Eminent Indian scientist Prof Seyed E Hasnain has bagged the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Germany. He served as the founder-director of Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) and vice-chancellor of University of Hyderabad.
The award has conferred on Prof Hasnain in recognition of his contribution to Indo-German relations. The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany was instituted in 1951 by Federal President Theodor Heuss. It is the only honour that is awarded in all fields of endeavour and is the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can pay to individuals for services to the nation.
German Ambassador to India, H E Michael Steiner, conferred the prestigious ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz’ on Prof. Seyed Hasnain at the German Embassy in India, says a statement from the University of Hyderabad on Thursday. Prof. Hasnain is a renowned microbiologist especially acclaimed for his path-breaking research on tuberculosis. He paved the way for the office of the German Research Foundation in India, which is one of the key forums for scientific cooperation between Germany and India. During his stay at the Robert Koch-Institute in Berlin and the University of Wurzburg, he produced remarkable research results in microbiology.
Prof. Hasnain has almost all major Indian Science Awards to his credit: GD Birla Award, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, FICCI Award, J.C. Bose National Fellow Award, Ranbaxy Research Award, Goyal Award, Bhasin Award and several others. He is the first Indian elected member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and one of the youngest to be elected Fellow of TWAS, Trieste, Italy. Internationally, Prof. Hasnain is a recipient of the prestigious Humboldt Research Prize, awarded by the Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation, Germany; as well as the very exclusive Robert Koch Fellowship, of the Robert Koch Institute, Berlin.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Syed Akbar, TNN / March 13th, 2014
Britain’s Royal Mail Monday issued a postage stamp of Noor Inayat Khan, the World War II heroine, who was a descendant of Tipu Sultan, the remarkable 19th century ruler of Mysore kingdom.
The stamp – part of a set of 10 stamps in their ‘Remarkable Lives’ series — honours Noor on her centenary year of birth. Others honoured in the set include actor Sir Alec Guinness and the poet Dylan Thomas.
“I am delighted that Royal Mail has commemorated Noor with a stamp,” said Shrabani Basu, author of “Spy Princess, The Life of Noor Inayat Khan”, and the chair of the Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust. “It will ensure that her sacrifice and bravery will not be forgotten. ”
Basu campaigned for a memorial for Noor which was unveiled in November 2012 by Princess Anne.
Noor Inayat Khan was born in Moscow in January 1914 to an Indian father, Hazrat Inayat Khan, and an American mother, Ora Ray Baker. The couple had met in the Ramakrishna Mission ashram in America. Hazrat Inayat Khan was a Sufi preacher and musician and travelled the world taking Sufism to the West.
Noor was brought up in Paris and the family moved to London when the city was occupied by the Germans in 1940 during the Second World War. In London, Noor joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and was later recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret organisation started by Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
She was the first woman radio operator to be flown undercover to Paris and worked from there for three months under the code name Madeleine. However she was betrayed, arrested and finally executed in Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany. Though she was tortured and interrogated, she revealed nothing, not even her real name. Her last word as they shot her was “Liberte”! She was only 30.
Noor was posthumously awarded the highest honour, the George Cross, by Britain. France awarded her the Croix de Guerre.
In 2006, President Pranab Mukherjee, then the defence minister of India, paid an official visit to Noor’s family house outside Paris and described her bravery and sacrifice as “inspirational”.
source: http://www.mea.gov.in / Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India / Home> Media Centre> Articles> Articles in Foreign Media / Malaysia Sun / March 25th, 2014
Fareed Zakaria is a prominent Indian-American journalist and author.
Early life Zakaria was born in Mumbai on the 20th of January 1964 to parents Rafiq Zakaria, a politician and Islamic scholar, and Fatima Zakaria, who was the editor of the Sunday Times of India at that time. In his younger days, he was enrolled in Mumbai’s Cathedral and John Connon School.
Zakarai also enrolled into Yale University, where he participated actively in numerous unions and societies. He was the President of the Yale Political Union, the editor-in-chief of the Yale Political Monthly, and a member of the Scroll and Key society and Party of the Right.
Zakarai graduated from Yale University with Bachelor in Arts. In 1993, he also obtained a P.hD from Harvard University in Political Science.
Career At the young age of 28, Zakaria became the managing editor of Foreign Affairs magazine. He held this post for 8 years, before he became the editor of Newsweek International in 2000. During his stint at Newsweek, he wrote his award winning article, Why They Hate Us, which appeared as a headline story on the cover of the October 2001 issue.
