Manushi Chhillar (born 14 May 1997) is an Indian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World 2017. She was previously crowned Femina Miss India 2017 on 25 June 2017. Chhillar is the sixth Indian woman to win Miss World, and the first since Priyanka Chopra won Miss World 2000.
On 25 June 2017, Chhillar took part in the Femina Miss India 2017 competition, representing the state of Haryana. During the competition, Chhillar was crowned Miss Photogenic[6], and went on to win the competition as well, earning the right to represent India at the Miss World 2017 competition.
At Miss World 2017, Chhillar became a semifinalist in the Top Model, People's Choice, and Multimedia competitions, while she was a winner of Head-to-Head Challenge from Group-9 and co-winner of the Beauty with a Purpose competition. Chhillar's Beauty with a Purpose project was Project Shakti. The campaign's goal is to spread awareness about menstrual hygiene. She visited about 20 villages for the project and treated over 5,000 women.
Will Germans be the eventual custodians of Sanskrit, its rich heritage and culture? If the demand for Sanskrit and Indology courses in Germany is any indication, that’s what the future looks like.
Unable to cope with the flood of applications from around the world, the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, had to start a summer school in spoken Sanskrit in Switzerland, Italy and - believe it or not - India too.
“When we started it 15 years ago, we were almost ready to shut it after a couple of years. Instead, we had to increase strength and take the course to other European countries,” said Professor Dr. Axel Michaels, head of classical Indology at the university.
The summer school in spoken Sanskrit at the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, is attended by students from all over the world
In Germany, 14 of the top universities teach Sanskrit, classical and modern Indology compared to just four in the UK. The summer school spans a month in August every year and draws applications from across the globe.
“So far, 254 students from 34 countries have participated in this course. Every year we have to reject many applications,” said Dr. Michaels.
Apart from Germany, the majority of students come from the US, Italy, the UK and the rest of Europe.
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Professor Dr. Axel Michaels, Head of Classical Indology at the University of Heidelberg, says students from 34 countries have taken the course
Linking Sanskrit with religion and a certain political ideology was “stupid” and “detrimental to the cause” of its rich heritage, the professor said.
“Even the core thoughts of Buddhism were in the Sanskrit language. To better understand the genesis of oriental philosophy, history, languages, sciences and culture, it’s essential to read the original Sanskrit texts as these are some of the earliest thoughts and discoveries,” he added.
Francesca Lunari, a medical student who has been studying Sanskrit at Heidelberg University, agreed.
“I am interested in psychoanalysis and must know how human thoughts originated through texts, cultures and societies. I will learn Bangla also to decipher the seminal works of Girindra Sekhar Bose, a pioneer of oriental psychiatry who has hardly been studied – even in India. Learning Sanskrit is the first step,” she said.
Languages such as Bangla, in which Bose had written his theories challenging Freud, might face a crisis similar to Sanskrit because of the onslaught of English if these languages aren’t preserved within households, felt Dr Hans Harder, head of the department of modern South Asian languages and literatures (modern Indology), Heidelberg University.
“A significant part of the global cultural heritage will become extinct if major languages like Hindi and Bangla fall prey to Indian English which, in the process, has only got poorer,” he added.
An expert in Bangla, Hindi and Urdu apart from European languages, Harder cautioned against such a disaster as more upwardly mobile families stop teaching their own language to their children.
Studying ethno-Indology helps contextualise and link subjects to ancient texts.
“One can better understand evolution of politics and economics by studying Arthashastra by Chanakya,” said Dr. Michaels.
So this semester the institute is offering a course on ‘human physiology and psychology in the early Upanishads’ by Anand Mishra, an IIT mathematics graduate who took up the study of Sanskrit for his research on evolving a more grammatically suitable computing language.
PM Narendra Modi with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
“Working on Panini’s Sanskrit grammar, I realised it could be a great tool in computing language,” said Mishra.
Dr. Michaels feels that instead of indulging in a political and religious debate, Indians should try to preserve their heritage.
