‘Ya rahe ujjar, ya basey gujjar’(Remain uninhabited or be inhabited by gujjars). With these words the Sufi saint Nizamuddin Aulia cursed Emperor Ghiyasuddin Tughlak and his under construction fort a few kilometres from the baoli (stepwell) the saint was building. What caused the saint to so curse the Emperor? Ghiyasuddin had requisitioned all the labour … Continue reading Tughlakabad Fort
After Ghiyasuddin Tughlak's untimely death in 1324, his son Muhammad Bin Tughlak succeeded him and started building a fort of his own almost opposite his late father's Tughlakabad Fort. Even before completion of his Adilabad Fort, as it came to be known, for some unfathomable reason Muhammad shifted his capital to Daulatabad in South India. … Continue reading Adilabad Fort
Delhi is probably the only city which can lay claim to a thousand years’ continuous human occupation. At least Mehrauli, probably the first of the seven ancient cities of Delhi, does. In 8th century, Tomar Rajput king Anangpal built a fort known as Lal Kot or Red Fort. It remained the seat of Tomars till … Continue reading Mehrauli Archeological Park
Few are as lucky as I am. In addition to my home in Kaushambi, Delhi NCR I have a home in Dehradun and another at the family farm among Shivalik hills. I keep shuttling between the three. They don’t call me a nomad for nothing. Not that I mind, for I love the car rides … Continue reading Living at the farm
Ruskin Bond’s ‘Why the Great Indian Rope Trick isn’t a Myth’ in Sunday Times of December 9, 2018 brought to mind a trick I saw way back in 1950 or so. Possibly around the time Ruskin Bond saw his ‘rope trick’ in Kalsi. Though not quite the rope trick, it was close enough which puts … Continue reading A mango tree that grew in seconds
स्वाधीनता दिवस पर ओजपूर्ण देशभक्ति के गीतों में 'यह देश है वीर जवानों का' सुना. विचार आया कि देश वीर जवानों से कहीं अधिक बेईमानों और दलालों का है जो घोटालों के ज़रिए अपनी जेबें भरने में व्यस्त रहते हैं. प्रेरित हो कर मैंने उस ही गीत के आधार पर निम्न पैरोडी लिखी. साहिर लुधियानवी … Continue reading इस देश का यारों क्या होगा
बचपन में माँ बताती थीं कि मनुष्य को अपने जीवनकाल में चार आश्रमों का पालन करना होता है; ब्रह्मचर्य, गृहस्थ, वानप्रस्थ और सन्यास. पहले में मुख्य ध्येय शिक्षा प्राप्त करना होता है जबकि दूसरे में विवाह, और विवाहोपरांत परिवार का भरण पोषण, संतान की शिक्षा और उनका विवाह ही लक्ष्य होता है. इसके बाद आदमी … Continue reading सन्यास आश्रम
