THE KOHINOOR

KOHINOOR DIAMOND

Description of the Kohinoor Diamond

The Kohinoor Diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. The Kohinoor diamond was   first   mentioned  in  1306    when it was taken from a Rajah  of     Malwa,  whose   family had  held the diamond for centuries. It was described  as   weighing  186  carats  and  was an oval cut white diamond - the shape  and  size  of  a  small  hen's  egg. The  Kohinoor  diamond  belonged    to various  Indian  and  Persian rulers but it became part of the Crown Jewels of England  at the  time that  Queen  Victoria  was  proclaimed empress of India. The  Kohinoor  was  re-cut  at this  time  and  now  weighs 108.93 carats and is kept in the Tower of London .

Meaning of the Kohinoor Diamond

The Kohinoor  (Koh-i-Noor)  originated  from India in Golconda at the Kollur mine  and  was  specifically  mined  from  the  *Rayalaseema  diamond  mine (meaning *Land of Stones)   during  the  rule  of   the  Kakatiya  dynasty. The Kohinoor was then passed from one ruling dynasty to the next. The original name   of   the  diamond  was  ‘Samantik  Mani’   (  Prince and  leader   among diamonds).  In  1739  Nadir Shah, the King  of  Persia, invaded India and was said  to refer to the  diamond as the "Mountain of Light". The Persian-Arabic words  for  "Mountain of  Light"  were   Koh-i-Noor.  The  magnificence  of  the diamond and  its  value symbolized the power of an Empire. It was said that "He  who  owns  this  diamond  will  own  the   world, but will also know all its misfortunes." Possession of the  Kohinoor led  to  murder, torture, mutilation and treachery and stories of the Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond... 

The curse of the Kohinoor Diamond

The Curse of Kohinoor Diamond dates back to a Hindu text from the time of the first authenticated appearance of the diamond in 1306. The Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond reads: 
             
                   "He who owns this diamond will own the world, 
                             but will also know   all its misfortunes.
                  Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity."

The history and lives of the rulers who owned the Koh-i-Noor diamond were filled with violence, murders, mutilations, torture and treachery. Whether or not people believe in the Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond, the history of the stone is undeniable - and the threat of the Koh-i-Noor curse is enough to make people cautious. The British Royal family were obviously aware of the Curse of the Kohinoor and from the reign of Queen Victoria, when the Kohinoor diamond came into their possession, it has always gone to the wife of the male heir to the British throne. The History Timeline details the story of the Kohinoor diamond.

History of the Dohinoor Diamond

Myths and legends surround the stone. It was of incredible value and described by one of its owners, the Emperor Babur, the Great Mogul, as "Worth the value of one day's food for all the people in the world". The men who fought for it, and the Kingdoms and great Empires that were won and lost, produced many stories of ill-luck that plagued the owners and became part of the history of the Kohinoor diamond.

The History Timeline of the Kohinoor Diamond

The following timeline & history of the Kohinoor details important historical events and dates: 

1200 - 1300's There were many dynasties who owned the Kohinoor diamond including the Slave dynasty (1206-90), the Khilji dynasty (1290-1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320-1413), the Sayyid dynasty (1414-51), and the Lodi dynasty (1451-1526)These were all brief reigns ending with war and violence

1306
In 1306 the Rajah of Malwa was forced to give the diamond to the rulers of the Kakatiya Empire

1323
Soon after, in 1323, the Kakatiya Empire fell after a rule stretching from 1083 to 1323. The diamond was taken by Muhammad bin Tughluq  who became the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351

1323 - 1526
The diamond came into the possession of the Delhi Sultanate which consisted of many Muslim dynasties that ruled in India to 1526. During the Delhi Sultanate Muslim armies consisting of Mongol, Turkic, Persian, and Afghan warriors invaded India

1526
In 1526 the Kohinoor Diamond passed to the Mughal Empire when the Timurid Prince Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans, at the First Battle of Panipat. Mughal is the Persian word for Mongol
Babur mentions in his memoirs, the Baburnama, that the diamond had belonged to an un-named Rajah of Malwa
The Mughal Empire ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for two hundred years and the Kohinoor passed from one Mughal Emperor to the next. Violence and bloodshed followed these years often marked by the sons of the Emperors rebelling and overtaking their fathers
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1592 – 1666), who was famous for building the Taj Mahal, had the Kohinoor Diamond placed into his ornate Peacock Throne

