Proud to be an INDIAN

Yess!!!!! We archive in the world because we are the champions in the world.We are the kings.We rocks always... Jai Hind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"PERANMAI" INDIANS MUST WATCH MOVIE

Link:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=106501cfccfc024708f8df73f2072ed6267db233%20bf7c8c22f88875faa4c6c51e

எங்கள் நாடு

மன்னும் இமயமலை யெங்கள் மலையே
 மாநில மீதிது போற்பிறி திலையே!
இன்னறு நீர்க்கங்கை யாறெங்கள் யாறே
 இங்கிதன் மாண்பிற் கெதிரெது வேறே?
பன்னரும் உபநிடநூ லெங்கள் நூலே
 பார் மிசை யேதொரு நூல்இது போலே?
பொன்னொளிர் பாரதநா டெங்கள் நாடே
 போற்றுவம் இஃதை எமக்கில்லை ஈடே.

மாரத வீரர் மலிந்தநன் னாடு
 மாமுனி வோர்பலர் வாழ்ந்த பொன்னாடு
நாரத கான நலந்திகழ் நாடு
 நல்லன யாவையும் நாடுறு நாடு
பூரண ஞானம் பொலிந்தநன் னாடு
 புத்தர் பிரானருள் பொங்கிய நாடு
பாரத நாடு பழம்பெரு நாடே
 பாடுவம் இஃதை எமக்கிலை ஈடே.

இன்னல்வந் துற்றிடும் போததற் கஞ்சோம்
 ஏழைய ராகிஇனி மண்ணில் துஞ்சோம்
தன்னலம் பேணி இழிதொழில்கற் போம்
 தாய்த்திரு நாடெனில் இனிக்கையை விரியோம்
கன்னலும் தேனும் கனியும் இன் பாலும்
 கதலியும் செந்நெலும் நல்கும் எக் காலும்
உன்னத ஆரிய நாடெங்கள் நாடே
 ஓதுவம் இஃதை எமக்கில்லை ஈடே.                    

பாரத தேசம்

                பல்லவி

 பாரத தேசமென்று பெயர்சொல்லு வார் - மிடிப்
 பயங்கொல்லு வார்துயர்ப் பகைவெல்லு வார்.

               சரணங்கள்

1.  வெள்ளிப் பனிமலையின் மீதுலவு வோம் - அடி
   மேலைக் கடல்முழுதும் கப்பல் விடுவோம்
 பள்ளித் தலமனைத்தும் கோயில் செய்கு வோம், எங்கள்
   பாரத தேசமென்று தோள்கொட்டுவோம். (பாரத)

2.  சிங்களத் தீவினுக்கோர் பாலம் அமைப்போம்,
   சேதுவை மேடுறுத்தி வீதி சமைப்போம்
 வங்கத்தில் ஓடிவரும் நீரின் மிகையால்
   மையத்து நாடுகளில் பயிர்செய்குவோம். (பாரத)

3.  வெட்டுக் கனிகள் செய்து தங்கம் முதலாம்
   வேறு பலபொருளும் குடைந் தெடுப்போம்,
 எட்டுத் திசைகளிலுஞ் சென்றிவை விற்றே
   எண்ணும் பொருளனைத்தும் கொண்டு வருவோம். (பாரத)

4.  முத்துக் குளிப்பதொரு தென் கடலிலே,
   மொய்த்து வணிகர்பல நாட்டினர்வந்தே,
 நத்தி நமக்கினிய பொருள் கொணர்ந்தே
   நம்மருள் வேண்டுவது மேற்க ரையிலே. (பாரத)

5.  சிந்து நதியின்மிசை நிலவினி லே
   சேர நன்னாட்டிளம் பெண்களுட னே
 சுந்தரத் தெலுங்கினிற் பாட்டிசைத்துத்
   தோணிக ளோட்டிவிளை யாடிவரு வோம். (பாரத)

6.  கங்கை நதிப்புறத்துக் கோதுமைப் பண்டம்
   காவிரி வெற்றிலைக்கு மாறுகொள்ளு வோம்
 சிங்க மராட்டியர்தம் கவிதை கொண்டு
   சேரத்துத் தந்தங்கள் பரிசளிப்போம். (பாரத)

7.  காசி நகர்ப்புலவர் பேசும் உரை தான்
   காஞ்சியில் கேட்பதற்கோர் கருவிசெய் வோம்
 ராசபுத் தானத்து வீரர் தமக்கு
   நல்லியற் கன்னடத்துத் தங்கம் அளிப்போம். (பாரத)

8.  பட்டினில் ஆடையும் பஞ்சினில் உடையும்
   பண்ணி மலைகளென வீதி குவிப்போம்
 கட்டித் திரவியங்கள் கொண்டுவரு வார்
   காசினி வணிகருக்கு அவை கொடுப்போம் (பாரத)

9.  ஆயுதம் செய் வோம் நல்ல காகிதம் செய்வோம்
   ஆலைகள் வைப்போம் கல்விச் சாலைகள் வைப்போம்
 ஒயுதல்செய் யோம்தலை சாயுதல் செய்யோம்
   உண்மைகள்சொல் வோம்பல வண்மைகள் செய்வோம். (பாரத)

10. குடைகள்செய் வோம்உழு படைகள் செய் வோம்
   கோணிகள்செய் வோம் இரும் பாணிகள் செய்வோம்
 நடையும் பறப்புமுணர் வண்டிகள் செய்வோம்
   ஞாலம் நடுங்கவரும் கப்பல்கள் செய்வோம் (பாரத)

11. மந்திரம்கற் போம்வினைத் தந்திரம்கற் போம்
   வானையளப் போம்கடல் மீனையளப்போம்
 சந்திரமண் டலத்தியல் கண்டுதெளி வோம்
   சந்திதெருப் பெருக்கும் சாத்திரம் கற்போம். (பாரத)

12. காவியம் செய்வோம் நல்ல காடு வளர்ப்போம்
   கலைவளர்ப் போம் கொல்ல ருலைவளர்ப் போம்
 ஓவியம்செய் வோம் நல்லஊசிகள் செய் வோம்
   உலகத் தொழிலனைத்து முவந்து செய்வோம். (பாரத)

13. சாதி இரண்டொழிய வேறில்லை யென்றே
   தமிழ்மகள் சொல்லியசொல் அமிழ்த மென்போம்
 நீதிநெறி யினின்று பிறர்க்கு தவும்
   நேர்மையர் மேலவர், கீழவர் மற்றோர். (பாரத)

பாரத நாடு

             பல்லவி

பாருக்குள்ளே நல்ல நாடு - எங்கள்
பாரத நாடு.

