Among the foreigners there existed a belief in ancient times that India is a land of old customs, superstitions and sati. Nothing existed here except black magic, uncivilized people and tribal men – many believed so. This myth was far spread by everyone that British laid the foundation stone of modern civilization in India. This assumption was proved wrong exactly the same day when a British engineer John Marshall produced a few proofs in 1920 that there existed a great urban civilization in India about 3000 years ago, much advanced than even Egypt and Greek civilizations. In total surface area too, Indus valley civilization far exceeds other ancient civilizations of the world, thus fixing India’s position in the cultural map of the world. Thus many historians called Indus valley too the cradle of civilizations, along with Nile of Egypt and Euphrates-Tigris of Mesopotamia. Through this article, let us travel 3000 years back and go back to our ancestors who were far better than us in intelligence as well as architectural knowledge.
The mystery was unfolded in the year 1921
It is nothing short of a mysterious movie reel. This incident happened in the year 1921 when British were ruling India. They decided to construct a railway line connecting Lahore and Multan. While they were digging the soil for the project, first evidences of this civilization got exposed. An archeologist named John Marshall conducted experiments along with his team in this region bringing out many solid proofs of a culture that existed here centuries ago. With the help of R.D.Banerjee and H.M.Walsall, excavations were conducted in the surrounding regions and world witnessed the biggest civilization of the world and the mysterious truths.
Biggest of all civilizations
This great civilization existed during BC 2700-1750. That means, 1500 years before Aryans reached India there existed a great civilization here, highly advanced and developed. They were far advanced than Aryans too. Indus valley civilization also known ‘Sindhu river’ civilization that existed on the banks of river Sindhu is the largest of all civilizations. It is double in area of Nile river civilization and four times larger than Euphrates-Tigris river banks of Mesopotamia. Total surface area is above 5 lakh square kilometers! Thus on the banks of river Indus, a civilization was built millenniums ago and it went to ruins about 3000 years ago.
City planning is a great wonder
Their construction and engineering skills are still great wonders. Their vasthu and architecture gave preference to uses and benefits rather than concentrating only on the beauty of the city. Constructions and planning of both Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are almost similar. They gave equal preferences to roads, streets, junctions, lanes, dwellings and small broadways. Also, all constructions were almost uniform. Buildings were constructed using burnt bricks from kilns. An ordinary home had one inner courtyard, about 6 rooms, bathrooms, toilets, kitchen and well. It’s most amazing to know that each and every home had a drainage system also. Drainages were covered using natural stones or bricks. Two-storied homes were also made at that time with more than 30 rooms. Homes are of different sizes and shapes.
Iron? What is it?
People of this ancient civilization used metals like gold, silver, bronze, copper etc. But no traces of iron weapon were found. Weapons like axes, knifes, swords, bows and arrows were made of bronze and copper thus proving that they never used weapons for defense purposes. These soft weapons also prove the fact that they were peace loving persons who kept themselves away from wars and fights.
Common kitchen utensils
Kitchen utensils made of stone, clay and elephant tusks were discovered from Indus valley. Vessels made of soil and clay were burnt, well polished and coloured before using.
Beauty conscious Indus valley people
Inhabitants of this civilization were beauty conscious and loved ornaments a lot. Both males and females grew their hair and used hair pins of gold, silver and bronze to tie up their hairs. Both rich and poor used ornaments and their collection include waist chain, bangles, rings, chains etc. Men used to wear bangles, chains and rings while ladies used waist chain, anklets and ear rings also, along with the ornaments used by men. But remains of nose rings were not found in those discoveries. Among the ornaments mined out, gold, silver, oysters, diamonds, bones and bronze were most commonly seen.
Harappa – Constructions similar to Mohenjo-Daro
Harappa is situated in Punjab provinces of Montgomery district. This centre also shares almost same surface area as Mohenjo-Daro. Whole process of construction is well planned. In Mohenjo-Daro a well is present in each home premises while in Harappa, a public well is built at the starting point of every lane of the city.