Since 2008, Zakaria has also been hosting Fareed Zakaria GPS, which airs worldwide on CNN. He has interviewed numerous high profile leaders and personalities on his show like Barack Obama, King Abdullah II, Dmitry Medvedev, Muammar Gaddafi and the Dalai Lama.
Fareed Zakaria GPS is broadcasted in approximately 200 million homes across the globe and received an Emmy nomination in its first year.
Zakaria has written best-selling books like From Wealth to Power: The Unusual Origins of America’s World Role, The Future of Freedom, and The Post-American World. He was also the co-editor of The American Encounter: The United States and the Making of the Modern World.
Awards The Anti-Defamation League awarded Zakaria with a Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize in 2005. However, he returned the award to the ADL as a sign of protest after the organisation opposed the building of an Islamic centre two blocks away from Ground Zero.
In 2010, Zakaria received the the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, by the Government of India. In the same year, he was named as one of the top 100 global thinkers by Foreign Policy. Zakaria also received a National Magazine Award that year.
Personal life Zakaria is married to Paula Throckmorton Zakaria, with whom he has one son, Omar and two daughters, Lila and Sofia. Zakaria, a naturalised American citizen, lives with his family in New York.
An India-born British ‘curry queen’ who made her name supplying ready-made Indian meals to supermarkets and pubs in the UK is looking for new backers for her food empire.
Perween Warsi, who moved to the UK from India in the 1970s, wants to expand her S&A Foods firm with an injection of fresh funds.
Advisers from PriceWaterhouseCoopers firm have been hired to lead the search for the company, she set up nearly 30 years ago, from her kitchen, according to the Sunday Times.
The Derby-based caterer, which has 600 staff, makes Indian curry dishes for UK supermarkets including the chain Asda, its biggest customer.
Sales last year were 51 million pounds with pre-tax profits of almost £700,000.
Warsi was famously inspired to start the company after being appalled by the quality of a samosa she had bought from a supermarket.
She founded S&A Foods in 1986 by supplying her local Indian takeaway and the following year had her big break after persuading several large grocery chains to include her food in a series of taste tests.
Warsi was producing the curries from home but, after beating several established food manufacturers in the tests, was persuaded to open a factory.
She was honoured with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2002.
S&A Foods confirmed it was “seeking partners” to fund future expansion and new production facilities.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> NRI> Other News / by PTI / March 09th, 2014
A cold mezze platter. / Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
The Turkish food festival at Park Hyatt offers a lot more than the staple doner kebab
The connection between Hyderabad and Turkey goes back a few centuries; Alauddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty which ruled the state in the 14th century was of Turkic origin, Sultan Quli Qutb Shah who founded the Qutb Shahi dynasty too was of the same ethnicity, Princess Durre Shehvar, wife of Azam Jah, the eldest son of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad is the daughter of the last Caliph of Turkey and more recently, Princess Esra, wife of Prince Mukarram Jah too hails from the country.
Surprisingly, while Hyderabad still retains much of the Mughlai and Iranian influence when it comes to culinary matters, Turkish food still remains quite different in flavour, ingredients and in technique. Moreover, while Mediterranean food is quite popular in the city, the fare is restricted to Lebanese, Greek and Italian, with the latter being present in almost every restaurant. So we head, all excited, to the Turkish food festival at The Dining Room in Park Hyatt with Turkish chef Turgut Tonbol from the Grand Hyatt in Istanbul. We sit down with the chef, who hails from Bolu, a province which he informs us is a region known for its contribution to Turkish culinary heritage.
“Turkish food mainly consists of the cold mezze and grilled or boiled meat,” he informs us, “but we also have a lot of broad beans, chickpeas and lots of soups in the diet.” Hyderabadis are no strangers to the cold mezze platter which has become a staple in many multi-cuisine and continental restaurants but the platter offered by Chef Tonbol has more than the usual Hummus and Tzatziki. The most interesting of these is the vine leaves, stuffed with rice, nuts and spices doused in olive oil. The platter also contains a simple preparation with broad beans and a mild chilli sauce. The freshly baked pita bread goes well with all or any of these accompaniments.
The cold mezze includes mainly vegetarian dishes. “In Turkey, we don’t have meat for mezze. It is only vegetables,” points out Chef Tonbol who says that the festival includes at least one dish from all the different culinary traditions in Turkey.
