Facets of Indian History

Supreme Sacrifice

2012-01-03T22:42:00.000-08:00

During Aurangzeb rule, the experiment of mass conversion was first tried in Kashmir. Sher Afghan Khan, the emperor viceroy in Kashmir set about converting Kashmir's Brahmins by sword. In desperation some of them went to Anandpur and sought the help of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The Guru asked them to tell the emperor that they will embrace Islam if Tegh Bahadur was first converted. The Guru was summoned to Agra and on his refusal to embrace Islam and perform miracles he was killed on November 11th 1675 at Delhi. Earlier his disciples, Mati Das's body was cut with a saw, while that of another disciple, Bhai Dayal Das was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil under the orders of Aurangzeb for refusal to convert themselves as Muslims.

The Hookah Wallas

2011-12-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

During the British rule in India the hookaburdar was the one who tended the Englishman’s hookahs at home, kept the silver chains and rosettes brightly polished, blew on the charcoal and renewed the rose water. He also accompanied his master abroad even to dinners at Government House at which after the ladies had withdrawn the hookah bearers entered in solemn procession each taking up his position near his master to whom he handed the ivory mouth piece after unwinding the enormous coil of piping from round the neck of the hookah. It was important to arrange the hookahs properly for it was considered an insult to step over another’s hookah snake. It was dangerous to get between a gentleman and his hookah bowl which resulted in a duel. Hookahs were favoured by the ladies also. It was a very flattering gesture for a lady to offer a gentleman the mouthpiece of her hookah for a refreshing puff. The hookah contained a mixture of sweet scented Persian tobacco, sweet herbs, coarse sugar, spices, etc which was very pleasant to inhale.

Visha Kanya

2011-11-21T21:26:00.000-08:00

Chandragupta Maurya after defeating Dhanananda took possessing of the kingdom of Maghadha. When he was entering the palace along with his friend Parvataka, the latter's eye fell upon a beautiful girl. This girl was said to be brought up by Dhanananda and had been fed with little poison daily from her childhood. Parvataka decided to marry her and during the marriage ceremony when both the bride and groom were holding their hands together, the perspiration caused by the heat of the sacrificial fire led the poison from the girls hand penetrate Parvataka and he died on the spot.

Showing their True Colours

2011-09-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

After the sack of the temple of Somnath, Mahmud took the broken pieces of the idol of Somnath to Ghazni and strewn some of them at the entrance of the mosque of Ghazni to be treaded by the people entering the mosque. The Hindus to recover the idol pieces sent envoys to Mahmud offering him gold weighing twice the weight of the idol pieces. Mahmud send these envoys to Salar Masud who had kept the idol pieces. Salar Masud entertained the envoys with betel leaves and when the envoys asked for the idol, he said that they (envoys) had just eaten it. Salar Masud had grounded the idol and mixed its dust with lime and nuts inside the betel leaves offered to the envoys.

Invisible Troubles

2011-09-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

Nagarjuna the propounder of Madhyamika school of Buddhist philosophy in his early days had mastered the art of making himself invisible and in the company of his two friends used to enter the royal harem and seduce its ladies. Once while returning back from the harem his two friends were caught red handed by the palace guards when they failed to make themselves invisible. They were executed while Nagarjuna escaped narrowly. This incident make Nagarjuna realize that craving for sense pleasures is a potent cause of suffering and hence decided to join the Buddhist order.

Marvelous feats

2011-07-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

Madhvacharya, the saint philosopher who propounded the Dvaita system of Vedanta was a giant not only in spirituality and intellectual powers but also in the possession of unique psychic powers and physical strength. When he was just one year old, one day he clung to the tail of a bull and in that strange manner went through the bushy grazing field and jungles that the bull traversed. In his youth he performed great feats like consuming 4000 big plantain fruits along with 30 pitcher of milk in one sitting. One day he challenged 15 young and strongly built disciples to wrestle with him and fell all of them simultaneously. During his visit to Himalayas he threw away with utmost ease a tiger that came to attack him. It is said that he walked across river Ganga on foot without even his clothes being getting wet.

The Nizam’s exploits

2011-06-15T02:33:00.000-07:00

The last Nizam of Hyderabad, Osman Ali used to attend the marriages of his nobles and officials. Instead of giving presents to the bride and bridegroom, he used to pick the most valuable jewelry from the dowry given to the couple.Whenever the Nizam saw an expensive and beautiful car with anyone in his kingdom, he used to express his desire to have a drive in that car with the owner. The owner used to feel honoured by this. But the car sent was never returned and sent to the Palace garage. In this way the Nizam had a collection of 300 to 400 cars in his garage. It is said that the Nizam had an extensive collection of pornographic photographs in India. He is said to have installed a camera behind the mirror in his palace’s guest bathroom, which used to capture the greatest personalities of India relieving themselves in the toilet.

Befooling the King

2011-05-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

The Maharaja of Patiala was invited by King George V for the latter’s Silver jubilee celebration in London. For one-to-one meeting with the King the Maharaja was given an appointment at eleven in the morning on a particular day, which was not to the liking of the Maharaja. Hence on that day though the time of appointment was nearing the Maharaja deliberately took his own time to dress. Meanwhile the King was waiting for him and sent a message of the same. But instead of going the Maharaja started playing cards with his maharanis. After several phone calls he reached the Buckingham Palace at 12.30 accompanied with his physician. The Maharaja met the King who was raging with fury. The Maharaja’s physician told the King that the Maharaja just had an heart attack and risked his life by coming to see the King as he was his (King’s) great admirer. The Maharaja also pretended being sick with the doctor holding his arm for support. The King was visibly moved and took the Maharaja by the arm and had him seated and asked him to stay for lunch.

Pure Devotion

2011-05-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

The temple of Melkote with the image of Cheluvanarayanaswami was renovated by the renowned Srivaishnava saint Ramanujacharya. Once Ramanujacharya had a dream in which he was urged to bring back the utsava murthy - (a deity taken in procession outside the temple) of Cheluvanarayanaswami which was under the custody of the daughter of the Sultan of Delhi. Ramanujacharya went to Delhi and impressed the Sultan by his scholarship and brought the image back to Melkote. The Sultan’s daughter, Bibinachyar was very much attached to that deity (ustava murthy) and came to Melkote and spent her time in the service of the deity. Later she is said to have merged with the deity.

Master Batsman

2011-04-03T22:50:00.001-07:00

During the British rule over India playing of cricket between the teams of various Indian Maharajas became popular. The Maharaja of Kashmir Pratap Singh was a great patron of cricket and used to love playing cricket. Whenever he used to bat the bowler used to bowl the ball very slowly so that the Maharaja hit it to the boundary line for four. Many a times the fielders instead to stopping the ball used to kick it towards the boundary line. Even when occasionally a ball hit the wicket the umpire used to call it a ‘no ball’. Thus the Maharaja though a poor batsman used to score the highest in a match, courtesy his position as a Maharaja.

Palace Intrigues

2011-03-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

Vatsayana in his work Kamasutra says that if the king wanted to have a married woman, he used to send his spies to prove her husband as a traitor and imprison her as punishment. That woman was later admitted to the royal harem. On the other hand if the women of the royal family desired a handsome young man, they would employ the daughters of their nurses to bring that man inside in disguise of a woman. Sometimes they would be brought inside disguised as a guard.

Ideal Couple

2011-03-05T01:41:00.000-08:00

Aaidakki Marayya and his wife Lakkamma were idealistic Veerashaivas who during 12th century A.D. lived in Kalyan (Bidar district in Karnataka). Aaidakki Marayya's profession was to gather rice grains scattered on the ground. (many rich people used to donate rice to the poor who used to collect it in their torn clothes, as a result there was seepage of rice which used to fall on the ground) Once Aaidakki Marayya engrossed in his thoughts brought more rice than the usual measure. His wife Lakkamma reminded him that greed for grains excess to their needs was against their dharma and insists upon his taking back the excess rice and scattering it where he had picked it from. This shows the high idealism of Lakkamma which even Gandhiji advocated, nature has given enough for all of our wants but not for our greed. If everybody took enough for his wants then there would be no pauperism in this world.

Finding Brides-2

2011-02-13T21:27:00.000-08:00

During the British rule in India, the arrival of a cargo of young damsels from England was looked forward with much excitement by English bachelor working in India. The age, height, features, dress and manners became the topic of conversation and gentlemen were eager to make the acquaintance of the new arrivals. These young women were generally schooled carefully by their parents to concentrate on making a good marriage and therefore to look and scorn on young and penniless and encourage the advances of the elderly rich. Above all she must set her cap at members of the civil services. The civil servants were called ‘ three hundred a year dead or alive men’ from the fact that their pay when they joined the service was 300 pounds a year and if they had put in sufficient service their widows on the civilian’s death drew pension of 300 pound a year. Unfortunately this was not always understood and one young lady married a civil servant under the impression that she thereby acquired an immediate settlement of 300 pound a year. When some of her friends corrected this impression at a dinner party she shouted indignantly at her husband there itself.

Finding Brides 1

2011-02-03T23:21:00.001-08:00

The Portuguese government in its concern for the morals of its employees in India used to send out annual batches of women who had failed to find husbands at home and that the obedient officials might not complain at such trifles as lack of physical attraction, sent with them substantial dowries. But some ill fated women fell into the hands of Muslim pirates and sold into slavery. While one Donna Lucia attracted the attention of a rich Dutchman who married her, one lucky woman became Empress and another wife of a Mughal Chamberlain. Some however were bundled into the harems of local officials and never heard again. The East India Company copied the Portuguese custom of drafting women for its possession in India. These women were called as ‘gentlewomen’ and ‘other women’ and unlike the Portuguese women were not given dowries but were guaranteed their ‘diet’ during a year in India. Trouble arouse if they were still at the end of the year without husband or sufficient money to pay their fare home. It was obviously impossible to leave them to starve but the reluctance shown by the company to provide them with a proper allowance and the continual haggling and bargaining had its inevitable result in a rapid deterioration of the visitor’s morals.

Patel, You too!

2011-01-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

Nirad Chaudhuri in his book ‘Thy Hand Great Anarch- India 1921-1952'( Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, INC, 1987) write that after joining the interim government (in September 1947) Sardar Vallabhai Patel ordered luxurious furniture including expensive carpets for his residence. The Muslim League got wind of this news after its member joined the interim government as finance minister. The Muslim League’s newspaper Dawn published news taunting the Congress on its part insistence on austerity and ruling that no Congress minister should draw a salary more than Rs.500 a month. “The new carpets for Patel’s home alone are going to cost 60 times as such”, the Dawn wrote. Though denied as false, later a statement was issued on behalf of Patel that orders for furniture were private and the bills had gone wrongly to the government.

