What is the role of cultural heritage in our life?

Heritage plays a crucial role in the life of every individual. Museums and historical sites are your gateways to knowledge and prepare you for appreciating the cultural diversity of the world. How can heritage change you? Well, read on to find out!

Heritage, in simple words, is what we have inherited, what has been passed on to us over centuries. The ancient buildings, temples and the natural wealth around us tell us who we were once and how we have changed over time. Historic sites like Keezhadi and Machu Picchu teach us about our great art, culture and architecture. Old inscriptions educate us on how languages came by. Plants and animals (think Galapagos) point to our evolution. Knowing our heritage inspires us to do better. It tells us what we can achieve. When we damage or wipe out our past, we take away from future generations the right to see and experience them. Here are a few things you can do as children to explore the heritage of our land.

1. Ask questions. Connect with your heritage.

Start asking questions about old buildings in your neighbourhood. When was it built? Who lived there? How is it different from the other buildings? A sixty-year-old house in my area has a 12-foot-high ceiling, a red mud floor that feels cool underfoot and rooms built around an open courtyard. The Triplicane police station on Wallajah Road in Chennai, a heritage structure according to the Archaeological Survey of India, has a plaque that says it was opened in 1890.

Who was the Governor of Madras at that time? (Lord Connemara) Who was the Commissioner of Police? (Col T Weldon) Who designed it? (Henry Irwin, a famous architect) In what style of architecture? (Indo-Saracenic). Its history says the building was a shed for chariots before it became a police station. And why was Chennai's Besant Nagar called Amaiyur?

2.  Visit

Wherever you are travelling, visit the local museum. You will find extra-ordinary insights about the area's past - its people, their lives. home, food, clothing, music and dance, healthcare and traditions. For instance, the Egmore museum has a wonderful collection of Chola bronzes.

Set up in 1972, the Bastar Anthropological Museum in Jagadalpur, Chattisgarh, houses a rare collection including head-caps, shoes, jewellery, musical instruments, clothing, paintings, wood-carvings, weapons, masks, handicraft and a wide variety of objects used in daily life. It serves as a window to the living and ethnic cultures of various tribes in Bastar. Go to Kaziranga National Park, the world heritage site for the one-homed rhinoceros. If you pass through Chhatrapathi Shivaji rail terminus, find out why it is a world heritage site.

Indian Railways is the proud owner of these UNESCO World Heritage trains and routes viz the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway and Kalka Shimla Railway. Have you ever travelled in them? Did you know that in Europe, a path taken by pilgrims is now a World Heritage site?

3. Participate: Talk Read, write, Promote

Participate in any heritage-discovering activity. Join city/tree walks in your town. Sketch and note down in a diary what you see and hear. Watch movies that discuss your heritage. What does Ponniyin Selvan say about the Chola rule? You can spend an afternoon reading the words below the statues on Marina beach and learn a whole lot of history. Take part in art competitions that ask you to draw monuments. Organise heritage quizzes at school and family gatherings. For instance, a friend gives prizes to her kolu visitors who answer questions on her display of mythological stories. (e.g. Name the characters).

Write letters to friends/family abroad about a heritage symbol (place of worship. old building, natural wonder). Show your visiting cousins your city's historic sights. Never miss a chance to participate in old fairs and festivals. The dragon festival is 2000 years old; the 300-year-old Raksha Bandhan festival has a wonderful story about its origin.

4. Preserve:

 Worldwide, there are efforts to preserve the past. Cities were restored after World War II bombings. Fearing the Aswan High Dam in Egypt would flood the nearby valley containing the Abu Simbel temples. UNESCO got them removed and reassembled it stone by stone on higher ground.

When students of Geology. Presidency College, cleaned up the imposing statue on a landing, they discovered that it was the figure of their founder-principal, Powell, carved by John Adams-Acton in 1838 in London. The plaque below read, "erected by many Rajahs, Zamindars, former pupils and friends to mark their respect for his character and their grateful appreciation of his services in the cause of higher education for than 30 years. The students found that among the 200+ tiles around the statue, each had a different pattern! Here is an activity. On national days, after the flag-hoisting, clean up a historical statue in your town. Help clean up an old library. Paint heritage structures on the walls.

Trees are a part of heritage too! Look for old trees wherever you go. A police station in my neighbourhood is built around an ancient peepal tree. The Adyar Banyan tree (Adyar Aalamaram), located in the Theosophical society campus, Chennai, is believed to be 450 years old and is estimated to occupy 40,000 square feet. Report to the town authorities if you see trees getting cut.

