64 years of Indian Independence!

64 years of Independence from British and 64 years of captivity and domination by corruption! As I wish my fellow Indians a happy Independence day, I also urge them to join the next war of Indian Independence under Anna Hazare. Its time to throw corruption out of one of the greatest civilizations of the world. Together we can!

JAI HIND!


Here are a few facts that you might not have known about India!

1. India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
   
2. When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization)
   
3. The name ‘India’ is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.
   
4. The Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name ‘Hindustan’ combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.
5. Chess was invented in India.
   
6. Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India.
   
7. The ‘Place Value System’ and the ‘Decimal System’ were developed in India in 100 B.C.
   
8. The World’s First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.
   
9. India is the largest democracy in the world, the 6th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.
   
10. The game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called ‘Mokshapat’. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.
    
11. The world’s highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.
    
12. India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.
    
13. The largest employer in the world is the Indian Railways, employing over a million people.
    
14. 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 was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
    
15. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The Father of Medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.
    
16. India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India’s wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake.
    
17. The Art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘NAVGATIH’. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Nou’.
    
18. Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. According to his calculation, the time taken by the Earth to orbit the Sun was 365.258756484 days.
    
    
19. The value of “pi” was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, long before the European mathematicians.
    
    
20. Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus also originated in India.Quadratic Equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 1053 (i.e. 10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 B.C.during the Vedic period.Even today, the largest used number is Terra: 1012(10 to the power of 12).
    
    
21. Until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds in the world. (Source: Gemological Institute of America).
    
    
22. The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.
    
    
23. Sushruta is regarded as the Father of Surgery. Over2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones, plastic surgery and brain surgeries.
    
    
24. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient Indian medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism,physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.
    
    
25. India exports software to 90 countries.
    
    
26. The four religions born in India – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world’s population.
    
27. Jainism and Buddhism were founded in India in 600 B.C. and 500 B.C. respectively.
    
28. Islam is India’s and the world’s second largest religion.
    
29. There are 300,000 active mosques in India, more than in any other country, including the Muslim world.
    
    
30. The oldest European church and synagogue in India are in the city of Cochin. They were built in 1503 and 1568 respectively.
    
    
31. Jews and Christians have lived continuously in India since 200 B.C. and 52 A.D. respectively
    
    
32. The largest religious building in the world is Angkor Wat, a Hindu Temple in Cambodia built at the end of the 11th century.
    
    
33. The Vishnu Temple in the city of Tirupathi built in the 10th century, is the world’s largest religious pilgrimage destination. Larger than either Rome or Mecca, an average of 30,000 visitors donate $6 million (US) to the temple everyday.
    
    
34. Sikhism originated in the Holy city of Amritsar in Punjab. Famous for housing the Golden Temple, the city was founded in 1577.
    
    
35. Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called “the Ancient City” when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C., and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
    
    
36. India provides safety for more than 300,000 refugees originally from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who escaped to flee religious and political persecution.
    
    
37. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, runs his government in exile from Dharmashala in northern India.
    
    
38. Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
    
    
39. Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.

A person to remember - Mr. Anand (Obituary)

“After your death you will be what you were before your birth.”

I woke up this morning to the news of death of a good friend’s dad. I had known him for few years now and he was one of the interesting people I have met. He was not a typical Indian man you would expect to meet. He was different. He had an air of ‘I don’t care’ attitude around him. He wasn’t bothered with most things a common Indian man would be bothered with. He seemed to live by his own rules. He was intelligent and had a lovely family. Not exactly everyone seemed to be happy about the way he moved on with his life, but it did not seem to matter to him.

I still remember my first meeting with him. It was during my vacation back to India in 2009. I had then recently quit my job and I was confused if I was making the right decision. That is when all my friends in India decided to have a get together to meet up after 4 years. The venue was Mr. Anand’s home. It was one of the best days of that summer and a day that I would fondly remember for the rest of my life.

On that day, I had an opportunity to have a nice conversation with him. His attitude to life and his nature of not being bothered with what others think did have an influence on me. His philosophy in general was that whatever happens happens for a reason. That gave me the confidence about what I was doing with my life and career then.

We had discussed about visiting Himalayas, Africa and what not. We also had a nice conversation about life and what it means. After that awesome get together, I went back to London.

