What can better demonstrate the secular and inclusive nature of India than the events of 1911, when two Sikhs and two Hindus came together to publish a book held sacred by all Muslims.
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Translated by a Sikh, Owned by a Muslim & Given to a Hindu: The Fascinating Story of a 105 YO Quran
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How S M Muthu Ended up Being on Japan’s Postage Stamps
The story begins in the 1970s when Japanese national Shuzo Matsunga chanced upon a few translated lines from Thirukkural.
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An English Translation of Thirukkural[/caption]
Image for representation only. Source: GoodReads
Thirukkural is often lauded as Tamil’s greatest contribution to Indian literature. The book is believed to have been penned by the renowned writer and poet Thiruvalluvar, either in the 6th or 1st century BC. Over 133 sections and through 1330 couplets, the author discusses virtue, love, governance, and society. This seminal work is believed to have had a great impact on Tamil literature, culture and society. The universality of its aphorisms translated into a global audience for the book. It is no wonder then that years after Shuzo first came across a few lines from the book, he was still fascinated by it. He reached out to Shekar, his pen-pal in India, telling him that he wanted to read more of the work. Shekar then put him in touch with his father, S M Muthu.Born in Omalur, near Salem, S M Muthu loved Tamil literature with a passion. He sent Shuzo G U Pope’s English translation of Thirukkural. And a friendship was born.
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S M Muthu[/caption]
Image Source: Facebook
Letters in Shuzo’s neat even hand began finding their way to Muthu with greater frequency as Shuzo set out to translate Thirukkural. “We exchanged about 50 letters when Shuzo worked on Thirukkural. He would send me photocopies of the pages in which he sought clarifications and I would write back to him,” Muthu told The Hindu. By 1980, Shuzo had completed his translation of Thirukkural and in 1981, he made his maiden trip to India where Muthu had arranged for him to attend the 5th World Classical Tamil Conference in Madurai.“He was tall and fair. When he saw me, he bowed and folded his hands to say vanakkam (welcome),” Muthu recalls. It was the first time the two friends were meeting, after having corresponded for over a year.
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Shuzo Matsunga[/caption]
Image Source: Facebook
At the conference, Shuzo presented his research essay on Thirukkural. During his visit, Muthu brought up the idea of introducing his Japanese friend to another renowned Tamil poet, Bharathiar. Shuzo, whose fascination with Tamil literature had only grown over the years, readily agreed. With each letter they exchanged, the friendship between the two grew, cemented further by their common love of literature and respect for each other’s cultures.In the swishes and swirls of Muthu’s handwritten letters, Shuzo saw – and fell in love with – India. From learning about festivals like Deepavali and Pongal, to understanding the different rituals followed during weddings and funerals, Muthu’s letters took Shuzo on an unforgettable journey through India.
Image Source: Facebook
Shuzo even went on to compile these letters into a book titled, My India as Seen through Letters. Replies from Shuzo too came filled with stories about life in Japan, its festivals and culture. Over the next couple of decades, Muthu helped Shuzo translate several popular titles, including Manimegalai, Naaladiyar, Panchathanthira Kathaigal and Voice of Vallalar. In turn, Shuzo began to share English translations of Japanese books that Muthu went on to translate into Tamil. Muthu’s work soon found its way to newspapers, magazines and publishing houses. Across a distance of 5,956 kilometres and over a period of more than three decades, the steadfast friends helped contribute greatly to the literary discourse in their respective countries.In 2007, the Government of Japan recognised Muthu’s contribution towards Japanese literature by issuing a commemorative postage stamp with his photo.
Image Source: Facebook
In an interview in 2012, Muthu spoke about the fact that the two friends had met only once: “We are now in the final stages of life. I don’t think we will meet again. He called me when my wife passed away. But these days, he’s hard of hearing and I too can’t follow what he says.” Despite age catching up with them, the two friends continued to write to each other regularly. Muthu passed away last month, but not before showing us that friendship and literature transcend borders, culture and language.Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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6 Indian World War II Martyrs You Probably Haven’t Heard of Before
Yeshwant Ghadge
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Yeshwant Ghadge[/caption]
Young 22-year-old Ghadge was a Naik with the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry, serving in the Upper Tiber Valley in Italy. The troops he was commanding came under heavy firing, injuring and killing many soldiers. As the enemy platoon advanced forward, he rushed to a machine gun. He threw a grenade which shook off some of the advancing platoon, and then fired at whoever was left. But two men from the enemy platoon still came forward. Ghadge, not getting the time to reload his weapon, instead picked up his gun and struck the two men on their heads, killing them. But he missed a sniper hidden at a distance, and was shot fatally.
Abdul Hafiz
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Abdul Hafiz[/caption]
Rao Abdul Hafiz Khan was 18 when he was serving the British Indian Army as a Jemadar in the 9th Jat Regiment. In April 1944, he was fighting at the Battle of Imphal, where he was ordered to lead his platoon to an enemy position. He had led them across a bare slope and climbed up a steep hill. During the climb, the enemy opened fire and threw grenades, injuring him. But he climbed on nevertheless, and once he reached the enemy bunker on the crest, snatched a machine gun from a soldier with his bare hands while another man killed the gunner. He led his platoon forward, eliminating the enemy one by one. He had received machine gun wounds, but even as he fell, his hands did not leave the trigger, firing at the enemy.
Karamjit Singh Judge
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Karamjeet Singh[/caption]
The 21-year-old lieutenant of the 4th Battalion, 15th Punjab Regiment was known for his bravery even before he was martyred. During the Burma Battle of Meiktila in 1945, while he was leading the infantry into enemy lines, he came face to face with two hidden Japanese soldiers. Only 10 yards away from them, he managed to kill them immediately. Later, towards the end of the battle, with just the last bunker to be eliminated, he led an army tanker till about 20 yards away, asking for a cease fire. He got 10 yards closer, but then the enemy fired at him, mortally wounding him. By then, the rest of his platoon captured the last bunker, securing a victory.
Prakash Singh Chib
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Prakash Singh Chib[/caption]
When 32-year-old Prakash Singh Chib was hurt in both his ankles, he was told to step down during the ambush at Kanlan Ywathit in Burma. A Jemadar in the 4/13th Frontier Force Rifles, he couldn’t stand it when the second-in-command was also wounded. Angered, he forgot all about his pain and wounds, and crawled back to position. He commanded his unit, ordering positions, firing at the enemy. He was shot at again - twice - but he only dragged himself from point to point with his hands. He refused to give up and instilled confidence in his platoon members to drive out the enemy. He succumbed to his injuries soon after.
Fazal Din
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Naik Fazal Din[/caption]
Fazal Din was all of 23 years old when he bravely fought off Japanese troops in 1945. He was an acting Naik in the 7th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment. At the ambush at Meiktila in Burma, Din’s troops were surrounded by three bunkers on one side and a house on the other. Without a second’s thought, Din threw grenades at the bunker closest to him and silenced it. Then, he led his troops forward, despite heavy firing from the other bunkers. When he was faced with Japanese soldiers, he didn’t back down. One of the soldiers stabbed him with a sword but he pulled the sword out of him and stabbed the soldier back, killing him. Despite a gaping hole in his body, he went on to kill more enemy soldiers, all the while encouraging his troops. He lost his life soon after recording his statement.
Ram Sarup Singh
Subadar Ram Sarup Singh was a Jemadar-acting-Subadar in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment. He led his platoon through the Kennedy Peak in Tiddim, Burma, in October 1944 against the Japanese. Subadar Singh was shot on his thighs, but continued to fire against the Japanese bunkers, taking out several enemy soldiers. He finally succumbed to injuries on his neck and chest, but not without inspiring in his platoon a sense of gallantry and valour. Aged 32, he stopped a counter-attack with nothing but his light machine gun and fearlessness of death. [caption id="attachment_54811" align="aligncenter" width="220"]
The Victoria Cross Medal[/caption]
All images source: Wikimedia Commons
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In the 1800s, She Broke Barriers in Education, Medicine and Law and Abolished the Devadasi System
On July 30, 1886, in the princely state of Pudukkottai, Narayanaswami Iyer and Chandramma welcomed a new member into their family – baby Muthulakshmi.
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Narayanaswami Iyer and Chandramma along with their children. Muthulakshmi is seen holding a file in the picture[/caption]
Image Source: India International Centre
Muthulakshmi was born in a day and age where the phrase ‘women must be seen and not heard,’ was often bandied about and used as an excuse to subvert the true potential of women. Not one to allow society to dictate her life choices, Muthulakshmi set out to write her own destiny, in the process breaking many barriers in the field of medicine, legislation and politics. Not only did this trailblazer do exceedingly well for herself in every endeavour she undertook, she also paved the way for the generations of women who came after her. You may also like: How One Maharaja Helped Save the Lives of 640 Polish Children and Women During World War II At the young age of 13, Muthulakshmi’s keen mind and quick ability to grasp things made her a roaring success at school. Upon reaching maturity, she continued her education through home-schooling.Muthulakshmi passed her matriculation examination with flying colours. Her excellent performance was the talk of town, especially since it translated into her qualifying for college admission. Muthulakshmi, who had always dreamed of becoming a graduate, confidently submitted her application for admission to the stunned principal and professors of Maharaja College, Pudukottai.Her simple dream of pursuing her education was met with stunned silence that steadily grew into alarmed outrage by conservative sections of society. Bowing to social pressures, the college refused to admit her despite her impressive academic record. It was only when Martanda Bhairava Thondaman, the forward-thinking Raja of Pudukkottai stepped in and ordered them to take-in Muthulakshmi, that the college grudgingly accepted her application.
Muthulakshmi became the first woman in Pudukottai to pursue a college education, and in a men’s college, no less!
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Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy[/caption]
Image Source: Facebook
Also read: How S M Muthu Ended up Being on Japan’s Postage Stamps For Muthulakshmi, this was only the beginning. After completing her under-graduation from her hometown, she sought – and successfully gained – admission into the Madras Medical College. It was during her college years that Muthulakshmi formed a deep friendship with Sarojini Naidu and Annie Besant, two individuals whose personal philosophies would go on to influence many of her future endeavours.With impressive single-minded focus, Muthulakshmi won the unique distinction of becoming the first woman medical graduate of India in 1912. She also went on to become the first woman House Surgeon in the Government Maternity and Ophthalmic Hospital, Madras.
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Muthulakshmi as a young medical student[/caption]
Image Source: India International Centre
Muthulakshmi was pursuing her higher education in London when, upon a request from the Women’s Indian Association – an organisation she helped establish in 1918, she returned home to enter the Madras Legislative Council. She was elected to the post of Vice-President, making her the first Indian woman member of a Legislative Council. The event also marked her entry into politics and legislation, an area in which her efforts led to a marked improvement in the lives of women everywhere. In her capacity as a legislator, Muthulakshmi helped raise the minimum age for marriage for girls. Concerned about human trafficking, she pushed the Council to pass the crucial Immoral Traffic Control Act.Being the daughter of a devadasi herself, she was also distinctly aware of the treatment meted out to women like her mother. Their lack of political agency and the prejudices that coloured their every interaction with all members of society disturbed her. This pushed her to pass the path-breaking law on abolishment of the devadasi system; the reverberations of this legislation can be felt across generations even today.
She is believed to have remarked, “Laws and legislation are there only for sanction. It is up to us women to energize these and implement them into action.”
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Dr Muthulakshmi with the Hartog Commission on a study about the progress of women's education in India[/caption]
Image Source: India International Centre
Muthulakshmi realised that despite the devadasi system being abolished, there were still deeply-ingrained prejudices that many women freed from the shackles of this toxic system had to fight every day. This fact became more evident when, in 1930, three young devadasi girls knocked on her door, seeking shelter and protection. When existing shelters failed to take in the girls, Muthulakshmi set out to create a safe haven for them and countless young girls like them: Avvai Home. Initially, the home was run out her own residence in Adyar.Today, the home has grown to include an educational complex that houses a primary school, a secondary school, a higher secondary school as well as a teachers’ training Institution. While the home was started primarily for devadasis, its doors are open to all women who need assistance today.
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Dr Muthulakshmi (Centre) with members and staff of the Avvai Home[/caption]
Image Source: India International Centre
Having witnessed the painful and untimely death of her sister due to cancer, Muthulakshmi had also been toying with the idea of opening up a specialised cancer hospital. She dreamt of a place where anyone suffering from cancer would receive treatment, irrespective of social and economic status.In 1954, after overcoming several hurdles, Muthulakshmi’s dream came to life with the Cancer Institute. It was the second specialised cancer centre in India and the first in South India at the time.
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Dr Muthulakshmi (second from right) welcomes Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru to lay the foundation stone for the Cancer Institute[/caption]
Image Source: Youtube
Today, the Adyar Cancer Institute, as it is sometimes called, boasts of a 450-bed hospital, a full-fledged research division, a Preventive Oncology department, and the Dr Muthulakshmi College of Oncologic Sciences. The patients and families who have benefitted from this institute are numerous, and ever increasing. You may also like: There Is a Palace of Hidden Secrets in Delhi. And People Send Letters Here Every Thursday!In 1956, in recognition of her wonderful work in the social sector, Muthulakshmi was awarded the Padma Bhushan.
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A bust of Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy at the Cancer Institute, Chennai[/caption]
Image Source: India International Centre
Muthulakshmi passed away in 1968 at the age of 81. Although she is no longer with us, her legacy lives on: in every devadasi who has won her freedom, in every girl who stands up against child marriage, in every woman who becomes a doctor, and in every individual whose life was transformed by the Avvai Home and the Cancer Institute.Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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Food for Thought: Unpeeling the Mango’s Interesting History in India
If you are curious about its origins, here is the interesting journey of the mango in India over the years.