5. Pledge

World Heritage Week is celebrated from November 19-25 every year to create awareness about the rich cultural heritage of the country among the general public, students and children. One activity during this time that you can indulge in is to renew the pledge: "I will not scribble on, deface or encroach upon any monument I will respect all monuments, which are a part of my country's heritage: I will render all possible help to conserve and preserve our heritage."

Tell people of the importance of preserving these invaluable sites by sharing news and links through social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Volunteer in NGOs that organise efforts to clean up heritage areas. Listen to talks on heritage viz. Sangam Talks, Center for Indic Studies, We Care Trust, Upword, Prachyam. You could also collect donations to support UNESCO and its projects.

And above all: Would you like to study for and become a heritage conservationist? Well, think about it.

What is celebrated on 18 April?

International monuments day or world heritage day is celebrated every year on April 18. The day is observed to spread awareness about the dying culture and natural heritages. The International Day for Monuments was proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) on 18 April 1982 and approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983.

What are monuments?

Monuments are old constructions that were created to honour a person or event. These could be anything from pillars and statues to forts and palaces. In fact, many ancient places of worship are considered monuments too. Heritage refers to the several aspects that are tied deeply to a culture, region, group, or even a nation. These aspects include traditions, beliefs, buildings, rituals, etc. Some of these are intangible. meaning they are not "physical" entities. A few examples of intangible heritage are knowledge, customs, values, oral folklore, languages, etc. The tangible ones are those that can be seen, and these include structures, memorials, artefacts such as paintings and sculptures, objects, etc. So, monuments are part of heritage, and are tangible.

Why are they important?

The importance of heritage and monuments cannot be stressed enough. For one, they are great teachers, holding a mirror to our hoary past. They take us through the times of our ancestors - informing us about how they lived and what they did. In fact, they can be described as immovable history books, giving us glimpses of a world that was centuries or decades ago. And, in the process, help us see how different or similar we are. We can understand their native wisdom and use it today, or learn from their mistakes so we never repeat them, and both can educate us to make this world better.

How can you help?

• Educate yourself: With the help of elders, do a thorough research about the monuments in your vicinity. Pick one and find out everything you can about it when and why it was built, who it was built by, how it is now, who maintains it, if it houses any precious artefacts, books written about it, etc. The explorations are simply limitless!

• Talk to people: Once you have discovered a monument, have discussions with like-minded people from your family, neighbours, and friends. Even better if it's a local historian. They are likely to share new insights with you. The result? The joy of learning!

• Make a visit: Nothing can match the thrill of visiting a place you've been reading up on or talking about to others. Imagine spotting engravings that offer a priceless peek into society from the 18th Century? In a language you're vaguely familiar with? Some sort of Da Vinci Code in your own backyard, won't you say?

• Be respectful: The urge to vehemently carve one's name on the wall of an ancient monument or deface it some other way is perhaps not uncommon. But the one good thing to learn from history is that we evolve to become better. And that alone should be a reason to never damage structures that are a living proof of our valuable past.

Picture Credit : Google 

What is the historical significance of Hadrian's Wall?

This year marks the 1900 anniversary of the start of the construction of Hadrian's Wall, which took six years to complete and was built to guard the northern frontier of the Roman Empire in 122 AD. The wall ran for 118-km from the Solway Firth to Wallsend on the River Tyne and is now designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wall featured over 80 milecastles or forts, two observation towers and 17 larger forts. After the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century, some 300 years after the wall was constructed, large sections of the wall fell into decay and were recycled into local buildings and houses. As England lines up events to celebrate the anniversary, archaeologists realise the wall is facing a new threat-climate change!

The historic barrier

Nineteen hundred years after it was built to keep out "barbarian hordes", archaeologists at Hadrian's Wall in northern England are facing a new enemy - climate change, which threatens its vast treasure trove of Roman artefacts.

Thousands of soldiers and many of their families lived around the 118-km stone wall, which crosses England from west coast to east coast, marking the limit of the Roman Empire and forming Britain's largest Roman archaeological feature.

The wall was begun in 122 AD during the reign of emperor Hadrian and marked the boundary between Roman Britannia and unconquered Caledonia, helping to keep barbarian raiders out of the empire.

