Radha, even though being a prominent figure in our ancient culture and whose name is uttered in the same breath as we say ‘Krishna’, is surprisingly not mentioned in some of the puranas and definitely not in Mahabharata or Harivamsha. She appears in some puranas and I think, in devi bhagwatam. The character of Radha is immortalized by the work of many ancient artists, poets, play writers etc. According to different sources, Radha was the chief among Gopikas (cowherd women and girls) who were associated with Krishna. Many sources claim Krishna and Radha to be lovers while Radha is not among any wives of Krishna. The story of Radha is confined to the part of Krishna living in Gokul and before entering Mathura. Radha has been source of inspiration for many artists and story tellers around the world.
According to some sources, she was elder to Krishna in age and was wiser and kind of guide to the one who guides all. Radha who was wise to know everything about mystical and should have been known more than Krishna because of her selfless,wise and being a mentor characteristics in nature according to me.
However, whoever Radha was, she was and is an inspiration. She who had decoded the God should be revered by all.
Born(1914) in Russia, and later moved to France, Noor was a direct descendant of Tipu Sultan, and daughter of Inayat Khan ( teacher of Sufism in Europe ) and Ora Baker ( American ). A very quiet, shy and sensitive girl, she kept to herself and studied Music and child psychology. She became a writer as she grew up and in 1939, her book ‘20 Jataka Tales’ based on Buddhist Jataka Tales was published. When Germany invaded France, they fled to England in June 1940.
In November 1940 she joined WAAF ( Women Auxillary Air Force) as Aircraft Woman 2nd Class and started her training as Wireless operator. She even applied for a commission in 1941.In 1942, Noor joined Churchill’s secret Special Operations Executives (SOE).She was trained to become an undercover Radio Operative and Spy in occupied France. Though initially she found it very difficult, but soon she gave it all she had and became an operative ready to be deployed. IN Jun 1943, she was parachuted into Paris and became the first woman Radio operative in the history to be deployed there. Her code name – Madeleine!
Her bad luck; within days of her arrival, sweep by Gestapo caught all operatives working in Paris. She was the only one left. She spent next three months dodging and escaping Gestapo, always carried her transmitting equipment with her, continuously changing her transmission locations. Once she was hanging her antennae outside when a German Officer approached her and asked “ May I help you Mademoiselle?” She kept her calm and used her charm to make the German Officer set up her antennae from which she was transmitting in next half an hour.
But finally, she was caught after three months of her active transmissions. She was betrayed by Reene Gary, sister of Henri Gary, her circuit leader for 100,000 francs. She was arrested and taken to Gestapo HQ. Within minutes she made a daring escape from the bathroom window. Luck betrayed her as when she was on roof making her escape, RAF began its raid and all alarms went off. Germans checked her room and she was caught. On orders from Berlin, she was labelled ‘Highly Dangerous’. First woman to be sent to German prison Pforzheim, shackled, tied and tortured. She stayed there for 10 month and continued to be defiant under torture and gave nothing. Finally she was sent to Dachau concentration camp and the moment she reached there, after another night of torture, she was shot point blank by SS guard Wilhelm Rupert on 13 Sep 1944.
A stamp was issued with her picture by Royal Mail in 2014, as part of series ‘Remarkable lives’.
In 1946, French government awarded Noor with Croix De Guerre. In France she’s remembered as the Heroine of Resistance. In 1949, British awarded her with The George Cross, second highest British award. In 2012, a bronze bust of Noor, first of any Asian women. Noor was indeed a legend and a story every Indian should know and feel proud about. An Indian princess, a British soldier and a spying legend.
Her last words were – Liberté !
Written By Aman Kumar in association with Clikmemoires.
An Onam tradition, Pookalam is a flower arrangement made at the entrance of every house and temple in Kerala to welcome King Mahabali.
The Legend, According to Hindu mythology, King Mahabali was a noble and generous king who ruled Kerala during ancient times, and in whose reign the kingdom saw great prosperity and happiness. He was a king loved and respected by all. The gods feeling threatened by his growing adoration and for their own dominion over the worlds, approached Lord Vishnu to put an end to King Mahabali’s rule. Lord Vishnu knowing King Mahabali to be his devotee, instead decided to test him on his virtuous and charitable nature. Taking on the avatar of Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin, he asked the King for a piece of land that measured just 3 paces. The King, finding the request rather odd, but being a man of his word, granted him the wish. Vamana began to increase in size, and his first step covered the whole of the Earth, his second step covered the heavens, and when asked where to place his third step as there was no place left, the King offered his head as the resting point, and was thus pushed to the netherworld by Vamana. Having won the test by keeping his promise, Lord Vishnu appeared before King Mahabali and granted him a boon, and all that the King asked for was to allow him to visit his land and his people once every year.
