tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24307430858689572372024-03-19T14:18:48.697+05:30Delhi MagicA blog on Delhi, and all things Indian. If you like something, leave a comment! - DeepaDeepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-72532515868174116762024-02-25T21:51:00.000+05:302024-02-25T21:51:16.080+05:30Mutiny Memorial / Ajitgarh<p>This monument is called Ajitgarh, meaning the Bastion of the Undefeated.</p><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLqhzDm6z128YYPm6Wj49KIQ0Jtc0cfOb31b6VCDpbFdODOgBGkNXoMucNyYv2pqZM600GusFZRn43ata8p8Ja0AIVjyd6nButQTDQhnLsfp_JQif97YJO2gtveCOZO9YtVcD8RiENZwZ_OFmcMCh3HLD4iqochfMGBpMkXBYQITnnYPUQvvUr2Hutc72/s2048/424904968_826339362837643_6852563081844898800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLqhzDm6z128YYPm6Wj49KIQ0Jtc0cfOb31b6VCDpbFdODOgBGkNXoMucNyYv2pqZM600GusFZRn43ata8p8Ja0AIVjyd6nButQTDQhnLsfp_JQif97YJO2gtveCOZO9YtVcD8RiENZwZ_OFmcMCh3HLD4iqochfMGBpMkXBYQITnnYPUQvvUr2Hutc72/w426-h640/424904968_826339362837643_6852563081844898800_n.jpg" width="426" /></a></div></div><div>Originally called it the "Mutiny Memorial", it was built in 1863 to commemorate British and Indian soldiers killed in the 1857 War of Independence in Delhi. The government of India renamed it Ajitgarh in 1972 and re-dedicated it to the Indian martyrs of 1857.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our <b><a href="https://www.delhimagic.com/1857-mutiny-walk.html" target="_blank">Mutiny Walk</a></b> explores the momentous series of events, conflicts and battles that took place in Delhi in 1857 and changed history forever.</div><div><br /></div><div>#warsofindia</div><div>#firstwarofindependence</div><div>#indianindependence</div><div>#freedomstruggle</div><div>#delhimagic</div><div>#magictoursofindia</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo Credit - Thangpu Paite on Pexels</div></div>Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-71772220863122710662022-10-07T17:50:00.000+05:302022-10-07T17:50:44.345+05:30Qutb Minar Night Tour<p>We recently took a group of people on a night tour to the Qutb. Here are some photos. Isn't it beautiful? Do check out the pics, and let us know if you would like to do a guided walk. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0YfeMkBidlMKCqMz-6LuRJd07YftmW9_JzV8aIXmNQBH2lkBV8JqyplC2j5OFSiXGRWuGHd9lRvbZQw291SNEjvwZTSBlqdrnsbc5agH4gS-0PuNCNpgGy67WoVkWJBxfKO9GYsLYyAZB88azyQ0mBe0wFC47mkjZhKf-ZQ62xCOa6CZNXiu1kiyqg/s1337/310918555_496887825785721_6643813088647553514_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="1069" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0YfeMkBidlMKCqMz-6LuRJd07YftmW9_JzV8aIXmNQBH2lkBV8JqyplC2j5OFSiXGRWuGHd9lRvbZQw291SNEjvwZTSBlqdrnsbc5agH4gS-0PuNCNpgGy67WoVkWJBxfKO9GYsLYyAZB88azyQ0mBe0wFC47mkjZhKf-ZQ62xCOa6CZNXiu1kiyqg/s320/310918555_496887825785721_6643813088647553514_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsEm9I9Spo1cq2byBbMpN-X8Z8zQldETBU0_-yJ4IJb0Xr6K4JFOL_30UNP1BOn9a9UVNUuUf9CRfPpMGoquvKkhfld38C84gYCMmFrtYh3K6z6kv9CbxCZZbtq50TSDdtPLdrdHOjzwK5IluTROtydAAbn2YFVix1wGmu1tq58MEMNGVJKrU4CH0ug/s1265/310447328_496887819119055_3596146736723280442_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsEm9I9Spo1cq2byBbMpN-X8Z8zQldETBU0_-yJ4IJb0Xr6K4JFOL_30UNP1BOn9a9UVNUuUf9CRfPpMGoquvKkhfld38C84gYCMmFrtYh3K6z6kv9CbxCZZbtq50TSDdtPLdrdHOjzwK5IluTROtydAAbn2YFVix1wGmu1tq58MEMNGVJKrU4CH0ug/s320/310447328_496887819119055_3596146736723280442_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQs6q143C4T129gSWoCs9c672MZzp2zYIzl_icGFILWmFgv294yX6fLb6NignY8YJX__U6zymVdroXnQ8nfhM88RQvP5QeKsFYfeXuvLXxDkVyJVKi3SHmPMyI-HFd3v8cNwzzz8NEMaKKDlPFhtfvkUSqM5OH7_IdigKrw2zXL8VlMPGl06NI8l2Aw/s1500/310936391_496887829119054_844921494616955275_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQs6q143C4T129gSWoCs9c672MZzp2zYIzl_icGFILWmFgv294yX6fLb6NignY8YJX__U6zymVdroXnQ8nfhM88RQvP5QeKsFYfeXuvLXxDkVyJVKi3SHmPMyI-HFd3v8cNwzzz8NEMaKKDlPFhtfvkUSqM5OH7_IdigKrw2zXL8VlMPGl06NI8l2Aw/s320/310936391_496887829119054_844921494616955275_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj8W3roOk_IRdePRiOOfnFzrmlEJYwk00zZO6jjdjoQdy9hIP_lJf-P8cbH_eSezTr-n7o5jaHLO4e-n92tZcXEAeWal92mFCbd8zlthBVIxExNA5RFqH1_lLwOcjgs7Y2KpG_q320lv3OTKquiQRpQlNKw8Mbd4EMsUJyFnI7To7oFHOGx-yvQO6Yw/s1500/310982257_496887822452388_7016861614105765384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj8W3roOk_IRdePRiOOfnFzrmlEJYwk00zZO6jjdjoQdy9hIP_lJf-P8cbH_eSezTr-n7o5jaHLO4e-n92tZcXEAeWal92mFCbd8zlthBVIxExNA5RFqH1_lLwOcjgs7Y2KpG_q320lv3OTKquiQRpQlNKw8Mbd4EMsUJyFnI7To7oFHOGx-yvQO6Yw/s320/310982257_496887822452388_7016861614105765384_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwFo22AAWeHeNKs9htjPkkm2jps_AzCEHMuZE5KBz_w4ZFbutLf9KMyVJSYO5eKZrEgnsIiEcYcPRQhoXkP1mPA_CgNNDCRRcV0vlL6UqJZ4lPDlfFnW_DBsE_5kAXEucC0Sk4AlMEG5VPPp8-XWBVNkwlLLONRRjkY-8-YhcekcIWMZBR9cL4GuxVw/s743/311088407_496887815785722_4482873142857586708_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwFo22AAWeHeNKs9htjPkkm2jps_AzCEHMuZE5KBz_w4ZFbutLf9KMyVJSYO5eKZrEgnsIiEcYcPRQhoXkP1mPA_CgNNDCRRcV0vlL6UqJZ4lPDlfFnW_DBsE_5kAXEucC0Sk4AlMEG5VPPp8-XWBVNkwlLLONRRjkY-8-YhcekcIWMZBR9cL4GuxVw/s320/311088407_496887815785722_4482873142857586708_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p>The Qutb Complex (built at the site of Lal Kot, the first city of Delhi) is a UNESCO World Heritage site that marks the arrival of Islamic rule in India. Created by the Slave Dynasty who ruled India for nearly a century, the complex is a grand cultural statement marking the beginning of a new religion that transformed the country. In the initial phases, the new rulers demolished Hindu and Jain temples, but reused the pillars and stones, creating structures unique in the Islamic world. Please reach out to deepa@delhimagic.com to arrange a Qutb Night Tour.</p>Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-4695032196755940742019-11-23T10:27:00.001+05:302019-12-16T15:31:52.363+05:30Dagger with Nilgai (Blue Bull) Hilt, from the Shahjahani era<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This beautiful dagger is dated from 1640, during the reign of Mughal emperor Shahjahan. Shahjahan's rule, based out of Agra and Delhi, lasted for 30 years. It was a period of great cultural and artistic flowering. Some of India's most beautiful monuments belong to this period; but Shahjahan also patronised the arts and crafts. This beautiful nephrite and steel dagger reflects not only the Mughal appreciation of craftsmanship, but also of the natural world. See how wonderfully the grey-green nephrite showcases the delicate ears of the Nilgai!<br />
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The dagger is currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The description on the museum website says "Daggers such as this one were sometimes awarded to officers who had distinguished themselves in military victory and were worn at court as dress accessories indicating royal favor. Animal-headed hilts were especially favored, and the realism of their rendering conveys the keen appreciation for nature by Mughal artists.<br />
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On this dagger, the hilt portrays a nilgai, or blue bull, one of the most beautiful animals found in India, and terminates at the base with a leafy scroll and lotus flower. Carved from a bluish-green nephrite that approximates the color of the animal, this hilt not only demonstrates the artist's thorough mastery of hard-stone carving, but also displays a level of accuracy and sensitivity that suggest close observation of a model, perhaps one of the captive animals kept in the imperial zoo."<br />
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The dagger found its way into the personal collection of Nasli Heeramaneck, a Parsi dealer of antiquities and art objects, who died in 1985. His personal collections were bequeathed to various museums. Around 200 objects from Heeramaneck's Pre-Columbian and Western Art collection was gifted to the National Museum in Delhi, where you can see it displayed even today. </div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-46068516579223775062019-03-12T18:08:00.000+05:302019-03-12T18:13:35.279+05:30"Study Abroad" Tours in Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Delhi has a lot of interesting things to experience if you are coming on an educational tour. It's a great place for understanding Indian political history; and even more interesting if you want to understand the multiple cultures and faiths that co-exist in India. And of course, there are many museums, workshops, art and music shows, and interesting cuisine experiences as well.<br />
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Here's our lovely group of 25 students from Johannesskolen Denmark. They have been touring Delhi with us for the past 4 years. We enjoy their openness to new cultures and willingness to explore. In the foreground you can see the local college students from Delhi, who took them around. The interaction with local students provides very rich opportunities for mutual understanding.<br />
