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Savitribai Phule – India’s First Female Teacher

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Born in a time when prejudice against female independence was soaring, Savitribai Phule became an inspiration for all those women who aspired to educate themselves.

On 3rd January, 1831, in a small village in Pune, Savitribai Patil was born to a well-to-do family belonging to the lower caste. At the young age of 9-years, she was married off to a 13-year-old Jyotirao Phule, and that is when her life changed.

But the difficulties weren’t yet over – the Phule’s had a long way to go. And so, the two embarked upon the journey to reform the Orthodox methods of the Indian society, together.

In their 5-decade-long career, Savitribai and Jyotiba Phule established over 18 schools for girls, 52 boarding schools for orphans and numerous widow welfare homes.

This is the story of India’s First Female Teacher – Savitribai Jyotirao Phule. … Continue readingSavitribai Phule – India’s First Female Teacher

Malik Ambar – Journey from a Slave to a Kingmaker

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Indian history is known for it’s diversity and the detailed accounts it holds. From the rise of powerful dynasties to the collapse of the 150-year-old British Empire, it has been a witness to it all.

But hidden among the shadows of these well-known tales, is yet another undiscovered account. This one belongs to one of the most important figures in Mughal, Maratha and Deccan history, without whom Indian History would have had an altogether different story to tell – Malik Ambar.

Click on the image above to know more! … Continue readingMalik Ambar – Journey from a Slave to a Kingmaker

Rani Tarabai – The Savior of the Maratha Empire

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Rani Tarabai, a name that very few have heard of, and even fewer remember the valiance and courage of this Queen. Married off at the young age of 8 years to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s younger son Rajaram, Tarabai was supposed to be just like the other queens of the court – perform her duties as a wife and enjoy the luxuries of royal life.
But even fate knew that she was destined for so much more.
After her father-in-law passed away, the Mughals attacked the Maratha kingdom and forced the young Queen to flee with her husband and infant son.

After being widowed at the age of 25 years, she returned to the Maratha Capital and took control of the Army and the administration of the vast Maratha Empire. But that’s not where the troubles ended… .In her life span of 86 long years, Tarabai was a witness to the glorious years of the Maratha Empire, it’s decline, its revival and the Third Battle of Panipat.
Click on the the title above to read more about the fascinating life of Maharani Tarabai Bhonsle – The Savior of the Maratha Empire. … Continue readingRani Tarabai – The Savior of the Maratha Empire

“Kaala Pani” – A Prisoner’s Worst Nightmare

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“Kaala Pani”, the name itself sends chills down your spine, doesn’t it?
Even this spine-chilling name doesn’t do justice to the torture and harsh conditions that the prisoners here were exposed to.
Opened in 1906, the Cellular Jail (or “Kaala Pani”), is located far away from the Indian mainland on the tiny island of Andaman and Nicobar. The Jail was established to provide such extreme kind of torture to those Indians who had either murdered someone or committed a crime equally gruesome.
But even these horrifying crimes did no justice to what the prisoners here were put through. Torture, flogging, extreme exhaustion and complete destituteness of hope were a part of daily life in Kaala Pani.

Since the jail was far away from the centre of the Indian Revolution, everything that the inmates here suffered through, went unknown and unheard of.
Among the other freedom fighters who were imprisoned here, were a few well-known ones like – Vinayak Savarkar, who has a cell here named after him, his brother Babarao Savarkar and Sushil Dasgupta.
Click on the title above to read more about the horrors of Kaala Pani … Continue reading“Kaala Pani” – A Prisoner’s Worst Nightmare

MIYAN TANSEN – The Singer who could start a Fire with his Music

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Tansen, a man who is now remembered as one of the most popular figures of the musical world. Ramtanu, or Miyan Tansen was a part of the ‘Nine Gems’ or the ‘Navratnas’ of Akbar’s court. He was one of Akbar’s most beloved ministers, despite the fact that entered the Mughal chambers when he was almost 60-years-old. Tansen is said to have had a voice so beautiful and pure that it could evoke rain and fire. While we have heard this name many times in history, we don’t know much about who he really was. 
In this article, I present to you all the stories and legends associated with this name as I attempt to uncover this enigma of a man. Click on the picture above to read more! … Continue readingMIYAN TANSEN – The Singer who could start a Fire with his Music

BRITAIN’S WORST FAILURE – The Bengal Famine of 1943

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During the course of the 150 years that the British ruled over the Indian subcontinent, they were accused of committing several atrocities against Indians – racial discrimination, lathi charges, and the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919.
However, we tend to forget one of the worst of the lot – The Bengal Famine of 1943 which consumed the lives of around 3 million people. What is unique about this famine, is that unlike the 6 other major famines that had struck India during the reign of the British, the one in 1943, was a result of policy failure on part of Winston Churchill’s War Time Cabinet, and not natural factors.
Click on the picture above to read more about the shocking conditions that prevailed in Bengal in 1943 … Continue readingBRITAIN’S WORST FAILURE – The Bengal Famine of 1943

SPECIAL ISSUE: KASHMIR – The Scarred Beauty

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Kashmir – probably the most
beautiful yet the most disturbed region in the Indian subcontinent.

Why? Well, the answer to that question has a lot of variations.

Even before the Partition of India in 1947, the state of Jammu and Kashmir continued to remain a centre of conflict.

This article will explore Kashmir’s history right from 304 BCE, when Ashoka came to power, till the 1949 UN resolution. 

Click on the title above to delve into the rich, yet lesser-known history of Kashmir … Continue readingSPECIAL ISSUE: KASHMIR – The Scarred Beauty

THE EMERGENCY OF 1975 – India’s Darkest Era

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The 21-month span between 1975 to 1977, is widely hailed as the ‘Darkest Period in Indian History’. The reason? A sudden proclamation of Emergency by the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. During these months anybody who spoke against the government was jailed, mass forced sterilization campaigns were carried out and the freedom of the press was curbed. These 21 months saw a dictatorial-like regime in India. But that is not it. India was a witness to many more such atrocities, during this period. Click above to know more! … Continue readingTHE EMERGENCY OF 1975 – India’s Darkest Era

Anandi Gopal Joshi: India’s 1st Female Doctor

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Anandibai Joshi – a woman who was, in every sense, a brilliant one. Of all the women whom I have written about till now, the one string of familiarity that binds them all together is the fact that they were all empowered self-made women, who made a name for themselves in an otherwise male-dominated world. And so, as a part of my series – Women of the Past: Rediscovered, I bring to you a story of yet another woman who broke through the barriers of a patriarchal society and became a beacon of hope for all other women who had dreams that needed to be fulfilled – Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi. … Continue readingAnandi Gopal Joshi: India’s 1st Female Doctor

UNHEARD: THE MISSING PAGES OF HISTORY: ADOLF HITLER’S PURGE – The Night of the Long Knives

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Hundreds of people, some completely innocent, murdered in a matter of 3 days, and no one held accountable. This was the reality of life in Nazi Germany. On 2nd July, 1934, exactly 86 years ago, ended the Night of the Long Knives, a purge carried out by the Nazi Party, after 3 long days. It commenced on 30th June, on Hitler’s orders, and was carried out to eliminate any person or political organization that could pose a threat to Hitler’s dictatorial regime in Germany. Click on the title above to unfold the events that transpired that fateful weekend. … Continue readingUNHEARD: THE MISSING PAGES OF HISTORY: ADOLF HITLER’S PURGE – The Night of the Long Knives