The little-known story of the 19th-century spy Pandit Kinthup who was the first to ascertain that the Tsangpo and Brahmaputra were the same rivers.
Category: History
Ghalib’s Favorite Whisky
The finest Mughal food served in the court of Patiala owed its origin to a brand of whisky favored by Mirza Ghalib. Patiala, the erstwhile Sikh kingdom, is now known for its one time larger than life ruler – Maharajah Bhupinder Singh and its larger than the normal measure of alcohol – the “Patiala peg”. In the past, Patiala was…
Lt Col Desmond Hayde and the Battle of Dograi
“It’s about regimental pride,” said my friend, “I will send you a video regarding this.” I was speaking on the phone with my classmate Chengappa after thirty-five years. I remember him as a superb sportsman in school but I must confess our paths did not cross much then, boys tend to be self-absorbed in their own cliques. However, I’ve been…
Eating Humble Pie
Sir Issac Newton’s remains are buried in the nave of Westminster Abbey. I was on a walking tour and our guide Tom, pointed out Charles Darwin’s grave, also in the nave. Two outstanding scientists with towering intellects who have had a remarkable influence on our understanding of Science. Fittingly, in between their graves, is a plaque marking the spot where…
Tansen
When I turned nine, my cousins gifted me a couple of Amar Chitra Kathas for my birthday. These were comics that retold tales from Indian mythology and history. One of them was on Tansen, the legendary singer from the court of the Mughal emperor, Akbar. This was my introduction to the story of Tansen. He was one of the “Navaratna”…
Jallianwala Bagh
It’s April 13, 1919. It is the festival of Baisakhi, a harvest festival in Punjab celebrated by people of all faiths. You are perhaps a Sikh farmer from the hinterlands of Punjab and you have come to Amritsar to visit the Harmandar Sahib. Your visit to the holy site completed, you eat at the Langar (community kitchen) and then plan…
The Lonely Mughal
As a subject in high school, History was a seemingly limitless study of various dynasties of yore. The lessons focussed largely on dates of events, conquests, administrative reforms and either largesses or depredations of the ruler in question. The Mughal dynasty, given its prominence, spanned a few chapters. Akbar enjoyed the lion’s share followed by Babur and Aurangzeb. A footnote…
Pul Kanjri
What would you do if you were an all-powerful ruler and your favorite dancer was upset that she lost one of her silver slippers while fording a canal? You would build a bridge of course! The ruler was the Lion of Punjab – Ranjit Singh, the dancer was called Moran and the place where the bridge was built is Pul Kanjari,…