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On this visit we arranged multiple experiences for them in Delhi:<br />
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- A survey of living conditions in the Ram Nagar area. Ram Nagar in Shahdara is one of the oldest residential areas of Delhi. Students did a survey of residents, with a questionnaire. We taught them basic Hindi to prepare for this : - ) The people were very welcoming of the students, inviting them for tea and being so hospitable!<br />
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- An exploration of Old Delhi using the Metro, rickshaw and walking. Students visited and volunteered at the Sikh Gurudwara, learnt about different faiths and cultures of India, saw the Metro in operation, and explored the famous traditional bazaars.<br />
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- A look at recycling industry in Delhi, and understanding the education system and daily life in a low-income neighbourhood.<br />
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Through interactions with local college students of Delhi, the Johanneskolen students gained a deeper understanding of the realities of modern Delhi. Similarly, our college students learnt about the Danish people.<br />
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We look forward to Johanneskolen's visit again next year. </div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-75237678326752022072018-04-24T09:16:00.000+05:302018-04-24T10:33:40.169+05:30Flame of the Forest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Flame of the Forest" might be a romantic sounding name, but don't forget, it's also called Bastard Teak, lol.<br />
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The beauty of the dry deciduous forests of India reaches the peak when most trees have dropped their leaves, and the Flame of the Forest is in its full bloom.<br />
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Some of you might be interested to know that spoons made of this tree are used for ghee-oblations, and in the days before matchboxes, the bark of this tree was lit and used to start the daily agnihotram at sunrise and sunset.<br />
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Because the tree is indigenous to India, it finds mention in many literary sources, from vedas to love poetry.<br />
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If you've heard about the Battle of Plassey - where the English defeated the Nawab of Bengal - that comes from Palash, the Bengali word for this tree.<br />
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Tagore chose the Palash to celebrate the basanta ustsav at Santiniketan. See that little curved hook on the flower? Like Santhali women, you too can use the hook to tuck the flower behind your ear as you walk the lanes of Santiniketan.<br />
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Photo clicked by yours truly, in Ranthambhore. You can also spot these trees in Delhi, in the Central Ridge, or at Qutb Complex, or near the Kalkaji temple.<br />
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-59389327582525050662018-02-18T18:31:00.000+05:302018-02-18T19:03:21.201+05:30Bhil art at the Delhi Magic office<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
About 6 months ago, I went to the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya in Bhopal, which in my view is the best tribal art museum in India. I was admiring the work in the Bhil art section, when I met the artist himself, Ram Singh Bhabor. We got chatting and I eventually talked him into coming to Delhi, to do a mural in our office.<br />
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Ram Singh Bhabor is from the Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, which has many tribals. His work has been displayed in many major government museums and folk art galleries including the Manav Sanghralay in Bhopal, Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, and also in the tribal museum in Mysore. He has exhibited his work in Dehradun and Bhubaneswar as well. He is in fact, the grand-nephew of the famous Bhil artist Bhuri Bai. Ram Singh has been interested in drawing from a very young age, and has been painting on canvas since 2010.<br />
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Here are pictures of the work in progress in our office.<br />
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Each painting is composed of thousands of dots, creating different patterns. The dots are arranged to make patterns of animals, trees, birds, deities, daily life, and mythological figures.<br />
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Waiting to see what else he does. I think it will take at least one more day to finish it.</div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-663818923484412902017-12-09T12:57:00.000+05:302017-12-09T13:14:06.263+05:30Jain manuscript at the National Museum, Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This Jain manuscript was commissioned in the 1400's at <b>Mandu in Madhya Pradesh</b>, under the reign of <b>Sultan Mahmud</b>. This folio is from the collection at the National Museum. It shows a Tirthankara figure turning beads in meditation. Devotees flank the main figure.<br />
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It is an illustration from the <b>Kalpa Sūtra</b>, a Jain text containing the biographies of the Jain Tirthankaras, notably Parshvanatha and Mahavira, including the latter's Nirvāna (liberation from cycle of rebirth). Bhadrabahu, a Jain Acharya (guru), is considered the author of the Kalpa Sutra. It is traditionally said to have been composed somewhere in the 3rd century BCE.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzh6pg0oCs8/WiuPZMj5-9I/AAAAAAAAQR0/K_WNrcuTggUyvuEBneZxGOB6m6oYwzcRwCLcBGAs/s1600/jain%2Bmanuscript.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="871" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzh6pg0oCs8/WiuPZMj5-9I/AAAAAAAAQR0/K_WNrcuTggUyvuEBneZxGOB6m6oYwzcRwCLcBGAs/s640/jain%2Bmanuscript.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/prodCollections.asp?pid=92&id=10&lk=dp10</td></tr>
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<b>Jaina manuscript painting </b>is likely a very old tradition, but currently there is physical surviving evidence only from the <b>1100's onwards</b>. Originally it was done on palm-leaf, because paper had not yet arrived in India. After the arrival of paper somewhere in the 12th century (paper came to India from Iran), the Jain monks starting using it.<br />
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By the end of the 1300's, deluxe manuscripts were produced on paper, brilliantly adorned with gold, silver, crimson and a rich ultramarine derived from imported lapis lazuli. The photo I posted above is one of those.<br />
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The Jains are even today, a book-loving community, placing emphasis on documentation in their <b>bhandars</b> (monastery libraries). We have to thank the <b>Jain Chalukya kings</b> who ruled Gujarat, Rajasthan and Malwa for their patronage of Jain libraries. One of them, <b>Kumarapala,</b> who ruled in the 1300's from his capital city Patan in Gujarat, commissioned and distributed hundreds of copies of the Kalpa Sutra. Can you imagine hundreds of such handmade painted books? What a sight it must be! Kumarapala founded 21 bhandars in Patan.<br />
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The major centres of Jain manuscript production were <b>Ahmedabad and Patan</b> in Gujarat. Other centres included <b>Jaisalmer, Gwalior and Delhi</b>. There were also manuscripts written in <b>Kanarese and Tamil </b>in south India. Illustrations were traditionally painted both on the wooden cover (patli) and on the folios. The <b>patrons were Jain merchant communities</b>, who considered the commissioning of illustrated books and their donation to libraries to be an important merit-making activity.</div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-23502109956805143942017-11-19T20:55:00.000+05:302017-11-19T20:58:47.202+05:30Deepa's Guide to Delhi's Bazaars!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
More updates in Deepa's Guide to Delhi's Bazaars!<br />
Check it out! Now you know the best way to shop in Delhi!<br />
Here's the link:<br />
