Browsing by Author "Dasture, P."

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Archeo-philately: New Dimensions in Heritage Studies
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Dasture, P.; Vartak, A.; Mudgal, K.; Xalxo, G.; Bhatt, E.
Although it is known as the ‘King of Hobbies’; philately is not merely stamp collection but a serious study of stamps, covers, cancellations & postal stationery. A small piece of paper has the ability to reveal in depth details of the past. Heritage is that which is inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations, but not until long ago, it was primarily used to describe that which people inherited legally or which belonged to one by reason of birth; however, over the years, the definition has expanded to encompass cultural traditions, natural environs & historical buildings. The archaeology of any country showcases its rich cultural, anthropological and architectural development through the ages. It is the study and analysis of all artifacts, architecture and bio-facts of the earlier civilizations. Through philately the natural and cultural heritage of a nation can be brought to the attention of common man. This paper gives a brief overview on how philately can be used as a very effective teaching aid in learning history and archeology and it essentially speaks about the 32 World Heritage Sites depicted on Indian postal stamps, covers, post cards and the likes; of these, 25 are cultural sites, while the remaining 7 are natural sites. The uniqueness of this work, lies in the fact that these collections of stamps are the only ones issued by any country, which depict monuments of all the major religions practiced in the country.
Colonial legacy in Pune: An academic and architectural heritage
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Dasture, P.
Historical readings on the colonial heritage of education are rather limited. Furthermore, a study of this nature focusing principally on the city of Pune, is even more difficult to find.Heritage is all around us; it can be found in our environs, in traditional practices, in monuments, which in entirety become a part of life. Socio-economic, cultural and religious vicissitudes and changes were observed in Pune during the colonial period from 1818-1947; however, one of the longer lasting impacts of British rule in the city, has been its educational institutions established during the above mentioned period; schools, colleges and research institutes, which have been serving the masses for over more than 150 years. The educational legacy of these heritage monuments and traditions of Pune, the ‘Oxford of the East’, continues through schools like the Bishop’s, St Mary’s, St Anne’s, St. Vincent’s; colleges like Deccan College, Fergusson College, Agriculture College, the University of Pune, the Wadia College and the likes.
Heritage tourism and sustainability: surveying the Asian scenario
(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Dasture, P.
Tourism, has been one of the oldest forms of recreation man has ever known; the desire to explore and the longing to know more, has always led man to known and unknown territories. Today tourism is a full-fledged industry, sites, and areas of various kinds, be it pilgrimage sites, beaches, forests, forts, historical sites and the likes that hold heritage value have always attracted a man. Asia, boosts of some of the most exciting tourist spots; making it second only to Europe as a favourite travel destination. Even ASEAN recognizes it as a priority area for integration. The need of the hour, however, is to identify the role of tourism in promoting socio-cultural advancement, to evaluate sustainability and find out the forms of sustainable development not only in the overall heritage tourist industry but also at the sites itself. Factors that surface as challenges to sustainable heritage tourism development are related to national fiscal policies; governmental norms; the role of UNESCO in managing World Heritage Sites and the response of the host nation; the role of the organizations that work towards the maintenance of the sites; emerging environmental issues; over commercialization of the structures; international, domestic and local tourist flow and other such pointers. This paper intends to look into the above mentioned issues in an attempt to figure out solutions to the challenges faced by the industry, its operators, the policy-makers, the actual implementation and the impact of an operationally sustainable framework, from heritage sites across Asia.
Imperialism and the Elephant in Burma: An Analytical Perception of George Orwell's ‘Shooting the Elephant’
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Dasture, P.; Aniruddha, J.S.
Burma had been under British occupation through 1824 to 1948, the British rule brought social, economic, cultural and administrative changes; during which it was also administered as a province of India. Moulmein, the capital of British Burma, is the setting of George Orwell’s famous 1936 memoir ‘Shooting the Elephant’. Orwell, born in India and brought up in Britain, held the post of Assistant Superintendent in the British Indian Imperial Police in Burma. Moulmein was full of elephants employed to haul logs in the timber firms; ordinary tamed elephants, for centuries had been part of Burmese life. The essay describes the experience and anguish of the English narrator, possibly Orwell himself, called upon to shoot an aggressive elephant while working as a police officer in Burma. The story is looked upon as an allegory for British imperialism. Orwell’s other publications, like this one too, generally reflected the mood of the times and relied heavily on contemporary happenings. Through the analysis of the essay in question, this paper intends to bring to the fore the importance of the elephants in Burmese society, with the imperial spectre looming large over the political horizon. Where the elephant represents a symbol of the oppression of the Burmese society, its death is a parallel of how the British Empire struggled to suppress the natives.
