माफ़ करने वाला भारत दुनिया ने देखा था, बदला लेने वाले भारत को पहली बार दुनिया ने देखा। दुश्मन की ज़मीन पर दुश्मन को चकमा देकर आतंकवादियों के ठिकाने को तबाह करके यह साबित कर दिया की यह नया भारत है !

घर में घुसकर मारेंगे भी और दुनिया के सामने शान से दहाड़ेंगे भी

The Amarnath cave has fascinated people since historical times. From sages and kings to laypeople of any descent- the Amarnath cave goes on to ascertain the belief that it's existed for a long time and that God does not discriminate.

The many legends of the Amarnath cave

जिसके सामने दुनिया का हर सम्मान छोटा पड़ गया वह कोई और नहीं मदर टेरेसा थी। 1985 में आज ही के दिन अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति रोनाल्ड रीगन ने उन्हें प्रेसीडेंशियल मेडल ऑफ फ्रीडम से नवाजा।

सफ़ेद साड़ी में लिपटा एक फ़रिश्ता

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

The luring scent of the steam, coupled with the first sight of the sheet of flour wrapped in a familiar pattern covering the mouth-watering filling when presented with the sizzling hot red chutney and mayonnaise, makes the perfect plate of momos any foodie ever craved. Let's know how the staple street food made its way into our hearts and menu.

The Journey of Momocha to Momo 

India has had a rocky economic history, to say the least. Throughout the years, it has managed to adapt itself to the changing time and ethos. In the beginning, the newly born nation-state was trying to manoeuvre its way around the anvils of Nehru Socialism with considerable negotiations and hiccups. By 1991, it had broken through that chasm and thrown its economy open to the world to invest in. This was the third phase of Indian economic dealings.

A Budget for the Masses

Natural Calamities teach us that the earth, in which we have lived for millennia, still holds the cards to the destruction of humanity no matter how much we evolve. Today, the Kangra Earthquake would devastate the scales.

Shook ones

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

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

In the same way that their mud and burnt bricks had a regular ratio, Harappan weights and measures were kept consistent throughout their civilization. The weights of the Harappans are significantly easier to understand for historians today than their language and writing, which seems to include around four hundred signs in no apparent alphabetical sequence.

> The weights were typically chiseled out of chert, which is a hard mineral, in a cubical shape and with no marks. Chert weights were used to weigh a variety of items. The fundamental unit was 16 (equivalent to 14 grams now) and was measured using a binary method of measurement. The largest weights were multiples of 16, such as 32, 48, 64, and so on. The smaller ones were fractions of a sixteenth.

Caption: Chert weights in different denominations, each have a specific weight. Source: Harappa.com

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They exchanged so many craft materials that it was essential for them to measure their raw materials at every stage of the trading process, from the tiniest to the biggest materials - including the tiniest carnelian stones to the largest ceramic vessels transporting liquids. 

> They have been able to excavate metal scale pans which were used to measure items. Much like the rural scale pans used by small merchants and farmers in India. In Lothal, a significant Indus Valley city in the present Indian state of Gujarat, an ivory scale was discovered with the tiniest division marked on it, roughly 1.6 mm in thickness.

All of this would have created the groundwork for the vast scientific explorations that would be made by individuals who would follow after this ancient civilization. Their mastery of weights is quite intriguing to us because it reveals that this ancient society made considerable mathematical advancements. Beyond mathematics, it demonstrates commercial acumen by utilizing it for practical reasons, such as managing and organizing a massive trade route.

Caption: Harappan weights and scale at India National Museum, New Delhi. Source: Wikimedia Commons

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Science

Editor's Pick

Several aspects of the Harappan civilization fascinate us today; their enigmatic script, organized trade, meticulous craft, and extremely standardized weight system. The weights tell us about the mathematical advancement of this ancient civilization.

Ritika

Why should you care about Harappan weights?

Ritika

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घर में घुसकर मारेंगे भी और दुनिया के सामने शान से दहाड़ेंगे भी

The many legends of the Amarnath cave

सफ़ेद साड़ी में लिपटा एक फ़रिश्ता

The Dark Lanes of Sonagachi