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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

UNHEARD: THE MISSING PAGES OF HISTORY – The Black Hole Horror of Calcutta

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The late 16th and early 17th century clearly showed the development of British and French control in India. During this time, the roles were slightly reversed with the Indians in much more control than the British. On one such day in the year 1756, a horrendous event took place, which is now infamously known as the Black Hole Horror of Calcutta. This event took place exactly 264 years ago on the sinister night of 20th June, 1756. Click on the title above to unfold the events that transpired that eerie night.
This is the very first article which is a part of my new series – UNHEARD: The Missing Pages of History. … Continue readingUNHEARD: THE MISSING PAGES OF HISTORY – The Black Hole Horror of Calcutta

Unheard: The Missing Pages of History -Queerness in Indian Mythology

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Queerness, the word itself means “strange or odd from a conventional viewpoint”. Even though the world today considers homosexuals and transgender as ‘abnormal’, stories dated thousands of years back, explain queerness as a very natural phenomenon. To justify this argument, I present to you, a few stories from Indian Mythology itself. Specifically from epics like the Mahabharata and sacred texts like the Bhagvata Purana. Click on the title above to read tales from Indian mythology, that they never told us about. … Continue readingUnheard: The Missing Pages of History -Queerness in Indian Mythology

UNHEARD: THE MISSING PAGES OF HISTORY – SANGHA TENZIN: The 500-year-old Mummified Monk

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What if I told you that Mummies don’t just exist in Egypt, but also in India? What if I told you that these kind of Mummies are unlike the ones that are found in Egypt, and are one-of-a-kind?
In the small, remote village of ‘Gue’ in Himachal Pradesh, lies yet another piece of undiscovered history. A 15th century Buddhist monk, who underwent a very baffling and obscure method of Mummification.
Curious yet? Click on the title above to reveal the mystery behind the monk that is – Sangha Tenzin! … Continue readingUNHEARD: THE MISSING PAGES OF HISTORY – SANGHA TENZIN: The 500-year-old Mummified Monk

Noor Inayat Khan – Princess Turned Spy

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As the Second World War ended in 1945, all the secret missions deployed by the Allied and Axis powers were exposed. One such unique organization that deployed several such missions
was the British-set up – Special Operations Executive (SOE). Very few were aware about the existence of this organization and even fewer knew about the agents that were part of the missions. Noor Inayat Khan, was one such lady who was a part of one of the missions deployed by the SOE. A woman, who as a young girl was described as ‘quiet’, ‘shy’, and ‘dreamy’, went on to become the first woman radio operator to operate from an enemy territory. So how did this girl transform from a ‘sensitive dreamer’ to a trained SOE wireless operator? Presenting you, the story of another extraordinary woman – Noor Inayat Khan. Click on the title above to know more! … Continue readingNoor Inayat Khan – Princess Turned Spy

Makli Nekropolis – The City of the Dead

itihaastohistory

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Makli Necropolis is the largest graveyard in the world. But, don’t let the word ‘graveyard’ fool you, because Makli is the most beautiful cemetery that you will ever come across. It’s architectural style ranges from Muslim to Hindu designs.
Makli is probably the only graveyard that you’ll be able to call – ‘A Stunning Necropolis’.
Click on the picture above, to know more! … Continue readingMakli Nekropolis – The City of the Dead

KULDHARA – The Abandoned and Desolated Village

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Abandoned forts and villages which narrate a unique story, always appeal greatly to the curious human mind. These stories always have a sense of uncertainty lingering around them.
Upon travelling 18 kms south-west of the Rajasthani city of Jaisalmer, you will come across one such abandoned and desolated village, which goes by the name of Kuldhara.
Curious to know more? Click on the title above, to read about the haunted and deserted village of Kuldhara. … Continue readingKULDHARA – The Abandoned and Desolated Village

THE INFLUENZA PANDEMIC OF 1918 – The Spanish Flu

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102-years-ago, a pandemic, one of the worst, spread across the globe. This was the Spanish Flu of 1918. It lasted for a period of 2 years, up until 1920, and during that time, it brought the entire world to standstill. Local shops shut down, there were empty streets and markets and the hospitals were severally overcrowded.
History has repeated itself yet again, and now in the year 2020, the world has come to a halt once again. The COVID-19 has forced people to hit a pause button in their lives.
But what was this Flu that took place in 1918? Even before World War 1 ended, the Spanish Flu shook the whole world. Yet, it remains unknown.
Click on the title above to know more about this deadly Pandemic. … Continue readingTHE INFLUENZA PANDEMIC OF 1918 – The Spanish Flu

DARA SHIKOH – The ‘Unlucky One’

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Circa: 1657 AD. Location: The throne of the mighty Mughal Empire.
A War breaks out between four brothers. The result of the War? Emperor Aurungzeb ascends the throne as the sixth ruler of the Mughal Empire. But, before this happened, there was another Mughal Prince, probably much more deserving of the throne, who was executed in a disturbing manner. Who was this Prince?
Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Emperor Shah Jahan, was supposed to be the heir-apparent to throne. A scholar and a liberal Muslim who preached religious unity, deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest of his times.
Click on the title above to read more about the ‘Unlucky Prince’. … Continue readingDARA SHIKOH – The ‘Unlucky One’

Durga Devi Vohra – The Forgotten Revolutionary

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Date: 19th December 1928;
Location: Lahore Railway Station, British India.
A man is seen boarding a train with his wife and son, along with their servant trudging along behind. Nothing seems out of the picture, does it? Not if you knew the back story. This ‘couple’ was actually the freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Durgawati Devi and her son, along with Rajguru. Never heard the name Durgawati Devi before, have you?
She too, just like Bhagat Singh, was a freedom fighter. Click on the title above to know more about this remarkable woman, and her difficult journey as a child, mother, wife and above all, a revolutionary. … Continue readingDurga Devi Vohra – The Forgotten Revolutionary