Thus, Onam is celebrated to welcome the annual homecoming of King Mahabali to his beautiful land of Kerala.
Puthandu, the phrase is coined from two words- Puthu meaning ‘new’ & Andu meaning ‘year’. It is celebrated as the birth of a New Year in Tamil Nadu. It falls on the first day of the month, Chithirai, as per the Tamil solar calendar.
On this day, the entrance of the houses are decorated with colorful kolams. At the centre of the kolam is a lamp that is lit to ward off the darkness in life.
The speciality of this festival is Varusha Pirappu Mangai Pachadi.Gudi Padwa, the phrase is coined from two words- Gudi meaning Brahma’s flag & Padwa meaning the first day of the bright phase of the moon. Gudi Padwa is a grand harvest festival of Maharashtra, which marks the beginning of an auspicious New Year with celebrating a successful crop. Being a springtime festival, it is celebrated on the first day of ‘Chaitra’ month, the first day of Hindu new year i.e. mid-March.
The most commonly enjoyed food is Puran Poli followed by Kothimbir Vadi, Modak and Rice Chakli and on this day, Women decorate the entrance doors with “Rangolis” of different patterns and colours, wear new clothes, especially kurta-pajamas and sarees as an integral part of the custom. The most important part of the festival is the hoisting of Gudi. After the Gudi is hoisted, people form a human pyramid to reach the Gudi and break the coconut that’s inside it.Every year, the people of Assam celebrate Bhogali Bihu with traditional dances and games in mid-April. The festival is to offer gratitude & to cherish the process of cultivation and reap the harvest. The festive teats in Bihu involve coconut, jaggery and rice & the highlight of the festival is Rice wine and meat, cooked collectively.Vaisakhi is celebrated at the onset of spring and harvest season in Punjab.
This festival is all about bhangra, folk music, fairs, and feasts. It is celebrated across Punjab and other states with great gusto. It is their tradition to bathe their holy book – the Granth Sahib – in milk and water on this day. The book is taken out in a procession, amidst fanfare, music, songs, and performances.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle was born in Shivneri fort in Maharashtra, was born one of the most inspirational warrior kings in history- Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonsle. His sky-like legacy has won widespread fame. Shivaji Maharaj exhibited such virtues which would be rare to find globally even today. Let’s see how some of his virtues compelled even his arch rivals to admire him!
Shivaji’s persona was shaped by his mother, Rajmata Jijabai Bhonsle. Her counsels on conduct, chivalry, eclecticism & swarajya were engraved on his heart. When he raided or conquered a territory, he never harmed its religious sites or scriptures. Khafi Khan, the controversial historian & loyalist of Aurangzeb’s court, who often insults Shivaji as a ‘kafir’ also had to admit that the Chhatrapati caused “no harm to the mosques, the Book of God or the women of anyone.” He built a mosque in front of his Raigad residence for his muslim followers. Shivaji’s discipline spread among his men. Khafi Khan tells how his men never cast an evil look at any woman who fell into their custody & returned her to her family. Shivaji didn’t allow dancing girls & concubines in his army camp.
He cared for his soldiers, rewarded them generously & placed trust & confidence in them. Hence we see commanders like Tanaji Malusare & Baji Prabhu Deshpande willingly risk their lives for their leader.
Seeing his people endure the effects of war sharpened his determination for ‘Swaraj.’ The then Governor of Bombay, G. Aungier wrote, “Shivaji bears himself manfully against his enemies.” He had 240 forts by the end of his life. Carl Vincent, Goa’s Portuguese Viceroy in a letter to his king, compared Shivaji to Alexander & Caesar. At last let’s come to Shivaji’s mightiest rival- on the demise of Shivaji Maharaj, Emperor Aurangzeb admitted, “He was a great captain & the only one who had the magnanimity to raise a new kingdom, my armies have been employed against him for 19 years & nevertheless, his state has always been increasing.”