Chef Turgut Tonbol./ Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
Ask Chef Tonbol what his favourite dish of the afternoon is and he doesn’t think too much before naming the Shrimp Guvec, a mild stew spiced with chilli and herbs. He also suggests the Chicken Sheesh, a grilled meat dish very similar to our own kebabs, except it is marinated with a special Turkish red chilli, a milder version of the Indian chilli. “It is more similar to Kashmiri chilli which is bright in colour but less spicy in taste,” he informs adding jokingly that to eat Indian food, you “must be a strong man” to be able to take the level of spice. “The Yayla soup, a yoghurt based soup with mint, rice and egg is also a uniquely Turkish dish and a must try.”
Desserts include the favourite Baklava, a Turkish rice pudding and Turkish pumpkin, a simple but fresh and tasty dessert of sweetened pumpkin and cream cheese. But whatever you may pick for the main course, Chef Tonbol advises that you don’t leave without savouring the Turkish coffee accompanied by Turkish delights. The strong black coffee is a must after a meal, “for the gossip sessions”.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Food / by Zeenab Aneez / Hyderabad – March 13th, 2014
WHILE THE last resting place of Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq in Paharganj has been restored some respectability, thanks to the Supreme Court’s intervention, the graves of Khwaja Mir Dard and Hakim Momin Khan Momin behind the Maulana Azad Medical College are still a picture of neglect. It’s high time something was done to save them.
Mir Dard Road leads to the grave of the great Urdu poet, but the land surrounding it has been sold by the unscrupulous, and palatial buildings have come up around it, leaving only a small plot for the mazar. The grave of Momin is within a boundary wall, along with the graves of Shah Walliullah, the saint whom the poet held in high reverence, and members of the Shah’s family.
Over 40 years ago the hilly land near the grave was bulldozed and plans made to do away with the mazars. A great lover of Momin, Sher Ali Mewati heard of this and came from Mewat (Haryana) to save them. It is said that he lay on the road in front of Teen Murti House and did not get up even when Pandit Nehru was being driven out in his car.
Nehru got down from the vehicle and enquired what the matter was. When Sher Ali told him that the graves of Shah Walliullah and Momin were about to be bulldozed, the Prime Minister got very upset and drove to the spot. The demolition was immediately halted, and later Sher Ali Mewati was able to get the mazars repaired and enclosed in a boundary wall.
The area where this kabristan is situated is known as Mehdian. Sher Ali Mewati, they say, actually lay before a bulldozer to stop the demolition and his leg was fractured in the process. Whatever may be the truth, the area needs another man like him to preserve it from encroachment.
Khwaja Mir Dard was born in 1719 in Delhi and died on January 7, 1785. “Mysticism ran in the family, for he was descended on his father’s side from Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshbandi, and on the mother’s side from Hazrat Ghaus-e-Azam,” says Professor Muhammad Sadiq.”Dard studied theology with his father, and learnt the art of poetry from Khan-e-Arzu. For some time he was in the army, but he gave it up to lead a life of retirement and study and, at 39, on his father’s death, succeeded him as the head of a sanctuary.”
The vanity and unreality of life and its joys and sorrows, unity of existence, the greatness of man in the hierarchy of life, the mirage of the intellect, praise of intuition, the extinction of self and suspicion of worldly life, pietism, contentment, resignation – nearly one third of his poetry is devoted to these ideas.
Professor Sadiq says that Momin Sadiq’s ancestors had migrated from Kashmir to Delhi. “His father, Hakim Ghulam Nabi, was a physician of note and connected with the imperial court. Momin was born in 1800 and was given that name at the instance of his father’s spiritual guide, Shah `Abdul’ Aziz. His education had been thorough and systematic, as is proved by the embarrassing profusion of technical terms pertaining to medicine, astronomy, mathematics, music, etc., in his qasidas. A man of pleasure in his youth, he forswore his Bohemian ways when he became a disciple of Sayyid Ahmed of Rae Bareily, but he was far too human to sink into a dour puritan. The fruits of his conversion can be studied in his Masnavi-e-Jahadiyya and a few other pieces. He died in 1851.”
Momin is said to have predicted his death in verse, as he was also a najoomi (astronomer-cum-astrologer), saying he would end up with broken arms and legs (“dast-o-bazu”). This is actually what happened years later when he fell from a ladder and died after nine days. His famous couplet, “Tum mere pas hote ho goya/ Jab doosra aur koi nahin hota” made his contemporary Ghalib remark that Momin could take his entire dewan and give him just this pearl of a couplet in exchange.
