So.. Vijay Mallya wins Gandhi's belongings in a bidding game. He paid a whopping 1.8 million dollars for them!
The Mahatma would be turning in his grave if he heard that a liquor baron values him so much!
:)
Also, it looks like Mallya isn't bothered by the alcohol restriction imposed on the Gandhi Jayanti!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Oscars for Slumdog millionnaire
Hearty congrats on winning a slew of oscar awards for the rags-to-riches story, Slumdog millionnaire.
What can you call AR Rahman's leap to Oscars and world-fame as?
- Ragas to riches story :)
What can you call AR Rahman's leap to Oscars and world-fame as?
- Ragas to riches story :)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Aero India
I had been to the airshow on Feb 14... What a way to spend the popular day..!
True to its spirit, I loved the experience. :)
I took my camera and clicked a gazillion photos. Here is one of the best. :)
Will update the average ones soon. Check these links
http://picasaweb.google.com/sundarhk/AeroIndia
http://picasaweb.google.com/sundarhk/Mig35
True to its spirit, I loved the experience. :)
I took my camera and clicked a gazillion photos. Here is one of the best. :)
 |
| From Aero India |
http://picasaweb.google.com/sundarhk/AeroIndia
http://picasaweb.google.com/sundarhk/Mig35
Kambojas, Madras, Gandharas
While I was digging the web for images of the Khyber and Bolan passes, Swat valley etc.. I came across a reference to the ancient tribe/kingdom of Kamboja. I had heard about references to it in the Mahabharata and other scriptures. We know Cambodia got its name from a Kamboja king. So, expecting some link between the central asian region and them.. and that our Sanskrit scriptures have recorded the association in history, I tried finding more info on them.
Kambojas were tribesman from the current Afghan-Iran-Pakistan border which includes the present day NWFP, Kabul, Punjab, etc regions. There were other tribes too from around that region like Madras (plural of Madra), Gandharas, Sakas, Rishikas, Tusharas, etc.
In some places they say Kambojas were Indo-Iranian and in some places they say they were Central Asian... I think its not pin pointed to that extent.
The wiki says they were particularly, good horsemen and warriors. They lent their services to any country which wanted to wage wars. Duryodhana, they say, hired their services against the Pandavas.
They are also referred to as Ashvakas in the ancient Sanskrit literature. There are Sanskrit scripts mentioning their horses to be of the finest breed and courage.
In some places they are also referred to as barbarians and that even when emperor Ashoka annexed those regions, he had granted them autonomy.
Doesn't the case of FATA in Pakistan sound familiar now? The people have been like that for ages I think!
Dhritarashtra married Gandhari from Gandhara (Kandahar, Afghanistan).
The Sakas, Rishikas, etc were other such tribesmen.. and they were all conquered by Arjuna.
The puranas have so many references to the people from Central Asia.
And about Madras... they were from the region closer to the British Punjab. They were horsemen and warriors too. Madra women were beautiful and they served their husbands till their death. They would immolate themselves on their husband's funeral pyre.
Madri, wife of Pandu in Mahabharata, was a princess from the Madra kingdom. And if one can remember from the story, she laid down her life when Pandu died. And the children born to her - Nakul and Sahadev were good horsemen! If its a coincidence or is if its a true relation I don't know.
Quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madra#cite_ref-16
"....The caste observances were so slack in the frontiers that the Brahmanical literature began to look upon the Madra, Gandhara and Kamboja peoples as loose-lived and barbaric. As compared to the rigid four-class social system of Madhyadesa, these tribes of the frontiers followed two social classes and further there was permissible vertical mobility.... The women were treated equal to men and there was no taboo of social mixing among the two sexes. Both sexes ate meat, drank strong liquor and there would be mixed public dancing in a state of undress. Such way of life was positively obscene to the eastern Brahmin eyes. The custom of bride price among the Madras (instead of dowry) appeared degrading to the easterners. Nevertheless, the beauty, the loving nature and utter fidelity of the women of the north-west including Madra, Bahlika remained proverbial (e.g: Immortal Love Legend of Savitri & Satyavan. Savitri was the daughter of Asvapati, king of Madra tribe). A warrior's widow in these regions would even immolate herself with her husband's corpse.
endQuote
Quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambojas_in_Kautiliya%27s_Arthashastra
Dr A. H. Dani also notes: "Kautiliya‘s Arthashastra mentions the Kamboja horse as one of the best breeds for war and also speaks of Kambojas’ military organization and their warlike way of life" [13].
endQuote
People of the current era from the same region bear resemblance to these characteristics.
They are fierce warriors and have never allowed the ruling governments to settle. The regions, be it Afghanistan, North West Frontier province of Pakistan continue to be unstable. And they are good source mercenaries for all wars in the region.
Links I was going through
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambojas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madra
http://www.indiandance.ru/En/Mahabharata.htm
Kambojas were tribesman from the current Afghan-Iran-Pakistan border which includes the present day NWFP, Kabul, Punjab, etc regions. There were other tribes too from around that region like Madras (plural of Madra), Gandharas, Sakas, Rishikas, Tusharas, etc.
In some places they say Kambojas were Indo-Iranian and in some places they say they were Central Asian... I think its not pin pointed to that extent.
The wiki says they were particularly, good horsemen and warriors. They lent their services to any country which wanted to wage wars. Duryodhana, they say, hired their services against the Pandavas.
They are also referred to as Ashvakas in the ancient Sanskrit literature. There are Sanskrit scripts mentioning their horses to be of the finest breed and courage.
In some places they are also referred to as barbarians and that even when emperor Ashoka annexed those regions, he had granted them autonomy.
Doesn't the case of FATA in Pakistan sound familiar now? The people have been like that for ages I think!
