History Archive

Sleep is a luxury for those who struggle to get a good night’s rest. While the inability to sleep well can be frustrating in the middle of the night, the necessity for sleep in pre-electricity days produced its own violence in colonial India.

The princely states of pre-independent India threw up many charismatic leaders, political stalwarts, and influential princes. Among the more dynamic was Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner (1880-1943).

One of the oldest board games in history, the game of kings, Chess, is still a popular game and sport that intrigues millions across the globe. While there are many people who play chess, most players wouldn’t know who invented chess, how chess originated, and its intriguing history.

Felice Beato was a British photographer of Italian origin. He travelled through India after the so-called ‘mutiny’ or uprising of the Indian army against their British officers in 1857. Beato took photographs of sites associated with the uprsing, as well as more general photographs of the most important monuments of the cities he visited, as in this example.

Hotee was a Bengali Hindu widow. She was a scholar of Sanskrit Poetry, Law, Mathematics and Ayurveda. She established a School in Varanasi for women. She was awarded the title "Vidyalankar" by Kashi Pandits.

Throughout ancient India, women were esteemed, and their contributions to the welfare of Throughout ancient India, women were esteemed, and their contributions to the welfare of the family and the community were vital. The elevated social standing of the ladies helped them feel good about themselves and gave them a sense of purpose. In order to develop their intellectual and spiritual capacities, they were provided with the chance. During this period, there were several female rishis.

Where the Kadamba by pass converges at Old Goa stands a tall and slender column. It is a very intriguing pillar. This elegant pillar quitely narrates a tale of woe. In local it is popularly called the ‘Hatkatro Khambo’ literally meaning a pillar where hands were chopped.

Dogra Rajput ruler Gulab Singh of Jammu appointed Zorawar his military general after being impressed by his bravery, honesty and sincerity. As the governor of Kishtwar, Zorawar extended the territories of the kingdom. He was killed in the battle of To-yo during his attempt to conquer Western Tibet - By Sri Krishna

The greatest misfortune of India is that its history has either been written by our colonizers, or servile stooges of the British who have done all that they could to undermine us as a civilization, as well as a nation-state. For instance, this article talks about how India took control over Tawang in the year 1951, and how Arunachal Pradesh was pretty much saved from Chinese annexation as a consequence.

Recent years have seen a resurgence in nostalgia for the British empire. High-profile books such as Niall Ferguson’s Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World, and Bruce Gilley’s The Last Imperialist, have claimed that British colonialism brought prosperity and development to India and other colonies.