A Tribute to India: How much did you know?

           I wonder how many of us realize that there is a treasure of ancient and modern day artifacts all around us, how many of us really know India. India is a country that will mesmerize you with its intriguing history and fascinating past. India has always been a land of great achievements, people, fables, anecdotes and what not. It goes without saying that it is indeed very difficult to understand and define India in one go. Other than the beauty, culture, rich history, diversity in nature so on and so forth, we have some mind boggling things that continue to awe people all over the world. Let’s see how each one of us fairs this small test. I am going to give you some of the fascinating facts about India. The drill is, you just have to mark the ones you already knew and give your score in the comments to boast about it. Are you ready?

Ancient civilization

1. India is the largest democracy in the world, the 7th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.

2. Indians established Harappan culture in Indus Valley Civilization, at a time when many cultures comprised of nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago.

3. Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called "the Ancient City" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C., and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today. 

4. Indians started cultivating cotton during the 5th – 4th millennium BCE in the Indus Valley Civilization and introduced it to the ancient Greeks who used to wear animal skins and were not even aware of cotton. 

Mathematics

5. The birth of Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus happened in India.

6. The Decimal and Place Value system originated and developed in India.

7. Quadratic equations were propounded by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10*53(10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 BC during the Vedic period. Even today, the largest used number is Tera: 10*12(10 to the power of 12).

8. The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, long before the European mathematicians.

9. The correct time taken by the earth to revolve around the sun was calculated by the famous astronomer Bhaskaracharya. His calculation showed that the earth takes around 365.258756484 days to go around the sun once.

Education

10. In 700 BC, the world's first university was established in India, in Takshila. It was one of the biggest achievements in the field of education, as more than 10,500 students came from all over the world to receive education in over 60 different subjects.

11. The University of Nalanda was another milestone that was achieved in the field of education in 4th century BC.

12. The oldest written Text – Rigveda: The existence of the Vedas goes beyond recorded history and are said to be passed down from the Gods to the great seers of Bharat. For many human generations the Vedas were passed on through word of mouth, until finally documented by the great Rishis and Swamis. And if the Vedas speak of the Sarasvati River, then it would seem clear that they were written before about 2000 BC, and not later than 1500 BC, as scholars originally believed.

13. First Poetry of the World: The Ramayana is the first poetry of the world. It is a glorious Sanskrit epic written by the Divine Sage Valmiki. It has 24,000 Sankskrit verses. It was later translated by Kamban and Tulsi Das.

14. Longest Poetry of the World: The Mahabarata is the longest poetry ever written. Its 100,000 verses encompass all facets of Dharma or human way of life. It narrates the story about the great Mahabarata war between the noble Pandavas and their evil cousins the Kauravas.

Medicine

15. The earliest school of medicine known to mankind was Ayurveda and it originated in India. Ayurveda is the indigenous system of medicine in India. Ayurveda literally means 'the science of living' (longevity). Unique quality of Ayurveda is that it uncovers and cures the root cause of illness, it is safe, gentle and inexpensive, it sees 6 stages of disease development (where modern medicine only sees the last two stages), it treats people in a personalized manner according to their dosha or constitution and not in any generic manner.

16. Charaka Samhita: World’s first Medical Textbook: In 500 BC Maharishi Charaka wrote the famous Charaka Samhita or Physicians’ Handbook. The Charaka Samhita went into great detail to describe human anatomy, pathology, diagnostic procedures, and treatment for various diseases. Charaka also described the functions of the heart and the circulatory system in great detail.

17. Surgery existed in India even 2600 years ago, when Sushruta, known as the Father of Surgery, conducted many complex surgeries. Sushruta as early as 600 BC used cheek skin to perform plastic surgery to restore and reshape human nose, ears, and lips with incredible results. Shushruta describes the details of more than 300 operations and 125 kinds of surgical instruments . The valuable ancient scriptures have detailed information on Cataract, Artificial Limbs, Cesareans, Fractures, Urinary Stone Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Brain Surgeries. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient Indian medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism,physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.

18. The art of Yoga that is now popular worldwide originated in India only and was performed by highly revered sages, in the ancient times.