Momin’s best work is Ab-e-Hayat (Parnassus literally, but water of paradise figuratively) Shouldn’t his grave and that of the great Mir Dard be preserved?
source: http://www.hindu.com / The Hindu – Online Edition / Home> Features> Magazine / Down Memory Lane by R V Smith / Monday – May 24th, 2004
Once upon a time, a queen lost her kingdom to a foreign invader. Under the terms of surrender, she was allowed to retain her title, inheritable by the seniormost member of the royal family. She was also assured an annual payment to maintain her standard of living. It was a generous sum back then. Then came the passage of time. Sovereigns vanished into history and elected governments came into existence. The royal family didn’t live happily ever after. Their annual pension, a fixed sum, was ravaged by inflation.
It began to look smaller and smaller, until it came to a point where it was not even as much as the monthly salary any of them earned.
And then the family decided to make a calculation. When they were first allotted that sum, how much gold could they have bought with it? And how much would that gold be worth today? This figure, they convinced themselves, was the sum that they should logically be getting.
And so they went to the government and asked for it. Else, they demanded their kingdom back. They will probably not get either.
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That, in short, is the story of the Arakkal family that once ruled the city of Cannanore (now Kannur) and Lakshadweep Islands, a reign that lasted five centuries. The trust that governs their affairs recently made the bizarre demand that the Indian government either raise their pension or return Lakshadweep.
I had to wait ten minutes after ringing the bell at the present queen’s residence in Talassery, a town 20 km away from Kannur. A huge house modelled on the original palace that is now a museum of history, it is as silent and empty as any other house along the Malabar coast whose members have left for greener pastures abroad. The queen has three sons, all working overseas, and one daughter. It is the daughter, who looks around 50, who opens the door and welcomes us in. She had been busy with her evening prayers and apologises for making us wait. She and her mother are the only two residents of this palatial house.
I am taken to the queen’s room, where the 92-year-old Sultan Arakkal Adi Raja Sainaba Aishabi, also known as Arakkal Beevi, reclines on a bed. More than three years ago, she had suffered a stroke and never fully recovered. But she welcomes me with a gladdening smile. I have to bend forward to catch the words of her broken voice.
“Journalists often come here,” she whispers, “though I am not well enough to talk. You may get sufficient information from my children. Please don’t forget to have tea and some food before you leave.”
I ask her whether she is aware of the Arakkal royal family trust’s demand. She answers with the same bright smile. It is her daughter who speaks. “She is too old to get into such headaches,” she says.
For centuries, the royal title has been passed along to the seniormost member of the family irrespective of gender. A male king would be called Ali Raja Adi Raja (‘lord of the sea’) and a female, Arakkal Beevi.
According to historians, the Arakkal Dynasty was Kerala’s only Muslim family of rulers. There is no consensus on their origins, but some say their assumption of power dates back to the 13th century.
According to a piece of local lore, the dynasty was founded by a minister of Kolathiri Raja (the then regional ruler) who converted to Islam and became a ruler.
Another says that the Arakkal royal family traces its lineage to Mohemmad Ali, a nephew of Cheraman Perumal (a regional ruler before the region split into different principalities) who is said to have embraced Islam. The only thing certain is that the Arakkal Dynasty had sovereign control of Cannanore that later extended to Lakshadweep islands off the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea.
The arrival of European seafaring powers bolstered their kingdom’s trade and commerce. They had a love-hate relationship with the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. According to Dr A Sreedhara Menon, a scholar on Kerala history, the Arakkal principality of power came to an end in 1790, the year in which St Angelo Fort of Cannanore was stormed by General Abercromby, the then British Army general. Locally known as Kannur Fort, it had been built in 1505 by the Portuguese; it was later owned by the Dutch, who then sold it to the Arakkal king for Rs 1 lakh. The fort is now a tourist destination. The East India Company later forced the then Arakkal Beevi into an agreement under which she had to give up control of Lakshadweep islands. She was allowed possession of Cannanore city, but deprived of any claim to sovereignty. The East India Company pensioned off the Arakkals the same way they did other local kings and chieftains in India.
By 1900, the family had lost every trace of power. In 1905, they had to make another agreement with the British giving up all sovereign claims on Cannanore and Lakshadweep. In return, they were entitled to receive an annual pension, termed malikhana, of Rs 23,000. This is a sum they still get, though from the Government of India, which took over the obligations of the departing British.
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On 10 July this year, a decision was taken at a meeting of the royal family trust to press the demand for a raise (or a return ‘surrender’ of their kingdom). “It is not the first time we have made this demand,” says Ali Raja Adi Raja Hameed Hussain, the eldest male member of the royal family. We are at a shop he has in Kannur, where he runs the family business of spice exports. He takes a bundle of papers off a wooden shelf to show us. The stack includes copies of representations submitted to Central and state ministers to raise their malikhana. “We have been demanding a reasonable hike for long,” he says, “This time we decided to make it public through the media.”