<b><a href="https://in.pinterest.com/delhimagic/deepas-guide-to-delhis-bazaars/">https://in.pinterest.com/delhimagic/deepas-guide-to-delhis-bazaars/</a> </b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1362863542"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bPz3eik7Avw/WhGe_UKkB5I/AAAAAAAAQDM/FXoskW9Nl449sMVgNNInSioB5TpTOwiUgCLcBGAs/s640/Deepa%2527s%2Bguide3.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://in.pinterest.com/delhimagic/deepas-guide-to-delhis-bazaars/">https://in.pinterest.com/delhimagic/deepas-guide-to-delhis-bazaars/</a></td></tr>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-42894337121527155082017-09-12T09:24:00.002+05:302017-09-14T07:07:02.291+05:30Kos Minar (distance markers) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpvsAedA4T4/WbdYpKPCXTI/AAAAAAAAPu8/29L9sc_hXhQohqAx8Wjbs8kNcO2U3ZgPgCLcBGAs/s1600/20170912_085817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1206" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpvsAedA4T4/WbdYpKPCXTI/AAAAAAAAPu8/29L9sc_hXhQohqAx8Wjbs8kNcO2U3ZgPgCLcBGAs/s640/20170912_085817.jpg" width="482" /></a>We are on the old Delhi Agra highway. Here's the Kos Minar we photographed.<br />
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These were originally laid in the mid-1500's by the Pashtun ruler Sher Shah Suri along the Grand Trunk Road. Subsequently the Mughals also made a practice of erecting them.<br />
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Kos Minars served as important milestones to help measure distances in the Empire. Agra was the Mughal capital, and from there the Kos Minars radiated outward, towards Ajmer, Lahore and Mandu (Madhya Pradesh).<br />
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All along these highways, there were forts (qilas), fortified towns (shehrs), resting places for travellers (caravanserais), stepwells (baolis), postal system (dak chowkis), and many shady trees.<br />
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The word Kos itself is confusing, because there exist in India different measures of what a Kos actually means. Kos comes from the Sanskrit <i>krosha</i>, and has many references in traditional Sanskrit texts. Alexander Cunningham, a British engineer, who went on to found the Archaeological Survey of India in the mid-1800s wrote about the kos measurement system in his book The Ancient Geography of India. He says that in North India, there were three widely accepted types of kos:<br />
- <b>the short kos</b>, or the Padshahi kos, about 1.25 miles, used in north-west frontier and Punjab<br />
- <b>the kos of the Gangetic provinces</b>, which is about 2.25 miles<br />
- <b>the long kos</b>, which is used south of the Yamuna, in the Bundelkhand region, which is about 4 miles (and also used in Mysore)<br />
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Cunningham says the first two are actually part of the same system, that the Gangetic kos is just twice that of the Padshahi. Jahangir built his sarais (inns) every 8 kos, that is about 10 miles. The British, who also understood the importance of the Grand Trunk Road, chose to maintain it just like the empires before them. They built dak-bungalows, resting houses used by officers and for postal communication, every 10 miles.</div>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-61146692208972667802017-07-16T13:01:00.001+05:302017-07-16T13:01:53.791+05:30Would you like to help our students?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you are a foreigner coming to Delhi, or a local with overseas visitors coming to Delhi, we would like your help.<br />
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We have a new batch of guides being trained for our offbeat and fun Delhi by Metro tour. This is a tour we are doing in partnership with the non-profit Manzil. The guides are from low-income families and this is an upskilling program for them to earn money while they are in college.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bNmqljEsvtM/WWsWAFTAl0I/AAAAAAAAPeg/aexN8ZD8-sQGL1H_Z9G8bByvdrQ13_yNgCLcBGAs/s1600/for%2Bresponsible%2Btourism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bNmqljEsvtM/WWsWAFTAl0I/AAAAAAAAPeg/aexN8ZD8-sQGL1H_Z9G8bByvdrQ13_yNgCLcBGAs/s640/for%2Bresponsible%2Btourism.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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They are currently being formally trained to do the tour, and we want to give them some trial tours for practice. Our guides need to practice understanding foreign accents and helping foreigners getting comfortable with Delhi. They need to practice how to explain apparently simple and obvious things about our culture to a foreigner. They can only do this by actually taking foreign tourists on the tour.<br />
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If you have overseas visitors coming to Delhi in the next few months (Jul-Aug-Sep) we would love to offer them a free tour. There will be one or two trainee guides doing the tour. If you have a large group, we will also assign a fully trained guide.<br />
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As I said, there is no charge for the tour. We just want our kids to have some practice.<br />
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We will pay for the local travel expenses on the tour (Metro, autorickshaw, cyclerickshaw). The only thing guests need to pay for is their own meal (we will stop at a restaurant for snacks).<br />
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Tour description is here:<a href="http://delhimagic.com/metro.html" target="_blank"> http://delhimagic.com/metro.html</a> It's a great tour, lots of fun.<br />
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Please email deepa@delhimagic.com if you want to help. I will only be keeping this free offer open for a short while, in the off season, for a limited number of free tours. So please write soon.</div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-58177955932541654042017-06-07T07:30:00.001+05:302017-06-07T07:57:32.210+05:30Building the Delhi Magic team<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday, we went to visit the non-profit Manzil in Delhi. We were trying to recruit the next batch of students. We want some students to join our office operations team, and some to be trained as guides for our <a href="http://delhimagic.com/metro.html" target="_blank">Delhi by Metro</a> tour.<br />
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Four girls came for the meeting, each with their own constraints and dreams. One of them got married early, and has a baby; she has returned to studies and is now in Std 11. One wants to become a teacher. Another wants to grow her craft business. Yet another is graduating and wants a chance for a better life. They all have one thing in common: they need some form of income right now.<br />
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We explained how our flexi-time and flexi-location work model can help them earn and finance their dreams. We hope this model will give them the ability to get started on a career even if they have constraints and challenges.<br />
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We also explained that we don't want to keep them with us forever; what we want is to give them that initial break, that initial income cushion for 3 or 4 years, which the poor find difficult to get. Then they can fly high, charting their own path.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uk6gd-v-6CM/WTdiffNf1UI/AAAAAAAAPP4/-MV9sPA1zfc8mveqP0jRos_r6yK51B0FgCLcB/s1600/20170607_074450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uk6gd-v-6CM/WTdiffNf1UI/AAAAAAAAPP4/-MV9sPA1zfc8mveqP0jRos_r6yK51B0FgCLcB/s640/20170607_074450.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have learnt that if you truly want to build a successful social enterprise, it has to start from what the other person needs. We cannot go into these types of meetings saying, oh, here's what we want, and now you girls must adjust your timings and personal commitments to suit us. The insensitive and difficult nature of the 9-to-5 environment, combined with commuting time, makes it impossible for women from disadvantaged backgrounds to find a way to become economically independent. Some sort of middle path has to be created. </div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-62697592068420798342017-05-20T06:26:00.000+05:302017-05-20T06:32:29.920+05:30The Taj Mahal from a boat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A serene moment captured by Gaurav from our team.<br />
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-81272028711115573232017-02-12T08:13:00.000+05:302017-02-12T11:43:29.199+05:30The new exciting Bikaner House<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ever since <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BikanerHouse16/" target="_blank">Bikaner Hous</a></b>e got a makeover last year, it has become an exciting venue for exhibitions and events. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ojL7qqntPts/WHwxM4QuKOI/AAAAAAAANTk/z9NnR_UvF8s6eICA-qERxu7mkqfZDOYjgCLcB/s1600/bikaner%2Bhouse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ojL7qqntPts/WHwxM4QuKOI/AAAAAAAANTk/z9NnR_UvF8s6eICA-qERxu7mkqfZDOYjgCLcB/s640/bikaner%2Bhouse.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: https://www.facebook.com/BikanerHouse16/</td></tr>
