Decoding Mythology: A woman's body an article by Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik - Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist
http://starofmysore.com/searchinfo.asp?search1=7262&search2=specialnewsnewCONTRIBUTED BY: RIMJHIM ROY, II YEAR
Who Were the Vikings?
Contrary to some popular conceptions of the Vikings, they were not a "race" linked by ties of common ancestry or patriotism, and could not be defined by any particular sense of "Viking-ness." Most of the Vikings whose activities are best known come from the areas now know as Denmark, Norway and Sweden, though there are mentions in historical records of Finnish, Estonian and Saami Vikings as well. Their common ground--and what made them different from the European peoples they confronted--was that they came from a foreign land, they were not "civilized" in the local understanding of the word and--most importantly--they were not Christian.
Read more on:
http://www.history.com/topics/vikings
CONTRIBUTED BY: SUHANJALI SANTHA, II YEAR
Contrary to some popular conceptions of the Vikings, they were not a "race" linked by ties of common ancestry or patriotism, and could not be defined by any particular sense of "Viking-ness." Most of the Vikings whose activities are best known come from the areas now know as Denmark, Norway and Sweden, though there are mentions in historical records of Finnish, Estonian and Saami Vikings as well. Their common ground--and what made them different from the European peoples they confronted--was that they came from a foreign land, they were not "civilized" in the local understanding of the word and--most importantly--they were not Christian.
Read more on:
http://www.history.com/topics/vikings
CONTRIBUTED BY: SUHANJALI SANTHA, II YEAR
BECAUSE EACH DAY HAS SOME SIGNIFICANCE
January is the Roman word for door. The god Janus had two faces which allowed him to look forward into the coming year and backwards into the past year. The original Roman calendar only had 10 months. January and February were not included, but were added later.
January 1, 1502 - Portuguese explorers landed at Guanabara Bay on the coast of South America and named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January). Rio de Janeiro is currently Brazil's second largest city.
January 1, 1776 - During the American Revolution, George Washington unveiled the Grand Union Flag, the first national flag in America.
January 2, 1942 - During World War II in the Pacific, the Japanese captured the Philippines capital of Manila and the nearby air base at Cavite.
January 2, 1960 - In Washington, D.C., Senator John F. Kennedy announced his intention to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.
January 3, 1777 - During the American Revolution, General George Washington defeated the British at Princeton and drove them back toward New Brunswick. Washington then established winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. During the long harsh winter, Washington's army shrank to about a thousand men as enlistments expired and deserters fled.
January 4, 1790 - President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address.
January 5, 1925 - Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming became the first female governor inaugurated in the U.S.
January 5, 1972 - President Richard Nixon signed a bill approving $5.5 billion over six years to build and test the NASA space shuttle.
January 6, 1066 - Harold, Earl of Wessex, was crowned King of England following the death of his brother-in-law Edward the Confessor. Harold II was England's last Anglo-Saxon king. In October of 1066, Harold met the invading army of William the Conqueror at Hastings and died on the field of battle.
January 6, 1941 - President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his State of the Union address to Congress asking for support for the lend-lease program aiding Allies fighting the Axis powers. Roosevelt also defined four essential freedoms worth defending; freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
January 7, 1714 - A patent was issued for the first typewriter designed by British inventor Henry Mill "for the impressing or transcribing of letters singly or progressively one after another, as in writing."
January 7, 1999 - The first presidential impeachment trial in 130 years began as members of the U.S. Senate were sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist to decide whether President Clinton should be removed from office. House prosecutors had delivered two articles of impeachment charging Clinton with perjury and obstruction of justice.
January 8, 1918 - Amid the ongoing World War in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson proposed his Fourteen Points, calling for a reduction of arms, self determination for governments, and the creation of a League of Nations, all intended to serve as a basis for resolving the conflict and establishing a lasting peace in Europe.
January 8, 1964 - President Lyndon Johnson declared War on Poverty during his State of the Union message before Congress.
January 9, 1960 - With the first blast of dynamite, construction work began on the Aswan High Dam across the Nile River in southern Egypt. One third of the project's billion-dollar cost was underwritten by Soviet Russia. The dam created Lake Nasser, one of the world's largest reservoirs, at nearly 2,000 square miles and irrigated over 100,000 acres of surrounding desert. The dam was opened in January of 1971 by President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and President Nikolai Podgorny of the Soviet Union.
January 10, 1861 - Florida became the third state to secede from the Union in events leading up to the American Civil War.
January 10, 1863 - The world's first underground railway service opened in London, the Metropolitan line between Paddington and Farringdon.
January 11, 1571 - Emperor Maximilian II grants Austrian adel freedom of religion.
January 11, 1569 - 1st recorded lottery in England is drawn in St. Paul's Cathedral.
January 12, 1879 - In Southern Africa, the Zulu War began between the British and the natives of Zululand, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the Zulu Empire.
January 12, 1932 - Hattie W. Caraway, a Democrat from Arkansas, was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the term of her deceased husband. Later in the year, she became the first woman elected to the Senate.
January 13, 1898 - French author Emile Zola published J'Accuse, a letter accusing the French government of a cover-up in the Alfred Dreyfus case. Dreyfus had been convicted of treason for selling military secrets to the Germans and had been sent to Devil's Island. As a result of Zola's letter and subsequent trail, Dreyfus was completely vindicated.
January 13, 1935 - The population of the Saar region bordering France and Germany voted for incorporation into Hitler's Reich. The 737 square-mile area with its valuable coal deposits had been under French control following Germany's defeat in World War I.
January 14, 1514 – Pope Leo X issues a papal bull against slavery.
January 14, 1539 – Spain annexes Cuba.
January 14, 1639 – The "Fundamental Orders", the first written constitution that created a government, is adopted in Connecticut.
January 15, 69 A.D. - Roman Emperor Servius Sulpicius Galba was assassinated by the Praetorian guard in the Roman Forum. He had succeeded Emperor Nero.
January 15, 1535 - Henry VIII became Supreme Head of the Church in England as a result of the Act of Supremacy following his break with Rome.
January 16, 1547 - Ivan the Terrible had himself officially crowned as the first Russian Czar (Caesar) although he had already ruled Russia since 1533. His reign lasted until 1584 and brought much needed reforms including a new legal code and cultural development. However, during his reign he instituted a campaign of terror against the Russian nobility and had over 3,000 persons put to death. He also killed his own son during a fit of rage.
January 17, 1773 - The ship Resolution, sailing under Captain James Cook, became the first vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle.
January 17, 1945 - During World War II, Warsaw, Poland, was liberated by Soviet Russian troops.
January 18, 1966 - Robert Clifton Weaver was sworn in as the first African American cabinet member in U.S. history, becoming President Lyndon B. Johnson's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
January 19, 1983 - Former Gestapo official Klaus Barbie, known as the "Butcher of Lyon," was arrested in Bolivia, South America. He was responsible for deporting Jewish children from Lyon to Auschwitz where they were gassed. He also murdered French Resistance leader Jean Moulin and tortured others. He was exposed by Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld, extradited in 1987, then convicted by the French and died while in prison.
January 20, 1996 - Yasir Arafat became the first democratically-elected leader of the Palestinian people with 88.1 percent of the vote.
January 21, 1954 - The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear powered submarine, was launched at Groton, Connecticut.
January 22, 1943 - During World War II in the Pacific, Japanese resistance ended in New Guinea, resulting in the first land victory of the war for Allied forces.
January 22, 1973 - Abortion became legal in the U.S. as the Supreme Court announced its decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade striking down local state laws restricting abortions in the first six months of pregnancy. In more recent rulings (1989 and 1992) the Court upheld the power of individual states to impose some restrictions.
January 23, 1849 - Elizabeth Blackwell was awarded her MD by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York, thus becoming America's first woman doctor.
January 24, 41 AD- Roman Emperor Caligula was assassinated at the Palatine Games by his own guard after a reign of just four years, noted for his madness and cruelty including arbitrary murder.