            சரணங்கள்

1.  ஞானத்தி லேபர மோனத்திலே - உயர்
  மானத்தி லேஅன்ன தானத்திலே
கானத்தி லேஅமு தாக நிறைந்த
  கவிதையி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

2.  தீரத்தி லேபடை வீரத்திலே - நெஞ்சில்
  ஈரத்தி லேஉப காரத்திலே
சாரத்தி லேமிகு சாத்திரங் கண்டு
  தருவதி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

3.  நன்மையி லேஉடல் வன்மையிலே - செல்வப்
  பன்மையி லேமறத் தன்மையிலே
பொன்மயி லொத்திடும் மாதர்தம் கற்பின்
  புகழினி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

4.  ஆக்கத்தி லேதொழில் ஊக்கத்திலே - புய
  வீக்கத்தி லேஉயர் நோக்கத்திலே
காக்கத் திறல்கொண்ட மல்லர்தம் சேனைக்
  கடலினி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

5.  வண்மையி லேஉளத் திண்மையிலே - மனத்
  தண்மையி லேமதி நுண்மையிலே
உண்மையி லேதவ றாத புலவர்
  உணர்வினி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

6.  யாகத்தி லேதவ வேகத்திலே - தனி
  யோகத்தி லேபல போகத்திலே
ஆகத்தி லேதெய்வ பக்திகொண் டார்தம்
  அருளினி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

7.  ஆற்றினி லேசுனை யூற்றினிலே - தென்றல்
  காற்றினி லேமலைப் பேற்றினிலே
ஏற்றினி லேபயன் ஈந்திடுங் காலி
  இனத்தினி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

8.  தோட்டத்தி லேமரக் கூட்டத்திலே - கனி
  ஈட்டத்தி லேபயிர் ஊட்டத்திலே
தேட்டத்தி லேஅடங் காத நதியின்
  சிறப்பினி லேஉயர் நாடு - இந்தப் (பாருக்)

நாட்டு வணக்கம்

எந்தையும் தாயும் மகிழ்ந்துகுலாவி
 இருந்ததும் இந்நாடே - அதன்
முந்தையர் ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகள் வாழ்ந்து
 முடிந்ததும் இந்நாடே - அவர்
சிந்தையில் ஆயிரம் எண்ணம் வளர்ந்து
 சிறந்ததும் இந்நாடே - இதை
வந்தனை கூறி மனத்தில் இருத்திஎன்
 வாயுற வாழ்த்தேனோ? - இதை
'வந்தே மாதரம் வந்தே மாதரம்'
 என்று வணங்கேனோ?

இன்னுயிர் தந்தெமை ஈன்று வளர்த்து, அருள்
 ஈந்ததும் இந்நாடே - எங்கள்
அன்னையர் தோன்றி மழலைகள் கூறி
 அறிந்ததும் இந்நாடே - அவர்
கன்னிய ராகி நிலவினி லாடிக்
 களித்ததும் இந்நாடே - தங்கள்
பொன்னுடல் இன்புற நீர்விளை யாடி, இல்
 போந்ததும் இந்நாடே - இதை
'வந்தே மாதரம் வந்மே மாதரம்'
 என்று வணங்கேனோ?

மங்கைய ராயவர் இல்லறம் நன்கு
 வளர்த்ததும் இந்நாடே - அவர்
தங்க மதலைகள் ஈன்றமு தூட்டித்
 தழுவிய திந்நாடே - மக்கள்
துங்கம் உயர்ந்து வளர்கெனக் கோயில்கள்
 சூழ்ந்ததும் இந்நாடே - பின்னர்
அங்கவர் மாய அவருடற் பூந்துகள்
 ஆர்ந்ததும் இந்நாடே - இதை
'வந்தே மாதரம் வந்தே மாதரம்'
என்று வணங்கேனோ?

ஜய வந்தே மாதரம்

                 பல்லவி

 வந்தே மாதரம் - ஜய
 வந்தே மாதரம்.

                சரணங்கள்

1.    ஜயஜய பாரத ஜயஜய பாரத
   ஜயஜய பாரத ஜயஜய ஜயஜய            (வந்தே)

2.   ஆரிய பூமியில் நாரிய ரும் நர
   சூரிய ரும்சொலும் வீரிய வாசகம்         (வந்தே)

3.   நொந்தே போயினும் வெந்தே மாயினும்
   நந்தே சத்தர்உ வந்தே சொல்வது          (வந்தே)

4.   ஒன்றாய் நின்றினி வென்றா யினுமுயிர்
   சென்றா யினும்வலி குன்றா தோதுவம்.   (வந்தே)

வந்தே மாதரம்

               பல்லவி

வந்தே மாதரம் என்போம் - எங்கள்
மாநிலத் தாயை வணங்குதும் என்போம். (வந்தே)

              சரணங்கள்

1.  ஜாதி மதங்களைப் பாரோம் - உயர்
    ஜன்மம்இத் தேசத்தில் எய்தின ராயின்
வேதிய ராயினும் ஒன்றே - அன்றி
    வேறு குலத்தின ராயினும் ஒன்றே (வந்தே)

2.  ஈனப் பறையர்க ளேனும் அவர்
    எம்முடன் வாழ்ந்திங் கிருப்பவர் அன்றோ?
சீனத் தராய்விடு வாரோ? - பிற
    தேசத்தர் போற்பல தீங்கிழைப் பாரோ? (வந்தே)

3.  ஆயிரம் உண்டிங்கு ஜாதி - எனில்
    அன்னியர் வந்து புகல்என்ன நீதி? - ஓர்
தாயின் வயிற்றில் பிறந்தோர் - தம்முள்
    சண்டைசெய் தாலும் சகோதரர் அன்றோ? (வந்தே)