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History yields some very interesting facts about this celebrated fruit. The mango has been known to Indians since very early times. Scientific fossil evidence indicates that the mango made its first appearance even earlier – 25 to 30 million years ago in Northeast India, Myanmar and Bangladesh, from where it travelled down to southern India. The earliest name given to the mango was Amra-Phal. It is also referred to in early Vedic literature as Rasala and Sahakara, and is written about in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and the Puranas, which condemn the felling of mango trees. On reaching South India, the name translated to Aam-Kaay in Tamil, which gradually became Maamkaay due to differences in pronunciation. The Malayali people further changed this to Maanga. The Portuguese were fascinated by the fruit on their arrival in Kerala and introduced it to the world as Mango. In ancient India, the ruling class used names of mango varieties to bestow titles on eminent people – like the honour given to the famous courtesan of Vaishali, Amra Pali. The mango tree was also associated with the god of love, Manmatha, and its blossoms were considered to be the god’s arrows by the Hindu Nanda Kings. It was during the Nanda rule that Alexander arrived in India and fought the famous battle with King Porus. When it was time for him to return to Greece, he took with him several varieties of the delicious fruit. With the rise of Buddhism, mangoes came to represent faith and prosperity among the religion's followers, as there were several legends about the Buddha and mango trees. Among Buddhist rulers, mangoes were exchanged as gifts and became an important tool of diplomacy. During this period, Buddhist monks took mangoes with them wherever they went, popularising the fruit.Legend has it that the Buddha was presented with a mango grove so he could rest under the shady trees.
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Megasthenes and Hsiun-Tsang, the earliest writer-travellers to ancient India, wrote about how the ancient Indian kings, notably the Mauryas, planted mango trees along roadsides and highways as a symbol of prosperity. They also wrote about the incredible taste of the fruit, bringing the mango to the notice of people outside India. The Munda tribals and the Dattaraya sect of Swamy Chakradhar were also instrumental in taking this decadent fruit to the masses of ancient India. In the medieval period, Alauddin Khilji was the first patron of the mango and his feast in Sivama Fort was a real mango extravaganza with nothing but mangoes in different forms on the lavish menu. Next came the Mughal Emperors, whose fondness for the mango is legendary. The obsessive love for mango was, in fact, the only legacy that flowed untouched from one generation to another in the Mughal dynasty. The first Mughal, Babur, was reluctant to face the feared warrior Rana Sanga of Mewar, despite Daulat Khan Lodi's promises of a good part of his empire and war booty. It is said that Lodi then introduced Babur to the mango, a fruit he became so fond of that it convinced him not only to face Rana Sanga but to also lay the foundation of his empire in India! While on the run from India to Kabul, Humayun ensured a good supply of mangoes through a well-established courier system. Akbar built the vast Lakhi Bagh near Darbhanga, growing over a hundred thousand mango trees. This was one of the earliest examples of grafting of mangoes, including the Totapuri, the Rataul and the expensive Kesar. Shah Jahan’s fondness for mangoes was so deep that he had his own son, Aurangzeb, punished and placed under house arrest because the latter kept all the mangoes in the palace for himself. It was also mangoes that Aurangzeb sent to Shah Abbas of Persia to support him in his fight for the throne.The famous Persian poet Amir Khusrau called the mango Naghza Tarin Mewa Hindustan, the fairest fruit of Hindustan.
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The Mughals relished their favourite addiction, with Jahangir and Shah Jahan awarding their khansamahs for their unique creations like Aam Panna, Aam ka Lauz and Aam Ka Meetha Pulao, a delicate mango dessert sold all through the summer in Shahjahanabad. Nur Jahan used a mix of mangoes and roses to create her legendary wines. The yellow-golden Chausa Aam was introduced to celebrate Sher Shah Suri's victory over Humayun, while the luscious Dussehri Aam owes its birth to the Rohilla chieftains. The Peshwa of the Marathas, Raghunath Peshwa, planted 10 million mango trees as a sign of Maratha supremacy. Folklore has it that it was a fruit from these trees that eventually turned into the famous Alphonso, the king of mangoes. The advent of Europeans eventually affected the mango, which fell from its position of empire builder to simply a fruit - the British had no use for it in matters of diplomacy. Though it retained its superiority of taste, many varieties disappeared from the scene while several new ones emerged.The Mulgoa mango is the outcome of Portuguese experiments with new varieties of mango, a result we cherish today.
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Over the ages, the mango became a household fruit and odes were sung in its praise. Rabindranath Tagore was extremely fond of mangoes and has written several poems about the fragrant flowers of mangoes, including the very famous aamer monjori. Legendary Urdu poet Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib was a mango aficionado too; he despised people who didn’t share his addiction for the fruit. Today, the curvaceous shape of mangoes, which has long held the fascination of weavers and designers, has become an iconic Indian motif. The mango is seen as a symbol of good luck and prosperity and in many parts of India mango leaves are strung up over the front doors of homes as Toran.A Purnakumbha is a pot filled with water and topped with fresh mango leaves and a coconut. It is considered to be the foundation of a puja, with the mango leaves symbolising life.
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Childhood memories for many Indians include precarious attempts to pick elusive mangoes, dangling enticingly from the branches of fruit laden trees. Every summer, the heady smell of mangoes ripening on trees and the velvety taste of home-made aamras bring happiness to countless Indian homes. It's no wonder then that the mango is rightfully called the king of fruits. With mango festivals being celebrated in Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Allahabad, Delhi, and Goa, mangoes in India have become a symbol of summer and are no less than a cultural legacy. Noted mango cultivator Haji Kalimullah has even named a new variety, a cross-breed of Kolkata's Husn-e-Aara and Lucknow's Dussehri, as the "Modi Mango" !Featured image photo source
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Beyond Eternal: Discover India’s 12 Oldest Living Cities
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Varanasi
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The Kashi of yore, Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It was once and still is the seat of Aryan religion and philosophy, a great centre of learning and also a commercial centre famed for its muslin, brocade and silk fabrics. With its mystical river front of shrines and age-old buildings rising tier by tier from the water’s edge, this deeply sacred city reverberates with history. The venerated Vishwanath and Sankat Mochana Temples, the Durga Temple famed for its swarms of monkeys, the Great Mosque of Aurangzeb, and the legendary Benaras University are among Varanasi’s innumerable treasures. These few lines by Mark Twain say it all - "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”2. Ujjain
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An ancient city situated on the banks of Kshipra River, Ujjain’s early history is shrouded in Puranic tradition. The capital of ancient Avanti, Ujjain was the political, cultural and literary centre of the Malwa plateau for much of its history. A deep affection for Ujjain is discernible in the works of the great poet, Kalidas. Ujjain is also famous for its Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple, Sufi saint Rumi’s tomb, the once-in-twelve-years Simhasta Kumbh Mela and the beautiful tie and dye-painted fabrics of Bhairogarh.3. Madurai
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With a glorious history dating all the way back to the Sangam period, the ancient city of Madurai is world acclaimed for its beautiful temples and fragrant jasmine blossoms. Madurai was once the seat of the Tamil Sangam or the Academy of Learning and in its golden period many masterpieces were created here. The city’s immense prosperity has been mentioned by Megasthenes, Ibn Batuta and Marco Polo in their travelogues too. Legend has it that Madurai was named for the divine nectar (madhu) that dripped from the tangled locks of Siva when he came to bless the city!4. Patna
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With a history that spans three millennia, Patna, or Pataliputra as it was earlier known, was a nexus for civilisations. The centrepiece of the mighty empire of the Mauryas, Patna, with its close proximity to the ancient universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila, was the fountainhead of knowledge and wisdom in ancient times. It was home to some of the greatest minds from that era - India’s mathematical genius Aryabhata and the ‘Indian Machiavelli’ Chanakya. Padre ki Haveli,Golghar and Patna Museum showcase Patna’s magnificent history.5. Kannauj
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Once the focal point for three powerful dynasties, Kannauj has much antiquity attached to it.The city's name is derived from the term ‘Kanyakubja,’ which means the maiden's womb. Known as the ‘perfume capital of India,’ Kannauj is famous for its traditionally distilled attar and rose water. The age old Ajaipal Temple and Raja Jaichandra Fort are the other major attractions of this historic city. Shri Munshi, a poet and former governor of Uttar Pradesh, once wrote - “If you ever want to visit a perfumery town, visit Kannauj. It is art, it is culture and it is heritage.”6. Pushkar
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The charming lakeside town of Pushkar boasts a history of habitation that goes a long way back. Folklore says that when Lord Brahma came down to earth, he named the place where the flower (pushpa) fell from Brahma's hand (kar) Pushkar. For this reason, pilgrims from across India revere the lake and temples in Pushkar. The most famous place here is the Brahma Temple, said to be the only temple in the world dedicated to this deity, followed by the annual cattle fair that draws tourists from around the world and the gorgeous Man Mahal beside the Sarovar lake.7. Tanjore
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The royal city of the Cholas and the Nayaks, Tanjore, or Thanjavur, has an interesting history to relay. This city of temples was named after the demon Tanjanasura who, according to local legend, was killed by Sri Anandavalli Amman and Vishnu. The artistic grandeur and architectural refinements.of the Chola era can be seen in the Sivaganga Fort and the magnificent Brihadeshwara temple. Other than its temple wonders, the ‘Art Capital of India’ is also known for its exquisite bronze statue castings, pith temple models and musical instruments like veena and mridangam.8. Ayodhya
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On the banks of the Sarayu River lies Ayodhya, an ancient city known as the birthplace of Rama from the epic Ramayana. The kingdom of ancient Kosala had Ayodhya as its capital, with the city being an important trade centre and a melting pot of religious faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Jainism. Historians have also identified Ayodhya to be Saket, a key Buddhist centre from 5th century BC. Treta ke Thakur, Guptar Ghat, Gulab Bari and Mausoleum of Bahu Begum are some of the historically significant sites in this city.9. Delhi
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Archaeological evidences suggest that the city of Lal Kot founded by the Tomar rulers in 786 AD was the first city of Delhi. A city that has long been powerful, Delhi has seen the rise and fall of many empires, which have left behind a plethora of gloriously grand monuments. Dive into Delhi’s history by exploring the city’s incredible wealth of ancient sites, such as, the Quila Rai Pithora and Agrasen Ki Baoli.10. Kollam
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Once an important trading port, Kollam, or Quilon as it was called, is the oldest port city on the Malabar Coast and was the capital of the Venad and Travancore Kingdom. A legacy of the ancient Chinese traders who settled in Kollam are the Chinese fishing nets and the bowl like frying pans, called Cheena Vala and Cheena Chatty in Malayalam respectively. This seaside town has several striking historic sites such as the Thangasseri Lighthouse, the 18th century Portuguese Fort, and the two storey Red Chowk.11. Vadodara
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Vadodara has a history that is both old and significant. The city was once called Chandravati, after its ruler Raja Chandan, then Viravati, the abode of the brave, and then Vadpatra because of the abundance of banyan trees on the banks of river Vishwamitri.The golden period of Vadodara was during the enigmatic rule of Maharaja Sayajirao III, an era of great progress and achievements in all fields in the city. Vadodara’s splendidly ornate Laksmi Vilas and Nazarbaug Palaces are sure to send you back in time.12. Gwalior
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A pre-medieval centre of Jainism, Gwalior has been a strategically important city throughout Indian history with many empires having a unique common link to this city. Music maestro Tansen, one of the nine Navratnas of Mughal Emperor Akbar, was from Gwalior, and so was the famously brave Rani of Jhansi. Pay your respects at Tansen’s tomb and chew the leaves of the tamarind tree here to enrich your voice, before exploring the majestic Gwalior fort and Shivpuri, the old Scindia summer capital.Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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Skin Deep: The Tale of India’s Tattoo Tradition
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For hundreds of years, the tradition of tattooing was venerated across the agrarian and forested landscapes of India. The ancient maze-like carvings on prehistoric rocks were copied by tribal communities on their bodies. They called the process gudna (burying the needle in Hindi)and flaunted the markings as jewellery – the kind of jewellery no one could take away from them even if they were to lose all their worldly possessions. Most of India's tattooed tribes lived in the remote hinterlands of the country, where stealing of women by rival tribes was a common occurrence.In the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, for instance, young girls were tattooed to make them unappealing to the rival tribes of the neighbouring districts, who could otherwise abduct their prettiest women.
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The Apatani tattooing procedure involved using thorns to cut the skin and soot mixed in animal fat to fill in the deep blue colour. The wounds were then allowed to get infected so that the tattoos became larger, darker and clearer. The Indian government put a ban on this in the 1970s but the practice lives on in some of the untouched interiors of the northeast. Another tribe, the Singhpo of Assam and Arunachal, had distinct rules for each gender. The married women were tattooed on both legs from the ankles to the knees, while the men tattooed their hands. The unmarried Singpho girls were barred from wearing tattoos. Also prominent among the tattooed tribes of the northeast were the headhunting Konyaks of Nagaland who tattooed their faces to indicate their prowess in battle and headcount. Tattoos also helped in establishing tribal identity in the region, besides enabling recognition after death in a war or fatal accident.Body art was very prevalent among the warlike tribes of the northeast (including the Noctes and Wanchos of Arunachal) as they regarded tattoos as a sign of strength, courage, and virility because of the pain associated with the piercing process.