Mohenjo-Daro – The valley of death
Mohenjo-Daro is now a part of Pakistan. It is located in Sind, in the western banks of Indus river – Larkana district. ‘Place of death people’ is the literal meaning of the word ‘Mohenjo-Daro’ in Sindhi language. There is a folk tale connected with this mysterious name of the city. Once there lived a cruel king in this city and seeing his bad deeds, God became angry and destroyed the city completely in one night. All people of the city lost their lives and thereafter, the city came to be known as Mohenjo-Daro.
Story of Sidon
From the remains dug from Mohenjo-Daro, pieces of cotton clothes were also obtained. It’s believed that banks of river Indus were once one among the centres of cotton cultivation. In Greek language, cotton is called Sidon. Certain historians and archeologists believe that ‘Sidon’ is derived from ‘Sindhu’, the original name of the river Indus.
A beautiful swimming pool
In Mohenjo-Daro, remains of a beautiful swimming pool were found. This pond makes us wonder even today and in architecture skills it’s far advanced too. This pond is 39 feet long, 23 feet wide and 8 feet deep. Burnt bricks were used for its construction and to add its beauty. There are provisions to fill and drain water from this pond. Separate bathrooms nearby are another specialties. This particular pond was mostly used to perform religious rituals.
Unopened letter locks!
Among all the remains found, most mysterious are the remains of writings and scripts. About 2000 seals have been found from these deep valleys and they still remain as unsolved puzzles. It attracted the attention of historians from all over the world. Many people even tried to decode those letter locks, but efforts are futile. These scripts have been compared with Sumerian Cuneiform, Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Indian black magic signs. Yet, still remain unreadable. So historians assume that they might be some business calculations, documents or accounts.
Cultivation with less effort
Sind people cultivated different agricultural products near the banks of Indus River. Flow of river brought with it fertile soil and in that moist soil, people cultivated cotton, barley, maize, wheat, water melon, palm, banana, sesame and peas. But solid proofs have not got yet about rice cultivation in the banks of Indus river. But in Lothal (one among the most prominent cities of Indus valley civilization) and Rangpur of Gujarat remains of rice husk have been found in clay pots. Among birds, they kept hens at homes. They also kept goat, bulls and sheep. It’s believed that continuous farming in exactly the same locations resulted in the loss of fertility of soil thus resulting in the gradual death of this civilization.
How did the sun set in the valleys forever?
Till now, it’s a mystery. No solid proof is telling about the death of this civilization. Harappa civilization was completely ended around 1500 BC and historians have contradictory opinions for its reasons. Floods of Indus river, scarcity of water, natural calamities, change of direction of Indus river – conclusions derived are many. Loss in agriculture and invasion of Aryans are other quoted reasons. It’s believed that when Aryans reached India with strong iron weapons and chariots with horses, peace loving people couldn’t resist them.
Image source: Wikipedia
Egypt is a land of mysteries, magics, and mummies. It is a known fact that ancient Egyptians performed magical rituals during funerals. Most of the Egyptian paintings on tombs, temples, and pyramids suggest that mummies could return to life and seek revenge. This concept was intensified among people when the Hollywood movie, "The Mummy" was released. We can argue that this movie was based on fiction but even today the curse of Tutankhamen is a mystery for archaeologists all over he world. He is the most popular Egyptian pharaoh known to the modern people. More than 90 years had passed since the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb but still today the curse of Tutankhamen is haunting archaeologists.
Who Was Tutankhamen
Tutankhamen was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled between 1333 BC to 1324 BC. He was born with the name Tutankhaten given by his father because he worshipped the sun god "Aten" but later in his life Tutankhaten changed his name to Tutankhamen to signify the importance of "Amun", a god of air, and fertility. He became the ruler of Egypt at the young age of eight and he was popularly known as King Tut. As he was very young to rule, he was helped by Nefertiti's father. Tutankhamen was married to Nefertiti's daughter, Ankhesenpaaten but she did not gave any child to him. Archaeological facts prove that Ankhesenpaaten miscarried twice and even today two mummified bodies of still born baby girls can be found near Tutankhamen's tomb in small coffins. He ruled as the king of Egypt for nearly ten years before he died in his late teens.