Prince's Idiocrasy

2011-01-03T21:07:00.000-08:00

The Maharaja of Alwar in Rajasthan happened to believe that he was a reincarnation of Lord Rama. As a result he constantly wore black silk gloves to protect his divine fingers from the contaminating touch of mortal flesh, even refusing to remove them to shake the hands of the King of England. Once as his pony disobeyed in one of his Polo matches, he drenched it with kerosene and personally set fire to it.

Nationalist to the Core

2010-12-31T00:24:00.000-08:00

Fateh Singh who occupied the throne of Mewar in December 1884 was a proud and sensitive man fiercely determined on preserving whatever was left of Mewar’s sovereignty. He firmly rebuffed every attempt by the British government to encroach upon his power and dignity. For example in 1902 Curzon the Viceroy of India invited all the native chiefs to attend the delhi durbar to be held in January 1903. the native chiefs of Rajputana expressed their joy and gratitude on being so invited. But the invitation was received coolly by Maharana Fateh Singh who however agreed to attend the durbar provided he was given first position in order of precedence among the ruling princes of India and it seems that the Maharana was assured that due consideration would be given to his dignity. The Maharana reached delhi on December 31, 1902 and came to know that contrary to the assurance given to him he had been assigned a place below some other rulers. He therefore did not leave his railway saloon and pretended that he and his son had fallen ill due to the exertion of the journey. But the Maharana’s explanation did not carry conviction with the Viceroy. He however could not be persuaded to leave the saloon and to the extreme vexation of the Viceroy the Maharana left for Udaipur even before the first ceremony of the State entry was performed. Curzon the imperious Viceroy who always struck awe among the princes was himself awed by the Maharana’s magnetic personality. In 1911 in the imperial durbar held at Delhi, attended by the King and Queen of Britain, the British Government made concessions to Fateh Singh’s susceptibilities. He was assigned a place along side the other four top princes of India, both at the State entry and in the durbar shamiana and was excused from paying homage. In addition the Maharana was given the unusual honour of being appointed the ‘Ruling Chief in Waiting’. He was also the first Indian ruler to be presented and introduced to the king. He was also among the Indian rulers who were given seats on the platform at receptions. Notwithstanding all these considerations, Fateh Singh kept out of the procession as he found that in the procession his elephant was assigned a place behind that of the ruler of Baroda. He also did not attend the durbar once again claiming to be indisposed.

Blackmailing

2010-12-22T00:52:00.000-08:00

The British East India Company servants in the lower hierarchy used to shoot doves and pigeons for food. The Hindus would implore them not to do this and would as a last resort offer them money to spare the poor birds. This method of persuasion was so successful that it became a regular practice for impecunious young company servants who were in indebtedness and in order to supplement their meager salary used to take out a gun near some rich Hindu’s house and talk loudly and ferociously about the number of pigeons they would massacre that afternoon till the Hindu ran out in tears in his eyes and money in his hands.

'Dark Children'

2010-11-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

During the British rule a many Englishmen kept Indian women as mistress and was said to be genuinely attached to them. But it was alleged that these mistresses were mercenary and reserved their real affection for men of their own race. It is said that many an Englishman after worrying over the extraordinary darkness of the children his mistress attributed to him returned home from office earlier than expected and found the lady sharing his bed with a servant.

"Provoked"

2010-11-14T21:33:00.000-08:00

Allaudin Khilji loved a mistress named Mahak. One day when he was with her, his wife and mother-in-law came and an ugly scene took place. Probably they trashed Mahak which led Allaudin to rescue her forcibly from them. In doing so he struck his wife who was the daughter of Jallaudin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi. As a result of this unpleasant incident, he decided to attack Devagiri in 1294 with a view to amass wealth to capture the throne at Delhi.

Chewing the British

2010-10-25T03:06:00.001-07:00

Savarkar was a permanent lodger and a key-figure in India House (London) and Gandhi used to visit the place frequently to meet people and discuss politics. Pandit Parmanandji of Jhansi, a veteran freedom fighter who was a co-prisoner with Savarkar at the Andamans and with Gandhi at Yarwada narrates an interesting anecdote which took place at India House. On one of those Sunday evenings when Gandhi dropped in at India House, Savarkar was busy cooking his meals-frying perhaps his favourite prawns. As Gandhi broached a political issue, Savarkar cut him short, “we can discuss it latter….first come and have your food with us”. Gandhi in his usual nervous manner regretted that he was a vegetarian. Savarkar retorted though jocularly, “well, if you cannot eat with us, how on earth are you going to work with us? Moreover this is just boiled fish…. While we want people who are ready to eat the Britishers alive…” (jo angrezon ko zinda our kachcha chaba sake.) During his next visit to England in 1909 when V.V.S.Aiyar invited Gandhi to preside over the Dussehra celebration at India House, Gandhi put a condition that the food to be served should be strictly vegetarian.

The English 'Naboobs'

2010-09-23T23:09:00.000-07:00

The head of the English factories in India was the president and he lived in almost as great state as the Mughal Governor. Outside the door of his bedchamber stood servants with silver stave and when he appeared they followed him from room to room. If he went downstairs a picket of liveried guardsmen sprang to attention in the hall and if he left the factory, ‘Bandarines and Moors under two standards marched before him’. He was provided with well filled stables for pleasure or services and he had his own chaplain, physician, surgeon, linguist and mint master. At his entry into the dining room trumpets blew and while he sat at table violins played softly. All the English merchants dined together in the hall of the factory, the president at the head of the table and the others seated in order of seniority. On certain Church festivals, they dined in the gardens outside the city. they went in solemn procession the president and his lady in a palanquin with banners ahead, the Council in ox-drawn coaches of special splendour, each having ‘a four square seat, inlaid with Ivory’ and the other factors on Arab horses whose saddles were of embroidered velvet and whose headstalls, reins and cruppers were of solid silver. All the dishes and drinking vessels were of silver including the basin used for washing hands before and after the meal. Generally there were many courses. ‘Kabaab’ was a favourite dish, so also ‘dumpoked fowl’ that is chicken boiled in butter and stuffed with raisins and almonds; ‘mango achar and sony sauce’. On Sundays for dinner there would be ‘deers and antelopes, Peacocks, hares and partridges and all kinds of Persian fruits, pistachios, plums, apricots, cherries. But meat was sometimes scare and though the senior merchants never went without, the common sailors had to fast twice a week and content themselves with saffron rice. Beef was unprocurable and pork was unheard so the English had to satisfy themselves with mutton and chicken. Except on Sundays when European wines were served on other days they drank Persian wines and arrack.

All about Ordeals

2010-09-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

Huien Tsang the Chinese visitor who visited India during the rule of
Pulakeshi and Harshavardhana describe four ordeals, water, fire, weighing and poison by which the innocence or the guilt of an accused person was determined. In the water ordeal, the accused was put in one sack and a stone in another, then the two bags connected and thrown into a deep stream. If the sack containing the stone floated and the other sinks, the man’s guilt is proven. The fire ordeal required the accused to kneel and tread on a hot iron and to take it in his hands and lick it; if he is innocent he is not hurt but is burnt if he is guilty. In the weighing ordeal the accused is weighed against a stone and if the latter is lighter the charge is false if otherwise it is true. The poison ordeal required that the right hind leg and arm be cut off and according to the portion assigned to the accused poison is put to the leg and if the man is innocent he survives and if not poison takes its effect.

Administering Justice in the Good old Days

2010-09-02T22:50:00.000-07:00

Earlier for theft committed by servants a priest would be called and servants put through the rice ordeal. First the priest would deliver a sermon on the enormity of theft, the torments of hell, the weary procession of rebirth in a lower life consequently on a man’s dying with a sin on his conscience. The priest then asks for dry rice over which he mumbles mysteriously. Then each man is required to hold a small amount of this rice in his mouth for a few minutes and the priest solemnly assures them that the rice in the mouths of the innocent will at the end of the ordeal be found wet while that in the mouth of the thief will be dry. In Cochin there was a small tank on the river side where crocodiles were kept. The accused was required to cross the tank on the back of a crocodile. If he was truthful the crocodile brought him back safe. If he had told a lie, the crocodile would drowned him. If the accused refused to undergo the ordeal, he was dragged through the water infested with crocodiles.

The Congress Tamasha of 1899

2010-08-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

If you think that only now political parties ferry people to their meetings, you are wrong. According to S.N.Banerjee during the Congress session held at lucknow in 1899, to see that more Muslims attended the Congress meeting, Muslim delegates were given return tickets. Swami Shraddhananda writes about the so called Muslim delegates of the lucknow congress. "the majority of Muslim delegates had donned gold, silver or silk embroidered chogas over their ordinary coarse suits of wearing apparel. It was rumoured that these chogas had been lent by Hindu moneyed men for the Congress tamasha. Only 30 had come from outside, the rest belonged to lucknow city. the majority were admitted free to delegates board and lodging. Syed Ahmed Khan's anti Congress league had argued the Muslims from joining the Congress as delegates. As a counter move, the Congress people lighted the whole Congress camp some four nights before the session began and advertised that entrance that night would be free. The result was that all the chandukhanas of lucknow were emptied and a large audience of some 30,000 Hindus and Muslims was addressed from half a dozen platforms. It was there that the Muslims delegates were elected or selected. Even the Muslim League had to try all tricks to collect audience for its sessions. In 1930 session presided by Iqbal the meeting did not have its quorum of 75 members. Hafiz Jalandhari the famous poet was asked to recite his poems to keep the members present entrained while the organizers got busy enrolling new members.

Honesty and Justice

2010-07-30T23:27:00.000-07:00

Regarding justice and honesty of the Hindus, Al Idrisi writes in his work, Nazhatu I Mushtak- "The Indians are naturally inclined to justice and never depart from it in their action. Their good faith, honesty and fidelity to their engagements are well known and they are so famous for these qualities that people flock to their country from every side; hence the country is flourishing and their condition prosperous. If a man met another to whom he had earlier lend something and if he wished to get it back, he used to draw a circular line upon the ground where his debtor was standing and the latter could not leave this circle without returning back his creditor what he owed or obtain remission from him.

Fighting Superstitions

2010-07-07T22:40:00.000-07:00

During his travels Guru Nanak once went to Haridwar. There on the banks of the river Ganga people were making offerings to their ancestors by throwing water towards the sun. Nanak watched them for some time, then taking some water in his hands began to throw it in the opposite direction. The people began to laugh at him. Nanak asked them. "Why are you laughing at me? If the water you are throwing can reach your ancestors in heaven, surely my palmfuls can reach my fields in the Punjab which are so much nearer. Once a Muslim devotee told Guru Nanak that he was sleeping with his feet pointing towards the Kaba. "shift them",Guru Nanak said " to the direction where god is not".

Drinking Parties

2010-06-30T02:44:00.000-07:00

Thomas Roe writes that Jahangir used to hold private drinking parties each evening after the main meal to which Roe was occasionally invited. He also used to invite nobles to join him, although drunkenness was against the rules. As Jahangir sometimes used to forget that he had ordered the party and as nobody dared tell him it was he, a list of the participants would on these occasion be sought and the offenders flogged. So strict was drinking prohibited at the court that each person was entered the emperor presence had first to submit to a breath test.