4.  ஒன்று பட்டால் உண்டு வாழ்வே - நம்மில்
    ஒற்றுமை நீங்கில் அனைவர்க்கும் தாழ்வே
நன்றிது தேர்ந்திடல் வேண்டும் - இந்த
    ஞானம் வந்தாற்பின் நமக்கெது வேண்டும்? (வந்தே)

5.  எப்பதம் வாய்த்திடு மேனும் - நம்மில்
    யாவர்க்கும் அந்த நிலைபொது வாகும்
முப்பது கோடியும் வாழ்வோம் - வீழில்
    முப்பது கோடி முழுமையும் வீழ்வோம் (வந்தே)

6.  புல்லடி மைத்தொழில் பேணிப் - பண்டு
    போயின நாட்களுக் கினிமனம் நாணித்
தொல்லை இகழ்ச்சிகள் தீர - இந்தத்
    தொண்டு நிலைமையைத் தூவென்று தள்ளி (வந்தே) 

Gandhi(1982)-DvDrip XVID

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Dr Manmohan Singh Biography

Profile Name: Dr Manmohan Singh Birth Date: 26 September 1932 Birthplace: Gah, West Punjab, British India Occupation: Prime Minister Born In: Punjab

Biography Dr. Manmohan Singh (Punjabi: ਮਨਮੋਹਨ ਸਿੰਘ, Hindi: मनमोहन सिंह) is the 14th, and current Prime Minister of India. He was born on 26 September 1932, Gah, West Punjab (now in Pakistan) and is member of the left-of-centre Indian National Congress party. The first Sikh Indian prime minister, Singh was sworn in on May 22, 2004. He is a native Punjabi speaker. Dr. Singh is an economist by trade, and has formerly served in the International Monetary Fund. His economics education included an undergraduate (1952) and a master's degree (1954) from Punjab University; an undergraduate degree (1957) from Cambridge University (St. John's College); and a doctorate (1962) from Oxford University (Nuffield College). Singh is also known as a low-key politician, enjoying an image as "squeaky clean." He was awarded the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award in 2002. Singh is held in high esteem, and regard, all over the country and the world. Before becoming prime minister, he served as an advisor to party president Sonia Gandhi and as the finance minister under Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. [1] Singh has been married since 1958; he and his wife, Mrs. Gursharan Kaur have three daughters. Their youngest daughter, Amrit Singh, is a Yale Law School-educated attorney in the New York City ACLU. Although his economic policies - which included the reduction of several socialist policies - were widely popular, especially among the middle class, Singh lost his seat in the Lok Sabha from South Delhi in 1999. He is thus the only Indian Prime Minister never to have been an elected member of the Lower House of Parliament. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha from Assam since 1991 and the upper house leader of the opposition from 1998 - 2004 when India was governed by a coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP. Economic Reforms and Ascent to Power Singh served as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India in the late 1980s, and was elevated to finance minister in 1991 by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. Singh is widely regarded as the architect of India's original economic reform programme which was enacted in 1991 under Rao's administration. The economic liberalization package pushed by Singh and Rao opened the nation to foreign direct investment and reduced the red tape that had previously impeded business growth. The liberalization was prompted by an acute balance-of-payments crisis whereby the Indian government was left without sufficient reserves to meet its obligations, and had begun preparations to mortgage its gold reserves to the Bank of England in order to obtain the cash reserves needed to run the country. Many see the 1991 liberalization as the first of a series of economic liberalizations throughout the 1990s and 2000s that have raised India's growth rates substantially since the early 1990s. Despite its economic liberalization policies, Rao's government was defeated in the next election because Rao and other top ministers were widely seen as corrupt. Opposition and 2004 Election Singh stayed with the Congress Party despite continuous marginalization and defeats in the elections of 1996, 1998 and 1999. He did not join the rebels in a major split which occurred in 1999, when many major Congress leaders objected to Sonia Gandhi's rise as Congress President and Leader of the Opposition. Being touted as the Congress choice for the PM's job, she became a target for nationalists who objected to her Italian birth. It seemed that a party which turned to old links to the Nehru family and a foreigner for political leadership had no future or potential to look forward to. But Singh continued to stay on as a leader within the party, most notably helping to revamp the party's platform and organization. The Congress alliance won a surprisingly high number of seats in the Parliamentary elections of 2004, owing largely to a nationwide disenchantment of millions of poorer citizens with the BJP's focus on the surging middle-class, and also its dismal record in handling religious tensions. The Left Front decided to support a Congress alliance government from outside in order to keep the "communal forces" out of power. Sonia Gandhi was elected leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party and was expected to become the Prime Minister. In a surprise move, she declined to accept the post and instead nominated Singh. Singh secured the nomination for prime minister on May 19, 2004 when President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam officially asked him to form a government. Although most expected him to head the Finance Ministry himself, he entrusted the job to P. Chidambaram. His appointment is notable as it comes 20 years after India witnessed significant tensions between the Indian central government and the Punjabi Sikh community. After Congress Party Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the mother-in-law of Sonia Gandhi, ordered central government troops to storm the Golden Temple (the holiest site in Sikhism) in Amritsar, Punjab to quell a separatist movement, she was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. The result was a tremendous nationwide crisis in which many innocent Sikhs were murdered in riots at the behest of Congress party heavyweights. Singh's image is of an intellectual, a political leader of integrity (a prevalent stereotypical public perception denounces most national bureaucracies as corrupt and tainted), someone who is compassionate and attentive to common people, and as a recognised technocrat. Although legislative achievements have been few and the Congress-led alliance is routinely hampered by conflicts and scandals, Singh's administration has focused on reducing the fiscal deficit, providing debt-relief to poor farmers, extending social programs and advancing the pro-industry economic and tax policies that have launched the country on a major economic expansion course since 2002. Singh has been the image of the Congress campaign to defuse religious tensions and conflicts and bolster political support from minorities like Muslims and Christians.The Prime Minister's foreign policy has been to continue the new peace process with Pakistan initiated by his predecessor, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Exchange visits by top leaders from both countries have highlighted this year, as has reduced terrorism and increased prosperity in the state of Kashmir. The peace process has also been used by the government to build stronger relations with the United States, China and European nations. But the Government suffered a setback when it lost the support of a key ally, Russia, for its bid for a permanent membership to the U.N. Security Council with veto privileges. While Manmohan Singh has a long and illustrious past as an administrator, his role as a political figure has been relatively low-profile. He has only contested the Lok Sabha (People's House) once in his career, when he lost to BJP candidate Vijay Kumar Malhotra from the South Delhi seat in 1999. Since 1991, he has been consistently re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha. In June of 2001, briefly following the Congress victory in the eastern state of Assam, space was made for his election to Rajya Sabha from that state. If the Congress loses power in Assam in 2006, he will likely be re-nominated from another state. While Singh heads the United Progressive Alliance government, Sonia Gandhi is generally regarded as the true political head of the Congress Party. Most of the Indian media has speculated that ministers in Singh's cabinet have been nominated at the behest of Ms. Gandhi, and likewise, partners of the Congress, such as Laloo Prasad Yadav, meet Sonia directly to discuss any issues pertaining to the alliance. Singh has rarely made appearances during canvassing for the party, and was left in the background during the 82nd All India Congress plenary in Hyderabad, where Congress workers celebrated Sonia's heir-apparent, Rahul Gandhi. To top it all off, the Leftist parties supporting the government from outside also rarely address Mr. Singh directly. As a result of this, the BJP-led opposition has often referred to Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi as the "Super Prime-Minister". Faced with a lack of respect in either his own party, its allies, or the opposition, Singh's tenure has been markedly different from that of his predecessor, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who could command respect across the political spectrum. Singh's lack of knowledge on party affairs and key decisions made by Congress leaders has left him embarrassed on numerous ocassions, and along with those leaders, the opposition, which initially extended him a warm welcome in 2004, has become more and more hostile towards him. Some examples of this include: The Opposition's demand for resignation of Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav over corruption cases and the controversial installation of Shibu Soren as Jharkhand's Chief Minister despite the BJP presenting a majority. Singh is a soft-spoken man who has dealt with a major transition between comfortable administrative work and being India's political leader. This has been illustrated by his ability to mingle with world leaders and become vocally critical of the Opposition. His lack of involvement in political affairs has also meant that he has been able to dedicate himself to pet projects, especially on the financial front. It is that squeaky-clean image which is expected to make Singh an acceptable Prime Minister for the Congress, its allies, and the Leftist parties for the full five-year tenure. Career First Class Honours degree in Economics, University of Cambridge, (1957) Punjab University, Chandigarh, India Senior Lecturer, Economics (1957-1959) Professor of International Trade (1969-1971) Reader (1959-1963) Professor (1963-1965) D.Phil in Economics, Nuffield College at Oxford University, (1962) Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi Honorary Professor (1996) Chief, Financing for Trade Section, UNCTAD, United Nations Secretariat,New York 1966 : Economic Affairs Officer 1966 Economic Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Trade, India (1971-1972) Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, India, (1972-1976) Honorary Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (1976) Director, Reserve Bank of India (1976-1980) Director, Industrial Development Bank of India (1976-1980) Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), Government of India, (1977-1980) Governor, Reserve Bank of India (1982-1985) Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of India, (1985-1987) Advisor to Prime Minister of India on Economic Affairs (1990-1991) Finance Minister of India, (June 21, 1991 - May 15, 1996) Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Prime Minister of India (May 22, 2004 - Present)

