Navrang India

Archduke Joseph diamond from Golconda, India CBS News

Kingdom of Golkonda, India. harada.ho-seki.com

Of all the gem stones known to mankind, diamond is the most admired and revered one. It may be 'Diamonds are a girl's best friends'and it is quite imperative that they are inspiring to fashionable and positive women whose beauty is enhanced when they wear it. When such women go to parties wearing dazzling and resplendent diamond ornaments, it is needless to say they leave a glittering and bright swathe behind them, making eligible young men drop their jaw. However, the underlying drawback is such valuable stones are also a source of irritation to the owners. You get the attention of one hundred pairs of curious eyes of rich gossiping ladies and also one dozen pairs of anxious eyes of diamond robbers, not to speak of the risk of the proverbial curse such diamonds may carry. Considering the transient nature of our life I like what Emma Goldman says about this hardened carbon (see the quote below).

Brainy Quote

As far as diamonds are concerned, in the past, most of the world famous ones came from Kollur mines in Golconda, near Hyderabad in the present state of Telengana. The best open-cast mines were on the banks of the Krishna river in the present day Krishna and Guntur districts( that formed part of the Golconda Kingdom). Now defunct, once Golconda town was famous for diamond cutting and diamond and gemstone trading as well and had close links with many diamond experts.

The most distinctive feature of Golconda diamonds is (some experts believed in the past), the presence of less nitrogen or boron or lack of them may make them differ from other diamonds. Yet another feature is they contain less impurity, hence many of them are colorless. Until the end of 19th century, Golconda was a famous diamond center where the industry was involved in important activities related to diamond processing - sizing, cutting, polishing, sorting , marketing, etc., employing 10,000 plus people. The medieval diamond trade here got the attentions of famous French diamond traders and experts such as Jean de Thévenot and François Bernier. According to the Hyderabad (Deccan) based historian, Mohammed Safiullah the estimated output from all mines in Golconda was believed to be around 12 million carats (vide: The New Indian Express of 22 October 2016). India is the only country where the diamonds have a long history and are said to have been known for at least 3,000 years but most likely 6,000 years. They were mostly found in placer / Alluvial deposits.

Among the countless famous diamonds from Kollur mines, the following may be worthy of mention:

Archduke Joseph Diamond, 78.54 carats (15.708 g) cut; auctioned by Christie's in New York and purchased by an anonymous collector.
The Orloff Diamond, 300 carats (60.0 g). Daryā-ye Nūr, 182 carats (36.4 g); the largest one in the Iranian Crown. The Golconda Diamond, 135 carats (27.0 g); belonging to Dunklings Jewellers, Melbourne, Australia. Koh-i-Noor, 105.6 carats (21.12 g) (793 carats (158.6 g) rough, 186 carats (37.2 g) cut, further cut for Crown Jewels); in the British Crown Jewels, London. The Hope Diamond, 67 carats (13.4 g); in the American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institution, Washington and Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond, 31.06 carats (6.212 g) cut; currently owned by Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, former ruler of Qatar.

Archduke Joseph. .jewelryactivist.com

Among the famous diamonds mentioned above, the rare 76 carat diamond mined from erstwhile Golconda kingdom, named after its first known owner Archduke Joseph August of Austria that had lain unnoticed for a long time, gained overnight popularity. It was sold for a whooping record price

CartoonStock

of €16.9 million (about Rs. 118 crore) at an auction in Geneva in November 2012. The hugest for a diamond so far. It was sold by American jeweler Black, Starr & Frost through the auction company. The successful bidder maintained his anonymity. This sensational auction by Christie’s drew the attention of connoisseurs of precious stones across the globe. As to this diamond's transport to Austria, some confusion still lingers. According to Mr. Narendra Luther, Historian on Qutub Shahi Sultans' in 1893 Archduke Franz Ferdinad was a guest of the 6th Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan at Hyderabad and apparently the Austrian got the diamond from the ruler as a gift. Archduke's son for safety purpose deposited the gem in the vault of Hungarian General Credit Bank in 1933. After resurfacing in 1961, it ended up in Christie’s Geneva auction house in 1993 where it was sold for $6.48 million.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/golconda-diamond-fetches-world-record-price/article4095621.ece

laintruong2014.wordpress.co

Indian jewelry has fascinated people all over the world. The workmanship, catchy designs, improvised techniques and patterns and, above all, the quality of gemstones being used add up to their value, besides their period of creation. Countless pieces of jewelry commissioned by the royal families centuries ago still retain their charm and glory. It is needless to say their stunning designs and superior quality gemstones give them a special look that is just overwhelming. Besides the royal and rich families, of India, countless Hindu temples are depositories of precious jewels and gemstones. The designs of temple jewelry used for the procession deities are unique and slightly differ from those used by the people. Certain temple festivals require certain set of jewelry to be worn by the Urchavar - procession deity, matching the type of decoration (alangaram) to be followed for that particular event. The size of jewelry owned by the temples depends on the devotees and the popularity. For example The Balaji temple (dedicated to Vishnu) in Tirupati, Andhra is also the second richest temple in the world and it's annual hundial collections - donations in money, jewels, etc., run into several million US dollars. This temple has the largest collection of valuable jewelry in India donated by great kings, including some Muslim rulers.

Sheik Hamad bin Abdullah al Thani of Qatar's royal family has extraorinary fascination for vintage Indian jewelry once owned by the fabulously rich Maharajahs, Moguls, the Nizams and others.=His vast collections of expensive jewels, diamonds and other gemstones are legendary and popular . Wherever his jewelry exhibition is on, people from different walks of life make a bee line to take a glimpse into India's by gone-rulers' culture, tradition and their legendary royal jewelry. His exhibits at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, November of 2014, the Victorian & Albert Museum in London - November 2015, the Miho Museum in Japan - winter of 2016 and the Grand Palais in Paris - June 5, 2017, drew a large number of people as such jewels are rare and carry heritage value - a tempting opportunity that can not be missed. . Presented below are some of the wonderful creations and also other Indian jewelry. Photo credit: scroll.in/article and
alaintruong2014.wordpress.

laintruong2014.wordpress.com

Plait Ornament (jadanagam), 1890–1910 - worn by women in South India. Silver, set with diamonds, rubies, and pearls. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associates).

alaintruong2014.wordpress.com

Necklace (kanthi), 1850–1900, probably Hyderabad? Gold; set with emeralds; silver, set with diamonds; with pearls and string. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associates).

The Patiala Ruby Choker. alaintruong2014.wordpress.com/

The Patiala Ruby Choker by Cartier, circa 1931, restored and restrung to the original design by Cartier Tradition, Geneva, 2012. Rubies, diamonds and pearls with platinum mounts. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associates)

scroll.in/article

Dagger (kard) with European head. North India, Mughal, ca. 1620–25 (hilt), 1629–36 (blade). Watered steel blade, inlaid with gold; Finial from the throne of Tipu Sultan. South India, Mysore, ca. 1790. Gold, inlaid with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds; lac core. jade hilt.

laintruong2014.wordpress.com

Rosewater Sprinkler (gulabpash), circa 17th century (base) and late 18th century (neck), with inlaid rubies, emeralds and pearls. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associates)

laintruong2014.wordpress.com

Flask, 1650–1700, North India. Rock crystal, inlaid with gold wire, rubies, and emeralds, with gold collar, stopper, and foot. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associates).

/alaintruong2014.wordpress.com

Base of a Water Pipe (huqqa), 1740–80, North India, Mughal. Jade, inlaid with gold wire, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associates).

/alaintruong2014.wordpress.com

Huqqa Mouthpiece, ca. 1800, North India, Mughal. Jade, inlaid with gold, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associates).

alaintruong2014.wordpress.com

Pair of Anklets, 1800–50, North India, Jaipur or Bikaner. Gold, set with white sapphires, with attached pearls and hanging glass beads; enamel on reverse. The Al-Thani Collection. (Photo: © Prudence Cuming Associate.

laintruong.com/archives

A fine and exceptionally rare metal-thread embroidered quilted velvet Quirass (Peti), Mysore, late 18th Century. Estimate £25,000 - 35,000 (€34,000 - 48,000). Photo: Bonhams.

laintruong.com/archives

A fine embroidered Quiver and Arm Guards, related Belt and seven decorated Arrows, Mysore, late 18th Century. Estimate £40,000 - 60,000 (€55,000 - 82,000). Photo: Bonhams.

theadventurine.com/

Inspired by Hindu style jewelry, Cartier created this necklace for Daisy Fellowes in 1936. The Tutti Frutti jewel is set with emeralds, rubies, sapphires and diamonds in platinum and gold. Photo Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection © Cartier

//theadventurine.com

The stunning ruby necklace Maharaja Digvijaysinhji of Nawanagar commissioned from Cartier in 1937. From the Al Thani collection © Christie’s Images Ltd

theadventurine.com

The Nawanagar Ruby Necklace and The Tiger Eye Turban Ornament Photo Christie's Images Ltd; Photo Prudence Cuming

theadventurine.com/c

The restored rendition of Maharajah of Patiala Necklace orgianlly made by Cartier in 1928. Photo Nick Welsh, Cartier Collection © Cartier.

Tit-Bits:

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http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2015/03/31/31709126.htmlhttps://theadventurine.com/culture/jewelry-history/the-magnificence-of-india-on-display-at-the-grand-palais/

Front view Brett,House (castle) Hosur, Tamil Nadu en.wikipedia org

Brett,House (castle) Hosur, Tamil nadu en.wikipedia org

Kenilworth Fort or Kenilworth Castle in Hosur, Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu state is in ruins and its architecture is based on that of Kenilworth Castle in England, making it probably the only fort in India built to resemble an English castle. Mr. Brett, the collector of Salem between 1859 and 1862, built this at his wife's request to be their residence, hence it is also sometimes called Brett's Fort. It was purchased by the government in 1875...........

Hosur, a booming border town in Tamil Nadu close to Bangalore is a fast developing industrial hub. In the past, it was strategically and historically occupied an important place by virtue of its geographical location between British India and   their sworn- enemy Tipu’s Mysore kingdom. Hosur came under the control of British company after they had defeated Tipu and conquered Hosur twice in 1768 and 1791.

Kenilworth Castle, also called "Brett’s Folly" is an interesting monument in Hosur, TN. This impressive building   with fine western design resembling a Scottish Castle in an Indian setting may sound strange and appear alien to its peculiar surroundings. The Hosur fort was once a great fairly fortified place of defense and its southern part has a nicely built castle in British style using the grand Kenilworth Castle as a model. It is believed to be one of the great historic monuments in Warwickshire, England. Presumably, it is the only example of a British castle built in India and there is no structure quite similar to this one. It is a bad news that what was once a British building in a state of ruin and its colonial heritage value is ignored by the Indian government after India's freedom.