Religion

19. The four religions born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, followed by 25% of the world's population originated in India. 

20. Jainism and Buddhism were founded in India in 600 B.C. and 500 B.C. respectively. Sikhism originated in the Holy city of Amritsar in Punjab. Famous for housing the Golden Temple, the city was founded in 1577. 

Engineering and Architecture

21. Adam’s Bridge or Rama Setu: Various theories have been proposed that prove that it was actually an engineering marvel and not just a godly creation. I believe it is a bit of both.

22. As a world heritage site, Ellora caves is a perfect example of magnificent design, architecture, structure and individuality. The entire temple has been carved out of a huge mountain, a technique so unique and hard to accept from that period. It remains one of its kinds in the entire world. Looks like a well contemplated result of a very advanced civilization.

23. Hand Carved Sundials (clock ) at Konark Temple: This temple is dedicated to the Sun god Surya, and no wonder that it embodies an accurate clock, which dates back to 1250 A.D. The whole sanctuary is a flawlessly adorned chariot mounted on 24 wheels (for day clocks and night clocks), each around 10 feet in measurement and drawn by 7 strong stallions. The 7 steeds speak to the times of the week and the 12 sets of wheels speak to the 12 months of the year.

24. The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.

25. The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.

Mining and metallurgy

26. Worldwide, India was the only source of diamonds until the discovery of mines in Brazil in the 18th century. Almost 5000 years ago, diamonds were first recognized and mined in central India.

27. India was the world-leader in Metallurgy. Gold jewelry is available from 3,000 BCE. Brass and bronze pieces are dated back to 1,300 BCE. Extraction of zinc from ore by distillation was used in India as early as 400 BCE while William Campion patented the process some 2,000 years later. There is an iron pillar in Delhi dating back to 400 CE that shows no sign of rust or decay. The earliest known book on metallurgy was written by sage Nagarjuna in 10th century.

Population:

28. More than 54 crore people voted in the 2014 General Election – more people than the population of USA, UK, Australia and Japan combined.

29. Number of births in India every year is more than the total population of Australia, and many other nations.

30. India has the largest English speaking population in the world, yes with that literacy rate.

31. The 2011 Kumbh Mela was the largest gathering of people with over 75 million pilgrims. The gathering was so huge that the crowd was visible from space.

Connectivity

32. The world’s largest road network is in India—over 1.9 million miles of roads cover the country.

33. India also has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.

34. The Indian Railways has the largest network of railways with the largest work force employed in its various departments.

Indian Army

35. The Indian Army is the largest voluntary force in the world with a combat trained cavalry regiment. The Indian Army protects the highest combat zone on planet earth, Siachen glacier. The Army training school at siachen is one of its kind.

So, How much did you score out of 35?

           I mostly focused on historical achievements but India is scaling new heights every day, making new records each hour and reaching new milestones each second. There are innumerable modern day accomplishments but enumerating all of them in just one post may not be possible but what you can take away from this one is that India is much much more than you and I can ever imagine. Just embrace the greatness around you and always be proud to be Indian.

P.S. This is just a representative list and not an exhaustive one. You may add your own inputs to add to the greatness.

Salute to Netaji: 23rd Jan

        It has been more than 68 years since our national flag breathed free air for the first time in 1947 and we owe it to our heroes who laid down their lives for it. We can never be sure about who played the most pivotal role in the 'struggle for independence' but one thing is certain that it was a joint effort and that it did not happen “ बिना खड़ग बिना ढाल” . There were people who, at a tender age of 23 years, wilfully took the path of martyrdom in the hope that it may help incite a revolution that might uproot the British Empire: he was Shaheed Bhagat singh. There were more fighters than we can name but only a few shone as the leader, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was one such prodigy. 

        You may think that I am exaggerating but Netaji's feats are way beyond the ordinary. Be it cracking Indian Civil Services, being the Congress President, consorting with Germany and Japan to raise the Indian National Army, taking the British Empire head-on, establishing Provisional Government of Free India with Japanese support and what not. The government of Azad Hind even had its own currency, court and civil code, and its existence gave a greater legitimacy to the independence struggle against the British. Immediately after the formation, Azad Hind Fauj declared war against the Anglo-American allied forces on the Indo-Burma Front. Some may argue that it was a complete failure but many (including me) believe that it was much more than meets the eye. 