“Don’t we conserve a rare, old painting or sculpture? This is a live language…and rich cultural heritage which might become the casualty of neglect just as great civilisations like Hampi, the art of Ajanta and temples of Konark got buried in oblivion. It was up to the British to discover them later. Sanskrit, along with its culture, philosophy and science might become similarly extinct,” he claimed, adding: “On the other hand, there is so much yet to discover through Sanskrit…details of Indus Valley civilisation, for example.”
Germany has already been a storehouse of Sanskrit scholars to the world.
“The majority of Sanskrit scholars, including those at Harvard, California Berkeley and the UK, are Germans,” he said.
But why?
“Probably because we never colonised India and maintained a romantic view about it,” quipped Dr. Michaels.
'Language cannot shake secularism'
India's secularism is not so weak that it will be shaken just because of a language, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said in the backdrop of a row over Sanskrit replacing German in government-run schools in India.
Addressing a reception for the Indian community on Monday, Modi referred to a time decades ago, when German radio had a news bulletin in Sanskrit.
“In India, there was no news bulletin in Sanskrit at that time because perhaps it was thought that secularism would be endangered,” the prime minister said.
Modi said India’s secularism is not so weak that it will be shaken just because of a language. One should have self-confidence.
Self-confidence should not be shaken, he added.
The prime minister did not elaborate, but his veiled comments assume significance as these came months after a row over replacing of German as third language in government-run Kendirya Vidyalaya schools with Sanskrit. -PTI
Experts bat for Sanskrit in schools
By Mail Today Bureau in New Delhi
Even as the row over replacing German with Sanskrit in Kendriya Vidyalays partly resurfaced in far away in Berlin, educationists back home feel that it is very important to introduce Sanskrit at the school level to enable students have a better understanding of the subject.
“Sanskrit is an essential part of every Indian soul. Without the language, the society loses its identity. From Raja Ram Mohan Roy to Mahatma Gandhi, everyone was inspired by the language. The whole renaissance period was based on Sanskrit literature,” Professor Ramesh Bharadwaj, head of the Sanskrit department at Delhi University, told Mail Today.
Educationists feel it is important to introduce Sanskrit at school level as it will enable students to have a better understanding of the subject
Historians, meanwhile, feel that successive governments have taken no initiatives to promote the language among the people.
“The central and state governments, which came to power after Independence, have not extended their support to the language. Our country is known for its culture, religion and philosophical ideas. One cannot treat religious sentiments and Sanskrit separately,” Bharadwaj added.
Recently, the Human Resources Development (HRD) ministry’s internal enquiry into the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Germany, making German the third language in Kendriya Vidyalayas, has revealed that neither the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghathan (KVS) nor the ministry realised that the move was a violation of the three-language formula.
According to the three-language formula, schools are required to teach Hindi, English and a modern Indian language in schools. Sanskrit, however, is said to be a popular option in northern states.
“We want all Indian languages to be promoted because only five to six per cent of people in India understand English. Most of them, even today, work in their regional language. No other language can be understood if there is no proper understanding of Sanskrit,” the HoD of the Sanskrit department said.
Meanwhile, while on his tour to Germany, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s secularism is not so weak that it could be shaken because of a language.
Experts feel that Modi’s statement is in accordance with the Indian Constitution. Though Modi did not elaborate on the issue, his comments are being seenin context with his government’s decision to replace German with Sanskrit in over 500 schools.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has had many remarkable milestones since their launch in 1969. They have time and again proved that they completely stand by their vision to ‘harness space technology for national development’. Their achievements over the years has created a standard par excellence for other government agencies as well. Here are the 10 times that achievements of ISRO has made every Indian feel proud. Created a world record by launching 104 satellites in single mission, 2017: On February 15, 2017, ISRO created history by lifting off 104 satellites using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), an Indian rocket. The launch took place on the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh and successfully managed to put these satellites into their desired orbit in one go. 101 were foreign satellites out of the 104 launched. It also included the Cartostat-2 series, India’s earth observation satellite. Mangalyaan or MOM, 2014: Thanks to ISRO, India became the first country to successfully reach Mars in its first attempt. ISRO also became one of the only four space organisations to have reached the red planet, apart from NASA, Soviet Space Programme and the European Space Programme. Mars Orbiter Mission or MOM had a budget of just Rs. 450 crore, making this Mars mission the least expensive till now. The goal of the mission was to collect more data on the atmosphere of the planet.