January 24, 1848 - The California gold rush began with the accidental discovery of the precious metal near Coloma during construction of a Sutter's sawmill. An announcement by President Polk later in the year caused a national sensation and resulted in a flood of "Forty-niners" seeking wealth.
January 25, 1533 - King Henry VIII married his second wife, Anne Boleyn, in defiance of Pope Clement who had refused to annul his first marriage. The King later broke all ties with Rome and became Supreme Head of the Church of England.
January 26, 1994 - Romania became the first former Cold War foe to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
January 26, 1950 - Republic day is celebrated which commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950.
January 27, 1945 - The Russian Army liberated Auschwitz death camp near Krakow in Poland, where the Nazis had systematically murdered an estimated 2,000,000 persons, including 1,500,000 Jews.
January 27, 1967 - Three American astronauts were killed as a fire erupted inside Apollo 1 during a launch simulation test at Cape Kennedy, Florida.
January 28, 1986 - The U.S. Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 74 seconds into its flight, killing seven persons, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who was to be the first ordinary citizen in space.
January 29, 1916 - During World War I, the first aerial bombings of Paris by German zeppelins took place.
January 30, 1933 - Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg. Hitler went on to become the sole leader of Nazi Germany. He then waged a war of expansion in Europe, precipitating the deaths of an estimated 50 million persons through military conflict and through the Holocaust in which the Nazis attempted to exterminate the entire Jewish population of Europe.
January 30, 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi, India, by Nathuram Godse.
January 31, 1945 - Eddie Slovik, a 24-year-old U.S. Army private, was executed by a firing squad after being sentenced to death for desertion, the first such occurrence in the U.S. Army since the Civil War.
CONTRIBUTED BY: SUHANJALI SANTHA, II YEAR
January is the Roman word for door. The god Janus had two faces which allowed him to look forward into the coming year and backwards into the past year. The original Roman calendar only had 10 months. January and February were not included, but were added later.
January 1, 1502 - Portuguese explorers landed at Guanabara Bay on the coast of South America and named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January). Rio de Janeiro is currently Brazil's second largest city.
January 1, 1776 - During the American Revolution, George Washington unveiled the Grand Union Flag, the first national flag in America.
January 2, 1942 - During World War II in the Pacific, the Japanese captured the Philippines capital of Manila and the nearby air base at Cavite.
January 2, 1960 - In Washington, D.C., Senator John F. Kennedy announced his intention to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.
January 3, 1777 - During the American Revolution, General George Washington defeated the British at Princeton and drove them back toward New Brunswick. Washington then established winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. During the long harsh winter, Washington's army shrank to about a thousand men as enlistments expired and deserters fled.
January 4, 1790 - President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address.
January 5, 1925 - Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming became the first female governor inaugurated in the U.S.
January 5, 1972 - President Richard Nixon signed a bill approving $5.5 billion over six years to build and test the NASA space shuttle.
January 6, 1066 - Harold, Earl of Wessex, was crowned King of England following the death of his brother-in-law Edward the Confessor. Harold II was England's last Anglo-Saxon king. In October of 1066, Harold met the invading army of William the Conqueror at Hastings and died on the field of battle.
January 6, 1941 - President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his State of the Union address to Congress asking for support for the lend-lease program aiding Allies fighting the Axis powers. Roosevelt also defined four essential freedoms worth defending; freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
January 7, 1714 - A patent was issued for the first typewriter designed by British inventor Henry Mill "for the impressing or transcribing of letters singly or progressively one after another, as in writing."
January 7, 1999 - The first presidential impeachment trial in 130 years began as members of the U.S. Senate were sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist to decide whether President Clinton should be removed from office. House prosecutors had delivered two articles of impeachment charging Clinton with perjury and obstruction of justice.
January 8, 1918 - Amid the ongoing World War in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson proposed his Fourteen Points, calling for a reduction of arms, self determination for governments, and the creation of a League of Nations, all intended to serve as a basis for resolving the conflict and establishing a lasting peace in Europe.
January 8, 1964 - President Lyndon Johnson declared War on Poverty during his State of the Union message before Congress.
January 9, 1960 - With the first blast of dynamite, construction work began on the Aswan High Dam across the Nile River in southern Egypt. One third of the project's billion-dollar cost was underwritten by Soviet Russia. The dam created Lake Nasser, one of the world's largest reservoirs, at nearly 2,000 square miles and irrigated over 100,000 acres of surrounding desert. The dam was opened in January of 1971 by President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and President Nikolai Podgorny of the Soviet Union.
January 10, 1861 - Florida became the third state to secede from the Union in events leading up to the American Civil War.
January 10, 1863 - The world's first underground railway service opened in London, the Metropolitan line between Paddington and Farringdon.
January 11, 1571 - Emperor Maximilian II grants Austrian adel freedom of religion.
January 11, 1569 - 1st recorded lottery in England is drawn in St. Paul's Cathedral.
January 12, 1879 - In Southern Africa, the Zulu War began between the British and the natives of Zululand, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the Zulu Empire.
January 12, 1932 - Hattie W. Caraway, a Democrat from Arkansas, was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the term of her deceased husband. Later in the year, she became the first woman elected to the Senate.
January 13, 1898 - French author Emile Zola published J'Accuse, a letter accusing the French government of a cover-up in the Alfred Dreyfus case. Dreyfus had been convicted of treason for selling military secrets to the Germans and had been sent to Devil's Island. As a result of Zola's letter and subsequent trail, Dreyfus was completely vindicated.
January 13, 1935 - The population of the Saar region bordering France and Germany voted for incorporation into Hitler's Reich. The 737 square-mile area with its valuable coal deposits had been under French control following Germany's defeat in World War I.
January 14, 1514 – Pope Leo X issues a papal bull against slavery.
January 14, 1539 – Spain annexes Cuba.
January 14, 1639 – The "Fundamental Orders", the first written constitution that created a government, is adopted in Connecticut.
January 15, 69 A.D. - Roman Emperor Servius Sulpicius Galba was assassinated by the Praetorian guard in the Roman Forum. He had succeeded Emperor Nero.
January 15, 1535 - Henry VIII became Supreme Head of the Church in England as a result of the Act of Supremacy following his break with Rome.
January 16, 1547 - Ivan the Terrible had himself officially crowned as the first Russian Czar (Caesar) although he had already ruled Russia since 1533. His reign lasted until 1584 and brought much needed reforms including a new legal code and cultural development. However, during his reign he instituted a campaign of terror against the Russian nobility and had over 3,000 persons put to death. He also killed his own son during a fit of rage.
January 17, 1773 - The ship Resolution, sailing under Captain James Cook, became the first vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle.
January 17, 1945 - During World War II, Warsaw, Poland, was liberated by Soviet Russian troops.
January 18, 1966 - Robert Clifton Weaver was sworn in as the first African American cabinet member in U.S. history, becoming President Lyndon B. Johnson's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
January 19, 1983 - Former Gestapo official Klaus Barbie, known as the "Butcher of Lyon," was arrested in Bolivia, South America. He was responsible for deporting Jewish children from Lyon to Auschwitz where they were gassed. He also murdered French Resistance leader Jean Moulin and tortured others. He was exposed by Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld, extradited in 1987, then convicted by the French and died while in prison.
January 20, 1996 - Yasir Arafat became the first democratically-elected leader of the Palestinian people with 88.1 percent of the vote.
January 21, 1954 - The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear powered submarine, was launched at Groton, Connecticut.
January 22, 1943 - During World War II in the Pacific, Japanese resistance ended in New Guinea, resulting in the first land victory of the war for Allied forces.
January 22, 1973 - Abortion became legal in the U.S. as the Supreme Court announced its decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade striking down local state laws restricting abortions in the first six months of pregnancy. In more recent rulings (1989 and 1992) the Court upheld the power of individual states to impose some restrictions.
January 23, 1849 - Elizabeth Blackwell was awarded her MD by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York, thus becoming America's first woman doctor.
January 24, 41 AD- Roman Emperor Caligula was assassinated at the Palatine Games by his own guard after a reign of just four years, noted for his madness and cruelty including arbitrary murder.