Let me ask you a simple question: Why did the British leave India?
     Amidst all the celebrations, we often forget to introspect and the simple facts like these gets ignored. The Quit India movement of 1942 had subsided and nothing major was happening in the mainstream politics, the world war was over and the British had finished on the winning side, Netaji was no more and INA also had to face defeat at the hands of the Royal Army. So, why did the  British actually leave?

          British PM Lord Clement Atlee – responsible for conceding India’s Independence, answered the all important question during a visit to Free India in 1956 when he mentioned this directly to Justice Chakraborty who was then the acting governor, he said - The final decision to “leave India in a hurry” was due to the “activities of Subhas Chandra Bose which weakened the very foundations of the attachment of the Indian land and naval forces to the British Government”. Also, that in his assessment, Mahatma Gandhi had “minimal” impact on British policies.

          Elaborating further on this subject: In August 1945, Netaji had allegedly died, yes I said ‘allegedly’ because the real story still lies behind hundreds of classified files and in my mind the conspiracy further deepened when I saw the promo of a new series “Hunting Hitler” to be aired on History channel which alleges to prove that Hitler may have actually died years after he staged his own suicide after the second world war. A similar story of Netaji may be lying somewhere waiting to be unearthed. I seriously doubt that his disappearance was just bad luck. Anyway coming back to the point, after the loss of INA, three of the top officers – General Shah Nawaz Khan, Colonel Prem Sehgal and Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon were put on trial at the Red Fort in Delhi along with all the captured soldiers. Their crime was “waging war against the King Emperor”. It only proved to be their biggest mistake as the British realised with alarm, during the open trials, the transformation of the perception of Azad Hind fauj from traitors and collaborators to "the greatest among the patriots". Given the tide of militant nationalism that swept through India and the resentment and revolts it inspired, it is arguable that its overarching aim, to foster a revolution within the Indian forces of the British Indian Army and Navy to overthrow the British Empire, was ultimately successful. Netaji may have even foreseen that and may it was all that he always meant to achieve with INA. It may be just a speculation but if it was true, each one of the soldier of Indian National Army deserves a standing ovation. 

On Netaji’s birth anniversary, I wish that his soul rests in peace.
“Jai Hind”

Source Here

The pursuit of love: #ItsStillOkay

            I loved the movie #BajiraoMastani but I will refrain from turning this post into another movie review. You may already know about the highs and lows of the epic from reviews or the movie itself by now, so let’s sail higher and see the big picture. And if you are still sceptical about Shrimant Peshwa Baji Rao Ballal Balaji Bhat, this post may just add to it.

           When the movie took off I saw #BajiRao as the ultimate warrior who seemed invincible. At the zenith of his raging expedition he wanted only one thing...uprooting of the #Mughals and unifying India under one rule i.e. #Maratha, which is completely understandable. But as the reels turned, the warrior turned into a fanatic lover. How did that happen or what he actually wanted? Was it power, peace or love?

    
     Power is a definite yes but may be because he was brought up that way. He was molded to be a warrior and he turned out to be one of the best of that era, a #Maratha’s paradigm. He not only sought power but he achieved it. He became the peshwa of the Maratha empire at the tender age of 20 years. His sword was his first love indeed. He fought to win & fought till his last breath and died ultimately of war wounds.

 

       Peace! I mean peace of mind with a less complicated life. He may but he chose otherwise. He espoused #Mastani going against his religion, family, his own wife and the truck load of expectations everyone had for him. That too amid all the wars & religious stubbornness, so peace was never on the cards. 