Treasure trove

The Roman soldiers who lived there left behind not just wooden structures but the fascinating detritus of everyday life that allows archaeologists today to reconstruct how they lived in the windswept north of the empire.

They include the fort of Vindolanda, some 33 miles west of the modem day city of Newcastle upon Tyne, a Roman settlement at the original eastern end of the wall, then named Pons Aelius.

New threat

"A lot of the landscapes at Hadrian's Wall are preserved under peat bog and marsh very wet, very moist ground, which has protected the archaeology for almost two millennia," according to Andrew Birley, director of excavations and chief executive of the Vindolanda Trust.

"But as global warming takes place, climate change takes place," he added.

The ground heats up more rapidly than the air temperature, caking the previously moist soil and letting oxygen in through the resulting cracks.

"When that oxygen gets in there, things that are really delicate, that are made of leather, textile, items of wood, crack, decay and are lost forever," said Birley.

"All of this, all this masonry. all of the ground behind me was under the ground. It was under a farmer's field 50 years ago," said Birley. "Less than one percent of Hadrian's Wall has been explored archaeologically and a lot of that landscape is protected in this wet peat land environment and that's a landscape that's really under threat."

Glimpses of the past

Behind him, dozens of Roman shoes from all genders, ages and social strata are displayed, just a small sample of the around 5.500 leather items so far found at the site alone.

Thanks to the black, peaty soil, many of the artefacts have kept a fascinating level of detail

"They are fantastic because they've completely changed our perception of the Roman Empire the Roman army, they've changed it from being a male preserve to lots of women and children running around," he said.

"And without these artefacts surviving, we wouldn't have had that information and that's the sort of stuff that's under threat because of climate change." AFP

1900 years on...

  • The building of the wall began in 122 AD during the reign of emperor Hadrian.
  • Over the years, the dramatic landscape around the wall has revealed stone and wooden structures, leather shoes and clothing, tools, weapons and even handwritten wooden tablets, feeding knowledge of what Roman life in Britain was like.
  • Only around a quarter of the site at Vindolanda has been excavated, and the fort is just one of 14 along Hadrian's Wall, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987 and one of Britain's best-known ancient tourist attractions.
  • Events are taking place this year to mark the 1.900 years since construction of the wall began.

Picture Credit : Google

Air India returns to Tatas' hangar as group wins bid

India's largest conglomerate Tata group was named the winning bidder for Air India on October 8, 2021. Air India returned to its founder 68 years after it was nationalised, capping years of efforts by the government to privatise the debt-laden airline. The move gave the group full control of Air India and its low-cost unit Air India Express as well as a 50% stake in ground handling company Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd, according to a finance ministry statement. Air India was founded as Tata Airlines in 1932 as the country's first airline, but was nationalised in 1953.

"Bidders have agreed to all terms and conditions. Five bidder were disqualified as they did not meet the criterion," the Dipam Secy said. "The process was carried out in a transparent manner with due regard to confidentiality of bidders.

This follows the group of ministers known as the Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism approving the bid winner. The panel was headed by home minister Amit Shah and included finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, commerce minister Piyush Goyal and aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The long-awaited Air India divestment is being heralded as one of the biggest reforms by the Narendra Modi government. The earlier attempt in 2018 didn’t find any takers.

The reserve price was fixed at Rs 12,906 crore, and the winning bidder will take Rs 15,300 crore debt. It will also retain all AI employees for one year, and can offer VRS in the 2nd year, as per the Aviation Ministry.

Credit : The Economic Times

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Two new Indian sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List

In July 2021, two new Indian sites were included to the UNESCO World Heritage List - the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana, and Dholavira: A Harrapan City, Gujarat Popularly known as the Ramappa Temple, Rudreshwara is located in the village of Palampet in Telangana. It is the main Shiva temple in a walled complex built during the Kakatiyan period (1123-1323 CE). The distinctive Vimana of the temple is made of lightweight porous floating bricks, which reduced the weight of the roof structures. The ancient city of Dholavira is one of the most remarkable and well-preserved urban settlements in South Asia dating from the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BC. Discovered in 1968, the site is set apart by its unique characteristics, such as its water management system, multi-layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction, and special burial structures, says the UNESCO website.

The distinctive Vimana of the temple is made of lightweight porous ‘floating bricks,’ which reduced the weight of the roof structures. The building features decorated beams and the temple’s magnificent sculptures illustrate regional dance customs and Kakatiyan culture. The site is located close to the Ramappa Cheruvu, a Kakatiya-built water reservoir, placing it in a unique natural setting of the surrounding forested areas and agricultural lands. 

