यूँ तो भारत के हर प्रधानमंत्री का नाम स्वर्ण अक्षरों में लिखा होता है लेकिन एक प्रधानमंत्री ऐसा भी हैं जिनका नाम किताबों के पन्नों से अधिक लोगों के दिलों पर लिखा हुआ है। प्रधानमंत्री होते हुए जिन्होंने कभी कोई घोटाला, कोई धोखाधड़ी, कोई षड्यंत्र नहीं किया। शास्त्री जी जैसे प्रधानमंत्री को खोना, किसी करोड़पति के दिवालिया होने जैसा था।

बस इतना याद रहे की एक प्रधानमंत्री ऐसा भी था

When you hear about any leaning architecture, it is so clear that you are mentally shifted to Italy, remembering the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is entirely justified if you are unaware of Varanasi's leaning temple, which has surpassed the leaning tower in terms of tilting.

Ratneshwar: The leaning temple of India

गिरना भी अच्छा होता हैं औकात का पता चलता हैं, बढ़ते हैं जब हाथ उठाने को, अपनों का पता चलता हैं, जिन्हें गुस्सा आता हैं, वो लोग सच्चे होते हैं, मैंने तो झूठो को अक्सर, मुस्कुराते हुए देखा हैं, सिख रहा हूं अब में भी इंसानों को पढ़ने का हुनर, सुना हैं चेहरे पे किताबों से ज्यादा लिखा होता हैं। - हरिवंशराय बच्चन

हिंदी साहित्य में बच्चन

While passing through the countryside of Maharashtra, you stumble across this village called Shani Shingnapur. While the people are very hospitable and you love their company, you notice something bizarre about the houses they live in. Not even a single place in that village has a door or any other kind of security system

The Mystery behind no doors in Shani Shingnapur

The ship in the waters - Fatel Razack - indentured labourers from India aboard it - the anchor is thrown at the coast of Trinidad - the hope of an economy rising. The people of Trinidad remember this day as Indian Arrival Day!

Cheers to Indians 

With secularism bounded in every step, festivals and celebrations are yet another reason to explore this unity in diversity. Though every culture has some similarities in its rituals, the way we celebrate them might differ. The eve of a new year is also no different. 

Nowroz Mubarak!

A 21-day lockdown of the entire country is announced on account of rising coronavirus cases, today in 2020. This would mark the start of continuous lockdowns and openings from March onwards, throughout 2020. 

The first lockdown is announced

One army against another - a battle followed by no mercy - rains and rivers - another battle, another victory - this time of the one who lost before - no mercy for those who won before - pride and surrender - another kingdom conquered - another land under the Union Jack.

Losers' Victory

Famously known as an Islamic activist and diligent politician, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai was the unsung devotee of Panditji. Many were his achievements in the field of governance, which are still held in high regard to this day.

The Man behind the scenes

Today marks the day few would forget if they read the history of the Indian independence struggle and the role of sacrifice in it. For this day, the nation sacrificed three of its best revolutionaries in the name of freedom. The day was the 23rd of March, 1931, and there was dead silence in Lahore Jail.

Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar had been fighting a losing trial for days straight - the English government was unwilling to listen to people who had bombed the colonial assembly, as well as killed John P. Saunders, an Assistant Superintendent of Police. It would be ironic for history that in a case of mistaken identity, they had intended to kill James Scott, the real man responsible for ordering the lathi charge that had killed Lala Lajpat Rai.

> But for the moment, that did not matter - what mattered was the spirit of the revolutionary act. Going against government authority, showing a willingness to fight for Indian freedom even to a violent extent, and not letting the English forget any act committed against Indians - all these things mattered more than their intent or actions.

The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, HSRA, to which these three belonged, had been considerably active in the process of getting their bail. They were sure that the English would indeed give no mercy, even as petitions lined up from the poorest to the richest, from the least to the most powerful in India, appealing not to go ahead with the execution. Yet, they did not stop their efforts to win the battle that was already lost.

> Being revolutionaries, they were also devoted socialists. As the day of the execution came, they would round out the shouts of *Inquilab Zindabad* with *Long Live the Socialist Revolution*, the government would hang them before their set date (which had been March 24, the next day).

As a secret hanging and a quiet body transfer took place, something changed about the movement - their deeds would inspire thousands of Indians to take to the same path - revolutionary violence and no compromise with the English, akin to what these three had done. Theirs would be a story told again and again and would be crystallised in the Shaheed Diwas, celebrated each day on the 23rd of March.

A popular depiction of the last moments of these freedom fighters; Source: Public Domain

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Assassinations

Colonialism

National Days

Partition

Politics

The British government secretly hanged Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev for their violent revolutionary behaviour today in 1931. This would become one of the most enduring memories of sacrifice in the Independence era.

Chaitanya Rawat

Sacrifices are Made, and Heroes are Born

Chaitanya Rawat

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बस इतना याद रहे की एक प्रधानमंत्री ऐसा भी था

Ratneshwar: The leaning temple of India

हिंदी साहित्य में बच्चन

The Mystery behind no doors in Shani Shingnapur