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In Southern India, permanent tattoos are called pachakutharathu. They were very common, especially Tamil Nadu, before 1980. The nomadic Korathi tattoo artists travelled the countryside in search of clients. The kollam, a sinuous labyrinthine design believed to ensnare evil beings, is inked on bodies to permanently keep them safe and secure until reunited with deceased ancestors in the afterlife.Among the Toda tribe of South India, the hands and calves and shins are tattooed with the same geometric patterns used in their embroidery.
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Central India also has a long and barbaric tradition of tattooing. The Dhanuks in Bihar believe tattoos deglamourize women – this helps them evade the eyes of influential sex predators. Due to the prevalence of purdah, women from lower castes had to have visible parts of their bodies tattooed to signal their inferior status. On the other hand, the Munda tribe in Jharkhand, which values courage, uses body art to record historic events. The Mundas thrice defeated the Mughals and, to commemorate these victories, Munda men even today tattoo three straight vertical lines on their foreheads. The Gonds of Central India, one of India’s largest tribes, traditionally left much of their bodies exposed. The bare skin was covered with kohkana (Gondi for tattoos) to ensure they looked decent.Women of the Kutia Kondh tribe of Orissa, called the ‘the people of the spirit world,’ ink themselves with beautiful geometric facial tattoos; it is said these identifying marks ensure they recognize each other once they enter the spirit world.
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The Santhal tribes of Bengal and Jharkhand have different tattoos for each sex, for different parts of the body and for different life stages. The men inscribe tattoos called sikkas on their forearms and wrists, named thus because they are usually the size of coins called sikka in the Santhal dialect. The number of these tattoos is always odd, because odd numbers signify life and even numbers symbolise death in Santhal cosmology. Floral patterns are painstakingly inked on the bodies of Santhal women, including their faces. It is believed the painful experience prepares a girl for motherhood and gives her the strength to face the challenges of life. The chati godai, for instance, is a tattoo inscribed on a girl’s chest when she attains puberty and, if not then, when she gets married. On completion, the tattoo is washed with soap-nut water to cool it and decrease the pain. Even among the tribes of western India, the craft of tattooing is revered, with tattoos having a close relation to secular and religious subjects of devotion. The Rabari women of Kutch have practised tattooing for decorative, religious, and therapeutic purposes for hundreds of years. A traditional Rabari tattoo kit is simple: a single needle and gourd bowl to hold the liquid pigment, which is made by mixing lamp soot with tannin from the bark of local trees. A small quantity of turmeric powder is also added to brighten the colour and to prevent swelling.The Rabari women tattoo elaborate symbols onto their necks, breasts and arms, signifying their strong faith in magic.
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The Kothari women generally begin the task of elaborate tattooing by bestowing blessings on their subjects while the Rajput women bear the emblem of Krishna’s crown on their arms as a mark of aristocracy. Despite the wails of pain, the ladies are always perfect in their designing of the symbols and figures. Tattoos are also used to strengthen the marital relationship between couples, with the symbol of Moon protecting his favourite wife and Lord Vishnu’s tools like wheel and lotus being marked on the wife’s palms to keep her secure. The tattoo motifs preferred by the Mer tribe of Gujarat also include holy men, popular gods and symbols derived from nature. A Mer woman's most favourite tattoo design is called hansali, which extends right from her neck to the border of her inner feet. The temporary tattoo art of mehndi also has a deep rooted cultural connect with India, with the use of mehndi and turmeric being described in the earliest Vedic ritual books.The primary focus of mehndi in India has always been on the women of the house and it is traditionally used for celebrations and rites of passage.
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In recent history, Chhattisgarh's Ramnamis fought caste discrimination with full-bodied 'Ram Ram' tattoos, a message to their persecutors that God is everywhere, regardless of a person's caste or social standing.Denied entry to temples and forced to use separate wells, the Ramnamis first tattooed their bodies and faces more than 100 years ago with these words, which are as much a demonstration of devotion as a talisman against persecution.
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While body art has been practised for centuries in many Indian communities, it’s only over the past few decades that tattoos have become a fashion statement among urban Indian youth. Tribal adaptation of popular designs like the dragon and tiger and abstract art are gaining popularity among the youth. Memorial tattoos, which commemorate the death of a dear one or a much-loved pet, spiritual tattoos, and tattoos with the name of the significant other, are hugely popular too. In 2015, three Indians – Nagaland’s Mo Naga, Kolkata's Abhinandan "Obi" Basu and Delhi's Manjeet Singh – were featured in the World Atlas of Tattoo, a list of 100 notable tattoo artists from around the globe published by Yale University Press.An award winning tattoo artist, Manjeet Singh’s speciality are his incredibly photorealistic designs. He loves doing tattoos inspired by the Sikh religion and is an internationally acclaimed portrait tattoo artist.
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Abhinandan Basu, whose tattoos are rooted in Bengali folk art, is known for his special customised body art, which is called ‘Bongo’ – inspired by the Bengali folk art form ‘Patachitra’ (scroll painting) and the works of legends like Jamini Roy.
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Nagaland’s Mo Naga wants to create modern patterns emerging out of the traditional designs and has founded the Headhunters' Ink Tattoo School at Guwahati. He is using modern machines and techniques of tattooing to revive the traditional designs of the tribes of the northeast.“I am not trying to bring back the old beliefs and lifestyle. My effort is to tell the stories of our forefathers through art and design," says Mo Naga, who believes that a thorough study of the traditional tattoo patterns can reveal priceless pieces of history.
An alumnus of NIFT-Hyderabad, Mo Naga is a self-taught tattoo artist who takes his inspiration from Naga culture, as reflected in tribal costumes, folk tales, paintings, wood carvings, etc.
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Over the ages, Indian body art has undergone a great transformation – from tattooing for beauty and tradition to tattooing for fashion and beliefs. A blend of creativity and fashion, tattoos are no longer just about identity and territory. In today’s world, they have become a way to express beliefs, memories and the phase one is going through in life.Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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The Story of Paramahansa Yogananda, the Man Who Took Yoga Beyond Indian Shores
“The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success” – Paramahansa YoganandaWidely regarded as the father of yoga in the West, Paramahansa Yogananda devoted his life to the spread of knowledge about the techniques of yoga meditation – a foundation that has today catapulted into International Yoga Day.
By personalizing his own quest for enlightenment and sharing his struggles along the path, Yogananda Paramahansa made yoga accessible to a modern audience, attracting many followers and inspiring millions who practise this ancient tradition now. Today, his Kriya Yoga teachings are widely practised around the world.
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The challenges and accomplishments of this journey are detailed in his landmark book, Autobiography of a Yogi. It continues to be the go-to book for seekers, philosophers and yoga enthusiasts even today. It is also widely believed to have been the only book Steve Jobs had on his iPad, and his last gift to friends and employees on his deathbed.
The story of Yogananda’s quest has also been brought to life on screen through a seamless mix of re-creations and fascinating true footage in the award-winning documentary Awake: The Life of Yogananda.
The documentary features interviews with the likes of George Harrison (lead guitarist of The Beatles) who says he wouldn’t be alive if he hadn’t read the book, sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, and new age spiritual guru Deepak Chopra.
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Paramahansa Yogananda was born Mukunda Lal Ghosh on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur into a devout and well-to-do Bengali family. He lost his mother at an early age and was the fourth of eight children. Deeply aware of spirituality, young Mukunda showed an early inclination towards the self-realization path. In his youth, he sought out many of India's sages and saints, hoping to find a teacher who would guide him on his spiritual quest. It was in 1910, at the age of 17, that he met and became a disciple of the revered Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri at Benaras, at whose ashram he would spend the better part of the next ten years, receiving strict but loving spiritual discipline. After he graduated from Calcutta University in 1915, he took formal vows as a monk of India's monastic Swami Order, where he received the name Yogananda (signifying bliss or ananda through divine union, that is, yoga).Having founded the Yogada Satsanga Society of India in Ranchi in 1917, Yogananda arrived in the U.S. in 1920, in an era when Americans were looking for answers. He had been invited to serve as a delegate at the International Congress of Religious Liberals convening in Boston.
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A gifted orator, Yogananda’s address to the gathering, on ‘The Science of Religion’, was enthusiastically received and his message of infinite possibility resonated across the country, marking the beginning of an upsurge in the West of the spiritual wisdom of the East. The same year, he also founded the Self-Realization Fellowship to disseminate his teachings on India’s ancient philosophy of yoga and its time-honoured science of meditation across the world.Over the next decade, he travelled and lectured extensively, speaking to jam-packed audiences in major cities throughout North America and Europe. His speeches emphasized the underlying unity of the world's great religions and introduced the soul-awakening techniques of Kriya Yoga.
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In 1925, he established the international headquarters for Self-Realization Fellowship at Los Angeles, which became the spiritual and administrative heart of his growing work. During his years in America, Paramahansa Yogananda devoted himself to fostering greater harmony and cooperation among all religions, races, and nationalities. He took the knowledge of yoga and meditation to millions across the globe, not only through his public lectures and classes but also through his writings and the centres he established in countries around the world. Mahatma Gandhi and Paramahansa Yogananda met a decade later when the latter visited India on a year-long sojourn in 1935, after first touring parts of Europe and the Middle East. While in India, he spent some time with Gandhi, Nobel-prize-winning physicist C. V. Raman, and some of India's renowned spiritual figures, including Sri Ramana Maharshi and Anandamoyi Ma.At the Mahatma’s request, Sri Yogananda instructed him and several of his followers in the spiritual science of Kriya Yoga.
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After his autobiography was published, Yogananda spent the last years of his life devoting himself to literary work, editing and revising his earlier work and gradually withdrawing from public life. Paramahansa Yogananda passed away on March 7, 1952, in Los Angeles, following his delivery of a memorable speech at a banquet honouring Dr. Binay R. Sen, India’s Ambassador to the United States. In his last talk, he said,"I am proud that I was born in India. I am proud that we have a great ambassador representing my spiritual India. Somewhere between the two great civilizations of efficient America and spiritual India lies the answer for a model world civilization. "He then read out a few lines from his poem My India, before sliding to the floor, a beatific smile on his face. His close followers would later recall that he knew he was about to pass away. The poem read in part:
"Mortal fires may raze all her homes and golden paddy fields, Yet to sleep on her ashes and dream in mortality, O India, I will be there!"
His sudden passing received widespread coverage in the press, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Time magazine.
In a tribute to the spiritual guru, Indian ambassador Binay R. Sen, who saw Yogananda's final moments, said:
"He was born in India, he lived for India, and he died with the name of India on his lips."The Indian government formally recognised his outstanding contribution by issuing a postage stamp in his honour way back in March 1977, together with a tribute that read, in part:
“The ideal of love for God and service to humanity found full expression in the life of Paramahansa Yogananda. Though the major part of his life was spent outside India, still, he takes his place among our great saints. His work continues to grow and shine ever more brightly, drawing people everywhere on the path of the pilgrimage of the Spirit.”On June 21, when the world celebrates International Yoga Day for the second year running, yoga enthusiasts around the world will remember Paramahansa Yogananda, the man who took yoga beyond India’s shores. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of his spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi.
Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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Chapati Movement: How the Ubiquitous and Harmless Chapati Had Terrified the British in 1857
“There is a most mysterious affair going on throughout the whole of India at present. No one seems to know the meaning of it. It is not known where it originated, by whom or for what purpose, whether it is supposed to be connected to any religious ceremony or whether it has to do with some secret society. The Indian papers are full of surmises as to what it means. It is called the chapati movement.”Dr Hadow was describing the bizarre and inexplicable distribution of many thousands of chapatis that were passed from hand to hand and from village to village throughout the country in 1857.
As can be seen by his words, the freckled, round and harmless looking chapatis had British officials in quite a tizzy during the mutiny of 1857.![Roti_-_Perfect_Gujarati_Fulka_Roti]()
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In 1857, tensions in British-occupied India were at an all-time high. Discontented Indians, sick and tired of an exploitative British rule, were quietly planning a rebellion. In February of that year, a strange thing began to occur.Thousands of unmarked chapatis were distributed to homes and police outposts throughout India by runners at night, and the people who accepted the offerings would quietly make more batches and pass them on.
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The movement was uncovered by Mark Thornhill, magistrate of the town of Mathura, who did some investigating and found that chapatis were travelling up to 300 kilometres every night - everywhere from the Narmada river in the south to the border with Nepal several hundred miles to the north. This mysteriously rapid distribution of the humble chapati was enough to convince him that something was going on. Extensive enquiries into the meaning of this bizarre distribution produced plenty of theories but few facts. As there was not a word written on or sign made on the chapatis, the British were livid at being unable to find grounds for stopping or arresting the chapati runners who were quite often police chowkidars themselves! Oddly enough, when the chapati runners were later questioned about the significance of carrying the bread from one home to another, they were absolutely clueless as to the purpose of their actions. The chapatis were real but no one, not even the runners, knew for sure what they were for. The police chowkidars would bake and hand over the chapatis, two inches each in diameter, to their colleagues. The colleagues would, in turn, make some more and pass them on to their counterparts in neighbouring villages.Rare documents of the revolt of 1857 indicate that by March 5, 1857, the chapatis had reached far and wide - from Avadh and Rohilkhand to Delhi.