Dhoni's Achievements

Career Highlights

• Became the first captain to lead India to the ICC World Twenty 20 trophy played in South Africa in September 2007 which India won on the 24th September 2007
• Second Indian captain after Kapil Dev to have won a World cup

Awards

• On the 13th of February 2006, became the man of the match against Pakistan at Gadaffi Stadium for an unbeaten 72 runs
• Made man of the match against Sri Lanka on the 31st of October 2005 for scoring his highest ever unbeaten 183 runs at Sawai Mansingh Stadium
• Receives his first man of the match award against Pakistan at AC-VDCA Stadium for scoring 148 runs on the 5th of April 2005

Ranking

• On the 19th of April 2006, moves to the top at no. 1 position on LG’s ICC ODI player rankings
• Ranked at no. 2 position on LG’s ICC ODI player rankings on the 16th of April 2006

Records

• On the 17th of January 2008, became the first Indian wicketkeeper to effect five international dismissals in an innings against Australia - equalling Adam Gilchrist’s record
• Holds the record for highest runs scored by a wicketkeeper, i.e. 183 not out
• His innings of 183 not out is the highest score made by anyone in the second innings of an ODI. The former record was held by Brian Lara for scoring 153 against Pakistan
• Became the first Indian to hit 10 sixes in an ODI
• Made a record of scoring 120 runs in an ODI from boundaries and sixes(15 boundaries and 10 sixes)
• Is the only second Indian to reach 1st position on LG’s ICC ODI batting rankings

Other Achievements

• Won the Pepsi & MTV Youth Icon of the year 2006
• Nominated for NDTV Youth Icon of the year 2006

Dhoni Biography

Personal information

Full name: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
D.O.B: 7th July, 1981
Place of Birth: Ranchi, Bihar
Nickname: Mahi

Cricketing information

Role: Captain of the Indian ODI and Twenty20 team and Vice captain of the Test team
Batting style: Right hand batsman
Bowling style: Right arm medium
Field position: Wicketkeeper
Clubs played: Jharkhand

Cricketing profile

Mahendra Singh Dhoni started his first class career in the year 1999-2000. His one day international debut came after playing five years of first class cricket on the 23rd of December 2004 against Bangladesh. The venue of the match was in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Unfortunately, he was run out on the first ball he faced. It wasn’t a great debut for him where batting is concerned. Luck wasn’t on his side in the first four matches he played. Where as on the fifth match which was played against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam, Dhoni came to the crease one down and managed to score 148 runs from just 123 balls. He hit 15 boundaries and four sixes. He got his first man of the match award that day. Not only a good wicketkeeper but Dhoni proved himself to be a first class batsman too. He is one of the few finest wicketkeeper batsman India has seen after a very long time.