All For Honour

2010-06-01T22:55:00.001-07:00

Dahir the ruler of sindh was the first Indian ruler to fell victim to Arab aggression. After his death in the battle, his queen Ranibai performed jauhar to escape being dishonoured by the victors. Unfortunately Dahir's two daughter Parmal Devi and Suraj Devi were taken captives and sent to Baghdad for introduction into the Caliph harem. They falsely charged that Mohammad bin Qasim the invader of Sindh had kept them with him for three days and dishonored them before being sent to the Caliph. It enraged the Caliph who inflicted death punishment on Qasim. Later the princesses told the truth and invited death for themselves. They were tied to the tails of horses and dragged until they were dead. They thus wreaked their vengeance on Qasim who had killed their father, ruined their state, and saved their honour by sacrificing their lives all the same.

For a Flask of Wine

2010-05-19T02:50:00.000-07:00

Jahangir is said to have declared that he had sold the kingdom to Nurjahan for a flask of wine and a couple of kababs. There is a story in which Jahangir had entrusted a pair of pigeons to Nurjahan's care while he busied himself in some thing else in a bazaar. One of the pigeon escaped and when Jahangir asked her how it had flown away Nurjahan released the other saying, "like this o prince". Nurjahan is said to be the inventor of attar or rose perfume though the credit really belongs to her mother.

Stingy to the Core

2010-05-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

The seventh Nizam of Hyderabad was the richest man in the world (in 1947). But being extremely stingy he was normally dressed in rumpled cotton pyjamas and slippers bought in the local market for a few rupees. For 35 years he wore the same soiled dandruff encrusted fez (cap). He ate in a tin plate squatting on a mat. He was so stingy that he smoked cigarette stubs left behind by his guests. In 1944 when the then Viceroy of India, Wavell was about to visit Hyderabad, the Nizam cabled Delhi enquiring whether in view of the high wartime cost, the Viceroy really insisted on being served champagne. During the customary presentation of nazr (presents), the Nizam grabbed each gold piece given by visitors and dropped it into a bag beside his throne. On one occasion when one coin fell, he dashed towards the floor to catch it. When his doctor arrived from Bombay to give him an electro-cardiogram, he could make his machine work, because to save electricity, the Nizam had cut back the Palace’s electricity.

Sundry Gifts

2010-04-26T03:05:00.000-07:00

Vasco Da Gama anchored his ship north of Calicut on May 20th, 1498 and as ambassador of the King of Portugal desired an audience with the ruler of Calicut, Samudri. But it was only on 28th May that he was permitted to meet the King in his palace. The next day Gama wanted to present some gifts to the King. It included some cloth, a dozen coats, six hats, some coral, six basins, a bale of sugar and two barrels each of butter and of honey. It was normal to have the present inspected beforehand and on seeing these items the people who inspected it are reported to have burst out laughing and to have said that ‘it was not something to send to the King as even a poor merchant who came from Mecca or from other place gave the King more than what Gama intend to give. If Gama really wanted to some presents to the King then it should be gold, they added. To his Gama is said to have told them that he was not a merchant but an ambassador and also these goods were his own and not from the King of Portugal. When the latter will send his gifts, it would of course comprise of rich things. Gama is reported to have threatened that if the Samudri would not accept the gift, he would simply leave, but his interlocutors for their part refused to give the gifts to the King.

Dead Cow's Milk

2010-04-19T03:08:00.000-07:00

One day Swami Ramananda wanted to perform the sraddha rites for his departed guru and sent his disciples among whom Kabir was sent to get the required milk. While other disciples went to the vendors of milk, Kabir was seen headed towards the outskirts of the town. After a couple of hours of waiting one of the disciples went in search of Kabir to summon him for the commencement of the rites. Imagine his surprise when he found Kabir squatting near the bones of a dead cow with a small pile of grass in front of the skull. On their return to the ashram Ramanand admonished Kabir for his ignorance in not knowing that dead cow neither eat grass nor give milk. Kabir replied that in case dead gurus drink milk, in that case he though the milk of a dead cow would be the most suitable for the dead guru.

Taste of Indian Stick

2010-04-05T06:40:00.000-07:00

After Madan Lal Dhingra shot the tyrannical Curzon Wyllie died in London on July I, 1909, a meeting was arranged in the Caxton Hall at London to condemn this act. Indian leaders like Aga Khan and Bipin Chandra Pal were present. When Aga Khan proposed the censure motion, V.D.Savarkar stood up to oppose it on the grounds that it would be contempt of court to pass the motion till Dhingra was convicted. An Englishman hit Savarkar on his face and said-“Here get a taste of an Englishman’s fist.” Unable to control, a young man gave that Englishman a hard blow with a cane and said-“You too taste the stick of an Indian.” The young man was Tirumala Acharya or M.P.T.Acharya who later published the English version of Savarkar;s book on the revolt of 1857.

Mystic Saint

2010-03-25T03:23:00.000-07:00

A notification in the Madras district gazetteer, volume I chapter XV, Bellary district, Adoni taluk, page 213 reprinted in 1916 says that Raghavendra Swami emanated from the tomb and conversed with a foreigner, Thomas Munro who was the chief collector of the region of the Brindavan. Munro was personally inspecting the locality of the Brindavan in connection with the case to resume the endownment granted to the Brindavan. After his experience he is said to have quashed the proposal not to resume the endownment. Raghavendra Swami had entered the tomb in 1671 alive. Before that he had told the people that he would live in the Brindavan for 700 years and give relief to those who approached him for relief.

Foreign Education

2010-03-15T03:02:00.000-07:00

Tipu Sultan was the first Indian to think of sending his son to Europe for higher education. In 1788, Tipu’s ambassador to Louis XVI informed the French government that their master desired that one of his sons received education in Paris . The French authorities approved of the idea, but suggested that it would be better if before leaving for France , the prince could learn to read and write French, a little calculus and some arithmetic. The expenses of the prince’s education in Paris amounting to about Rs 40,000 or 50,000 annually would have to be borne by the Sultan. Expenses could be reduced to half the amount if the prince did not live in luxury. Tipu’s plan however did not materialize as the 3rd Anglo-Mysore broke out.

Pious Personalities

2010-03-06T05:19:00.000-08:00

Aristanemi also known as Neminatha was the 22nd Jaina thirtankara. It is said that he was overcome with grief on seeing the animals to be slaughter to prepare a banquet for his marriage and hence renounced the world. Similarly to test the piousness of a puranic ruler Sibi, Vishnu and Shiva disguised as a dove and an eagle came to him. The dove took refuge with Sibi and the eagle would not leave until some meat equal to that of the dove was served. Sibi agreed to cut that meat from his own limbs and when the actual weighing began, Sibi's meat would never be equal to that of the dove in the scale until Sibi cut off almost his entire body. Thereupon the dove and the eagle revealed their true identity and took Sibi bodily to heaven.

Donating One's Weight

2010-02-25T02:05:00.000-08:00

The practice of Tola/Tuladan (weighing charity) was common among the former Hindu Rajahs. Shivaji practiced, so also Aurangzeb who weighed himself against gold on his birthday and distributed it among the poor. Akbar was weighed twice a year.On the first month of Aban (15th October) Akbar was weighed 12 times against the following articles. Gold, quick silver, silk, copper, perfumes, ghee, iron, rice, milk, 7 kinds of grains and salt. He was weighed a 2nd time against 8 articles silver, tin, cloth, lead, fruits, mustard oil and vegetables. The imperial princes, sons and grandsons of the emperor were weighed once every year.

Duty and Devotion

2010-02-10T22:50:00.000-08:00

Pundarika was the priest at the temple of Vittala at Pandrapura. He was so devoted to his parents that once when Lord Krishna came to meet him, being busy massaging his parent's feet and attending to their other requirements, he flung a brick to Krishna to stand on until he had finished his duties. If one were to visit Pandrapura in Maharashtra the deity of Vittala or Vithoba can be seen standing upon a brick. Another devotee of Vittala was Kanhopatra, known for her beauty, musical and dancing talents. When her beauty and accomplishments reached the ears of the Sultan of Bidar, he sent his soldiers to get her. The soldiers did so as told and when Kanhopatra was about to be taken away, she requested them to permit her to see her god for the last time and they allowed her. She prayed to the lord to save her from the soldier’s clutches. A flash of light emanated from body and merged with the image of Vittala. She was buried in front of the southern door of the shrine of Vittala at Pandrapura and from her grave there sprang a tree which exists even today

The Fighting Peshwa

2010-01-28T01:55:00.000-08:00

Muhommad Shah, the Mughal Emperor was curious to know abut the appearance of Baji Rao I (1720-40), the Peshwa who was over running his dominion and hence sent a court artist to paint his portrait. The artist brought back a picture of Baji Rao seated on a horse in the dress of a trooper; his reins lay loose on his horse neck and eating corns, as he rode. This portrait of Baji Rao I, remembered in Maharashtra as the fighting Peshwa and an incarnation of Hindu energy alarmed the Emperor who it seems begged the Nizam, his deccan Governor to make peace with Baji Rao.

Steel Man’s Iron will.

2010-01-13T02:10:00.000-08:00

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was known for his perseverance. He used to walk eleven miles from his residence to and fro on foot to read in the library of the Middle Temple, when he had gone to London to study Law. He was a man of steel. Once he was arguing an important case in the court. A telegram was handed over to him. It was the death of his wife. Patel read it, folded and put it in his pocket and continued arguing as if nothing had happened. Once a surgeon suggested an operation and proceeded to administer chloroform. Patel refused and said that he would endure pain, but not allow him to administer chloroform.

Clash of Egos

2010-01-07T02:38:00.000-08:00

Jinnah was very egoist. It was Mountbatten ambition to be the Governor General of both the dominions of India and Pakistan. Nehru agreed but not Jinnah, who himself wanted to become the Governor General. At the swearing in ceremony, Jinnah demanded a chair higher than Mountbatten on the plea that he was the Governor General of Pakistan and President of the Constituent Assembly. Mountbatten who was also a great egoist proved cleverer. He reminded Jinnah that it was only after the viceroy of India had administered him the oath of office that Jinnah would assume the office of Governor General of Pakistan. Jinnah had to content sitting in a chair at the same level with the viceroy who looked taller by virtue of his physical frame.