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My friend Sumedha launched her book <a href="http://www.amazon.in/Ramayana-J-P-Losty/dp/935194123X" target="_blank">Mewar Ramayana</a> there. The book is beautifully illustrated with paintings commissioned by Jagat Singh, the Maharana of the Mewar kingdom.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wgxY1zj6qLg/WHwzQY4IdjI/AAAAAAAANTw/p1sDF2q01UwqTJk7r9yd-zE7_43VGFz8ACLcB/s1600/mewar%2Bramayan.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wgxY1zj6qLg/WHwzQY4IdjI/AAAAAAAANTw/p1sDF2q01UwqTJk7r9yd-zE7_43VGFz8ACLcB/s320/mewar%2Bramayan.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">https://www.facebook.com/BikanerHouse16/</td></tr>
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In the 17th century, Jagat Singh commissioned a manuscript retelling the Ramayana. The text is in Sanskrit and the illustrations are in three different styles of Mewar painting.<br />
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This is believed to be the most well preserved manuscript form of the Ramayana. The rulers of Mewar trace their ancestry to Lord Rama, and it is but natural that in Jagat Singh's long and prosperous reign of 24 years, a book like this was commissioned.<br />
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There have been lots of other launches here as well. A photo-exhibition by Jawai, several designer names, art shows, and so on. It's really shaping up well as an alternative to the more well-established India Habitat Center.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nU4Axt9irRw/WHucmoajcjI/AAAAAAAANTU/pRk6LTlPK7oOTt1A4d9ZwqJ1Fwg-hMJzACLcB/s1600/vayu2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nU4Axt9irRw/WHucmoajcjI/AAAAAAAANTU/pRk6LTlPK7oOTt1A4d9ZwqJ1Fwg-hMJzACLcB/s320/vayu2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">https://www.facebook.com/BikanerHouse16/</td></tr>
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Adding significantly to the charm of Bikaner House is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Vayudesignforliving/" target="_blank">Vayu</a>, a design store that offers handcrafted artifacts for the home. They also have lots of lovely curios, jewellery and designer apparel. You need somewhat deep pockets, but it's really lovely and I particularly like their vintage silver jewellery. Last year they had a fabulous pop-up of Bungalow Eight from Mumbai; and lots of other things as well. They're open all days of the week, between 11 am and 7 pm.<br />
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If you're heading to Vayu, you can round off the shopping with lunch at the popular Chor Bizarre, which has now opened an outlet in Bikaner House.<br />
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I'm really glad to see an old heritage building being re-purposed and brought to life. Bikaner House - along with other royal houses - came up in the 1920s, when the British were building a new capital for the Empire. A portion of this grand new capital was set aside for the princely states of India, that were not officially under the Empire, but operated as independent kingdoms acknowledging British power. A large chunk of India was under these princely states (see all the yellow bits in this map below).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJlOUjMmJwk/WILu2lhtc6I/AAAAAAAANVs/BGaX-skMoAwalwE6Pge-_Ew-pL6FR9bVwCLcB/s1600/map%2Bof%2Bprincely%2Bstates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJlOUjMmJwk/WILu2lhtc6I/AAAAAAAANVs/BGaX-skMoAwalwE6Pge-_Ew-pL6FR9bVwCLcB/s640/map%2Bof%2Bprincely%2Bstates.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh Geographical Institute; J. G. Bartholomew and Sons. - Oxford University Press, 1909</td></tr>
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To manage the relationship with the princely states, the British came up with the idea of a Chamber of Princes. The Indian name for this chamber was <i>Narendra Mandal;</i> and it provided a forum in which the rulers of the princely states of India could voice their needs to the colonial government of British India. Once a year, the princely rulers descended upon Delhi for a meeting of the Chamber of Princes. So it made sense to build palaces for them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wrefUcu7O-w/WJ_Jrtc-xlI/AAAAAAAANcU/0ANQYwmtlvEh9_txlFkYsujv3Ftt6iohQCLcB/s1600/maharaja-bikaner-king-gwalior-nawab-bhopal-raja-patiala-in-the-chamber-of-princes-britain-bidding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wrefUcu7O-w/WJ_Jrtc-xlI/AAAAAAAANcU/0ANQYwmtlvEh9_txlFkYsujv3Ftt6iohQCLcB/s320/maharaja-bikaner-king-gwalior-nawab-bhopal-raja-patiala-in-the-chamber-of-princes-britain-bidding.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: Getty Images https://goo.gl/XlQIBO</td></tr>
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Some of the buildings were very grand indeed. The most impressive was Hyderabad House, reflecting the incredible wealth of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Indeed, the Nizam wanted to build something that would rival the Viceroy's building (now Rashtrapati Bhavan), but of course he was not allowed to do so!<br />
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The smallest and coziest of the palaces was Bikaner House, because it was more like a bungalow than a palace. The small size now makes it a perfect venue for events.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8UscKhmdjdk/WJ_LPv06RQI/AAAAAAAANcc/5BExuvM8FXIfgU06AIbXWmOMiLIaJTSvwCLcB/s1600/lost-glory-3_041316031405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8UscKhmdjdk/WJ_LPv06RQI/AAAAAAAANcc/5BExuvM8FXIfgU06AIbXWmOMiLIaJTSvwCLcB/s320/lost-glory-3_041316031405.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: India Today https://goo.gl/AUfLVr</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ROPRGF3rrs/WJ_LghrGbmI/AAAAAAAANcg/k6IwnziBJh8i2mecZ05vQntvR1X18G08wCLcB/s1600/lost-glory-5_041316031405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ROPRGF3rrs/WJ_LghrGbmI/AAAAAAAANcg/k6IwnziBJh8i2mecZ05vQntvR1X18G08wCLcB/s320/lost-glory-5_041316031405.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: India Today https://goo.gl/AUfLVr</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Go on. Head over and take a look. And let me know how it went!</div>
</div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-17935800891412759322017-01-21T15:30:00.000+05:302017-01-21T18:44:52.710+05:30The legal rights of Hindu women<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMYHADUsljQ/WIMNjRKPXuI/AAAAAAAANV8/7dFTmbsZxOAEwJQBr8XsSeHccMD7h0VMwCLcB/s1600/gossip%2Bin%2Bchandelao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMYHADUsljQ/WIMNjRKPXuI/AAAAAAAANV8/7dFTmbsZxOAEwJQBr8XsSeHccMD7h0VMwCLcB/s400/gossip%2Bin%2Bchandelao.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village elders under a tree, Rajasthan, 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We all know that Hindu society is patriarchal for the most part. Is gender inequality among Hindus only a cultural/social phenomenon? Or does it have a legal basis? What legal rights do Hindu women have? Are they considered equal to men in the eyes of the law? What are the roots of the women's rights movement in India?<br />
<br />
As a Hindu woman, I thought I should try and figure out who my friends and foes are. Who or what has helped the cause of Hindu women, and who has hindered it?<br />
<br />
First, let us look at religion. If we examine Hindu scriptural law, there is no single uniform code. Influenced by many <i>shastras</i> and commentaries, the law has traditionally been applied by village councils as per local customs. Thus, there is significant variation in women's rights across the country, based on specifics of caste and class. Most of the time, these customs are not pro-women, although they often offer quick justice and practical solutions based on easily understood cultural norms. When women operate within these norms, but face injustice or denial of rights, the village council or panchayat offers a quick and very useful method of redressal. But the norms themselves are quite misogynistic.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oKf7uOqGD-Y/WIND6mdUhhI/AAAAAAAANXw/OcnYnAzk9F4rmLyRPzhkLH6OUAu8EOo5gCLcB/s1600/Bentinck_william.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oKf7uOqGD-Y/WIND6mdUhhI/AAAAAAAANXw/OcnYnAzk9F4rmLyRPzhkLH6OUAu8EOo5gCLcB/s320/Bentinck_william.png" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William Bentinck, who abolished sati</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was the British who began the process of codification of Hindu law in the 19th century, starting with Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. As part of this process, some local customs, which the British found reprehensible, were declared illegal. For example, sati was banned, and widow remarriage was allowed. This was the first step in giving all Hindu women, irrespective of caste or class, some rights under British law.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