On the 31st of October, Dhoni broke the record of highest runs scored by a wicket keeper by securing 183 runs against Srilanka which was played at Jaipur. Adam Gilchrist was the former record holder with 172 runs.

Before he started playing cricket, he was a football goalkeeper. Its said he drinks around four litres of milk everyday but he denied it by saying that has been exaggerated a bit. He said he loves milk and drinks around a litre on a daily basis.

On the 2nd of December 2005, Dhoni made his Test cricket debut against Srilanka which was played in Chennai, India.

Personal profile

Dhoni was born and brought up in the city of Ranchi. He has two siblings. A sister who is married and a brother who lives in Almora. Almora is a high-lying town at the foot of the Himalaya which is his father’s home town. His father’s name is Pan Singh and mother’s name is Devki Devi.

His hobbies and interests include:

• Hearing music, ghazals and songs by Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar
• Loves to ride bikes
• Enjoys playing computer games and badminton

Not interested in:

• English songs
• Working out at gyms

Special qualities:

• Thinks positive
• Highly confident about himself
• Is aggressive on the field

His Idol:

• Adam Gilchrist

Hemant Karkare Biography

Hemant Karkare was born in 1954. Not much is known about his childhood, but he went on to attain a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Vishveshvarayya Regional Engineering in Nagpur, the largest city in central India. In 1982, he became a batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and slowly worked his way up the ranks, receiving posts at Nanded, Akola, Thane and Bhiwandi. Then, nine years later, he was sent to a post in the Chandrapur area of the state. Finally, he ended up in Mumbai, where he acted as the deputy commissioner of police in their economic offense wing. He also worked in the research and analysis wing -- the country's external intelligence agency -- out of Austria for seven years.

Success

Hemant Karkare helped to solve the serial bomb blasts in Thane, Panvel and Vashi, and also helped in the investigation of the September 29, 2008 blast in Malegaon. Known for his discipline and fair investigation tactics, he encouraged his officers to "play fair," stating, "We should do our job and it is for the court to decide.”

He was killed in November 2008 while leading an offensive against terrorists at the Taj Hotel.

Quotes

"He is a good and upright officer, a law enforcing officer and has a good track record."
- Arvind Inamdar, Senior and former Maharashtra Director General of Police about Hemant Karkare just prior to his assassination.

Ilayaraja Biography

Date of Birth 2 June 1943, Pannaipuram, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, India

Birth Name: Daniel Rajayya

Nickname: Raasaiya

Mini Biography

Born and brought up in an obscure village near Kambam in Southern Tamil Nadu, Ilayaraja became the first Asian to score a symphony for the London Philharmonic Orchestra, besides scoring over 500 feature films in a period of 20 years. Raja, as he is popularly known and affectionately called, comes from a family of musicians. His mother, a huge repository of Tamil folk songs, seems to be a very strong influence in his music. He learned to play the harmonium, the typical musical instrument used in street performances. The team of the brothers, the eldest being Pavalar Varadharajan, a poet, worked as a group of musicians traveling across the state, accompanying theater artists. Raja picked up most of his acumen for audience tastes during this period.

In 1969, Raja migrated to the city of Madras, the Southern Movie capital, when he was 29 years old, looking for a break into music making for the public. He studied under Dhanraj Master, playing the guitar and piano in the Western style. He later earned a diploma in music from Trinity College in London. Ilayaraja's break into music for films came with Annakili (1976). The film dealt with a village story, to which Ilayaraja composed great melodies. The songs offered simplicity and musicality typical of Tamil folk in an authentic way, and they offered new sounds--rich orchestration typical of Western music. The songs became an instant hit, the most popular being "Machchana Partheengala" sung by a female voice, S. Janaki. This was followed by a series of films that portrayed contemporary Tamil villages in an authentic way, against stylistic shallow portrayals before. For all of these films Raja created memorable songs. Most popular were the songs "Senthoorappove" and "Aatukkutti Mutaiyittu" from Pathinaru Vayathinile (1977), and "Samakkozhi" and "Oram Po" from Ponnu Oorukku Pudhusu (1979).

Raja soon proved his abilities in other styles as well. classical Karnatic melodies were used in Kannan Oru Kai Kuzhandhai (1978) (Rag Mohanam), Mayile Mayile (Ragam Hamsadhwani), and Chinna Kannan Azhaikiran (Reethi Gowlai). Raja's grasp of Western classical structure became evident with his masterful use of the piano, guitar, and string ensembles. Some of the numbers that show his orchestral genius are "Pon malai Pozhudu" and "Poongadhave" from Nizhalgal (1980), Kanmaniye Kadhal from Aarilirindhu Aruvathu Varai (1979), "Ramanin Mohanam" from Netri Kann (1981), "En Iniya Pon nilave from Moodupani (1980), "Paruvame Pudhiya" from Nenjathai Killathe (1981), and "Edho Moham" from Kozhi Koovuthu (1982). These songs could literally be heard coming from every doorstep in Tamil Nadu state every day for at least a year after being released. Raja composed film music prolifically for the next fifteen years, at a rate of as many as three new songs a day. After a few years as a film composer, he could write all the parts to a score as they came to him, and his assistants would make fair copies, which would be recorded immediately.

Raja went for a trip abroad to Europe, partly to visit places where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Ludwig van Beethoven lived. They were his Manasika Gurus or non-physical teachers, he wrote once. He also met contemporary composers and arrangers including Paul Mauriat. His listeners were awestruck by the quality and quantity of his musical output. He also scored a few films abroad. Ilayaraja's image grew to be a unique one in the history of Tamil cinema: stories, themes, and castes would be changed to fit his music, which swept away the minds of millions of Indians in hundreds of films.

Ilayaraja also recorded non-film albums, such as "How to Name It" and "Nothing But Wind," which were well-received in India and abroad. In 1993, he wrote a symphony for the London Philharmonic Orchestra in an amazing one-month span. To many people who know him, Raja represents more than his music. He is a mark of great achievement that is possible by hard work, yet he is seen in most of his interviews as talking very philosophically. He is very much attracted by the philosophy of Ramana Maharishi of Thiruvanna Malai, who lived in the early 20th Century. Raja once referred to Ramana as "our Zen master."