1639
The Koh-i-Noor changed ownership several more times until the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan took the throne. In 1639  a struggle for the Empire started between his four sons - Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad Baksh when brother killed brother.  Shah Shuja executed his brother Dara Shikoh and in then 1658 Aurangzeb defeated Shuja and Shuja who was tortured to death together with all his family

1665
In 1665 Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605 – 1689), French traveller and pioneer of jewelry and diamond trade with India, recorded his experiences in which he describes a great Mughal diamond said to be the biggest in the world. It was called the "Great Mogul" by Tavernier

1739
In 1739 the Persian King Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal Empire defeating their Emperor and stole the great Koh-i-Noor diamond (Nadir Shah is credited with giving the diamond the name it is known by today). The Koh-i-Noor Diamond was taken to Persia

1747
In 1747 the empire of Nadir Shah quickly disintegrated after he was assassinated - the Curse of the Kohinoor strikes again? After Nadir Shah's assassination, the diamond passed to his successors, each were dethroned and ritually blinded (Blinding was used to render an enemy powerless and make him a burden on his community.)

1800
1800 - Ranjit Singh took the Empire and possession of the Kohinoor diamond. Rajah Ranjit Singh died in 1839 and his successors lacked his bravery and vision
The Sikh kingdom became weak and the British conquered India which became part of the British Empire and the British Raj or rule gained control of India from 1858 - 1947
The British Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, was responsible for the British acquiring the Koh-i-Noor

1851
1851 - Dalhousie arranged that the Kohinoor diamond should be presented by Ranjit Singh's successor, Duleep Singh, to Queen Victoria, the Empress of India

1851
1851 - The Great Exhibition was staged in Hyde Park in London when the Koh-i-Noor was put on view to the British public

1852
In 1852 Prince Albert ordered that the Koh-i-Noor diamond to be re-cut from 186 carats to its current 105 carats thus increasing its brilliance. The Koh-i-Noor diamond was mounted in a tiara with more than two thousand other diamonds
The Koh-i-Noor diamond was then used as the centre piece of the crowns of the Queen consorts to the British Kings. The Queen Consorts Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary wore the crowns

1936
In 1936, the stone was set into the crown of the wife of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother), wife of King George VI
The British Royal family were obviously aware of the Curse of the Kohinoor - "He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity." And from the reign of Queen Victoria the Kohinoor diamond has always gone to the wife of the male heir to the British throne

The above history timeline of the Kohinoor diamond details important historical events and dates and the legends and myths that surround the curse of the Koh-i-Noor. 

The Kohinoor Diamond

The following timeline & history of the Kohinoor details important historical events and dates. Fascinating information about the history of the Kohinoor stone providing comprehensive facts, information and timeline about the history of the infamous Koh-i-Noor diamond. 

Journey to England :

The final owner was Maharaja Duleep Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in the backdrop of the two Sikh Wars leading to the annexation of the Punjab by the British. The hoisting of British flag was on March 29th, 1849 Lahore where Punjab was formally proclaimed a part of the British Empire in India. One of the terms of the Treaty of Lahore was:- “The gem called the Koh-i-noor which was taken from Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk by Maharajah Ranjit Singh shall be surrendered by the Maharajah of Lahore to the Queen of England.” Dr Sir John Login was entrusted with two charges: to take the Koh-i-noor out of the Toshakhana (the jewel house), and also the guards manship of the young Duleep Singh. It was formally handed over to the Punjab government of Sir Henry Lawrence (1806-1857), his younger brother John Lawrence (afterwards Lord Lawrence, the man who in February of 1859 would break ground on the future Lahore railroad station), and C.C. Mausel.

                                                     [Maharaja Duleep Singh]

The Koh-i-noor sailed from Bombay in H.M.S. Medea. It was put in an iron box and kept in a dispatch box and deposited in the Government Treasury. For security reasons, this piece of news was suppressed, even among officers of the Treasury – and withheld from Commander Lockyer, the ship’s captain. HMS Medea’s voyage turned out to be a perilous one – cholera broke out on board in Mauritius and the local people demanded its departure. They asked their governor to open fire and destroy the vessel if it did not respond. After leaving Mauritius, a severe gale hit the vessel that lasted for about twelve hours. They reached Plymouth, England, where the passengers and the mail were unloaded, but not the Koh-i-noor, which was forwarded to Portsmouth. From there, the two officers took the diamond to the East India House, handing it over to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the company. The Koh-i-Noor left the shores of India on April 6, 1850, and on reaching London on July 2, 1850, it was handed over to the Board of Directors of the East India Company. 