January 24, 1848 - The California gold rush began with the accidental discovery of the precious metal near Coloma during construction of a Sutter's sawmill. An announcement by President Polk later in the year caused a national sensation and resulted in a flood of "Forty-niners" seeking wealth.
January 25, 1533 - King Henry VIII married his second wife, Anne Boleyn, in defiance of Pope Clement who had refused to annul his first marriage. The King later broke all ties with Rome and became Supreme Head of the Church of England.
January 26, 1994 - Romania became the first former Cold War foe to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
January 26, 1950 - Republic day is celebrated which commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950.
January 27, 1945 - The Russian Army liberated Auschwitz death camp near Krakow in Poland, where the Nazis had systematically murdered an estimated 2,000,000 persons, including 1,500,000 Jews.
January 27, 1967 - Three American astronauts were killed as a fire erupted inside Apollo 1 during a launch simulation test at Cape Kennedy, Florida.
January 28, 1986 - The U.S. Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 74 seconds into its flight, killing seven persons, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who was to be the first ordinary citizen in space.
January 29, 1916 - During World War I, the first aerial bombings of Paris by German zeppelins took place.
January 30, 1933 - Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Paul von Hindenburg. Hitler went on to become the sole leader of Nazi Germany. He then waged a war of expansion in Europe, precipitating the deaths of an estimated 50 million persons through military conflict and through the Holocaust in which the Nazis attempted to exterminate the entire Jewish population of Europe.
January 30, 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi, India, by Nathuram Godse.
January 31, 1945 - Eddie Slovik, a 24-year-old U.S. Army private, was executed by a firing squad after being sentenced to death for desertion, the first such occurrence in the U.S. Army since the Civil War.
CONTRIBUTED BY: SUHANJALI SANTHA, II YEAR
HISTORIC WORDS BY THE FIRST EXPLORERS OF THE MOON. This article was originally published in December 1969
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/1969/12/moon-landing/astronauts-text?source=link_fb20120825ngm-armstrong1969issue&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20120825ngm-armstrong1969issue&utm_campaign=Content
12 UNBELIEVING AND SEEMINGLY UNREAL OLD WAR PHOTOS
http://www.cracked.com/article_19984_12-old-war-photographs-you-wont-believe-arent-photoshopped.html?
Castles, Ancient Treasures Under Fire in Syria—Possibly Beyond repair
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/08/120817-syria-lebanon-world-archaeology-conflict-damage-treasures/
Neanderthals- self medicated?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120720-neanderthals-herbs-humans-medicine-science/
Mystery of lost Roman city solved. Monumental ruins provide solid evidence of centuries of Roman rule at Syria's Palmyra.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120717-palmyra-roman-city-syria-science-farming-world-ancient/
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/1969/12/moon-landing/astronauts-text?source=link_fb20120825ngm-armstrong1969issue&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20120825ngm-armstrong1969issue&utm_campaign=Content
12 UNBELIEVING AND SEEMINGLY UNREAL OLD WAR PHOTOS
http://www.cracked.com/article_19984_12-old-war-photographs-you-wont-believe-arent-photoshopped.html?
Castles, Ancient Treasures Under Fire in Syria—Possibly Beyond repair
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/08/120817-syria-lebanon-world-archaeology-conflict-damage-treasures/
Neanderthals- self medicated?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120720-neanderthals-herbs-humans-medicine-science/
Mystery of lost Roman city solved. Monumental ruins provide solid evidence of centuries of Roman rule at Syria's Palmyra.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120717-palmyra-roman-city-syria-science-farming-world-ancient/
BECAUSE EACH DAY HAS SOME SIGNIFICANCE….September 1, 1715 - The "Sun King" (King Louis XIV of France) died. He had ruled since the age of five and was succeeded by his 5-year-old great-grandson Louis XV.
September 1, 1939 - At 5.30 a.m., Hitler's armies invaded Poland starting World War II in Europe.
September 1, 1969 - Military officers overthrew the Libyan government. The Libyan Arab Republic was then proclaimed under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
September 2, 31 B.C. - Roman legions under Augustus Caesar defeated Mark Anthony's naval force at Actium.
September 2, 1752 - The British ended their use of the Julian calendar, switching instead to the Gregorian calendar, resulting in a major adjustment as Wednesday, September 2, was followed by Thursday, September 14. The correction resulted in rioting by people who felt cheated and demanded the missing eleven days back.
September 2, 1945 - Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of Vietnam and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
September 3, 1783 - The Treaty of Paris was signed by John Adams, Ben Franklin and John Jay, formally ending the American Revolutionary War between Britain and the United States.
September 3, 1939 - Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany after its invasion of Poland two days earlier.
September 3, 1943 - Italy signed an armistice with the Allies during World War II in Europe as the British Eighth Army, commanded by General Bernard Montgomery, invaded the Italian mainland from Sicily.
September 4, 1609 - The island of Manhattan was discovered by navigator Henry Hudson.
September 4, 1781 - Los Angeles was founded by the Spanish Governor of California, Felipe de Neve, near the site of the Native American village of Yang-na. The original name was El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (The Town of the Queen of the Angels).
September 5, 1997 - Mother Teresa died in Calcutta at age 87, after a life of good works spent aiding the sick and poor in India through her Missionaries of Charity order.
September 6, 1991 - Leningrad was renamed Saint Petersburg by Russian legislators following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia's second largest city had been known as Leningrad for 67 years in honor of Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union.
September 7, 1822 - Brazil declared its independence from Portugal after 322 years as a colony.
September 7, 1940 - The German Luftwaffe began its Blitz bombing campaign against London during World War II.
September 8, 1565 - The first Catholic settlement in America was founded by Spaniard Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles at St. Augustine, Florida.
September 9, 1776 - The United States came into existence as the Continental Congress changed the name of the new American nation from the United Colonies.
September 9, 1976 - Longtime leader of Communist China, Chairman Mao Zedong, died.
September 10, 1919 - Following the defeat of Germany in World War I, the victorious Allies signed the Treaty of Saint-Germain ceding parts of pre-war German-Austria to Italy and Czechoslovakia. Austria was also forbidden to unite with Germany.
September 10, 1943 - Hitler's troops occupied Rome and took over the protection of Vatican City.
September 11, 2001 - The worst terrorist attack in U.S. history occurred as four large passenger jets were hijacked then crashed, killing nearly 3,000 persons.
September 12, 1990 - A treaty was signed by East and West Germany and the Allies of World War II allowing for the restoration of sovereignty to a re-unified Germany.
September 13, 1788 - The U.S. Congress chose New York as the Federal capital of the new American government.
September 14, 1930 - The Nazi Party became the second largest party in Germany following a stunning election triumph by Adolf Hitler.
September 14, 1960 - The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed by representatives of oil-producing countries meeting in Baghdad.
September 15, 1916 - Tanks were first used in combat, during the Allied offensive at the Battle of the Somme, in World War I.
September 15, 1935 - Nazis enacted the Nuremburg Laws depriving German Jews of their rights of citizenship.
September 16, 1620 - The Mayflower ship departed from England, bound for America with 102 passengers and a small crew. The ship weathered dangerous Atlantic storms and reached Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 21st. The Pilgrims disembarked at Plymouth on December 26th.
September 17, 1862 - The bloodiest day in U.S. military history occurred as General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate armies were stopped at Antietam in Maryland by General George B. McClellan and numerically superior Union forces. By nightfall 26,000 men were dead, wounded, or missing.
September 18, 1810 - Chile declared its independence from Spain after 269 years as a colony.
September 19, 1893 - New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote.
September 20, 1873 - The New York Stock Exchange was forced to close for the first time in its history as a result of a banking crisis during the financial Panic of 1873.
September 21, 1949 - The People's Republic of China was proclaimed by its Communist leaders.
September 22, 1862 - President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves in territories held by Confederates as of January 1, 1863.
September 23, 1952 - Vice-presidential candidate Richard Nixon delivered his Checkers Speech on television and radio to address accusations of financial misdeeds.