The late 19th century saw the beginnings of the Hindu women's rights movement in India. The early campaigners were men, armed with English education, who fought orthodox Hindu society to obtain more rights for women. They were eventually joined by some trail blazing women, who heralded a brave departure from social norms. Women's rights organisations began asking for a comprehensive code of Hindu laws rather than piecemeal legislation. They had mixed results; because the British were slow to make major changes after the Mutiny of 1857.<br />
<br />
The independence movement in the late 1800's and early 1900's slowed down the progress of women's rights. The freedom fighters resisted any British interventions to 'modernize' the Indian family. In 1891, when the British introduced an act to increase the age of consent for marriage, there were big protests.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qPnobtDypzA/WIMoLrFNTOI/AAAAAAAANXA/QMF45xayGl8AXyaFq0x8QHaWDIdfUuU6gCLcB/s1600/hindu%2Bcode%2Bsarojini%2B0908_Brunch_ID15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qPnobtDypzA/WIMoLrFNTOI/AAAAAAAANXA/QMF45xayGl8AXyaFq0x8QHaWDIdfUuU6gCLcB/s400/hindu%2Bcode%2Bsarojini%2B0908_Brunch_ID15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarojini Naidu, leading Salt Satyagraha, 1930, after the arrest of Gandhi. <br />
First woman president of the Congress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Things changed under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, who believed in greater rights for Indian women. Although he propounded a rather idealized view of Hindu women, glorifying self-sacrifice, it propelled many Hindu women to come out of their homes and join the Indian freedom struggle in the first half of the 1900's. <br />
<br />
The British, meanwhile, continued the process of legal reform. In 1937, the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act was passed, giving widows rights of inheritance in a joint family. A Hindu Law committee was appointed in 1941, to look further into the rights of daughters. The committee, led by the constitutional scholar B. N. Rau, toured a number of cities throughout India in 1945, and interviewed many people and caste associations. In 1947, India got independence from the British. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in January 1948. With support from Nehru and Ambedkar, a Hindu Code Bill was introduced to the new Constituent Assembly on April 9, 1948.<br />
<br />
Strong protests erupted from many quarters. Religious organisations such as the Hindu Mahasabha said it was 'suicidal folly' (because the new code bill banned polygamy). They believed that the whole race of Hindus would be destroyed, since there were no equivalent restrictions on polygamous Muslims. The pontiffs of leading religious sects said that giving rights to women would break the effective functioning of the Hindu joint-family, and was against the principles of Hindu <i>dharma</i>.<br />
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Here are some photos of protests which took place in Delhi in 1949. The protestors were against giving Hindu women inheritance rights, rights to divorce, etc. Since those were simpler days, without huge security issues; here we can see how the public have easy access to the Parliament House! People can be seen climbing the walls, or just hanging around. No doubt, some brought their own packed meals and made a picnic out of it.<br />
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After these major protests, the Bill lapsed and went into hibernation. In 1952, the Congress party swept the polls with a huge majority. This gave Jawaharlal Nehru the political strength to implement his vision. As a result of the untiring efforts of Nehru and Ambedkar, four separate acts came into being:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Hindu Marriage Act of 1955</b> - this allowed inter-caste marriages, introduced monogamy and created provisions for the dissolution of marriage </li>
<li><b>Hindu Succession Act of 1956</b> - this act gave women absolute ownership of inherited property (previously they could only enjoy the property without ownership during their lifetime).</li>
<li><b>Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act of 1956 </b>- gave the mother guardianship rights if the father neglected the child; and also allowed mothers the rights to be guardians of illegitimate chilren</li>
<li><b>Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance act of 1956</b> - allowed women to claim one-third of the joint income of her husband and herself in case of divorce</li>
</ol>
Despite many limitations, these Acts together were a great victory for gender rights of Hindu women.<br />
<br />
The Constitution of India, which came into effect in 1950, guarantees to all Indian women the following:<br />
- equality (Article 14)<br />
- no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)<br />
- equality of opportunity (Article 16)<br />
- equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)<br />
<br />
In addition, via Article 15 (3), the Constitution allows special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women and children. It renounces practices derogatory to the dignity of women via Article 51(A) (e), and also allows for provisions to be made by the State for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief. (Article 42).<br />
<br />
Since 1956, several <b><a href="http://www.livelaw.in/womens-day-special-15-judgments-that-made-india-a-better-place-for-women/" target="_blank">landmark judgments</a></b> have been passed by the Congress government, each one bringing a little more improvement in the legal rights of Hindu women. Several laws have come into effect:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Dowry Prohibition Act 1961</b> - prohibits demanding, giving and taking of dowry.</li>
<li><b>Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971</b> - allows termination of pregnancy by a licensed practitioner under <a href="http://www.legalservicesindia.com/articles/pregact.htm" target="_blank">specific circumstances</a> (rape, danger to mother's life or health, contraceptive failure, etc) </li>
<li><b>National Commission for Women Act 1990</b> - a body to review the constitutional and legal safeguards for women, recommend remedial legislative measures, facilitate redressal of grievances and advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.</li>
<li><b>Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act 1999</b> - to stop female foeticides and arrest the declining sex ratio in India</li>
<li><b>Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005</b> - defines domestic violence and provides protection against physical, emotional/verbal, sexual, and economic abuse</li>
<li><b>Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act 2013</b> - defines sexual harassment at the work place and creates a mechanism for redressal of complaint</li>
</ul>
Compared to just a few decades ago, there is huge progress. But there's is still a <b><a href="https://qz.com/224632/indian-women-will-never-be-equal-as-long-as-these-9-laws-remain-on-the-books/" target="_blank">long way to go</a></b> in this journey. The current government has been talking about implementing a uniform civil code. This is more an attempt to bring Muslims under the ambit of a civil code, rather than any attempt to further strengthen the rights of Hindu women. The attitudes of right-wing Hindu organisations (which form the major support base for the current government) continue to be parochial and misogynistic.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Black and White Photographs taken during the anti-Hindu Code Bill demonstrations outside the Council House, New Delhi on Dec. 12, 1949. Source: http://photodivision.gov.in/IntroPhotodetails.asp?thisPage=1392</span></div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-10004275406453936762016-12-19T06:54:00.002+05:302016-12-19T10:03:15.741+05:30Taj Mahal: Scaffolding Update (and also tickets by credit card now)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As of Dec 15, the old currency notes are no longer accepted as tickets at the Taj Mahal. They've started accepting payments by credit card now, so you can swipe a card at the counter. Huzzah. No more cash woes.<br />
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You can also buy tickets online at the ASI website: https://asi.payumoney.com/ </div>