Hosur, in the colonial era was the district headquarters of Salem District headed by a Collector Mr. Brett ICS(1855-56). While under the Madras Presidency from 1830 to 1860, the Collector had to stay in this head office. As to origin of a British-styled castle in a God-forsaken area like Hosur, abutting Mysore Princely state, it is said, that the Collector Brett took special efforts to have a nice castle like building constructed in order to accommodate his newly wedded Scottish wife of noble birth and who personally preferred a   residence as cosy, commodious and beautiful as the castles in Scotland. Mr. Cornwallis of East India company took charge for ruling this part of the country and he appointed Captain Kaspy as the collector for Hosur. Anyway, Brett got the plan prepared by one Hamilton who was jailed by Tipu Sultan during the war with the British. Brett employed skilled workers to do the construction
work without compromising either on it's look or on it's construction materials. The chosen site was on the south side of the fort near the moat and the present day Kottai Mariyamman temple. The name ‘Kottai’refers to the fort.    Brett asked the Chunum (quicklime) makers to live near the site and preferred quality lime for his project. The near-by hamlet still called the Chunam Jeebi is near the Bangalore main Road. It is said the lime alone cost him Rs. 17.000.00, a huge amount in those days. The work began in 1857 and completed in 1860-61under the supervision of the local revenue officer (Tesildar). The total cost of building the castle was prohibitive.

The paradox is the Scottish Collector could not live in his dream residence specifically built for his loving wife as the Head District office was shifted to near-by Salem town. Mr. Cornwallis, upon hearing about the castle felt that Bret had misused the company’s money for constructing the fort for his wife's personal pleasures and asked him to leave the job. It was a great disappointment for the couple and his wife, died there after her short stay. Her grave is in St John’s cemetery in Bangalore

The Brett residence has a fine tower with a huge hall and elegant windows with strained glass Till 1935 many British sub Collectors used to live here. At one stage it was notified that the building was not safe and the sub-collectors were provided accommodation in the near-by guest house. The present collector's bungalow was built in 1938.

Since the castle happened to be an old building, obviously you will expect some strange and weird stories behind its falling into disuse. One being the Collector of Salem who stayed here in the past shot a large serpent (cobra) dead. Hindus venerate Cobra because of its link with lord Shiva. Since killing a Cobra is a sort of irreverence to the lord, people living near by expected something unusual. Further, the killed Cobra had a special marking on the hood and had lived there for a long time. Coinciding with the belief, the Collector who shot the serpent dead is said to have lost both his limbs. Soon in 1836 the building was sold for a paltry sum of Rs. 2050.00. The new owners dismantled the buildings and sold the expensive wood items, furniture, etc . So, what we left with are remnants of the old castle. The new owners, during excavation work tumbled upon 500 cannon balls, etc, including vast vaults and closed underground chambers of the castle that need to be explored. The subterranean chambers also remain sealed. The Archaeological Department, TN is yet to prepare a detailed report on the ruins of the old castle in Hosur, a reminder of the British legacy. Up to 1980s this place was haunted by anti social and law- breaking people who caused severe damage to the building. The ASI, it is said, has a plan to protect whatever is left of the monument.

relationshipmatters.ph

cartoonstock

Since Collector Brett took so much pain to have a suitable residence here built for his Scottish lady, befitting her status and opulence, the Brett castle may be considered a classic symbol of eternal love roughly equal to the Taj of Agra, the latter being a mausoleum in memory of Mumtaz Mahal by her husband Mogul emperor Shah Jahan. This comparison is not acceptable.

Tit-Bits:

01. This is the birth place of a famous politician in the 19th century Sri C. Rajagopala Chari whose ancestral house is here . Rajaji, as he was called, was the first and only Indian Governor-General of India and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for two terms in the 1930s and 1950s

02. At Ram Nagar there is a Mosque built by Tippu.

03. Records point that during Tipu Sultan’s rule, the Hill Top temple was renovated and maintained well .

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060430/spectrum/main3.html

Pierce Leslie Bungalow pt.slideshare.net

Pierce Leslie Bungalow Kerala Tourism

Unlike, the palaces and big mansions of the northern states that are highly decorative and luxurious, the ones in Kerala have more or less have similar architectural design and style native to this region, but their elegance and beauty is just overwhelming. Here, the building design is in unison with the prevailing environments here, besides climatic conditions. Heavy SW Monsoon beginning in June is a major factor in the design of the dwellings, bungalows of Kerala. This state, a main Western Ghat region, has lofty mountains, backwaters and rivers. Since, there are plenty of wooded areas, quality wood is widely used in the building construction work.Among the old colonial bungalows, Pierce and Leslie Bungalow is worth mentioning.

Pierce Leslie Bungalow TripAdvisor Trip-Suggest

Pierce Leslie Bungalow holidayiq.com

Pierce Leslie Bungalow in Fort Kochi is a colonial building built in 1862 by the Coffee merchants Pierce Leslie & Co., and it functioned as its office for business dealings. Kerala is known to have countless

Pierce Leslie Bungalow TripAdvisor

tea and coffee estates as the climate and the geomorphological factors are conducive to their growth. This beautiful bungalow that is made mostly of quality wood available here shows local Indian, Dutch and Portuguese influence in the designs as revealed by features like peculiar wood panels, tiled roofing, flooring, arched doorways, carved doors and sprawling rooms, expensive chambers, etc. The addition of Waterfront verandahs adds extra charm to this nice bungalow.

This building is no way different from other Kerala Bungalows, except its design. Its elegance is in full flow as the local design is blended with European designs. It shows the the easy availability of local talents whose workmanship and ingenuity is quite inspiring. No doubt, it is a good example of grand epitome of cultural amalgamation of local and foreign influence. Particularly this historical and heritage structure stands in the middle of lines of coconut groves and pristine back waters in the backdrop, and consequently, the old charm of this colonial bungalow is increased manifold. When you visit this place, it is said, the settings will take you right back to the colonial days.

Tit-Bits:
In Kochi and around its place, there are countless monuments - both Indian and colonial and this place is a haven for tourists who look for new adventure, something, they've not tried before. The experience one will get is rich and colorful.

Pierce Leslie Bungalow. pt.slideshare.net/

Above image: A heritage bungalow (home stay) near St. Theresa's Chapel , Vypeen, Kochi, Kerala.

Pierce Leslie Bungalow. pt.slideshare.net/

Old harbor hotel. iddharthandshruti.com

Above image: Old harbor bungalow is an old heritage structure built in the 18th century in Dutch colonial style. It has turned into a luxury boutique hotel. Located in the heart of Ft. Kochi, you can access many attractions nearby.

http://www.indiaprofile.com/kerala-tours/monuments-in-kerala/pierce-leslie-bunglow.html

Bishop's House and Museum Kochi. YouTub

Bishop's House. Kochi. /en.wikipedia.org

Above image :Image of Pope Benedict XVI at the Bishop's House just outside the Indo-Portuguese Museum, Ft. Kochi, Kerala, India................

Built atop a small hill close to the Parade ground, Kochi this grand Portuguese building with a large driveway was built in 1506 for the resident Portuguese Governor. Now, It houses the Bishop of Kochi and adjacent to the Bishop's House is the Indo- Portuguese Museum and it an extension built over the remnants of the old Fort Kochi.

The Indo-Portuguese Museum situated in Fort Kochi takes us back to the Portuguese colonial time and their impact in this region in terms of architecture art and culture. The artifacts, etc on display here give you a glimpse into the Portuguese Colonial history here. The credit goes to the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, Bishop of Kochi, who put in sincere efforts to found this museum so that it will be beneficial to the posterity. His main intention was to protect and showcase the rich cultural heritage and Portuguese influence. It is to be noted that it was the Portuguese Era that established the very first major European link with the Indian subcontinent that too on the coastal Malabar and later in Goa. The Indo-Portuguese Christian Art heritage has a long history and is well preserved here.

This heritage Museum has five sections all related to Christianity as adopted by the Portuguese Catholic Christians - Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life and Cathedral. A piece of 16th century Altar made of teak wood from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen, a chasuble (19th century) from Bishop's House, Fort Kochi, a 17th century processional Cross made of silver and wood from Santa Cruz Cathedral, Fort Kochi, Indo-Portuguese Monstrance (18-19th century), from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen.

Kochi, Indo-Portuguese museum. YouTube

Above image: Indo-Portuguese Museum, Ft. Kochi, 17th century processional Cross from the Portuguese Church.............................

The sculptures, precious metal objects and vestments from, the Cathedral of Santa Cruz and other churches of the Kochi diocese are all on display and they are grand in style. They were donated by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Most of them are religious in nature, apparently salvaged from the old Portuguese churches. Of particular interest is the old locks native to Kerala, called the ‘Manichitrathazhu’. They were, it is believed,

old Door lock native to Kerala. happytrips.com

found on the old doors of the mansions. They have symbols of all religions engraved on them! When you visit the museum. Visiting Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 hrs. Closed on Mondays and all Public Holidays.

Tit-Bits:

01. During the Portuguese period, Ft. Kochi was called Ft. Emmanuel Except some remnants, the fort is almost damaged because of many battles and raids.

02. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal is a Portuguese institution under private law and of general public utility, perpetual in nature, with its statutory purposes spanning the Arts, Beneficence, Science and Education. Set up by the last will and testament of Calouste Sarkis

en.wikipedia.org

Gulbenkian, who bequeathed his assets to the country in the form of a foundation with its statutes approved by the Portuguese state on 18 July 1956. Their operation is worldwide. Contribution is by way of investments and donations. (vide: https://en.

wikipedia.org/wiki/ Calouste Gulbenkian_Foundation.

https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/indo-portuguese-museum/336

Vasco House in Ft. Kochi (a brief note):

It is believed to be the residence of Vasco Da Gama who first discovered the sea route from Europe to India in May 1498 and it is also considered to be one of the oldest Portuguese

Vasco house, Kochi. www.buzzintown.com

styled houses in India. Vasco House, as it is called, is a major tourist attraction in Kochi and is very close to St Francis Church. Built in the early 16th century, it has European styled glass windows, balcony and veranda, besides high ceiling quite typical of that time. It is made of laterite and granite stones using lime-sand mix for plastering work. It was built in such a way as to reduce radiation inside during the hot summer period.

www.keralatourism.org/destination/indo-portuguese-museum/336.
https://navrangindia.blogspot.in/2016/07/vasco-house-where-vasco-de-gama-styed.html

Mattancherry Palace Kochi Pinterest

Mattancherry Palace koch PinsDaddy

When Kerala was under the spell of Dutch influence before the arrival of the British a few centuries ago, their brief stay had an impact on the local region in terms of building designs - be they places of worship or residences. They had a trading cum military posts here at some places to get deeply involved in Spice trade for which the coastal Malabar was famous for several centuries before the arrival of the Portuguese in May 1498.

Mattancherry Palace kochiTourism of India

Mattancherry Palace kochi Chaliyar Palm Ghat Resort

Dutch Palace or the Mattancherry palace, on
Palace Road, Mattancherry near Kochi was built by the Portuguese and it was gifted to the ruler of Kochi Veera Kerala Varma (1537-65) in 1555 AD.
Don't be under the impression that the Portuguese handed over the palace to the Hindu ruler out of respect for him. Rather, this gift was to appease the local ruler and to subdue his anger towards the Portuguese who never stuck to the trade treaty and, at one point of time, destroyed a Hindu temple. The Hindu rulers were of great help to the Portuguese initially, over a period of time, the Portuguese became violent and hostile to the friendly natives and ultimately prevailed over the local rulers who, later, became the vassals of Portuguese.

With the arrival of the Dutch, the Portuguese influence began to see the sunset of their heyday here and ultimately the former became a force to reckon with. Obviously, the palace came under the Dutch control in 1663 and soon they carried out some major renovation work. Hence, it was refereed to as the Dutch Palace. Later, the local ruler, made some additions to match his requirements. The palace is a blend of local Kerala tradition and Dutch design.