The ancient city of Dholavira is one of the most remarkable and well-preserved urban settlements in South Asia dating from the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE (Before Common Era).  Discovered in 1968, the site is set apart by its unique characteristics, such as its water management system, multi-layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction and special burial structures. Of note is also the art associated with the city – artefacts of various kinds such as copper, shell, stone, jewellery of semi-precious stones, terracotta, gold, ivory have been found at the site. In addition, the interregional trade links associated with Dholavira, have also been acknowledged as contributing to the shared heritage of humanity.

Credit : UNESCO 

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Mexico City marks 500 years since conquest battle began

On May 22, 1521, Spanish forces and their indigenous allies had laid siege to the powerful Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, where Mexico City now stands. The battle lasted nearly three months, ending with the fall of the Aztec Empire and Spain's consolidation of power in a large swath of North America. On May 22, 2021, Mexico City marked the 500th anniversary of the conquest with events that highlighted the complex ways it shaped the country's society.

The three cultures are represented by three buildings: a ruined Aztec temple, a Spanish colonial church built atop the ruins and a modern government office building constructed in the 1960s. “It was neither a triumph nor a defeat. It was the painful birth of the Mestizo (mixed-race) Mexico today,” the plaque reads.

That sentiment, preached by the government since the 1920s — that Mexico is a non-racial, non-racist, unified nation where everyone is mixed-race, bearing the blood of both conquerors and conquered — has aged about as well as the 1960s office building.

It is largely roped off because shards of its marble facing regularly shear off and come crashing to the ground, and Indigenous or dark-skinned Mexicans continue to face discrimination by their lighter-skinned countrymen.

A much more enduring and perhaps accurate message is found a few blocks away on the wall of the tiny church of Tequipeuhcan, a place whose very name in the Aztec’s Nahuatl language sums it all up.

Credit : NBC News

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No foreign head of state as chief guest, first in 55 years

For the first time in 55 years, India did not have any foreign head of State as chief guest for the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2021. The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson was invited to be the chief guest of the 72nd Republic Day parade, but the emergence of a new and a more infectious COVID-19 strain back home forced him to cancel his visit. By the time the U.K. PM had put through a call to his Indian counterpart, it was too late to send out another invite. India's first Republic Day celebrations were held in 1950 with Indonesia's President Sukarno as the chief guest.

 India had invited Mr Johnson to be the Chief Guest at the event but the UK leader dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 5 and cancelled the trip in view of the outbreak of a new variant of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom.

This will be the first time in decades that India will not host a Head of Government or Head of State during the Republic Day parade in Delhi.

The last time such a situation arose was in 1966 when no Chief Guest was present at the event which was held days after the demise of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent and the death of nuclear scientist Homi Bhabha in an air crash.

Foreign leaders have graced the Republic Day parades every year barring 1952, 1953 and 1966. The then Indonesian President Sukarno was the first chief guest to grace Republic Day in 1950.

In 2020, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest.

In 2018, the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leadership comprising 10 heads of states were present at the Republic Day parade.

Credit : The Hindu

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Why is it important to learn about your heritage?

Heritage helps us understand our past, appreciate our present, and shape our future. It also enables us to question the wrongs of the past and gives us a chance to mend it. It brings us close to different kinds of people by understanding and respecting their practices and how they originated. This may help us see that we are not all that different, after all, or that what makes our world exciting is the sheer variety in how we all think, act, create, perform, rejoice, mourn, and live.

Perhaps this has happened to you. When all you wanted was to stay at home, order in some snacks, and catch a movie, or if you had to go out at all, then to the mall, elders in the family simply dragged you to a monument some 50 km away! "Uff, that's unfair," you must have thought. Surely, what can be exciting about a monument built in unappealing stone all those centuries ago? But here's a thought. What if that monument is actually a fort that singularly guarded the city you are living in right now from foreign invasion? What if it holds a great mystery that has not been solved in all these centuries - that the huge stones used to build the fort walls are not found anywhere in a 200-km radius, and nobody knows till now how the stones were brought there at a time when lorries hadn't been invented!