The Queen’s crown :

Prince Albert (Prince Consort) and Sebastian Garrard stated that the Koh-i-noor was badly cut, it is rose-not-brilliant-cut. It was decided to seek the advice of practical and experienced diamond cutters. A small steam engine was set up at Garrard’s shop, while two gentlemen, Messrs Coster, Mr. Voorzanger and Mr. Fedder, travelled to London to undertake the re-cutting of the diamond. The Koh-i-noor was embedded in lead, two weeks later, after examining the stone. Mitchell thought that it had lost nearly all its yellow colour and become much whiter. The re-cutting took 38 days and cost £8000 ($40,000). The final result was an oval brilliant diamond weighing 108.93 metric carats, which meant a loss of weight of just under 43 per cent. Its was now in stellar brilliant-cut, possessing the regular 33 facets, including the table, while the pavilion has eight more facets than the regular 25 bringing the total number of facets to 66.

In 1853, it was mounted on a magnificent tiara for the Queen, which contained more than two thousand diamonds. Five years later, Queen Victoria ordered a new regal circlet for the diamond. In 1911, Garrards made a new crown that Queen Mary wore for the coronation – it contained diamonds, among them the Koh-i-noor. In 1937, this was transferred to the crown made for Queen Elizabeththe Queen Mother, based on Queen Victoria’s regal circlet and is set in a Maltese Cross at the front of the crown.

Who’s diamond is it, anyways ?

The 20th century saw a war of words over Koh-i-noor and its rightful ownership. In 1947, the government of India asked for the return of the diamond. Also, the Congress Ministry which ruled Orissa staked claim to the stone, saying it belonged to the Lord Jagannath. Ranjit Singh’s treasurer mentioned that it was the property of their estate. Pakistan’s claim to the diamond was disputed by India. Shortly thereafter, a major newspaper in Teheran stated that the gem should to be returned to Iran.

Sir Olaf has pointed out that the Koh-i-noor had been in Mogul possession in Delhi for 213 years, in Afghan possession in Kandahar and Kabul for 66 years and in British possession for 127 years. Historically, it maybe difficult to pass judgement on the validity of the various claims, but on the other hand, from a gemological aspect, as a paper report said, the Indian claim is the most valid because it was in that country that it was mined.

Koh-i-noor other name of a ‘deadly curse’ :

It is widely believed, British kings possessed ‘Koh-i-noor’ without knowing how to use properly, therefore it became a mixture, more of a curse than a blessing. The history of this jewel speaks itself, the British Empire which had once expanded throughout the world ever shining like the Sun, is now restricted to a fixed territory.

This jewel is slow, belongs to Saturn, a slow moving planet, and hence affects the possessor cautiously rather than quickly. Normally it takes several years to start its effect between 10 and 25 years, it gives luck only to those who know its procedure to keep it purified.

Otherwise, it forces the possessor to dispossess his or her territory and to disturb home peace. It is equally less lucky for the queens, they are to dispossess many valuables and land to ward off its evil effects, or face some tragedy.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh got this jewel in 1813 and it affected him after 25 years and he suffered from a paralyzed attack in 1839 and died in the same year. In 1849, exactly after 10 years, the British forces toppled his kingdom, which was controlled by members of his family. Further, all of Duleep Singh’s eight children died childless.

The effect of Koh-i-noor makes females or queens more possessive, self centered and self-seeking, forcing them to lose some territory, reputation and brings unhappiness at home, breaks home and ultimately may end the monarchy as per some occult reading of this Gem.

Great Briton had to struggle hard to retain possession of the Falkland Islands also known in Spanish as the Islas Malvinas. They also had to surrender the colony of Hong Kong to China in 1997, faced the tragedy of Prince Diana in the same year, suffered reputation inIraq attack in 2003, by facing the wrath of their people, and then new marriage of Prince Charles with Camila in 2005 and uncertainty of future King of England.

Hence Koh-i-noor has turned out to be unlucky for the Queens and the Kings as universally believed unless they observe and maintain the purity of the diamond.