September 24, 1980 - War erupted between Iran and Iraq as Iraqi troops crossed the border and encircled Abadan, then set fire to the world's largest oil refinery.
September 25, 1690 - The first American newspaper was published.
September 26, 1918 - The last major battle of World War I, the Battle of the Argonne, began as a combined force of French and Americans attacked the Germans along a 40-mile front.
September 28, 1542 - California was discovered by Portuguese navigator Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo upon his arrival at San Diego Bay
September 29, 1789 - Congress created the United States Army, consisting of 1,000 enlisted men and officers.
September 30, 1949 - The Berlin Airlift concluded after 277,264 flights carrying over 2 million tons of supplies to the people of West Berlin, who were blockaded by the Soviets.
September 1, 1939 - At 5.30 a.m., Hitler's armies invaded Poland starting World War II in Europe.
September 1, 1969 - Military officers overthrew the Libyan government. The Libyan Arab Republic was then proclaimed under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
September 2, 31 B.C. - Roman legions under Augustus Caesar defeated Mark Anthony's naval force at Actium.
September 2, 1752 - The British ended their use of the Julian calendar, switching instead to the Gregorian calendar, resulting in a major adjustment as Wednesday, September 2, was followed by Thursday, September 14. The correction resulted in rioting by people who felt cheated and demanded the missing eleven days back.
September 2, 1945 - Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of Vietnam and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
September 3, 1783 - The Treaty of Paris was signed by John Adams, Ben Franklin and John Jay, formally ending the American Revolutionary War between Britain and the United States.
September 3, 1939 - Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany after its invasion of Poland two days earlier.
September 3, 1943 - Italy signed an armistice with the Allies during World War II in Europe as the British Eighth Army, commanded by General Bernard Montgomery, invaded the Italian mainland from Sicily.
September 4, 1609 - The island of Manhattan was discovered by navigator Henry Hudson.
September 4, 1781 - Los Angeles was founded by the Spanish Governor of California, Felipe de Neve, near the site of the Native American village of Yang-na. The original name was El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (The Town of the Queen of the Angels).
September 5, 1997 - Mother Teresa died in Calcutta at age 87, after a life of good works spent aiding the sick and poor in India through her Missionaries of Charity order.
September 6, 1991 - Leningrad was renamed Saint Petersburg by Russian legislators following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia's second largest city had been known as Leningrad for 67 years in honor of Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union.
September 7, 1822 - Brazil declared its independence from Portugal after 322 years as a colony.
September 7, 1940 - The German Luftwaffe began its Blitz bombing campaign against London during World War II.
September 8, 1565 - The first Catholic settlement in America was founded by Spaniard Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles at St. Augustine, Florida.
September 9, 1776 - The United States came into existence as the Continental Congress changed the name of the new American nation from the United Colonies.
September 9, 1976 - Longtime leader of Communist China, Chairman Mao Zedong, died.
September 10, 1919 - Following the defeat of Germany in World War I, the victorious Allies signed the Treaty of Saint-Germain ceding parts of pre-war German-Austria to Italy and Czechoslovakia. Austria was also forbidden to unite with Germany.
September 10, 1943 - Hitler's troops occupied Rome and took over the protection of Vatican City.
September 11, 2001 - The worst terrorist attack in U.S. history occurred as four large passenger jets were hijacked then crashed, killing nearly 3,000 persons.
September 12, 1990 - A treaty was signed by East and West Germany and the Allies of World War II allowing for the restoration of sovereignty to a re-unified Germany.
September 13, 1788 - The U.S. Congress chose New York as the Federal capital of the new American government.
September 14, 1930 - The Nazi Party became the second largest party in Germany following a stunning election triumph by Adolf Hitler.
September 14, 1960 - The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed by representatives of oil-producing countries meeting in Baghdad.
September 15, 1916 - Tanks were first used in combat, during the Allied offensive at the Battle of the Somme, in World War I.
September 15, 1935 - Nazis enacted the Nuremburg Laws depriving German Jews of their rights of citizenship.
September 16, 1620 - The Mayflower ship departed from England, bound for America with 102 passengers and a small crew. The ship weathered dangerous Atlantic storms and reached Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 21st. The Pilgrims disembarked at Plymouth on December 26th.
September 17, 1862 - The bloodiest day in U.S. military history occurred as General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate armies were stopped at Antietam in Maryland by General George B. McClellan and numerically superior Union forces. By nightfall 26,000 men were dead, wounded, or missing.
September 18, 1810 - Chile declared its independence from Spain after 269 years as a colony.
September 19, 1893 - New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote.
September 20, 1873 - The New York Stock Exchange was forced to close for the first time in its history as a result of a banking crisis during the financial Panic of 1873.
September 21, 1949 - The People's Republic of China was proclaimed by its Communist leaders.
September 22, 1862 - President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves in territories held by Confederates as of January 1, 1863.
September 23, 1952 - Vice-presidential candidate Richard Nixon delivered his Checkers Speech on television and radio to address accusations of financial misdeeds.
September 24, 1980 - War erupted between Iran and Iraq as Iraqi troops crossed the border and encircled Abadan, then set fire to the world's largest oil refinery.
September 25, 1690 - The first American newspaper was published.
September 26, 1918 - The last major battle of World War I, the Battle of the Argonne, began as a combined force of French and Americans attacked the Germans along a 40-mile front.
September 28, 1542 - California was discovered by Portuguese navigator Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo upon his arrival at San Diego Bay
September 29, 1789 - Congress created the United States Army, consisting of 1,000 enlisted men and officers.
September 30, 1949 - The Berlin Airlift concluded after 277,264 flights carrying over 2 million tons of supplies to the people of West Berlin, who were blockaded by the Soviets.
CONNAUGHT PLACE: As English as it could get!
Manoj Sharma, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, February 09, 2011
Connaught Place, the Capital’s grandest and most famous shopping complex, had a not-so-grand beginning. In fact, when CP, with its spacious verandahs and lofty white arcades, was ready for occupation in 1933, it had no takers. Most traders of the Walled City joked that the big shops of CP will end up serving as horse stables and car garages.“ Property dealers and owners most of whom wanted to rent out their shops had a hard time convincing prospective tenants. Initially, some well-known traders from the Walled City and neighbouring states such as UP and Punjab opened their shops in CP. But there were hardly any customer for the first few years,” says Sultan Singh Backliwal, 84, managing partner, Indian Art Palace in CP. Backliwal’s family was among the first from the Walled City to set up a shop in CP. Many traders from Shimla, where they already had their shops and boasted of a large chunk of Britishers as their customers, also opened their branches in CP.
But the business in CP picked up after a largescale influx of American and British soldiers into the city during the Second World War. In fact, British and American soldiers and the anglicised from Civil Lines provided CP its first footfall. “These soldiers were our first customers. They brought a new life to CP,” says Ashok Vaish, 64, owner of Vaish at Rivoli Tailors, which was set up in 1939, the year the Second World War broke out.
In the early 40s, the reputation of the shops in CP began to spread far and wide. In fact, CP had iconic shops, which could easily give high-end shops in many European streets a run for their money in terms of their quality of goods, display and salesmanship. Some of these shops were run by Britishers. A few such shops were the Empire Stores, Army and Navy store (both general stores, Ranken & Company, Phelps; ( both tailors and drapers) Hamilton & Company (jewellers), B Lila Ram & Sons ( sari sellers), RS Bhola Ram & Sons (wine merchants, etc.
“Shops in CP sold high-quality goods imported from Europe and America. The CP traders had developed deep trust and personal rapport with their customers. There was no question of a customer being cheated in any way,” says Backliwal. The shops in CP, with their large European style display windows and suave and English-speaking owners, attracted the rich, famous and the royals. In fact, many would roll out a red carpet every time a royal came for shopping. It also meant that being a customer at a CP shop could elevate your social status.
“We in Old Delhi were amazed to learn that Moti Lal, our next door neighbour, (later a famous film actor) was a customer at Phelps,” late Maheshwar Dayal, who was president of the New Delhi Traders’ Association (NDTA) )in the early 50s, had said at a seminar on the predestination of CP in 1992.
