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“UTSAAH” LEISURE TIME Recreation and Leisure in Life Project by : Hari Dev S. Aiyar, III-D, R.No.11, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Vasundhara, Ghaziabad UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
“UTSAAH”LEISURE TIME
Recreation and
Leisure in Life
Project by : Hari Dev S. Aiyar, III-D, R.No.11, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Vasundhara, Ghaziabad
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
Leisure & Recreation in
Ancient Period
►Relatively little is known about the nature of leisure and play in the early periods. Pre-historic People during the Paleolithic and Neolithic epochs were less aware of leisure and recreation as per historic exploration.
►Archaeologists uncovered artifacts provide some first-hand evidence of creative, athletic and recreation activities of primitive people from around the world.
►Ancient Egyptians led a colorful and pleasant life. Music, drama and dance were forms of religious worship as well as social entertainment.
►Assyrians and Babylonians had many popular recreation activities such as boxing, wrestling, archery, hunting etc.
Assyrian king on a chariot during a royal lion hunt
Persian brick immortal – Archery
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – ANCIENT PERIOD
► Greek philosophy of Athenians believed strongly in the unity of mind and body of all forms of human qualities and skills.
► The transitional developments in Greek approach introduced participative sports and games – thus Olympic games began..!
► Ancient Romans actively participated in sports and gymnastic activities.
► Roman Children had toy carts, houses, dolls and tops. As the saying goes “Rome is not built in a day”, Romans were systematic planners and builders which eventually led to provisions of baths, open-air theatres, amphitheaters, stadiums and some times parks and gardens.
► Ancient Iranians attached great importance to music and poetry.
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – ANCIENT PERIOD
► The famous ‘Colosseum’ is the greatest architectural achievement of antiquity which promoted the concept of leisure and recreation.
► During the era of the Rig - Veda, Ramayana and Mahabharata, men of a certain stature were expected to be well - versed in chariot - racing, archery, military stratagems, swimming, wrestling and hunting.
► People of Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the world's earliest urban civilizations, along with its contemporaries, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt also participated in various forms of leisure and recreation.
The "dancing girl of Mohenjo Daro"
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – ANCIENT PERIOD
Leisure & Recreation in
Medieval Period
► The Middle Ages or the Medieval Period is the period of world history encompassing the 5th to the 15th centuries, normally marked from the collapse of the Western Roman Empire until the beginning of the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery, the periods which ushered in the Modern Era.
► The mediaeval period thus is the mid-time of the traditional division of Western history into Classical, Medieval, and Modern periods.
► Later in the Middle Ages when things started to stablize there was more time for hobbies and pastimes. They didn't have the diversity of pastimes that we have now. They still had to spend a significant amount of their time on the basic but they did have some free time, particularly nobility.
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – MEDIEVAL PERIOD
John, Duke of Berry enjoying a grand meal. ca 1410.
King Conradin Hawking. (1252-1268) enjoying a horse ride
► People in Medieval times not only worked and fought hard, but they played hard as well. They liked to relax, unwind and take break from pressures of daily life.
► Several ways of entertainment and recreation during Medieval period are :
Hunting Tournaments Hawking - The taking of pigeons, herons, waterfowl, rabbits and
other small game by hawks Feasting Drinking Gambling (with dice) Backgammon Chess Story Telling Dancing
William the Conqueror shown on the Bayeux Tapestry
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – MEDIEVAL PERIOD
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – MEDIEVAL PERIOD
► People of Medieval Towns and villages did enjoy a variety of sports and many of them are a precursor to sports we still enjoy today. Some of them are :
A form of soccer was played by kicking a large ball
Wrestling
Pitching Quoits - This is an early version of horseshoes where players would pitch a metal or rubber ring over a pin in the center of a patch of clay
An early form of Bowling also was practiced
Archery
Fighting with Cudgels ( a kind of club) or quarterstaffs
A form of Ice Skating where youth would strap the shinbones of cows to their feet and skate on frozen ponds and lakes
A primitive form of badminton with a ball and paddles
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – MEDIEVAL PERIOD
► Feasts, Festivals and Holidays
Feasts, festivals, holidays, and saints days were an important part of the pastimes of people during the middle ages.
Many of these special days were accompanied by special rites, songs, dance and plenty of food and drink.
Some of these festivals were religious such as Easter when they would celebrate the appearance of the green man who was dressed in green branches and would dance through the streets.
May was a very important time because it was the beginning of spring and it was often celebrated with something called The Morris dance and Dancing around the Maypole.
Going to Church was also a pastime and a form of recreation. For poor peasants it was possibly the only place where they were exposed to the wonders of architecture and art. They could look at and enjoy the icons and paintings, sculpture and stained glass windows.
► In Indian History, the Medieval India refers to the Middle Ages i.e. 8th to 18th century CE in the Indian subcontinent consisting of the following empires:
Hoysala Empire Kakatiya Kingdom Delhi Sultanate Ahom Kingdom Reddy Kingdom Vijayanagara Empire Gajapati Kingdom Deccan Sultanates
► People during this period used various forms of recreation including archery, traditional and local games/sports, martial arts etc. The rulers also encouraged literature and architecture.
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time – MEDIEVAL PERIOD
Leisure & Recreation in
Modern Period
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
►The period from late 15th Century till 1850 is reckoned as Modern Period which has seen enormous development in the social life of people.
►With the advent of many scientific way of living and more emphasis on cultural and social endeavours, various forms of recreational and leisurely activities were followed during this period.
►The impact of the Industrial Revolution and Urbansiation in the 1900s redefined the concept of leisure and reccreation.
►Some of the forms of recreation and leisurely activities are :
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
Leisure & Recreation in
Post-Independence Period
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
UTSAAH – Recreation & Leisure Time