You get into the compound of this amazing palace in a quiet environment through an impressive entrance flanked by Portuguese styled arches. This two-story palace is a sermon in wood, quadrangle in style, built in Nalukattu style - a traditional Kerala style architecture with a central court yard, following traditional Kerala style architecture. A small shrine of royal family's deity - Pazhayannur Bhagavati'is in the central court yard and this Goddess is believed to protect and guard the royal family members and gives them the mental strength to run the kingdom effectively. There are two more temples on either side of the Dutch Palace at Kochi, each dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna. The interior wooden panels are beautifully decorated, depicting the weapons, headdresses, robes and palanquins of the Rajas of Kochi. The striking feature of this old palace is it looks like a European edifice from the outside with unique masonry walls and round-headed windows, arches and doors. But its sloping tiled roof and wooden balconies are native to this region.

The east side rectangular chamber across the rosewood covered main hall is accessed through a steep stairway and an entrance porch with finely carved and painted ceiling. The first of the eastern chamber has fabulous Vishnu and Siva iconography The Dining Hall is of some interest to the visitors with its amazing well-carved wooden ornate ceiling decorated with a series of brass cups. Nothing is more impressive than the traditional Kerala flooring. It looks like polished black marble in appearance, but in reality, this type of flooring is meticulously done, using a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites. Of course, it is a time-consuming work, but the result is stunning. The place contains a gallery of Kochi Rajahs and beautiful murals exhibiting the mythological episodes in Hindu tradition - reminiscent of Hindu temple art. The valuable murals are religious in nature, drawing inspirations from many Hindu mythological subjects and the
great epic the Ramayana and Krishna Lila. The murals of the latter about 40 of them (16th century) are in the bed chamber - Palliyara on the walls. Also included are murals from some episodes of Kumarasambhavam and other works of the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa (of Sakunthalam fame).
They are all beautiful paintings of high calibre and need imagination, special artistic skill and above all patience. Also on display are royal paraphernalia and related items. Additional exhibits include weapons, swings and furniture which offer a glimpse into the the life style of the royal family in the past centuries.

Tit-Bits:
01. Dutch Malabar, also known as settlement Cochin, was under the Dutch East India Company on the Malabar Coast between 1661 and 1795. Collectively it is called Dutch India. Spice Trade was the main attraction and this brought the Dutch here. Dutch presence in the region started with the capture of Portuguese Quilon, and ended with the occupation of Malabar by the British in 1795.

Malabar coast, the Dutch and Portuguese at war. en.wikipedia.org/

Above image: The battle between the Dutch and the Portuguese in December 1661on coastal Malabar. On March 21, Rijckloff Van Goens signed a treaty with the local chief of Paliyam on a ship anchored off the coast. Soon, Dutch forces soon landed and attacked the palace of the queen at Mattanceri. Subsequently, the queen was taken as a prisoner. Later in December 1661, Portuguese Quilon was captured by a Dutch expedition under Rijckloff Van Goens. This is often regarded as the beginning of the Dutch presence in Malabar.........................

02. The Dutch developed military outposts in 11 locations: mention may be made of Alleppey, Chendamangalam, Pallipuram, Cranganore (from 15 January 1662), Cannanore (from 15 February 1663), Cochin (7 January 1663 – 1795), and Quilon (29 December 1658 – 14 April 1659 and from 24 December 1661).

03. The ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin was an ally of the Dutch East India Company. It was the Dutch who enlarged the Royal Palace built by the Portuguese at Mattancheri for the King of Cochin,. Later it came to be called the "Dutch Palace".

04. Yet another magnificent palace was built by the Dutch in 1744 called Bolgatty Palace on Bolghatty Island for the Dutch Governors, the largest overseas Dutch building then.

05. The Dutch undertook a monumental work on the medicinal properties of Malabar plants. and published their findings in Hortus Indicus Malabaricus.

06. In Cochin, the Dutch established an orphanage for poor European children and a leper asylum on Vypin.

http://www.holidaylandmark.com/india/kerala/forts-in-kerala/dutch-palace/dutch-palace.html


3-tier entrance gate. Naulakha Palace:Justdial

Naulakha PalaceMy India Travel

Among the Indian palaces and monuments you visit, some will leave a lasting impression on you that will linger in your mind for a long time. This kind of experience you do not get in highly embellished palaces or buildings. The reason is if some architectural decorations are overdone and repeated, it may cause irritation. The Naulakha Palace is different from conventional palaces. It's aura is unique and it's charm is quite tempting.

The 18th century Naulakha Palace in Gondal, a city and a municipality in the Rajkot district of the Indian state of Gujarat is a famous palace best known for its "sculpted facade". How does ii differ from other palaces of this region of that particular time?

Constructed in 1748, it forms a part of the Darbargardh fort complex and is near the Gondal river. The main access to the complex is through a curved gateway structure with a clock tower which rises in three tiers above the gateway. This kind of gateway is unusual and rare. The palace is at the far end from the gate and is fronted by a rectangular forecourt. Since the total cost of this complex was Rs. 900000.00 (nine lakhs), it id also known as "Navalakaha" The palace, just 38 km from the city of Rajkot and is being visited by lots of tourists.

The Naulakha Palace,Gondal Traveljee

An interior view of the Naulakha Palace. en.wikipedia.org

The Naulakha Palace, a three storied structure with an open arcade and stone carvings on the first floor flanked by towers, is believed to be the oldest palace in the capital city of a Jadeja Rajput clan.it is a nicely ornamented place of royal residence characterized by well-made inspiring jharokhas" (balconies), a pillared courtyard, delicately carved arches, rich Dubar hall (audience hall) and a unique winding spiral staircase. The eye-catching feature is the presence of eaves above the stone fittings on this floor that are carved with sculptures of real and mythical animals.They are very much similar to gargoyles in the European structures. The adjoining Zanana (exclusive quarters for the royal family women) is in ruin. Invariably the Zanana is self contained in many palaces.

Entrance gate Naulakha Palace: TripAdvisor

Naulakha PalaceTripAdvisor

Among the parts of this old palace the most impressive one is the well embellished large chandelier-lit "durbar" hall (court / audience house) with fine gilt wooden furniture, stuffed (taxidermied) panthers, and antique mirrors. It is still being used by the present descendant of the Maharajah.

The functioning of a "private palace museum"gives thrill to those visitors interested in antique stuff. The exhibits include an array of silver caskets which were in the services of carrying messages and gifts for the Maharajah Bhagwat Sinhji on his silver jubilee as ruler of Gondal. Also on display are artifacts personally collected by the Maharajah such as a large number of toy cars, pictures, a library of books, trophies and so forth. In the side room of the palace there are interesting exhibits of kitchen ware. Of particular interest to the visitors is a pair of huge weighing balance. What has it got to do in a royal place like this? Surprisingly, on some important or special occasions like ruler's birthdays, etc., it was was used to weigh in gold equal to ruler's weight and it will be distributed among the poor. This kind of charity among some Indian rulers was common in those days.
Near-by attractions are the Hazoor palace, Orchard palace and Riverside palace.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naulakha_Palace

"The American white relegates the black to the rank of shoeshine boy; and he concludes from this that the black is good for nothing but shining shoes."
― George Bernard Shaw
Racial discrimination is a scourge that still exists across the globe and and in countries like the USA, Britain and Australia, to say the least, it is subtle. Decades and even centuries ago it was quite rampant in European colonies because of purported supremacy of the White race (Europeans) over the Black and Colored people. Millions of people of various races were subjected to torture, murder, intimidation, insults, so on and so forth because of misguided racial policies of some of the governments run by the white people. Who will forget the torture and mass killing of Jews by Nazi leader Hitler and his cronies in the late1930s and 1940s? By the same token, who will forgive the greatest Briton Winston Churchill, who purposely caused artificial famine in Bengal India (The great Bengal famine) in the early 1940s and indirectly was responsible for the killing of 3 to 4 million Bengalis? It is nothing but a holocaust on par with Jewish holocaust.

Dr. King addressin in Washington DC. IGCSE History

In the sphere of racial supremacy, slavery and slave trade in the early centuries, particularly three European countries were in the forefront, Spain, Portugal and England because they had excellent explorers and sea voyagers, besides good knowledge of navigation and seafaring. When they found new lands with strange people with different culture, they were the ones who got into the slave trade and transported African blacks in millions to the new world - the Americas to work on the farms, plantations, etc. The English did not spare the Asian Indians and Chinese either; these people were transported to their colonies under the British Empire to work as hands in the agricultural lands. For centuries these hard-working innocent people experienced nothing but hell under the unscrupulous and disgusting slave masters and traders. They were not allowed to live their own lives with fresh air and freedom. The scars on their bodies will reveal what kind of torture they underwent. With rationed food and water they had to work more than 15 hours a day. They had no idea whatsoever as to what was in store for them following day.

Generations later racial racial discrimination continued unabated in the USA and elsewhere. In the 1950s and 1960s in the USA, racism was a big issue despite Abe Lincoln's efforts to abolish slavery and reduce racial problems. Black people's patience ran out. The blacks in the USA did not enjoy voting rights nor were they allowed to study in the colleges. In civilian life, they had to use separate toilet facilities and on public transports, they had to sit separately. In the southern US states, racism was quite visible unlike in the northern states. Once in a while, the Lynch mobs of white people commonly called klans will come and attack the blacks if some social problems crop up and go against the wish of the whites. When slavery was not abolished, the black women were subject to all kinds of torture by the slave masters. The most disgusting thing is raping the woman right before her husband. To say the least, centuries ago, treacherous men using the skin color as an excuse branded them as they would do with the cattle in the ranch. Many of the slaves had iron fritters on their leg to avoid escape.

In the case of Asian Indian workers about 3.5 million Indians were transported to various colonies of European powers to provide labour for the (mainly sugar) plantations. It started from the end of slavery in 1833 and continued until 1920. The Indian indenture system was a form of debt bondage. The workers went to the other colonies under the protection of the government to avoid abuse. But, once they landed on the new land, they had to put in extra work for a small sum. When the labor contract was over, the White Master or the leader, in some case, would leave them in the middle of nowhere with no water facilities and let them starve to death. As for other work conditions, they never stuck to the contract and violated every regulation. At the same time, the masters kept filling up their coffers to the brim frequently. The slavery in the British empire was abolished in the 1830s. Thanks to many good-heated British MPs like William Wilberforce.

The recent example is South Africa, a well-known apartheid country which became free in the 1970s. The white gold and Diamond mines workers were paid several times more than the black workers. The credit goes to leaders like Dr. Nelson Mandela who spent major part of his life in jail to free the blacks from the vice-like grip of racism. When Mahatma Gandhiji was in South Africa as a practicing Barrister, representing the poor Indian population consisting mostly of Muslims, he was the one who took the cudgels against the apartheid government and used his trump card non-cooperation movement successfully there in the early part of 19th century.

Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and Civil Right activist from the Southern US state of Alabama who became the most vociferous and strong spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1954 through 1968. Using non-violence as prepounded by Gandhiji and the message of Christian love, he courageously challenged the social and political injustice of free American Society with humanism centered on humankind, ethics and emancipation. His practice of nonviolence and civil disobedience without compromising on Christian love and faith and equal respect for other humans was a new idea to fight against sensitive and emotional issues. Dr. King intelligently blended the the philosophy of Christian love and the potent weapon of Gandhiji - non-violence and Sathyagraha (non-cooperation movement) to appeal to the conscience of the American society. He pointed out 'racism is retrograde and is not good for the progress of any country for that matter. Violence can not be won by violence. Racial equality will put the country in the progressive mode'. Obviously, he hogged the limelight in the American History in his relentless fight against racial discrimination against the blacks who had been groping in the dark for centuries

The Birmingham .campaign. .SlideShare

On April 4, the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination is to be celebrated on a grand scale. Thousands have a plan to go to Memphis, Tennessee. Events included marches, speeches, conferences and a day of remembrance. Much of the US will come to a halt on this day

Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. | by U.S. Embassy New DelhiFlickr

When Dr. King was in the height of popularity in his fight against racism on the evening of April 4, 1968, he was shot dead on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis by a racist white man James Earl Ray (believed to be a member of a racist group called KKK - Klu Klux Klan). King was just 39, too young to die, a man with bright future was cut short of his life by a fanatic.

India honors. Cool Global Biz

Above image: This stamp was issued in India in 1966 to honor Martin Luther King Jr., who received the Nehru Award for International Understanding ............
The motel is now part of the National Civil Rights Museum, which includes Room 306, preserved as it was when King stayed there. His famous March on Washington in August 1963 and his equally inspiring speech "I Have a Dream" have become part of American history. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was with Dr. King on the evening he was shot dead will be attending the meeting.

At 6.01pm, the time King was shot, the museum will ring a bell 39 times in recognition of King’s age when he was killed.

The Atlanta congressman John Lewis will also grace this event. He actively took part in the King’s 1963 March on Washington, when the civil rights leader gave his 'I Have A Dream speech'.


James Earl Ray, assassin of Dr.King. Alamy.

There is a Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama and this city is believed to have been the most segregated city in the US. From the jail here Dr. King wrote the famous letter after being arrested by the city’s infamous police commissioner Bull Connor, who attacked demonstrators with attack dogs and fire hoses in 1963.

Birmingham civil rights demostration nydailynews.com/

Above image: A 17-year-old civil rights demonstrator being attacked by a police dog during demonstration in Birmingham.

Birmingham civil rights demostrationnydailynews.com/

Above image: A patrolman and a police dog go after a black man who swings at the dog with a small knife during racial demonstrations in Birmingham.
"......From May 2 to May 10, 1963, the nation bore witness as police in Birmingham, Ala., aimed high-powered hoses and sicked snarling dogs on black men, women and even children who wanted just one thing — to be treated the same as white Americans.
The next day, a thousand more — joined by brigades of grown-ups — hit the streets and this time Connor deployed the dogs.
A Negro woman was bitten on the leg by a police dog,” United Press International reported. “A Negro man had four or five deep gashes on his leg where he had been bitten by a dog. A sobbing Negro woman said she had been kicked in the stomach by a policeman.” The battle in Birmingham dominated the evening news and the sickening spectacle got big play in newspapers across the country and around the world...." (vide: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/birmingham-erupted-chaos-1963-battle-civil-rights-exploded-south-article-1.1071793).......................

Washington, DC History & Culture will host a walking tour that will pass by the spot on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where King delivered his famous "I Have A Dream" speech, and on to his monument next to the National Mall.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/april-4-2018-when-the-world-marks-50-years-of-martin-luther-king-jrs-death/article23402202.ece

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/visiting-memphis-50-years-after-kings-assassination-5115061

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/birmingham-erupted-chaos-1963-battle-civil-rights

"I am more concerned with the untouchables in England. There is a large class of working people who are treated as untouchables. We have millionaires and capitalists in England who do not inter-marry with British workers. The un- touchability problem is very acute in England. The English touchable will not probably object to the shadow of the untouchable falling on him or her as you do in India...."....George Bernard Shaw (while on tour in India in January 1933).

The American blacks in the 1950s and 1960s faced relentless racial discrimination in the Southern US states, in particular, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. American civil rights leaders like Malcolm X, James Baldwin, F. Lou Hammer, Ella Baker, Jesse Jackson and others under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, a young Baptist Minister decided to get the equal rights for the blacks and other people not through violent demonstrations and threats, but by following non violence as showcased by Gandhiji against the British. In the 1960s, the southern states were facing a sort of pressure-cooker like situation as the civil rights movements had gained huge popularity and more and more joined the public protests, etc as days went by.

American racist Eugene "Bull" Connor Famous Biographies

In the Southern states, the "White Lynch Mobs" could torture and even kill blacks without fear of the laws. The Jim crow laws were in force in these states. The blacks had no voting rights and had to sit separately on buses and trains. Even, they had to use separate eating place and toilets. Racial segregation in schools, public transport for the non-whites, etc., besides unemployment problems for the blacks became serious issues to be sorted out and the rage among the non-white population was way high. Unlike the northern states, the Southern states like Alabama, etc had separate "Racial Separation" laws that were historical in nature. During this period, equally biased were the police force and when the Lynch Mob was on rampage in the black area, they would keep their eyes closed . So, the American blacks in the southern US states were in a precarious position, living in costant fear and intimidation. Mind you, many white supporters did not like the state government's racial policies.

In a tumultuous situation pertaining to race relationship in the city of Birmingham, Alabama, which was once the most racially separated city in the US, one man hogged the lime light for the wrong reason. He became an international symbol of institutional racism. Perhaps, you may put him on par with English racist Enoch Powell and Winston Churchill, well-known racist and the greatest Briton who saved the British Empire and the world from the fury of German fuhrer Hitler. His name is Theophilus Eugene Connor (July 11, 1897 – March 10, 1973) to whom the Black race was an anathema.

Winston Churchill, British Racist. World War 2 Facts

British politician and racist. Powell in 1987 en.wikipedia.org/

"Bull" Connor, as he was nick named, was an American politician who was dead against the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. when he served as an elected Commissioner of Public Safety for the city of Birmingham, Alabama, for more than two decades, he behaved much worse than a dictator and abused his administrative power as the Birmingham Fire Department and the Birmingham Police Department were under his control. He never bothered about the powers vested on chiefs of both departments when it came to taking decision. It was quite arbitrary and ulra vires.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Birmingham campaign of 1963 decided to protest against several issues including racial separation on buses, schools, voting rights, etc. Later the famous Selma March (5 day march in 1964) was held to secure voting rights for the blacks under Dr. King. The campaign had other plans under the able leadership of Dr. King. Understanding campaign's ever-gaining popularity and its impact on the American white society, Connor enforced strict legal racial segregation and denied civil rights to black citizens, during this period.

Bull Connor, Alabama politicianTobyToons

Bull Connor and dog www.huffingtonpost.com/j

'Bull' Connor, agitated as he was, with a view to protecting the supremacy of the White race and to put down the Black race, took one daring step not taken by any civilized person before against the civil protesters. He had the firemen direct the high pressure water (fire) hoses against the blacks. Not happy with this painful torture, he had the local police set the specially trained "Attack Dogs" on the civil rights activists. The pathetic aspect is he did not spare the children and women protesters. either. The US national media was quick to show the audience what was going on in Birmingham against the blacks who demanded equal rights within the US constitution. The entire US audience was aghast at the horrible and disgusting police brutality against the civilians. By May 7, Connor and the police department had jailed more than 3,000 demonstrators. Later the blacks' economic boycott of businesses had a severe impact on the small business establishments and it finally led to the relaxation of racial separation regulations.

1963 Birmingham Police Chief Eugene “Bull” ConnerPinterest

Though atrocious, what Bull Connor did to the black civil rights activists, was a blessing in disguise. The outrage grabbed the attention of the world media as well and accelerated the much needed major social and legal changes in the Southern United States and contributed to passage by the United States Congress of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ending racial separation in public places and accommodations.
Ever since his entry into politics in the state of Alabama, Bull Connor had held many important posts. In 1936, Connor was elected to the office of Commissioner of Public Safety of Birmingham, beginning the first of two stretches that spanned a total of 26 years. His first term ended in 1952, but he was re-elected in 1956, serving up to 1963. Though a democrat, he was a sworn racist and was particular about continence of emotional issues like racial discrimination, racial separation, etc. He was one among the prominent politicians who made Birmingham become the most segregated city
in the US. Perhaps, it may counted as his 'star' achievement.

Birmingham civil rights demostration SlidePlayer

He would throw his hat in the ring whenever the Birmingham's racial separation laws were violated and was particular about guarding the social order at any cost. If senators or any politicians from other states attended the conferences held by the blacks and supported them, Connor's officers would pounce on them and arrest them. Once in 1948 when U.S. Senator from Idaho, Glen H. Taylor wanted to speak to the Southern Negro Youth Congress, he was arrested for violating Birmingham's racial segregation laws by Connor's officers.

Connor's brutal approach with respect to race relationship never declined, rather it reached the crescendo in 1956 when his loyal officers raided the a meeting at the house of African-American activist, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, where three Montgomery ministers were attending. Fearing the Montgomery Bus Boycott might impact Birmingham he had the three ministers arrested and did not allow bail.
Shuttlesworth had led civil rights activities, despite threats. Later, his church was bombed twice. A racist mob attacked him, a white minister and his wife after attempting to use "white" restrooms at the local bus station, which had segregated facilities.

In 1962 the city's form of government was changed and the city of Birmingham was to be administered by a Mayor assisted by the elected council members. Since Bull Connor, with out any shame or scruples had let the racist Klan members have a free run on the blacks activists using extreme violence and intimidation during the Freedom Rides in 1961, a section of the society was sick with his racial hatred. Though he was endorsed by Gov. George C. Wallace, yet another hardcore racist (in the 1970s, I believe, he twice ran for the US Presidential election on Democratic Party ticket; Wallace has the third longest gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history, at 16 years and four days.). He in the 1960s protested against the university of Alabama, enrolling black students. Connor attempted to run for mayor, but lost on April 2, 1963. Between June 1964 and Feb. 1973 he was elected twice the head of the Alabama Commission and remained in politics despite poor health. He died in March 1973. Through out his life never had he regretted his repulsion for the black people of the southern states. His brutality against the blacks and his open collusion with the racist group KKK show him in bad light and his political leadership in the racial history of Birmingham is the darkest and dreaded one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_Connor

https://navrangindia.blogspot.in/2015/04/bernard-shaws-indian-visit-1933-and-his.html

Guru sri Basava. Lingayat Religion

Basavanna, a 12th-century Lingayat Hindu (Saivite).

philosopher, statesman, and Kannada poet was a well-known social reformer and lived during the reign of the Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I in Karnataka, India. He focused his attention on bakthi movement and spread of social awareness by way of his devotional poems called Vachanaas. His approach to realization of god got the attention of many people because in his philosophy there was no room for gender or social discrimination based on birth. Nor was there any space for unnecessary rituals, superstitions, etc that plague our society. Even he rejected the idea of wearing the sacred thread on the body. However, he encouraged his followers, irrespective of castes, to wear a Istalinga necklace or mala with the image of Lord Shiva, one of the trinity Gods, an embodiment of 5 fundamental elements of "Nature"(Pancha Boothams). It means the focus will be on one God Shiva. Being the chief minister of his kingdom, he encouraged people from all walks of life to engage in discussion on various aspects of life - religious, philosophical and spiritual. He built the hall of spiritual experience called the Anubhava Mantapa where people can have intellectual discussion.