Unlike Inner Circle, the Outer Circle had a heterogeneous mix of shops — commercial offices, restaurants and car showrooms. The shops in CP used to remain closed for lunch break from 1.30 to 3.30pm. In the 40s, there used to be a carnival-like atmosphere in CP during Christmas and New Year. However, only a few shops owned by Britishers offered ‘sale’. A major change in CP occurred after Independence. Most Britishers, who ran the shops in CP, left. A large number of refugees from Pakistan set up show-windows in the corners of the blocks. Post-partition, the pagadi system to take a shop on rent started and many shops were taken over by refugees. But despite its present congestion and chaos, CP continues to be the city’s most famous shopping centre.
Manoj Sharma, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, February 09, 2011
Connaught Place, the Capital’s grandest and most famous shopping complex, had a not-so-grand beginning. In fact, when CP, with its spacious verandahs and lofty white arcades, was ready for occupation in 1933, it had no takers. Most traders of the Walled City joked that the big shops of CP will end up serving as horse stables and car garages.“ Property dealers and owners most of whom wanted to rent out their shops had a hard time convincing prospective tenants. Initially, some well-known traders from the Walled City and neighbouring states such as UP and Punjab opened their shops in CP. But there were hardly any customer for the first few years,” says Sultan Singh Backliwal, 84, managing partner, Indian Art Palace in CP. Backliwal’s family was among the first from the Walled City to set up a shop in CP. Many traders from Shimla, where they already had their shops and boasted of a large chunk of Britishers as their customers, also opened their branches in CP.
But the business in CP picked up after a largescale influx of American and British soldiers into the city during the Second World War. In fact, British and American soldiers and the anglicised from Civil Lines provided CP its first footfall. “These soldiers were our first customers. They brought a new life to CP,” says Ashok Vaish, 64, owner of Vaish at Rivoli Tailors, which was set up in 1939, the year the Second World War broke out.
In the early 40s, the reputation of the shops in CP began to spread far and wide. In fact, CP had iconic shops, which could easily give high-end shops in many European streets a run for their money in terms of their quality of goods, display and salesmanship. Some of these shops were run by Britishers. A few such shops were the Empire Stores, Army and Navy store (both general stores, Ranken & Company, Phelps; ( both tailors and drapers) Hamilton & Company (jewellers), B Lila Ram & Sons ( sari sellers), RS Bhola Ram & Sons (wine merchants, etc.
“Shops in CP sold high-quality goods imported from Europe and America. The CP traders had developed deep trust and personal rapport with their customers. There was no question of a customer being cheated in any way,” says Backliwal. The shops in CP, with their large European style display windows and suave and English-speaking owners, attracted the rich, famous and the royals. In fact, many would roll out a red carpet every time a royal came for shopping. It also meant that being a customer at a CP shop could elevate your social status.
“We in Old Delhi were amazed to learn that Moti Lal, our next door neighbour, (later a famous film actor) was a customer at Phelps,” late Maheshwar Dayal, who was president of the New Delhi Traders’ Association (NDTA) )in the early 50s, had said at a seminar on the predestination of CP in 1992.
Unlike Inner Circle, the Outer Circle had a heterogeneous mix of shops — commercial offices, restaurants and car showrooms. The shops in CP used to remain closed for lunch break from 1.30 to 3.30pm. In the 40s, there used to be a carnival-like atmosphere in CP during Christmas and New Year. However, only a few shops owned by Britishers offered ‘sale’. A major change in CP occurred after Independence. Most Britishers, who ran the shops in CP, left. A large number of refugees from Pakistan set up show-windows in the corners of the blocks. Post-partition, the pagadi system to take a shop on rent started and many shops were taken over by refugees. But despite its present congestion and chaos, CP continues to be the city’s most famous shopping centre.
Parliament House: 144 pillars of pride
New Delhi, June 07, 2011, Hindustan times.
When you think of the Parliament House, the seat of Indian democracy, the first image that comes to the mind is that of a majestic circular building with its landmark colonnaded verandah. Hard to imagine, then, that the building was originally planned to be a triangular structure. Commissioned much later after the layout of New Delhi was planned, the Parliament House (then called Council House) got a secondary location compared to the Government House and Secretariat. However, with increasing Indian participation in government, a bigger accommodation was required for the Council Chamber.
The original three-pronged building would have housed the Council of State (now Rajya Sabha), the Legislative Assembly (Lok Sabha) and the Chamber of Princes (later Library hall). Edwin Lutyens, however, imagined a Coliseum like structure and finally, it a circular building was finalised.The foundation stone was laid on February 12, 1921 by The Duke of Connaught and the building was unveiled on January 18, 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. The Parliament House covers nearly six acres and has a massive diameter of 560 feet.
The centre of the building is the Central Hall and radiating from this centre were placed the three semi-circular Chambers, surrounded by garden courts. The three Chambers are connected by a four-storeyed circular structure with a colonnaded verandah on the outside, with 144 pillars, each 27 feet high.The dome of the central chamber, however, is too small when compared to those of the Rashtrapati Bhavan or even the Secretariat. This was a result of cost cutting and the building of an extra floor on the circumference made the dome even less visible.
Though less pampered than the Government House and Secretariat, it was the Council House (Parliament House) that would become the most important building of independent India.It was the Central Chamber of the Council House where the official transfer of power took place in 1947 and Jawaharlal Nehru made his famous ‘tryst with destiny’ speech. The Central Chamber still holds the joint sessions of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Chamber of Princes also housed the Supreme Court of India for a decade after independence
New Delhi, June 07, 2011, Hindustan times.
When you think of the Parliament House, the seat of Indian democracy, the first image that comes to the mind is that of a majestic circular building with its landmark colonnaded verandah. Hard to imagine, then, that the building was originally planned to be a triangular structure. Commissioned much later after the layout of New Delhi was planned, the Parliament House (then called Council House) got a secondary location compared to the Government House and Secretariat. However, with increasing Indian participation in government, a bigger accommodation was required for the Council Chamber.
The original three-pronged building would have housed the Council of State (now Rajya Sabha), the Legislative Assembly (Lok Sabha) and the Chamber of Princes (later Library hall). Edwin Lutyens, however, imagined a Coliseum like structure and finally, it a circular building was finalised.The foundation stone was laid on February 12, 1921 by The Duke of Connaught and the building was unveiled on January 18, 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. The Parliament House covers nearly six acres and has a massive diameter of 560 feet.
The centre of the building is the Central Hall and radiating from this centre were placed the three semi-circular Chambers, surrounded by garden courts. The three Chambers are connected by a four-storeyed circular structure with a colonnaded verandah on the outside, with 144 pillars, each 27 feet high.The dome of the central chamber, however, is too small when compared to those of the Rashtrapati Bhavan or even the Secretariat. This was a result of cost cutting and the building of an extra floor on the circumference made the dome even less visible.
Though less pampered than the Government House and Secretariat, it was the Council House (Parliament House) that would become the most important building of independent India.It was the Central Chamber of the Council House where the official transfer of power took place in 1947 and Jawaharlal Nehru made his famous ‘tryst with destiny’ speech. The Central Chamber still holds the joint sessions of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Chamber of Princes also housed the Supreme Court of India for a decade after independence
Delhi- Perfect, balanced blend of East and West
The initial inspiration for the layout of New Delhi, it is believed, came from Washington DC and that of the Government House from Capitol Hill of the same city. However, by the time the Viceroy’s House came up, it showcased a unique confluence of western and Indian styles. The chief architect of the British Indian Capital, Edwin Lutyens, detested all things Indian. His lieutenant, Herbert Baker, was an even stauncher supporter of building a city that would mirror British imperial power. It was Viceroy Hardinge who insisted that the new city and its structures should be imbued with Indian designs and
motifs.