REFERENCE:

themystery2012.blogspot.com

HE LEARNS FROM FAILURES

                                               

                                                                                                                                                           Thomas Alva Edison was the most prolific inventor in American history. He amassed a record 1,093 patents covering key innovations and minor improvements in wide range of fields, including telecommunications, electric power, sound recording, motion pictures, primary and storage batteries, and mining and cement technology. As important, he broadened the notion of invention to encompass what we now call innovation-invention, research, development, and commercialization-and invented the industrial research laboratory. Edison's role as an innovator is evident not only in his two major laboratories at Menlo Park and West Orange in New Jersey but in more than 300 companies formed worldwide to manufacture and market his inventions, many of which carried the Edison name, including some 200 Edison illuminating companies.

Early Life

Edison was born in 1847 in the canal town of Milan, Ohio, the last of seven children. His mother, Nancy, had been a school teacher; his father, Samuel, was a Canadian political firebrand who was exiled from his country. The family moved to Port Huron, Michigan, when Thomas was seven. He attended school briefly but was principally educated at home by his mother and in his father's library.

In 1859 Edison began working on a local branch of the Grand Trunk Railroad, selling newspapers, magazines, and candy. At one point he printed a newspaper on the train, and he also conducted chemical experiments in a baggage-car laboratory. By 1862 he had learned enough telegraphy to be employed as an operator in a local office.

From 1863 to 1867 he traveled through the Midwest as an itinerant telegrapher. During these years he read widely, studied and experimented with telegraph technology, and generally acquainted himself with electrical science.

Early Inventive Career

In 1868 Edison became an independent inventor in Boston. Moving to New York the next year, he undertook inventive work for major telegraph companies. With money from those contracts he established a series of manufacturing shops in Newark, New Jersey, where he also employed experimental machinists to assist in his inventive work.

Edison soon acquired a reputation as a first-rank inventor. His work included stock tickers, fire alarms, methods of sending simultaneous messages on one wire, and an electrochemical telegraph to send messages by automatic machinery. The crowning achievement of this period was the quadruplex telegraph, which sent two messages simultaneously in each direction on one wire.

The problems of interfering signals in multiple telegraphy and high speed in automatic transmission forced Edison to extend his study of electromagnetism and chemistry. As a result, he introduced electrical and chemical laboratories into his experimental machine shops.

Near the end of 1875, observations of strange sparks in telegraph instruments led Edison into a public scientific controversy over what he called "etheric force," which only later was understood to be radio waves.

Menlo Park

In 1876, Edison created a freestanding industrial research facility incorporating both a machine shop and laboratories. Here in Menlo Park, on the rail line between New York City and Philadelphia, he developed three of his greatest inventions.

Urged by Western Union to develop a telephone that could compete with Alexander Graham Bell's, Edison invented a transmitter in which a button of compressed carbon changed its resistance as it was vibrated by the sound of the user's voice, a new principle that was used in telephones for the next century.

While working on the telephone in the summer of 1877, Edison discovered a method of recording sound, and in the late fall he unveiled the phonograph. This astounding instrument brought him world fame as the "Wizard of Menlo Park" and the "inventor of the age."

Finally, beginning in the fall of 1878, Edison devoted thirty months to developing a complete system of incandescent electric lighting. During his lamp experiments, he noticed an electrical phenomenon that became known as the "Edison effect," the basis for vacuum-tube electronics.

He left Menlo Park in 1881 to establish factories and offices in New York and elsewhere. Over the next five years he manufactured, improved, and installed his electrical system around the world.

West Orange Laboratory

In 1887, Edison built an industrial research laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey, that remained unsurpassed until the twentieth century. For four years it was the primary research facility for the Edison lighting companies, and Edison spent most of his time on that work. In 1888 and 1889, he concentrated for several months on a new version of the phonograph that recorded on wax cylinders.

Edison worked with William Dickson from 1888 till 1893 on a motion picture camera. Although Edison had always had experimental assistants, this was the clearest instance of a co-invention for which Edison received sole credit.

In 1887 Edison also returned to experiments on the electromagnetic separation and concentration of low-grade iron and gold ores, work he had begun in 1879. During the 1890's he built a full-scale plant in northern New Jersey to process iron ore. This venture was Edison's most notable commercial failure.

Later Years

After the mining failure, Edison adapted some of the machinery to process Portland cement. A roasting kiln he developed became an industry standard. Edison cement was used for buildings, dams, and even Yankee Stadium.

