Neem is a plant that is native to India and is a part of the mahogany family of trees. It has a multitude of uses, from being medically beneficial to being essential to traditions across the country. Each part of the tree is useful, from its branches to its flowers!
A wise proverb from the Sufi tradition that highlights the importance of carrying the contents of religion in our minds.
P.S.: No offence meant to the humble donkey!
We are all aware that biological diversity is an asset to a secure future for generations. International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated on May 22 every year to increase awareness and educate the public about the rapidly decreasing and disappearing species and their importance in biological diversity. The United Nations chose “Our solutions are in nature” as the theme for 2020.
“This slogan emphasizes hope, solidarity and the importance of working together at all levels to build a future of life in harmony with nature.”
The United Nations
While there are but a few well-executed examples of this slogan in the real world, one of the best models of this would be the living root bridges of North East India.
The village of Mawsynram and the town of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya are the wettest places on earth, holding world records for the highest annual rainfall received. Heavy floods would often leave the Khasi and Jaintia tribes stranded in their homes. They tried building bamboo bridges but those couldn’t withhold the constant flooding. When man-made tools failed, the tribals turned to nature to find a solution, making use of the Indian rubber tree’s aerial roots to build sturdy bridges.
This living, breathing, engineering marvel is the result of a lot of patience. One living root bridge is a result of 10 to 30 years of careful cultivation.
It is not easy but the solutions are there in nature if only we look out for it. The sooner we look out, the better.
For young kids, museums are always seen as boring and grown-up and less fun. But here is a museum that will change that perception completely. This place will transform you into a child and make you smile with glee. After all, who doesn’t like dolls? Shankar’s International Dolls Museum in New Delhi exhibits a massive collection of over 6500 costume dolls from eight-five countries.
Located on the first floor of the building of the Children’s Book Trust, Shankar’s International Dolls Museum is divided into two parts. One section displays dolls from countries of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, America, the United Kingdoms, and Commonwealth of Independent States. The other section exhibits dolls from Asian, Middle Eastern, and African countries, apart from a massive collection of Indian dolls.
There’s a beautiful story behind this fascinating establishment. It was founded by the celebrated political cartoonist, K. Shankar Pillai, who was also the founder of Children’s Book Trust and the brains behind the now world-famous Shankar’s International Children’s Competition. In the early 1950s, he received a doll from the Hungarian Ambassador to be distributed as a prize at the Shankar’s International Children’s Competition. Shankar found the doll very adorable and didn’t have the heart to give it away as a prize. Thus, with the permission of the Ambassador, he kept the doll for himself. Shankar’s passion for dolls only kept growing deeper after this. He started collecting dolls on his frequent trips abroad.
When Shankar grew his collection to 500 dolls, he decided to display it at different places in India along with the paintings done by kids. Unfortunately, the frequent movements ended up damaging the dolls. When he raised his concern with Congress leader, Indira Gandhi, she came up with the idea of a permanent museum as a solution to this problem. That’s how a space was reserved for the museum in the Children’s Book Trust building. When the museum was inaugurated by the former Indian president, Dr S. Radhakrishnan, it housed one thousand dolls. Soon the number grew to nearly five thousand. Interestingly, many of the dolls of this collection were gifted to Pillai by dignitaries and other eminent personalities, including Jawaharlal Nehru.
There is a doll workshop that runs alongside the museum. For all those interested in creating Indian dolls, here’s where they can try their hand. The dolls made at the workshop are also exchanged as gifts and prizes abroad. They can also be purchased as souvenirs and collectibles. Each doll is crafted with care. Every physical detail is paid minute attention to, and special attention is given to the jewellery and costume. In 1980, the dolls created at the workshop won the First Prize–Golden Peacock Feather–at the Dolls Biennale held in Cracow, Poland.
So, the next time you plan a visit to Delhi, make sure to add this place to your itinerary.
In today’s online world, it is easy to get bogged down by judgement and self-doubt, leading one to give up on their dreams. Here is a something legendary Indian cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, said that should help you to deal with all that negativity.
Over two decades ago, former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee discussed a top-secret mission with Kalam, then India’s chief scientific advisor. The mission was to make India more secure with nuclear weapons. Kalam immediately started working on Operation Shakti. To keep the mission confidential, Pokhran, an army range, was selected as the site of the experiment. The scientists involved in this mission were given army identities and uniforms.
The preparations for the tests were conducted underground in the dead of the night in absolute secrecy. The equipment used to dig the shafts was shifted back at daybreak and the shafts concealed during the day. Every precaution was taken so that satellites would not detect unusual activity in the range. In fact, the earth dug out was piled up to mimic sand dunes.
On May 11, 1998, three nuclear devices were detonated. Operation Shakti was a resounding success. The day was etched in the history of India as National Technology Day.
Amar Chitra Katha pays tribute to the phenomenal scientists, engineers, and our very own missile man, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, for their contributions and achievements in making India a global superpower.
Spread over 30 hectares on the foothills of the Zabarwan mountains, overseeing the Dal Lake, is the beautiful Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden. Every year, from the last week of March through all of April, the garden witnesses 13 lakh varieties of tulips in full bloom. The largest tulip garden in Asia, it is one of Srinagar’s major tourist attractions.
Ever wondered how money originated in the Indian subcontinent?
The system of currency originated in the city of Mohenjodaro, way back in 3000 BC. Initially, people used to barter goods before switching to a more standardised system. Here’s a short excerpt from our title ‘Tripura” in which this story features as a bonus comic.
Buy Tripura here:
Legend says, a long time ago when the head chef of the Maratha palace was away, Shivaji’s son, Sambhaji, decided to make a bowl of dal for himself. In a moment of inspiration, he added some tamarind to the dish, something that wasn’t the norm. However, nobody in the kitchen dared to correct the great Maratha prince. Luckily, for everyone involved, the dish turned out to be quite good, and so, thanks to Sambhaji’s culinary whimsy, sambaar was born!
Today, one can sample more than 50 varieties of sambaar across the country. It’s not a coincidence that the Maharashtrian amti and South Indian sambaar taste so similar. However, chefs do relish the unique taste of sambaar from the Thanjavur region, be it with a crisp dosa or a bowl of steaming rice.
In March 1857, thousands of unmarked chapatis were distributed to houses throughout India by police chowkidars at night. People who accepted the offering, prepared more chapatis and continued the chain. Around 90,000 policemen participated, making the chapatis travel up to 300 kilometres every night, which was faster than the fastest British mail.
Nobody knew where or how the movement originated, but the Indian flatbread had many a British general worried.
When brought to their notice, the British overlords were terrified. They immediately started an investigation. Several speculations were made. However, even today, nobody really knows what the reason behind the ‘Chapati Movement’ was, even those who participated in it were unaware of its origin and objective.
Years later, J W Sherar in the book ‘Life During the Indian Mutiny’ admitted that if the objective behind the movement was to create an atmosphere of mysterious restlessness, the movement had been highly successful.