Image Source: Pleasant Personal BlogChandrayaan 1, 2008: On October 22, 2008, a 312 days unmanned lunar mission was launched. It was India’s first mission to moon and was a breakthrough in its space mission as it was one of the only six space organisations to attempt this. The aim of the mission revolved around understanding the entire topography and chemical characteristics. Though, ISRO lost contact with Chandrayaan but it was after the country’s national flag was proudly hoisted on the moon.
Image Source: India TodayHeaviest Commercial Mission, 2015: Heaviest commercial mission was taken up by ISRO where they launched 1440 kg of load. Five British satellites were launched as part of the mission using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C28 on July 10, 2015. This commercial installation mission was launched from Sriharikota and included three optical earth observation satellites of 447 kg each along with two auxiliary satellites.
Image Source: India TVIndian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS): With the operational name, NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), these group of seven satellites will help India build its own navigation system. The navigation covers an area of 15,000 km around our country. Two more satellites are present as a standby in the ground station apart from the seven satellites being used for operations. This made India one of the five countries to have its own navigation system in place.
Image Source: Indian ExpressSpace Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), 2007: On January 10, 2007, an Indian experiment spacecraft was launched using the PSLV C7 rocket from Sriharikota. It was launched along with three other satellites to display the ability of recovering an orbiting space capsule. The intention was to test other things such as Thermal Protection System, management of communication blackout, navigation, guidance and control, etc. Before reentering the atmosphere of the earth and diving into the Bay of Bengal, the capsule stayed in the orbit for 12 days.
Image Source: Space.comIndian National Satellite System (INSAT), 1983: Launched by ISRO, INSAT is a series of multi purpose geostationary satellites. It helped with telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology, and search and rescue operations. The satellites built a communication system all across Asia Pacific region. There are nine working satellites in the group.
Image Source: Indian ExpressGLSV MK3, 2014: ISRO launched GSLV-MK3 on December, 2014, that has an Indian made crew capsule which can carry up to three astronauts to space. India will become a part of the exclusive group of space cruising nations which can take humans to space. It is one of the heaviest rockets and is capable of carrying 4 tonnes of load. Now, ISRO is planning to launch GSLV MK4, the next level of this operation, which would be able to carry 6 tonnes.
Image Source: The Economic TimesReusable Launch Vehicle (RLV): These space shuttles were built at a very low cost of Rs. 95 crores.The intention was to reduce the satellite costs and these are reusable space shuttles.
Image Source: The WireAryabhatta, 1975: Aryabhatta is India’s first satellite and has been named after the famous astronomer. It was the spacecraft to be entirely built in the country making a breakthrough in space missions.
India, a South Asian nation, is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country with over 1.33 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. India boasts of an immensely rich cultural heritage including numerous languages, traditions and people. The country holds its uniqueness in its diversity and hence has adapted itself to international changes with poise and comfort. While the economy has welcomed international companies to invest in it with open arms since liberalisation in 1990s, Indians have been prudent and pro-active in adopting global approach and skills. Indian villagers proudly take up farming, advanced agriculture and unique handicrafts as their profession on one hand while modern industries and professional services sectors are coming up in a big way on the other. Thus, the country is attracting many global majors for strategic investments owing to the presence of vast range of industries, investment avenues and a supportive government. Huge population, mostly comprising the youth, is a strong driver for demand and an ample source of manpower. Location: India lies to the north of the equator in Southern Asia Latitude: 8° 4' to 37° 6' north Longitude: 68° 7' to 97° 25' east Neighbouring Countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan share political borders with India on the West while Bangladesh and Myanmar stand adjacent on the Eastern borders. The northern boundary comprises the Sinkiang province of China, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. Sri Lanka is another neighbouring country which is separated by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. Capital: New Delhi Coastline: 7,517 km, including the mainland, the coastlines of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea. Climate: Southern India majorly enjoys tropical climate but northern India experiences temperatures from sub-zero degrees to 50 degrees Celsius. Winters embrace northern India during December to