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Here's what the Scaffolding at the Taj Mahal looks like now:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLvWxTJqXvk/WFc13d2RyvI/AAAAAAAANLQ/mFt0taqgS-wos62fmsmnYROpcobxzx9TQCLcB/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2016-12-18%2Bat%2B5.08.55%2BPM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLvWxTJqXvk/WFc13d2RyvI/AAAAAAAANLQ/mFt0taqgS-wos62fmsmnYROpcobxzx9TQCLcB/s640/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2016-12-18%2Bat%2B5.08.55%2BPM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This photo is clicked in the afternoon around 1:30 p.m. yesterday. Morning temperatures are at 8 C (47F), rising to 22 C (72F) in the afternoon. Nights are cool again.</div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-80353795179521733732016-09-03T09:00:00.003+05:302016-09-03T09:53:42.550+05:30Portraits of labourers in Delhi (2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C4d22T9ibxI/V8pBK6h2k2I/AAAAAAAAMAg/vWq1k10hZTMuYECEUBeXuZclVnZkBxumwCLcB/s1600/122A5228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C4d22T9ibxI/V8pBK6h2k2I/AAAAAAAAMAg/vWq1k10hZTMuYECEUBeXuZclVnZkBxumwCLcB/s640/122A5228.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Marcel Fens, on his guided tour of Khari Baoli</td></tr>
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What words would you use to describe the people in this photo? Relaxed? Happy? Yes. They're having a nice break, waiting for work.<br />
<br />
But there are two more words that come to my mind, and those are not-so-nice: Uneducated and Unskilled.<br />
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The informal sector in India is characterized by uneducated and unskilled labour.<br />
<br />
Education levels are abysmal. One-fourth (23%) of informal labour is illiterate; having never gone to school. About 10% have studied upto primary school. So that's one-third of the labour force, which doesn't really know how to read or write much. They are vulnerable to exploitation, not just by employers and middlemen, but also by moneylenders. Roughly 48% of workers in the informal sector have studied until Grade 10.<br />
<br />
In addition to the poor literacy levels, informal labourers do not have specific vocational training or skills that will bring them better paid jobs. Thus they bring literally nothing to the bargaining table, and must make-do with whatever current rates are offered to them. More than half of the informal labour force is self-employed. This makes it even more difficult to negotiate for improvements.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, it's about education. Until we improve vocational skills and ensure basic literacy, we're going to keep seeing low-paid, poor and unhealthy workforce.<br />
<br />
Data source:<br />
<i>Confederation of Indian Industries</i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.ies.gov.in/pdfs/CII%20EM-october-2014.pdf" target="_blank">An Analysis of the Informal Labour Market in India</a></i><br />
<i>A. Srija & Shrinivas V. Shirke</i></div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-37024574566196579622016-09-02T11:43:00.004+05:302016-09-02T12:51:10.756+05:30Portraits of labourers in Delhi (1) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sxhd_CD5CDs/V8kVGNP1adI/AAAAAAAAMAA/IfbJXcmSEWcmCXBl1o6v_LdehqES18yIACLcB/s1600/122A5151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sxhd_CD5CDs/V8kVGNP1adI/AAAAAAAAMAA/IfbJXcmSEWcmCXBl1o6v_LdehqES18yIACLcB/s640/122A5151.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Marcel Fens, who travelled through Delhi and Rajasthan with us</td></tr>
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The vast majority of workers in India are in informal jobs. The ILO estimates that the overall proportion of informal workers in total employment is 92%. Pretty staggering, huh? This includes not only those in unorganised sector, but also contract and informal workers in the organised sector.</div>
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These men in the photo are hired to transfer goods from shops in the wholesale markets, to waiting trucks. The <i>gamcha</i>, a checked towel, is a multi-purpose textile that all of them have. Almost a class trademark.</div>
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The government has mandated minimum daily wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour, but that applies only to those who you hire for the full day. The men in this photo are probably being paid by piece / sack loaded or unloaded. </div>
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Data Source: <a href="http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_496510.pdf" target="_blank">India Labour Market Update</a></div>
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ILO Country Office for India | July 2016</div>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-31333289163008693512016-08-15T18:15:00.002+05:302022-12-25T09:05:30.670+05:30Linkages between Sikhism and Sufism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A couple of months ago, at Siri Fort, there was a performance by the
amazing Wadali Brothers of Punjab. Like many singers, the Wadali Brothers take
their name from their village; Wadali, which is the birthplace of the sixth
Sikh Guru Hargobindji.<br />
<br />
The Wadali Brothers sing in the Gurbani, Kafi, Ghazal and Bhajan genres of music. They believe in the Sufi tradition deeply and are liberalists at heart, believing in freedom of religious practice as homage to the divine one. Their performances - part dialogue - part music - are deeply stirring. If you want to listen to it, here's the website: <b>http://www.wadalibrothers.in/</b></div>
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Many people think 'Sufi music' (by which they mean quwwali) is a purely Muslim tradition. In the Punjab,
though, there has long been a tradition of 'Sikh Sufi music'. </div>
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Sufism became popular in the Punjab through the mystic Baba Farid
(Hazrat Khwaja Farīduddīn Mas'ūd Ganjshakar), who belonged to the Chishtiya
sect. </div>
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But in the 14th century, Guru Nanak, the first guru of the Sikh
religion, distilled the Sufi, Nath and Bhakti traditions - three religious
genres that influenced Punjab's spiritual tradition - in his divine verses. </div>
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Nanak even laid down the 'raag' (melody) in which each of these verses
were to be sung. The concepts of love, secularism, universality, music, freedom
of spirit and one god shine through in Nanak's verses; deeply influenced by
these three traditions. The ballads of Islamic-Punjabi became popular among
both Sufi story-tellers and the Gurbani musicians.</div>
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Thus, Sikhism and Sufism have
many linkages, and they are not just at <b><a href="http://www.sikhnet.com/news/sufi-and-sikh" target="_blank">a philosophical level</a></b>. Did you know
that the foundation of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid in 1588 by a Sufi
mystic, Hazrat Mian Mir? Guru Arjan Dev sent a palanquin to fetch Mian Mir to
Amritsar from Lahore!</div>
</div>
</div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-40375314467626424102016-05-16T06:08:00.003+05:302016-05-16T06:09:09.720+05:30Gramin Seva - a good idea that needs stricter monitoring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you live in a slum or village on the outskirts of Delhi, you will probably find yourself using one of these decrepit Gramin Seva vehicles for transport. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFxXzRszBS8/VzkOxgwfuQI/AAAAAAAAKrw/TidnpIpqJ58Bvv5dooiDDWA7sRnwoiuaACKgB/s1600/gramin%2Bseva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFxXzRszBS8/VzkOxgwfuQI/AAAAAAAAKrw/TidnpIpqJ58Bvv5dooiDDWA7sRnwoiuaACKgB/s640/gramin%2Bseva.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Gramin Seva (Village Service) vans were introduced in 2010. Licenses were granted to 6000 vehicles, mostly 3-wheelers, to ferry people from the villages and slums in the peripheral areas of Delhi. It was a great idea, to meet the needs of an expanding city. The vans offered poor people cheap connectivity to the major city junctions, from where they could further connect via metro, bus and train.</div>
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Ticket prices for Gramin Seva have always been low; they range from 5 to 10 rupees in most cases, and for longer distances it is 15 rupees. However, passengers routinely have to deal with overloading of vehicles beyond the permitted capacity of 6 adults. Owners of the vehicles say they cannot run a sustainable service, if they only take 6 people. Sometimes the vans are crammed with double the allowed capacity! The van owners do not invest in vehicle repair, and although there are norms for the quality of the vehicles, most of them are now old and falling apart.</div>