While that may be so, why they consider their demand reasonable remains a mystery. India, after all, is a democracy and there is nothing that entitles them to such a payment. “We need money because we want to continue the charity work which had been done by our ancestors,” says Hameed Hussain. But why demand public money for purposes of charity?
“Because we are descendants of a sovereign ruler,” replies Ali Raja Mohammed Rafi, younger son of Arakkal Beevi Sainaba Aishabi, who runs an advertising agency in the UAE. “As per the contract of 1905 with the English East India Company, we are entitled to receive an amount sufficient to maintain the standards of royal living.”
The agreement, a copy of which is with Open, reads: ‘The Government would pay to the Adi Raja and to his heirs and successors a Malikhana of Rs 23,000 per annum in equal monthly installments one half being paid to him during his life and after his death to the head of the family for the time being as a personal grant for the maintenance of his position and dignity and the other half being paid to him and to his heirs and successors as heads of the family.’
Mohemmad Rafi, who is the managing trustee of the royal trust, says that Rs 23,000 was a huge amount in 1905. If calculated in terms of gold, he says, it would have bought 64 kg of the metal in 1905. “Considering the value of gold [now], we should get around Rs 14 crore per annum,” claims Mohemmad Rafi. “We know that is not practically viable and so we are demanding only a reasonable hike in the annual pension.”
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This is not the Arakkals’ only family tussle over ancestral property. There is an ongoing dispute with another family of Muslim landowners, the Keyis, over 1.4 million Saudi riyals—about Rs 2.2 crore—said to be lying in the Saudi Arabian government’s treasury. The exact sum cannot be verified, though many believe it to be in the tune of Rs 90 crore. About 150 years ago, a member of the Keyi family, Mayinkutty, is said to have built a guesthouse in Mecca to accommodate Hajj pilgrims from Malabar. In 1971, the Saudi government demolished this structure as part of a development exercise, allotting 1.4 million riyals as compensation to be handed over to the Keyi heirs. At that point, the Arakkal royal family also staked claim to the amount on the grounds that Mayinkutty had married one of their members, Aychi Beevi. “It is beyond dispute that we are the legal heirs of Mayinkutty Keyi and have legitimate claim over that property,” says Mohemmad Rafi.
The Kerala government recently appointed an IAS officer, TO Suraj, to look into the matter and take a final decision. He says that neither family might have any right to it. “In my understanding, the property was dedicated to the Wakf for the welfare of pilgrims,” says Suraj, “The government is trying to attach the property [for use of] the Wakf Board by due process.”
Professor Rajan Gurukkal, a historian and former vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, thinks that would be ideal. “It should go to the government and be used for a public purpose,” he says. Gurukkal also thinks that the demand to raise the malikhana has no legal validity. Dr KKN Kurup, a historian of the Malabar region, author of a book on the Arakkal family’s history called Aliraja of Cannanore and former vice-chancellor of Calicut University, terms the demand “absolutely irrational”. He says there is no reason to spend public money on the upkeep of aristocracies and royalties of the past. “The malikhana was maintained primarily on the condition that they should be loyal to the English East India Company. How can they claim the same even after independence? Does it mean that the Arakkal family is still loyal to the British? What if all the heirs of rulers of princely states make similar demands?”
source: http://www.openthemagazine.com / OPEN Magazine / Home> Open> Feature / by Shahina KK / August 23rd, 2013
Humayuns Tomb made news in 2010 when US President Barack Obama and wife Michelle were photographed here,staring at the monuments majestic elegance. On Thursday,the World Heritage Day,the Humayuns Tomb complex will return to make news again to announce the unveiling of its most attractive structure,Isa Khans Tomb,after a two-year-long restoration.
Isa Khans Tomb,part of UNESCO World Heritage Site of Humayuns Tomb,has a dome that resembles a plump inverted flower. But time and state negligence had robbed this flower of its beauty and fragrance. A 27-month-long conservation drive has attempted to infuse that lost beauty back into the tomb.
The restoration drive was jointly funded and undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the World Monuments Foundation,with help from the Archeological Survey of India. The project is part of a larger urban renewal project in Delhi that includes 50 monuments.
On Thursday,Union Minister for Culture Chandresh Kumari Katoch will open Isa Khans Tomb to the public. Almost 2,000 school children will be taken there for a heritage walk and design workshops.
Isa Khan was a noble in the court of Sher Shah Suri in the 16th Century. Suri ruled Delhi between the reigns of Humayun and Akbar.