February while springs blossom in March and April. Monsoons arrive in June and stay till September, followed by autumn in October and November. Area: India measures 3,214 km from north to south and 2,933 km from east to west with a total area of 3,287,263 sq km. Natural Resources: Coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land. Land: 2,973,190 sq km Water: 314,070 sq km Political Profile Political System and Government: The world's largest democracy implemented its Constitution in 1950 that provided for a parliamentary system of Government with a bicameral parliament and three independent branches: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The country has a federal structure with elected governments in States. Administrative Divisions: 29 States and 7 Union Territories Constitution: The Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950 Executive Branch: The President of India is the Head of State, while the Prime Minister is the Head of the government and runs office with the support of the Council of Ministers who forms the Cabinet. Legislative Branch: The Federal Legislature comprises of the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) forming both the Houses of the Parliament. Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court of India is the apex body of the Indian legal system, followed by other High Courts and subordinate Courts. Chief of State: President, Mr Ramnath Kovind (since July 25, 2017) Head of Government: Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi (since May 26, 2014) Demographic profile Population: 1,326,801,000 Population Growth Rate: 1.2 per cent (2015) Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism Languages: Hindi, English and at least 16 other official languages Literacy: Total population: 74.04 per cent (provisional data-2011 census) Male: 82.14 per cent Female: 65.46 per cent Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Life expectancy: 66.9 years (men), 69.9 years (women) (2015 – WHO 2016 Report) Economic Profile Indian Economy According to The World Bank, the Indian economy will likely grow at 7 per cent in 2016-17, followed by further acceleration to 7.6 per cent in 2017-18 and 7.8 per cent in 2018-19.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Composition by Sector (2016 Estimate)
Services: 45.4 per cent
Industry: 29.8 per cent
Agriculture: 16.5 per cent
Forex Reserves: US$ 366.78 billion as on March 17, 2017.
Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) at current prices: Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) at current prices stood at Rs 8,797.63 billion (US$ 135.36 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Value of Exports: India's exports stood at US$ 29.23 billion in March 2017.
Export Partners: US, Germany, UAE, China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and European Union. India is also tapping newer markets in Africa and Latin America.
Currency (code): Indian rupee (INR)
Exchange Rates: Indian rupees per US dollar - 1 USD = 65.0892 INR (March 27, 2017)
Fiscal Year: April 01 – March 31
Cumulative FDI Equity Inflows: US$ 324.357 billion (April 2000 to December 2016)
Share of Top Investing Countries FDI Equity Inflows: Mauritius (34 per cent), Singapore (16 per cent), UK (8 per cent), Japan (8 per cent), USA (6 per cent), Netherlands (6 per cent) (as in December 2016)
Major Sectors Attracting Highest FDI Equity Inflows: Services Sector (18 per cent), Construction Development (8 per cent), Computer Software and Hardware (7 per cent), Telecommunications (7 per cent), Automobile (5 per cent), Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (4 per cent), Chemical (4 per cent), Trading (4 per cent) (as in December 2016)
Transportation in India Airports: Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages 125 airports in the country, which includes 18 international aerodromes, 78 domestic ones and 26 civil enclaves at defence airfields. International Airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Port Blair, Srinagar, Jaipur, Nagpur, Calicut, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore Railways: The Indian Railways network is spread over 108,706 km, with 12,617 passenger and 7,421 freight trains each day from 7,172 stations plying 23 million travellers and 3 million tonnes (MT) of freight daily. Roadways: India’s road network of 4.87 million km is the second largest in the world. With the number of vehicles growing at an average annual pace of 10.16 per cent, Indian roads carry about 65 per cent of freight and 85 per cent of passenger traffic. Waterways: 14,500 km Major Ports of Entry: Chennai, Ennore, Haldia, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Kolkata, Kandla, Kochi, Mormugao, Mumbai, New Mangalore, Paradip, Tuticorin and Vishakhapatnam.
“India is the cradle of human race also the birthplace of human speech. The mother of history, the grandmother of legend also the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most constructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.”
–These were the beautiful lines given by Mark Twain.
India is a land of dreams in which about a seventh of our world’s population resides. It is also a country which has one of the richest and most vivid histories and heritage, In addition, it is the largest democracy in the world.