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Panic spread among British officers when they found that the chapatis had made their way into every police station in the area and that around 90,000 policemen were participating in the activity. The fact that the chapatis were moving more swiftly than the fastest British mail was particularly disconcerting to them.Even though there was no conclusive evidence, the baffled British suspected that the chapatis were some kind of a code, heralding a call to revolt against colonial rule. Opinions were divided as to whether the bread came from the east, near Calcutta (Kolkata), or from Avadh in the north, or from Indore, in the centre of the country.
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All in all, the entire chapati ‘movement’ left the British Empire shaken to the core. The British controlled India with a relatively small number of men (100,000 in all), subjugating a huge population of 250 million, so they were well aware of just how inadequate these numbers would be in the event of a serious rebellion. Perpetually on the edge as a result, they regarded any type of communication by the locals they could not understand with deep suspicion, bordering on paranoia.Rumours about the anomalous chapati chain resulted in an uneasy atmosphere prevailing all over the country in 1857. When the revolt broke out that year, with the first armed rebellion at Meerut on May 10, it was widely believed that the circulation of the chapatis had been planned by an underground movement that had put it into motion.
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Years later, in the book Life During the Indian Mutiny, J W Sherar admitted that if the objective behind the strategy was to create an atmosphere of mysterious restlessness, the experiment had been very successful. The mysterious chapati deliveries of 1857 that put the British into such a tizzy turned out to be an effective weapon of psychological warfare against colonial rule.It is said that chapatis were also a staple in the army of Tantia Tope and Lakshmi Bai when they moved around during the revolt. Kunwar Singh, the doyen of guerrilla fighting, also travelled with a handful of soldiers and would only stop at villages to fill his sacks with ghee laden chapatis, gur and water.
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Recent studies have theorised that the circulation of chapatis may have been an attempt to deliver food to people afflicted with cholera. However, in the face of inconclusive evidence, it can only be said for now that the chapatis were just that, chapatis, and not secret messages or warnings of impending revolt.Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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This Indian Town Has Been Bottling the Scent of Rain for Thousands of Years
The perfume of petrichor is distilled into miniature glass vials at Kannauj, a small town on the banks of river Ganga that has been guarding the secret of traditional Indian perfumes for centuries.
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The fragrant credentials of this city, known as the ‘Grasse of the East’ and ‘India’s Perfume Capital’, are age old. Situated on the historical scent trade route that brought perfumes from India to the Middle East, Kannauj's perfumeries were famed for their magnificent attars. The perfumers of Kannauj also made the scented oils Mughal Emperors were so immensely fond of. There is a legend in the historical biography of Akbar, Ain-I-Akbari, written by Abul Fazl, about how the city’s perfume industry started. This is how it goes: A servant at Jahangir’s palace in Agra noticed some drops of rose oil floating on the surface of Noor Jehan’s bathing pool. The man, who was from Kannauj, figured that the oil was accidentally produced when rose petals came in contact with warm water, and presumably devised the steam-and-condense process to extract it.Sometime in the past, the legendary perfumers of ancient Kannauj created a unique scent that would capture the fragrance of earth when first touched by the monsoon rains. Extracted from parched clay and distilled with ancient techniques, it is today known as mitti attar - Earth’s perfume. It is also called itr-e-khaki.
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Mitti attar is made even today in Kannauj’s traditional perfumeries, where sinewy craftsmen tend to fires under ageing copper cauldrons or degs to make this remarkable perfume. The distillation process, called deg bhapka, is painstakingly slow and long, with no trace of industrial machinery or modernity.The copper deg is built atop its own fireplace and has its own trough of water. It is connected to a bulbous condenser called bhapka, which receives the fragrant liquid after distillation.
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Little clay shards are made in neighbouring villages before they are sun baked and placed in the degs. The craftsmen put these shards of half-baked clay (instead of vetiver roots and flower petals) into the deg, cover them with water, hammer a lid down on top, and seal it with mud. They light a wood or cow-dung fire underneath, before filling the bhapka with sandalwood oil and sinking it into the water trough. The deg and bhapka are connected with a hollow bamboo pipe that carries the heady vapours from the simmering pot into the receiver, where it mixes with the sandalwood oil base. Every few hours, the receiver is switched and the deg cooled down with wet cloths, to stop the condensation.The perfumes were traditionally stored in camel-skin pockets but are now kept in bottles made from buffalo skins. The fragrant essential oil trapped in the sandalwood oil base, contained in these leather bottle or kuppis, is placed in the sun to allow the excess water to evaporate and for the true scent of attar to develop – warm, organic and mineral-rich.
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Mitti attar is just one of the lovely fragrances in the Kannauj perfumer’s repertoire. Gulab, Keora, Hina, Champa, Bakul, Parijata, Chameli, Motia, Genda, Ratrani, and Kadam are some of the other incredibly fragrant attars that are still being made.All these perfumes have been protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag of Kannauj Perfumes under the GI Act 1999 of the Government of India.
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Today, if you walk through Kannauj, you can still see the centuries-old facades of crumbling old perfume houses that give the whole town a medieval feel. Home to over 250 perfumeries, many of which are on the brink of extinction, it seems like the whole of Kannauj is engaged in one or other process of making attar.At the chaotic Vijay Market, trained hands and noses are busy mixing rare and exquisite ingredients that go into these exotic fragrances while others can be seen sorting through the piles of flowers and herbs.
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There are several shops in Vijay Market brimming with aromatic goodies from scented oils to incense and attar of the finest quality, but the most selling item remains the simple yet intoxicating mitti attar. Thanks to the perfumers of Kannauj, you no longer need to pin all your hopes on nature to provide you with the musky smell of wet earth. You can smell the essence of rain and renewal through tiny bottles of the heavenly mitti attar from the perfume capital of India. For now, this video shows you how this perfume is made. [embedvideo id="vz4DGTue98U" website="youtube"]Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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9 Famous Indian Monuments and Structures You May Not Know Were Built by Women
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Itmad Ud Daula, Agra
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The first marble tomb in India, Itmad Ud Daula mausoleum was built by Noor Jehan on the banks of river Yamuna as a tribute to her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg (Itmad-ud-Daula was the title given to Mirza Ghiyas Beg). Elegant and painstakingly crafted, the delicate decorative work on this monument clearly has a distinctive feminine touch. With an inlay work of red and yellow sandstone, the tomb looks like a beautiful jewel box from a distance.2. Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal
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Not to be confused with the better known Virupaksha Temple at Hampi, the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal was built by Queen Lokamahadevi in 740 AD to commemorate her husband King Vikramaditya II's victory over the Pallava rulers. A beautiful blend of the north Indian Nagara style and the south Indian Dravida style of temple architecture, the magnificent temple is also called the Lokeshwara Temple as a tribute to the queen who built it.3. Humayun's Tomb, Delhi
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The first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, Humayun's tomb was built by his wife, Hamida Banu Begum (also known as Haji Begum). Persian and Indian craftsmen worked together to build this grand red sandstone mausoleum that is famous for its inlaid tile work and carved stone screens that integrate decorative elements from both cultures. It was also the first Indian building to use the Persian double dome in its architecture.4. Rani Ka Vav, Patan
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An intricately constructed stepwell, Rani Ka Vav was built by Udaymati for her husband King Bhimdev I of the Solanki dynasty in the 11th century. Stepwells were a distinctive form of subterranean water resource and storage systems in medieval India that evolved into elaborate multi-storey works of art and architecture. Designed in the Maru-Gurjara style as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water, Rani Ka Vav has seven levels of stairs, more than 500 principal sculptures and over a thousand minor ones on its panelled walls.5. Khayr al-Manazil, Delhi
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An imposing two-storied structure located directly opposite the Purana Qila, Khayr-al-Manazil mosque was built in 1561 by Maham Anga, a powerful wet nurse of Emperor Akbar. An influential woman of the court, she briefly ruled the Mughal empire during Akbar's childhood. The mosque has five high arches that lead into the main prayer hall. The hall has beautiful inscriptions but the most impressive feature of the mosque is its massive red sandstone gateway.6. Mirjan Fort, Kumta
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Perched on a bank of the river Aganashini, Mirjan Fort is a lofty fort enclosed by a double layer of high walls and towering bastions. Queen Chennabhairadevi of Gersoppa established and lived in this mighty fort during the 16th century for about 54 years. Nicknamed 'Raina de Pimenta' or 'The Pepper Queen' by the Portugese because she ruled over lands that grew the best pepper, she gave refuge to several artisans fleeing from wars in distant lands. In turn, they helped the queen build a strategically strong fort of her own.7. Lal Darwaza Masjid, Jaunpur
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Built in 1447 by Rajye Bibi, queen of Sultan Mahmood Sharqi of Jaunpur, the Lal Darwaza mosque is dedicated to Saint Sayyid Ali Dawood Kutubbudin. Built as almost a replica of the Atala Masjid, the Lal Darwaza mosque is smaller and gets its name from the imposing vermillion painted gate. The queen also founded the first school for girls in the region during her husband's reign and a madrasa built by her, Jamia Hussainia, still stands.8. Mohinishwara Shivalay Temple, Gulmarg
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Built in 1915 by Maharani Mohini Bai Sisodia, wife of the then king of Kashmir, Raja Hari Singh, Mohinishwara Shivalay Temple stands proudly on a small hill, right in the middle of Gulmarg. Named in honour of the queen who built it, the Maharani Temple was the royal temple of the Dogra dynasty of Kashmir. With its bright red sloping roof framed against a background of snowy peaks, the picturesque temple is visible from almost every corner of Gulmarg town.9. Mahim Causeway, Mumbai
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The princely sum of Rs 1.67 lakh used to build the Mahim Causeway in 1843 was almost entirely provided by Lady Avabai Jamshedjee, the wife of famous Parsi businessman Jamshedjee Jejeebhoy. A tragedy, in which 20 boats capsized in the marshy swirling waters of the Mahim creek, compelled Avabai to commission the linking of Bandra island with mainland Bombay through a causeway. The Mahim Causeway later became and still is an important lifeline of the city of Mumbai.Like this story? Have something to share? Email: contact@thebetterindia.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia). To get positive news on WhatsApp, just send 'Start' to 090 2900 3600 via WhatsApp.
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Once upon a Time in Mohenjodaro: Story of a Civilisation Far Ahead of Its Time
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Thousand of years ago, the Indus Valley civilization was larger than the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia combined. Many of its sprawling cities were located on the banks of rivers that still flow through Pakistan and India today. Here are a few mind-boggling facts about this civilization.1. Oldest in the World
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Scientists from IIT-Kharagpur and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have recently uncovered evidence that the Indus Valley civilization is at least 8,000 years old and not 5,500 years old as earlier believed. This discovery, published in the prestigious Nature journal on May 25, 2016, makes it not just older than the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilisations but also the oldest in the world!2. Mohenjodaro and its Great Bath
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Mohenjodaro translates to the 'Hill of the Dead' or the 'Mound of the Dead' in Sindhi. The Great Bath of Mohenjodaro, a watertight pool perched on top of a mound of dirt, is enclosed within walls of baked bricks. This bathing pool (and another one at Dholavira) suggests that Harappans valued cleanliness. There are even small changing rooms surrounding the Great Bath, with an attached bath area in each room!2. An Undeciphered Script
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The most intriguing of all undeciphered scripts in the world, the Indus script is made up of partially pictographic signs and various human and animal motifs that include a puzzling 'unicorn'. These have been found inscribed on miniature steatite seals, terracotta tablets and occasionally on metal. Linguistic experts and scientists have been trying to decipher this challenging script for decades as it could hold the key to the secrets of this mysterious culture.3. Great Granaries Of Harappa
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Evidence of several granaries, massive buildings with solid brick foundations and sockets for wooden superstructures, have been found in excavations of Harappa, Mohenjodaro, and Rakhigarhi. All the granaries were built close to the river bank so that with the help of boats, grains could be easily transported. The Great Granary at Harappa also had a series of working platforms with circular bricks nearby that were probably used for threshing grain.4. World's Earliest Known Dockyard at Lothal
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A vital and thriving trade centre of Indus Valley civilization, Lothal had the world's earliest known dockyard. Spanning an area 37 meters from east to west and nearly 22 meters from north to south, the dock connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river, which was the trade route between Harappan cities in Sindh and the Saurashtra peninsula. In those days, the surrounding Kutch desert of today was a part of the Arabian Sea.5. Fire Altars of Kalibangan
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Kalibangan, which literally means black bangles, lies along the left bank of the dried-up bed of river Ghaggar in Rajasthan. Other than giving the evidence of the earliest ploughed agricultural field ever revealed through an excavation, Kalibangan also has several fire altars, which suggest that the Harappans believed in the ritualistic worship of fire.6. A Game Like Chess
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Evidence suggests that the people of Indus Valley Civilization loved games and toys. Flat stones with engraved grid markings and playing pieces have been found, which shows that the Indus people may have played an early form of chess. Dice cubes with six sides and spots have also been found by archaeologists, which suggest that they may have invented the dice too.7. Town Planning
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A well-planned street grid and an elaborate drainage system hint that the occupants of the ancient Indus civilization cities were skilled urban planners who gave importance to the management of water. Wells have also been found throughout the city, and nearly every house contains a clearly demarked bathing area and a covered drainage system.You may also like: Experience Medieval Bathing Rituals at This Ancient Hammam, Bhopal’s 300-Year-Old Turkish Bath
8. Urban Life
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The city's prosperity and stature are evident in the artefacts, like beads, jewellery, and pottery recovered from almost every house, as well as the baked-brick city structures themselves. Not everyone was rich but even the poor probably got enough to eat. The cities lack ostentatious buildings like palaces and temples, and there is no obvious central seat of government or evidence of a ruler. Also, the lack of many weapons shows that the Indus people had few enemies and that they preferred to live in peace.9. A Love of Fashion
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The most commonly found artefact in the Indus Valley civilization is jewellery. Both men and women adorned themselves with a large variety of ornaments produced from every conceivable material ranging from precious metals and gemstones to bone and baked clay. Excavated dyeing facilities indicate that cotton was probably dyed in a variety of colours (although there is only one surviving fragment of coloured cloth). Use of cinnabar, vermillion and collyrium as cosmetics was also known to them.10. Intriguing Figurines
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Terracotta, steatite and metal figurines of girls in dancing poses show the presence of some dance form as well as skilled craftsmanship. The most interesting and famous figurines recovered from Indus Valley excavations are the bronze Dancing Girl, the steatite Bearded Priest King and the terracotta Wheel Cart.Also Read: 9 Famous Indian Monuments and Structures You May Not Know Were Built by Women
11. Trade Without Money
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The seals and weights recovered from the ruins of several Harappan cities suggest a system of tightly controlled trade. Trade through barter (not money) was very important for the Indus civilization and their main trading partner was Mesopotamia. There is evidence that people in Mesopotamian cities like Ur owned distinctively Harappan luxury goods such as beads, pottery, weapons and tiny carved bones.12. The Seal of Pashupati Mahadev
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Thousands of engraved seals and amulets have been discovered from Harappan sites, usually made of steatite, agate, chert, copper, faience and terracotta. A famous seal displays a figure seated in a posture reminiscent of the lotus position and surrounded by animals. It depicts a revered deity of the Indus culture, Pashupati Mahadev, who is considered to be the precursor to the Vedic god Shiva.13. Worship of Mother Goddess
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It is widely accepted that the Harappan people worshipped a Mother Goddess, in addition to other fertility and phallic symbols. The recovery of a large number of Mother Goddess figurines, from almost every excavated site, suggests that Mother Goddess worship or the fertility cult was widespread and popular in the civilization.14. Strange Burials
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The evidence of the disposal of the dead at Harappa is quite unique and interesting. Excavations have yielded 57 burials of different types, in which bodies were disposed of in brick-lined rectangular or oval pits cut into the ground along with the grave goods such as jewellery, seals, and pottery. In Ropar, a man was found buried with a dog!15. Mysterious Massacre of Mohenjodaro
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Excavations down to the streets of Mohenjodaro revealed 44 scattered skeletons, sprawled on the streets as if doom had come so suddenly they could not even get to their houses. All the skeletons were flattened to the ground, including a father, a mother and a child who were found still holding hands. Lying in streets in contorted positions, within layers of rubble, ash and debris, archaeologists have concluded that these people all died by violence, but what caused the violence still remains unexplained.16. Decline and Decay
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Archaeologists have long wondered about the sudden decline of the Indus Valley civilization. There is no convincing evidence that any Harappan city was ever burned, severely flooded, besieged by an army, or taken over by force from within. It's more likely that the cities collapsed after natural disasters or after rivers like Indus and Ghaghra-Hakkar changed their course. This would have hampered the local agricultural economy and the civilization's importance as a centre of trade. The continuing excavations and anthropological work have the potential to lend more insight into the disappearance of this enigmatic civilization.Like this story? Have something to share? Email: contact@thebetterindia.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia). To get positive news on WhatsApp, just send 'Start' to 090 2900 3600 via WhatsApp.