Cause Of Tutankhamen's Death
Many scientific tests were carried out to find the cause of Tutankhamen's death. With the use of latest technologies, scientists have reached at two conclusions. The first theory is that Tutankhamen might have suffered a fatal blow to the back of his head, either accidentally or deliberately. If the second part of this theory is taken into consideration, then he was murdered. The second theory states that he might have broken or fractured his leg which got infected and he died as a result of infection. In the year 2005, a CAT scan was performed on Tutankhamen's body which revealed that his height was about 5 foot, 8 inches and he was well nourished.
Tutankhamen's Remains Are Made Public
Tutankhamen's remains are still contained in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings at Luxor, Egypt. If you are a fan of mysteries and mummies then you don't want to miss the chance of seeing Tutankhamen's popular burial mask which is preserved in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Curse Of The Pharaohs
The Curse of the Pharaohs or "Mummy's curse" emerged during the 7th century. The most important aspect of this curse is that ancient Egyptians used different kinds of magic to protect the tomb of pharaohs from intruders and a person is cursed when he tries to enter or disturb the tomb of a pharaoh. It is also believed that death comes on wings to whoever tries to enter the tomb of a pharaoh. There is also a popular belief that the curse of pharaohs can also make mummies alive so that they can see their revenge. The most famous and historical event related to the curse of pharaohs occurred in the year 1923.
The Curse Of King Tut
On February 17, 1923, British archaeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, who funded the search for King Tut's tomb, entered the long obscured burial chamber of King Tut in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. At that time, more than 20 archaeologists and dignitaries were present to watch the unsealing of King Tutankhamen's burial chamber. Carter found that the burial chamber was filled with ancient treasures, while most of the treasures from other pharaohs tombs were long since looted by thieves but no thief had dared to enter the burial chamber of King Tut. Carnarvon dreamt of excavating the most famous Egyptian treasure ever found in modern history but he never realized that by stepping into this burial chamber he had not only sold his dreams but also his life. The events that occurred after this fateful day shows the power of pharaohs curse.
The Cursed Events
1.Warning On Clay Tablet
When Carter and Carnarvon entered the outer chamber of King Tut's tomb, they found a clay tablet in which it was written that, "Death shall come on swift wings to him who disturbs the peace of the king." They never took this warning seriously and died swiftly.
2. Carter's Pet Canary Dies
Carter had a pet canary and on the day of burial chamber opening, the canary was eaten by a Cobra. According to the ancient Egyptian symbols, a cobra is a symbol of Pharaohs.
3. Carnarvon's Death
The first human victim of King Tut's curse was Lord Carnarvon. On March 6, 1923, he was bitten by a mosquito on his cheek. This bite got infected and this led to pneumonia, from which he died on April 5, 1923.
4. Complete Blackout
When Carnarvon died at Cairo Hospital, at that exact moment, all the lights across Cairo went off for five minutes.
5. Carnarvon's Dog Susie Dies
When Carnarvon died at Cairo Hospital, his dog Susie was in far-off England. Carnarvon died at 2 o'clock in the morning and exactly at that time his dog in England started howling and died.
6. The Crew Members Died
Most of the people who were present during the opening ceremony of King Tut's burial chamber met untimely deaths. The current calculations shows that out of 26 people who were present at that time, 6 of them had died. The reports that came out during the opening of King Tut's tomb tells a different story. If that reports are to be believed then out of 20 people, 13 people died within a few years, who were present when the tomb was opened. It is also believed that this curse did not affected the native Egyptians who were present at that time.
Scientific Explanation
So is there really any truth behind this curse? Some theorists wanted to prove that this curse was just mere superstition and they explained the death of Carnarvon on the basis of scientific methodology stating that he might have died because of inhaling fatal toxins while he entered the burial chamber of King Tut's tomb. Some scientists also believe that he died because his respiratory system was severely damaged due to inhalation of anthrax spores. This hypothesis has no strong base to support its cause because even if Carnarvon came in contact with harmful toxins he should have died within a week after his first exposure but he died only after two months from the day of opening the burial chamber.