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In addition, some vehicles do not ply on their designated rural/outer routes. Instead, they choose more commercially viable routes where they are not authorised to ply (by law, they can ply only up to the Inner Ring Road; and they cannot cross the Inner Ring Road into the city). Several errant vehicles have been issued challans (traffic violation notices) by the Delhi traffic police. </div>
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But if you live in a slum or farflung peripheral village, Gramin Seva is still one of the cheapest options, given the shortage of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses in such areas. The big DTC buses cannot ply these unviable far-flung routes. In many areas, private enterprise has also stepped in to fill the gap. Many private vehicles operate as vans. In some places, there are even private bus services. </div>
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Recently the AAP government has checked
and renewed licenses for 4200 of
the original 6000 Gramin Seva vehicles. Hopefully some of the really
decrepit ones have been thrown out. They have made it mandatory for the
vehicles to be fitted with a working GPS, so that it is easy to track
whether a vehicle goes out of its assigned route. Will things improve? We can only hope! </div>
</div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-10964551241442471492016-05-13T19:23:00.000+05:302016-05-13T19:57:53.206+05:30Evening gup-shup at Hauz Khas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The ruins at Hauz Khas are a happy place to spend the evening catching up with friends. Amidst the medieval architecture of an old university complex, you can find a quiet spot to relax.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g8EbxX6gq-Q/VzXCfXWfFkI/AAAAAAAAKkw/7-n03I9Cup0c3wgpg4ItVkExa8tZaqNJQCLcB/s1600/evening%2BIMG_6191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g8EbxX6gq-Q/VzXCfXWfFkI/AAAAAAAAKkw/7-n03I9Cup0c3wgpg4ItVkExa8tZaqNJQCLcB/s640/evening%2BIMG_6191.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After the sack of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258, Delhi became the most important place in the world for Islamic education. Many leading philosophers and teachers migrated to Delhi. The university at Hauz Khas was established in 1352, and became one of the largest and best equipped Islamic seminaries in the world. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3bVMBdbPqXA/VzXOSfG0CRI/AAAAAAAAKlM/TullAKnX5x0HIT92PPOKXLPWb4Qc0QyLgCKgB/s1600/madrasa%2BIMG_6142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3bVMBdbPqXA/VzXOSfG0CRI/AAAAAAAAKlM/TullAKnX5x0HIT92PPOKXLPWb4Qc0QyLgCKgB/s640/madrasa%2BIMG_6142.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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They university came up around a beautiful Royal Tank (Hauz Khas). The tank was originally dug
by the Khiljis in the 1200's, but it was deepened and improved by Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1309 - 1338). Can you imagine how beautiful this university must have been? It is a green oasis even now. Firoz Shah Tughlaq's tomb is also there, in the building on the left. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m3YOtdWtAOw/VzXSF9vFFfI/AAAAAAAAKlk/_gJ8Ki7A50UZ3g8VFqPcXgWR6vrxckKTwCKgB/s1600/tank%2BIMG_6198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m3YOtdWtAOw/VzXSF9vFFfI/AAAAAAAAKlk/_gJ8Ki7A50UZ3g8VFqPcXgWR6vrxckKTwCKgB/s640/tank%2BIMG_6198.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
On weekends, Hauz Khas is very popular. Here's a group that was playing the guitar when I went:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKKi0HNvvns/VzXTrb15PEI/AAAAAAAAKls/2iyKqxI7U2MV5TbloyVQVFSNfUuLfmdYwCLcB/s1600/guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKKi0HNvvns/VzXTrb15PEI/AAAAAAAAKls/2iyKqxI7U2MV5TbloyVQVFSNfUuLfmdYwCLcB/s640/guitar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Another bunch of people were practising parkour:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LSHC57yrq5w/VzXT9xTC6NI/AAAAAAAAKlw/eXkxlmqnecAlaNfXZxDOxr-28yUPULHxQCLcB/s1600/parkour%2BIMG_6151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LSHC57yrq5w/VzXT9xTC6NI/AAAAAAAAKlw/eXkxlmqnecAlaNfXZxDOxr-28yUPULHxQCLcB/s320/parkour%2BIMG_6151.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
There are usually lots of people around, but you can still find quiet places to sit and chat. Or have a romantic moment. See these photos below, for glimpses of a Sunday evening at Hauz Khas. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2UxL8xE10gc/VzXOl64TT6I/AAAAAAAAKlE/x-UOPMoLlLchYHJkYmPyOt3-hnbU6CRIACLcB/s1600/girls%2BIMG_6143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2UxL8xE10gc/VzXOl64TT6I/AAAAAAAAKlE/x-UOPMoLlLchYHJkYmPyOt3-hnbU6CRIACLcB/s640/girls%2BIMG_6143.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kEpiukWCAMU/VzXOylXJ-2I/AAAAAAAAKlI/CcE9tBv7Elsyap6Vc4sYf0turzirD6_MQCLcB/s1600/boys%2BIMG_6143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kEpiukWCAMU/VzXOylXJ-2I/AAAAAAAAKlI/CcE9tBv7Elsyap6Vc4sYf0turzirD6_MQCLcB/s320/boys%2BIMG_6143.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uONhHE131pg/VzXPNzCvYtI/AAAAAAAAKlQ/cUmyNmDm-eQ-mFOBMHrPTMdJ9KQHcQImwCLcB/s1600/romance%2BIMG_6146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uONhHE131pg/VzXPNzCvYtI/AAAAAAAAKlQ/cUmyNmDm-eQ-mFOBMHrPTMdJ9KQHcQImwCLcB/s640/romance%2BIMG_6146.jpg" width="448" /> </a></div>
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So many people, each lost in their own world :) Perhaps just a handful of them knew the history of Hauz Khas; or that algebra was once taught here, and astronomy, and poetry, and calligraphy and geography. </div>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-60364702023550901202016-03-16T08:50:00.001+05:302016-03-16T09:13:33.953+05:30“Nobody now listens to what I say.” - Mahatma Gandhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. </div>
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A couple of months before that, he said in Delhi: "Nobody now listens to what I say". </div>
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He was referring, of course, to the momentous and bloody events following the Partition of India on religious lines. He had been talking to the leaders of Muslim and Hindu communities, trying to make them see sense. In Delhi, he had been visiting camps of wounded and displaced persons, and trying to bring and end to the violence. </div>
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Eventually on Jan 12, he undertook a fast for 'an indefinite period' to bring about cessation of violence. After 6 days of fasting, when his condition deteriorated significantly, he received assurances from leaders of both communities that the violence would end. He finally broke his fast on Jan 18.</div>
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On Jan 20, a bomb exploded at the prayer meeting that he was conducting. In spite of threats to his life, he continued the prayer meetings. Ten days later, he was assasinated by Nathuram Godse, a member and supporter of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu organisation.</div>
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I went to Gandhi Smriti recently. That is the house where Gandhi spent
the last 144 days of his life, and the spot where he was assassinated. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DLZyECl5h6Y/VuYZrB6UKUI/AAAAAAAAJu0/ciFgul4oxP0DnYV1aazCPB8rHtXJDbi9g/s1600/walk%2BIMG_5608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DLZyECl5h6Y/VuYZrB6UKUI/AAAAAAAAJu0/ciFgul4oxP0DnYV1aazCPB8rHtXJDbi9g/s640/walk%2BIMG_5608.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Walkway to his death</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-assJQrl_npI/VuYiLrBcolI/AAAAAAAAJvI/oxrCb4FUtdcpE3JeL8xPwyltNtbC92znA/s1600/violence%2BIMG_5548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-assJQrl_npI/VuYiLrBcolI/AAAAAAAAJvI/oxrCb4FUtdcpE3JeL8xPwyltNtbC92znA/s640/violence%2BIMG_5548.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Diorama showing the laying down of arms after Partition</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-foid1QBiqew/VuYkc7e7ggI/AAAAAAAAJvU/hOxEoRk59F0n1B9KPDZ-HrP3XFbNshD7w/s1600/Death%2BIMG_5565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-foid1QBiqew/VuYkc7e7ggI/AAAAAAAAJvU/hOxEoRk59F0n1B9KPDZ-HrP3XFbNshD7w/s640/Death%2BIMG_5565.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Painting by Upendra Maharathi: The Fate of Three Great Men (Gandhi, Buddha, Christ)</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After my visit to Gandhi Smriti, I understood more clearly the sacrifices that our freedom fighters made in order