      
        Love? Love is all that we seek. Even the mightiest of warriors fell to it; be it #BajiRao, #Prithviraj Chauhan, #Salim or someone else. Something on the Indian subcontinent caused a serious heart-brain wiring malfunction which drew them to love, it’s still unknown but definitely there. It was love or lunacy that a man, Shrimant Peshwa Baji Rao Ballal Balaji Bhat himself, who had it all  at his service, including a beautiful and loving wife, fell for someone who could never be more than a concubine. It could only have been love that he couldn't resist it, especially after being aware of the aftermath. I feel that it was #Mastani's love frenzy which dragged him into it but she was also the one who suffered the most. 

                 We have seen many lovers in the history of Indian anecdotes who succumbed to the intricate fallacies of love, #BajiRao was one of them. He won 41 major battles only to fall at the hands of love. Well! Falling in love and not getting through has a legacy of its own in India, with the khaps and all continuing with it. 

            So the word is that the mightiest of heroes, even of the likes of peshwa, shehzada, warrior or even the king himself may have a hard time with love and destiny; even the religion doesn’t seem to matter here. But as long as the pursuit of love goes on...#it’s still okay.

This post has been written for #Indispire Edition 96: Write a short-story/poem/one-liner or anything to capture your thoughts and end it with "Its Still Okay!" #ItsStillOkay

#ResponsibleTourism Summit 2015

             

                 Going to the #OutlookTraveller #ResponsibleTourism summit 2015 was the best thing happened to me in the last week. All the big names and bigger ideas together at the same place; a delight for the eyes and ears, especially the address by Prof. Harold Goodwin. The Eco-travel collection by Anupama Dayal showed how colorful responsible tourism can be. As much as it was enjoyable, it was informative too and I could feel the new me.

               I came to terms with the fact that I can be a responsible tourist for a few days or weeks only but for rest of the days or even my entire life I can be a responsible host. The number of people coming to my city is far more than the number of cities I could possibly ever  visit. We must acknowledge the uniqueness of our own neighborhood and play our part, however small it may be, in preserving the rich cultural heritage that lies around us. I have always been a history seeker (well! Not during school days) and I was pleasantly surprised to read about the history of Delhi and how the historical marvels scattered all around us tell a story for themselves. I feel proud to be living around them or to be a part of their history. But it’s a pity I was unaware about all this for so long and I am afraid I am not alone. In the run for our daily living, we often tend to ignore the palace, the fort and the gardens where the rulers of Delhi once strolled. What we can do is embrace the beauty of it and pass it on to our next generations. If each one of us can do that, I am sure we can make our city a better place for us and our guests. In a nutshell, if we are a responsible host...I am sure we will be a responsible tourist. I have written a few posts about Delhi and its prodigious history myself; hope it can make a difference.

1. http://nerdyindian.blogspot.in/2014/11/a-historical-marvel-delhi.html

2. http://nerdyindian.blogspot.in/2015/06/dilli-meri-jaan.html

3. http://nerdyindian.blogspot.in/2014/11/mughals-savages-to-sultan.html

              Another important point that the summit instigated in my mind was the fact that tourism is not an industry in itself but it is a bridge that connects all others be it transport, small/local industries, archaeology, hospitality, sanitation, advertising, food, medical and much more. For responsible tourism to take effect each of the industry will have to play their part. It makes this movement of #ResponsibleTourism a herculean task and its impact even bigger. I can only imagine if we can ever achieve it but one thing is certain that even a partial victory would make a monumental difference. So, let’s just buckle up and get started...

I am blogging for #ResponsibleTourism activity by Outlook Traveller in association with BlogAdda.

Wisdom & Rotundity

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik:Author, Speaker,Illustrator, Mythologist

           I help leverage the power of myth in business, management, and life.

        Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik has redefined Indian mythology with his books and lectures. He is also the former chief belief officer of Future Group, one of India's largest retailers. He is not only one of my favorite writers but he is an imposing orator too. Listening to his lectures will take you deep into the realm of spirituality. He has written over 600 articles and 30 books on the relevance of sacred stories, symbols and rituals in modern times and each one is better than the other. He also writes a column for the newspaper MiD DAY. His awesome creations include Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata which is an introduction to Mahabharata, Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana which has brought more nuances to the daughter of the earth goddess than you may have previously encountered, Shikhandi: And Other Tales they Don't Tell You which gives an insight into how ancient India viewed queer behavior without  being judgmental, Myth = Mythya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology which gives meaning to mythological tales and rituals, Business Sutra: An Indian Approach  to Management and most recently, My Gita- which is pattanaik’s analysis of Gita. 