In the early years of the automobile industry there were hopes for an electric vehicle, and Edison spent the first decade of the twentieth century trying to develop a suitable storage battery. Although gas power won out, Edison's battery was used extensively in industry.

In World War I the federal government asked Edison to head the Naval Consulting Board, which examined inventions submitted for military use. Edison worked on several problems, including submarine detectors and gun location techniques.

By the time of his death in 1931, Edison had received 1,093 U.S. patents, a total still untouched by any other inventor. Even more important, he created a model for modern industrial research.                 REFERENCE:                                                                                                        edison.rutgers.edu                   

Why facebook paid $19billion for watsapp

In one way, it's weird that Facebook just agreed to pay $19 billion for WhatsApp. The messaging app - which allows people to send texts, audio and video - does pretty much the same kinds of things that you can already do on Facebook.

So why would Facebook pay such a vast sum for something it does not need, at least in terms of software functionality?

The answer is that CEO Mark Zuckerberg probably felt he had little choice. WhatsApp processes 27 billion messages a day, and has 400 million active users a month. Facebook by comparison, has 1.2 billion monthly users - which means that WhatsApp is already, on its own, a sizeable threat to Facebook in terms of peeling off its users and siphoning them into a messaging environment that until today, Facebook had no access to.

For years, Facebook has tried to do what WhatsApp already does: It launched Messenger, a standalone messenger app that has had great reviews and maybe 350 million users ... but that didn't slow the growth of WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has an appeal that Facebook does not: Its core audience is international. The vast majority of its users are not American even though the company is based in California. Facebook, by contrast, is kinda the opposite - its core base in is the U.S. and it has only recently made inroads globally.

So Facebook now expands its international exposure.

Here is how big that exposure is: "Messaging volume approaching the entire global telecom SMS volume," according to Facebook's press release.

The other big appeal is that WhatsApp allows people to communicate over wifi - that's crucial in countries where cell data charges are so expensive that texting and calling is often limited or prohibitive. Especially in poor countries.

WhatsApp has a paid model - you subscribe to it - so Facebook has basically bolted on a revenue stream that allows it to instantly connect a huge number of poor people it otherwise would have taken years to accumulate.

Lastly, messaging apps have been HUGE in tech for the last two years. Viber was just acquired for $900 million. Snapchat has turned down offers of up to $3 billion. Smaller apps like Kik and LINE have peeled off tens of millions of users who were bored of Facebook.

Basically, the messaging tide was turning away from Facebook and Facebook has now bought the biggest boat riding it.

Lastly, Zuckerberg signaled that this type of acquisition might be the future of Facebook on his Q1 earnings call:

I just want to put this in the context of the overall strategy here. We were just talking about some of the standalone experiences and Messenger, and public content is part of this overall spectrum of content that people want to share and consume as well. ...

So we've been focused on improving the tools for public discussion and folks to be able to share public content, ... And this is an area where, just like Messaging and some of the other things we've talked about, you should expect us to keep focusing on a lot.

He was actually talking defensively about Messenger at the time, but in hindsight he was obviously working on this deal. "Standalone experiences" was the key phrase. And now it's done.                                                                                              REFERENCE:                                                                                                                                                             www.businessinsider.com

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

                                                 

                                                                                                                                                    Abraham Lincoln is famous for the Gettysburg Address, abolishing slavery and being one of the four presidents who have been assassinated.

Abraham's father remarried and, as the frontier expanded and became more populated, so the quality of life increased. Lincoln soon broke out on his own and moved to New Salem. Here he was successful, and he managed a mill store.

When the Black Hawk War broke out, the volunteers elected Lincoln to be their captain. After the war, Lincoln announced his intention to stand for the Illinois Legislature. He was not elected, but had pockets of high popular support. In 1834, he tried again, and this time was successful. Lincoln served four terms in the legislature, becoming floor leader of his party.

At the same time, Lincoln was studying law, taking and passing the bar in 1836. He became engaged to Mary Owens from Kentucky after meeting in the early 1830s but on 16 August 1837, he wrote her a letter suggesting he would not blame her for ending the relationship as they had both had second thoughts. She never replied.

In 1842, Lincoln married Mary Todd, and their relationship, as well as the part she played in his subsequent career, remain a matter of some debate. The pair met in 1839 and were engaged in December 1840 but they called off a wedding scheduled for 1 January 1841 at Lincoln's initiative. However, after meeting again they finally married on 8 November 1842.