to get independence for India. It was not a happy visit for me. I stood near Gandhi's spartan room, where he had his last meeting before he walked to his death. I wept. I couldn't stop the tears. To think that we are now building temples to his assassin! It was unbearable. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dmfyOM6RgAE/VujTlCXD07I/AAAAAAAAJv0/pVdK4kEqlzAUon8i5V01XPqtuyEWMsPMQ/s1600/IMG_5570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dmfyOM6RgAE/VujTlCXD07I/AAAAAAAAJv0/pVdK4kEqlzAUon8i5V01XPqtuyEWMsPMQ/s640/IMG_5570.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UgLdvcn-1tA/VujTp77PmXI/AAAAAAAAJv4/RcX5eajFoss7pOICsfe5T4QWe93hJYg-Q/s1600/IMG_5569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UgLdvcn-1tA/VujTp77PmXI/AAAAAAAAJv4/RcX5eajFoss7pOICsfe5T4QWe93hJYg-Q/s640/IMG_5569.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
But the visit taught me something. It taught me that if I am to honor this man, then I need to relook at his message. He lives on through his thoughts and ideas. It is those things which I must read again, and evaluate and implement.<br />
<br />
Gandhi was not perfect. He had his own idiosyncracies and theories. I am sure many things that he said are not relevant perhaps, for the India of today. But there's a lot which still resonates clearly with me. It's those bits that I need to work for. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2RUC5FQ2vQ/VuYp_Cms3JI/AAAAAAAAJvk/FsRzeQV4sNEODsDqRfI06XSLafeLJgOvA/s1600/dream%2Bindia%2BIMG_5556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2RUC5FQ2vQ/VuYp_Cms3JI/AAAAAAAAJvk/FsRzeQV4sNEODsDqRfI06XSLafeLJgOvA/s640/dream%2Bindia%2BIMG_5556.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gandhi on "India of my dreams" </b></td></tr>
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Gandhi's view on India of his dreams:</div>
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"I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country, in whose making they have an effective voice, an India in which there shall be no high class and low class people, an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony"<br />
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Gandhi is not a man, Gandhi is an idea. He is only dead if we let the idea die. </div>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-34129274468882877482016-01-18T09:24:00.002+05:302016-01-18T09:25:11.257+05:30Scaffolding at the Taj Mahal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just a quick post to show what the current scaffolding at the Taj looks like:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DUHeO05YXCE/VpxhVSVxuxI/AAAAAAAAJko/Oe1wo-jVY_k/s1600/scaffolding%2Bat%2BTaj%2BIMG_5482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DUHeO05YXCE/VpxhVSVxuxI/AAAAAAAAJko/Oe1wo-jVY_k/s640/scaffolding%2Bat%2BTaj%2BIMG_5482.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is on two of the minarets, one at the front and one at the back. Photo clicked 6-Jan 2016. The scaffolding is temporary and meant for cleaning and restoration of the marble. I don't know when it will come off. I will post an update when it does. </div>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-87636156713256211002015-12-21T08:32:00.000+05:302015-12-21T09:36:29.260+05:30Murray's Taj Mahal and the death of an empire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With the advent of photography in the 1800's, armchair travellers in Europe could, for the first time, get a true picture of destinations they had only dreamt about. Monuments from the far-flung corners of the British Empire came alive through the work of many talented photographers. </div>
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Dr. John Murray, employed in the medical service of the Army of the East India Company, took up photography in the early 1850s.</div>
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Unlike other photographers who depicted the symmetric perfection of the Taj, Murray's photos described the actual context of the Taj. In this photo, the Taj appears as a backdrop to ruins. There's a crumbling parapet above the Yamuna River, and the men sitting are completely ignoring this beautiful monument. The photo, clicked just after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, speaks to me about the death of the Mughal empire. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6Te5au4k-k/Vndq7DntjaI/AAAAAAAAJdI/wbCSgmSFy4Q/s1600/DP143011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="592" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6Te5au4k-k/Vndq7DntjaI/AAAAAAAAJdI/wbCSgmSFy4Q/s640/DP143011.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit the Met Museum
http://www.metmuseum.org/. </td></tr>
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Here is another photo, this one is smaller, but it shows Dr. Murray seated in the foreground. It calls out to the photographer and artist in me :) I want to be that person, sitting with my back to the ruins, and sketching what I see!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Ni6VCypsg4/VndtSjPynhI/AAAAAAAAJdU/SlVDs1oLA3k/s1600/murray%2Bsmall%2Btaj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Ni6VCypsg4/VndtSjPynhI/AAAAAAAAJdU/SlVDs1oLA3k/s1600/murray%2Bsmall%2Btaj.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.clarkart.edu/Art-Pieces/2617</td></tr>
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At a time when photographic emulsions were not equally sensitive to all
colors of the spectrum, most photographers found it impossible to
achieve proper exposure of both landscape and sky in a single picture.
For instance, if the negative was properly exposed for buildings, the
sky would often appear faded and blotchy. </div>
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Murray solved this problem by
blacking out the sky on his waxed paper negative so that, when printed,
the heavens above the Taj Mahal would appear limpid and radiant. Here is the paper negative itself; you can see the technique here:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fr3Pdgk4y2A/VnduSDVSzvI/AAAAAAAAJdc/p_peByrTx_Y/s1600/murray%2Bblack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fr3Pdgk4y2A/VnduSDVSzvI/AAAAAAAAJdc/p_peByrTx_Y/s1600/murray%2Bblack.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.clarkart.edu/Collection/7354</td></tr>
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Text adapted and modified from:
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/283162 </div>
Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-26304895688226597502015-12-08T01:43:00.001+05:302015-12-08T01:43:48.001+05:30Textile tour in Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last month we had a very interesting textile workshop in Delhi, for a group of visitors from the USA. We visited the home of one of my friends, who is a textile designer. </div>
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The tour began with an audio-visual presentation, an introduction to
Indian textiles. We explained many different types of weaves,
embroideries and printing traditions to the guests. They also tried
their hand at draping a saree. A lovely evening, great conversation, and
delightful snacks. Here are a couple more photos from the tour. I'm
looking forward to more of these tours in future!</div>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2430743085868957237.post-54217019541486658762015-10-06T06:46:00.002+05:302015-10-06T06:53:43.611+05:30A hand-painted signboard in Old Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I enjoy seeing hand-painted boards, even when they are not particularly artistic. The higgedly-piggedly defects seem delightful, compared to the stencilled perfection of computerised graphics. This one is from near the Jama Masjid, describing the municipal corporation's school for girls.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Thomas Hart, who travelled with us last year</td></tr>
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Like all official signboards, it is in four languages, English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. And, it is also in four different scripts: Hindi is written in the Devnagri script, English using the Roman alphabet, Punjabi in the Gurmukhi script and Urdu in a modified form of the Persian nastaliq script. No painter of signs can be expected to know all of these :) So obviously the man who painted this was only blindly copying squiggly signs. </div>
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My daughter wrote an article about the multi-lingual signboards of Delhi, and the history behind them. It's a very interesting story. Here is the link: <a href="http://delhimagic.blogspot.in/2013/04/signboards-in-delhi-language-debates-in.html">http://delhimagic.blogspot.in/2013/04/signboards-in-delhi-language-debates-in.html</a></div>
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Deepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08076685280358127119noreply@blogger.com1