Leaving his distaste aside, Lutyens started studying Indian architectural styles and travelled extensively to gather the colours of India from its buildings, fabrics and furniture. The result was the extensive use of Indian designs and motifs like domes, Chajjas, Chhatris and Jaalis. The most imposing part of the Government House, its dome, is clearly influenced by the stupa at Sanchi. In fact, the style in which the dome was raised, too, was Indian. The Red Fort and other Mughal buildings lent marble mosaics that influenced patterned floors and stone jaalis that allowed ventilation.
Indian flora and fauna too were a big influence on Lutyens, who extensively used lotus and pine cone forms in the buildings and animal statues of intricately carved and decorated elephants, lions and snakes.Apart from the use of domes, other traditional Indian architectural styles incorporated in the building includes chhatris, chajjas, cupolas, courtyards and verandas. Bamboo chiks were used to keep the scorching Indian summer at bay and cane chairs provided cool and airy seating.
It is perhaps the contribution of Lutyens in synthesizing western and eastern styles in his building that his bust can still be found inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan, even when statues and busts of the British monarchy and other officials were removed after independence in 1947.
The initial inspiration for the layout of New Delhi, it is believed, came from Washington DC and that of the Government House from Capitol Hill of the same city. However, by the time the Viceroy’s House came up, it showcased a unique confluence of western and Indian styles. The chief architect of the British Indian Capital, Edwin Lutyens, detested all things Indian. His lieutenant, Herbert Baker, was an even stauncher supporter of building a city that would mirror British imperial power. It was Viceroy Hardinge who insisted that the new city and its structures should be imbued with Indian designs and
motifs.
Leaving his distaste aside, Lutyens started studying Indian architectural styles and travelled extensively to gather the colours of India from its buildings, fabrics and furniture. The result was the extensive use of Indian designs and motifs like domes, Chajjas, Chhatris and Jaalis. The most imposing part of the Government House, its dome, is clearly influenced by the stupa at Sanchi. In fact, the style in which the dome was raised, too, was Indian. The Red Fort and other Mughal buildings lent marble mosaics that influenced patterned floors and stone jaalis that allowed ventilation.
Indian flora and fauna too were a big influence on Lutyens, who extensively used lotus and pine cone forms in the buildings and animal statues of intricately carved and decorated elephants, lions and snakes.Apart from the use of domes, other traditional Indian architectural styles incorporated in the building includes chhatris, chajjas, cupolas, courtyards and verandas. Bamboo chiks were used to keep the scorching Indian summer at bay and cane chairs provided cool and airy seating.
It is perhaps the contribution of Lutyens in synthesizing western and eastern styles in his building that his bust can still be found inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan, even when statues and busts of the British monarchy and other officials were removed after independence in 1947.
The building Blocks of British Empire-North and South Blocks
After the Government House (Rashtrapati Bhavan), the most imposing building of New Delhi, the Secretariat with its two arms — North and South Blocks — were the second most important buildings of the Capital to house the all important British bureaucracy. With the Capital’s chief architect Edwin Lutyens absorbed in the construction of Government House, the job of planning and building the Secretariat fell on Herbert Baker. The two symmetrical buildings were to accommodate the central Indian services and many other departments of the British Indian government.
Lutyens, who wanted the Government House to tower above New Delhi, wanted the Secretariat to be built at a slightly lower level. Baker, however, persisted that all three buildings be built at the same height on the Raisina Hill, so that the bureaucracy can rule India from an exalted position. Despite Lutyens objections, Baker prevailed. Going with his imperialist streak, Baker not only planned the Secretariat at a height but also kept the stone walls unembellished to give them a solid look to portray British might and power.
With four levels, each with about 1,000 rooms, the North and South Blocks were made spacious enough to house the many departments and then leave some more room for future expansion in the inner courtyards. The space, however, fell short in a few years and hutments were created to cater to growing demand for room.Like the Government House, the Secretariat buildings, too, were built with cream and red Dholpur sandstone, with the red sandstone forming the base. Baker stuck to conventional classical architectural style but incorporated many Indian style forms and motifs as well. The most prominent of these were the chhatris and jaalis.
The buildings are arranged to form two squares, the first on the eastern ends where the main entrances are located and the other two near the gate of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Broad corridors connected the different wings of the buildings and wide stairways connected the four floors. While the walls are mostly sparse, going with Indian architectural style, most of the decoration is found on the roofs. The centre of each building is marked by a dome.
Another feature of the Secretariat are the four dominion columns in front of the four main gates, given by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. By the time these columns were unveiled in 1930, it was believed that India too would become a British dominion very soon. India, however, became independent in the next 17 years and the Secretariat became the seat of power of a sovereign India.
Tale of ‘twin’ towers
Before he got the assignment to plan and design New Delhi with Edwin Lutyens, Herbert Baker had made a mark by constructing government buildings in South Africa. The Secretariat — North and South Blocks — designed by Baker clearly showcases the influence of his earlier work than original styles. The Secretariat, in fact, looks like a long lost brother of the Union Building in Pretoria, South Africa, built by Baker. Like the Secretariat’s two blocks, the Union Building is marked by two identical wings with two towers. The colonnaded balconies too, are an exact copy of the Union Building. The major difference between the two are that while the North and South Blocks are separated and face each other, the two wings of the Union Building are joined by a semi-circular colonnade. Also, while the Secretariat roofs are open as per Indian style, the roof of Union Building is covered with red tiles.
After the Government House (Rashtrapati Bhavan), the most imposing building of New Delhi, the Secretariat with its two arms — North and South Blocks — were the second most important buildings of the Capital to house the all important British bureaucracy. With the Capital’s chief architect Edwin Lutyens absorbed in the construction of Government House, the job of planning and building the Secretariat fell on Herbert Baker. The two symmetrical buildings were to accommodate the central Indian services and many other departments of the British Indian government.
Lutyens, who wanted the Government House to tower above New Delhi, wanted the Secretariat to be built at a slightly lower level. Baker, however, persisted that all three buildings be built at the same height on the Raisina Hill, so that the bureaucracy can rule India from an exalted position. Despite Lutyens objections, Baker prevailed. Going with his imperialist streak, Baker not only planned the Secretariat at a height but also kept the stone walls unembellished to give them a solid look to portray British might and power.
With four levels, each with about 1,000 rooms, the North and South Blocks were made spacious enough to house the many departments and then leave some more room for future expansion in the inner courtyards. The space, however, fell short in a few years and hutments were created to cater to growing demand for room.Like the Government House, the Secretariat buildings, too, were built with cream and red Dholpur sandstone, with the red sandstone forming the base. Baker stuck to conventional classical architectural style but incorporated many Indian style forms and motifs as well. The most prominent of these were the chhatris and jaalis.
The buildings are arranged to form two squares, the first on the eastern ends where the main entrances are located and the other two near the gate of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Broad corridors connected the different wings of the buildings and wide stairways connected the four floors. While the walls are mostly sparse, going with Indian architectural style, most of the decoration is found on the roofs. The centre of each building is marked by a dome.
Another feature of the Secretariat are the four dominion columns in front of the four main gates, given by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. By the time these columns were unveiled in 1930, it was believed that India too would become a British dominion very soon. India, however, became independent in the next 17 years and the Secretariat became the seat of power of a sovereign India.
Tale of ‘twin’ towers
Before he got the assignment to plan and design New Delhi with Edwin Lutyens, Herbert Baker had made a mark by constructing government buildings in South Africa. The Secretariat — North and South Blocks — designed by Baker clearly showcases the influence of his earlier work than original styles. The Secretariat, in fact, looks like a long lost brother of the Union Building in Pretoria, South Africa, built by Baker. Like the Secretariat’s two blocks, the Union Building is marked by two identical wings with two towers. The colonnaded balconies too, are an exact copy of the Union Building. The major difference between the two are that while the North and South Blocks are separated and face each other, the two wings of the Union Building are joined by a semi-circular colonnade. Also, while the Secretariat roofs are open as per Indian style, the roof of Union Building is covered with red tiles.
A number of shops at Connaught Place boast of a rich legacy
February 09, 2011, Hindustan times.