Sri Basava, equestrian statue, Pune, MHquestrianstatue.org/basava-7/

Basava, also known as Basaveshwara (1134–1196) fought against caste system. In the 12th century itself, his reforms were progressive and rationalistic, hence he was a great thinker ahead of his time. Basaveshwara introduced the concept of Democracy long long ago with equal representation from women and men and also people with different socio-economic background from all walks of life. Basava rejected the Vedas and the authority of priests. He also opposed image worship and unwanted rituals. Most importantly, he emphasized complete equality among his followers, including women.

en.wikiquote.org

Above image: View of Kudala Sangama temple, the location of Basavanna’s Samadhi
His following concepts are worthy of mention :

01. No discrimination based on the birth and caste system is a taboo.

02. Mercy toward all humans and animals is a must

03. The conflicts of interest will always arise and peaceful negotiation is a way to solve them. Violence may lead us astray.

04. Trust in God who is the creator and who is omnipresent and Supreme power.
05. You must When it comes to earning wealth for you and your family, it ought to be through honest means. Ill-gotten wealth will never stay with you.

06. If you have excess beyond your needs, be charitable and contribute liberally to the rest to the society through Dasoha.

07. Morality is an integral part of a man's life. Aspiring for others' wealth out of jealousy and other women out of lust is not conducive to peaceful and moral life. At the end, it will spell disaster. No killing, cheating, killing, no hatred for other beings, no self adulation, etc to get inward purity.

08. When you earn the trust of others, try to stick to it. Never ever act or do things in breach of trust.

09. When following your goal, never lose your trust.

Basava Samadhi. Virashaiva

10. Living a principled life is a must.
11. Never fail to follow the dictum - " there is none lower than me and there is none greater than society of Sharanas.

He advocated equal opportunities for women and vegetarian food for good physical and mental well being. The 13th-century sacred Telugu text of Lingayat community, the Basava purana by Palkuriki Somanatha narrates the the full life of Basava.
The Basavarajadevara ragale by the Kannada poet Harihara (c.1180) is believed to be an important work on Basava's life. Out of 25 section, only 13 are available. Basava is not the founder of Lingayats, rather he was a reformer and a poet who consolidated the already existing tradition. The Kalachuri inscriptions support the latter view. Basava's literary works include the Vachana Sahitya in Kannada Language. He is also known as Bhaktibhandari (literally, the treasurer of devotion).
His philosophy of life within the realm of Hinduism is simple, yet thought-provoking.

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Basava

Celestial weddings. Rama Shiva, Murug. IshtaDevata

Among the Tamil months, Puratasi, Karthikai, Margazhi, Punguni and Chirai are important months commonly associated with many religious or temple festivals and Tamil Hindus participate in such festivals with dedication and Bakthi. Uttira star

YouTube

comes in every month but it assumes much religious importance in the month of Panguni. It is said the deities themselves consider Punguni Uttiram the most auspicious one. The reason being the Uthiram nakshatram coincides with the full moon (Purnima). This month is famous for celestial weddings at many Hindu temples.

Panguni Uthiram in Tamil (Meena Uttara-phalguni in Sanskrit as per Solar calendar) normally falls on the day of transition of the moon in the asterism or nakshatram of Uttara-phalguni or Uthiram in the twelfth (last) month of the Tamil calendar i.e. Panguni. It is the Purnima (in Tamil Pournami) or full moon of the month of Panguni ( 14 March - 13 April); Panguni is special because of the coming together of the star Uthiram and Pournami (Hindu calendar month of Phalguna / Chaitra).

The Tamil month of Panguni is closely associated with Saivite and Vaishnavite tradition of temple festivals and worship. So, it is quite reasonable to refer to this month as the confluence of many Hindu temple festivals closely associated with celestial weddings.

The following are the interesting facts of Punguni Uthiram:

01. It is quite interesting to note the celestial weddings of the Hindu deities Parvati and Parameswaran (Lord Shiva), Murugan and Deivanai, and Aandaal (also known as Kothai) and Rangamannar took place in this month.

02. At Mithila in the Kosala Nadu (Desam), according to Valmiki, the weddings of Rama and his brothers took place on this day. Rama- Sita, Lakshmanan-Urmila, Bharatan - Mandali and Chatruganan - Shrutha Keerthi tied their wedding knot on this day in this month. So was the celestial wedding of , Narayana with Komalavalli Naachiyar. They appeared in Kalyana Kola to his devotees.

03. Panguni Uthiram is of special significance to the worship of earth element, Prithvi lingam at Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram, TN where festivities will last for 13 days. Here, it is believed, the worship of Prithvi (earth, one of the Pancha bootha elements) lingam assumes much importance in this month.

04. This month also coincides with the month of Holy in the north. It is widely celebrated in Mathura, Nandagaon, Virdavan and other places associated with Lord Krishna.

05. One of the greatest Hindu saints Sri Raghavendra Swami was born on Phalgun Sukla saptami in 1595 AD who advocated Madhvacharya's Dvaita philosophy.

06. This Panguni Utthiram marks the birth of Lord Ayyappa (son of Raja Banthana).

07. The reputed archer and one of the prominent Pandava brothers in the great epic Mahabharata Arjuna got married on the Punguni Uthiram day.

08. Lord Muruga (Karthikaya) married Valli in this month.

Manmata (Cupid) killed by Shiva. Old Indian Arts

09. On this day Lord Shiva brought back to life the God of Love (Cupid) Manmatha whom he burnt to ashes with his third eye. When the lord was on meditation, Manmatha, at the instigation of some mischievous Devas, shot the flower arrow at him. Lord Shiva, in rage, burnt him into ashes, upon which at the persistent request of his wife Raathi, he gave him a new lease of life.

10. Lord Karthkaya, in spite of being young, taught his Pitha (father) Lord Shiva the importance of"Pranava Manthram" (the meaning of OHM). Hence, sagacious Lord Subramaniya is often referred to as "Thagappan Swami" in Tamil (the son who was a Guru to his own father).

11. Since Mahalakshmi successfully completed the Virutham - fasting, etc in this month Lord Vishnu had let her take refuge in His Chest.(in Tamil: "Marbil edam pidithhal"), according to some Puranas.

12. The following temple festivals are quite popular and indispensable in this auspicious month:

Palani Murugan temple. Devotees carrying Kavadi. IshtaDevata

Palani temple. outhindiantempleattractions.wordpress.com

a. Kavadi urchavam at Palani Murugan temple is quite popular. Ardent devotees in thousands -
male, female and children as well carry kavadi (a semicircular canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on shoulders), with intense devotion. Besides, Palani temple, other Murugan temples in Tamil nadu (Aarupadai Veedu - six abodes of Lord Muruga) will be crowded in this month. At these temples, there will be a temple car festival, the chariot will be carrying the procession deities (Urchava murthis). At Palan Dhandauthapani temple, it is a 10 day festival.

b. Colorful procession of 63 Nayanmars in Mylapore, Chennai. Like the Azhvars, 63 great Tamil saints "Nayanmars" composed devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. This Arupaththu Moovar festival is quite popular in Chennai city and this festival has been going on for several decades without any break.

c. The Celestial wedding (Valli Thirumanam) festivals at Swamimalai and Thiruchendur take place with great fanfare in this month. Thousands of people attend these festivals.

Madurai Meenaskshi kalyanam. Dolls of India

Madurai Meenashi temple, Prakara around the sanctum.

d. Among the temple festival, the most famous one is the wedding of Madurai Meenakshi Amman (Goddess Parvati)) with Lord Sudareswarar (Lord Shiva) at the huge temple complex. This festival is quite popular in South Tamil Nadu and the whole city will wear a festive look with great fanfare. During festival days devotees in thousands will visit the temple to get blessed by the deities. There will be a local holiday on this festival day. On this day the celestial couple Meenanakshi Sudareswarar in their wedding attire blessed the great Tamil poet Sundaramurthy Nayanar.

13. The Panguni Uttiram day underscores the importance of married life - the responsibility of a man to become a grahastha (married man) and to uphold the grahasta dharma - the commitment of raising a family with love and care and to lead a puposeful life in the right direction. This is subtly brought out in the manifestation of deities in 'marital forms' such as Uma Maheswara, Sita Rama, Radha Krishna, Valli Murugan and others.

14. The Nitya Kalyana Murthi forms (in Tamil 'Thrumanakolam') of gods and goddesses in the marital state at the Shiva and Vishnu temples attract devotees in thousands and the belief has been that the almighty will bless the young people with a good life partner, good family life, children and prosperity.

14. Visiting these temples in this particular month is essential for unmarried people. If unmarried girls undertake fasting for a specified period and later visit the temple where the celestial wedding festival takes place, their prayer will be positively fulfilled. As for married people, they will be blessed with a child and their family will get over all the tough problems and will be free from worries.

15. The reason for visiting these temples is as follows: According to the Purana ,Goddess Mahalakshmi appeared on earth from the ocean of milk - Ksheera Sagara Manthan(while it was being churned by the Devas on one hand and the Asuras - demons on the other) and hence it is celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanti. On this day Goddess Parvati in the form of Gowri married Lord Shiva in Kanchipuram, and hence this day is also celebrated as the Gowri Kalyanam day.

16. Equally important is the fact that this is an auspicious month for Lord Muruga (Subramaniya). On the festival day the lord Muruga married Devanai. Carrying Kavadi to the Murugal temple, as part of a vow, is a common tradition being followed by the Hindu devotees of Tamil nadu. Likewise lots of people undertake Padayatra - walking 50 plus km distance from their place barefoot, despite the hot summer heat to the Murugan temple to fulfil their vow'/prayer (example: passing tough exams, getting a job, getting a suitable groom or bride, etc).

Punguni Uttiram festivals foster friendship and unity among people of different casts and creed. Praying at the temples, in particular, at your family temple (Kudumba Daivam) will absolve you of all sins and help you start your life afresh with much vigor and confidence as the God will never betray a man when he does not deviate from the path of righteousness and toils honestly to achieve his cherished goal. With trust in God, he will succeed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panguni_Uthiram

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Maharajah Duleep Singh,Tretford, England vanderkrogt.net

Maharajah Duleep Singh,Tretford, England vanderkrogt.net

Above image: Bronze statue of the Maharajah Duleep Singh, (birth: Lahore, Sikh Empire 1838 - death: Paris 1893; the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire. Thetford, Norfolk, East of England. Butten Island. Sculptor: Denise Dutton, British sculptress. Year of creation:1999.
The Maharajah in royal regalia is represented in contemporary Sikh ceremonial dress sitting upright on a life-size horse with replica saddle and bridle. The pedestal is in a decorative dark granite inlaid on all four sides with detailed inscriptions in gold incorporating both British and Sikh symbolism. The Khanda emblem is represented with the text "deg teg fateh" (Sikh saying which literally means victory (fateh) to kettle (deg) and sword (tegh)) on the small sides of the pedestal. The centenary coat of arms - with the name 1893-1993 Maharajah Duleep singh centenary, picked out in gold, red, blue and yellow is above the text on the broad sides of the pedestal. ..............