Resolute & patient in his plans, brave & benevolent in conduct, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s name gleams in the pages of history.
A small Himalayan town that gave India 10 Olympic gold medal winners.
Indian hockey owes its initial success greatly to schools of Mussoorie, which have been the early training grounds of as muny as 10 Olympic hockey gold medal winners between 1928 and 1936. In fact, the first Indian Olympic hockey team of 1928 had 6 players, 1932 team 5 players and 1936 Olympic team had 4 players who had studied in Mussoorie and had spent a significant number of days training here. Known for its excellent boarding schools, well equipped with the best of facilities and coaching, the schools of Mussoorie carry a legacy like no other.
According to Brother J.C. Carroll of St. George’s College Mussoorie, a total of 7 alumni of the school were part of gold medal winning Indian hockey teams. These were George Marthins (1928), M. A. Gateley (1928), William James Goodsir Cullen (1928), Carlyle Carroll Tapsell (1932 to 1936), Ernest John Goodsir Cullen (1936) and Lionel C. Emmett (1936)
N. Nugent also a student at St. George’s and studied here prior to Independence. He, later, became part of bronze medal winning team of Great Britain at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
The alumnus of Oak Grove School, Mussoorie, included Richard James Allen (1928 to 1936) Eric Pinniger (1928 to 1932), Leslie Charles Hammond (1928 to 1932) and Richard John Carr (1932).
Ft. Richard Allen in the second picture (extreme left)
1. महाराणा प्रताप का जन्म मेवाड़ में 9 मई 1540 को हुआ था।
2. महाराणा प्रताप का पूरा नाम महाराणा प्रताप सिंह सिसोदिया था।
3. महाराणा प्रताप 7 फीट 5 इंच के लंबे कद काठी के वीर पुरुष थे।
4. इनका वजन 110 किलो था। एक महान और वीर सैनिक में जो शारीरिक योग्यता होनी चाहिए वह सब महाराणा प्रताप के अंदर थी।
5. महाराणा प्रताप के भाले का वजन 81 किलो था, जो एक ही बार में दुश्मन की जान ले लेता था। उनकी छाती के कवच का वजन 72 किलो था।
6. महाराणा प्रताप भाला, ढाल, दो तलवारें, कवच लेकर युद्ध में जाते थे जिसका कुल वजन 208 किलो होता था। इतना भार लेकर युद्ध करना आज के पुरुषों के लिए संभव नहीं है।
7. मायरा की गुफा में महाराणा प्रताप ने कई दिनों तक घास की रोटियां खा कर वक्त गुजारा था।
India conducted first nuclear test in Rajasthan’s Pokhran. The peaceful nuclear test was codenamed the ‘Smiling Buddha’ and conducted on May 18, 1974. It made India a nuclear power.
After 24 years, India conducted second nuclear test on Pokhran at 3.45 pm, 11th May 1998. The desert of Rajasthan, reverberated the shock waves of India’s second round of nuclear explosions. Three nuclear devices were detonated on the first day. Two days later, on 13th May, two more devices were tested in underground explosions.
It was such a well-kept secret that only a few knew what actually happened and led to India’s nuclear tests in 1998. Catch the little-known story of Operation Shakti and the architects behind it.
Picture: From left, PM Vajpayee, Defense Minister George Fernandes, Abdul Kalam, and R. Chidambaram at the test site.
Written By Aman Kumar, Shikha Sonam, Anil Kumar in association with Clikmemoires ®.
INS Viraat (Service Number- R22) was commissioned on 12 May 1987. This Centaur-class aircraft carrier of Indian Navy that remained in service for almost 30 years and holds the Guinness record for world’s longest serving warship.
“This historic warship has sailed almost 11 lakh kms, enough to travel the globe 27 times over”.
The Navy’s pride has groomed 40 flag officers including five Chief of Naval Staffs.Cochin Shipyard is building another huge warship.
Earlier efforts were made to convert INS Viraat into a museum and several consultations were done but the plan could not materialise as an expert committee reported that it won’t last for more than a decade.
“The Government was ready to spend Rs 400-Rs 500 crore to convert it into Museum but an expert committee said its ferrous won’t last and it may result in an accident. Under the circumstances, we had to bid tearful adieu to it,” the Minister said.
We don’t shoot. We create… 