Trivia

He won a gold medal from London's Trinity College in the guitar category. His notable works include Nayakan (1987) (his 400th film) and Anjali (1990) (his 500th film). His other musical works include "Nothing But the Wind," "How to Name It," and "Singing Skylarks." He also invented a new Carnatic raga known as Panchamukhi.

Personal Quotes

"About 10 years ago I undertook to construct the principal towers of the Siva temple at Thiruvanamalai and the Vaishnavite temple at Srirangam; I spent my own money on the projects - I did not collect money from others. I could have completed Thiruvasagam also without financial assistance from others, but did not wish to do so. Because, when the project was conceived, I was reminded of a remark made by the late Kanchi Senior Acharya. He said that in the olden days, even if a king wanted to construct a temple tower, he would not do it with his own money, but collected finds from the people for the purpose. The idea was that there should be participation by the people. That was why I was keen that others should also join in this venture."

"Give me half an hour and I can finish a film."

"Western classical music is perspective - look at the number of people involved in a symphony! Our traditional music is lonely."

About Budapest: "For the last 3 years, I have been doing most of my recordings there. The artistes there are very talented - it's a renowned organization with 100 years of experience and is among the world's best orchestras. The conductor, Loslo Kovacs, has been very close to me - I find it easier to work with him than my own brother! Vienna is where most of the world's greatest composers have worked. From the classical to the romantic periods, great figures like [Wolfgang Amadeus] Mozart, [Johann] Strauss, [Johann Sebastian] Bach and [Ludwig von] Beethoven had Vienna connections. Those veterans would have visited Hungary and conducted performances here. My attachment and respect for that soil have also influenced by decision in selecting the Budapest Symphony Orchestra for Thiruvasagam."

About Thiruvasagam: "Like most Tamils, I have great admiration and reverence for Thiruvasagam. It is one of our great treasures. Its unique feature is its emotional appeal to readers. Manickavasagar sings the praise of Shiva and profusely thanks Him. While doing so he calls himself "meaner than a dog," "man of evil deeds," and so on. Manickvasagar, the prime minister of a Pandya king, should have overcome his ego before doing this. In moving, bone-melting words, he makes a sort of confession to God. Because of their very emotional nature, his poems reach the people. All his works are highly emotional and are bound to appeal to every reader. If his songs were mere statements of facts, without an appeal to your heart, they would have had no impact. Thiruvasagam, therefore, occupies a special place in Tamil literature. Hence the traditional saying: "Those who are not moved by Thiruvasagam will not be moved by any other work." I started working on the project as early as 2000. When I approached big people for funds (I won't mention any names), many could not even understand the concept or its significance - they did not realize that it would get a place in history later. They saw it only as scoring music for some devotional songs and wondered why it should be so expensive. They did not respond. More than their refusal to participate, I was hurt by the way they approached the project. Generally I do not go for such help."

Where Are They Now

Composing for new movies. Writing about the philosophy of Astavakra Gita.

A.R.RAHMAN Biography

Date of Birth

6 January 1966, Madras (now Chennai), India

Birth Name

A.S. Dileep Kumar

Nickname

The Mozart of Madras
Isai Puyal

Mini Biography

Allah Rakha Rahman was born A.S. Dileep Kumar on January 6, 1966, in Madras (now Chennai), India, to a musically affluent family. Dileep started learning the piano at the age of 4, and at the age of 9, his father passed away. Since the pressure of supporting his family fell on him, he joined Ilayaraja's troupe as a keyboard player at the age of 11. He dropped out of school as a result of this and traveled all around the world with various orchestras.

He accompanied the great tabla maestro Zakir Hussain on a few world tours and also won a scholarship at the Trinity College of Music at Oxford University, where he studied Western classical music and obtained a degree in music. Due to some personal crisis, Dileep Kumar embraced Islam and came to be known as A.R. Rahman. In 1987, he moved to advertising, where he composed more than 300 jingles over 5 years. In 1989, he started a small studio called Panchathan Record Inn, which later developed into one of the most well-equipped and advanced sound recording studios in India.

At an advertising awards function, Rahman met one of India's most famous directors, Mani Ratnam. Rahman played him a few of his music samples. Mani loved them so much that he asked Rahman to compose the music for his next film, Roja (1992). The rest, as they say, is history. He went on to compose several great hits for Tamil-language films before composing the score and songs for his first Hindi-language film, Rangeela (1995). The enormous success of his first Hindi venture was followed by the chart-topping soundtrack albums of films such as Bumbai (1995) , Dil Se.. (1998), Taal (1999), Zubeidaa (2001), and Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001), which was nominated for best foreign-language film at the 2002 Academy Awards.

More recently, he worked with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Shekhar Kapur (director of Elizabeth (1998)) on a musical called "Bombay Dreams." At 36 years old, A.R. Rahman has revolutionized Indian film music and one can only expect this musical genius to reach greater heights.

Trade Mark

His music always has a Southern Indian influence.

Trivia

Studied Western classical music as a student at Oxford University in the UK.

He was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (The Hilton Award) for Best New Musical of 2002, "Bombay Dreams," performed at the Apollo Theatre, West End, London, and on Broadway in New York City.

On August 15, 1997, he released an album called "Vande Mataram," on Columbia/SME Records, to commemorate 50 years of Indian independence. A tribute to the motherland, it featured songs for each of the Indian flag colors. The album was released simultaneously across the world in 28 countries, and Rahman himself performed in New Delhi to a packed audience including the honorable Indian Prime Minister. Over 1.2 million copies were sold in India alone.

Also known as the John Williams of the Indian Film Industry.

Collaborated on The Lord of The Rings' Stage Musical original score with Finnish folk music group Varttina and Christopher Nightingale.

Personal Quotes

"I have rubbed many a producer the wrong way by disturbing the schedule, but it has paid off."

"I wasn't too happy with the I-don't-want-to-listen-to-it attitude of our youngsters towards film music. Why can't we get our guys to listen to our own music rather than to Michael Jackson? I didn't want us to lose the market to the West. The music had to be cool and rooted, and yet had to branch out. It was like the wild imagination of a child... but it worked... it did travel beyond Madras and attract people."

