India

Panjnad, Satnad and Triveni

Prayag in Allahabad is the place of confluence of Ganges, Yamuna & Saraswati rivers. The place is revered by Hindus and is one of the four places where a great fair called “Kumbh Mela” is held which is attended by many hundred thousand pilgrims. It is believed that a holy dip in the confluence waters purifies a person washing all his sins. These are beliefs and metaphors because the sins and good deeds do not cling to the body like grime or clothes which even a good scrubbing and soap bath washes away. These are the things which depend upon… Read More »Panjnad, Satnad and Triveni

Kanoji Angre

There is no doubt about the fact that Shivaji was a great hero. Why I am saying was, he was, he is, and always will remain in the hearts of Indians. Some say he was Hindu king but that is not true. He looked upon his people without any discrimination. But the qualities I admire him for are his bravery, fearlessness and presence of mind. Otherwise, who can even imagine that any person who is in clutches of such a mighty emperor as Aurangzeb at Agra could make his escape good from a place which is thousands of miles away… Read More »Kanoji Angre

Forgotten Cousins of Punjabi Sikhs

Just like many Marathi families settled in Tanjore during the time of rule of Marathas at this place, many Sikhs opted not to return to their native land but to settle in the Assam itself. These Sikhs trace their genealogies to few hundred Sikh soldiers which arrived in Assam to help the Ahom rulers in the year 1820. These Sikhs were sent by Ranjit Singh as a friendly gesture. Many of them perished but many among those who survived chose to settle down there. Many of them married the local girls. Most of the descendants are mostly concentrated in Nagaon… Read More »Forgotten Cousins of Punjabi Sikhs

Silk Floss Trees

The Silk Floss Trees are the native to South America. They belong to the same family as Baobab and Kapok trees. Like so many other species of trees and plants, due to ease of navigation, have been brought to another countries and have adapted to themselves to the local climate. Many explorers brought species found in the newly discovered lands to their country as a mark of the success of the voyage and also out of human curiosity to try and propagate the species in their own country. Due to the change in climate many traits undergo some differences from… Read More »Silk Floss Trees

Place of Rivers in Humanity

A River not only creates conditions for settlement of the people on its banks, it sustains the life of people living near it. It provides them with all the things of human requirements. Water for washing, irrigation, fish and most importantly the water for agriculture which provides for the most basic needs of humans and cattle. It is no wonder then that rivers had been held in great esteem by many civilizations. Rivers are revered because they nourished the life. Many saints and great men loved to live on its banks. Rivers are held in great esteem in Sikh religion.… Read More »Place of Rivers in Humanity

Assam Silk

Again, I am harking back to North-Eastern state of India: Assam. Still the land of mystery. I was going through imperial gazetteer of India and reading about Sibsagar, now bearing the moniker of “Sivasagar”. It was once the capital of Ahoms. They came from China to India through Eastern corridor and settled here for good. Over the time they adopted the Hindu religion. This district is very rich in natural resources. It is famous for oil fields, tea and silk sarees. There are many shops is the town selling the exquisite sarees. These shops are mostly owned by Marwari people… Read More »Assam Silk

Sugarcane

Sugar has become a dreaded word in the modern world. The term is used for the diabetes disease which is acquiring the epidemic proportions in the world. Although sugar alone cannot be blamed for this disease. Sugar is the major energy source along with fats on which our bodies run. Even the carbohydrates which we take in the form of bread and rice are ultimately broken down to simpler sucrose and then glucose compounds and are assimilated by our bodies. It is a matter of living style like stressful life, overeating and sedentary habits. So let us not blame sugar… Read More »Sugarcane

Mahseer Fish: The Tiger in Water

Mahseer is a fish belonging to carp family. It is found in the shimmering freshwater of Himalayan rivers especially Jhelum. Kashmiris prize this fish. Since Pakistan constructed Mangla Dam on the river in 1967, it became almost extinct on Indian side of the border. Scientific name of Mahseer is Tor. The name is composite of two words Mahi which means Fish and Sher meaning Tiger. It is a huge fish with size going up to 9 feet and weight more than 50 kilograms. It has a great strength and is very difficult to get hold on to. That is why… Read More »Mahseer Fish: The Tiger in Water

Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary

It is situated in the Dhubri and Kokrajhar of Bodoland Territorial Council. It is situated in the North East India. The area is still pollution free and is full of wildlife both flora and fauna. Chakrashila wildlife sanctuary is home to many endangered species of birds and animals like Golden Langur, Assamese Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, Leopards, Barking Hyenas and Wild Boars. Golden Langur (Presbytis Geei) which is on the verge of extinction is found here. It was spotted here in 1986. There are bats, rodents, mongoose & flying squirrels. It is home to 34 species of animals, 272 species of… Read More »Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary

Vidurashwatha: The forgotten Jallianwala of the South India

Just like April 13, 1919 is etched in the minds of Indians for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, April 25, 1938 is one of the days that the people of Vidurashwatha village in Karnataka find hard to forget. Vidurashwatha, a nondescript village in the Kolar district of the state. It gets its name from a banyan tree (ficus religiosa) said to have been planted by Vidura. Vidura is known for being staunch supporter of truth. When all the great men like Bhishma and Dronacharya sat helpless and looked on helplessly the excesses of Duryodhana, he was the one to protest and… Read More »Vidurashwatha: The forgotten Jallianwala of the South India