His Master's Voice

2009-12-31T01:41:00.000-08:00

In Kapurthala the British imposed many insulting restrictions on its Raja. He had to obtain the permission of the Government of India in regard to his proposed visit to Europe. For instance the Raja sought permission to make a sea voyage for the benefit of his health. The Government of India sanctioned the proposal on the condition that the duration of the voyage would not exceed four months and that it would not extend to Europe. Explanation was called if he overstayed there. He was not allowed to visit any place even in India without the prior permission of the Punjab Government. To get such permission the Raja was supposed to furnish details regarding the object and duration of the visit, the house in which he proposed to reside, the names of persons who were to accompany him , the number of his retinue and his desire if at all to meet the Viceroy in Shimla. He could not employ the services of any European even of a nurse for his ailing rani without obtaining the permission for this. Numerous such other insulting restrictions were imposed on him. And yet the Raja was always keen to help the Supreme Government. His enthusiasm for it can be assessed from the letter which he wrote from England to his Prime Minister on august 9 1900, to keep his troops ready to proceed to China in case the Government of India decides to make use of them and instructed him that ‘no expense should be spared’ for this. In return for his spontaneous and willing loyalty the British kept him in good humour and succeeded in doing so by asking him to send his photo to be placed in the portrait gallery of the Old Punjab Worthies or by awarding a gold medal to him in commemoration of the Coronation darbar held at Delhi in 1903. the ruler Raja Jagatjit Singh was completely under the thumb of the British authorities so much so that he had to seek permission of the Imperial Government for his betrothal to a Rajput lady of the Kangra District.

To eke out a living

2009-12-08T02:28:00.000-08:00

Some of the Englishmen like Lancelot Canning and Robert Trully came to India during the rule of Jehangir to make a fortune by introducing the Mughal court to western music. Canning a Virginals player first played, but the faint watery music of the virginals (a kind of instrument) had no attraction for Jehangir’s flamboyant court and the audience became restive. It was left to Trully to uphold the reputation of European music. The first notes of his cornet caused a sensation. The Emperor asked if he might try this gorgeous instrument and finding it hard to manipulate ordered all his musicians to learn the cornet. The imperial chief band master was annoyed at the flavor shown to a foreign musician and insisted on trying the cornet after the emperor. He blew so hard that he injured himself internally and died. In spite of this dramatic scene, Jehangir’s interest in cornets soon waned and Trully only received fifty rupees for his entertainment. So Trully wandered south hoping to repeat his success at the court of Golconda. Finding that his offers of a cornet recital awoke no enthusiasm there he decided to became a Musulman which was kindly accepted by the king. So Trully was circumcised and had a new name and a great allowance from the king.

Daring to be Patriot

2009-11-26T01:58:00.000-08:00

In May 1907, Indians living in London celebrated the golden jubilee of the 1857 revolt at the Indian House, a resident of Shamji Krishnaverma. One wealthy lady Dhan Devi from Punjab announced a cash prize and the honorific of ‘Yaar-e-Hind’ to Indian students giving proof of their nationalism and valour by wearing on their lapels beautifully designed badges with the legend- “ Honours to The Martyrs of 1857” The rebellious gesture led to sharp arguments with policemen, scuffles in trains and buses and even in lecture halls. Madanlal Dhingra an engineering student displayed the badge on his newly stiched suit and had many sharp exchanges with his college mates both in words and blows. Another Harnam Singh was asked to leave the class and later expelled from the college for refusing to take the badge off. Some Indian students lost their scholarships and had to return home.

Crime and Punishment

2009-11-19T01:59:00.000-08:00

In Mughal empire criminals were trampled under the feet of elephants or stung by poisonous snakes. Execution could take place by throwing a man down from the roof. Another method was to get the criminal torn to pieces by dogs. Daud Khan, the commandant of Vellore fortress once ordered that all the thieves caught in the army should be thrown to the crocodiles in the ditch round the fortress. Impalement, mutilation, flogging, banishment, imprisonment, fines and confiscations, forfeiture of rank and title were other forms of punishment. Jahangir while staying in Ahmadabad had ordered the thumbs of the servant of Muqarrab Khan, the Governor to be cut off as he had cut down some Champa trees along the river. Some time an imperial officer abused his authority and inflicted a most cruel sort of death penalty. A rare ape in the possession of Daud Khan, the Deputy Governor of Carnatic died on account of the neglect of the servant. Daud Khan became furious and caused the servant to be put to death by driving a stake into his anus until it came out at his neck.

Presents or Bribery?

2009-11-12T02:06:00.000-08:00

Bribery was very common during the Mughal rule in India. It was a common practice at that time to present gifts to the higher officials or big people whenever visits were paid to them. This practice was prevalent throughout the country and even the emperor formed no exception. Rather it was regarded as an insult if a person went to the emperor without a proper present. Even the Princes of the royal blood approached their father with some suitable gift for him. Akbar had issued an order that every person from the lowest to the highest should bring a present when he came to visit him. Qazis during Mughal times used to dispense justice and were know for their greed and corrupt practices. Aurangzeb’s chief qazi, Abdul Wahab Borah was notorious for corrupt practices and within sixteen years of his office had accumulated a fortune of over 33 lakhs of rupees.When Shahjahan rewarded a musician with Rs 1000 the latter burst into tears and disclosed that he would have to part with money to the gate-keepers of the palace by way of bribes. This clever representation of the case made the emperor laugh. He ordered the 25 gate-keepers then on duty to receive one thousands stripes each by way of punishment.

Dispensing Justice

2009-10-23T02:47:00.000-07:00

Jahangir is credited for dispensing even handed justice to all irrespective of birth, rank or official position. Once when a stray arrow from Nurjahan's bow killed a washerman on the river bank near the royal palace, Jahangir ordered Nurjahan to be brought to his court of justice like any other ordinary criminal. According to Ibn Batuta Iltutmish ordered that a person who was a victim of injustice must wear coloured clothes in order to distinguish himself from others because generally people in India wore white clothes. The wearing of coloured cloths made the victim conspicuous and the King could immediately give him remedy. Ibn Batuta also mentions a bell with chains which Iltutmish had installed in the palace so that a supplicant could ring it at any time.

Violent Entertainment

2009-10-09T01:52:00.000-07:00

During the British rule, for leisure activities, the Englishmen at Surat used to spend their time with their fighting cocks, especially imported from Siam or with their other pets like fantail pigeons, Basra turtle doves, tame cockatoos and performing cassowary. Then there were always the public whippings, floggings and brandings which the new English courts at Bombay awarded so plentifully and which provided a free entertainment for the idle. A Hindu woman found guilty of theft was ordered 39 lashes to start with, to be followed by further instalments of 39 lashes everyday thereafter until she revealed where she had hidden the stolen property. A woman who abetted her lover in the murder of her husband was sentenced to be burnt alive. In Calcutta in 1789 some robbers were tied down, their right hand and left foot hacked off, the stumps dipped in hot butter and the men left to die. The trials that caused most public excitement were those for sorcery. The laws against magic were ferocious and since most Indian physicians were classed as sorcerers and large rewards were offered to informers, there was a constant stream of charges and counter charges. Even an old Hindu woman who had admittedly cured a number of children with her herbal remedies was given eleven lashes to discourage her traffic with Satan.

Pleasing one's God

2009-10-02T02:22:00.000-07:00

Pilgrims used to jump from the top of the banyan tree and killed themselves supposing that they would gain heavenly bliss in the next world. In a ritual called Karisagni, people used to commit suicide by burning themselves in cow-dung fire at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna. People also used to get crushed under the wheels of the chariot carrying the image of the deity. Friar Jordanus says that people when sick or involved in any grave situations used to take vows that if their problems were solved they would offer their lives to gods. When they were cured or overcame misfortunes they used to fatten themselves for one or two years continuously eating and drinking fat things and when another festival come they cover themselves with flowers and perfumes, went singing and playing before the idol and carrying a sword with two handles and then put the sword to the back of the neck cutting strongly with vigorous exertion of both hands and thereby cut off their heads before the idol. In a ritual called Shoolabrahma, people used to jump on spikes and also entered fire on days of eclipse to attain salvation. The Jainas practiced Sallekhanavrata by which they used to starve themselves to death.

Elephant Power-2

2009-09-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

The use of elephants in war also had its disadvantages. The enemy could easily identify the leader of his opponent army who was in command. They used to encircle him with their shift horses and charge him. If the king or the commander was hit, killed or dismounted, his soldiers used to get dispirited and flee from the battle field thinking that he was dead. When the elephant was shot or injured it used to run amuck and trampled men without any distinction of friend or foe. They also hesitated to charge their heads against the doors of the enemy's fort if it was having sharp iron spokes. The Sisodias of Mewar used to tackle this issue wherein a volunteer used to shield himself against the spokes and goad the elephant to smash its head against his chest towards the fort's door. The possession of elephants was considered as a royal prerogative. Sometimes permission was given to a great noble to keep an elephant which was a rare mark of honour. During the Mughal rule holding of fights between elephants was a prerogative of the emperor. Once prince Shah Alam unable to resist the temptation of holding an elephant fight escaped from his fathers wrath by telling/presenting it as an accidental encounter between the two beasts.

Elephant Power-1

2009-09-14T03:20:00.000-07:00

In India elephants were used extensively in warfare. It could be easily trained, faithful, intelligent, and could drag provisions and guns and other heavy loads. In actual fighting they were used as shields moving in the front with foot soldiers advancing behind them. These elephants were clad in plates of steel and large scythes were attached to their tusks. The supreme commander used to mount the elephant and guide his soldiers. The lofty position allowed him to watch all parts of the field and issue orders to different corps as the tide of battle changed from time to time. The commander or the King seated on a elephant was visible source of inspiration to his soldiers. The elephant was also used to smash the wooden gate of the enemy's fort, which it used to do by pounding with its head or with a big wooden log using its trunk. During wars they used to charge the enemy line with fury trampling the soldiers and frightening the horses. To cross swift moving rivers, soldier used to tie elephant with ropes and holding it used to cross safely. It also used to charge the enemy soldiers swinging the heavy iron chains tied to its trunk. Hiuen-Tsiang the Chinese traveler who visited Karnataka when the Chalukyas were ruling at Badami says that the Chalukyan army had hundreds of elephants, which were intoxicated with liquor before being sent for war.

Luxury Unparallel

2009-09-07T03:01:00.000-07:00

Motilal Nehru use to earn a fabulous income through advocacy. His house in Allahabad was a large mansion situated in a spacious compound with swimming pools and three kitchens where choicest of food was cooked. The house was called ‘Anand Bhawan’ (House of Happiness). Motilal’s hospitality was proverbial and princes and English officials were his guest of honour and reciprocated the same in times of need. It is said that during Motilal’s imprisonment for taking part in the freedom struggle movement, his friend, the Governor of U.P., Sir Harcourt Bulter was stated to have sent regular supplies of champagne to Motilal in the prison. At the height of his prosperity, Motilal is said to have sent his clothes to the laundries in Paris and consignment of choicest mangoes were regularly sent from Bombay to Harrow ( U.K.) where Jawaharlal Nehru was studying.