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14 Fascinating and Perplexing Unsolved Mysteries of Indian History
1. Disappearance of the Indus Valley Civilization
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The Indus valley civilisation is perhaps India's most ancient mystery. There are many unanswered questions about this great civilisation that was larger than the ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilisations combined. The secrets behind the identity of the people who created it and their puzzling 4000-year-old Indus pictographic script are yet to be discovered. Also, perhaps the most bewildering fact about this civilisation is that all its major sites went into sudden decline and disappeared more or less simultaneously. There are several theories about why this happened but none of them have been very conclusive.2. Alien Rock Paintings Of Charama
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Puzzling ancient rock paintings have been found in caves near the town of Charama in the tribal Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. Archaeologist JR Bhagat, who discovered them, says they depict eerie humanoids with no facial features and other paintings of flying discs. Interestingly, nearby villages have several legends of small 'Rohela' people who used to land from the sky in round shaped flying objects and kidnap one or two villagers. The Chhattisgarh Department of Archaeology and Culture has asked the Indian Space Research Organisation and the US space agency, NASA, to help research these compelling finds.3. Son Bhandar Caves of Bihar
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Hollowed out of a single giant rock, the Son Bhandar cave of Rajgir in Bihar is believed to be the doorway to the riches of Bimbisara, a Magadhan king who loved hoarding treasures. Son Bhandar literally translates to ‘store of gold’. It is said that when Bimbisara was imprisoned by his son Ajatashatru, this is the place where his wife hid the treasure on his orders. Undeciphered inscriptions in the Sankhlipi script found etched on the wall of the western cave, are purportedly the clues to open the doorway. The British once tried to cannonball their way through the supposed doorway, but without success, leaving just a black mark that’s still visible.4. The Nine Unknown Men
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India’s very own version of the Illuminati, the mysterious '9 Unknown Men' is believed to be one of the world’s most powerful secret societies. According to legend, it was founded by Emperor Asoka himself, in 273 BC, after the bloody battle of Kalinga that took the lives of 100,000. Each of these 9 unknown men had been entrusted with a book of knowledge on different subjects ranging from time travel and propaganda to microbiology and psychological warfare. The actual identities of these 9 unknown men are still a mystery, but it is believed that the secret society, preserved over generations, exists till date.5. Mir Osman Ali's Treasure Trove
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The last and seventh Nizam of the Asaf Jah dynasty of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, famous for his idiosyncrasies, was also known for his stunning collection of jewellery and legendary treasure. TIME magazine called him the richest man in the world in 1937 and he is widely believed to have been the richest Indian ever. His fabulous personal wealth and most of the famed Nizam jewellery were never recovered after his death. It is believed they still lie somewhere in the underground chambers of King Kothi Palace in Hyderabad where the Nizam lived most of his life.6. The 500-year old Mummy of Lama Tenzin
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A trek in the Himalayas to the small village of Ghuen in Spiti reveals the eerie and ancient tradition of self-mummification. Here, in a tiny single-room concrete structure, rests a 500-year-old mummy protected by only a thin sheet of glass. The remains of a 15th-century Buddhist monk named Sangha Tenzin, the mummy is remarkably well preserved, with unbroken skin and hair on the head. Sangha Tenzin's body apparently went through a mysterious natural mummification.7. The Royal Treasure of Jaigarh Fort
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Home to the largest cannon on wheels, the Jaivana, Jaigarh fort’s history is filled with tales of intrigue and treasures. It is believed that while returning from a successful campaign in Afghanistan, Man Singh, Akbar's defence minister, hid the spoils of war in Jaigarh Fort. In 1977, at the height of the Emergency in India, Jaigarh Fort found itself in the spotlight again when then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched a thorough search of the fort on a tip-off that the water tanks hid the Mughal treasure. Nothing was found but the incident received immense publicity, also finding mention in Maharani Gayatri Devi’s book, A Princess Remembers.8. The Disappearance of Nana Saheb
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Nana Saheb, regarded as one of the important leaders of the 1857 revolt, disappeared soon after his defeat at the hands of the British. History is still unclear about his fate, with questions also remaining about what happened to his fabled treasure that today would be worth billions. Most historians believe that he was never captured and escaped to Nepal with a significant part of his treasure, although no concrete historical evidence of that exists. Even after 150 years, Nana Saheb's fate and the whereabouts of his treasure remain among the most enduring mysteries from the British era.9. The Ghost Village of Kuldhara
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Lying 20 km to the west of Jaisalmer, the ghost town of Kuldhara was a prosperous town of Paliwal Brahmins a few hundred years ago. Until one fatal night, when all its 1500 residents left the village without a trace. No one knows exactly why but according to legend, they left the village to escape from the evil ruler Salim Singh and his unjust taxes, and while leaving, they left a curse on the area. It is also said that anyone who tries to stay in the village dies a brutal death and, till date, Kuldhara remains uninhabited.10. Chapatti Movement
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The bizarre and enigmatic distribution of chapattis throughout the country during the revolt of 1857 remains an inexplicable mystery till today. Though recent studies have theorised that the circulation of chapattis may have been an attempt to deliver food to people afflicted with cholera, the evidence is inconclusive about the actual purpose of the Chapatti Movement. Only one thing is accepted unanimously by historians - the mysterious chapatti deliveries definitely created an atmosphere of restlessness that was particularly disconcerting to the British in 1857.11.Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Disappearance
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Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s death is still shrouded in secrecy and the various conspiracy theories surrounding it make it even more mysterious. What happened after Netaji's flight took off from Taipei to Tokyo? This has been one of the greatest mysteries of free India. A few years after Bose's disappearance, there was speculation that he had returned to India and was living in disguise as a sadhu in North India. Although no such claim could ever be substantiated, the theory resurfaced with the news about Gumnami Baba, a revered saint of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, who many people believe was Bose himself.12. Untimely Death of Lal Bahadur Shashtri
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Lal Bahadur Shastri’s sudden demise, barely two years after his taking over as the Prime Minister of India, took place in a foreign country. This is the first time in modern world history that something like this had happened. He died due to cardiac arrest under suspicious circumstances in Tashkent in 1966, giving rise to reports of dark conspiracies behind his death. Dark blue spots and cut marks on his body at the time of death raised doubts but, mysteriously, no post-mortem was ever conducted and no official documents about the death were ever made available to the public.13. The Reincarnation Of Shanti Devi
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The reincarnation case of Shanti Devi, a girl born in a little-known locality of Delhi, was the first widely acknowledged and thoroughly documented one in India. The details Shanti Devi had given to her present family and teacher about her old house and members of her family in her previous life were all confirmed in intricate detail. It was also investigated by a committee of prominent citizens appointed by Mahatma Gandhi, who accompanied Shanti Devi to the village of her past-life recollections and recorded what they witnessed.14. The Yogi Who Lives On Nothing
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About 200 kilometers from Ahmedabad, in a place called Ambaji, lives a frail octogenarian ascetic, popularly known as Chunriwala Mataji. A brush with spirituality at the age of 11 years made Prahlad Jani a devotee of goddess Amba and he claims that he was blessed by the goddess who gave him the superhuman strength through an elixir, which drops through a hole in his palate. In 2003, a scientific research study was conducted on him by a medical research team of twenty-one specialists in which he was continuously monitored by video, but the investigations failed to explain the powers of Jani who claims to have gone without food and water since 1940.Like this story? Have something to share? Email: contact@thebetterindia.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia). To get positive news on WhatsApp, just send 'Start' to 090 2900 3600 via WhatsApp.
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Meet the Indian Scientist Who Successfully Restored Hyderabad’s 4500 Year Old Mummy
This first of its kind restoration in India has been completed through non-invasive techniques designed by the Indian scientists themselves and is an example that can serve as a case study the world over.
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Princess Naishu's mummy was believed to have been purchased in Egypt by Nazeer Nawaz Jung, son-in-law of Mir Mehboob Ali Khan (the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad) for over a 1000 sterling pounds. He gifted it to the next Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, who then donated it to the museum where it was kept in an airtight enclosure. Until recently, it was believed that Princess Naishu was the 18-year-old daughter of the sixth Pharoah, who died during childbirth in 2,500 B.C. Recent medical examinations and tests conducted by the authorities have now established that Naishu was 24 when she died. Since the brain is completely removed during the mummification process, most Egyptian mummies contain no parts of the brain. Surprisingly, in this case, the mummy had significant traces of her brain intact.Out of the six authentic Egyptian mummies in Indian museums, the mummy of Princess Naishu is the only one kept in south India.
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Over the past year, curators discovered that the mummy, the pride of the museum since 1920, had begun to deteriorate – partly due to neglect and partly because of lack of knowledge about the best way to stem the rot. The painted hard crust that covered the cartilage of the mummy had begun falling apart, while patches over the face, the feet, the shoulders, and the torso had started to fragment and peel off. As a consequence, the bandages of the mummy were becoming loose. This could hasten the decay in the interior part of the mummy. Requests were made for urgent expert advice from various international agencies and museums, including museums in Egypt and the British Museum in London, on how to restore the mummy. When no positive response was forthcoming, the worried authorities turned to Mr Sah, looking for answers on how to save Hyderabad state museum's most prized relic.You May Also Like: Now You Can Take a Virtual Tour of Kolkata’s Famous Indian Museum from the Comfort of Your Home!
When Sah joined the team, it was already too risky to move the fragile mummy. This made the restoration more complicated as the team was unable to use traditional examination techniques or treatment methods.
Also, the cloth used in binding the mummy had become brittle, so they had to rebind the cracked bandages without using any harsh chemicals or additional materials.
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Sah and his team began the restoration process by studying samples of the linen, the surrounding debris and embalming fluids that were used for mummification thousands of years ago.Flaking paint and cracks were repaired using conservation materials and a sterile gauze was used to hold remains of the mummy together.
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After several weeks of careful work, the mummy was wrapped in multiple layers of cotton and carefully taken to an X-ray and CT diagnostic centre to scan the cartilage for damage. Precautions were taken to bring the mummy back to the museum before the sun became too strong.The scans revealed that the mummy's ribs were damaged and the spine, along with an ankle, dislocated when she was mummified. But the rest of the bones, skull and teeth were intact. The scans also revealed that there was probably a metallic amulet inside the mummy.
