राज कपूर की आवाज़ माने जाने मुकेश ने बॉलीवुड के लगभग हर बड़े कलाकार के लिए अपनी आवाज़ दी। उनके गाने सही मायने में एवरग्रीन है क्यूंकि उनके गीत आज उस पीढ़ी में भी पॉपुलर है जिसने कभी उन्हें देखा नहीं। इससे बड़ी उपलब्धि क्या ही है किसी कलाकार के लिए।

इक दिन बिक जाएगा माटी के मोल जग में रह जाएंगे प्यारे तेरे बोल

"आज़ाद भारत के शासन तंत्र को वैधता प्रदान करने में गाँधी, नेहरू और पटेल की त्रिमूर्ति की बहुत बड़ी भूमिका रही है। लेकिन ये शासन तंत्र भारतीय इतिहास में गांधी और नेहरू के योगदान को तो स्वीकार करता है लेकिन पटेल की तारीफ़ करने में कंजूसी कर जाता है।" - राजमोहन गांधी

अखंड भारत के सूत्रधार

Sonagachi which also means the ‘Tree of Gold’ is one of the most famous red-light districts in Asia. With a distinctive history of its own, the story of Sonagachi has travelled a long way.

The Dark Lanes of Sonagachi

हर कोई उनकी नक़ल करने की कोशिश करता है लेकिन कोई सफल नहीं हो पाता क्योंकि गाने और डांस को कॉपी किया जा सकता है, लेकिन उनकी कशिश को नहीं। पेश है बॉलीवुड की डांसिंग गर्ल जिनका डांस और खूबसूरती लोगों के सिर चढ़ कर बोलती थी हेलेन !

ओ हसीना जुल्फों वाली जाने जहाँ

Two beacons of power came face to face when Shivaji came to Aurangzeb's court. This incident would result in one of the most thrilling escapes of Indian history.

Snake and the Mongoose

Emerging from the beautiful valleys of Kashmir, the fine art of walnut wood carving can be identified through its central motif. This technique also acts as an elaborate craft approach, allowing the pattern of the wood to be exhibited to a greater level while also showcasing the carver's ability.

Unveiling the Beauty of Kashmiri Walnut Wood Carving: A Masterpiece in the Making

Story Of Kashmiri Walnut Wood Carving 

"Children are like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly nurtured, as they are the future of the nation and citizens of tomorrow"

Chachaji ko diya gulaab?

India was growing anxious and Britain restless. The relationship was scarred and tables were turning. Britain had a new government and India was soon to get one. Clement Attlee, the new Prime Minister, made some big promises after joining office. 

The Date For Freedom

Rash Behari Bose, known for his organisational base to the Indian National Army, and his involvement in various revolutionary plots before that, passed away today in 1945

To lead an Indian revolution from Japan

Kharak Singh was the next in line to inherit the Sikh Empire. The only trouble was the possibility of losing the Koh-i-Noor because of the *pandits*. This is where the British administration comes in, offering to become friends while introducing favourable inheritance rights to attract Kharak Singh.

> **In the meantime, Misr Beli Ram (Ranjit Singh's servant) hid the Koh-i-Noor, siding with the other party in the debate of its possession. With Kharak Singh's installation on the throne, Beli Ram eases on the decision to hand it over to its rightful heir.**
> 

Kharak Singh was not the king Punjab dreamed of, and as a result, conspiracies to overthrow him brewed consistently. His body gave up after succumbing to the slow poisoning for 6 months. His eighteen-year-old son, Nau Nihal Singh, was a much-appreciated king. He was sadly subjected to a similar fate and died soon after. Punjab was mourning the loss of yet another king in a short span of three years.

After the quick succession and death of the next king, Sher Singh, the Sikh Empire was left at the disposal of a five-year-old boy king, Duleep Singh.

The boy king, Duleep Singh; Image Source - Wikipedia 

Duleep_Singh_2dae4d18f5.png

The durbar hoped to manipulate the child, but his mother, Jindan, stepped in and decided the govern the state on her son's behalf. At the same time, the British flag attempted to infiltrate the borders. Unbeknownst to Jindan, the commander of the army and the vizier of Punjab joined hands with the British during the Anglo-Sikh War, draining the state, and ultimately forcing Duleep to sign the Treaty of Lahore.