About his belief in Sufism: "I'm a deeply spiritual person. Sufism is about love - love for a fellow human, love for all round humanity, and ultimately love for God. For me, it's where music and religion meet - at dargahs, you will find qawwalis. That's my inspiration."

About his song Vande Mataram: "It had to be unlike the one played on the radio for years. I wanted a sound that would connect me with people and capture a collective energy."

I hate the word [Bollywood]. I think it's derivative and it doesn't represent the entire film community in India. There's the eastern film industry, four industries in the south - they all make extraordinary films. It's like saying the whole of the West is Hollywood.

Where Are They Now

(March 2004) The Broadway debut of Bombay Dreams will take place on March 28, 2004 at the Broadway Theatre in New York City.

About Blaaze

Blaaze is the performance name for Lakshminarasimha Vijaya Rajagopala Seshadri Sharma Rajesh Raman, a rap artist and a popular playback singer for Tamil cinema. He was born in Chennai, and he grew up in Zambia.

Havildar Major Piru Singh

Company Havildar Major Piru Singh, was born on 20 May 1918 in Rajasthan. He was enrolled in the 6 Rajputana Rifles on 20 May 1936. During the Jammu & Kashmir operations in summer of 1948, Pakistani raiders mounted a strong counter offensive in the Tithwal sector. The enemy also forced the Indian Army to vacate their forward positions across river Kishanganga. After the setback, Indian troops took position on the Tithwal ridge. At this juncture, 6 Rajputana Rifles was moved from Uri to Tithwal to strengthen the 163 Bde in its impending offensive in the sector. The Indian offensive commenced on 11 July 1948. The operation went on well till July 15th. The recon reports, however, revealed that the enemy was holding a high feature in the area and that its capture was essential for making any further progress. Further ahead lay another feature also held in strength by the enemy.

The 6 Rajputana Rifles was assigned the task of securing these two features. The 'D' Company was to secure the first feature. The 'C' Company was to capture the second feature after the 'D' Company had carried out its task. The 'D' Company launched its attack on the objective at 0130 hrs on July 18th. The path to the objective was about one metre wide with deep ravines on either side. Overlooking this narrow path were the hidden enemy bunkers. The company was subjected to heavy fire and with half an hour it suffered 51 casualties. During this battle, CHM Singh was with the leading section of the company, more than half of which was mowed down by the devastating fire of the enemy. He rushed forward to deal with the enemy medium machine gun post which was playing havoc with his troops. Enemy grenade splinters ripped open his clothes and wounded several parts of his body. But this did not deter him. He still continued the advance, shouting the battle cry, "Raja Ramchandra Ki Jai". Rushing forward he bayonetted the crew of the enemy MMG, with his own sten gun, silenced the menacing gun and occupied the post. By this time all his companions lay behind either dead or wounded.

The responsibility of clearing the enemy from the hill feature lay with him alone. Bleeding profusely he inched forward to attack the second enemy MMG post. At this juncture a grenade wounded him in the face. The blood dripping from his face almost blinded him. By now all the sten gun ammunition with him had been spent. He courageously crawled out of the occupied enemy trench and hurled grenades at the next enemy post. CHM Singh then jumped into another trench and bayonetted two enemy soldiers to death. As CHM Singh, emerged out of the second trench to charge on the third enemy bunker, he was hit in head by a bullet and was seen dropping on the edge of the enemy trench. There was an explosion in the trench which showed that the grenade had done its work. By then CHM Piru Singh's wound had proved fatal. "He paid with his life for his singularity brave act, but he left for the rest of his comrades a unique example of single-handed bravery and determined cold courage. The country is grateful," wrote Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Mrs. Tarawati, 75-year old mother of Company Havildar Major Piru Singh, "for this sacrifice made in the service of the Motherland, and it is our prayer that this may give you some peace and solace." Company Havildar Major Piru Singh was honoured with the highest war-time gallantry medal, Param Vir Chakra, posthumously. Jai Hind!! Jai Jawan!!

Bhagat Singh(1907 - 1931)

Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary and martyr, born on 27 September 1907 at the village of Banga, Lyallpur district (now in Pakistan) the second son of Kishan Singh and Vidya Vati. Bhagat Singh was imbued from childhood with the family's spirit of patriotism. At the time of his birth, his father was in jail for his connection with the Canal Colonization Bill agitation, in which his brother, Ajit Singh (Bhagat Singh's uncle), took a leading part. Through his father, who was a sympathizer and supporter of the Ghadr campaign of 1914-15, Bhagat Singh became an admirer of the leaders of the movement. The execution of Kartar Singh Sarabha made a deep impression on the mind of the young man who vowed to dedicate his life to the country.

Having passed the fifth class from his village school, Bhagat Singh joined Dayanand Anglo-Vedic School in Lahore. In response to the call of Mahatma Gandhl and other nationalist leaders, to boycott government aided institutions, he left his school and enrolled in the National College at Lahore. He was successful in passing a special examination preparatory to entering college. He was reading for his B.A. examination when his parents planned to have him married. He vehemently rejected the suggestion and said that, if his marriage was to take place in Slave-India, my bride shall be only death." Rather than allow his father to proceed any further with the proposal, Bhagat Singh left home and went to Kanpur where he took up a job in the Pratap Press. In his spare time, he studied revolutionary literature. He joined the Hindustan Republican Association, a radical group, later known as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. When Bhagat Singh was assured that he would not be compelled to marry and violate his vows sworn to his motherland, he returned to his home in Lahore. This was in 1925 when a morcha had been going on at Jaito to protest against the deposition by the British of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha because of his sympathy with the Akali agitation. A warrant for the arrest of Bhagat Singh was issued because he had accorded a welcome to one of the jathas, but he managed to elude the police and spent five months under the assumed name of Balvant Singh in Delhi, where he worked in a daily paper Vir Arjun.