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After being wrapped in a mesh-like fabric, the mummy has now been placed on an Ethafoam cushion (a temporary padding about 1.5 inches thick) in an oxygen-free case that will keep humidity, insects, and bacteria away. Care has also been taken to retain the mummy's original look. Mr. Sah is also the founder of the non-profit organisation, Himalayan Society for Art and Heritage Conservation, which works to protect India's cultural heritage while reviving indigenous preservation practices and encouraging restoration. Speaking to Sriram Karri, a Hyderabad-based writer, he said:"We maintained for a lengthy while that the present generation possessed tradition. Today, we're slowly realising we're merely its custodians, who have the responsibility to preserve it."Although it is hoped that Sah's preservation efforts will protect the mummy from here on, a slew of measures for cosmetic protection have also been lined up. NR Visalatchy, the director of Archaeology and Museums under the Government of Telangana, explains:
"We are now getting a nitrogen chamber for her - which will completely ensure zero-oxidation or further ageing. It is a rare piece of Egyptian history in the heart of Hyderabad. It thrills me every time I come to see her that she was living 25 centuries before Christ. We will ensure we keep her safe."This is the first time in India that a mummy has been really analysed, preserved, and conserved by Indian scientists. The successful restoration of Hyderabad's Naishu mummy could set the trend for the scientific study and restoration of other mummies in the museums of India.
Also Read: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum in Mumbai to Install Solar Power
Like this story? Have something to share? Email: contact@thebetterindia.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia). To get positive news on WhatsApp, just send 'Start' to 090 2900 3600 via WhatsApp.
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Listen to Some Chutney Music Today – A Vibrant Mix of Bhojpuri Beats and Caribbean Calypso
It was hard to find anyone not humming the lyrics of this hugely popular single – the strains of ‘Nana drinkin white rum and Nani drinkin wine’ were heard just about everywhere, from the dance halls of Anna Regina in Guyana to the rum shanties of Belle Garden in Tobago.
[embedvideo id="22T_K_PrhC0" website="youtube"] Indian music first came to the Caribbean with East Indian indentured labourers, who were brought by the British to work on the sugar and coffee plantations of the colonised islands. Most of them were natives of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal. Many of them settled in Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica after the British left. Others, brought by the Dutch, stayed on in Suriname. Isolation from not only the homeland but also from other West Indian communities among whom they settled helped the Indians retain much of their ancestral culture. An important part of this was music – mostly bhajans and devotional songs sung in Bhojpuri Hindi, which included the use of traditional Indian instruments such as the harmonium, sitar, tabla, dholak and dhantal. But slowly, as the community grew and began to imbibe influences from its surroundings, Calypsonian rhythms and the fast and stirring beat of tassa drums began to make an appearance in Indian homes.The songs were still mostly in Hindi, sung with a distinctive West Indian Creole accent. The lyrics centred around relationships and the mundane happenings of daily Indo-Caribbean life, but sometimes echoed the frustrations engendered by political subjugation and colonisation.
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Indo-Caribbeans in the 19th century celebrating the Indian culture in West Indies through dance and music[/caption]
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But it was not until the emergence of Sundar Popo and his fusion music that Chutney was truly born. However, with hardly any other new talent in the field, Chutney soon began to fade out of the limelight in which it had so suddenly appeared. For a while, it looked like this interesting genre would be lost to history. At the same time, Caribbean music too was evolving, moving from traditional Calypso to a new blend with American Rhythm and Blues that came to be known as Soca. No one knew then that Chutney would put in another appearance on the music scene, in an avatar called Indian Soca. This new style of music incorporated the more Calypso flavour of the steel pan, synthesizer and electric guitar. The lyrics changed. They were dominated less by Hindi words now and mostly sung in West Indian Creole. The biggest change, however, was that Afro-West Indian singers picked up the new fusion and became the dominant proponents of Indian Soca in its early days. Most East Indians did not embrace this new form. Many looked askance at this threat to their traditional culture, rejecting hits like a song called Raja Rani: ‘Oh Rani, I want to marry Hindustani, I love curry, so beti (girl), gimme plenty’. Or, Marajin, a song where an Afro-West Indian singer, Sparrow, declares his love for an East Indian woman, ‘Marajin, Marajin, oh my sweet dulahin (wife)’.Sparrow’s Marajin caused such a huge outcry among the Indians of Guyana that the song had to, eventually, be banned.
[embedvideo id="xNED-tP-URA" website="youtube"] It is interesting that while the Afro-West Indians sang about their love and admiration for beautiful East Indian women, the male East Indian singers did the exact opposite. In Give Me Paisa, singer Kanchan decried all East Indian women as gold-digging housewives who only want ‘jewellery, sari, necklace and t’ing, so just give me paisa (money)’. In ‘Darlin I Go Leave You’, Anand Yankarran too expressed scorn for East Indian women - calling them 'cheats' and lazy. But something more exciting was soon going to happen to Indian Soca, the entry of an East Indian woman on the Chutney scene. Drupatee Ramgoonai, from Penal in the deep south of Trinidad, burst onto the music stage in 1987 with the release of the single ‘Pepper Pepper’.The lyrics of the song have her seeking revenge on a husband disinterested in their marriage. Her solution? Put pepper in his food and hear him cry out: 'Pepper, I want Paani (water) to cool meh, Pepper, I want plenty Paani’.
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Drupatee Ramgoonai - breaking barriers.[/caption]
Even as Pepper Pepper moved up the Soca charts, conservative Indians went on a verbal rampage against Ramgoonai. While it was considered acceptable for East Indian men to poke fun at "their" women, an Indian woman who dared to sing Calypso was said to be bringing disgrace to the community.
Mahabir Maharaj, writing in the local community newspaper Sandesh, echoed these sentiments: “…for an Indian girl to throw her high upbringing and culture to mix with vulgar music, sex and alcohol in carnival tents tells me that something is radically wrong with her psyche. Drupatee Ramgoonai has chosen to worship the gods of sex, wine and easy money.”But the highly talented Ramgoonai was unstoppable. She released another album a year later. Her new hit titled Mr Bissessar was all about her adoration for a Trinidadian tassa player named Bissessar. This song, which would later come to be known as Roll Up De Tassa, sprang to the No. 1 spot within two weeks of its release in 1988, in every country in the English-speaking Caribbean. Within no time, it had successfully crossed over from the islands and found a place on the Soca charts in the US, Canada, and England. Ramgoonai had made history. She was not just the first East Indian woman, but the first East Indian Soca singer to have a No. 1 hit.
It was time for Popo to pass on the Chutney mantle to the reigning queen of Indian Soca – Drupatee Ramgoonai.
[embedvideo id="VhYMFQeQT-c" website="youtube"] Among the later stars on the Chutney scene, Terry Gajraj deserves to be remembered for his album of Guyanese folk songs, entitled Guyana Baboo. As younger Indo-Caribbeans from the islands began to emigrate to the US and Canada on the North American mainland, the meaning of 'homeland' for them changed - it was no longer India but the small towns of Trinidad and Guyana where they left friends and family behind. In Bangalay Baboo, Gajraj evoked memories of Guyana for them by singing, ‘I come from the land, they call Guyana, land of de bauxite, de rice and sugar’. Terry’s songs played in the homes of virtually all Indo-Caribbean communities in the US and Canada, nostalgic for their roots not in India but the wedding houses and temples of Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad.Chutney had now truly become an international genre, moving out of the Caribbean and onto the world stage.
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International Chutney Soca Monarch Competition[/caption]
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Indian Soca may not be sampled much in India as yet but its popularity in the US and Canada continues to grow, thanks to the number of Indo-Caribbeans settled in New York and Toronto. These immigrants have their own record companies – Jamaican Me Crazy (JMC) Records, Spice Island Records, Mohabir Records, etc. Nightclubs such as Soca Paradise and Calypso City in New York, and Connections and Calypso Hut in Toronto, are the new hangouts, instead of the wedding halls and rum bars of the Caribbean. The fact that most of these younger East Indians don’t even understand Hindi makes their love of this music all the more intriguing. But Chutney is, perhaps, more than just music for them. History and geography may have removed them from their roots in India but the music is a reminder that they are not drifters, that their pasts are firmly anchored in an ancient tradition even as their future has taken them to the New World.Like this story? Have something to share? Email: contact@thebetterindia.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia). To get positive news on WhatsApp, just send 'Start' to 090 2900 3600 via WhatsApp.
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The Story of Biryani: How This Exotic Dish Came, Saw and Conquered India!
The deliciously complex blend of flavours, spices, and aromas in biryani have come to epitomise the zenith of Indian cuisine.
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So if you are a die-hard fan of this delicious dish, take things up a notch and tease your taste buds a little more with the story of what makes biryani so extraordinary. Though it may appear to be a dish indigenous to India, in reality the dish originated quite far away. Biryani is derived from the Persian word Birian, which means ‘fried before cooking’ and Birinj, the Persian word for rice. While there are multiple theories about how biryani made its way to India, it is generally accepted that it originated in West Asia.You May Also Like : Food for Thought: Unpeeling the Mango’s Interesting History in India
One legend has it that the Turk-Mongol conqueror, Timur, brought the precursor to the biryani with him when he arrived at the frontiers of India in 1398. Believed to be the war campaign diet of Timur's army, an earthen pot full of rice, spices and whatever meats were available would be buried in a hot pit, before being eventually dug up and served to the warriors. Another legend has it that the dish was brought to the southern Malabar coast of India by Arab traders who were frequent visitors there. There are records of a rice dish known as Oon Soru in Tamil literature as early as the year 2 A.D. Oon Soru was said to be made of rice, ghee, meat, turmeric, coriander, pepper, and bay leaf, and was used to feed military warriors.
However, the most popular story traces the origins of the dish to Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s beautiful queen who inspired the Taj Mahal.
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It is said that Mumtaz once visited the army barracks and found the Mughal soldiers looking weak and undernourished. She asked the chef to prepare a special dish that combined meat and rice to provide balanced nutrition to the soldiers – and the result was biryani of course! At the time, rice was fried in ghee, without washing, to give it a nutty flavour and prevent it from clumping. Meat, aromatic spices, and saffron were added to it before cooking the mix over a wood fire. The Nizams of Hyderabad and Nawabs of Lucknow were also famous for their appreciation of the subtle nuances of biryani. Their chefs were renowned the world over for their signature dishes. These rulers too were responsible for popularising their versions of the biryani – and mouth watering accompaniments like mirchi ka salan, dhanshak and baghare baingan – in different parts of the country. The perfect biryani calls for meticulously measured ingredients and a practised technique. Traditionally , the dum pukht method (slow breathing oven in Persian) was used to make biryani. In this method, the ingredients are loaded in a pot and slow cooked over charcoal, sometimes from the top also, to allow the dum or steam to works its magic. The pot, sealed around the edges with dough, allows the steaming meat to tenderise in its own juices while flavouring the rice. Other than the technique, spices also play a critical role in dishing out a good biryani - some recipes call for a very limited use of spices while others use more than 15 different spices. Meat or chicken is often the main ingredient, though in some coastal varieties, fish, prawns, and crabs are also used. Use of rose water, sweet edible ittar and kewra water in biryani is also common, a practice prevalent since the medieval era.In the north, long grain brown rice was traditionally used to make biryani. It has today been replaced by the fragrant basmati rice. On the other hand, in the south, biryanis were and are still made using local varieties of rice, like the zeera samba, kaima, jeerakashala and kala bhaat, that lend their distinct taste, texture and aroma to the dish.
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In general, there are two types of Biryani - the Kutchi (raw) biryani and the Pukki (cooked) biryani.In Kutchi biryani, the meat is layered with raw rice in a handi (a thick bottomed pot) and cooked, while in Pukki biryani cooked meat and rice are layered in the handi, where they come together in a marriage of flavours.