In 1844, they bought a house in Springfield near Lincoln's law firm and she took care of the house diligently on a limited budget. They had four sons including Robert Todd Lincoln, who was born in 1843 and was their only child to reach adulthood.

Edward, who was born in 1846 died of tuberculosis in 1850, 'Willie' was born in 1850 and died in 1862, while son Tad was born in 1853 and died of heart failure at the age of 18 in 1871.

In 1846, Lincoln was elected to the U.S. Congress. His career got off to a stormy start, as he was not a staunch supporter of the war with Mexico, and he believed that slavery should be abolished. Both of these beliefs were not popular in his district of Illinois, and he was not re-elected.

Over the next 12 years, Lincoln practiced law and built up his firm. In 1854, the contentious issue of slavery erupted, with a bill brought by Stephen Douglas to organise the Kansas-Nebraska Territory.

This bill so incensed Lincoln that he re-entered the political fray. However, Lincoln failed to receive the nomination for senator in 1855 and, convinced his former party, the Whigs, were essentially dead, he joined the new Republicans, becoming a prominent figure in the party.

When Douglas returned to Illinois to fight for re-election to the Senate, Lincoln pressed Douglas for a discussion on the issue of slavery. These discussions became the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates and, although Douglas was re-elected, Lincoln had gained national recognition.

In 1860, Lincoln was elected presidential candidate for the Republican Party, although it was not an easy election. He was elected president but, as a result, seven Southern states seceded from the Union.

In Lincoln's inauguration speech, he said that secession was anarchic and illegal. He told The Union that while he would not interfere with slavery, he would hold or repossess all Federal property. Civil war broke out soon after.

It was a difficult time for Lincoln, but his tactics began to prevail. In his Gettysburg address, after a great victory for the North, Lincoln proclaimed that the end of the civil war stood for freedom and equality for all.

However, the war dragged on, and critics began to question Lincoln's strategy and his chances for re-election.

Following victory in the war, Lincoln was re-elected. In his second inaugural address, Lincoln urged the North and South to come together and bury past differences, "With malice toward none; and charity for all".

Lincoln never had an opportunity to govern outside war time as, on 14 April 1865, an assassin killed him.

He was shot while watching the play 'Our American Cousins' at the Ford Theatre by well-known actor and Confederate spy John Wilkes-Booth. Booth originally planned to kidnap the president but Lincoln made a speech on 11 April about voting rights for black people, angering Booth. After being in a coma for nine hours, Lincoln died on 15 April. His body lay in state until 21 April and was taken on a tour of the north by train for three weeks, with thousands attending memorial services for him.

Somnath Temple-INDIA

                                           

                                                                                                                                    Somnath - this temple town has a long and chequered History. Even though it is referred to by several other names, names it acquired in the various phases of History, the name Somnath is unrivalled as far as popularity is concerned. And understandably so because this small town would have faded to oblivion but for the presence of the magnificent Somnath Temple from which it receives its best known name.

Deo Pattan, Prabhas Pattan, Pattan Somnath (some of the other names of this sea side town in Gujarat, India) would have all been erased from public memory. But instead of that this place has made a distinctive place for itself primarily because of this brilliant structure. The History of Somnath (as in referring to the city) is so completely dominated by the History of Somnath Temple that it would not be exaggeration in the least to say that they are synonymous.

Not much is known about the early History of Somnath temple. However it is popularly believed that the first temple existed even before the commencement of the Christian era. The second was built in the period 480-767 A.D. by the Vallabhi kings. This was again replaced by the Pratihara king Nagabhattta II in 815 A.D.
 

The Somnath temple which enshrines one of the twelve Jyotirlingas was so highly revered that people from various nook and corners of the country came to offer their prayers here.

As many as 2000 Brahmin priests were engaged in temple activities and the revenue collected from ten thousand villages were used for its maintenance. Prayers were announced by ringing the bell which was attached to a golden chain. Its walls were nothing less than pages of History. The exquisite sculptures were a reflection of the times and the pillars even had the names of the sculptors carved on them.

Unfortunately what happened in the year 1025 was a very unfortunate event in the Somnath temple history. Muhammad of Ghazni invaded the city and in spite of the valiant resistance put up by fifty thousand Shaivites, the temple was looted and razed to the ground. What was regarded as an architectural masterpiece was demolished brutally.