Mythology = stories, symbols and rituals that communicate myth.

            I am glad that his presence is not limited to those cranky bookstores and libraries anymore and his smiling face keeps coming up every now and then. His TV show explaining the intricacies of Indian mythology has recently been launched on a new TV channel EpicHD. It is the Indian version of the Discoveries and history channels and the show is aptly being called Devlok. It's like a crash course in mythology. If you would like to dive into mythology with an open mind trying to reason everything keeping the superstitions aside, this is the place to be. So just tune in to Epic HD 10:00 pm every Wednesday and Thursday and tell me how you liked it..

"Stars are natural. Constellations are made by joining the dots. 

I bring analysis to the table."     
     

           It was a usual Sunday morning when I was happily surprised to see Devdutt’s interview by @Saudamini Jain in HindustanTimes Brunch. He talked about mythology, his new book My Gita and making Indian scholarship matter. You should see it to know him up close.

http://devdutt.com/

This post is written for Indispire Edition 92: Write about a moment or the entire T.V show as it is, that created an impact in your life. #ThatTVShow

Epic: A tribute to Indian History

           

  I have grown up watching discovery and nat-geo and the history channel was also promising. But they were mostly about European and American history and accomplishments. I was pleasantly surprised to see a channel dedicated to the Indian history and that too in HD. The creators deserves an applause for their effort. Welcome to the savior of Indian history : EPIC HD. I am no expert but I have always cherished the enormity of Indian history. Here are links to few of my posts on history :

1. http://nerdyindian.blogspot.in/2014/11/a-historical-marvel-delhi.html

2. http://nerdyindian.blogspot.in/2014/11/mughals-savages-to-sultan.html

3. http://nerdyindian.blogspot.in/2015/06/dilli-meri-jaan.html

                It’s a pity that the tales of our glorious past are lying in ruins. This channel is a small step which will take us closer to our own roots. Everyone should check it out and I am sure you will find something to soothe your taste buds, be it cricket, movies, ancient architecture, stories, food or legends. So just tune into EPIC HD and be ready to be amazed.

Find more about it at : http://www.epicchannel.com/

Forgotten Heroes...

                       Heroes are remembered but Legends never die. I liked this quote but wonder if it is still true. Because I think we are beginning to forget our Legends. The mere fact that 'someone in his youth could think of giving up his life just to give a message or erect an army against the mighty British without political support' gives me chills. We should keep the faith and respect all those who gave their lives for us. #JaiHind

के जिनके बलिदान के बिस्तर पर, हम चादर ताने सोते हैं,

भूल बैठे हैं आहुति उनकी, के ख़्वाब बड़े...पर दिल छोटे हैं,

के जीते थे जो हम-तुम के लिए, शहादत पे उनकी हम क्यूँ रोते हैं,

के आओ नमन करें उन वीरों को, और खुशियों के बीज बोते हैं,

के मोक्ष मिले हर साये को, जो सरहद पर जीवन खोते हैं,

के बेनाम नहीं शहीद हैं वो, वो देश के बेटे होते हैं...वो देश के बेटे होते हैं ||

I know independence day is yet to come but Birth Anniversary of any of our heroes is no less than The Independence Day itself.Just felt like doing this "Happy Birthday to Chandrashekhar Azad : 23rd July".  

Dilli Meri Jaan

 

                   Delhi has a little of everything and there is hardly anything that you can not find here. It's a foodie's heaven thanks to the Karim's and all, a techie's hub with epicenter at Nehru Place, a shopper's dream run from SN to Chandni Chowk and a gold mine for history buffs like me with historical marvels scattered all over the place. Delhi's history can be traced beyond years we can recall but the good thing is that they left behind the architectural marvels for us to be amazed. Delhi may be a metropolitan city from it's face but will always be a historical masterpiece at it's heart. Here is what the city looked like way back in 1857.