Ram Chandra and Sons, 1935
The history of this shop which has been in CP since 1935 goes back to more than 120 years. It is perhaps India’s oldest toy store. The shop was set by Raj Sunder who came to Delhi from from Kasauli. “My father was looking for expansion. Those days traders looked either at Delhi or Lahore for expansion; my father chose Delhi,” says Satish Sundra, 74. He now runs the shop with his son. Enter the shop and you see toys of all kinds and make — model aircrafts, dolls, battery-operated cars et al. The Gandhis, Scindias, Pataudis and Goenkas have also been its clients. “Indira Gandhi bought toys from us for Sanjay and Rajiv Gandhi, and then Rajiv and Sonia for their children,” says Sundra, who is a walking encyclopedia on toys. The father-son duo are students of St Stephens.
Novex, 1937
Set up in 1937, it is one of the oldest establishments in CP. For the past seven decades, Novex has been one of the most sought after dry cleaners of New Delhi. The firm was established by KM Bhargava and RN Bhargava who came from Mathura. Today, run by RN Bhargava’s sons Atul and YN Bhargava, this establishment, which has also diversified into retail garment business boasts of many illustrious customers. “BK Nehru and Indira Gandhi have been our clients. We were the official dry cleaners for former presidents Dr Zakir Hussain and VV Giri,” says Atul Bhargava, who is also the chief of NDTA. Novex was also the official dry cleaners for the Asian Games 1982. That the family has taken their business seriously is evident from the fact that both the brothers have studied dry cleaning in London.
Dhoomi Mal Gallery, 1936
Dhoomi Mal Gallery (DMG) is city’s first art gallery. It was started in 1936 from a shop in CP that sold art material and stationary by Ram Chandra Jain, who owned a printing press in the Walled City. In those days, it was more of a meeting place for artists and art connoisseurs. In fact, art lovers from across the country visited the gallery in the 1940s. The gallery has had visitors such as former Presidents Dr Rajendra Prasad and Dr Zakir Hussain, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In the mid- 40s, the gallery hosted group shows of artists such as Sailoz Mookherjea, KS Kulkarni, Shanti Dev and Vimal Das Gupta. “In the 30s, there was no place in the city where the artists could display their work and meet. It has been our tradition to promote good art and artists,” says Uma Jain, who runs the gallery.
Vaish at Rivoli, 1939
In the past 70 years, this shop at Rivoli Cinema has been one of the most sought after tailoring destinations in the Capital by the rich, famous and the royals. It has boasted of illustrious clients, including Maharaja of Jaipur, Maharaja of Rampur, Dr BR Ambedkar, etc. The shop was established by OP Vaish in 1939, who came to Delhi from a village near Meerut. Today, the shop is run by his son Ashok Vaish, who still practices bespoke tailoring as a fine art. “When my father started his workshop in CP , there were very few takers for shops in CP. He was 19 at that time and knew nothing about tailoring,” says Ashok Vaish. Both Ashok and his father learnt tailoring from the prestigious Tailor & Cutter academy in London in 1970 and 1950 respectively.
Indian Arts Palace, 1935
This ethnic gems, jewellery and art shop has a 200-year-old history. The CP branch of the shop, which was already in Chandni Chowk and Kashmere Gate, was opened in 1935. The shop has been a favourite haunt of collectors from all over the world and boasts of viceroys, maharajas , diplomats and industrialists among its clients. Nita Ambani and John D Rockefeller III, the American oil magnate, have also visited this CP shop. Enter the shop and you see old paintings and photographs on the walls; gems and jewellery, jade carvings displayed in wooden cabinets that are more than 100 years old. “We have miniature paintings dating back to the 12th century; photographs from 1850s, Mughal and Rajput period jewellery and other items. Not only art collectors but museums have also been buying art from us,” says SS Backliwal, managing partner of the shop.
Mahatta & Company, 1947
Capital’s first full service photography store was opened in CP in 19 47 by Amarnath Mehta. However, its history goes back to 1915. Amarnath Mehta who arrived in Delhi from Srinagar after Partition started out of a small counter in the corridor. At that time CP was full of iconic photo studios such as Kinsey Brothers, Delhi Photo Studio, but the Mahatta & Company — they were called so as the Britishers could not pronounce their name (Mehta) properly — soon created a name for themselves.
February 09, 2011, Hindustan times.
Ram Chandra and Sons, 1935
The history of this shop which has been in CP since 1935 goes back to more than 120 years. It is perhaps India’s oldest toy store. The shop was set by Raj Sunder who came to Delhi from from Kasauli. “My father was looking for expansion. Those days traders looked either at Delhi or Lahore for expansion; my father chose Delhi,” says Satish Sundra, 74. He now runs the shop with his son. Enter the shop and you see toys of all kinds and make — model aircrafts, dolls, battery-operated cars et al. The Gandhis, Scindias, Pataudis and Goenkas have also been its clients. “Indira Gandhi bought toys from us for Sanjay and Rajiv Gandhi, and then Rajiv and Sonia for their children,” says Sundra, who is a walking encyclopedia on toys. The father-son duo are students of St Stephens.
Novex, 1937
Set up in 1937, it is one of the oldest establishments in CP. For the past seven decades, Novex has been one of the most sought after dry cleaners of New Delhi. The firm was established by KM Bhargava and RN Bhargava who came from Mathura. Today, run by RN Bhargava’s sons Atul and YN Bhargava, this establishment, which has also diversified into retail garment business boasts of many illustrious customers. “BK Nehru and Indira Gandhi have been our clients. We were the official dry cleaners for former presidents Dr Zakir Hussain and VV Giri,” says Atul Bhargava, who is also the chief of NDTA. Novex was also the official dry cleaners for the Asian Games 1982. That the family has taken their business seriously is evident from the fact that both the brothers have studied dry cleaning in London.
Dhoomi Mal Gallery, 1936
Dhoomi Mal Gallery (DMG) is city’s first art gallery. It was started in 1936 from a shop in CP that sold art material and stationary by Ram Chandra Jain, who owned a printing press in the Walled City. In those days, it was more of a meeting place for artists and art connoisseurs. In fact, art lovers from across the country visited the gallery in the 1940s. The gallery has had visitors such as former Presidents Dr Rajendra Prasad and Dr Zakir Hussain, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In the mid- 40s, the gallery hosted group shows of artists such as Sailoz Mookherjea, KS Kulkarni, Shanti Dev and Vimal Das Gupta. “In the 30s, there was no place in the city where the artists could display their work and meet. It has been our tradition to promote good art and artists,” says Uma Jain, who runs the gallery.
Vaish at Rivoli, 1939
In the past 70 years, this shop at Rivoli Cinema has been one of the most sought after tailoring destinations in the Capital by the rich, famous and the royals. It has boasted of illustrious clients, including Maharaja of Jaipur, Maharaja of Rampur, Dr BR Ambedkar, etc. The shop was established by OP Vaish in 1939, who came to Delhi from a village near Meerut. Today, the shop is run by his son Ashok Vaish, who still practices bespoke tailoring as a fine art. “When my father started his workshop in CP , there were very few takers for shops in CP. He was 19 at that time and knew nothing about tailoring,” says Ashok Vaish. Both Ashok and his father learnt tailoring from the prestigious Tailor & Cutter academy in London in 1970 and 1950 respectively.
Indian Arts Palace, 1935
This ethnic gems, jewellery and art shop has a 200-year-old history. The CP branch of the shop, which was already in Chandni Chowk and Kashmere Gate, was opened in 1935. The shop has been a favourite haunt of collectors from all over the world and boasts of viceroys, maharajas , diplomats and industrialists among its clients. Nita Ambani and John D Rockefeller III, the American oil magnate, have also visited this CP shop. Enter the shop and you see old paintings and photographs on the walls; gems and jewellery, jade carvings displayed in wooden cabinets that are more than 100 years old. “We have miniature paintings dating back to the 12th century; photographs from 1850s, Mughal and Rajput period jewellery and other items. Not only art collectors but museums have also been buying art from us,” says SS Backliwal, managing partner of the shop.
