Universalmail: August 2007

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Rajput (from Raj-Putra i.e. prince or literally "king's son")

The Rajputs are a brave and a chivalrous race who were feudal kings in ancient India before the Mughals came. They were the first to resist the Mughal invaders and many wars were fought between the Rajputs and the Mughals. Though the Mughals captured the north of India they were unsuccessful in capturing central India where they faced tough opposition from the Rajput kings there. Akbar wanted to control the whole of India and used a mix of tolerance, generosity, and force to over come the Rajput kings. One of the most gallant Rajput kings was Rana Pratap who did not want to give up his kingdom to the Mughals.

Rana Pratap was the Grandson of Raja Udai Singh (Udaipur is named after him), the king of Chittod.Rana Pratap led the Rajputs against the army of Akbar to preserve the independence of Mewar. Rana Pratap not only had to face the mighty Mughals but also had to fight against other Rajput kings(Raja Todar Mal and Raja Man Singh ) who aligned with the Mughals.In the Battle of Haldighati(1576) fought between Maharana Pratap and the Mughals; the Rajputs were not able to overcome the combined strength of the Mughals and the renegade Rajput princes who had played the role of traitors.

Maharana Pratap was badly hurt in the battle and was saved by his wise horse Chetak, who took him in an unconscious state away from the battle scene. Rana Pratap died in 1597 when his son Amar Singh took over the kingdom. Although Maharana Pratap was not able to thwart the Muslims successfully, the saga of Rajput resistance to Muslim rule continued till the 17th century when the baton of the struggle for Indian Independence from Mughals was taken up by the upcoming power of the Marathas, who brought about an end to Muslim domination of India.

Mathematical Joke

India - Pakistan Wars - History

India-Pakistan Wars, name given to the series of conflicts between India and Pakistan since 1947, when the Indian subcontinent was partitioned and the two countries became independent of Great Britain. The most violent outbreaks came in 1947–48, 1965, and 1971. The roots of the conflicts lie in the hostility between Hindus and Muslims and, initially, in the disposition of self-governing princely states

The 1947–48 War
The first war arose over Kashmir, in NW India, in 1947 when Muslim subjects revolted and were supported by Pakistani troops. The Hindu ruler appealed to India for aid, agreeing to cede the state to India in return. India moved quickly to consolidate its position in Kashmir, pushing Pakistan's “volunteers” back. Conflicts also arose in the Punjab and in Bengal. The undeclared war in Kashmir continued until Jan. 1, 1949, when a truce was arranged through UN mediation; negotiations between India and Pakistan began and lasted until 1954 without resolving the Kashmir problem. Pakistan controlled part of the area, Azad (Free) Kashmir, while India held most of the territory, which it annexed in 1957.

The 1965 War
The second war began in Apr., 1965, when fighting broke out in the Rann of Kachchh, a sparsely inhabited region along the West Pakistan–India border. In August fighting spread to Kashmir and to the Punjab, and in September Pakistani and Indian troops crossed the partition line between the two countries and launched air assaults on each other's cities. After threats of intervention by China had been successfully opposed by the United States and Britain, Pakistan and India agreed to a UN-sponsored cease-fire and withdrew to the pre-August lines. Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri of India and President Ayub Khan of Pakistan met in Tashkent, USSR (now in Uzbekistan), in Jan., 1966, and signed an agreement pledging continued negotiations and respect for the cease-fire conditions. After the Tashkent Declaration another period of relative peace ensued.

The 1971 War
Indo-Pakistani relations deteriorated when civil war erupted in Pakistan, pitting the West Pakistan army against East Pakistanis demanding greater autonomy. The fighting forced 10 million East Pakistani Bengalis to flee to India. When Pakistan attacked Indian airfields in Kashmir, India attacked both East and West Pakistan. It occupied the eastern half, which declared its independence as Bangladesh, on Dec. 6, 1971. Under great-power pressure, a UN cease-fire was arranged in mid-December, after Pakistan's defeat. Pakistan lost its eastern half, an army of 100,000 soldiers, and was thrown into political turmoil. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto emerged as leader of Pakistan, and Mujibur Rahman as prime minister of Bangladesh. Tensions were alleviated by the Shimla accord of 1972, and by Pakistan's recognition of Bangladesh in 1974, but tensions have periodically recurred

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee - History

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was one of the great novelists of nineteenth century Bengal. He was a literary pioneer and nationalist who had an exceptional ability to communicate with and arouse the masses.Bankim Chandra was born on 26th June 1838 in the village of Kathalpara, near Naihati, District 24 Parganas, West Bengal. He belonged to a distinguished family. Bankim was the yongest of three sons of Jadabchandra Chatterjee and Durgadebi. His father was a Deputy Collector.Even as a child Bankim showed great courage and virtuosity and never had any fear of the 'gora sahebs'- (the British).

He was always brilliant in his studies and started writing poetry at a young age. Bankim studied law from the Presidency College in Calcutta and was one of the first two graduates of the Calcutta University in 1858. He was immediately appointed- Deputy Magistrate by the British colonial government - a job he grudgingly held for three decades.

However, Bankim continued his literary pursuits. He chose fiction as his theme and the first novel by him to appear in print was Rajmohan's Wife. It was written in English. His first Bengali novel was Durgeshnandini, and was published in 1865. The next novel Kapalkundala(1866) is one of the best romances written by Chatterjee.However Bankim Chandra wanted to stimulate the intellect of the Bengali speaking people through his works and bringing about a cultural revival. With this end in view he brought out and edited the monthly Bangadarshan in 1872. Bamkim was also a nationalist to the core.

His goal was the revival of national pride in protest against British rule. In 1882, Anandamath was published. Anandamath became his most famous as well as his most political novel and a source of inspiration for the patriots fighting for the freedom of our country from the British rule. The chant of "Vande Mataram", was coined in this novel and it soon became a patriotic hymn that aroused the entire nation to fight for their freedom. Vande Mataram was later adopted by the Indian government as the nation's National Song.

Throughout his life, Bankim wrote on social and political issues facing the society and the country at that time like widow remarriage, education, lack of intellectual development and freedom. He believed that by communicating with the masses he could unite them against the British.The British Government honoured him with the title "Ray Bahadur" in 1892. Bankim Chandra passed away on 8th April 1894.