi, organized Khudai Khidmatgar and opposed partition of India.
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kirtimukha |
literally meaning "face of glory", the specific decoration used in Indian art to decorate temple motifs.
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Kolam |
Typically laid with rice powder, Kolam (a.k.a Rangoli) is a women's art in South India with spiritual connections. The art is performed in devotion to goddess Laxmi
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Krishnadevaraya |
(1509-1530) Most brilliant of Vijayanagara kings. A cultured ruler and a great patron of arts. Defeated the Bahamani kingdom in 1510 A.D.
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Lankesh Patrike |
A popular Kannada language tabloid started by writer P. Lankesh in 1979. It rediculed Indian caste and political systems.
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Laxman R.K. |
(1927-) India's prominent cartoonist. His You Said It strip is a classic.
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Lokapalas |
Guardians of the quarters of the universe.
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Madhya Pradesh |
meaning Central India, is a large state in the heart of India
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Maharashtra |
A large state in Western part of India
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Malabar |
South-western part of India known today as Kerala
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Menon Vallathol Narayana |
(1878-1958) Malayalam poet and freedom fighter; started Kerala Kala Mandalam
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Mrichchkatika |
A drama 'Toy Cart' by Sudraka written around the start of the Christian era
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Nandalal Bose |
(1883 -1966) A very respected Indian artist who especially portrayed women in his work
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Orissa |
(a.k.a. Odissa) A State in Eastern part of India
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Prarabdha |
Destiny. The part of life over which a living being has no control over.
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Prithvi |
A female deity personifying the earth; (see also: Dharani)
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Qasin Barid |
(? - 1504) A prime minister of Turkish origin in Bahamani kingdom, he assumed power in 1492 and started ruling the kingdom
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Qutub Minar |
Tall minaret (990 feet high --tallest in the world) in New Dehli built by Sultan Iltutmish in 1232 A.D.
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Radha |
Krishna's consort -- the romance of Radha and Krishna is a favorite topic of Indian poets and artists.
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Raja Ravi Varma |
(1848-1906) Indian artist from a royal family in Kerala; some of most beautiful portraits in Indian museums are done by him
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Rajagopalachari C. |
(1879-1972) Known as Rajaji is the only Governor-General of India; Scholar and political leader; founded the Swatantra Party
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Rajaputs |
people who belong to a martial caste predominant in Rajasthan
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Rasgolla |
Pluffy, rubbery cheese dipped in thick sugary syrup that is very popular in Eastern parts of India.
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sahagamana |
(a.k.a Sati) Literally meaning "joint-departure", it is the system where a widow commited suicide upon the untimely death of her husband.
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Samartha Ramdas |
Shivaji's preceptor and guide
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Servants of India Society |
The socio-political institution in Poona started by Gopalakrishna Gokhale in 1905.
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Shankar |
(1902-1989) Indian cartoonist and founder of Shankar's weekly and International Dolls Museum
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Shanmuga |
a.k.a. Karthikeya elder son of Lord Shiva and brother of Ganesh
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Sheik Abdullah |
(1906-1982) Founder of National Conference Political Party in Kashmir. As the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, held the state together.
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Sidhhartha Gautama |
(563 B.C. - 483 B.C.) Founder of Buddhism. A prince who renounced luxury and became an ascetic. Preached non-violence and kindness.
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Sita |
(see-tha): Rama's wife, an reincarnation of goddess Laxmi, represents the ideal Hindu wife. Born to mother earth, she is a key figure in the Hindu mythology of Ramayana.
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Stephen Huyler |
Cultural anthropologist who documented many forms of folk art in rural India
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Sufism |
Islamic mysticim popular in parts of India, Pakistan and Iran.
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Swadeshi |
A home made product; A preindependence movement to further the use of Indian-made items, particularly cottage-industry products, such as hand-loomed cloth, and to oppose British-made goods.
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Uma |
(a.k.a. Parvati, Parwati, Durga, Kali) Lord Shiva's wife; mother of Ganesh and Kartikeyan
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Vedangas |
Literary works belonging to Vedic period, but not part of the Vedas
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Vikramaditya |
(375 A.D.-414 A.D.) Gupta King who ruled India; a great patron of art and literature
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Vindhya |
The range of mountains diving India into northern and southern parts.
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Who's Who, What's What