India is famous for a lot of things around the world from yoga to its diversity from its travel destinations to its rich past but one thing that this country is better at doing than most is celebrating festivals, lots of festivals.
Presenting the list of top things which makes India unique from rest of the world!!!
1. Country of festivals!!
India has diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, so it gets to celebrate festivals of different types, tastes, and colors. As a result, it makes festivities in this country so special to experience.
From the starting till the end…..every month comes with a particular festival in India. Here people don’t need a floor to dance. As Celebrations on streets during Durga Puja, Ganesh Chathurthi, Janamashtmi and Holi shows the real dancing talents of Indians.
India is having one of the rich and oldest cultures.
“India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across the border.” -Hu Shih
2. Famous Holy Yatra in India
Yatra in Hinduism and other Indian religions generally means a pilgrimage to holy places.
Millions of devotees visit this auspicious holy Yatra and pay homage to the temples every year. The Yatra offers you a sense of belongingness, heart Purity and the act of self-actualization in life.
Two of most sacred Yatra in India are “Char Dham Yatra” by Hindu and “Hajj Yatra” by Muslim.
The famous Yatra in India are-
Hajj Yatra
Amaranth Yatra
Vaishno Devi
Kashi Yatra
Chota Char Dham Yatra
Ratha Yatra
3. Colorful Clothes!!
Indian Clothing is renowned throughout the world, for its hand-woven textiles, ethnic wears, richly embroidered fabrics, authentic drapes in exclusive designs. Hence perfectly depicting the richness of the cultural heritage. As a result, the Indian clothing style is considered as unique and exclusive.
A lot of variations including regional as well as religions mark the styles of Indian clothing. Also, plethora of colors and textures in garments can be witnessed in Indian Clothing.
Traditional Indian clothing for women are the saris or the salwar kameez and also Ghaghra Cholis (Lehengas). For men, traditional clothes are the Dhoti, Lungi or Kurta.
4. Fair or Mela!!
India is also known as a “land of vibrant celebration”. One can see the culture of India during the celebration of various fairs celebrated with high spirit and enthusiasm in each and every town.
Most of the fair held in India are either religious fairs or celebration of the change of seasons.
Kumbh Mela is the largest peaceful fair in the world. Mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river.
Pushkar Fair is one of the world’s largest camel fairs and livestock fair. In addition Competitions such as the “matka phod”, “longest mustache”, and “bridal competition” are the main draws for this fair which attracts thousands of tourists.
5. Bollywood!!
The world’s movie capital is not Hollywood but Bollywood. Bollywood is the nickname for the Indian film industry located in Bombay (now known as Mumbai).
The film industry has given the world some of the finest actors and filmmakers. People like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Hrithik Roshan started their careers in this industry.
Asha Bhosle has recorded up to 11000 solo, duets and chorus backed songs and several others in over 20 Indian languages since 1947. So, officially acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist in music history in 2011.
In addition to Hindi Film Industry, the country also has film industries which produce films in various languages like Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi and Bhojpuri etc.
6. Yoga and Youg Guru!!
Yoga, is the journey of the self, to the self, through the self. Yoga has been an intrinsic part of Indian ethos for over 5000 years.
Maharishi Patanjali is the ‘father of Yoga’ who compiled 195 Yoga Sutras that became the foundation of Yoga philosophy.
Yoga has gone through various transitions during the last fifty years but now has earned well-deserved respect and recognition.
International Day of Yoga or commonly referred to as “Yoga Day” is celebrated annually on June 21 since its inception in 2015.
7. 35 World Heritage Sites in India!!
There are 35World Heritage Sites (27 cultural and 7 natural sites and 1 mixed) in India that are recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as on July 2016.
These World Heritage Sites in India are considered to be of immense cultural and natural importance in the world.
These sites are-
Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University), Bihar
Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim
Capitol Complex, Chandigarh
Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh
Rani Ki Vav, Patan, Gujarat
Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal, Karnataka
Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Madhya Pradesh
Hill Forts of Rajasthan
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Churches and Convents of Goa
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
Great Living Chola Temples, Tamil Nadu
up of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh
Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra
Kaziranga Wild Life Sanctuary, Assam
Manas Wild Life Sanctuary, Assam
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, Uttarakhand
Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
Western Ghats
Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi
Red Fort Complex, Delhi
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), Maharashtra
Sun Temple, Konark, Odisha
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh
Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Mountain Railways of India
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, New Delhi
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat
8. 8 Indian Classical Dance Forms!!