The second time I met him was in 2010. He had been unwell that winter. So, my friends and I decided to meet him as a courtesy and show of support to our friend. I did not know what to buy him so I bought him some books which I thought he would enjoy. He had recently had a cardiac arrest and he survived it. His whole family was worried about his health but he did not seem to bother much about it. He was cool about things happening in his own way. He refused to undergo surgery. He was confident that it will all be fine. That I believe is what made him a happy man. He was not worried about the future. He had a quiet confidence that whatever happens, happens for the greater good. He was certain that the future will take care of itself.

The last I met him was in April 2011. It was a sort of get together with my friend before I left to US and it happened at his home. He seemed very fragile and week. He was not interested in what was happening around him. But he still had that aura of confidence around him. It was as if he knew his destiny and he was aware of the future. It was as if his knowledge of the future allowed him to rest in peace. I did not say a good bye when I left, because he was sleeping in his room.

It was recently that his daughter (my friend) got engaged. He seemed so happy in those photos. He was fragile, but happy. He now seemed to be even more relaxed about life as there was someone whom he can trust to take care of his family.

It was this morning that woke up to this unfortunate news of his demise. Knowing him, he would have accepted death happily. And I am sure, that in that last moment when this whole life flashed in front of his eyes, he would not have wanted it to be one bit different. He would have died a happy man.

Knowing my friend she is a brave girl and she will handle this unfortunate incident with all her maturity and calm. I am sure she will take it in its flow. It is going to be very hard for her but I am sure with all our prayers she will be fine. At this time, the only person I am worried about is Mrs. Anand. She is a hardworking woman, who has sacrificed a lot in her life for her family. If there is anyone who is going to be terribly affected by this loss, it has to be Mrs. Anand. I pray the almighty that he gives the Anand family all the courage to overcome this loss.

I know that he was a great husband, for his wife was happy. I know he was a great dad, for his daughter seemed to be proud of him. I know he was a great person. He was friendly, caring, accepting and by all means very jovial. I cannot say if he wanted things to be different. I cannot say if he would have loved to live a few more months to see his daughter’s wedding. I cannot say if he wanted to live to take care of his wife. It will all be unanswered questions. But what I can really say is that, he would not have bothered much with what would happen in his absence. He would definitely have walked hand in hand with Lord Yema (Indian god of death). He would not have been scared. He would have walked a happy man to heaven knowing whatever happens, happens for the greater good.

His loss also makes me want to remember how fickle life is. What exists today may not exists tomorrow. It only tells me that there is no meaning is being a worried soul in life. One has to love everyone around him and especially his parents. You never know when they will cease to exist.

Mr. Anand, it was a pleasure knowing you. May your soul rest in peace and happiness. I know that all your loved ones will be fine and it will be alright. After all, as you say, whatever happens, happens for the greater good.!

One night on a double-decker bus

It was a cold rainy day in London. She had never been so happy in the last few years. Ever since she broke up with her high school boyfriend, she has never met someone as exciting and entertaining as John. She had known John for almost 6 months now. They first met in a bar near London Bridge.  She was attracted to him on the first sight. John was crazy, in his mid-twenties, well employed, handsome gentleman. Unlike other men who always flirted with her with intentions to sleep with her, John was truly different. He seemed to be sincerely interested in what she does for a living, loved talking to her about her work, liked partying hard, was a great dancer and was a very good listener. She was a very open minded and a sociable girl and she liked him straight after their first meeting. It wasn’t definitely love at first sight, but she could tell that she liked him and there was something attractive about him.

It was another month before they met for the second time. This time around it was a party near the banks of river Thames. It was a crazy night and she ended up having a crush on John. Since then, she had been on a few dates with John. They had been out together for lunches, dinners, house parties and barbecues. She was truly into John and she realized that she was enjoying every moment that she spent with John. She did not know if John liked her as much as she liked him. John was equally caring and friendly with other girls too. But she did not bother much about it. He was a very funny person and he made her laugh all the time. She felt so comfortable around him. She started opening up to him on a lot of her personal insecurities. She has never been so honest with a man before. She was beginning to feel the love run deep within her. John was a great listener and a good empathizer. He was able to understand her innermost insecurities and always spoke in a very comforting and convincing manner. She felt as if nothing bad could happen to her when she was with John.