The Indian War Elephant: Fascinating Tales from its Historical Past
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Dasture, P.
One of the most interesting and unusual uses of animals in history was the engagement of war elephants. Working with animals on the battlefield had both advantages and disadvantages and this was particularly true of the war elephant, whose usage through time had varying results. The elephant was the only animal that humankind used as a significant combatant, systematically and on a large scale, India being one of the first countries to utilize it. Horses were never actual fighters, rather vehicles for carrying soldiers in the battle. The elephants were military units with elephant-mounted troops; they were first employed in India, the practice subsequently spread across south-east Asia and even westwards towards the Mediterranean. Through a good part of Indian history, the elephant has been a famous participant as a highly valued war machine in military actions. In India, elephants were not only fighters but also siege weapons. From the fighting tower, to the howdah, to the armour to the tusk swords, all made the elephant rather formidable. This paper intends to look at the necessity of the increased employability of the war elephants in Indian history; their functions, advantages and disadvantages as well as the countermeasures used against them. This paper narrates tales of battles from the Indian past where the war elephant was an integral part of the outcome of the combat. Moreover, the elephant when not in war was also used as a medium of imparting punishment, where the perpetrator would publically be crushed to death under the foot of an elephant.
Transportation and the Socio-economic Development of Poona
(The International Conference on Land Transportation, Locomotive Heritage and Road Culture - 2017, 2017) Dasture, P.
Transportation has continually played an essential part in the vicissitudes and vagaries that occurred in the life of man since ages. Man, was the first means of conveyance, followed by the sledge and the wheel, which became turning points in the antiquity of transportation. Carts dominated land passage for centuries; the introduction of railways and motor vehicles altered land transportation as the carrying capacity increased and the travel time reduced, giving a stimulus to the communication between people extending the scope of human movement and facilitated the smooth mobility of individuals, goods and commodities. 18th century Poona was rather unusual as an urban centre, where on one side it didn’t have the commercial reputation of Surat, Ahmedabad or Burhanpur; nor did it have the imperial heritage of Agra and Delhi. The city’s transformation was due to the efforts of a single family that of the Peshwa, who meticulously altered it from an obscure Kasba or market town to the seat of their power and into a flourishing city, the subsequent British Raj era, saw Poona becoming a principal centre which experienced the positive impact of the new means of transportation. Poona’s skyline saw the emergence of industries, it also witnessed better passage, which created a favourable environment for socio-reform and political movement, as people could organize quickly bringing them together to unite against an alien rule. This was so as in totality, 19th century India saw better road construction systems come into practice; the railroads and motor vehicles added to the shifting face of the land. This paper looks at the connection of modern conveyance viz. railways and road in renovating the socio-economic and political compass of Poona. As the upgraded, well- organized transportation structure provided a competent, efficient, effective movement of individuals and commodities, thus leading to the conversion and transformation of Poona through transportation.
An Unknown Legacy: A Living Tribal Heritage of the Oraons
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Dasture, P.; Xalxo, G.; Bhatt, E.; Minz, J.
The Oraons or the Kudukh’s are an important Dravidian tribe of the Chotanagpur plateau in Jharkhand. Oral traditions narrate that their cultural practices, customs, food habits and ornaments are closely related to those that were practiced by the inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization; their folklore states that the Oraons have co-existed in that region with the Munda tribe and they were displaced only due to the arrival of the Aryans making them move to their current location. Traditionally the Oraons have been known to be nature lovers, their entire lifestyle, habitat, ethnicity and practices, in more ways than one, revolve around nature. They can therefore be considered to be the protectors of nature as they have been for generations protecting sacred groves and their rituals and festivals, the Karam, Pahgu and Sarhul, surround these groves. Their heritage is seen in their unique lifestyle and attachment with nature. While change touches everyone, a tribe which has for centuries maintained its food gathering and hunting identity are also being impacted by the prevailing modern and more civilized social milieu. The history of the recent years has witnessed a growing consciousness towards the maintenance and preservation of the environment, deforestation being a major concern; where on one side industrialization has its own benefits, on the other, its ill effects are clearly visible on the environment. This paper intends to bring to the fore the Oraons, a neglected community, and highlight their contribution as nature conservers and protectors, thus making them relevant to the modern times.