Maharaja Duleep Singh, GCSI (6 September 1838 – 22 October 1893), also known as Dalip Singh was the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire. Youngest son of Maharajah Ranjit Singh he was the only child of Maharani Jind Kaur.

Circumstances forced him to become the legal-heir of his kingdom in 1843 at a very young age of five with four of his predecessors having been assassinated. Duleep was proclaimed the Maharajah of the Sikh Empire with his mother as Regent. After the Angelo-Sikh war on 13 December 1845, Duleep became the nominal head. After the second Angelo-Sikh war in March 1849, he was deposed at the age of ten. The British government wanted the young ruler to become anglicized and put him under the care of Dr John Login.

The young Indian prince became a Christian convert (it was highly criticized by the public) and exiled to Britain at age 15 (in 1854) where he won the admiration Queen Victoria and other family members. Ultimately the Queen was godmother to several of his children. Queen Victoria, once reported to have written of the Punjabi Maharajah: "Those eyes and those teeth are too beautiful" as the young prince was handsome and charismatic. The prince was well taken care by the English royal family.

Back in India, in Duleep's absence, his mother became a Regent and efficiently ruled Punjab when it was a princely state during the colonial rule in India. AS stated earlier, in 1846, after the First Anglo-Sikh War, she was replaced by a British Resident and imprisoned and exiled by the British. Duleep's mother was not allowed to see him for 13 years. At last Duleep met his mother in Calcutta at Spence Hotel in January 1861 and later returned to England with her. During the last two years of her life, his mother told the Maharajah about the virtues of his Sikh heritage and culture and the Empire which once had been his to rule.

Duleep longing to get back to his roots, wanted to get converted back to Sikism, much to the annoyance of the British authorities. In 1886, he was prevented from returning to India and changing his religion back to Sikism. Mind you, he became a Christian convert when he was too young in the 1850s with the knowledge of Gov. General Lord Dalhousie. During his stay in England he did live a lavish life in 1860s and, at last, his vast estate 17000 acres of a well-preserved game area at Elveden, close to Thetford. He converted his residence there into a palatial palace and lived like a British Aristocrat. Yeras later, his entire estate was sold to repay his debts. In1893, Duleep Singh died in Paris at the age

Kohinoor diamond and Indian prince Duleep singhOwlcation

Above image; Young prince of Punjab Duleep Singh and Kohinoor diamond taken away from his father's kingdom after the second Angelo-Sikh war. Mind you, it was a forced gift (vide: the 1849 Treaty of Lahore). Lord Dalhousie’s Secretary, Sir Henry Elliott, went to Lahore at the end of the war, and told Duleep Singh and his courtiers that they must sign away the kingdom without hesitation, or face much harsher consequences. Besides Kohinoor, Timur Ruby (largest one in the world) was also taken away by the British.................

of 55. Though a rich Indian prince, it took a while for him to know that his father's kingdom was dishonestly seized by the British. He saw India twice after the age of fifteen . They were two brief and tightly-controlled visits in 1860 (to bring his mother to England) and in 1863 (to cremate his mother's body).
The British refused to return Duleep's body to India fearing that it might cause resentment and unrest, given the exalted status of Duleep, the son of the Lion of the Punjab. His funeral must be symbolic of his status, befitting the son a great ruler of Punjab. Yet another black mark was the Sikh ruler was converted to Christianity against the wish of the royal family members and others. At this point of time, the colonial rule in India was beginning to lose its sheen as the British were oppressing the Indian natives and exploiting their resources.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duleep_Singh

http://statues.vanderkrogt.net/object.php?record=gbee020

Lord canning 18th Cen. barakpore www.flickr.com

Above image: Lord Canning, 1877, Town: Barrackpore, West Bengal. Sculptor(s): John Henry/Brock Foley. Canning in a smart manner put down the Indian rebellion of 1857. He was sympathetic to natives' problems and for the first time, he conceived a photographic study of native Indian people. ...........................

During the colonial rule in India under the corrupt English company prior to 1957, with some exceptions, many of the British higher-ups never paid importance to the sentiments of the Indian natives. They never realized the first and foremost step was to take the natives into confidence and run the administration effectively by striking a balance between efficient administration and satisfaction of the natives. Instead, the arrogant administrators never paid any attention to the sensitivity of the people, in particular,, in religious matter. So, the Indians lost the trust in them and this frustration led to a big rebellion against the military officials. When the British were losing ground and the rebellion had begun to take an upper hand, one British administrator patiently suppressed the bloody uprising and, in the aftermath, earned the respect of Indians because he never behaved like a vigilante. He never took revenge on the rebels who gave serious trouble to the British. Instead he introduced reforms to justify the cause of the Indian natives, giving serious considerations to their aspirations. By doing so, he touched the heart of the Indian natives and got a name for himself. Earl Canning was the man who put the British India back on the saddle and restored their name after the worst internal crisis.
Charles John Canning (1812 –1862) was an English statesman and third son of George Canning. Educated at Putney, Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, he became a successor to the peerage conferred on his mother; he took his seat as Viscount Canning in the House of Lords (1837). His foresight, excellent administrative skill, capacity for hard work and ability to take quick, but effective decision-making helped him get better positions of power in the hierarchy of British administration. He became Governor-General of India from 1856 till 1868 and during his tenure, the worst rebellion in the British Empire took place in 1857. The Sepoy Mutiny that lasted long shook the very basic foundation of the British power in India as the oppressive and dishonest rule by the East India company earned the resentment of the people. Natives despised the English company and the arrogant officials.

During the tough and tumultuous Indian rebellion, Canning carried on the Indian empire safely through the explosive situation with skill and tactics. The outbreak of the Sepoy Revolt of 1857 had an impact on the british Empire. His sagacity and fortitude became visible when dealing with enormous difficulties arising at the close of such a war. Canning, with difficulties, put down the rebellion. The Parliamentary Act of 1858 followed this great historical event. By the Proclamation of the Queen, the East India Company's rule ended and the Crown of England took over the government of India. Canning became the first viceroy of India.

Gov. Gen. of India Charles Canning Wikipedia

Though Canning punished those who had taken part in the uprising, being a shrewd administrator, he ruled out indiscriminate vengeance on the Indians as far as possible. His idea was to earn the trust of Indian people after this debacle caused by the English company. So he asked his officials to
go easy on the rebels in custody and thus earned the title ofClemency Canning" for his good efforts. When the rebellion was on in Oudh (now part of UP), he handled the sensitive region with skill. Both Houses of Parliament appreciated his toil and skillful handling of a delicate situation. He restored law and order in an effective way and introduced a new system of administration. He introduced a more liberal policy and a sounder financial system, and left the people more contented than they were before

His reforms included reorganization of Indian Army, introduction of Income tax to improve the financial position, introduction of the Bengal Rent Act in 1859 to safeguard tenets' security, encouragement of formation of tea and coffee plantations, Commission of inquiry to protect the peasants against exploitation by the European Indigo planters, etc. Among his reforms, the most important one is in the area of education, giving due importance to Charles Wood's recommendations on education made in 1854. This led to the founding of three universities Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1857. During his tenure, the Indian Penal Code framed by Lord Metcalfe, was introduced and the Criminal Procedure Code appeared in 1861.

His sustained hard and stressful work besides tough Indian hot climatic condition took a toll on his health.
Canning retired and left India on 18 March 1862 in bad health. Soon he was elevated to the status of Earl and was referred to as Earl Canning in 1859.
After a long and productive official life Earl Canning
died on 17 June 1862 and was buried in West Ministers Abbey in London.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Canning,_1st_Earl_Canning

Nazar baug palace Vadadora.MapmyIndia Map

Nazar baug palace Vadadora. Vadodara - Baroda City

Nazarbaug Palace or Nazar Bagh Palace, located near the Mandvi Gate was once the Royal palace of the Gaekwads in Vadodara city, Gujarat state, western India. Built in 1721 this beautiful three- story palace was built by Malhar Rao Gaekwad in the late 19th century with a view to using it on important ceremonial occasions and to receive royal guests. Can you imagine, this palace once had guns made of solid gold and silver, each barrel weighing 100 kgs? It shows the lavish style with which the royal family lived here in the past. Besides, this palace was once home to a vast collection of rare gold and gem-crusted jewels worth roughly
$ 10 million in the late 1820s. One of the prized items was the dazzling diamond necklace that contained both the Star of the South (125 carats) and English Dresden, believed to be famous diamonds in those days. These were part of a cloth embroided with precious stones and seed pearls with which the tomb of Muhamud was covered. This palace has a beautiful room called the Shïsh Mahal, a Palace of Glass of different colors exquisitely decorated. On account of its impressive and classic look with lush green garden around it, it was called Nazarbaug Palace as it looked as 'Nazar na laage' from which it was named Nazar.

Nazar baug palace, Vadadora, Gujarat. www.pinterest.co.uk

The palace was in a state of ruin for some time and way back there was no body or any organization to repair ir and restore it back to its old glory, This is primarily due to sheer negligence on the part the owner. A beautiful monument is lost for ever, so is the history of this place. In 2014, the palace was pulled down by the Gaekwads despite the restraining order from the court. The state government classified it as a "Deemed Grade I Heritage Site". The royal family's action, in haste, kicked up criticism as well as controversy. The efforts made by the representatives of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Indian Institute of Architects (IIA, Baroda and Gujarat) as well as officers of the VMC’s town planning department to stop the demolition to save the heritage structure met with failure. The Royal family's real estate firm was not cooperative and was more interested in demolishing it to have commercial complex built there. The royal family's real estate firm said despite the court and city commissioner's notice to them, they would go ahead with the construction of a new building complex. The people of Vadadora are quite surprised over the Gaekwad family's stubborn stance in the matter of their old palace, a legacy of their past rule!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazarbaug_Palace

1791,Bangalore.The Death of Col. Moorhouse, Internet Archive

1791.Bangalore The Death of Col. Moorhouse en.wikipedia.org

Above image: Death of Col Moorhouse in the third Angelo-Mysore war in 1791 against Tipu Sultan at the Pettah Gate in Bangalore (Bangaluru, Karnataka)...................

During the campaign in south India the British East India Company army was led by Charles Earl Cornwallis (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805) against the ruler of Mysore. Cornwallis was a good administrator and military commander. The British surrender headed by Cornwallis in 1781 to a combined American and French force at the Siege of Yorktown ended significant hostilities in North America.

Kemba Gowda I, a vassal of the Vijaynagar Empire and the founder of Bangalore (now Bengaluru), built the Bangalore Fort in 1537 as a mud fort. After some political changes, the fort fell into the hands of Haider Ali in 1761. Since he was very much concerned about his arch enemy, the East India company near at the door step, he strengthened the fort by building it with hard stone to defend the enemy effectively.