> **Now that the British Raj had found its footing within the Sikh empire, its first move was to separate the mother and child. A young Duleep was thus forced to sign his fate, fortune and future to the British crown. Forging a revised treaty, the British administration now demanded the Koh-i-Noor shamelessly while confiscating the state of Punjab.**
> 

From this point on, Koh-i-Noor's fate was intermingled with Duleep Singh, prompting different outcomes. India would forever lose its gem while Punjab would lament over lost sovereignty.

Duleep was trusted in the care of his new guardians, John Login and his wife, Lena. Away from Punjab and the possible turmoil his departure could cause, Duleep went ahead to start a new life. Similarly, Koh-i-Noor too made its journey to British soil.

The Britons greeted Koh-i-Noor with fascination and apprehension. Every newspaper and magazine jumped headfirst into its bloody history and the legendary curse. Furthermore, incidents, like the death of the then Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, were blamed on the arrival of the cursed Koh-i-Noor.

A sketch of Koh-i-Noor at the Great Exhibition; Image Source- Twitter 

Koh_i_Noor_at_the_Great_Exhibition_c4e0f22f0b.png

The need to anglicize Koh-i-Noor became apparent after the lukewarm response of the Great Exhibition. It was the only hope for Prince Albert to win the hearts of Britons. That left them with the only solution of cutting the Koh-i-Noor to make it naturally refract light. Overcoming the fear of destroying the diamond while reshaping, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert commissioned to re-model the stone.

> **Koh-i-Noor became unrecognizable and lost significant weight, reducing it to half the original shape. It was, however, received well by the Britons, who now readily embraced the gem as their own. At the same time, Duleep also anglicized himself, converting to Christianity. At 15, he visited London and became the favourite of royalty, including the Queen: all thanks to Duleep's English upbringing.**
>

Queen Victoria wearing the Koh-i-Noor in her brooch; Image Source - Wikipedia 

Queen_Victoria_wearing_the_Kohinoor_3e29649f7c.png

Over time, Queen Victoria found it safe to expose the Koh-i-Noor to Duleep. Everyone expected Duleep to react angrily on seeing his long-stolen family heirloom. Instead, he stayed calm and promised the jewel to British sovereignty. That is the ultimate stamp of approval Queen Victoria needed to rid the guilt towards Duleep. And that's how Koh-i-Noor made it to the centre of Queen's crown, multiplying its power under the umbrella of British supremacy.

Years went by, and everything had fallen in its place, or so it seemed. When Duleep turned 21, his thoughts drifted towards his real mother. When the British intercepted Duleep's secret letter to contact his mother, they allowed the duo to meet.

> **Seeing Jindan's withering form, the British administration didn't count her as a threat and even allowed her to stay in London. But rebellion once born can never be suppressed. Jindan started feeding Duleep the stories of his lost kingdom and Koh-i-Noor. Even though Jindan died peacefully, Duleep was left in turmoil.**
>

Kohinoor’s permanent residence in the British Crown; Image Source- DNA 

Kohinoor_in_British_Crown_b8d3b6939a.png

This was when Duleep's rebel phase began and ultimately drove him to neck-deep debts and an early demise in a quaint hotel of Paris. The news of Duleep's death crushed all hopes Punjab even dared dream. For Koh-i-Noor, it permanently became a jewel of the British crown, strictly passed onto women, given the history of its curse. It was Queen Elizabeth II who refused to wear Koh-i-Noor. The gem now rests at the Jewel House in the Tower of London.

This, however, did not ensure a peaceful retirement for Koh-i-Noor. The contemporary era brings up the question of returning colonial loot, which fuels the modern-day nations, including India, Pakistan and even the Taliban, to claim their rights over the precious stone.

The Koh-i-Noor encrusted in an armlet by Ranjit Singh which became an heirloom; Image Source - Wikimedia Commons 

The_Koh_i_Noor_in_armlet_1_b23532591b.png

Kingdoms

Culture

Religion

The trail of tragedy, greed, and bloodshed caused by Koh-i-Noor ends on its final destination in the British heartland. But how did this happen? Let us embark on this journey to discover how the diamond was into adopted English tastes.

Leha

Koh i Noor: The Jewel of the British Crown

Leha

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इक दिन बिक जाएगा माटी के मोल जग में रह जाएंगे प्यारे तेरे बोल

अखंड भारत के सूत्रधार

The Dark Lanes of Sonagachi

ओ हसीना जुल्फों वाली जाने जहाँ