King Bhima of Gujarat and King Bhoja of Malwa then took upon themselves the noble task of renovating this fine edifice in red sandstone. However it was fated to be destroyed once again by Alaf Khan in 1300 A.D. This time King Mahipala belonging to the Chudasama dynasty renovated it.

Thereafter also the History of Somnath is punctuated with episodes of destruction and reconstruction at various points of time in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. Finally the temple was once again ruined in 1706 by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. After that more than two hundred years passed before Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel finally took upon himself the responsibility of constructing it once again in the year 1947. Much to the glory and pride of not just Somnath but of the whole of India this stunning temple was once again reincarnated. Presently this "Shrine Eternal" is visited by a large number of pilgrims as well as by common tourists.

IRON MAN of INDIA-SARDAR VALLABAI PATEL

                                   

                                                                                                             Sardar Vallabhai Patel was born on the 31st of October 1875, in Gujarat. He was the son of Zaverbhai who had served in the army of the Queen of Jhansi and Ladbai. Vallabhbhai started his education in a Gujarati medium school and after middle school he switched over to English medium in the Nadiad High School. During the course of his studies his penchant towards organizing came to light. He successfully organized many events. He matriculated in 1897.

In 1891 he married Zaverbai and they had two children. But after she passed away in 1909, the following year he went to England to study law. He completed his law studies in 1913 and came back to India and started his law practice. He joined the Gujarat club and started following a western lifestyle. One day Gandhiji came to the club to give lectures. Sardar Patel was greatly influenced by this master spokesperson. As soon as he came in contact with the Mahatma he decided to discard his foreign clothes and follow the rules of Satyagraha as laid down by Gandhiji. A relationship of teacher and student began to develop in between them.

In 1918 when there was a flood in Kaira, the British insisted on collecting tax from the farmers. This time the Sardar made optimum use of Satyagraha and asked the farmers not to give in to the demands of the government. All of this was done peacefully and the farmers followed his guidance. The British got fed up and eventually returned the land confiscated by them earlier.

In 1928 the farmers faced a similar problem and Vallabhai came to their rescue again. The British were as usual demanding an unjust tax and the farmers of Bardoli under the supervision of Vallabhbhai did not budge. The government in retaliation seized the lands. This agitation took on for more than six months until Patel's brother, Vithalbhai, an important figure in the Central Legislative Assembly struck a truce. This event immensely delighted Gandhiji and the title of "Sardar" was conferred on him. When he was assisting Gandhiji in the Salt Satyagraha, he faced imprisonment for the first time

With great wisdom and political foresight, he consolidated the small kingdoms. The public was with him. He tackled the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagarh who intially did not want to join India. There were a lot of problems connected with the reunion of the numerous states into India. Sardar Patel's untiring efforts towards the unity of the country brought success. Due to the achievement of this massive task, Sardar Patel got the title of 'Iron Man'. ' He is one of the prestigious leaders of the world who became immmortal by uniting a scattered nation without any bloodshed.

When India became free and Pakistan attacked Kashmir, it was Patel who asked to withhold the cash balances left by the British for Pakistan. Gandhiji felt this was immoral and went on a fast until death. Sardar withdrew his argument because he could not bear to see his teacher's suffering. In independent India he held the portfolio of Home Minister, Minister of state and the Minister for information and broadcasting. One of his major achievements included the integration of the princely states into the union of India.

On 3oth January 1948, when Gandhiji was assassinated Sardar Patel was a totally shattered man. He had lost a dear friend and the guiding force of his life.

He died in Bombay in December 1950.

NARENDRA MODI

                                               

As a strong man with unparalleled administrative talents and great determination, Narendra Modi's name is written in golden letters in Gujarat's political history. Modi ruled Gujarat for about ten consecutive years and still continues to hold a considerable amount of power. Born and brought up in a noble culture, he derived his values of generosity, benevolence and social service from his family and social backdrop. He possesses excellent knowledge on human psychology and is also endowed with impressive organizational capabilities that are well evident in the economic and political atmosphere of present-day Gujarat. With his deliberate and uncompromised efforts that made Gujarat an economic power house, he proved that 'action speaks louder than words'. In spite of the vicious and prolonged campaign of vilification against him, he managed to rule the minds of the people in Gujarat who elected him as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the third consecutive time. Narendra Modi with his action-oriented style of administration has shut the mouth of his enemies, who even now are desperate to pull him down from power. With his unusual courage to convert challenges into opportunities, Modi is regarded as a great administrator and a powerful, innovative leader. Read on to know more about one of the most popular political leaders in India. 