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The evolution of biryani spans many centuries, many cultures, many ingredients and many cooking styles. From an army dish to a dish fit for royalty, the biryani today is a pan-India culinary favourite. Its many varieties reflect the local tastes, traditions and gastronomic histories of their regions of evolution. Here are some lip-smacking regional variants that every biryani lover should know about.1. Mughlai Biriyani
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The Mughal Emperors were very fond of lavish dining experiences and looked upon cooking as an art. The regal Mughlai biryani fit the bill perfectly. Succulent chunks of perfectly spiced meat, enveloped in kewra scented rice, emanate an irresistible aroma that makes one hungry instantly. This biryani definitely smells and tastes royal !2. Hyderabadi Biriyani
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The world-famous Hyderabadi Biryani came into being after Emperor Aurangzeb appointed Niza-Ul-Mulk as the new ruler of Hyderabad. His chefs reportedly created almost 50 different versions that used fish, shrimp, quail, deer, and even hare meat. While most other biryanis are dominated by their flavoured meat, in the layered Hyderabadi biryani, the aromatic saffron flavoured rice is the star of the dish. Hyderabad was also the place where the Kacchi Akhni Biryani was fine tuned and perfected.3. Calcutta Biryani
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Banished by the British, the legendary gourmet Nawab Wajid Ali Shah tried to recreate his beloved dish in the city of Calcutta. Unable to afford meat due to budget constraints, the local cooks gave the recipe a tweak, replacing meat with perfectly cooked golden brown potatoes - the signature of the Calcutta biryani. Much lighter on spices, this biryani primarily uses a yoghurt based marinade for the meat, which is cooked separately from the light yellow rice. Also, just like most Bengali dishes, the Calcutta biryani has a hint of sweetness hidden in it.4. Dindigul biryani
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A much-loved local favourite, Chennai has many outlets dedicated to serving just the Dindigul biryani. The jeera samba rice used in making this biryani is distinctive and gives it an entirely different flavour. Also, instead of large chunks of meat, Dindigul biryani uses tiny cube-sized meat pieces. Curd and lemon lend the biryani its tangy taste, while the liberal use of pepper leaves its fiery mark on the palate.5. Lucknowi biryani
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Cooked in the royal Awadhi style, the textures of Lucknowi biryani are softer and the spices milder. The first step involves making a yakhni stock from meat that is slow boiled in water infused with spices for about two hours or more. This is the reason why this biryani is more moist, tender and delicately flavoured than other biryanis.6. Arcot Biryani
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Introduced by the Nawabs of Arcot, this biryani originated in the towns of Ambur and Vaniyambadi in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. The biryani is generally accompanied by dalcha (a sour brinjal curry) and pachadi (a type of raita). The best known sub-variety of the Arcot biryani is the Ambur biryani that uses the squat seeraga samba rice, a traditional Tamil Nadu variety.7. Memoni Biryani
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Similar to the Sindhi biryani, this extremely spicy variety is made by the Memons of the Gujarat-Sindh region. Usually made with lamb, yoghurt, browned onions and potatoes, Memoni biryani uses less food colouring compared to other biryanis. This allows the natural colours and flavours of the various components- meat, rice and vegetables - to emerge and shine in this traditional dish.8. Thalassery biryani
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The Thalassery biryani, one of India's most loved biryanis, is both sweet and savoury. The main ingredients are soft chicken wings, mild Malabar spices and a type of rice known as kaima. Lots of sauteed cashew nuts, sultana raisins and fennel seeds are used generously in preparing this biryani. The rice is cooked separately from the gravy and mixed only at the time of serving.9. Kampuri Biryani
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The Kampuri biryani originated from the town of Kampur in Assam. In this simple yet delicious dish, the chicken is first cooked with peas, carrots, beans, potatoes, and yellow bell peppers. This concoction is then mildly spiced with cardamom and nutmeg before being mixed with the rice. This little-known biryani, which fuses the fresh flavours of local vegetables into meat, is an ode to the Assamese flair for creating distinctive dishes.10. Tahari biryani
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Tahari biryani is cooked without meat. Typically, rice is cooked along with different kind of vegetables in a handi with potatoes and carrots being the most used vegetables in this dish. Legend has it that this biryani was created in Mysore when Tipu Sultan hired vegetarian Hindus as his bookkeepers. Thus, a vegetarian version of a cult dish was born. Tahari is also a popular street food in Kashmir.11. Beary Biryani
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A cousin of the spicier Mangalore biryani, the Beary Biryani belongs to the Muslim community of the Dakshin Kannada region in Karnataka. The predominant flavour is of the rice, which is kept in a mixture of ghee and spices overnight. This process allows all the potent flavours to seep into the rice. The light dish is also highly versatile and uses all kinds of locally available meat and seafood.12. Sindhi Biryani
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Unlike any other biryani, the Sindhi Biryani is loaded with finely slit green chillies, fragrant spices, and roasted nuts.A distinctive characteristic is the addition of aloo bukhara (plums) in the spices, which gives the biryani a beautiful aroma; lots of khatta (sour yoghurt) in the layering gives a tangy note to the spice mix.13. Bhatkali Biryani
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The Bhatkali biryani is an integral part of the Navayath cuisine and a speciality of Bhatkal, a coastal town in Karnataka, where it is a must-have at wedding feasts. The meat is cooked in an onion and green chilli based masala and layered with fragrant rice. The Bhatkali biryani has a unique spicy and heady flavour that sets it apart from the other biryanis of coastal Karnataka.14. Bombay Biryani
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Just like the city it was created in, the Bombay biryani is a melting pot of flavours – spicy, hearty and zesty. Bombay biryani, whether it’s made with chicken, mutton or vegetables, always has fried spiced potatoes too. It also has a slight sweetness to it, which comes from dried plums and kewra water. It may not be as famous as the other varieties, but this biryani still finds a place in the hearts of all who taste it.15. Doodh Ki Biryani
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An absolutely unique Hyderabadi speciality, Doodh ki Biryani is known for its light flavours. The blending of creamy milk with roasted nuts and aromatic spices results in a dish that is subtle, refined, and delicately flavoured. Definitely a gem among the regal biryanis of the Hyderabadi Nizams! A complete meal in itself, biryani has enough varieties to please one and all. This is also a dish that suits all occasions – whether it is a lazy Sunday lunch, a boisterous college get-together or a formal dinner with the in-laws. Eaten with love and gusto by the rich as well as poor, biryani is indeed a marvel of India's culinary heritage.Also Read : Food Secrets: On The Trail Of Kumaon’s Culinary Wonders
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The Intriguing History of the Indian Rupee and it’s Evolution
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Ancient Indians were the earliest issuers of coins in the world, along with the Chinese and Lydians (from the Middle East). The first Indian coins – punch marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas or Pana – were minted in the 6th century BC by the Mahajanapadas (republic kingdoms) of ancient India. These included Gandhara, Kuntala, Kuru, Panchala, Shakya, Surasena, and Saurashtra.Made of silver of a standard weight but with irregular shapes, these coins had different markings – for example, Saurashtra had a humped bull, Dakshin Panchala had a Swastika, and Magadha had several symbols.
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Then came the Mauryas who punch marked their coins with a royal standard. Chanakya, prime minister to the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya, mentions the minting of coins such as rupyarupa (silver), suvarnarupa (gold), tamararupa (copper) and sisarupa (lead) in his Arthashastra treatise. The Indo-Greek Kushan kings who came next introduced the Greek custom of engraving portrait heads on coins. Their example was followed for eight centuries. The extensive coinage of the Kushan empire also influenced a large number of tribes, dynasties, and kingdoms, which began issuing their own coins.Kushan coins had the diademed, helmeted bust of the king on one side, and the king's favourite deity on the reverse.
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The Gupta Empire produced large numbers of gold coins depicting the Gupta kings performing various rituals. This tradition of intricately engraved coins continued till the arrival of the Turkish Sultanate in North India.The Gupta coins, with their many varieties and inscriptions in Sanskrit, are among the finest India has produced.
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By the 12th century AD, the Turkish Sultans of Delhi had replaced the royal designs of Indian kings with Islamic calligraphy. The currency – made in gold, silver and copper – was now referred to as tanka, with the lower valued coins being called jittals. The Delhi Sultanate also attempted to standardise the monetary system by issuing coins of different values.The commencement of the Mughal Empire from 1526 AD brought forth a unified and consolidated monetary system for the entire empire.
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But the defining moment in the evolution of the rupee occurred when, after defeating Humayun, Sher Shah Suri set up a new civic and military administration. He issued a coin of silver, weighing 178 grains, which was termed the rupiya and was divided into 40 copper pieces or paisa. The silver coin remained in use during the remaining Mughal period.
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By the time the British East India Company set itself up in India in the 1600s, Sher Shah’s silver rupiya had already become the popular standard currency in the country. Despite many attempts to introduce the sterling pound in India, the rupaiya grew in popularity and was even exported as a currency to other British colonies.You May Also Like: 14 Fascinating and Perplexing Unsolved Mysteries of Indian History
In 1717 AD, the English obtained permission from Mughal emperor Farrukh Siyar to coin Mughal money at the Bombay Mint. The British gold coins were termed carolina, the silver coins angelina, the copper coins cupperoon, and the tin coins tinny. Paper money was first issued in British India in the 18th century, with the Bank of Hindostan, General Bank in Bengal and the Bengal Bank becoming the first banks in India to issue paper currency.
The oldest surviving banknote in India was issued by the Bank of Bengal - a Two Hundred and Fifty Sicca Rupees note dated September 3, 1812.
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After the 1857 revolt, the British made the rupee the official currency of colonial India, with the head of King George VI replacing native designs on banknotes and coins.
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In 1862, the Victoria portrait series of bank notes and coins were issued in honour of Queen Victoria and later, many emperors followed suit. For security reasons, the notes of this series were cut in half; one half was sent by post and upon confirmation of receipt, the other half was sent. The Reserve Bank of India was formally set up in 1935 and was empowered to issue Government of India notes. RBI also printed 10,000 rupee notes (the highest denomination RBI has ever printed in its history) that were later demonetised after independence.The first paper currency issued by RBI was a 5 rupee note bearing King George VI's portrait, in January 1938.
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After India became independent in 1947, India's monetary system remained unchanged for a while, with 1 rupee consisting of 64 pice. The first banknote printed by independent India was a 1 rupee note.
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On August 15, 1950, the new 'anna system' was introduced – the first coinage of the Republic of India. The British King's portrait was replaced with the engraving of Ashoka's Lion Capital of Sarnath, and the tiger on the 1 rupee coin was replaced with a corn sheaf. One rupee now consisted of 16 annas. The 1955 Indian Coinage (Amendment) Act, which came into force on April 1, 1957, introduced a 'decimal series'. The rupee was now divided into 100 paisa instead of 16 annas or 64 pice.The coins were initially called naye paise, meaning new paise, to distinguish them from the previous coins.In order to aid the blind in the country, each coin had distinctly different shapes - the round 1 naya paisa, scalloped edge 2 naya paisa, the square 5 naya paisa, and the scalloped edge 10 naya paisa.
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Also, prior to Independence, the Indian currency was pegged against silver. The silver-based rupee fluctuated according to the value of silver and had a distinct disadvantage when trading against currencies that were based on the gold standard. This was rectified post-Independence.In 1959, a special issue of Rupees 10 and Rupees 100 notes took place for Indian Haj pilgrims so as to ease money exchange with the local currency in Saudi Arabia.
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In 1969, the Mahatma Gandhi Birth Centenary Commemorative Issue was released. It was the only commemorative note issue ever by the Reserve Bank of India.
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Later, in 1996, the 'Mahatma Gandhi Series' was introduced with prominent new features such as changed watermarks, windowed security threads, latent images, and intaglio features for the visually handicapped. This was replaced in 2005 by the 'MG series' notes that had some additional security features. In 2010, India celebrated its hosting of the Commonwealth Games with commemorative 2 and 5 Rupee coins. One side of these coins features the logo of the Games while the other features the three lions from the pillar of Ashoka. In the same year, India also adopted the new symbol for the rupee ₹, with new coins bearing this symbol being launched in 2011. Since 2010, other commemorative coins have also been issued – 60th anniversary of the Indian Parliament, 150th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, and more recently, International Day of Yoga.Also Read: 16 Fascinating Facts about Mohenjodaro and Indus Valley, a Civilisation Far Ahead of its Time
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TBI Blogs: From Ravan’s Musical Instrument to an Entire Community, Sri Lanka’s best exports to India
The instrument is made up of a bowl-shaped resonator fashioned from a cut coconut shell that is covered with goat hide. A long bamboo body, the Dandi, is attached to the bowl. The principal strings are made of steel and horsehair.
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Legend has it that, after the war ended, Hanuman picked up the Ravanahatha and brought it to North India. The musical instrument enjoyed patronage from kingdoms in Rajasthan and Gujarat and is believed to have been the first instrument that the princes of these western states learned. The Nath Bavas, a community in India, are the only ones who continue to play this instrument today. They believe that the instrument was given to their community by Ravan himself. In the ninth century, the Ravanahatha traveller from western India to the Middle East and Europe with traders. It was dubbed the 'Ravanstrom,' and its discovery is believed to have laid the basis for the developed of the violin and the viola as we know them today. This gives the Ravanahatha the unique distinction of being the earliest ancestor of the violin. It is the first instrument of its kind that,rather than plucking at the strings, was played using a bow. In recent times, the Ravanahatha has made a resurgence, of sorts. The Sri Lankan composer, Dinesh Subhasinghe, has used the ancient instrument in his compositions; author Michael Ondaatje has also referred to Ravana’s fiddle as history’s first violin in his Booker Prize winning novel, 'The English Patient.'The Ravanahatha is a wonderful example of how migration can enrich world culture and how different forces can come together to make an indelible contribution to world music.
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From the Ravanahatha, we travel all the way to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu for our second Sri Lankan connection: the Mukkuvar community. Kanyakumari, also known as Cape Comorin, occupies a unique part in India, as the southernmost tip of the South Asian nation. The town where the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal unite, is home to an intriguing mix of culture, spirituality and history.With their strong ties to the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, the Mukkuvar Community form a distinct part of Kanyakumari's unique culture.
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The Mukkuvar or Mukkuva community is a social group in India. The fishermen's community is found in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep (where they are known as Melacherries), and in Sri Lanka as well. The name 'Mukkuvar' has two meanings. One refers to those who dive into the water: 'muk' or 'mung'; the other, refers to the name given to the people who live at the very edge, or 'Mukku' of the land mass.Both names point to the identity of the community as deep sea fishermen who live at the southernmost corner of the land.