Idiosyncracies of Gandhiji

2009-09-01T03:19:00.000-07:00

Whenever Gandhiji moved in public, there was a clamor for his autograph. Gandhiji was most obliging in this aspect but on one condition. The receiver must pay five rupees for his autograph. As we know Gandhiji used to drink only goat milk. Once he came to stay in the house of Sarat Chandra Bose. To provide him goat milk a number of she goats were brought to Sarat Chandra Bose's house where Gandhiji's private secretary, Mahadev Desai examined each of them and choose one among them to serve its milk to Gandhiji.

Palanquin Carriers

2009-08-17T03:06:00.000-07:00

Palanquins was an important mode of transportation for the Englishmen during their stay in India. The Palanquin bearers had a bad reputation for insubordination and for their frequent strikes for higher wages. They would put the palanquin down in the middle of the road and scamper off, or crowd round their anxious ‘fare’ shouting and gesticulating. This was annoying enough if one were bound for a dinner party. But if one was a juror, unpunctuality might be visited with a fine or even a conviction for contempt of court. The Palanquin bearers knew this well enough and as soon as they guessed their customer was a juror they used to charge him double the ordinary fare. New comers to India were often distressed by the odd noises the palanquin bearers made as they trudged along. These grunts, groans and hollow whispers indicated that the bearers were on the point of fainting from fatigue. One gentleman was so much alarmed that he hopped out of his palanquin and was surprised to see that the bearers put down the palanquin and immediately began to converse very cheerfully. Later he was told that it was a custom amongst bearers when carrying a palanquin to make that moaning noise, which did not at all indicate fatigue and that the front bearer always noticed the sort of road they were passing over and pointing out any impediments as ‘here is a hole’, 'here is a puddle of water’. ‘here is long grass’, and so on.

Protecting the environment

2009-08-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

In 1792 Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore is said to have issued an regulation asking his officers that instead of levying fines on persons committing offences of minor nature, ask them to to plant two mango trees and two jamun trees in front of his village and water them till they are of the height of three derras. This novel method of punishment created a green revolution in Mysore. Even in ancient India there were laws for protecting the environment. Vishnu Smriti says that feller of trees bearing fruits, cutting shrubs, creepers or climbing plants shall be fined 100 karsapanas. Arthashastra and Smritis prescribed fines for dropping filth on road. Manu prescribed a fine of two karsapanas for dropping filth on the king’s high road and says that the person concerned should be asked to physically remove the dirt. Vishnu Smriti say that a person should be fined 100 panas for excreting on a highway, garden or water body. It also says that a fine of 200 panas be levied for causing accident for a rash chariot driver.

Custom Checking

2009-07-18T02:18:00.000-07:00

During the Mughal period, European travelers found the customs examination, a tedious ordeal. Every trunk, box and parcel had to be opened and sometimes shoes and hats had to be removed and peered into. The customs officials wandered about with followers of black slaves carrying whips to dissuade intending smugglers. They were little kings in their own domain and levied duty on articles at their own valuation. They even insisted on levying duty on the buttons worn by Europeans in their coats not only on their first arrival at the port but each time they left their ships. This was particularly annoying for the pursers of English ships who often had to make several visits ashore to arrange for reprovisioning the ship and as one of them complained, ‘in a short time the very intrinsic value of the buttons would be spent in customs’. If the customs officials found anything specially attractive in the foreigner’s luggage they would put it on one side, pretending that they were not sure of the rate at which customs dues should be levied on this article and the owner never saw it again.

Personal Fidelity

2009-07-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

In medieval Karnataka we find instances where followers (personal bodyguards) of the Kings showed their loyalty and attachment to their kings by sacrificing their lives. In one instance one of the follower of Ganga king, Nitimarga II showed his fidelity to his master by being buried alive with his monarch’s dead body. When another Ganga king Rajamalla died, some of his followers burnt themselves to death by entered his funeral pyre. When Hoysala king Ballala II died in 1220 A.D., his bodyguard, Lakshma with his wife Suggaladevi and 1000 other followers committed suicide.

Religious merit through killing

2009-06-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

At the 3rd battle of Panipet (held on 14th January 1761) the Afghans led by Ahmed Shah Abdali emerged victorious. The next morning the battlefield was strewed with the bodies of the dead Maratha soldiers. About 28,000 bodies in 32 heaps were counted. Thousands of Marathas were killed, pursued by the Afghans. It is said that every Afghan soldier brought a hundred or two of prisoners and slew them in the outskirts of their camps, crying out, "when I started from our country, my mother, father, sister and wife told me to slay as many kafirs for their sakes, after we had gained victory in this holy war, so that the religious merit of this act (of infidel slaying) might accrue to them". In this way thousands of soldiers and other prisoners were killed. Beautiful Maratha women were sold by the Afghans to Rohila and other Indian soldiers for about one tuman (Rs 10).

Bet that cost a Kingdom

2009-06-17T22:26:00.000-07:00

Isami the medieval historian says that Nasiruddin Mahmud(grandson of Iltutmish), the Sultan of Delhi under whom Balban (Iltutmish's slave) worked had two sons who used to play with the sons of Balban. One day the princes in reply to the taunts of Balban's sons about the wisdom of their father said " we can by a trick bring your father from the horse to the ground". Balban's sons offered a bet of 8 gold dinars. The next day one of the princes dropped his whip in the riding field and when Balban happened to pass by that way they asked him for it. Balban got down from his horse to pick it up. When Balban sons informed their father of the bet, he began to think "if these princes are so deceitful at this age, they would one day arrest me and kill me." So Balban assumed power in 1266 A.D. after locking Nasiruddin Mahmud in a room where he died of hunger and thirst.

Marriage and Prostitution

2009-06-11T02:58:00.000-07:00

During the Vijayanagara times, at the time of marriage, both parties had to pay marriage tax. In addition several other dues were collected like a tax for the marriage pandal and for taking out the married couple outside in procession. Bridegrooms belonging to poor communities had to pay either in cash or kind to the girl’s parents which were called Kanyasulka or Oli. Hence several economically poor men could not pay these burdensome taxes to the state and remained bachelors. All this resulted in the flourishing of the institution of prostitution. Prostitutes were held in high esteem and many were the mistresses of captains. Abdul Razaak says that there were several brothels within the fort of Vijayanagara and the revenues collected from prostitutes amounted to 12,000 fanams and were enough to pay the wages of the city’s policemen. Duret Barbosa speaks of the wealth of the prostitutes and mentions that one of them died without any heirs and bequeathed the king with an amount of 70,000 paradaos.

Jahangir's Riches

2009-06-04T03:31:00.000-07:00

According to William Hawkins Jahangir's personal expenses on feeding his animals of all sorts like 12,000 horses and elephants, 2000 camels, 1000 oxen, 1000 mules, 400 hunting leopards and 100 tamed lions was Rs 1000 per day. His 300 wives spend 30,000 rupees everyday. Jahangir made it a custom to survey a part of his wealth daily and for this purpose all things were severally divided into 360 parts, so that he could daily inspect a certain number of this continuously the whole year. No gem from five carats upwards could be brought by anyone without his permission and nearly all precious stones were impounded by him for the imperial treasures. Jahangir used to wear a beautiful diamond of great price every day.

Political Aspirations

2009-05-28T02:31:00.000-07:00

It is said that during the freedom movement many Congressmen in Bihar considered it as a prestige to get arrested and imprisoned by taking part in political agitation against the British government as their whole political future depended upon it. Hence the policemen in order to restrain their enthusiasm used to dump the agitators naked by the roadside after arresting them. Once in Patna city a large number of women demonstrators lay on the street and held up traffic. As there were no women policemen, the demonstrators were sprayed with water. The women who were wearing thin sarees were embarrassed when the standing policemen started making dirty jokes on them and ran away and the demonstration was broken.

Life During Raj-7

2009-05-23T23:54:00.000-07:00

During the British rule in India, there were certain unwritten rules like suppose a Whiteman was riding along a road and if an Indian came along riding in the opposite direction, the Indian was supposed to get off from his animal. Similarly an Indian carrying an open umbrella was supposed to shut up it if an Englishman was coming in the opposite direction. In Railway station there were waiting rooms and benches marked “Europeans only” and “Indians only”. Even hawkers were selling water, Hindu pani and Mussalman pani to Hindus and Muslims separately.
On one hand the Anglo-Indians used to refer to Indians as niggers and if a British soldier was seen joking or talking to an Indian especially the same person two or three times, he was jeered and called ‘white nigger’. But they themselves were despised by many British of the high strata and marriages between the British and the Anglo-Indians were frowned upon. Indians used to call the Anglo-Indians as Katcha Bachcha (half baked) and depending upon the shade of colour of the Anglo-Indians they were called teen pao (3/4) or adha seer (half pound) if he/she was nearly white.

Life During Raj- 6

2009-05-13T03:05:00.001-07:00

Hunting of animals was the favourite past time of the elite both Indians and British during the Raj. Animals like jackals, deer, tiger, leopards, ducks, partridges and even crocodiles were hunted. One cruel sport was pig-sticking in which the hunter used to drive sharp spears into the body of the pig or boar. It was said that the hunted pig used to fight back injuring the horses on which the hunters rode and even charged those hunters who used to fall after their horses tripped. Records were kept to show how one Viceroy had fared compared with his predecessor in the number of animals shot.

Life during raj- 5

2009-05-08T01:48:00.000-07:00

The complete segregation of women in the barrack was the most frustrating for the English soldier in the British army in India . As an outlet to their sexual desires there existed illicit military brothels and regiments made discreet arrangement with contractors for sexual relief. Many soldiers though forbidden used to visit red light areas in Bombay know as ‘cages’ and ‘nadge’ in Poona . It any white soldier was seen in those areas, whistles were blown by the police and all traffic came to a standstill and the soldier was caught and punished. There were periodic medical checks and soldiers afflicted with venereal diseases had their pay stopped as punishment.

Life during the Raj- 4

2009-04-18T01:32:00.000-07:00

The British soldier in India had little privacy in his barracks and nearly fifty of them lived in a 250x100x40 hall. The bed where he slept and the kit box where he kept his personal belongings were the only items given to individual soldiers; all other amenities being shared in common. Except for the morning parades and sports and exercises, he had nothing to do for most of the time. For a few rupees he used to get services to make his life easy like the services of the
* Nappy wallah- who used to shave his face and charge at the end of the week,
* Chai wallah- poured tea into his mug every morning for one anna,
* Elderly men called chokras who used to wash and iron his uniform every night,
* Egg wallah- who fried eggs for him,
* Dudh wallah- who gave butter and milk,
* Sweet wallah- who sold him sweet and
* Corn cuttit wallah- who sold him corns.
All the camp followers had to be licensed by the regimental quartermaster. Other important camp followers were the bheestis- the regimental water carriers and mehtars- who cleaned the latrines in the barracks.