Robert Home 1752–1834) was a British oil portrait painter who travelled to the Indian subcontinent in 1791. During his travels he also painted historic scenes and landscapes. He moved over to Awadh, now in Uttar Pradesh and worked as a painter for the ruler, Nawab Ghazi-ud-Din Haider (1769–1827). His Select Views in Mysore, the Country of Tippoo Sultan were published in London and Madras in 1794, and in Calcutta he made 215 watercolours of Indian mammals, birds and reptiles, some of which he also worked up as oils.
Home, a student of Angelica Kauffmann, accompanied Charles Cornwallis on his campaign against Tippoo Sultan, 'The Tiger of Mysore'.When Joseph Moorhouse was killed, his brother officers invited Home to record the event with a painting 'in the size and manner of General Wolfe', a reference to Benjamin West's 'Death of Wolfe'. Home's sketches of some of these officers and men are preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The unique feature about this oil painting is Home meticulously brought out the details of soldiers in uniform, their weapons, their mood etc including those of the flank companies of the 36th Foot right on the battle field.A strenuous job for a painter who had to risk his life. This and other paintings in Victoria & Albert Museum, London have drawn the attention of numerous art lovers world over. Home, fianally moved over to Kanpur where he died in 1834.

Famous English oil painter Robert Home./en.wikipedia.org/

Tit-Bits:

"The 225th anniversary of a significant landmark in the history of Bengaluru passed largely unnoticed on Sunday. On February 7, 1791, British troops under the command of Lord Cornwallis captured the city right under the nose of Tipu Sultan. The riches of the city wiped out the word ‘penury’ from the dictionary of the troops, British writers of the time note. It was downhill for Tipu and the other local rulers of India from then on and the beginning of the upward swing for the British".

(vide:http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/bangalore/others/the-day-bengaluru-changed-india-for-ever/articleshow/50892827.cms
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwallis_in_India

Lord CornwallisFind A Grave

Tomb of Cornwallis, Ghazipur, UP. GhazipurWala Obaid

Above Image: Tomb of Charles Cornwallis, British Adminstrator and Military Commander.
Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Birth: 31 Dec 1738, Mayfair, City of Westminster, Greater London, England.
Death and burial:    5 Oct 1805 (aged 66), Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, India. .......................

The tomb of Lord Cornwallis at Ghazipur, a small town in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh is about 7 km east of Varanasi, the holy city of the Hindus. Lord Cornwallis came to India after having served well in north America during the most stressful era of American war of independence. Being a member of the House of Lords, Cornwallis opposed the British policies that antagonized the American Colonies. He voted against the Stamp Act (1765) and the Declaratory Acts (1766). However, when the American Revolution began, Cornwallis was given a general's commission and sailed to America to suppress the revolt. Earlier Cornwallis effectively led the British forces during the Battle of Long Island in 1776, at the Battle of Princeton led by George Washington, at the Battles of Brandywine (1777) and Monmouth (1778). However, his string of victories did not last long. In the Southern campaign, after some initial successful raids, his British troops could not bear the onslaught of both American and French forces in Yorktown, Virginia. Cornwallis, second in command, was forced to surrender his command on October 17, 1781 and thus ended the American War of Independence.

Lord Cornwallis, during his tenure, never failed to prove his administrative and military skills in India. He was appointed Governor General of India twice. The first tenure from September 1786 to October 1793 is remembered for his valuable contributions towards revenue reforms, judicature system and the second one for his war against Mysore kingdom. His landmark reforms were the system of permanent settlement in the history of revenue reforms and the Supreme Court of criminal judicature at Calcutta. He was the one who gave due importance to civil administration in India as propounded by Warren Hastings. Among his achievements, the most successful one is his southern campaign against the ruler of Mysore Tipu Sultan, a formidable sworn enemy of the British. He successfully led the wars against Tipu Sultan between 1790-92, His capture of Bangalore Fort in 1791 war against the Mysore ruler, put the East India Company Army at the door step of Tipu's capital Srirangapatna. It was a strategic location and the British had easy access to the supply line without any hindrance during war time. In the subsequent battles led by his successor Col Wellesley, it gave him a tremendous advantage to raid Tipu's formidable seat of power. Tipu was finally killed in 1799 by the British Army led by Wellesley. Now the natural resources rich southern territory of India was wide open for the British Company to seize it and exploit it to their advantage. A sort of open range for the land hungry British Company.

When Lord Wellesley the next Governor General (1793-1805) took over the administration of East India company's affairs in India, he had to deal with a financially stressful situation as a result of many crustal wars and conquest. This left the English company in administrative chaos and financial strain. At this juncture Cornwallis was again sent to India for the second time in July 1805 to improve the administration and establish peace with the warring kingdoms.

But unfortunately Cornwallis' mission could not make any progress for certain reasons. His age and stressful administrative work, besides long travel in a hot country had their impact on his health. While on a mission to north west of Calcutta, according to William Hickey, a British lawyer, best known for his memoirs, Cornwallis became a wreck of what he had been while formerly in Calcutta. He urged Gerard Lake, the commanding officer to have peace with the Marathas. He was supposed to visit some outposts with Lake. After several weeks of long travel, part of it by boat, he became ill when he reached Ghazipur on 27 September. He became too weak to travel and   died at Ghazipur on 5th October 1805 at the age of 67. He was buried there and the British inhabitants of Calcutta erected this monument in his honour.

Historian Marguerite Wilbur called the era of Cornwallis and Mornington the Golden Age of British rule in India. His administrative reforms are still being followed by both the central and state governments. Memorials were also erected in his honour in Bombay, Madras, and in Saint Paul's Cathedral in London. A fine sculpture now stands in the Victoria Memorial, Kolkata. It was made by John bacon in 1803.
The mausoleum - tomb at Ghazipur is a big dome supported by twelve columns erected on a 3.66 metres high circular platform, about 18.30 metres in diameter. There is the bust of Lord Cornwallis at the centre of the platform of the square structure made of marble.The presence of a Hindu and a Muslim on either sides shown in the attitude of mourning shows that he was revered by the natives well. There is an epitaph in English. The other side of this structure shows a European and a native soldier paying homage with an epitaph below in Urdu. The exterior of upper portion of the tomb is

Mausoleum of Lord. Cornwallis. Ghazipur, Indian Tourist Places

ornamented with army cap and floral motifs. The circular iron railing around the tomb with its gate toward south-east is beautifully fabricated with spears, bows & arrows, swords and inverted cannon.

http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_up_lordcornwallis.asp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwallis_in_India

Quotable Quotes:

US Politician Daniel Webster. Wikipedia

"What do we what with this worthless are, this region of savages and wild beasts, of shifting sand and whilwind of dust, of cactus and praire dogs? to what use could we ever hope to put these great deserts and these endless mountains?"

...................Daniel Webster, 1852. US Secretary of State from Massachussetts. He commented on the wild Western States strung out along the Rocky Mountains Time Magazine 10 December 1980; page 24.

"George Bush can shoot, but can't aim; whereas John Kerry can aim but can not shot"............................

A Media Analyst on 2004 US rival Presidential candidates (Nov. 02 2004).

"I know of no depository of the utimate powers of the society, but the people". ................ Thomas Jefferson, Former US President.

"It is better to remain silent and be a fool, than speak out to prove it". ...................Abe Lincoln, Former US President

Wikipedia

American Black activist. Stokely Carmichael

"White People sending Black People to make war on Yellow People in order to defend the land they stole from the Red People". ............. Stokely Charmichael (April 1964 Vietnam anti-war demonstration in Manhatten, New York.

"They made many promises, but never kept but one
they promised to take our land and they took it".
American Indian Chief Seatth about White conquerors of America (City of Seattle, Washington is named after him)

"America is the finest countries ever stolen". .......Bobcat Goldwaite

Quotable Quotes on Native American Indians:

Indian Chief Seatth. www.halcyon.com

"They made many promises, but never kept but one,
they promised to take our land and they took it".
American Indian Chief Seatth about White conquerors of America (City of Seattle, Washington is named after him).

California Indian Education

Indigenous Peoples Literature

Sayings plus

twitter.com

Pinterest

Lord Mayo - Barrackpore ,West Bengal. www.flickr.com

Above image: This equestrian statue is in Barrackpore, West Bengal. Sculptor(s): Thomas Thornycroft (1815 – 1885) was an English sculptor and engineer. he spent four years as an assistant to the sculptor John Francis. In 1840 he married Francis’ daughter, Mary, who was also a sculptor.
In 2007, a statue of Lord Mayo was accidentally unearthed in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The 9-foot-tall (2.7 m) cast-iron statue, weighing around 3 tons, was sculpted at the request of Maharajah Ram Singh ji of Jaipur, as a tribute to Lord Mayo soon after his assassination. The sculptors were J. Forsyth and R. Monti. It is on the premises of Mayp Hospital, jaipur, now called the Mahilya Chikatsalya. The statue is now in Mayo College, Ajmir, UP.

Lord Mayao. executedtoday.com/

Richard Southwell Bourke (1822 –1872) was British Conservative party politician of repute and in 1869 he became the fourth Viceroy of India where he was often referred to as “Lord Mayo”. Mayo was born in Dublin, entered parliament in 1847, thrice appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland – in 1852, 1858 and 1866. Being a good statesmen and hard worker, no time was lost when he was the chief administrator and he began consolidating the troublesome frontiers of India and restructured the country’s finances. Besides, he also focused his attention to other areas like irrigation, railways, forests and other useful public works. The first two fields got his priorities. Better irrigation meant better food production that was good for the country. Improvements and expansion of the railways meant better access to the resources and easy connectivity to the major harbor areas for exports. Besides, with better railroad connection, he could move the military across the country without any difficulties The very first census took place in 1872 under his administration. The European-oriented Mayo College at Ajmer was founded by him for the education of young Indian chiefs, with £70,000 being subscribed by the chiefs themselves.

Unfortunately while on a visit to the convict settlement there on the Andaman Islands at Port Blair to examine the prison condtions and welfare of the convicts, he was assassinated by Sher Ali Afridi, an Afghan tribesman.

Mayo's body was taken to to Ireland for burial at the medieval ruined church in Johns town, County Kildare, near his home at Palmerstown House. As for the assassin Sher Ali, he was hanged to death.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bourke,_6th_Earl_of_Mayo

Sher Ali Afridi Murder of Lord MayHistory of Pashtu

Murder on the Island 1872. Sikkim Express

The spill-over effect of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 was very much there ever after the transfer of Indian government under the British Crown. The bottom line is racial discrimination and repressive rule showed here and there, despite the suppressed rebellion and this impacted the psyche of Indian population. Numerous patriots were pushed to one side with no choice except to take to violence as a way to show theit anger against the British. They failed to realize that among the lousy British officials, there were many who approached the problems of the natives with an open and fair mind. For people who use violence as a means to solve the various problems, they won't see the difference between good and bad officials. Because of this misguided approach, some efficient and honest officers became victims of unjustified violence. The death of Lord Mayo, Viceroy of India was an unfortunate one. Earlier, an officiating Chief Justice of the High Court, Calcutta the Honorable John Paxton Norman on 20th Sept. 1871 was stabbed to death on the steps of the Town Hall on his way to Court to do his official duty. His assassin was one Abdulla from Punjab province. Less than six months after this incident, one Sher Ali Afridi assassinated Lord Mayo, Viceroy of India on 8 February 1872 at Hope town, Port Blair. He was a prisoner at Andaman and Nicobar Islands at the time.These two murders of higher British officials by the Indian natives had sent shock waves across the Empire and it created the impression that everything was not well in the Indian subcontinent.

Cellular jail,Port blair,Andaman island JourneyMart.com

Above image: The prison complex was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago. Today, the complex serves as a national memorial monument. Built between 1896 and 1906, this jail had been in use since the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Lord Mayo was assassinated at Port Blair ......................