Mahatta & Company, 1947
Capital’s first full service photography store was opened in CP in 19 47 by Amarnath Mehta. However, its history goes back to 1915. Amarnath Mehta who arrived in Delhi from Srinagar after Partition started out of a small counter in the corridor. At that time CP was full of iconic photo studios such as Kinsey Brothers, Delhi Photo Studio, but the Mahatta & Company — they were called so as the Britishers could not pronounce their name (Mehta) properly — soon created a name for themselves.
Building the Capital
New Delhi , January 06, 2011
When the British started building New Delhi, the city witnessed its biggest construction endeavour since Shahjahan built the Red Fort and Walled City. The new city with its grand office and residential buildings, wide avenues and gardens was an architectural, engineering and logistical challenge. Chief architect Edwin Lutyens wanted to build an imperial city in neo-classical style. Eventually, with Viceroy Hardinge's goading, more Indian elements were included to create an Indo Saracenic marvel. Though the shifting of the capital was announced in 1911, work started only in 1918, after World War I ended.
The layout of the new city consisted of hexagonal lines, to connect New Delhi to Safdarjung Tomb, Purana Quila, Connaught Place and Jama Masjid. At the apex was the Government House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan), joined by North and South blocks and a grand vista culminating at the All-India War Memorial (now India Gate). Thousands of workers were brought in the city, mainly of Bagariya community from Rajasthan and others from Punjab. Nearly 29,000 were working on the Government House alone. Skilled stonecutters, numbering
2,500, were brought from Makrana, Alwar, Jaisalmer and Ajmer. The tools and machinery, like the architects, were brought exclusively from Europe. State-of-the-art cranes were also brought to speed up the work and a small railway system hauled stones and other material.
A 22-acre stonecutting yard was built, biggest in the world at that time. Stone for the plinth was cut from the ridge. Red and buff sandstone was brought from Dholpur and gravel was sourced from nearby Badarpur. With the grand buildings — the Government House, Secretariat and Council House (now Parliament House) — coming up, the architects didn't know how to fill the space along the Central Vista. Herbert Baker, the other main architect, preferred government houses or residences of Indian princes to be built there. Lutyens, however, preferred to plant trees. A nursery came up near Safdarjung Tomb to provide saplings for New Delhi's wide avenues. Long-time friends Lutyens and Baker differed on another issue.
Lutyens wanted the Government House to tower above New Delhi but Baker wanted the Secretariat at the same level. Lutyens agreed, only to realise later that only the dome of the building would be visible from the Great Place (Vijay Chowk) as you drive up the gradient. The two never talked again.
Architects we forgot
Edwin Lutyens' is perhaps the only name that comes to mind when one talks of the making of New Delhi. So much so that the city is also referred to as 'Lutyens' Delhi'. Other architects who got some credit are Herbert Baker, who designed the iconic North and South blocks and
several bungalows across the city, Robert Tor Russell, who designed Connaught Place, Teen Murti House, Eastern and Western Courts, National Stadium, etc. But not many have heard of architects such as WH Nicholls, Walter Sykes George, Henry Medd, Arthur Gordon Shoosmith — all of whom were closely associated with the creation of a new Delhi. Medd, a young architect, was Baker's man on the spot in India. Though he came to India in 1919 as the latter's representative to help interpret and adapt his drawings, he is said to have helped Baker a great deal in finalizing the finer details of the Council House (now Parliament) and Secretariat buildings (North and South blocks).
Russian-born English architect Shoosmith supervised the building of Viceroy's House in New Delhi as Lutyens' representative.George was another British architect who helped both Lutyens and Baker in their Delhi project. He played a key role in landscaping Mughal Garden. Then there was W.H. Nicholls, who, not many know, helped Russell design Connaught Place and FB Blomfield, a contemporary of Lutyens who designed what used to Jinnah's grand residence on Aurangzeb Road.
New Delhi , January 06, 2011
When the British started building New Delhi, the city witnessed its biggest construction endeavour since Shahjahan built the Red Fort and Walled City. The new city with its grand office and residential buildings, wide avenues and gardens was an architectural, engineering and logistical challenge. Chief architect Edwin Lutyens wanted to build an imperial city in neo-classical style. Eventually, with Viceroy Hardinge's goading, more Indian elements were included to create an Indo Saracenic marvel. Though the shifting of the capital was announced in 1911, work started only in 1918, after World War I ended.
The layout of the new city consisted of hexagonal lines, to connect New Delhi to Safdarjung Tomb, Purana Quila, Connaught Place and Jama Masjid. At the apex was the Government House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan), joined by North and South blocks and a grand vista culminating at the All-India War Memorial (now India Gate). Thousands of workers were brought in the city, mainly of Bagariya community from Rajasthan and others from Punjab. Nearly 29,000 were working on the Government House alone. Skilled stonecutters, numbering
2,500, were brought from Makrana, Alwar, Jaisalmer and Ajmer. The tools and machinery, like the architects, were brought exclusively from Europe. State-of-the-art cranes were also brought to speed up the work and a small railway system hauled stones and other material.
A 22-acre stonecutting yard was built, biggest in the world at that time. Stone for the plinth was cut from the ridge. Red and buff sandstone was brought from Dholpur and gravel was sourced from nearby Badarpur. With the grand buildings — the Government House, Secretariat and Council House (now Parliament House) — coming up, the architects didn't know how to fill the space along the Central Vista. Herbert Baker, the other main architect, preferred government houses or residences of Indian princes to be built there. Lutyens, however, preferred to plant trees. A nursery came up near Safdarjung Tomb to provide saplings for New Delhi's wide avenues. Long-time friends Lutyens and Baker differed on another issue.
Lutyens wanted the Government House to tower above New Delhi but Baker wanted the Secretariat at the same level. Lutyens agreed, only to realise later that only the dome of the building would be visible from the Great Place (Vijay Chowk) as you drive up the gradient. The two never talked again.
Architects we forgot
Edwin Lutyens' is perhaps the only name that comes to mind when one talks of the making of New Delhi. So much so that the city is also referred to as 'Lutyens' Delhi'. Other architects who got some credit are Herbert Baker, who designed the iconic North and South blocks and
several bungalows across the city, Robert Tor Russell, who designed Connaught Place, Teen Murti House, Eastern and Western Courts, National Stadium, etc. But not many have heard of architects such as WH Nicholls, Walter Sykes George, Henry Medd, Arthur Gordon Shoosmith — all of whom were closely associated with the creation of a new Delhi. Medd, a young architect, was Baker's man on the spot in India. Though he came to India in 1919 as the latter's representative to help interpret and adapt his drawings, he is said to have helped Baker a great deal in finalizing the finer details of the Council House (now Parliament) and Secretariat buildings (North and South blocks).
Russian-born English architect Shoosmith supervised the building of Viceroy's House in New Delhi as Lutyens' representative.George was another British architect who helped both Lutyens and Baker in their Delhi project. He played a key role in landscaping Mughal Garden. Then there was W.H. Nicholls, who, not many know, helped Russell design Connaught Place and FB Blomfield, a contemporary of Lutyens who designed what used to Jinnah's grand residence on Aurangzeb Road.
ANCIENT CIVILISATIONS http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/6jrusE/www.ancientcivilizations.co.uk/home_set.html
ANCIENT UNDERWATER CITIES http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2TulE4/rabbithole2.com/presentation/ancient/ancient_underwater_cities_found.htm
DOCUMENTARIEShttp://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2Eum8f/fulldocumentary.com/history/default.asp?action=listing&page=1
LOST CITIES OF LIBYA
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1o9Zo5/:1ZZj.NIpT:Xl242348/www.sciencecodex.com/read/castles_in_the_desert_satellites_reveal_lost_cities_of_libya-81044/
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1o9Zo5/:1ZZj.NIpT:Xl242348/www.sciencecodex.com/read/castles_in_the_desert_satellites_reveal_lost_cities_of_libya-81044/
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPThttp://www.stumbleupon.com/su/6JRVTQ/listverse.com/2008/08/29/15-fascinating-facts-about-ancient-egypt/
700 YEAR OLD MOSQUE DISCOVERED http://bpartho.wordpress.com/tag/ad/