India has a very rich culture of dance and music including traditional, classical, folk and Tribal dances styles and music.
In the Indian culture, classical dance has a lot of significance. Because it serves as a fabulous way to express the innate feelings of the heart.
The Classical Dances of India includes Bharatanatyam, the oldest form of the classical dance in the country and one of the Most Popular Classical Dance in India also ancient in Natya Shastra.
There are eight forms of famous Indian classical dance-Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Odissi, Sattriya, Mohiniyattam, Gaudiya Nritya.
9. Indian Food!!
Indian cuisine is so popular that many Hollywood and western television shows have references to it, showing it as part of their popular culture.
Recipes are passed down from generation to generation and also improved and adapted based on personal taste and available ingredients. Consequently, if you practice a single recipe for hundreds of years, you’re going to get it right.
You eat with your eyes and nose before you eat with your mouth, as Indian food is both fragrant and colorful.
Indian food has slowly but surely found its way into the hearts and stomachs of cities around the United States. There are more than 300 restaurants that serve cuisine from across the subcontinent in New York City alone.
India has one of the lowest consumption of non-veg in the world.
10. Indian jewelry!!
Indian jewelry is as old as Indian civilization itself. Jewelry in ancient times was not only an adornment, but each stone was endowed with a mystical quality and used as a protection against evil forces.
Rudraksha and Tulsi seeds and sandalwood beads are worn even today during Hindu worship.
Jewelry is considered auspicious for women in India even poorest of poor women will have some kind of jewelry with them.
Jewelry design is so versatile in India that it varies from state to state. However, some basic jewelry is common among all the women across India. Bridal jewelry like Maangtika, earrings, nose rings, necklace, Mangalsutra, bangles, etc make up basic jewelry which adorns women in India.
Gold is most widely used for bridal ornaments. Earlier gold used to symbolize wealth of a family.
11. Cities in the Mountains and monsoon in India!!
India’s cities in the mountains, or “hill stations,” are walker’s havens.
India is home to some of the tallest and gallant mountain ranges in the world. These mountain regions result in mesmerizing hill stations for tourists all over the world. Also, the views of the snowy mountains in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir will leave you spellbound.
Even the monsoon in India will completely make you fall in love with India. Because the sound of rain drops travels from South India all the way to the north. Indian mountains and plains seem like heaven on earth during monsoon.
“If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions, I should point to India.”–Max Mueller
So, these are few things which actually gives reasons to people, all around the globe, to visit India and enjoy the hospitality of Indian culture and the beauty of“Incredible India“.
Bengali, Sake Dean Mahomed, opened Britain’s first Indian Restaurant Hindoostane Coffee House in London in 1810. It may have failed but Britain has since enjoyed a long and passionate love affair with the tastes of India.
In 2001, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook declared Chicken Tikka Masala to be “a true British national dish.” Chicken Tikka Masala, the creamier and saucier sibling to India’s much-loved Butter Chicken, is a British/Indian hybrid dish and a testament to the impact Indian food has had on British culture.
There’s no secret to the fact that Brits love Indian food. The curry has become as well-loved (quite possibly even more so) as the nation’s famous fish and chips. Indian food is not just food. It’s become a social tool, a bonding experience, a reward for a long week at work and the perfect accompaniment to a nice cold beer on a Friday night in front of the TV or on a Sunday afternoon down the local pub.
Walk down any high street in Britain and there’s every chance you’ll have at least two Indian restaurants to choose from. Whilst most are an amalgamation of dishes from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the ‘exotic’ flavours and tastes of India have surely captured the hearts of the British nation. So much so that Britain now has it’s own culture of Indian-inspired dishes.
In addition to the Chicken Tikka Masala, the Vindaloo, Jalfrezi, Korma and Balti are household names when it comes to favourite Indian curries in Britain. The names and recipes of popular Indian dishes have undergone transformations to suit local tastes in Britain and some, like the ones mentioned, are considered almost unrecognizable to the native Indian palette.