starting stage of life

Narendra Damodardas Modi was born into a middle class Hindu family. He served the Indian Army soldiers in transit during the Indo-Pak war. He lent his benevolent hands to serve the flood-affected people in Gujarat in 1967. He joined a student organization called the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and worked as a full-time organizer for the same. He also was involved in the anti-corruption Reconstruction Movement (Navnirman). Later he was nominated as the organization's representative in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He worked with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is a socio-cultural organization that focuses on the social and cultural development of India. Modi did his schooling in Vadnagar and finished a Master's degree in Political Science. He is also quite the poet and has written a large number of poems. 

Career

Narendra Modi started his political career in his early ages and spread the ideology of ABVP and worked with the RSS.He carried out important roles in many crucial situations such as the anti-corruption agitation in 1974 and the 19-month long emergency period in 1975-1977 declared by the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi. He stood by the people and fought a spirited battle against the fascist acts of the central government. Modi entered mainstream politics in 1987 by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and worked for the Gujrat unit of the party. It was because of his proven talent as an effective organizer that he grew to the post of General Secretary of the party (Gujarat Unit) within a year. He created a strong cadre base for the party in Gujarat, working in partnership with Shankarsingh Vaghela. Working under a master strategist like Modi, BJP started gaining political mileage in Gujarat and managed to ascend to power with a two-thirds majority in 1995. Since then, the BJPis successfully ruling Gujarat till now.                                                                                                                                                                                 

Between 1988 and 1995 Modi was given responsibility to organize major events of national importance like Somnath - AyodhyaYatra (led by L.K Advani) and also Kanyakumari - Kashmir Yatra which led to the growth of BJP as the Central Government in 1998. He was appointed as the National Secretary of the party in 1995 with the charge of five major states in India, which was truly a rare distinction for a young leader and then as the General Secretary of BJP in 1998 up to 2001. In 2001, when Keshubhai Patel was removed from power, BJP chose Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and from then on, he is the favorite leader of Gujarat people.                                                                                                                           

Gujarat witnessed a major riot in 2002, after the Sabarmati Express train was attacked by a group of Muslims thus leading to a Hindu-Muslim communal riot. These mishaps occurred on 27th February, 2002 at Godhra City and a total of 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed and 223 more people were reported missing. It caused heavy damage to the state including the destruction of religious worship places: 298 dargahs, 205 mosques, 17 temples and 3 churches were destroyed during the riots. As a consequence of the riots, Modi resigned from his position. However, the people of Gujrat still patronized Modi and he came back to power after getting elected again in the state elections. 

Modi was considered responsible for these riots and the U.S withdrew his visa. The Supreme Court of India on its part appointed a special investigation team to investigate Modi's alleged role in the riots, but the team could not find any evidence against him. 

Contributions 

Narendra Modi has contributed a lot towards the growth of Gujarat. He introduced many Yojnas in Gujarat. Some of them are:

• Krishi Mahotsav for agricultural research labs.  

• Chiranjeevi Yojanato to reduce infant mortality rate.

• Matru Vandana for Reproductive and Child Health Programmes.

• Beti Bachao campaign to protect infant girls and to improve the sex ratio.

• Jyotigram Yojanato to introduce electricity to every village.

• Karmayogi Abhiyan to provide education and training to government employees.

• Kanya Kelavani Yojana to encourage education amongst girls.

• Balbhog Yojana as a midday meal project for students.

With the assistance of a Broadband connection, Modi is planning to connect villages of Gujarat to one another. His affective administration skills helped Gujrat to recover from the damage caused by the 2001 earthquake. 

Legacy

In 2001, when Modi took charge as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the state was struggling with a shrinking economy because of various reasons including the massive earthquakes of 2001. He put in a lot of efforts to restore the state's economy and as a result of his efforts, Gujarat registered a 10% growth rate in his first tenure which was the highest growth rate among Indian states. Gujarat has bagged several awards and was recognized by the world under his leadership. The state of Gujarat won awards like "The UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction", "Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM)" award for innovations in governance, UNESCO award and CSI award for e-Governance to name some. 

Achievements

Best Chief Minister of the Country (2006)

Best Chief Minister of the Country (2006)

fDi Personality of the Year Award (2009) by fDi Magazine. This award was withdrawn later and awarded to the state of Gujarat instead.