Isa Khans Tomb is a resplendent example of the concept of a garden tomb,which pervaded that era. It combines the garden and the grave,symbolic of life and death.
This tomb is the only historical monument in India which has been restored by a non-government body. A key official of the restoration project said other than returning the mausoleum its lost glory,the project has also successfully achieved its objective of imparting knowledge of traditional architecture and design to the craftsmen who worked on it.
We got them trained in making tiles in the Central Asian style,where the Mughal and Suri dynasties originated, he said.
Today,the Mughals are primarily associated with their taste for rich architecture the Indo-Persian school of architecture. But their love for fruity and floral plantations was legendary. Mughal monuments were designed in the centre of gardens primarily consisting citrus plantations. That same refreshing,tangy citrus scent will burst into the precincts of Isa Khans garden tomb again now with the generous re-plantation of this genus.
When restoration was underway in 2011 at this garden tomb,serendipity visited the project team. The monument suddenly had Indias oldest sunken garden. The official said,The idea was to align the tree top-level with the eye level,so that when one stands on the courtyard of the main structure,one sees a carpet of green,giving a sinking effect to the encircling vegetation.
For a monument to achieve the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site status,its features must contain an outstanding universal value. The Humayuns Tomb complex made the cut because it is not just the mausoleum of the second Mughal emperor,but an ensemble of 16th Century garden tombs like Bu Halima,Batashewala,Neela Gumbad and others,besides Isa Khans tomb.
The restoration projects staff boasts of an inclusive approach undertaken while giving the garden tomb complex a makeover.
For us,the craftsmen were the projects centerpiece. We focused on the quality of work and not the traditional dihaari (daily wages) system. We also employed latest technology,like laser scanning and GPRS pointing,to fine tune things. Laser scanning helped to make an error-free structural assessment of the monument and GPRS pointing helped to locate underground archeology,if any,before we started work, the source said.
Revival of the Garden tomb
On World Heritage Day,Union Minister for Culture Chandresh Kumari Katoch will open the Isa Khan Tomb to visitors,after a 2-year restoration drive
Isa Khan was a noble in the court of Sher Shah Suri in the 16th Century
His mausoleum is an example of the concept of garden tomb,which pervades that era. It combines the garden and the grave,symbolic of life and death
Dome resembling an inverted plump flower had weathered owing to time and negligence
Restoration jointly funded,and undertaken by Aga Khan trust for Culture and World Monuments Foundation,with help from ASI
It is the only historical monument in India restored by a non-government body
The project is part of a larger urban renewal project in Delhi which includes 50 monuments
For the project,craftsmen were trained in making tiles in the Central Asian style,where the Mughal and the Suri dynasties originated
Along with a crafts-based approach,latest technology,like laser scanning and GPRS pointing,was used to fine tune the work.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Delhi / by Ruchika Talwar / New Delhi / April 18th, 2013
Words are not enough to describe the feeling of utter amazement one feels as one steps into Safdurjungs Tomb. My first visit to this tomb aptly described as the last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture was an unforgettable and enriching experience.
The mausoleum is surrounded by lush gardens in Mughal style. The interior of the tomb with Safdurjungs cenotaph has a mysterious,yet serene air about it. My friend and I stood there awed by the amazing architecture,utterly captivated by its peaceful charm.
Amidst the citys noises,there is this one place where you can be at peace. So when it was time to go,I didnt feel like leaving. One just cannot have enough of its beauty. I look forward to going there again. Id say its a must-visit place for its serenity and architectural value.
n Muskaan Sharma,XII-B
On April 9,our school organised a trip to Safdurjungs Tomb for the students of Class XII. I was very excited about the trip as Ive never been there. I did not know anything about Safdurjung so I thought he would be just another historic personality who would have fought many wars. When I arrived at the tomb,I was enthralled by the majestic monument with a white marble dome. It was surrounded by beautiful gardens and fountains. We were told the fountains dont work due to water shortage in the city. While walking up the steep steps of the monument,one could see the tomb in the centre of a vast hall. One just cant ignore the beautiful carving on the walls of the monument. We were told that Safdurjung was prime minister of Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah. Safdurjungs Tomb was inspired by the Taj Mahal and Humayuns Tomb. Although the tomb was undergoing renovation, it remained open for general public. It was truly an unforgettable trip. The hard work of the architects is evident in the intricate carvings inside the tomb. This place is definitely worth a visit.
n Chetan Jajodia,XII BCom. A
Described as the last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture,Safdarjungs Tomb epitomises beauty and serenity. It was built by Shuja-ud-Daulah in memory of his father,Safdarjung,who served the Mughal Emperor Mohammed Shah as his prime minister. The garden tomb is characteristic of the Indo-Islamic architectural style. The central tomb is the main attraction of the complex. It has a huge dome which gives it an appearance of a maqbara. The walls of the tomb have fine and elaborate plaster carvings influenced by the pietra dura style. There are four water canals cutting across the garden to form a typical charbagh. Octagonal towers in the corners add more beauty to the central tomb. The garden is built in the Persian style and one can enter it through a gate with intricate Rajputana carvings on it. The whole tomb is made of red sandstone.