The mystery continues. Even today we don't know whether the people who died were actually victims of some supernatural force who killed them for invading their secret chambers or they died due to some scientific phenomenon.
Image Source: Wikimedia
Being a Delhiite I am also in love with Delhi as much as the other people who are residing here since many years, decades or even ages. It has always been wonderful experience writing about the topics you love the most so here I am telling you about the history of the city and the monuments you must visit when in the city I am in love with – Delhi!
The History
The Capital of our Nation has a history dating back to the times of the epic Mahabarata when it was known by the name of Indraprastha. It was the city of the Pandavas some 3000 years back around 1000B.C. and was previously known as Khandava-Prastha. The city has a rich history with each and every monument having a story behind its establishment. Every site in the city speaks of its rich heritage and culture.
Qutab-ud-din Aybak the first ruler of the Turkic Slave Dynasty whose reign saw the establishment of the splendid Qutub Minar and Quwwat-al-Islam formed the Delhi Sultanate in 1206. Delhi at that time had seven cities under it. Sufism flourished during the Sultanate rule in the city. The Turkic dynasties that followed in period lead to the construction of many monuments in the city that are now flocked by thousands of visitors daily.
In 1398, Timur Lenk who invaded India ransacked Delhi and massacred 100,000 captives near the city. Later in the year of 1526, a descendant of Timur Lenk namely Zahiruddin Babur invaded India and snatched Delhi from the rule of the Lodhi Sultan. He won over the Lodhi Sultan in the first battle of Panipat. Subsequently it lead to the foundation of the Mughal Empire in Delhi and Agra for more than 3 centuries. During the period of 1553-1556 the Mughal Emperor Humayun was defeated by Hindu King Hemu Vikramaditya. Delhi and Agra got their new ruler but only till the second battle of Panipat took place which again lead to the rise of the Mughal Empire in Delhi. The Hindu ruler was defeated by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The seventh city in Delhi by the name of Shahjahanbad was built by the emperor Shahjahan. Shahjahanbad served as the capital of the Mughal dynasty for many years. We better know it as Old Delhi now. With the prominent rise of the Hindu Maratha Empire the Mughal Empire started shrinking. Eventually in 1737 the Marathas gained power over Delhi and forced out the Mughals by defeating them in the first Battle of Delhi. During that time after the Battle of Karnal in 1739 the Turkic ruler Nader Shah belonging to the Afsharid Dynasty invaded the city of Delhi and ransacked it of valuable treasures and took away the beautiful peacock throne. The Marathas were defeated and throne off the throne in 1757. However the Marathas regained the power yet again but the victory was short lived and they lost the throne to Abdali in the third battle of Panipat in 1761. However in 1772 the Mughal King Shah Alam II ruled the city.
In the year 1803 the British East India Company set its footsteps in Delhi by defeating the Marathas. Delhi was made a district province of Punjab in 1857 by the British Government. It was in 1911 that Delhi was made the official capital under the rule of the British. The status of the capital was till then enjoyed by Calcutta. On the 15th of August 1947 Delhi was declared as the capital of independent India.
The monuments to visit of you come here
Delhi houses a number of monuments that have stood strong since centuries and reflect the rich heritage of the city and its culture. Here are the ones you must include in you must visit list if you are in the city!
The Red Fort
Also known as the Lal Quila in Hindi was built by the Mughal King Shahjahan in 1648. It is a structure built of red sandstone with a wall stretching around 2.4 kilometers. The majestic fort is visited by hundreds of tourists daily.
Purana Quila
It is also known as the Old fort. The legends say that the Pandavas from the epic of Mahabharata had built their capital at the place where we see the Old fort of Delhi today. Many rulers who ruled the city in the history housed this fort. The courageous Prithiviraj Chauhan too ruled Delhi from this fort.
India gate
India gate stands tall with a height of 42meters. It was designed by the architect Lutyens as homage to the soldiers who died during the Second World War. It is a favorite among Delhiites who throng the place to hang around on any other casual day. Be it any day one will always find people of all ages hanging around the place having fun with their family and friends.
