With Independence Day coming up soon, these images shows children celebrating. But wait! The two are not the same.
Two pictures that look similar but are not the same. Can you spot the 11 differences in this Independence Day-themed image?
Have you heard about the Royal Naval Uprising of 1946? Or the INA trials held around the same time?
The journey to India’s independence is often highlighted by major events. However, there are several lesser-known incidents that equally played pivotal roles in shaping the nation’s path to freedom. Here are a few of them.
Have you heard the phrase “Tryst with destiny”? It is inextricably connected with India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
On the eve of August 15, 1947, India’s first Prime Minister spoke to the Constituent Assembly in Parliament. Considered one of the greatest orations of the 20th century, it captures the essence of the struggle for Indian independence. Here are some excerpts that continue to resonate even in today’s world:
Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.
It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity…
Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now…
This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell…
It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the east, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materialises. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed!
We are citizens of a great country, on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.
Now here’s an activity for you. The text below is a short biography of Nehru. But some words are missing. Can you drag and drop the words from the column on the right into the correct place to complete the paragraph?
What is your favourite craft? Haven’t got one yet? Well, this memory game might give you an idea of what to choose.
Craft is the skill and ability to make objects that require talent and dedication. Though it is considered a past time, there is a possibility that it could grow into a career. There are different types of craft that one can indulge in. From photography to painting, carpentry to pottery there is a wide choice. Now try your hand at this memory game and see how quickly you can match the cards.
Featuring a few brave people who gave their all to help India gain independence. Can you identify them correctly?
When we think of India’s freedom struggle, the names that come to mind first are Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel among others. But there were several others who also fought for independence from British rule. This quiz is all about them. Can you guess who they are?
What is the human body’s circulatory system? Why is it so crucial for life? Watch this video to know more.
Through which country does the Murray River flow? What about the Thames? Match the rivers with their countries in this interactive game.
Rivers usually begin at a source – often on a mountain top. From there, they flow down to the plains bringing with them water, soil and other nutrients required for life to survive. Most ancient civilisations grew up around the banks of rivers. Apart from providing water for various needs, rivers were also an excellent route to transport people and goods. Now here’s a game that centres around rivers. On your left are names of rivers and, on the right, the countries they flow through. Can you drag and drop the card from the left on the correct card on the right?
This powerful invention is used in everything from cranes that lift heavy objects to the motors in your toys and gadgets. Read on.
These folks are playing on the beach but the two pictures are not the same. Find 10 differences between them.
Want to take a walk on the beach this weekend? Here you go! But wait! Are these two pictures the same? No, they only seem that way. Spot the 12 differences that set them apart.
This traditional building technique combined practical and environmental principles with aesthetics. Read on.
Take the following ingredients: jaggery mixed with water, egg whites, ghee, freshly curdled yoghurt. No, this is not a recipe for an eclectic new dish. These were ingredients used in the making of Madras chunam, a smooth marble-like finish that was used for plastering the walls of buildings.
You may have heard the words chunnambu (Tamil) or chuna (Hindi). Chunam refers to a plaster made of lime (calcium oxide), applied on building walls as the final coat, to protect the building and improve its appearance. Madras chunam was a plaster extensively used in Tamil Nadu. It was made of burnt lime from seashells and river sand. This was then mixed with various biological ingredients, and applied on walls in multiple coats, in an intensive process spread over many days.
At different stages, jaggery, water, eggs, curd and talc were added in specific proportions. The wall was left to cure between coats and rubbed and smoothed manually to finally achieve a beautifully polished surface. Besides plastering, Madras chunam was also used as mortar to bind bricks together.
Lost technique
Today, it is one of the many traditional techniques lost because of the time, effort, and skilled work that it requires. Modern buildings are commonly made of concrete and cement mortar, which also use lime as a main ingredient, but is produced and mixed industrially. Paint is the final finish, whereas chunam required no other finishing. The sparking white surface had an added benefit in hot climate: it reflects rather than absorbs heat, keeping the indoors cooler.
The shiny and durable finish of Madras chunam was widely admired. British writers like James Holman and Dr. James Anderson regard it as the finest cement they encountered in India and abroad, for both beauty and durability. Madras chunam was used in many colonial buildings of Chennai such as the Senate House and the Chepauk Palace. The technique is said to have travelled even to Singapore and used in the district of Little India.
While the ingredients are curious, they also served a purpose. According to a study published in the journal IJHS in March 2020, jaggery or sugar enhanced the dissolving of lime in water, while sour curd and egg whites acted as binders. All of this made the building more durable and gain more strength as the building ages, often outshining modern, industrial methods.
Indigenous architectural techniques often combine practical and environmental principles with aesthetics. The walls of your current home are likely made of concrete. Now take some time to ask your grandparents what their homes was made of, and see if you find anything interesting!
Local and unusual
Where else can you find unusual local ingredients?
Sticky rice was added to lime mortar while building the Great Wall of China.
In Rajasthan, additives such as jaggery, jute fibre, and methi (fenugreek) were added to lime mortar.
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