The word ‘curry’ itself is even said to have been coined by the British in India, having no direct translation into any of the sub-continent’s many languages.
The Chicken Tikka Masala and the Chicken Korma are two of Britain’s favourite ‘Indian’ dishes. Photo Source: Flickr
Britain has over 9,000 Indian restaurants and fascinatingly, London itself reportedly has more Indian restaurants than Mumbai or Delhi! As to the origins of Indian food in Britain, It is widely thought that Britain’s first Indian restaurants were started by Bangladeshi immigrants in the 1960s and 70s. The nation’s love affair with Indian cuisine, however, started long before that.
Reportedly, the first appearance of curry on a menu dates back to 1773 at the Norris Street Coffee House, Haymarket, London. During the following decade, curry and rice had become house specialities in some fashionable restaurants in London’s Piccadilly.
The first dedicated Indian restaurant, Hindoostane Coffee House, was not opened until 1810 and it was by a Bengali, Sake Dean Mahomed.
Sake Dean Mahomed was born Sheikh Din Muhammad in 1759 in Bihar (then part of the Bengal Presidency). When his father died he entered the East India Company Army in 1769 at the tender age of 11. He was taken under the wing of a Captain Godfrey Baker and quickly rose to the ranks of a captain himself. After sometime, Sake Dean Mahomed left India and in the company of Captain Godfrey Baker he travelled to Ireland. Here he married Jane Daly, the daughter of a wealthy Irish man, and wrote The Travels of Dean Mahomed, which is said to be the first English language book published by an Indian.
Sake Dean Mahomed and his wife Jane moved to the fashionable area of Portman Square, London, popular amongst colonial returnees and wealthy former employees of the East India Company.
Aiming to serve ‘Indianised British food’ in smart surroundings, he opened Hindoostane Coffee House in 1810 offering the gentry of Georgian England their first taste of spicy dishes in their homeland.
A rather eloquently put advertisement appeared in The Morning Post on February 2, 1810 stating the following:
“Sake Dean Mahomed, manufacturer of the real currie powder, takes the earliest opportunity to inform the nobility and gentry, that he has, under the patronage of the first men of quality who have resided in India, established at his house, 34 George Street, Portman Square, the Hindoostane Dinner and Hooka Smoking Club.
Apartments are fitted up for their entertainment in the Eastern style, where dinners, composed of genuine Hindoostane dishes, are served up at the shortest notice… Such ladies and gentlemen as may desirous of having India Dinners dressed and sent to their own houses will be punctually attended to by giving previous notice…”
Britain’s first Indian restaurant was to be short-lived, however. After only a year of being open, Mahomed was forced to sell the restaurant due to financial losses. Shortly after, he was declared bankrupt. Mohamed started advertising his services as a butler and valet to wealthy gentlemen before meeting his end in 1850.
Due to the failure of HCH, nobody dared to open another Indian restaurant. Then along came Queen Victoria. It’s a much-renowned theory that Queen Victoria made curry cool again. The queen was fascinated with India despite never visiting the country herself. She learnt both Hindi and Urdu and even had one of the wings at Osborne House decorated by a famous Punjabi architect.
Queen Victoria was known to have many Indian staff and curry was a regular feature on the queen’s dining table.
Queen Victoria was known to have many Indian staffs who would prepare Indian food. Photo Source: Wikimedia
It was around this time that Indian food really began to take off in Britain.
The Veeraswamy, located in a prime London location, Regent Street, was opened in 1926. By 1939 there were six dedicated Indian restaurants in Britain. The post-WW2 influx of Indian migrants saw a growth of cafes and restaurants to meet this new demand. The exotic spices and the comparably low cost added to its appeal amongst Britons who welcomed it as something new and exciting after the war’s rationing.
By 1960 there were more than 500 Indian restaurants in Britain and this number had more than doubled by the beginning of the 1970s. The Veeraswamy is still open to this day, giving it its title as the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant.
In 2005, the City of Westminster unveiled a green plaque on 102 George Street, the original site of Hindoostane Coffee House, commemorating this lesser-known pioneer of Indian food.
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