That day started much like other days. There wasn’t anything special about it. She wanted to get out of work and get into the party at her friends place. She was taking John with her. She would never have thought how special this day and the night would turn out to be.  She had been to a friends’ place with John to take part in a Guy Fawkes Night celebration. After the wild partying, it was time to go back home. John stayed very close to her place and they had to take the night bus from Oxford Street. They walked around from the party center to Oxford Street. It was almost 03 AM in the morning. The moon was out in all its glory. It was a full moon night. The streets were well lit, yet the moon light was brighter than the street lights. Her face was glowing in the serendipity of the moment. She felt like a princess and John appeared to her like the prince from a faraway land.

The surroundings and the mild music that played on John’s iPod added to the occasion’s romantic beauty. The iPod was singing Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry Be Happy reggae. Much like the song itself John was a happy go lucky person and that is what she liked the most about him. That night she felt the compulsion on her to talk her heart out. By then they had reached Oxford Street. They had got into night bus that would take them home. They climbed to the upper deck and took a seat in one of the middle rows. She sat by the window and John sat by the isle. As fate would have it, the upper deck was empty. It was as if she had the whole palace to herself with her prince by her side. The ride was going to be long. It would take at least an hour and a half for the night bus to reach their destination. She gazed at the moonlight through the window. John often talks about how he likes the moon. Love for the full moon on a dark night was one of the things they shared in common. They always talked about seeing each other in the moon and how they can never miss each other as long as they can share their care for each other using the moon as their ambassador of love.

That night was one of the best nights in her life. She talked to John about a lot of things. She told him about her teenage days when she slipped away from her home on nights to party with her friends. She told him about how she always wanted to adopt a child. She shared with him about the strange dream that she often has where her baby in the dream dies during childbirth. She told him about how she would like to leave the buzz of the metropolitan cities and go back to her village someday and lead a quiet and peaceful life. She told him that he was her best male friend. She did not tell him how she truly felt about him. But not telling him her feelings on that moment is something that she regrets all to date.

The time always seemed to fly when she was with John. She was getting tired on the bus too. She had been in the dance floor all night and she wanted to sleep. She was always surprised at how energetic John was. He can dance for hours together, party very hard and yet he had all the energy and patience in the world to be a great listener. In that very moment she felt like a rose petal in the hands of a divine angel. With that thought in mind she started to fall asleep. She laid her heads to rest on Johns broad shoulders. He put his arms around her. She felt the hug very comforting on that cold night. The last time she felt so safe and comfortable was when she was young and sleeping by her mom’s side.

The bus halted at a stop they had to get down. John woke her up from her dreams. They got down. They walked from the bus stop to her home. John dropped her at her place. They kissed good night. John continued to walk towards his home. There she stood, looking at the footsteps and the slowly disappearing figure of John at a distance. Once his figure disappeared, she went back to her bedroom and lay down on her bed looking at the ceiling. She was laughing to herself. Her heart was beating fast and she was feeling like a bird in the skies. She knew it. She was in love. She was in love again. The next time she met John she was going to tell him how much she loved him and why she wanted to be with him all the time.

That was the best night of her entire life. She went to sleep, and John was lingering in her dreams.

But little did she know then that it was the last time she will ever meet John. 

Years had passed since that wonderful night. She was now a single mom living with her adopted child. She had moved back to her village and worked at a local business. There are days when she feels lonely. That is when she takes a walk by the riverside in moon light and thinks of John. More often than not she thinks of the best night of her life, the night on a double-decker bus in London. Fate played its game on her just like it usually does. She sometimes curses herself for not having told John how she feels about him. She sometimes thinks that god is a sadist who likes to watch people suffer in eternal pain. John had to leave London on a family emergency a week after their best night and he never came back to London. She did not even get to say him a proper good bye, except via emails. She never met John again. Through some mutual friends she has found out that John was married and was now father of 2 young children, a young boy and a beautiful girl. She wondered what it would have been like, if she and John were together. She wondered if John really loved her as much as she loved him. She wondered if John missed her like she missed him. She wondered if John still takes a look at the moon and thinks of her, like she thinks of him whenever she looks at the full moon.  She will never know the answer. She will always be in the dark. She can only assume.

She will never know that John named her little girl, Irene, after her. The one night on the double-decker bus was John’s best night too.