As Akali activity subsided, Bhagat Singh returned to Lahore. He established contact with the Kirti Kisan Party and started contributing regularly to its magazine, the Kirti. He also remained in touch with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. In March 1926 was formed the Naujawan Bharat Sabha. Bhagat Singh, one of the principal organizers became its secretary. As the Simon Commission arrived at Lahore on 30 October 1928, an all-parties procession, headed by Lala Lajpat Rai, marched towards the railway station to make a protest. Intercepting the procession, police made a laths charge and Lala Lajpat Rai received injuries. He died a fornight later. Although the British saw no connection between the lathi charge and Lala Lajpat Rai's death, Bhagat Singh and his associates did. They plotted the assassination of Mr Scott, the Superintendent of Police, believed to have been responsible for the laths blows given Lala Lajpat Rai, but instead J.P. Saunders, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, became the actual victim owing to mistake in identification. Bhagat Singh and Rajguru had done the actual shooting. They and those who had served as lookouts escaped through the D.A.V. College grounds. The next day a leaflet was circulated by the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association announcing that the death of Lala Lajpat Rai had been avenged.

Bhagat Singh escaped to Calcutta disguised as a wealthy personage. He remained quiet for several months, but became active again when Public Safety Bill and the Trade Disputes Bill were being debated in Delhi. As his group resolved to explode a bomb to express disapproval of the bill, Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt volunteered to carry out the plan. They were seated in the gallery of the Central Assembly Hall awaiting the reading of the proclamation that would enact the bills. When the announcement was made, Bhagat Singh jumped up and threw a relatively harmless bomb behind one of the members' benches. There was an explosion, followed by still another from a second bomb. No one was seriously injured. Bhagat Singh and Dutt began shouting revolutionary slogans and threw leaflets explaining their in tent of making "the deaf hear" with the loud noise of explosion. Both were promptly taken into custody. As the trial proceeded, a statement, written in its entirety by Bhagat Singh, was read in defence of the two accused. Bhagat Singh said that "force used for a legitimate cause has its moral justification." He and B.K. Dutt were found guilty and sentenced to transportation for life. After the sentence had been pronounced in the Assembly Bomb case, Bhagat Singh was bound over for trial in the Saunders Murder case, approvers having identified his role in the killing. While awaiting trial in the Lahore Jail, Bhagat Singh started a hunger strike in behalf of political prisoners. The fast was continued even after the hearing of the case began on 10 July 1929, and was subsequently joined by many others. It was not until after the death of one of these, J.N. Das, on 13 September 1929, that facilities were promised to the prisoners and the hunger-strike abandoned.

At the time of trial, Bhagat Singh offered no defence, but utilized the occasion to propagate his ideal of freedom. He and his fellow accused kept delaying the proceedings by refusing to appear before the court, by ignoring what was going on, or by disrupting the work by shouting revolutionary slogans. He heard with defiant courage the death-sentence pronounced on 7 October 1930. In the same spirit, he kissed the hangman's noose on 23 March 1931, shouting for the last time his favourite cry, "Down with British imperialism." His body was secretly cremated at Husainivala by police and the remains thrown into the River Sutlej. The next day, however, his comrades collected the bodily remains from the cremation site and a procession was taken out in Lahore. Mourning for him was spontaneous and widespread and homage was paid to him for his sterling character and sacrifice.

In 1950, after Independence, the land where Bhagat Singh and his companions were cremated was procured from Pakistan and a memorial built. In March 1961, a Shahidi Mela was held there. Every year, on 23 March, the martyr's memory is similarly honoured. The old memorial, destroyed in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, has been rebuilt Bhagat Singh is remembered by the endearing title of Shahid-i-Azam, the greatest of martyrs.

Paying his tribute to him at a meeting of the Central Sikh League atAmritsar on 8 April 1931, Subhas Chandra Bose said, Bhagat Singh who set an example of character and patriotism by sacrificing himself for the sake of the country's freedom, was from the Sikh community. Today, he is known to be a brave Sikh hero throughout the world The Sikh community has to produce thousands of Bhagat Singhs for the cause of the country."

History Of Taj Mahal

For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, painters and musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, colour and song. It is one of the most flawless architectural creations of the world. Since the 17th century, travellers have crossed continents to come and see this ultimate memorial to love, and few have been unmoved by its incomparable beauty.

Taj Mahal stands in the city of Agra, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of the Yamuna River. It was built in the memory of the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum, who won the heart of a Mughal prince. She was married at 21 to Emperor Jahangir’s third son Prince Khurram and stayed loyally by his side through good times and bad: in the luxurious royal palaces of Agra as well as the transient tents of war camps.

In AD 1628, Khurram became king after a bloody battle of succession: he took the name Shahjahan or “King of the World” and showered his beloved begum with the highest titles. She became Mumtaz Mahal, the exalted of the palace and Mumtaz-ul-Zamani, the exalted of the Age. But Mumtaz Mahal was not destined to be queen for long.

In 1631, Shahjahan went on an expedition to the south and, as always, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied him. But she died in childbirth at Burhanpur. She had borne Shahjahan fourteen children, of whom four sons and three daughters survived. When Mumtaz Mahal died, she was just 39 years old. Shahjahan was inconsolable and contemporary chronicles tell of the royal court mourning for two years. there was no music, no feasting, and no celebration of any kind.

Epitome Of Love -Taj Mahal
Shahjahan, who was a passionate builder, now decided to erect a memorial to his queen in pristine marble that the world would never forget. The site selected for the tomb was a garden by the Yamuna river, unshadowed by any other structure. The garden had been laid by Raja Man Singh of Amber and now belonged to his grndson, Raja Jai Singh. By a royal firman, Shahjahan gave Jai Singh four havelis in exchange for the garden. The site was also chosen because it was located on a bend in the river, and so could be seen from Shahjahan’s personal palace in Agra Fort, further upstream.

Construction Of The Mausoleum - Taj Mahal
Work on the mausoleum began in 1633 and 20,000 workers laboured for 17 years to build it. The most skilled architects, inlay craftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from all across Indian and lands as distant as Persia and Turkey. The master mason was from Baghdab, an expert in building the double dome from Persia, and an inlay specialist from Delhi.

Yemen sent agates, the corals came from Arabia, the garnets from Bundelkhand, onyx and amethyst from Persia. Mumtaz Mahal’s final resting-place was ornamented like a queen’s jewel-box.