The way the Archaeological Survey of India has tried to preserve this monument is appreciable. But being responsible citizens of this country,we must also help protect and maintain our monuments. I am grateful to my school and The Indian Express for organising this heritage walk. It was truly an enlightening visit. This brush with history was an enriching one.
n Ananya Das,XII Sc A
Safdarjungs Tomb once you visit it,the mystique charm of the monument will remain with you for long. This tomb is considered the the last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture in India. It was built for Safdarjung,the powerful prime minister of Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. Safdarjungs son Shuja-ud-Daulah constructed it in 1754.The fact that the monument is an amalgam of different architectural styles ignited my interest. The tomb has influences of the Humayuns Tomb and the Red Fort in its design. As soon as I entered the monument,my eyes instinctively went up to the dome and I was mesmerised by the beautiful symmetrical designs. The dome seemed too high for someone to carry out such elaborate and perfect carvings. But the fact that it was done points to the mastery of the craftsmen in those days. The huge gardens,spacious balconies,corridors and the water canals fascinated me. The serene grave of Safdarjung reminded me of the spirit behind the construction of the monument a sons reverence,love and gratitude towards his father. The tomb also houses Shuja-ud-Daulahs wifes grave. The complex also included the three-domed mosque and three beautiful pavilions.
As we were got ready to leave,I turned again towards the tomb,wanting to get one last look of this magnificent structure. If only I could stand and stare a little longer.
n Apoorva singh,XII
You employ stone,wood and concrete,and with these materials you build houses and places,that is construction. But when you suddenly touch my heart,you do me good and make me say This is beautiful,that is architecture.
Life gets a fresh breath when history rises from its grave. It happened with me April 9,while we were counting our steps to Safdarjungs Tomb. The tomb built for Safdurjung,the prime minister of Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. It was built in 1754 in the Mughal style and is described as the last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture. Today,its in a dilapidated condition,with cracks in the walls and the tombs walls turning yellowish grey from white. But though the tomb has lost its pristine beauty,it still gives a mystique feeling. The central tomb has a huge dome. There are four water canals leading to the four corners of the building one has an ornately decorated gateway while the other three corners have octagonal towers. The canals are four oblong tanks,one on each side of the tomb. On the whole,the tomb has been decorated with cheap material,pointing to the economic conditions of that time. But in spite of this,I realised that the people in those times were full of life.
n Gayatri Chetal,XII Com-B
After tolerating the chaos of Delhi roads on a daily basis,one longs for some quiet time in a serene place. Safdarjungs Tomb on Lodhi Road is one such place. It was built by Shuja-ud-Daulah after his fathers death in 1754. Safdarjungs Tomb is a garden tomb with a marble mausoleum. It was built in 1754 in the Mughal style. Its façade is decorated with elaborate plaster carvings. There are four water canals inside the tomb leading towards one ornately decorated gateway and three pavilions with octagonal towers. I would like to thank The Indian Express for giving us the opportunity to learn about our past.
n Harshita Kakar,XII Com-B
My visit to this incredible heritage site was fascinating experience. The Safdarjungs Tomb was constructed by Shuja-ud-Daulah for his father Safdarjung who was the prime minister of Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah. The main entrance is a huge decorated gate with arrow silts. The tomb stands majestically surrounded by verdant lawns. The amalgamation of the Indo-Islamic and Hindu styles for the construction of the tomb is highly appreciable. It consists of chattris,minarets and cosmic signs. The way the Archeological Survey of India has tried to preserve the Safdarjungs Tomb is commendable. I express my heartiest thanks to The Indian Express for giving me a chance to visit this historical place.
