Some facts about India

An extract from a German magazine that explains the achievements and facts about India that are completely out of the ordinary. These India facts were recently published in one of the German Magazines which deals with World History.

• India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.
• India invented the Number System.
  • Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
• The World’s first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC.
  • More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects.
• The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century CE was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
• Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages.
  • Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software – a report in Forbes magazine, July 1987.
• Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.
  • Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.
  • Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization.
• Although modern images of India often show poverty and lack of development.
  • India was the richest country on earth until the time of British in the early 17th Century.
  • Christopher Columbus was attracted by her wealth.
• The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago.
  • The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word NAV GATIH.
  • The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit ‘Nou’.
• Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart.
  • Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century) 365.258756484 days.
• The value of “pi” was first calculated by Budhayana.
  • He explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem.
  • He discovered this in the 6th century long before the European mathematicians.
• Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India.
  • Quadratic equations were propounded by Sridharacharya in the 11th century.
  • The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10**53 (10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 BCE during the Vedic period.
  • Even today, the largest used number is Tera: 10**12(10 to the power of 12).
• According to the Gemological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world.
• USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century old suspicion in the world scientific community that the pioneer of wireless communication was Prof Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.
• The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.
• According to Saka King Rudradaman I of 150 CE a beautiful lake aptly called ‘Sudarshana’ was constructed on the hills of Raivataka during Chandragupta Maurya’s time.
• Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.
• Sushruta is the father of surgery.
  • 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery.
  • Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India.
  • Over 125 surgical equipments were used.
  • Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts.
• When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization).
• The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.

Courtesy : http://www.quotesandsayings.com

Awesome & Breathtaking

Around Murshidabad

This is the only work of Siraz-ud-daulla left behind and still in good shape. It is known as Siraz’s Madina. Siraz brought the holy soil of Karbala for his Madina to fulfill his mother Amina Begum’s wish.

Village Kiriteswari near Kiriteswari Temple.

Ruins of original Kiriteswari Temple. It is one of the 52 Piths,  as one part of “Kirit” (means Fore head) of Sati was dropped here.

Kiriteswari Temple was rebuilt by Rani Bhabani of Natore ( now in Bangladesh).

Cottage water filter made by Burn & Co. Raneegunge, found in the Museum at Jagat Seth’s Palace. Over the Centuries, Raneegunge has changed to Raniganj but no idea about the existence of Burn & Co. there today.

Murshid Quli Khan’s Murshidabad

Murshidabad was founded by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the 16th century. It was named after Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the Dewan of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa under Emperor Aurangzeb. In 1704, the nawab Murshid Quli Khan (following Aurangzeb’s orders) moved the capital ( of Bihar, Bengal and Orissa) to Murshidabad from Dacca. During the regime of Siraj-ud-daula  the British started interfering into the subcontinent’s affairs. The Nawab, peeved by the persistent British defiance of his wishes, marched to Calcutta and drove the British out of Fort Williams to their ships offshore. Months later, the British, led by Robert Clive, retook Calcutta and plotted with Mir Jafar, Siraj-ud-Daula’s general, to overthrow and assassinate the Nawab in 1757 after the battle of Plassey (now Palashi). Murshidabad remained the capital under the British until 1790 and is still the seat of the descendants of the Nawabs of Bengal. The palace of Mir-Jafar  where  his descendants lives is called by people as “Nimak Haram ki Deori”.

Bhagirathi (Ganges) River at Murshidabad.

The remains of the palaces and garden speak of those times. But the history of this region date back perhaps further. The famous Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsiang, who made the long journey to India in 629-645 AD, in his world famous travelogue describes Karna-suvarna near Murshidabad as the first capital of the ancient Bengal. Murshidabad was also the major trading town between inland India and the port of Kolkata, 221 km south. Today it’s an insignificant town on the banks of the Bhagirathi River. River Bhagirathi is the witness of many ups and downs of Murshidabad.

Hazarduari Palace literally means “palace with thousand doors” was the palace of the Nawab. It was built in the 1830s by General Duncan McLeod of the Bengal Engineers. It has a banquet hall lined with mirrors and a circular Durbar Hall. The palace comprises of 1000 doors of which only 900 are real and 114 rooms and 8 galleries. The palace is now a museum with many fine exhibits, such as a gigantic chandelier, presented by Queen Victoria. Camera is not allowed inside. Hazarduari Palace Museum at night

Hazarduari Palace museum Murshidabad.

Nearby the Hazarduari palace, which were built between 12th and 14th century, there are some other attractions :  Asia’s biggest Imambara, Siraj’s Madina, Ghori Ghar (Clock Tower ), Bachchawali Tope (a canon), Tripolia Gate, Dakshin Darwaza and Chak Darwaza.

The kathgola palace (above picture) and garden was built by a business man named Lachmipat Singh and the descendents of his still maintains the garden. The Garden is huge and covered with big trees. Near the palace, there is a tunnel which ends at the palace of Jagat Seth. Jagat seth was a rich man, a Banker having money lending business. As per the authorized guide of the palace the tunnel was used for illegal trades by these two families like smuggling etc.A marble statue  facing the swimming pool at Kathgola Palace

It is said that once Siraz Ud Daula slapped Jagat Seth in the open court in front of all ministers . This insult lead him to join hand with the other enemies. This way the regime of  young Siraz  Ud Daula collapsed within two years (1756-57). He was defeated in the battle of Palashy  and later when he wanted to escape from the palace but he was caught and killed by his  enemies . Mir jafar succeeded to get the throne with the help of Aurangzeb and since then the Bengal was ruled by the descendants of Mir Jafar.

A marble statue of a dancer at the palace of Jagat Seth