Gulzar triveni | Kumble's 10 | Chola Navy | Naan at home | Peacock Gown
Five unique Indian things to explore this week
Gulzar's ‘triveni’: poems with a twist
Iconic lyricist and poet Gulzar invented a unique three-line format of poetry, calling it ‘triveni’. The first two lines, he says, meet like the Ganga and the Yamuna and complete a thought, forming a poem on its own. But beneath the two there is the subterranean flow of another, the Saraswati. Hidden. Not visible to the eye. Here’s an example:
Read more about the poetry and some more poems here.
Anil Kumble’s Perfect 10
Leg spin bowler Anil Kumble has been the mainstay of Indian bowling for years, and remains the highest Indian wicket-taker. In 1999, he achieved a unique feat: getting all 10 wickets of a Test innings. Watch as one wicket after another tumbles, each falling to Kumble. As the wickets go down, the spectator noise climbs up to a crescendo. A treat to relive the memories!
Kings of the Seas: Chola Navy
We hear about the powerful rules who fought on horseback to conquer new lands. But history textbooks don't tell you much about India’s super maritime conquerers: the Cholas. Cholas kings set their eyes to rule the seas and expand their might via a massively awesome navy. Their naval prowess means they exerted influence as far as Sri Vijaya (Indonesia!). Like to know what they named their battleships? Read it here. Here's a cool video that chronicles their tale.
Making Naan at home
Have you been honing your cooking skills? Lockdown means you might be reminiscing about that hot tandoori naan you have in restaurants. This is the perfect time to replicate the naan at home - and it doesn't look tough at all! Here's one way to do it. If you try it, do let us know how it turned out!
The 1903 Showstopper: Peacock Gown
You have heard of the Peacock Throne. Well, in 1903, the Viceroy of India Lord Curzon held a Durbar where his wife Mary wore a showstopper dress made of gold cloth and embroidered peacock feathers, studded with glowing beetle wings! It was so exquisite, Queen Alexandra is said to have wanted one herself. Lady Curzon became instrumental in promoting the use of Indian embroidery in Western fashion! Here's a glimpse of the Peacock Dress and its story!
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