         Walled City of Delhi now known as Old Delhi.                                         Red Fort in All it's Glory.

                  Then came up the Lutyen's Delhi or The New Delhi as we know it now. Here is an aerial view of the birth of the modern Delhi. You can see the India Gate also if you look closely.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan, The Parliament House, Cannaught Place and The India Gate.

                  There are places where you can find solitude amidst the chaos, infact there are many. Delhi is not just about old forts and ruins but it is studded with modern architectural marvels too if you were wondering.

Lotus Temple

Jama Masjid

Humayun's Tomb

Akshardham Temple

                 Delhi is like that shy kid of the class, you have to be his friend to know how much fun he can be. So just join in and enjoy the ride.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

A Historical Marvel : Delhi

             The historical tales and folklore about Delhi can be traced back up to 3500 yrs BC to the period of Mahabharata and Indraprastha and isn't it just fascinating. Few footprints of the Mauryan and the Gupta dynasty (around 300 BC) have also been found here but it might just be a coincidence. But one thing is evident that Delhi has been inhabited since then and now it’s just a matter of who and when. Marks of the Empires from the early 15th century can be seen easily and are scattered all over Delhi. Here’s a peek into the history...

Iron Pillar at Qutub Complex

Gupta dynasty 

             Iron pillar of this era dates around 400 BC. It was commissioned by some ruler of the Gupta dynasty and relocated to its current place in Qutub complex later. It is notable for it's rust-resistant composition of the metals. It stood centuries against the weather but a fence had to be erected around the pillar in 1997 in response to damage caused by visitors ( It was considered good luck if one could stand with one's back to the pillar and make one's hands meet behind it. Remember, Cheeni Kam).

Qutub Minar

Mamluk dynasty

         Qutub Minar of this era is world's tallest brick minaret and it was commissioned in 1192 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, the founder and first sultan of Mamluk dynasty.

Tughlak dynasty (1320- 1413) 

Tughlaqabad Fort 

       They built two cities in/around Delhi over the span of 100 years. Tughlaqabad and Firozabad, each fashioned around a grand fort. Mohammad bin Tughlaq of this dynasty (Remember, Chak De India) and renowned traveller Ibn Batutah who has a Bollywood song for him (Remember, Ishquiya) might sound familiar.Remnants of their Architectural glory lies at: Tughlaqabad fort, Wazirabad mosque, Firoz shah kotla fort & Firoz shah’s tomb at Hauz khas.

 

Baoli at Kotla Fort          Jami Masjid            Wazirabad Mosque          Firoz Shah's Tomb

Sayyid Dynasty (1414 – 1451)

       The remains of this dynasty overlap with that of Lodi dynasty.Tomb of Mohammad shah (3rd of the 4 rulers of the empire) can be seen at Lodi Gardens

Sikander Lodi's Tomb                                     Bada Gumbad with Mosque                                   Mohammad Shah's Tomb

Lodi dynasty (1451 – 1526) 

       Lodi gardens at the heart of the city dates back to the 15th century. After recommissioning and beautification it was named 'Lady Willingdon park' but after independence got it’s current name.

Purana Qila

Suri dynasty (1540 – 1553)

      Purana Qila was built by Sher Shah Suri and he also released the first rupiya /rupee of India.

   Hemu (Hemchandra Vikramaditya) took control over Delhi for a short period (1553 - 1556) but ultimately fell to Akbar's armies.

Mughal empire (1556 – 1857)

          Akbar took his capital to Agra until Shah Jahan built the city of Shahjahanabad (today’s old Delhi) including the Red Fort and Jama Masjid and moved back to Delhi in 1638.

View of Lal Qila from Jama Masjid

British East India Company

Rajpath

      They took control of Delhi in 1858 but their capital remained at Calcutta. In 1911 King George V announced the shifting of the capital back to Delhi and an extravagant architectural makeover of Delhi took place, also popularly known as Lutyen’s Delhi. In 1920's & 1930's Edward Lutyen designed and erected the Rashtrapati Bhawan, India Gate and Rajpath. 

