IN: The Maya civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization developed by the Maya peoples, and noted for its hieroglyphic script--the only known fully developed writing system of the pre-Columbian Americas--as well as for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system. The Maya civilization developed in an area that encompasses southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador. This region consists of the northern lowlands encompassing the Yucatan Peninsula, and the highlands of the Sierra Madre, running from the Mexican state of Chiapas, across southern Guatemala and onwards into El Salvador, and the southern lowlands of the Pacific littoral plain. The Archaic period, prior to 2000 BC, saw the first developments in agriculture and the earliest villages.

The Maya civilization developed within the Mesoamerican cultural area, which covers a region that spreads from northern Mexico southwards into Central America. Mesoamerica was one of six cradles of civilization worldwide. The Mesoamerican area gave rise to a series of cultural developments that included complex societies, agriculture, cities, monumental architecture, writing, and calendrical systems. The set of traits shared by Mesoamerican cultures also included astronomical knowledge, blood and human sacrifice, and a cosmovision that viewed the world as divided into four divisions aligned with the cardinal directions, each with different attributes, and a three-way division of the world into the celestial realm, the earth, and the underworld. By 6000 BC, the early inhabitants of Mesoamerica were experimenting with the domestication of plants, a process that eventually led to the establishment of sedentary agricultural societies. The diverse climate allowed for wide variation in available crops, but all regions of Mesoamerica cultivated the base crops of maize, beans, and squashes. All Mesoamerican cultures used Stone Age technology; after c. 1000 AD copper, silver and gold were worked. Mesoamerica lacked draft animals, did not use the wheel, and possessed few domesticated animals; the principal means of transport was on foot or by canoe. Mesoamericans viewed the world as hostile and governed by unpredictable deities. The ritual Mesoamerican ballgame was widely played. Mesoamerica is linguistically diverse, with most languages falling within a small number of language families - the major families are Mayan, Mixe-Zoquean, Otomanguean, and Uto-Aztecan; there are also a number of smaller families and isolates. The Mesoamerican language area shares a number of important features, including widespread loanwords, and use of a vigesimal number system. The territory of the Maya covered a third of Mesoamerica, and the Maya were engaged in a dynamic relationship with neighbouring cultures that included the Olmecs, Mixtecs, Teotihuacan, the Aztecs, and others. During the Early Classic period, the Maya cities of Tikal and Kaminaljuyu were key Maya foci in a network that extended beyond the Maya area into the highlands of central Mexico. At around the same time, there was a strong Maya presence at the Tetitla compound of Teotihuacan. Centuries later, during the 9th century AD, murals at Cacaxtla, another site in the central Mexican highlands, were painted in a Maya style. This may have been either an effort to align itself with the still-powerful Maya area after the collapse of Teotihuacan and ensuing political fragmentation in the Mexican Highlands, or an attempt to express a distant Maya origin of the inhabitants. The Maya city of Chichen Itza and the distant Toltec capital of Tula had an especially close relationship.

What role did the Maya play?

OUT: Maya were engaged in a dynamic relationship with neighbouring cultures that included the Olmecs, Mixtecs, Teotihuacan, the Aztecs, and others.

IN: Arijit Singh is an Indian musician, singer, composer, music producer, recordist and music programmer. He sings predominantly in Hindi and Bengali, but has also lent his voice to various other Indian languages. Singh is regarded as one of the most versatile and successful singers in the History of Indian Music and Hindi Cinema. At the start of his singing career, he received nominations for the Upcoming Male Vocalist of the Year award at the 2013 Mirchi Music Awards for renditions of "Phir Le Aya Dil" and "Duaa", winning the award for the latter.

According to Singh, apart from being a singer, he is a badminton player, a writer, a movie freak and a documentary maker. He also likes cricket, football and his favourite sportsmen are Sachin Tendulkar, Lance Klusener and Jonty Rhodes. He is an ardent football fan, his favourite teams are Brazil and Argentina and favourite footballers are Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller. In Badminton, he likes Saina Nehwal. Arijit enjoys listening to retro songs by Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi and the classical and ghazal songs along with the music of Coldplay. He expressed his desire to work with artist Norah Jones someday as he loves her music. He says he is uncomfortable with all the attention that fame has brought. In a concert at Emaar Boulder Hills, he stated: "If I want to eat fish, I want to be free to go and buy it myself in the market. I don't like these interviews and photos." Arijit completed shooting for his directorial debut in 2015. Titled Bhalobasar Rojnamcha, it is a Bengali feature film compiled with seven short films. Co-written by Singh, a work-in-progress version of the film has been sent to some film festivals abroad. In a conversation with the Hindustan Times in the December 2016, Arijit said: "I have always aspired to become a musician and singer, I had gone through a lot of hard-work, but I am satisfied, the little share that I have got is because of hard-work. I had always liked living my life in a quiet and peaceful manner. My fans took a considerable amount of time to understand this fact. But with the rise of social media, it too had become difficult. Now I am always noticed and people try to reach out to me which is a different feeling. Overall, the change is positive. All of my fans are very supportive, which is very helpful for a singer." In an interview given to Mid-day.com in the December 2016, Arijit said "Independent music in India needs to be redefined" and he is working on some "independent music projects" but he believes that Bollywood music overpowers independent music, and there is lack of infrastructure and platform for independent music in India, and it is difficult to produce it in India.

What else happen with him

OUT:
He expressed his desire to work with artist Norah Jones someday as he loves her music.