Prophet Muhammad’s relics at Kadam Rasul In the center of Cuttack, Orissa is the Kadam Rasul shrine, said to house the footprints (Kadam, in Hindi) of Prophet Muhammad. The origin of this mosque in | the old part of the city is traced back to...
India’s oldest stone structure The Sanchi Stupa, with its landmark dome, four gateways, and the intricately carved railing encircling the stupa, is India’s oldest known stone structure. It was built to house Buddhist relics.
Taj-ul-Masjid is among the largest mosques The construction of Taj-ul-Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, was begun by Shah Jehan Begum who ruled Bhopal between 1868 and 1901. The mosque has a pink facade and two 18-story high minarets with marble domes. The...
The largest church in Asia The largest church in Asia is the Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina, built by the Portuguese in Goa. It was constructed to mark the victory of the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque, over a Hindu king, which led to the...
Oldest Anglican church in India St Mary’s, the oldest Anglican Church in India, was consecrated in 1860. It is situated in Chennai, next to Fort St George, which now houses the Tamil Nadu State Legislature and Secretariat. Few know that Elihu Yale, an Englishman born...
The first digitised version of the Ramayana A 17th-century manuscript of the Ramayana, commissioned by Rana Jagat Singh in 1649, is said to be one of the finest surviving illustrated copies of the epic tale. Its major attraction is the 400 colour illustrations. ‘The Mewar...
India’s first lifestyle magazine in braille The first copy of ‘White Print’ was printed and published in Braille in May 2013. ‘White Print’ has sections on food, travel, gadgets, politics, and reviews. These magazines review audiobooks. ‘White Print’ is printed at the Braille Press of...
Jain manuscript, a world treasure The ‘Shantinatha Charitra’, a Sanskrit text that describes the life and times of 16th century Jain Tirthankara Shantinatha, was included in the ‘Memory of the World Register 2013’, by UNESCO’s World Heritage body. The Shantinatha Charitra, a treatise on peace,...
Earliest known inscriptions The Ashokan edicts, describing Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism – engraved in stone, at Dhauli, Orissa – are the earliest known inscribed records in India. Dhauli hills are located on the banks of the Daya River, 8 km from Bhubaneswar. The deadly battle...
The Simpsons and their mathematical secrets Since its debut on December 17, 1989, The Simpsons has become the longest-running American sitcom. But not many know about the show’s close relationship with the world of maths. Simon Singh, a London-based physicist and maths lover, discovered that...