After Akbar's death

2009-04-07T00:06:00.000-07:00

A contemporary merchant of Agra describes the state of affairs in Jaunpur, a town in the present state of Uttar Pradesh upon hearing the news of the death of Emperor Akbar in 1605 A.D. He says that everyone closed the doors of their house in panic and shopkeepers shut down their shops. The rich hid their jewels and costly attire underground and many of them quickly dumped their wealth and their ready cash on carriages and rushed to safe secluded places. Every householder began to stock weapons and arms in his home. Rich men and women began to wear shabby clothes in order to conceal their status and it was impossible to distinguish the rich from the poor. There were signs of panic everywhere although there was no reason for it. The commotion subsided after ten days when a letter arrived from Agra bringing the news that all was well in the capital and Jahangir had been enthroned as the new Emperor.

Life during Raj- 3

2009-03-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

For the British in India, the club was a place for social activity like playing, chatting and consuming liquor. While the ordinary ones had a big hall for sit out with a few old books and some drinks, the bigger ones had a tennis court, a squash court and even a golf course. Persons following a certain profession used to come together to form a club and normally membership was given to fellow professionals. Though women were allowed in the clubs there were not allowed near the bar. But intellectuals refused to join clubs, which they considered as waste of time and used to spend their evenings studying history or Indian languages or the classics. With regards to the admission of Indians in these clubs the reaction was mixed. Some clubs would not allow Indians to be members and had it written in their constitutions. Apart from colour prejudices the main objection for the British to refuse admission to Indians was because the former felt that the latter if allowed to join the club would mingle with their (British) female members while their own (Indian) female members were prohibited from joining the club or mixing with the white men.

Life during Raj-2

2009-03-17T03:18:00.000-07:00

Lord Linlithgow, the Governor General of India from 1936 to 1943 once confessed to his Private Secretary that he had never seen an Indian rupee. This was because during the Raj many high ranking British officials both civil and military including those working in private concerns used to make all purchases without paying the actual money. After every purchase they used to sign a chit and at the end of the month the vendor used to send them a bill. They either paid a part of it or none and the amount was carried to the next month. In this way the credit went on accumulating. But the vendors were not worried as nearly 99 percent of their customers paid back. This was due to the fact that employers used to consider as slight upon their organization if their employees defaulted and used to ask the defaulting employee to resign or transfer him to another place.

Life during the Raj-1

2009-03-09T02:22:00.000-07:00

The massive unemployment in Britain during the inter war period saw many young men joining the army and being sent to India. As per the contract a soldier was to serve for four years in India, which could be extended under certain circumstances. Newly commissioned subalterns were required to buy their own uniform, together with a sword and a revolver. While in India British troops were advised not to visit brothels, wear a pith helmet or topee at all times during the day and not to drink water outside the cantonment as it would be contaminated with typhoid, diphtheria and all other diseases in India.

Handful of Sand

2009-02-27T01:13:00.000-08:00

In 1844 the then Governor General of India, Lord Hardinge wrote- India, a country of 120 million is governed by an army which is officered by aliens, whilst the mass of the force under the foreign officers consents to coerce their own countrymen merely for the sake of pay and pension. This indeed is a greatest phenomenon that the world has ever witnessed. He further writes- If each black man (Indian) took up a handful of sand and by united effort cast it upon the white faced intruders (Britishers), we should buried alive. But no such act of concerted determination occurred.
Since the time of Robert Clive, Indians had developed a terror of white troops and were unnerved whenever they faced them. Even Tipu Sultan who had a few white mercenary soldiers, had them carried to the battle field in palanquins to preserve their vitality. Even the British used to shift white men to the front in palanquins and bullock carts or on the back of camels and elephants. When the fight started these men had automatic priority at dressing station and convalescent hospital. For Indian professional cavalrymen, their horses, harness, Armour and weapons were the source of their livelihood and they were reluctant to risk them in any do or die exploits. This was recognized by the British and whenever the company hired an irregular horse trooper, he was promised compensation if he lost his horse in a battle. For the Englishmen to win battle more than bravery or skill, it was an exercise of will power, an assertion of moral superiority that worked.

Patriotism Unlimited

2009-02-11T01:32:00.000-08:00

Har Dayal's patriotism was unparalleled in the history of India's freedom struggle. After completing two and a half years at Oxford on state scholarship, he decided to relinquish it as he did not want to receive money from the British government. He gave up wearing English cloths and instead wore kurta and dhoti which was not best suited for the English weather. He insisted on eating only Indian food and refused to accept or eat with Englishmen. After returning to India he refused to use British Indian postage stamps on his letters and sent them unstamped. At one stage instead of using the Christian era he switched to the Vikrama era. He also refused to see people in European dress or communicate in the English language. It is said that when S.K.Rudra, the principal of St.Stephens College, Delhi went to see Hardayal in Lahore, the latter refused to see him as he was in English clothes. Rudra changed to Indian clothes and returned to see Hardayal.

Awe-inspiring Memory

2009-02-04T02:03:00.000-08:00

Lala Hardayal (1884-1939 A.D.) the patriot per excellence was an intellectual giant famous for his marvelous memory. Even as a boy he read extensively and could commit anything to memory at first reading. It is said that once he went to a library and asked the librarian four or five classic English novels. The librarian told that he (Hardayal) was too young to borrow read these books and recommended some other books meant for children. But Hardayal insisted on borrowing those books and returned them the very next day. “ I told you that these books were not meant for boys like you”, the librarian taunted Hardayal, for which he replied that he had read all of them and even recited sentences from each of the books. In another instance, Hardayal gave a memory demonstration where he repeated verses in Sanskrit and Latin which were being recited by fellow friends, counted the number of times a bell had been rung, played a game of chess and solved an arithmetical problem, all at the same time. Hardayal knew 14 languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, English, French, Italian, German, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, etc.

Religious Observances

2009-01-28T00:58:00.000-08:00

Mohammad bin Tuglaq was very strict about his Muslim subjects offering their daily prayers and attending Mosque. Anyone found neglecting was punished severely. One day he put to death nine men for neglecting prayers. He had appointed men who used to frequent the bazaars and punish persons found there after the commencement of prayers. He gave orders that people in general should be aware of the basic principles of Islam. People were often questioned on these matters; if anyone failed to give correct answers, he was punished and hence it was common to see people in public places studying and jolting down points related to Islam and discussion with each other.

Horse Power

2009-01-21T01:14:00.000-08:00

Ranjit Singh, the ruler of Punjab had a passion for horses. It is said that he would make war on a province to procure the surrender of any horse which was reputed to be of pure breed. When he heard about a horse called Laili which had become famous for its beauty both in Afghanistan and Punjab, he demanded the owner of the horse, Yar Mohammed Khan, the governor of Peshawar that he surrender the animal. On the Khan's refusal, Ranjit singh sent one of his general to take possession of the horse. Yar Mohammed fled after being defeated but did not part with the horse, later he was killed in an engagement. His brother Sultan Mohammed also refused to yield to Ranjit Singh's demand and was arrested. He was warned that he would remain a prisoner so long as Laili was not given up. Ultimately the horse was surrendered and on arrival in Lahore received with rejoicings by the Maharaja. It is said that laili costed sixty lakhs of rupees and 12,000 men to procure.

Conserving Gun Powder

2009-01-09T02:05:00.000-08:00

The factories of the East India Company in India was a compact little nest of buildings consisting of the lodging of the Chief or President and his subordinates, warehouses, godowns and offices, the whole surrounded by the ramparts of the fort. Its inhabitants consisted of apprentices, writers, factors, merchants and senior merchants. Originally no provision was made for family life. Even Chiefs were rarely accompanied by their wives and others were not expected to marry. Meals were taken in common till about 1720. There were daily prayers and gates were closed at stated hours. The President was given disciplinary control over the younger members and fines were imposed for breaches of rules or misconduct like drunkenness, gambling, brawling or insubordination.
One grievance of the authorities at home against the company employees in India was that they wasted large amount of gunpowder in salutes. The company servants used to fire in the air on public occasions like the Queen’s birthday, coronation, when their ships from England arrived or departed and also when some high-ranking employee the company died. The French trade company’s servant carried the practice of saluting to an extreme extent and the roar of the artillery accompanied every movement of the French Governor. It is said that a Portuguese ship once emptied her magazine in complimentary salvos and when war broke out and she met an enemy on the open seas, her guns went silent.

Flying Jogi

2009-01-02T01:47:00.000-08:00

Ibn Batuta the medieval traveller to India mentions a strange experience he had in the private apartment of Sultan Mohammad bin Tughlaq to which he was invited. On his arrival Ibn Batuta saw two jogis in the sultan presence. One of the jogis squatted on the ground and slowly rose into the air above two to three feet of the ground in his sitting position. On seeing this Ibn Batuta was frightened and fainted. He was brought back to conscious and saw the jogi still up in the air. The jogi’s companion then took a sandal from his bag and began striking it on the floor severely. The sandal rose in the air until it came above the neck of the suspended jogi and began hitting him on the neck. Slowly the suspended jogi descended on the ground.

Forceful Conversion and Reconversion

2008-12-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

After the conquest of Sindh by the Arabs in 712 A.D. hundreds of women were forcibly ravished and thousands of men were converted to Islam. It was during that time that the Devala Smriti was composed which contained rules for reconversion of people who were forcibly converted to Islam. A number of Smritis said that women ravished by Mlechchas should be readmitted into the families after suitable ceremonies, even if the ravishment had resulted in conception. Muslim writers themselves supply further evidence to show that reconversion on a mass scale used to take place in the 8th and 9th century. Al Biladuri says that the Muslims were compelled to retire from several parts of India and that the people of India had returned to idolatry except those of Kassa. Alberuni says that he was repeatedly told that when Hindu slaves in Muslim countries escaped and returned to their country, they were readmitted to their religion after expiation. Sulaiman says that the Gurjara Pratiharas were the greatest enemies of the Muslim religion. It is possible that the emperors of this dynasty may have actively helped the movement of reconversion by extending state help to it. But towards the beginning of 11th century, while the masses were for reconversion, the orthodoxy began to frown on it and the notion of maintaining purity gained ground.