            India gate was a memorial for WWI martyrs but Amar Jawan Jyoti was added at its base after 1971 Bangladesh war and it has served as the 'tomb of the unknown soldier' since then.

           Cannaught place was designed by Robert Tor Russell and the Secretariat building including PM Office and parliament house by Herbert baker.

Aerial view of Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House and India Gate (if you can make out)

Mughals : Savages to Sultan

Roshan Ara Tomb- Delhi

                     We have all read at least something about the Great Mughals and how they ruled India with flamboyance for 300 years. I have always been intrigued about who they actually were and where did they come from? My quest took me to the roller coaster of Mughal reign in India. Its amazing how the history of our own neighborhood can be traced back past centuries but its a shame how the historical milestones of this tale of grandeur are lying in ruins.

" के जिनके कलम-ओ-तलवार ने रचा इतिहास था, 

बे-आबरू हुए वो बिखरे पन्नों से झाँकते हैं,

अब तेरी-मेरी क्या बिसात ऐ ग़ालिब, 

के मुघलिया तख़्त भी यहाँ धूल फाँकते हैं..."

                   

     The Mughal history is a conglomeration of multiple paradoxes. It is a story of savage raiders who became sumptuous rulers but interestingly, Hindustan was never the prime target. Mughals came from central Asia where each of the descendant of Timur (Timur-e-leng) was fighting for their own place. Babur was the first Mughal who came to India to stay, that too by chance only. A constant struggle with his uncles and cousins ousted him from his own town 'ferghana' and pushed him to the south where he settled at Kabul. The beginning of the Mughal reign is conventionally dated to Babur's victory over Ibrahim lodi in the first battle of panipat (1526). It was sheer tactics , valor and artillery & guns (used for the first time in northern india) that his army took down 4 times bigger army of Ibrahim lodi. His journey from 'ferghana' to Hindustan was nowhere near the league of his great ancestors Timur and Genghis khan but the details with which he recorded his personal odyssey gives him an added distinction. He lies in peace at his favorite garden at Kabul (obviously in ruins). Babur died in Dec,1530 and left Hindustan in the hands of the super-superstitious Humayun and his 3 younger brothers. The brothers could never unite and lost their empire to Sher Shah of sur dynasty. If it wasn't the generalship of the great warrior Bairam Khan, he could not have returned to power in 1555. Only credit that Humayun can be attributed to is that he gave us Akbar the Great.





            Under the rule of Akbar and his son Jahangir, India flourished the most and enjoyed economic progress as well as religious harmony. Akbar was a successful warrior which he demonstrated by defeating Hemu in the second battle of panipat (1556) soon after his accession to the throne. He also used his reputation perfectly to forge alliances with several Hindu Rajput kingdoms. He also founded a new religion deen-e-ilahi which was an amalgamation of both Hinduism and Islam. Jahangir continued to follow it but could not subdue most of the orthodox minds and it faded away. Jahangir was bad at other things too, he was a chronic alcoholic and it was he who opened the doors for British East India Company.

          Then came Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor, who gave us the masterpieces of Mughal architecture. The most famous of his creations are the Taj Mahal & the Moti Masjid at Agra and the Red Fort and Jama Masjid at Delhi . The Mughal Empire reached the zenith of its territorial expanse during the reign of Aurangzeb and it was this time when the fall also started. The Maratha resurgence encouraged the Nawabs of Bengal , Bhopal and oudh and the Nizam of Hyderabad to declare their independence from the Mughals .

       In 1739, Nader Shah crushed the left overs of Mughal pride and looted their capital including the koh-i-noor which ultimately ended up in the British Crown. The Mughal prowess continued to decline and the last emperor was limited only to the walled city of Delhi. This city of Shahajahanbad is today's Old Delhi. The 300 years old reign finally came to an end after the 1857 rebellion.

           This tale of grandeur gives me nostalgia and the fact that we are living in a royal neighborhood is astonishing and the pieces are scattered all over the place AND you don't have to try hard.

Tomb of Khan-i-Khana                                        Red Fort                                                   Humayun's Tomb      
These two tombs actually inspired the Taj Mahal