n Kashish Chaurasia,XII Com B
Safdarjungs Tomb was built in 1754 by Nawab Siraj-Ud-Daulah,the son of Safdarjung Mirza Muqim Abul Mausum Khan,the prime minister of Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah. Safdarjungs Tomb is a beautiful mausoleum and is counted as a major heritage site in India. It is described as the last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture because it reflects the last phase of Mughal architecture. The tomb is enclosed by a tall wall and can be entered through an imposing gateway. There are large pleasant gardens with elegant palm tree-lined paths surrounding it. We could see the remains of the water courses and fountains which had divided the garden up into four squares. The pavilions on the wall are run down and are now used for storage. The tomb stands on a high terrace in the centre of the enclosure. It is a solid square structure built of highly decorated red sandstone with a central marble dome. Apart from Safdarjungs grave,there is another grave here,that of the wife of Shuja-ud-Daulah. The chambers in the room are surrounded by eight rooms. All the apartments are rectangular in shape except the corner ones that are octagonal in shape.The central chamber is beautifully carved and surrounded by rhombic compartments. The mosque,built in red sandstone on the second storey,was added later.
Safdarjungs Tomb is a quiet haven in the middle of the citys din. The tomb is similar to Humayuns Tomb in its architecture. The environment around the tomb is extremely calming and to visit such a beautiful place is a refreshing experience.
n Namrata Das,XII Sc A
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Delhi / by Express News Service / April 22nd, 2013
I have been pretty good about posting one of these every two weeks. I wanted to do Masarat this week because she is speaking at TED (March 15 – 28 ) on Thursday, March 20, 2014, 5:00pm-6:45pm PST.
When I first met Masarat, I was told (by Masarat) that I judged by what I saw. In fairness (to me), we did not have any interaction. She joined my place of work just as I was leaving to set up my own company. I think if I had spoken to her, I would have known the person I know (and adore) today. (Masarat, am I being sycophantic enough?)
Masarat is a maverick on so many levels: as a woman/girl, as a muslim woman, as a muslim woman from rural Rajasthan in India, as a muslim woman IN A BURQA from rural Rajasthan growing up in Dubai and NOW living in UK. She breaks all the stereotypes you have in your head about these women. You just have to meet her once to know that. She does not broadcast about the work she does – she just does it. Her feet are firmly grounded, and she has a wicked sense of humour. I love her, in awe of her, and inspired by her. Like all my heroes, I sent her the same questions and here are her responses.
What inspires you?
This is a difficult question to answer. Inspiration comes to me in the most random, fleeting moments. These days, I am moved by a heightened sense of moralobligation. I feel that it does not leave me with much choice than to do what I am doing.
But on a larger level, I am inspired by good people. I have a deep respect for regular humans and their capacity to be good in challenging circumstances. In the middle of a communal riot victims’ camp, while walking around and talking to people about their conditions, almost everyone whose camp I passed, invited me to have tea or dinner—plain, boiled rice. I think these acts inspire me because they give me hope which we all desperately need these days! Plus, they push me to be closer to earth.
Who is your hero? Why?
Another tough question! I have many people who I admire for many different qualities. My hero is everyone who has fought the norm and created a different/better life for themselves. People who could stand up for what they believed was right; people who do not moan and whine that Life gave them a rotten deal. Whether it was my father who fought his society by educating himself and us; whether it is Person X [someone I know] who fought her deep pain to love us untainted, unconditional; whether it is people who I know are struggling personally but don’t lose themselves to bitterness and grudge…just so many.
If you had a choice of becoming one of your (all time – dead or alive; real or fiction) favourite character, who would it be and why?
I wouldn’t want to BE one of the people I know personally, simply because if I were them…then I would not experience them in my life the way I have. So I will have to choose outside: I think Sir Syed! A man who was way ahead of his time—in terms of thought process, passion and action. You can read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syed_Ahmad_Khan
When are you happiest?
I am particularly happy when:
– When I am in my village
– When I am surrounded by my family (anywhere in the world)
– When I am doing something meaningful
What pisses you off most?
Hypocrisy (religious and other), Ego, Lies, Anchovies and capers in my food
What is your most embarrassing moment?
I think I got over this long time back. I can hardly remember any but maybe ages ago, when I turned up to school in two different shoes: one with heel and the other one flat
What would you describe as your most sublime experience?
In Berlin, at a random small Italian restaurant, eating the juiciest, more incredible tomato I had ever eaten. AND.
In Muzaffarnagar, hearing Urdu being spoken among regular people. You can then really understand why language is so important in shaping us as sensitive, respectful humans.
If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
Money is useless if it cannot allow me to make others happy. I know myself—I will give it to whoever has a more life-changing need than I. If something remains, I am booking travel tickets immediately!
Enjoy getting to know this amazing woman if you haven’t already and connect with her in the links below.