Richard Bourke, the 6th Earl of Mayo, in his capacity as the highest British India officer was on a personal visit to the Andaman Islands - a British penal colony for convicts from India, criminals and political prisoners alike. The notorious convict settlement on the Andaman island surrounded by the Bay of Bengal was a sort of maximum security prison and the chances of convicts escaping from the prison were remote. Little is known about this infamous prison complex by the present generation and in the 19th century till 1930, countless Indian convicts and freedom fighters were sent to this prison. They were subject to harsh punishments and mercy is a word never used there. Many were killed without any trace, according to some reports.

The purpose of Lord Mayo's visit was to see for himself the prison conditions and how the convicts were being treated there by the stone-heated jailers. Lord Mayo was an efficient administrator and introduced many reforms for the benefits of the Indian natives. Mayo also wrote certain prison regulations for this penal colony. Fate had it that it was his last trip to the island never to be returned to the main land.

Sher Ali, a former cavalryman in the British India army worked in many places and got a name for his dedication and sense of duty. A Pathan by birth Sher Ali was originally from Khybar Agency (North West Frontier Province, now in Pakistan), true to his Afghan tribal community's legacy, was courageous and duty-bound. One day fate had a role in this young man's life. In Peshawar town, during the broad light, he picked up a quarrel with his relative. His rage went beyond the limit and, in a jiff, he murdered his relative.

Though he pleaded his innocence the Judicial court, with solid evidence, found him guilty and handed down death sentence by hanging. He was sent to Andaman prison (often referred to as "Kalapani") where he was to be hanged to death. He felt that the court did injustice to him and his reason for killing his relative was not given any attention by the judiciary. The burning rage in him turned him into a vigilante. In his opinion, what he did was not amounted to a criminal act!! His perverted and agitated mind wanted to revenge the higher British official for his legitimate conviction by the British court.

The visit of Lord Mayo Viceroy of India on 8 February 1872, gave him a chance to let off his pent up rage by way of committing murder of a powerful official who had nothing to do with his conviction by the court. After his inspection duty, when Lord Mayo approached his boat around 7 pm where his wife was waiting, Sher Ali emerged from the dark and stabbed him hard on the back with a kitchen knife and Lord Mayo soon bled to death. Immediately Sher Ali was captured by the security personnel. It is said he waited for the whole day and at last got a chance in the late evening darkness. It was an impromptu stop for Lord Mayo who wanted to enjoy the surrounding there with his wife.

The British, considering the unstable political situation in the sub continent, downplayed this untoward incident in the prison camp, not withstanding the fact the victim happened to the highest British official. Particularly, the local media
and freedom fighters would take advantage of the assassination of British official and create an impression that the British India Government under the Crown was continuing the oppressive rule of the East India Company. Further the Indian leaders would make a martyr out of Sher Ali.

Sher Ali Stabbing Lord Mayo. Andaman Isles. Alamy

Weighing the pros and cons of going to public, the British authorities conducted a brief enquiry and condemned him to death by hanging. He was hanged on the gallows of Viper Island prison on 11 March 1873 without any show. Since he used the word "Jihadi" several times, the officials thought he had some link with the Wahabi Jihadi group of NWFP who preached violence against the colonists. Finally they confirmed that he acted alone and had no accomplice.

Lord Mayao issent136.rssing.com/

London Times dated 15 April 1873 quoted the final hours of Sher Ali as reported by an Indian news paper: .................. "There was no unusual preparation for the affair, and the convicts were at work as usual. Indeed, it was not generally known that it was to be. There were from 30 to 40 Europeans present, no natives except the police and sepoys, and no European soldiers. About a quarter to 8 the fellow was led out. He was smiling and quite collected. The police officer who came down to investigate the affair, as he ascended the steps leading up to the scaffold, asked him a question. He shook his head with a smile, as he said 'nahin sahib'. As soon as he got up he asked the hangman to turn his face towards Mecca, and then began to pray very loudly and quickly. He said two prayers, and kept on repeating the Mussulman’s creed. The drop fell at seven minutes to 8 o’clock exactly. The knot slipped round to the back of his neck, and although he had nearly seven feet of a drop, his neck was not broken, so he died very hard. He was hanging about ten minutes before he ceased to struggle. As he was scantily clothed, and his legs and most of his body naked, his struggles were distinctly visible....... His face was not distorted in the least, but wore an expression of pain".

http://www.executedtoday.com/2013/03/11/1872-sher-ali-afridi-assassin-of-the-viceroy/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sher_Ali_Afridi

Govt. Opium factory, Ghazipur India. Bihar Times

When British East India company became well established in the Indian subcontinent as a proxy ruler of the British crown, they kept their eyes wide open to get into lucrative business. They were already in cotton and textiles, tea plantations, etc., in the midst of their land-grabbing spree. The British economy which was in bad shape in the 1600s (GDP was less than1%) gradually showing upward mobility, In the 1600s Indian economy was doing fine with a GDP of 24% (China's GDP was around 30%). With continuous exploitation by the British, the Indian economy declined drastically because of coercive and biased British trade policy with respect to Indian companies - mostly cottage industries.

Ghazipur opium factory. Indiatimes.com

Since the EIC needed gold in their export dealing, they wanted to export something that would improve their gold reserve and get good mark-up. The choice fell on opium production and their target was China where people were already using opium as a sign of status. In 1757 the monopoly of Poppy cultivation had passed into the hands of East India Company and the Company later started its trade in Opium, Indigo, Kewra and Floriculture, especially Roses. Once the British saw bright prospect of making a bundle in this unsavory opium trade, they started sending Opium to Calcutta port by river transportation from Ghazipur and from there it was exported to China. Later they began to dump opium in the harbors of China against the wish of Chinese rulers and this later culminated in opium wars. Literally Britain decimated China with enormous quantity of opium produced from Ghazipur. Believe it or not, this dirty trade yielded the British Company about two millions pounds yearly which eventually financed the British Raj in India.

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Important facts about the opiumfactory at Ghazipur:

01. The opium factory located in the town of Ghazipur, Utter Pradesh, during the colonial period, was the first one in India and was the main source of opium production in India.

02. It is now known as the Opium Factory Ghazipur or more formally, the Government Opium and Alkaloid Works.

Opium war British imperialism. The Victorian Web

03. It is believed to be the largest legitimate opium factory in the country and world. The Ghazipur factory began life as the Benaras Opium Agency, an entity of the East India Company, in 1820. Later the factory was in operation by the British during the First and Second Opium Wars with China.

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04. Though the factory came up in 1820 the British had been in opium trading in this area before. The opium processed at Ghazipur was sent to Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) for auction, then shipped to the south China coast and smuggled into the country via the port of Canton (now known as Guangzhou.

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05. Many of us may not be aware of the historical fact that it was Ghazipur opium factory which gave the financial muscle to the British Raj in India as the single largest opium producers in the world, and more startlingly it continues to be so. By 1830 Britain was importing 18,956 chests of opium to China from India. One chest was 140 pounds so that means 2,653,840 pounds - a whooping sum!!

06. The British empire's economy improved a lot and it's wealth increased manifold by way of opium export to China, making gullible Chinese nation addicted to opium. In those days, opium was combined with tobacco and smoked. One hit was approximately 200 milligrams of opium. There are 453592 milligrams in a pound, therefore one pound of opium represented 2,267 ‘hits’ of opium.

Chinese addicts. The McClaughry's Blog -WordPress.comCj

07. By the same token, the British forced the Indian farmers to cultivate opium on their lands, exploited their labor and damaged their lands. After certain periods of poppy plants, the land will become useless.

Opiophilia

08. The historical old factory was a major producer of raw opium extracts from poppies till 1943. The factory also produces nowadays many alkaloids, whose production first began during WWII. During the Second World War when the soldiers needed life-saving drugs like morphine, an Alkaloid factory became a necessity.
09. The factory is functioning over a land covering 43 acres and much of its buildings date back to colonial days.

10. Red brick was widely used for construction in the colonial time. The factory is across the banks of river Ganges from the main city of Ghazipur and is surrounded by high walls topped with barbed wire.
The products are transported with heavy security guards to Mumbai or New Delhi for further export. The factory is highly guarded by the security officers and the public has no access to the factory.

11. The other interesting fact is this factory, since its inception 1820, has been making excellent profit and has never seen the red ink. This is not true of Alkaloid Division started by the government later.

12. In the factory's vicinity, there is a temple dedicated to Baba Shyam, besides a Mazar, both of them have been there long before the factory. Of interest to the visitors is the presence of a solar clock, installed by the British opium agent Hopkins Esor from 1911 to 1913.

13. Rudyard Kipling, famous jungle novelist, after his visit to the factory at Ghazipur in 1888, published a description of its workings in "The Pioneer" dated 16 April 1888. (The text, "In an Opium Factory" is freely available from Adelaide University's ebook library).

14. Presently, its total output has to be decided by the board and is controlled legally under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act and Rules (1985) Govt. of India. It is under the administration of the Ministry of Finance, overseen by a committee and a Chief Controller.

15. The factory which has a total work force of about 900 , is a major and important contributor to the global pharmaceutical industry related to preparation of certain psychedelic medicine.

16. In the recent past, the total opium export from the Ghazipur factory to the USA and Europe was around 360 tons and at one time it was around 600 tons.

17. Though the cultivation of Opium poppy (Papaver Somnigerum) has come down drastically in Uttar Pradesh but it still cultivated by farmers of Rajasthan (Kota and Bhilwara) and Madhya Pradesh

18. The Ghazipur factory produced three kinds of Opium : The Provision Opium, the Excise Opium and Medical Opium. Now, they make one more kind, based on its purity value.

19. With its 12% morphine content The Indian licit Opium is considered as the purest form of Opium in the world with 12% morphine content. Obviously, it has huge demand in overseas countries.

20. With cheaper extraction methods Australia and Turkey are flooding the legal opium market with cheap opium.

21. The problem of junkie monkeys has not yet been properly addressed. Junkie monkeys have been here for generations and are part and parcel of the factory. They savour poppy stuff kept for drying in the yard. According to the factory manager 'The addiction is passed on from parent to child and they can't leave the area because they need the opium.' The elderly monkeys are too lethargic to look for food because they are often found sedated and emaciated

22. In the recent past the country's biggest and oldest opium factory was shut down for over a month for failing to comply with effluent discharge standards and directions to install an online effluent and emission monitoring system. Though it is temporary, for the first time, the machines stopped working in this factory.

23. The Neemuch factory, yet another British legacy of opium production, at Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh set up in 1933is a modern one but the Ghazipur factory still is the biggest and largest not only in Asia but also in the world. The Nimach, also known as Neemuch opium factory is known to have the largest opium receptacle in the world, resembling a large backyard swimming pool. It holds 450 tons of opium.

(It may be of interest to you to read "Sea of Poppies"by celebrated novelist Amitav Ghosh. In this fiction he deals with the British opium trade in India and Ghosh's story is based on his research of the Ghazipur factory).

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/countrys-biggest-oldest-opium-factory-shut-in-varanasi/articleshow/58508352.cms

http://www.bihartimes.in/articles/amarnath/opium.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghazipur

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Oldest opium factory at Ghazipur, India that once financed the British Raj - 23 interesting facts