The cat and mouse game continued between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb with the former keeping the latter on his toes with raids on his territory at an alarming regularity. It started with a surprise entry into the Deccan controlled by the Mughals. Maharaj made quick work of Junnar, Ahmednagar and Parenda advancing quickly as... Continue Reading →
Karnal named after Daanveer Karna is one of the most historically, culturally and spiritually important cities of India. Karnal has been at the centre of many great battles and wars that have determined the course of Indian history. Karnal district is home to many archaeological sites predating the Harappan civilization, tirthas and ancient temples of... Continue Reading →
One of the most famous produce of Kerala is its indigenous Palakkadan Matta rice that has been grown in the lush green belt of Palakkad for centuries. According to historians, Matta rice was partaken only by the members of the royal family of the Cholas and Cheras. This rice was exclusively cultivated for the royals... Continue Reading →
Navara rice is one of the rarest indigenous rice varieties grown exclusively in Kerala with immense curative and medicinal properties. Navara or Njvara has been mentioned extensively in the ancient texts of Ayurveda like Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya, Kṣemakutūhala of Kṣemaśarman, Bhojanakutūhala of Raghunātha Sūrin and Pākadarpaṇa of King Naḷa and other treatises. Navara rice... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's dramatic return to Raigad on 20 November 1666 was followed by widespread rejoicings among his family, citizens and the Maratha army. Each fort fired its feu de joie unceasingly and though the celebrations were appreciated by Maharaj, he decided to issue standing orders on the exact number of gunfire for specified occasions... Continue Reading →
Mayurbhanj in the northern corner of Odisha was the seat of power of the erstwhile Bhanja dynasty. During the late 14th century, the Delhi Sultanate invaded Odisha and ravaged the historical city of Khiching desecrating temples on their way. The Bhanjas were forced to abandon their ancestral capital of Khiching and flee to safety. An... Continue Reading →
A stunning find of a fragmentary stone inscription in an old well near Kandhar in 1959 with a detailed description of the buildings in the ancient capital and the philanthropic activities of Raja Krishna III of the mighty Rashtrakuta dynasty threw light on one of the unknown capitals of the dynasty. The inscription mentions the... Continue Reading →
Assam is widely considered to be one of the origins for rice and has one of the most interesting rice cultivars in India. Rice is grown in about 25.3 million hectares of land in Assam with an average production and productivity of about 3.8 million tonnes and 1540 kg/ha respectively. There are four divisions of... Continue Reading →
Archaeological excavations conducted in 1962 at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in Ausgram II block in the Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in West Bengal unearthed earthen pots using a mix of rice husk in the main mound. Based on scientific tests, archaeologists concluded that the ancient civilization that dates back to 2000 BCE... Continue Reading →
Following a hurried meeting with Ram Singh at his residence, Shivaji's half-brother Hiroji Farzand and his trusty page Madari Mehtar quickly made their way out of Agra. The guards had been instructed not to disturb 'Shivaji' as he had fallen asleep after a restless night. However, the suspicion of the guards was aroused as the... Continue Reading →
One of the oldest temples of the Konkan coastal stretch is the Ambernath Shiv Temple located at Ambernath about 50 km from Mumbai. Ambernath literally means Lord of the Sky or Space and interestingly, this temple does not have a roof over the sanctum sanctorum! Locals believe that the presiding deity may have been named... Continue Reading →
The ancient city of 'Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra' holds the key to understanding our glorious past dating back to the Vedic times. Every square inch of this city and its outskirts is both historically and archaeologically important. Kurukshetra has been at the helm of many significant events and has faced the brunt of successive Muslim invasions over... Continue Reading →
The diversity of indigenous aromatic rice types found in India is staggering to say the least. Scented varieties are broadly classified as basmati and non-basmati. Some of the traditional rice varieties categorized as non-basmati are in fact far superior in both taste and fragrance to basmati rice. Ambemohar that literally means mango blossom in Marathi is one of... Continue Reading →
It was imperative for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to maintain the pretence of submissiveness towards Mirza Raja, Jai Singh I to effect the famous Treaty of Purandar on 11 June 1665. It was quite clear that Mirza Raja was favourably disposed towards Maharaj and sanguine about a permanent understanding between Aurangzeb and Maharaj. As time passed, Mirza Raja... Continue Reading →
The holy city of Pehowa in Kurukshetra district is held in high esteem by historians, archaeologists and spiritualists. This city finds mention in Hindu scriptures (several Puranas) and is believed to be named after the legendary Chakravarti Prithu. Chakravarti Prithu is credited with saving the earth from famine in the ancient times. This divine... Continue Reading →
Our quest to draw a map of ancient India specifically the Mahabharat era leads us to Mirzapur village in the municipality of Thanesar in Kurukshetra district. The ancient town of Thanesar also known as Sthaneshwar, deriving its name from the presiding deity, Lord Shiva who is seated at Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple is considered to be... Continue Reading →
One of the most exquisite handicrafts of Uttar Pradesh are the wall hangings of Ghazipur that are renowned for its innovative designs, weaving and craftsmanship. This craft is practised in villages of Ghazipur, Mirzapur, Varanasi and Chandauli, with more than 3000 families engaged in this centuries-old art. The artisans use an ancient Banaras weaving... Continue Reading →
Some of the rarest and finest aromatic rice varieties of India are found in the Bhagalpur and Magadh divisions of Bihar. Bhagalpur has been a traditional aromatic rice growing area where varieties such as Katarni, Tulsi Manjari and Badshah Bhog are widely grown. Over the years, variations of Katarni like Bhauri Katarni, Deshla Katarni, Sabour... Continue Reading →
The night attack on Shaista Khan however spectacular did not inflict any discernible damage on Aurangzeb. Shaista Khan's seizure and occupation of Pune and its surrounding districts for over three years and the siege of Kondana (December 1663 to June 1664) by Mirza Raja, Jashwant Singh or Jai Singh I had crippled the Maratha empire... Continue Reading →
Nashik has traditionally been considered to be the birthplace of the Yadavas of Devagiri also known as Seuna or the Gavli Kings. The Yadavas of Devagiri are known for their ingenuity and unique style of architecture called Hemadpanti named after their renowned Prime Minister, Hemadri Pandit. Temples built in Hemadpanti are seen in Rajputana, Malwa... Continue Reading →
One of the most interesting forts of Rajasthan is the lesser-known Achalgarh Fort nestled high in the Aravalli Range. This magnificent fort sits atop a hill in the picturesque village of Achalgarh, a few kilometres away from the famous Dilwara Temples. The Achalgarh Fort complex situated in an eco-sensitive zone is steeped in history, religion... Continue Reading →
India is one of the largest producers of cashew nut in the world accounting for more than 30 percent of the world production. The coastal states of India have been cultivating cashew trees for centuries. Cashew was first introduced in Goa by the Portuguese and then slowly found its way down the Konkan coast to... Continue Reading →
Tasgaon - Sangli belt in Maharashtra is famous for its delectable raisins accounting for 90 percent of total production in the country. The state of Maharashtra ranks first in terms of production of grapes and exports more than 1.22 lakh tonnes annually. According to historians, grape cultivation originated in Armenia and was brought to... Continue Reading →
Young Sambhaji lived in Aurangabad after the peace agreement was drawn up between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb by Muhammad Mu'azzam under the guardianship of Senapati Prataprao Gujar and Niraji Raoji. They formed a close friendship with Muhammad Mu'azzam and Jai Singh I, all sharing the pleasures of hunting and amusements of living in the... Continue Reading →
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