Qutab Minar
The Qutab Minar was built by Qutub-ud-din in 1199 AD. The tower is of 72.5meters height though the entry to the topmost point of the tower which was once open is closed now and the general public is not allowed to climb up to the top. There is an iron pillar in front of the tower that was set up in the 5th century that interestingly has never caught rust. The tower has a mosque at its base.
Lotus Temple
One of the most beautiful sites to visit it was built in the year 1986 and is a Bahai temple. The lotus shaped temple is beautiful from outside and has a peaceful serenity inside best suited for meditation. Beautiful lawns surround the temple.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan
The house of the serving president of India is a masterpiece that was designed by Edwin Lutyens in the year 1931 covering an area of 4.5acres with sprawling lawns. It has a record 340 rooms for the president and his VIP guests. The magnificent structure has a Durbar Hall where all the important official ceremonies are held. The Mughal garden to the west beautifully adorns the place.
Jantar Mantar
An astral observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur on 1719. He made astral observations for almost seven long years before finalizing and building up the structure. It also serves as a gathering point for various groups in the city.
Jamma Masjid
The largest mosques in the country the Jamma Masjid was built by Shah Jahan in 1658. If you climb up to the top of the minaret of the mosque you can have a bird’s eye view of the city.
Apart from these monuments there is the Humayun's tomb, Rajghat, Birla temple and many more. Most of them have been listed under Heritage sites of the country. So if you are not a Delhiite and planning to visit the city make it a point to stay here for a few days and explore the beauty and heritage of the capital of our Nation.
History - Lord Mallikarjuna swamy & Goddess Kamakshi Devi Temple
Kashyapa Maharishi, whose father is Dattatreya, has performed Yagna for the world peace, at the bank of the river Pinakini which is nearest to the Talpagiri. After the completion of Yagna, Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy appeared to Kashyapa Maharshi. Then Kashyapa Maharshi asked Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy about Goddess Kamakshi Devi, saying if she also appears with him he will be happier. With the request of Kashyapa, Kamakshi devi appeared. Therefore, Kashyapa Maharshi installed Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Kamakshi Devi statues in the temple and used to perform Pooja daily.
Present - Story of Lord MallikarjunaSwamy & Goddess Kamakshi Devi Temple
When a cowboy took his cattle for a walk early morning in an open place, there he found something shining in the mud and he started digging. Then he found Lord Siva statue. He showed to the village people and the village people installed the statue in the temple. After few days a fisherman found the Goddess Kamakshi Devi statue in his fishing. When people got aware of this news, everyone is very happy and they installed Goddess Kamakshi Devi in the temple beside Lord Siva.
People of that village offered Non Vegetarian food to the Lord Siva and Goddess Kamakshi. Therefore, Goddess Kamakshi at midnights used to laugh and scream loudly, then comes out the temple and has hens, cows and cranes. Therefore, people felt misery about the Goddess as she should protect the world but she is destroying the world by killing creatures. At such situation, a person’s name Siva, has entered the village and visited the temple of Lord Mallikarjuna & Goddess Kamakshi Devi and performed Pooja. He decided to stay in temple at night. But the village people were worried about that person Siva as goddess may harass him. People warned him by telling about Goddess behavior at night time as it may be risky for him. Siva gave word to the people that he will protect them and stop goddess from destructing the creatures. So in Midnight Goddess laughed loudly and tried to go out of the temple then she threatened Siva to leave her way. Then that person Siva prayed her by chanting slokas which cool the anger of the Goddess. Siva has fixed a Sri chakra in front of the goddess and said if she wants her devotees to serve her then she should stop her behavior. Then Goddess Kamakshi Devi asked Siva, how to bless and give boon to the people who serve her. Then Siva replied to the Goddess, she should bless them through their dreams and help them so that they become happy.
Hence, Kamakshi Devi started being as Siva said. Then she gave a boon to her devotees that if anyone who sleep in the temple at night then their problems will be solved.