Sweet Revenge

2008-12-16T02:20:00.000-08:00

The Kallar community in Tamil Nadu practiced a peculiar custom during the 18th century. They would inflict severe punishment upon themselves just to retaliate such punishment on their enemies. If there was a quarrel and one of the party cuts his ear or pulls his own eye out, or kills himself, the other party must inflict the same punishment upon himself or on some of his relations. Their women carried this barbarous custom still further. For a slight affront or a biting remark, they would go and bang their heads against the door of the offending person who was obliged to inflict exactly the same punishment upon herself. If one woman poisons herself, by drinking the juice of a venomous herb or plant, the other who was the cause of it was obliged to do the same and if she showed reluctant to do, the rest of the community would set fire on her house, run away with her cattle and perpetually torment her till she made full satisfaction

Measuring Time

2008-12-06T00:54:00.000-08:00

During ancient and medieval times time was measured in India by a water clock called Ghatika. Indians had divided day and night into 60 parts, each of which is called a ghari. Moreover the night and day are each divided into four parts each of which is called pahar. In all important towns, a group of men called ghariyalis were appointed to measure time. To measure time a vessel with a hole at the bottom was place over another big vessel containing water. When the vessel with the hole was filled with water, they used to strike the ghariyal, a thick brass disc hung at a high place with a mallet. This indicated a certain period of time. I Tsing, the Chinese traveler who visited India during the 7th century A.D had given an account of how this clepsydra (water clock) worked at Nalanda. Commencing from the morning at the first immersion of the vessel, one stroke of a drum was sounded, at the 2nd immersion, two strokes, at the 3rd immersion, three strokes and at the 4th immersion, two blasts of a conch-shell and one more beat of a drum were added to the announcement. This period was called the first hour, when the sun was in the east between the zenith and the horizon. When the 2nd turn of the 4th immersion of the vessel was over, four strokes of the drum were struck, a conch blown and two more strokes sounded. This time known as the 2nd hour was previously the horse hour of the beginning of the noon. Similarly two hours were sounded in the afternoon and four in the course of the night also.Sultan Firoz Tuglaq had a separate department with personnel for measuring and announcing time.

Every Dog has its day

2008-11-25T01:14:00.000-08:00

The Nawab of Junagadh, Mahabat Khan Rasul Khanji was very much passionate about dogs. His favourite pets were assigned apartments equipped with telephones, electricity and domestic servants. Marble tombs were built for the dead. He marked the wedding of his favourite bitch Roshana to Bobby wherein he invited every Prince, celebrity and dignitary in India including the Viceroy to attend. A public holiday was declared on that day. The Viceroy declined but about 1,50,000 people crowded the route of the nuptial cortege which was led by the Prince's bodyguard and the royal elephants in full regalia. After the parade the Nawab offered lavish banquet. This event cost the prince 60,000 pounds, a sum which could have financed the basic human needs of 12,000 of his 6,20,000 impoverished subject for an entire year. The Nawab's Diwan was Shah Nawaj Bhutto, the grandfather of former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazar Bhutto.

To Die for a Cause

2008-11-18T00:51:00.000-08:00

After the torture and death of Sambhaji in 1789, his son Shahu was taken a prisoner by Aurangzeb. In 1703, Aurangeb issued an order that Shahu be converted to Islam during the month of muharram. The news spread like wild fire throughout Maharashtra and a deep shadow of gloom pervaded the whole atmosphere. Shahu and his mother were prostrate with grief and in that helpless state they turned to their great benefactor, the princess Zinatunnisa who pleaded for Shahu with her father. Aurangzeb relented at last but at a price and the price was that two prominent Marathas should offer themselves for conversion in place of Shahu. Even in those days when unselfish patriotism was a rare virtue there were people who could die without a groan for their king and for their country. Two sons of Pratap Raogujar, Khande Rao and Jagjiwan, brother-in-law of Rajaram, who were captured at Raigarh along with Shahu and lived with him in the imperial camp offered themselves for conversion to save Shahu. They were accordingly converted on May 16, 1703 and renamed Abdur Rahim and Abdur Rahman. The moral courage to offer oneself as a scapegoat for loyalty and risk one's soul by sacrificing the faith of one's ancestor is a nobler virtue than courting death on the battle field.

Taming Elephants

2008-11-10T01:11:00.000-08:00

The manner in which elephants were caught and domesticated in India is written by the Persian ambassador, Abdul Razzak in his work Matlau uS Sadain. He says that a pit was dug in the path by which the elephant usually goes to drink water and covered lightly. When an elephant falls into the pit no man is allowed to go near the animal for two to three days. At the end of the period a man comes up and strikes the elephant several hard blows with a bludgeon, when suddenly another man appears and drives off the striker and seizing the bludgeon throws it away. He then retires after placing some forage before the elephant. This practice is repeated for several days; the first man striking blows and the second one driving him away until the elephant begins to have a liking for his protector who gradually approaches the elephant and places before it the fruits which it likes and scratches and rubs the animal, until by this kind of treatment the elephant becomes tame and submits his neck to the chain.

Monster eaters !

2008-10-31T02:32:00.000-07:00

Christian Missionary, Abbe Dubois who had observed the eating habits of the Brahmins says that as they were obliged to observe frequent fasts as a part of their religious duty they were inclined to overeating. "Habit has enabled them to overload their stomachs with most indigestible food, without feeling any discomfort or inconvenience. One often sees a brahmana after making a hearty meal of rice and liquefied butter; eat the whole of a huge jackfruit, which would be enough to give ten Europeans violent indigestion. To prevent themselves from being inconvenienced in any way during this important operation of eating they begin by taking off their turbans and clothes; sitting down to the feast almost naked. While eating they occasionally stroke their heads, their throats, their chests, their stomachs and rub these portions of their bodies in order as it were to help the food descend more quickly into the abdominal regions. They never get up from a meal until it is absolutely impossible to swallow another morsel and then to alleviate the enormous amount of work their stomach are put to, they swallow a piece of afoetida".

Instigated by Mangoes

2008-10-22T02:10:00.000-07:00

When Daulat Khan Lodi, the Subedar of Punjab invited Babur to invade India, the latter was engaged in celebrating the marriage of his son Kamran. It is said that Babur prayed to the almighty that if the government of Hindustan was destined to be given to him let betel leaves and mangoes be presented to him and he shall accept them as good omen. It so happened that being the mango season, Daulat Khan Lodi sent half ripe mangoes preserved in pots of honey and betel leaves through his ambassador Ahmed Khan to the court of Babur. When Babur’s eyes fell on the mangoes, he arose from his throne, prostrated himself before the almighty for having granted him the sovereignty of Hind. From that day onwards Babur started making preparation for invading India. Once Aurangzeb was sent mangoes by his son Mohammad Azam, who also requested his father to give some name to those unnamed mangoes. Aurangzeb is said to have named them as Sudharas, that is juice of nectar (in Sanskrit Sudha meant nectar and ras meant juice) and Rasnavilas, meaning that which gives pleasure to the tongue (in Sanskrit Rasna meant tongue and vilas meant pleasure)

Great Runners

2008-10-15T02:13:00.000-07:00

In medieval India, rulers were dependant upon runners called Harkaras for receiving reports and news from their spies and officials from different parts of their Kingdom. Nobles, British officers and even merchants had their own body of harakaras. Harakaras were apparently trained within their families or were apprenticed by caste members who taught them skills of running and survival in hostile territories. The best runners could cover enormous distances with few breaks. A Marathi document of late 18th century records the requriment of different grades of harakara, which included mental as well as physical accomplishments. the superior class of harakara was supposed to be skilled in various forms of classical knowledge including Vedas, astromony or astrology and vocal music. He should know five languages, Kannada, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil. and Avadhi. He should be able to write in six kinds of scripts and capable of appearing in different guises, having a hardened body and steadfast in bringing news in wartime. The lower grades were required to command less scriptural knowledge but even the 3rd grade harakara was supposed to know three or four languages. Rulers maintained harakaras with their special dress who additionally acted as minor ambassadors and checked on local officias. While covering distances they were not molested by roaming maurders.

Death defying acts

2008-10-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

The heroic deeds of Rajputs are immortalized in Rajput history. Once during a campaign by the Rajput army of Rana Sangha, the moment for storming the fort came; but the elephants refused to force open the gates, owing to the long iron spikes upon them. At that emergency, Kanh Singh, son of a notable Rajput officer of Rana Sangha, Dunger Singh Chauhan rushed to the gate, covered the spikes with his body and urged the elephant to force the gates open, himself being impaled on the spikes. Similarly the siege of Ontala which took place during the time of Rana Amar Singh showcases the dare devil ness of the Rajputs. During the siege, the right to lead the vanguard, which had for generations belonged to the Chodawats, was on this occasion disputed by the Suktawats. It was then decided by the Rana that the party that first enters Ontala would be the vanguard and it was accepted. The Chondawats traversed through a swamp and started to scale the walls of the fort. Their chief led the escalade, but a ball rolled him back amidst his men. The next in rank took the command and rolling the body of his leader in his scarf, then tying it on his back, scaled the wall, and having cleared the way before him with his lance, he threw it over the parapet of Ontala, shouting, " The vanguard to the Chondawat, we are first in" Meanwhile the Suktawats had made directly for the gateway, its leader riding on a elephant tried to force the gate, but its projecting spikes deterred the animal from applying his strength. The shout from the Chondawat made him dread their success. He descended from his seat, placed his body on the spikes and commanded the driver, on pain of instant death to propel the elephant against him. The gates gave way, and over the body of their Chief, his clan rushed into the fortress victoriously.

Spreading Islam

2008-09-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

Aurangzeb the Mughal ruler who considered India as a dar-ul-harb (land of infidels) wanted to convert it into dar-ul-islam (land of Islam) and took various measures to achieve it. In 1679 he introduced jaziya a tax on non Muslims. When thousands of Hindus gathered together to protest against it, Aurangzeb gave them an hour's notice to disperse. When they did not obey, he ordered elephants to run over them and consequently a large number of them were killed. He employed many ways to make Hindus accept Islam. Hindus were given the option of retaining their job if they become converts to Islam. Rebels were pardoned if they became Muslims. If there was dispute over a property between two non-Muslims and if one of them became a Muslim, he used to get the property. Aurangzeb used to announce that those Hindus who embraced Islam would be granted stipends and free gifts. If a Muslim had no desire to discharge his debt to the bania (the Hindu money lender) and if the bania demanded the payment of the same, the Muslim would lodge a complaint to the kazi that he (the bania) had called the prophet names or spoken ill of their religion and produce a false witness or two and the poor bania was forced to circumcision and made to embrace Islam. Even the length of the beard to be grown was fixed. An order was issued that if the beard of any person was longer than the prescribed length; the same was liable to be cut down. According to Manucci, a large number of persons were employed by the state and their duty was to cut the offending beards. The length of the trousers was also prescribed by the state. Even while writing letters addressed to Hindus, he omitted the suffix ji denoting respect after a name. He wrote Shiva instead of Shivaji. After he destroyed the temple at Mathura, the place was renamed as Islamabad. Similarly Sattara was named as Aazam-Tara (the great star) after his son Aazaam.

