Browsing by Author "Xalxo, G."

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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.
Man, Environment and the Elephant: A Case Study of Surguja
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Xalxo, G.
Surguja was one of the main princely states of central India during the British Raj. The state was spread over the vast Chotanagpur plateau region. Its former territories today lie in the present day state of Chhattisgarh. In the past, Surguja has had a history of supplying wild elephants to the Mughal armies. About 58% of this area is forested. Today, this region consists of two wildlife sanctuaries namely the Semarsot and Tamor Pingla, which have a considerably large elephant population. Dozens of herds, from four to forty in strength, have dominated the forest region. The area covered by these sanctuaries has human settlements, as well as coal and bauxite mines. These activities of encroachment by the humans, over the forest cover, ‘the original home of the Jumbos’ has seen a rise in the human-elephant conflict. Elephant-human conflict is a consequence of habitat loss and fragmentation. When elephants and humans interact, there is conflict due to crop raiding, injuries and deaths to humans caused by elephants, as well as elephants being killed in turn by humans for reasons other than ivory and habitat degradation. This paper intends to study the human-elephant conflict in the Surguja region and the role played by the Forest Department in controlling these conflicts, under their Elephant Task Force, mainly to conserve and reduce conflict. Erratic elephant behaviour and human intrusion has increasingly caused an imbalance in the forest environment.
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.