About Kamakshi Devi Temple
The Kamakshi Devi temple is located at Jonnavada 15km away from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. Devotees believe that she is a Goddess of Peace. The Pinakini River is situated left side of the Kamakshi Devi temple. There you can find 3 statues of ladies holding trisula in their hands. Open place is surrounded around the Kamakshi temple. After entering inside the temple, there will be Kalyan mandap (where marriages are performed), Balipeetam and dwajasthambam (Holy Pillar). Then we reach Kamakshi Devi Goddess. A small and a big Nandi’s are placed in front of the dwajasthambam. The history of the temple was written on the pillars inside. There are many pillars inside the temple.
Having lived in Jaipur for quite a few years I soon learned about this place called Bhangarh in Rajasthan which is regarded as one of the most haunted places in India. Before visiting the place I had heard a lot about the place form a number of people. Some even said you won’t be able to click pictures inside the fort there because of the supernatural activities. Now that increased my excitement many folds and I along with my group of friends decided to go and explore the palace.
How to reach
We set for the place early in the morning with loads of excitement and a bag pack of food. Bhangarh lies at a distance of 78Km from the capital city of Rajasthan. It took us almost 1 and a half hour to reach the fort by road. It lies in the district of Alwar. The roads are smooth so you can expect a buttery ride till you reach the fort.
History of the place
The fort of Bhangarh was built in 1573 by Raja Bhagawant Das who was the ruler of Amber city at that time. The fort was home to Prince Madho Singh who was the second son of the king. From 1630 to 1783 the fort saw the death of Chhatr Singh who was the son of Madho Singh and a destructive famine that resulted in its complete abandonment.
The story behind the haunted place
Legends have told many stories regarding the place and its ill fate and I bring to you two stories that I found to be the most interesting ones. The first story says there was a beautiful princess of Bhangarh called Ratnavati whose beauty was considered matchless in the whole city of Rajasthan. Many people wanted to marry her. Keeping the wish to marry the princess in his heart was a magician of Bhangarh who desperately liked her. One day while the princess’s maid in the market buying scented oils for her mistress. He made a wicked plan and using his black magic he added a spell to the oil that would have hypnotized the princess and caused her to surrender herself to him as soon as she would have touched the oil. But the princess foiling his plan threw the bottle of oil that pushed a rock that rolled down towards the magician crushing him badly. Broken in heart and body the magician while dying cursed the palace with the death of all those who lived in it without any rebirth. It is said that the very next year Ratnavati died.
The second story talks about Bhangarh being cursed by the Guru Balu Nath who had at the time of establishment of the town warned the king that “The moment the shadows of your palaces touch me, the city shall be no more!" Ignoring his warning the town was raised and thus it lead to the destruction and complete evacuation from the area. The small Samadhi of Balu Ram is still there.
What we saw
As I entered the small fort area I could only see ruins of the palace far up to the point my eyes could reach. There was some unusualness in the place that attracted me and many tourists present there. The first thing we came across was the sign board that read that entry after sunset is prohibited. That was an unusual guideline by the Archaeological Survey of India leaving a lot to your imaginations to think. A local dressed in a dhoti and turban added to our anxiety when he warned us that, “you girls must cover up your head before entering the palace to stay safe from spirits”. The place has a sense of loneliness in its air as it stood in ruins disserted since ages. Firstly you come across the market ruins that might have flourished some ages back. The shop ruins looked as if the market was cut down at the same level. It must have been a big one though. A local said the market is still lively during the mid nights but not for the living. A temple was present in the fort and another one at a higher level above the fort area. People had piled stones making house like structures in front of the temple; it’s said that those who come here with a wish make these structures as a ritual to house their wishes. The barren hills around the fort added to the unusualness of Bhangarh.
We took many pictures in and outside the palace and if you want to know about the clarity then I tell you each moment captured by us was picture perfect. The innumerable stones and rocks that once adorned the beautiful walls of Bhngarh fort now lay on the ground carrying with them the untold mysteries surrounding the Bhangarh fort. They might be the only witnesses to the fate of the fort and whether the place has some supernatural visitors after the world sleeps.
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