Paisa Vasool

2008-09-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

Orissa came under the Maratha rule in 1803. Accordingly, its Governor Raghuji used to come to Puri when he wanted money and hold Durbars. Here he compelled all the great men in Puri to attend the Durbar and pay him money. He used to decide disputes of rich men against each other by taking the side of those who gave him most of the money. Once a man murdered another and the relatives of the murdered man caught the murderer and brought him before Raghuji to get him punished. Raghuji replied “Why trouble me? If the man has murdered one of you, you can take his life yourselves, can’t you, without troubling me?” It is quite interesting how the Marathas collected taxes in Orissa. If the people did not at once pay, they were first beaten and then tortured. The favourite mode of torture was to trust a brass nail between the finger nails and the flesh. If the Marathas saw a fat man, they said that he had eaten plenty of ghee and must be wealthy. So all men tried to be lean. If they saw any one wearing clean clothes, they declared he can afford to pay- so all people went about in dirty clothes. If they saw a man with a door to his house, they said it was plain he had something- so people either did not keep doors or hid them when the revenue officer was coming. If a man lived in a masonry (pakka) house, he was fleeced as the Marathas held that a man who could build a pakka house could always afford them Rs 100. To find whether a man had money the Marathas go together the leaves which served as plates on which the family members had eaten and poured water on them. If the water did not flow over every part of the leaf, they declared that they were greasy and that the family was all ghee eaters and must possess money.

Divine Justice

2008-09-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Balban who ruled Delhi between 1266 to 1296 A.D. once ordered the son of a widow to be executed. The widow pleaded for the son claiming that he was innocent. But the Sultan did not change his decision. After the execution of the boy it became a daily routine with the widow at the dead of the night to appear at the imperial palace and loudly lament at the death of her son and cry for divine justice. The palace guards used to stop her but somehow she would appear and start wailing loudly. The night prince Mohammed was killed in Multan fighting against the Mongols, the old women did not appear near the palace wall and all efforts to trace her failed.

Sweet Revenge

2008-08-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

During Shahjahan’s time a soldier went to draw his salary and the clerk showed lethargy in attending him. Angered by the clerk’s attitude the soldier threatened to break his teeth. The clerk said nothing and at once paid the soldier’s salary. The clerk decided to teach a lesson to the soldier for his audacity. He wrote that the soldier does not have two of his front teeth in the book where the soldier’s identification details had been entered. Some times later, the soldier once again came to receive his pay. The clerk opened the salary disbursement book and said-“You are not the one I can pay as the description of the man suppose to receive the salary do not have two of his front teeth, while you have it.” Helpless and confused the soldier was obliged to have his two front teeth extracted to receive his pay.

No Meaning to Rakhi

2008-08-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

When Bahadur Shah, the ruler of Gujrat, invaded Chittor, its ruler Rani Karnavati, the mother of Rana Vikramaditya appealed to the Mughal Emperor, Humayun for assistance and sent him a rakhi, indicating that it was now his duty as a brother to save his sister from the clutches of an enemy. But Bahadur Shah’s maulavis assured him that Humayun would not help Mewar for the simple reason that no Muslim could uphold an infidel cause against another Muslim. True to their words Humayun did not heed to the appeal of Rani Karnavati. Chittor fell after a heroic resistance in March 8 1535 and all the women folk committed jauhar.

For those extra bucks

2008-08-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

The salaries of British officers during the Raj were exorbitant. The Viceroy received eight times that of the Prime Minister of England. While the former got Rs.3,70,000 per month, the latter got Rs 50,000. Provincial Governors got Rs.1, 28,000. This did not prevent many like Lord Wavell to make use of their office for extra bucks. He chose the tenure of his Viceroyalty to celebrate his daughter’s wedding and invitations was sent several months in advance to the rulers of 700 odd Indian princely states. Each invitation was accompanied by a list of articles which the bride and bridegroom would like to receive as gifts and also the name of a European shop in Calcutta where the articles could be obtained. The Princes dutifully bought the gifts paying fabulous prices, in which the Viceroy’s personal staff had apparently a ‘cut’. But Wavell was replaced by Mountbatten and the venue of the wedding had to be shifted to London. Many Princes exchanged the gifts for less expensive and more ordinary articles.

The Daredevils of Yesterdays

2008-07-31T21:38:00.000-07:00

The martial qualities of the people of Karnataka were well known all over India during ancient and medieval times. When attacked by enemies boiling oil (bisi enne) and other deadly preparations were poured upon them from the top of the forts. It appears that serpents were caught and stored in boxes to be released on the opponents during the siege by the device called havina helige. The Chalukyan army was known as 'Karnatabala' and described as invincible (ajeyam). Huien Tsang who visited Karnataka in 641 A.D. describes its people as proud spirited and warlike, grateful for favours and revengeful for wrongs. Speaking of the generals says that when a general loses a battle they do not punish him but present him with women’s clothes so that he is driven to seek death for himself. The soldiers it is said used to go to battlefield intoxicated. The bravery of Kannada people and their Kings was almost proverbial in medieval India. Rajashekara who lived during 9th century in his work Balaramayana Nataka has characterized the people of Karnataka as those possessed of manliness that is unchecked in magnitude. It is said that the rulers of Bengal used to recruit soldiers from Karnataka.
Soldiers and generals used to have the privilege of accepting betel leaf and nuts at the hands of the kings before moving to the fields. People used to erect herostones called viragallu in memory of those who died in battle fields. The Hoysala kings had a corps of special bodyguards called Garudas. They used to commit suicide after the death of their masters as they had sworn their loyalty to him alone. Ferishta speaks of the Vijayanagara army says that the Karnataki infantry "values their lives but little, were quite naked and had their bodies anointed with oil to prevent them from being easily seized". The famous Karnataki foot musketeers or kalapaidas of Aurangzeb time were the best marksmen among Kannadigas recruited from the beda tribes. The political dominance of the Kannadigas helped them to send out dynasties of Kannada origin to rule outside Karnataka. The Senas of Bengal, the Karnatas of Mithila, the Chindaka Nagas of Central India, the Gangas of Kalinga, the Chalukyas of Gujrat and of Vengi, the Rathods of Jodhpur and Bikaner were descendants of Karnataka rulers. The Gahadwalas of Kanuaj trace their descent from Nandapala, a King of Karnata.

Beauty up in flames

2008-07-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

In 1303, the licentious ruler of Delhi, Ala-ud-din Khalji who had killed his own uncle and patron treacherously to ascend the throne besieged Chittor, the capital of Ratna Singh, the ruler of Mewar. It is said that the principle motive was to secure Padmini, the peerless queen of the king Ratna Singh. When his attempt to capture the fort failed, Ala-ud-din sent a word to Ratna Singh that he would raise the siege and retire if Ratna Singh only showed the beautiful face of Padmini in a mirror. Though his request was fulfilled, Ala-ud-din had Ratna Singh arrested as soon as the latter conducted the former out of his fort. But Padmini saw to it that Rajput soldiers dressed in female attire went to the camp of Ala-ud-din as if to present Padmini and rescued Ratna Singh. Ratna Singh and his men fought up to their last while Padmini and other Rajput women committed jauhar.(i.e. jumped into fire) to save their honour. On entering the fort and unable to get Padmini, the exasperated Ala-ud-din ordered for the slaughter of the inhabitants of Chittor and according to Amir Khusrav who was an eye witness about 30,000 Rajputs were killed in one day.

Boundless Brutality

2008-07-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

Five times a week, Jahangir, the Mughal ruler used to enjoy his elephants fight before him and while they fought, came or went out many people were killed or grievously hurt. The latter were sometimes thrown into the rivers on the emperor’s order for he believed that people who were maimed and disabled by his elephants would always curse him if they were allowed to live. William Hawkins mentions Jahangir’s delight in seeing men executed and torn to pieces by his elephants. A Pathan who demanded a salary of 1000 rupees a day for his courage and skill in war was compelled to wrestle with a lion. After he was killed by the lion, Jahangir longing for seeing more of action sent for ten men to fight with the lion one after the other. Three of them lost their lives, while the rest were terribly wounded. Once when a officer in charge of Jahangir’s wardrobe broke one of the dishes dearly loved by his master, he was first brought before the emperor and flogged by two men with two great whips made of cords and then by the emperors porters who beat with clubs till he was unconscious. In another instance Jahangir asked his seven year old son, Sahariyar, whether he would accompany him (for an outing). Sahariyar said that all depended on the permission of his father, the emperor (Akbar). Angered by his reply Jahangir gave him a good trashing. Seeing Sahariyar not crying Jahangir asked him the reason for which Sahariyar replied that his nurse had told him not to cry as it was a shame on the part of a prince to weep. Further infuriated Jahangir struck the child again and again thrusting a pointed instrument through his cheek till Sahariyar almost fainted bleeding in the mouth and nose.

Leaves for comradeship

2008-07-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

“It is an excellent fruit like the flower of a garden, the finest fruit of Hindustan. The eating of the leaf renders the breath agreeable and repasts odorous. It strengthens the gums and makes the hungry satisfied and the satisfied hungry. The Hindus and Muslims were generally very found of chewing betel leaves with nuts and other stimulants substances. Hindus offers betel to one who goes to his place to see him” is what Amir Khusro (1252-1325 A.D.), says in one of his verses about the betel leaves. Abul Fazl (1551-1593 A.D.) writes “The betel leaf is probably speaking a vegetable, but connoisseurs call it an excellent fruit”. The French traveler, Francois Bernier writes “The betel is taken after meals; it is offered when you meet and when you separate. The betel is a leaf which after it has undergone a certain preparation is given as a mark of royal favour and which when masticated sweetens the breadth and renders the lips ruddy. In royal court of Vijayanagar no one except dancing girls were allowed to use betel leaves in the presence of the Kings. In Princely state of Mysore it was a custom to distribute betel leaves and nuts to all the invitees at the end of an official ceremony.

Eccentric Sikandar

2008-07-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

The Sultan of Delhi, Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517) used to give private audiences at night and around midnight meals were served to all those present in the meeting. While the sultan himself went on eating, others present in the meeting were not allowed to take the meals in his presence. They used to take their share home and eat. It is said that in his last moment’s Sikandar Lodi instructed his imam, Sheikh Ladan to calculate the religious penalty that should be paid by him for missing some prayers and fasts, tasting wine occasionally and shaving his beard. This amount he paid from his private purse. The author of Tarikh-i-daudi, Abdullah says that Sikandar was so handsome in his boyhood that Shaikh Hasan, a well known Muslim divine fell in ‘love’ with him. Sikandar who did not like the Shaikh’s visits, one day burnt the formers beard lightly by forcibly holding his face near the fire.

Indian Dollar?

2008-06-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

In 1941 the English administrators of India had planned to issue dollar on the American pattern. Everything was finalized and mints were ready with the dies to strike them. The proof of the dollar had the portrait of King George VI on the obverse and reverse and the superincription, Indian 1 dollar 2 Rupee 8 Annas, 1941. In the center was 1 in an Indian script. But Gandhiji vehemently opposed the proposal and the government shelved the idea. Till 1964 there were two types of one rupee coins. The older one rupee was divided into 64 pice while the new one rupee introduced in 1957 was divided into 100 paisa. The old rupee was divided into half rupee consisting of 32 pice and quarter rupee consisting of 16 pice just like the present one rupee which has 50 paisa and 25 paisa denomination.