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There is some ambiguity regarding their origins. According to some historians, the community originally belonged to Tamil Nadu and migrated to Sri Lanka and then re-migrated to India. Others, however, believe that the community emigrated from Sri Lanka originally. While those that have settled in Sri Lanka have flourished, those in India lead a nondescript, and mostly poverty stricken, life. Dependent on the vagaries of the environment, the Mukkuvar community in India are often forced to lead a hand-to-mouth existence and have limited access to quality education.They lead harsh and impoverished lives. However, all is not as bleak as it looks. Women in this community wield tremendous power and are at the forefront of community transformation; an unusual occurrence as per the standards of Indian society. In Sri Lanka, the Mukkuvar occupy a position of prime importance by virtue of having control of large swathes of land in the western and eastern belts of the country. The community obtained these lands in Sri Lanka through military raiding parties recorded in history as the 'Mukkara Hatana' or the 'Fight of the Mukkaru.' The community calls Eastern Sri Lanka, the land of singing fish. They also believe that they were sent by an India king called Pandia. Today, centuries later, they continue to follow the laws and legal practices as decreed by this King; these are known as the 'Mukkuva Laws.' As can be imagined, the Tsunami of 2004 adversely impacted the Mukkuvar community, both in India and in Sri Lanka; many NGOs also reported instances of discrimination against the communities in rehabilitation projects. The Mukkuvar due to their poverty and meagre education, live at the very fringes of Indian society, yet their ancient history connects them to the larger fabric of the dynamic South Asian kaleidoscope.Featured image source: Wikipedia (1, 2)
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16 Significant Science and Tech Discoveries Ancient India Gave the World
One of the oldest civilizations in the world, the Indian civilization has a strong tradition of science and technology. Ancient India was a land of sages and seers as well as a land of scholars and scientists. Research has shown that from making the best steel in the world to teaching the world to count, India was actively contributing to the field of science and technology centuries long before modern laboratories were set up. Many theories and techniques discovered by the ancient Indians have created and strengthened the fundamentals of modern science and technology. While some of these groundbreaking contributions have been acknowledged, some are still unknown to most.“We owe a lot to the ancient Indians, teaching us how to count. Without which most modern scientific discoveries would have been impossible.” - Albert Einstein
Here is a list of 16 contributions, made by ancient Indians to the world of science and technology, that will make you feel proud to be an Indian.
1. The Idea of Zero
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Little needs to be written about the mathematical digit ‘zero’, one of the most important inventions of all time. Mathematician Aryabhata was the first person to create a symbol for zero and it was through his efforts that mathematical operations like addition and subtraction started using the digit, zero. The concept of zero and its integration into the place-value system also enabled one to write numbers, no matter how large, by using only ten symbols.2. The Decimal System
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India gave the ingenious method of expressing all numbers by means of ten symbols - the decimal system. In this system, each symbol received a value of position as well as an absolute value. Due to the simplicity of the decimal notation, which facilitated calculation, this system made the uses of arithmetic in practical inventions much faster and easier.3. Numeral Notations
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Indians, as early as 500 BCE, had devised a system of different symbols for every number from one to nine. This notation system was adopted by the Arabs who called it the hind numerals. Centuries later, this notation system was adopted by the western world who called them the Arabic numerals as it reached them through the Arab traders.4. Fibbonacci Numbers
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The Fibonacci numbers and their sequence first appear in Indian mathematics as mātrāmeru, mentioned by Pingala in connection with the Sanskrit tradition of prosody. Later on, the methods for the formation of these numbers were given by mathematicians Virahanka, Gopala and Hemacandra , much before the Italian mathematician Fibonacci introduced the fascinating sequence to Western European mathematics.5. Binary Numbers
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Binary numbers is the basic language in which computer programs are written. Binary basically refers to a set of two numbers, 1 and 0, the combinations of which are called bits and bytes. The binary number system was first described by the Vedic scholar Pingala, in his book Chandahśāstra, which is the earliest known Sanskrit treatise on prosody ( the study of poetic metres and verse).6. Chakravala method of Algorithms
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The chakravala method is a cyclic algorithm to solve indeterminate quadratic equations, including the Pell's equation. This method for obtaining integer solutions was developed by Brahmagupta, one of the well known mathematicians of the 7th century CE. Another mathematician, Jayadeva later generalized this method for a wider range of equations, which was further refined by Bhāskara II in his Bijaganita treatise.7. Ruler Measurements
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Excavations at Harappans sites have yielded rulers or linear measures made from ivory and shell. Marked out in minute subdivisions with amazing accuracy, the calibrations correspond closely with the hasta increments of 1 3/8 inches, traditionally used in the ancient architecture of South India. Ancient bricks found at the excavation sites have dimensions that correspond to the units on these rulers.You May Also Like: 16 Fascinating Facts about Mohenjodaro and Indus Valley, a Civilisation Far Ahead of its Time
8. A Theory of Atom
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One of the notable scientists of the ancient India was Kanad who is said to have devised the atomic theory centuries before John Dalton was born. He speculated the existence of anu or a small indestructible particles, much like an atom. He also stated that anu can have two states — absolute rest and a state of motion. He further held that atoms of same substance combined with each other in a specific and synchronized manner to produce dvyanuka (diatomic molecules) and tryanuka (triatomic molecules).9. The Heliocentric Theory
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Mathematicians of ancient India often applied their mathematical knowledge to make accurate astronomical predictions. The most significant among them was Aryabhatta whose book, Aryabhatiya, represented the pinnacle of astronomical knowledge at the time. He correctly propounded that the Earth is round, rotates on its own axis and revolves around the Sun i.e the heliocentric theory. He also made predictions about the solar and lunar eclipses, duration of the day as well as the distance between the Earth and the Moon.10. Wootz Steel
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A pioneering steel alloy matrix developed in India, Wootz steel is a crucible steel characterized by a pattern of bands that was known in the ancient world by many different names such as Ukku, Hindwani and Seric Iron. This steel was used to make the famed Damascus swords of yore that could cleave a free-falling silk scarf or a block of wood with the same ease. Produced by the Tamils of the Chera Dynasty, the finest steel of the ancient world was made by heating black magnetite ore in the presence of carbon in a sealed clay crucible kept inside a charcoal furnace.11. Smelting of Zinc
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India was the first to smelt zinc by the distillation process, an advanced technique derived from a long experience of ancient alchemy. The ancient Persians had also attempted to reduce zinc oxide in an open furnace but had failed. Zawar in the Tiri valley of Rajasthan is the world's first known ancient zinc smelting site. The distillation technique of zinc production goes back to the 12th Century AD and is an important contribution of India to the world of science.
12. Seamless Metal Globe
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Considered one of the most remarkable feats in metallurgy, the first seamless celestial globe was made in Kashmir by Ali Kashmiri ibn Luqman in the reign of the Emperor Akbar. In a major feat in metallurgy, Mughal metallurgists pioneered the method of lost-wax casting to make twenty other globe masterpieces in the reign of the Mughal Empire. Before these globes were rediscovered in the 1980s, modern metallurgists believed that it was technically impossible to produce metal globes without any seams, even with modern technology.13. Plastic Surgery
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Written by Sushruta in 6th Century BC, Sushruta Samhita is considered to be one of the most comprehensive textbooks on ancient surgery. The text mentions various illnesses, plants, preparations and cures along with complex techniques of plastic surgery. The Sushruta Samhita ’s most well-known contribution to plastic surgery is the reconstruction of the nose, known also as rhinoplasty.14. Cataract Surgery
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The first cataract surgery is said to have been performed by the ancient Indian physician Sushruta, way back in 6th century BCE. To remove the cataract from the eyes, he used a curved needle, Jabamukhi Salaka, to loosen the lens and push the cataract out of the field of vision. The eye would then be bandaged for a few days till it healed completely. Sushruta's surgical works were later translated to Arabic language and through the Arabs, his works were introduced to the West.15. Ayurveda
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Long before the birth of Hippocrates, Charaka authored a foundational text, Charakasamhita, on the ancient science of Ayurveda. Referred to as the Father of Indian Medicine, Charaka was was the first physician to present the concept of digestion, metabolism and immunity in his book. Charaka's ancient manual on preventive medicine remained a standard work on the subject for two millennia and was translated into many foreign languages, including Arabic and Latin.16. Iron-Cased Rockets
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The first iron-cased rockets were developed in the 1780s by Tipu Sultan of Mysore who successfully used these rockets against the larger forces of the British East India Company during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. He crafted long iron tubes, filled them with gunpowder and fastened them to bamboo poles to create the predecessor of the modern rocket. With a range of about 2 km, these rockets were the best in the world at that time and caused as much fear and confusion as damage. Due to them, the British suffered one of their worst ever defeats in India at the hands of Tipu.Feature Source
Also Read: Modern India Can Learn a Lot from These 20 Traditional Water Conservation Systems
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Konkan Railway: An Incredible yet Little Known Indian Success Story
It is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most difficult infrastructure projects India has undertaken and successfully completed since Independence.
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Today, the Konkan Railway travels 738 kilometers through the states of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, starting just after the Roha railway station (75 km south of Panvel in the suburbs of Mumbai) in Maharashtra and ending at the Thokur railway station near Mangalore in southern Karnataka.
The tale of how Konkan Railway was designed and built is an interesting story that not many know about. This feat of engineering had been contemplated by the British a century ago and abandoned as being too formidable.
Work on the line running along the western coast of India began as early as 1964 when a line was laid between Diva and Panvel. It was further extended to Apta two years later in 1966. However, it was only in October 1984 that the Ministry of Railways decided to build the railway route, dubbed the Konkan Railway after the coastline it hugged, that would cover the west coast line from Madgaon to Roha. Two years later in 1989, work on the Konkan Railway officially began.
Building the Konkan Railway threw up a whole range of difficulties for the engineers tasked with the job. The rocky Sahyadri range had to be bored through,viaducts had to be built through valleys and more than 1,500 rivers had to be forded.
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It was a sweeping challenge that needed a leader as formidable as the challenge itself. George Fernandes, the then Railway Minister, belonged to Udupi on the Konkan Coast and he was passionate about seeing this important project through.He persuaded Dr. E. Sreedharan, a veteran railway man known for brisk efficiency, to become the Chairman and Managing Director of Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.that was founded in 1990.
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The topography of Western Chat is extremely rugged and changes every few kilometres. The builders had to cut through steep cliffs, deep gorges, rocky plateaus, swampy marshes, tropical jungle, and fast flowing rivers, especially in Maharashtra where the Ghats reach directly to the sea. Adding to this was the wild fury nature unleashed in the Ghats during monsoon, in the form of torrential rainfall and tropical thunderstorms that caused tunnel cave-ins, landslides, and flash floods. To reach the target speed of 160 km per hour, a near flat track with a minimum curvature of 1.25kM radius was needed. The only way this could be achieved was to build the rail line straight through the undulating terrain. This meant constructing a lot of bridges, tunnels and embankments that would allow the track to maintain its level run. Satellite images were used to finalize the alignment and work started from both the ends.Hydraulic tunnel digging equipment was imported from Sweden to dig many of these tunnels. Piers for major bridges were cast on the riverbanks itself and launched using cranes mounted on pontoons. Around 2000 bridges were built and 91 tunnels were dug.
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Nine tunnels were painstakingly dug by hand, meter by meter, as the digging equipment did not have the technology to tackle the wet, soft and loose clayey soil surrounding the tunnels. Nineteen lives and four years were lost while constructing the soft soil tunnels alone. Work stopped many times, especially in the monsoon, as some of these tunnels would cave in as soon as they were dug and had to be dug all over again. In 1994, the Mahad sector was flooded with the water level rising to 12 feet above road level. At Ukshi, an entire mountainside buried the works and equipment. Engineer Kapoor, who was building the Pernem tunnel, was buried chest deep following a soil collapse and was rescued by his colleague Jayasankaran in an act of daring that won him a bravery award. Many were injured and 10 people lost their lives during the incredibly difficult construction of the rail line.Also Read: Indian Railways to Build Country’s Longest Tunnel and World’s Tallest Girder Rail Bridge in Manipur
Despite these hurdles and the criticism they faced due to it, the unflappable team pushed forward, working night and day, to complete the project. The incredible effort going into the project was reflected in a report of SIDA, a government agency of Sweden, that asked,
"Would not Sweden sort out much of its tunnel boring problems by sending its engineers to the Konkan Railway project?"
After eight years of labour, the first passenger train along the picturesque Konkan Railway sea route was flagged off on January 26, 1998. In a country where it takes years to complete a flyover, this was an incredible speed of construction!
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The Konkan Railway had also scored many firsts. For the first time in India funds for the project were raised without touching the government coffers. The authorized capital was pooled together by the railways and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. This was done by leveraging public bonds (to the extent of Rs.2250 crores) that carried attractive rates of return, tax breaks and guaranteed repayment. Over 4850 hectares of land was acquired from over 42000 owners in the three states of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. Many gave up their properties and lands voluntarily, convinced of the importance of the project. Heritage, community and religious structures were left alone while displaced farmers were properly rehabilitated. Payment cheques were door-delivered at a time when India was still highly bureaucratized, that too, within twelve months. The scenic route also had India's then-longest ever tunnel at Karbude, which is 5.6 km. in length. The route also has a 424 viaduct for a single line of broad gauge track over the Panval river.A visible example of the ingenuity and the dedication of the builders, the Panval Viaduct connects two hills and has 12 spans and 10 pillars, 6 of which are taller than the Qutub Minar ! At present, it is the third highest viaduct in Asia.
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Joining the length and breadth of Konkan and touching its core like no one else does, the Konkan Railway is an Indian triumph in many areas - engineering, efficiency, innovation, and dedication. Even today, a journey on this spectacular route, with its resplendent views of the Western Ghats, is an experience that remains etched in your memory for a long, long time.Also Read: India’s Talented Scientists Are Making a Mark in These Six Global Mega Science Projects
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