AMITY-UNESCO RESULT
Answer: (Jarawa in Andaman, Lepcha in Sikkim,Jaunsari in Uttarakhand, Kondh in Orissa,
Bodo in Assam, Khasi in Meghalaya, Gond in Madhya Pradesh, Gaddi in Himachal Pradesh,
Rabari in Gujarat, Bhil in Rajasthan)
The bygone era stays entrenched in society through its extravagant palaces, historic castles, and magnificent structures that greet you at every nook and corner of this majestic country, keeping the memory of yesteryears alive. But what happens to the once-elegant constructions that have now fallen into shambles? I am one such relic of the glorious past, with a rather deplorable end. I am the Lucknow Residency, also Residency or British Residency.
I know that sounds like royalty, and I really was a royalty, even if that was in the pre independence era, when I was home to the British Resident General. Built between 1780 and 1800 AD during the rule of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah, I stood tall in the heart of the city, encircled by the Tehri Kothi, and the High Court Building.
Overlooking the river Gomti, I was a splendid structure entailing a group of several buildings. My complex included bungalows, Muslim shrines, thatched houses, and ‘high-end’ buildings for higher-ranking officials. Starting with the majestic Bailey Guard Gate at the entrance, to the treasure house, Dr Fayers House, the Banquet Hall, Imambara Mosque, Begum Kothi and Memorial Museum; I had all of it under one roof. Built in the style of European villas, with central halls, spacious balconies, flat roofs, high pillars, wooden beams, and stucco ornamentation, I was indeed a sight to hold. Howbeit looking at my ruins, it’s rather hard to imagine a glorious version of myself. But you have to believe me when I tell you that I was considered an architectural marvel of my times. It was only in 1857 when my ill-fated doom arrived, and I became subject to the siege of Lucknow. As the proliferating Indian Rebellion gripped the nation, I became a hideout for the British; a rather inescapable fate given that Lucknow was one of the major administrative centres of the British in those times.
Shivers run down my spine still as I recollect those horrific four months that proved to be the most difficult days of my life. Cannon shots and bullets were fired; their scars still conspicuous on my wall. The nearby cemetery that is home to the graves of 2,000 men, women, and children, including Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence, who died during the Siege, continues to serve as a reminder of the massacre.
But as they say, time is the biggest healer. The rubble of my building has been replaced with lawns and flowerbeds. And even in my devastated state, I am one of the most popular tourist spots in the city. A light and sound show is also organised every evening to display my rather very enchanting history.
Sure, I do not shine like those polished tombstones, my walls are not perfect, my present day form looks a little dilapidated; but then that has its own beauty.
Echoing domes & shining stones
A Walk Through The Beauty Of Islamic Architecture
Akshat Jain, AIS Gur 43, VIII A
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. If this proverb is to be truly believed, then Islamic architects of yore had the most aesthetic visions of beauty. The glowing patterns on mosques’ windows, domes, and private homes are examples of geometric brilliance that originated in Islamic architecture.
Hailing from Persian, Byzantine, Roman, and Iranian cultures during the 8th century CE, craftsmen developed new forms of visual expression. In intricate structures like the Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar, geometrical patterns form the basis for complex overlapping designs. Often distinguished between the Girih and Arabesque styles, Jama Masjid and Fatehpur Sikri boast quasi-crystal patterns and tessellations that include symmetry up to 12 folds. The use of polygonal shapes in the designs allows the patterns to extend indefinitely. These unique and exquisite patterns are mostly evident in places like Agra and Marrakesh.
Research published by Paul Steinhardt and Peter Lu reported that Islamic architects of Central Asia made tiles that reflected advanced mathematics. Like the Taj Mahal, many other structures were also made with perfect symmetry. This was proven through the practice of making a sound in the dome-shaped rooms, which was then clearly audible on the diagonally opposite side, evincing that walls indeed have ears. The architects brilliantly made the minarets of the Taj Mahal slightly tilted to protect the structure from being destroyed during earthquakes.
The Taj Mahal even possesses an air conditioning system. A pipe was sandwiched between the walls through which cold water was passed during summers. In winter, hot water was piped through it. The wooden foundation placed below the Taj Mahal prevents it from being destroyed during floods. Designed to break open like a door, it would help the Taj Mahal to float on the banks of the river Yamuna. All the attention to detail depict the avant-garde skills of Islamic architects.