Dhritarashtra married Gandhari from Gandhara (Kandahar, Afghanistan).
The Sakas, Rishikas, etc were other such tribesmen.. and they were all conquered by Arjuna.
The puranas have so many references to the people from Central Asia.
And about Madras... they were from the region closer to the British Punjab. They were horsemen and warriors too. Madra women were beautiful and they served their husbands till their death. They would immolate themselves on their husband's funeral pyre.
Madri, wife of Pandu in Mahabharata, was a princess from the Madra kingdom. And if one can remember from the story, she laid down her life when Pandu died. And the children born to her - Nakul and Sahadev were good horsemen! If its a coincidence or is if its a true relation I don't know.
Quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madra#cite_ref-16
"....The caste observances were so slack in the frontiers that the Brahmanical literature began to look upon the Madra, Gandhara and Kamboja peoples as loose-lived and barbaric. As compared to the rigid four-class social system of Madhyadesa, these tribes of the frontiers followed two social classes and further there was permissible vertical mobility.... The women were treated equal to men and there was no taboo of social mixing among the two sexes. Both sexes ate meat, drank strong liquor and there would be mixed public dancing in a state of undress. Such way of life was positively obscene to the eastern Brahmin eyes. The custom of bride price among the Madras (instead of dowry) appeared degrading to the easterners. Nevertheless, the beauty, the loving nature and utter fidelity of the women of the north-west including Madra, Bahlika remained proverbial (e.g: Immortal Love Legend of Savitri & Satyavan. Savitri was the daughter of Asvapati, king of Madra tribe). A warrior's widow in these regions would even immolate herself with her husband's corpse.
endQuote
Quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambojas_in_Kautiliya%27s_Arthashastra
Dr A. H. Dani also notes: "Kautiliya‘s Arthashastra mentions the Kamboja horse as one of the best breeds for war and also speaks of Kambojas’ military organization and their warlike way of life" [13].
endQuote
People of the current era from the same region bear resemblance to these characteristics.
They are fierce warriors and have never allowed the ruling governments to settle. The regions, be it Afghanistan, North West Frontier province of Pakistan continue to be unstable. And they are good source mercenaries for all wars in the region.
Links I was going through
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambojas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madra
http://www.indiandance.ru/En/Mahabharata.htm
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Vote do.. vote do.. kisko vote de?!
I don't know whom to vote in the LokSabha elections this time.
Practically, there are only two parties to vote for - BJP and the Congress(I). Rest all are satellite parties who have no macro agenda and just align themselves with either of these two. Even the Left parties will most necessarily tag along with the Congress(I) after the next election. After pulling out of the UPA because of the nuclear deal, they will join back saying they want to defeat communal parties from forming govt.
So.. is it going to the NDA or the UPA for the next term?
NDA made India nuclear capable and brought India closer to US by the end of their term. UPA took it further and made India the closest ally of US in the region.
If you vote for NDA, you run a risk of the BJP abetting anti-muslim, anti-liberal Hindu groups. We have a BJP govt in Karnataka and all of a sudden we see some radical Hindu groups springing up everywhere and harassing people, especially women who go to pubs or who celebrate Valentines day. So, I am not too comfortable about NDA.
If you look at development alone, I think NDA is much better than the UPA. Ahmedabad/Gujarat for instance. Some of their ministries were very good. George Fernandes is regarded by the armed forces themselves as one the best Defence minister. Foreign affairs was handled excellently by NDA during their previous term. etc etc
In contrast, the UPA governance will usually witness lesser communal violence, moral policing, etc. Though there is low/slow development, there is a bit more security for the minority commnunities. No wonder they always vote for Congress.
Not only does the UPA governance keep the minorities safe, they even appease them. Sometimes I feel the majority gets neglected.
Voting is a gamble now. Neither of the two parties guarantee more jobs, more roads, more trade, more security from terror, more security from the neighbours.
You can't even decide by reading their election manifestos. It will always be full of lies, propaganda and promises that will never be kept.
I seriously don't know whom to vote in the LokSabha elections this time.
Practically, there are only two parties to vote for - BJP and the Congress(I). Rest all are satellite parties who have no macro agenda and just align themselves with either of these two. Even the Left parties will most necessarily tag along with the Congress(I) after the next election. After pulling out of the UPA because of the nuclear deal, they will join back saying they want to defeat communal parties from forming govt.
So.. is it going to the NDA or the UPA for the next term?
NDA made India nuclear capable and brought India closer to US by the end of their term. UPA took it further and made India the closest ally of US in the region.
If you vote for NDA, you run a risk of the BJP abetting anti-muslim, anti-liberal Hindu groups. We have a BJP govt in Karnataka and all of a sudden we see some radical Hindu groups springing up everywhere and harassing people, especially women who go to pubs or who celebrate Valentines day. So, I am not too comfortable about NDA.
If you look at development alone, I think NDA is much better than the UPA. Ahmedabad/Gujarat for instance. Some of their ministries were very good. George Fernandes is regarded by the armed forces themselves as one the best Defence minister. Foreign affairs was handled excellently by NDA during their previous term. etc etc
In contrast, the UPA governance will usually witness lesser communal violence, moral policing, etc. Though there is low/slow development, there is a bit more security for the minority commnunities. No wonder they always vote for Congress.
Not only does the UPA governance keep the minorities safe, they even appease them. Sometimes I feel the majority gets neglected.
Voting is a gamble now. Neither of the two parties guarantee more jobs, more roads, more trade, more security from terror, more security from the neighbours.
You can't even decide by reading their election manifestos. It will always be full of lies, propaganda and promises that will never be kept.
I seriously don't know whom to vote in the LokSabha elections this time.
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