That's heritage for you. Heritage is something we have inherited - collectively and not as individuals - from the past. It can be something tangible such as buildings, monuments, historical sites, artefacts, books, etc., natural such as forests and wildlife, or intangible such as tradition, customs, rituals etc. Heritage helps us understand our past, appreciate our present, and shape our future. It also enables us to question the wrongs of the past and gives us a chance to mend it. It brings us close to different kinds of people by understanding and respecting their practices and how they originated. This may help us see that we are not all that different, after all, or that what makes our world exciting is the sheer variety in how we all think, act create, perform, rejoice, mourn and live. It is important to preserve one's heritage so the future generations can benefit the way we have. This can be done through simple ways. Here are just two. Along with your friends and family, you can take a pledge to help preserve natural wildlife habitats, and not deface any monuments by carving anything on them.

Unfortunately, during invasion, wars, and terrorist attacks, and in countries under an authoritarian government that denies its citizens any kind of freedom, heritage suffers; natural and human-made heritage structures are destroyed, and people are banned from (or punished for) practising their customs and rituals. This is the direct result of hatred and the lack of understanding and respect for diversity. Something that a deep love for heritage can set right. And that is something you can do! Now, are you already urging your family to take you to that huge monument in your neighbouring State?

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What is the history of old Villa La Grange in Geneva?

The Geneva summit between the U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place in a plush 18th-Century lakeside villa steeped in the Swiss history.

The Villa La Grange, set in Geneva's biggest park, which slopes down to the shore, is well used to hosting showpiece events. The setting is spectacular. Views from the three-storey classical mansion sweep down over the Parc de La Grange, across Lake Geneva towards the United Nations and the Jura mountains beyond.

The summit was set in the showpiece library: two wooden armchairs clad in red leather were set on either side of a globe, against a backdrop of brown and gold tones. During the summer, the gardens would typically be filled by picnickers.

Back in time

The grand, classical villa was owned by Genevan patrician families and was bequeathed to the city. On rare occasions, the public can take guided tours that take in the library, reception rooms, and bedrooms.

The estate was created in the 1660s by the merchant Jacques Franconis. Marc Lullin, a banker, bought it in 1706 and three of his sons built the French-style mansion and its surrounding buildings between 1768 and 1773. Banker Jean Lullin, having been ruined by the French Revolution, sold it in 1800 to Francois Favre, a Geneva ship owner who made his fortune trading with the East from the French port of Marseille.

A bibliophile's dream

 

The Favre family transformed the house and park, adding the large library, which contains some 15,000 books belonging to Francois' son Guillaume. The oldest volumes date back to the 15th Century and the collection is especially strong in history, literature, and ancient languages.

The villa held a gala in 1864 for the diplomats who signed the first Geneva Convention governing the treatment of sick and wounded combatants.

Use for civic receptions

Guillaume's grandson William Favre bequeathed the villa and the estate to the city in 1917, with the house to be used for civic receptions. When he died the following year, he also left the library collection to Geneva in his will. The park opened to the public in 1918.

Another historic meeting at a heritage villa

Let's go back to the 1985 Geneva summit, when Cold War rivals Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met for the first time in Villa Fleur d'Eau, a late 19th-Century mansion in Geneva.

Things got off to a bad start. Just before the U.S. President Reagan arrived at one of the summit locations, a Swiss soldier waiting in the ceremonial honour guard fainted, overcome by the bitter cold. The historic handshake between the leaders lasted a good seven seconds, and took place in front of frozen photographers and reporters who had stood waiting in the bitter cold. The three-day summit was covered by 3,500 journalists.

Six years before the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union, the 1985 Geneva summit focussed on de escalating the nuclear arms race between the two superpowers, and came with hopes of fostering better East West relations.

Hosts Switzerland were also well aware of the gulf between the two superpowers - so much so that the Swiss - President Kurt Furgler's assistant Walter Fust had to prepare for his boss "two different welcoming speeches, taking into account the different cultures".

On the sidelines, Nancy Reagan wanted to replace the bottles of mineral water provided with U.S. ones, and also wanted an aide to try out her food before she did.

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What are the interesting facts about the Qutub Minar and other monuments in the Qutb Complex?

The Qutb complex in Delhi contains buildings and monuments from the Delhi Sultanate era. Amongst these is the Qutub Minar, built as a victory tower by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who was once the Sultan of Delhi. The tower commemorates the victory of the Delhi Sultanate over the Hindu kings. Several monuments were added to the complex later by his successors and future rulers. Today, the complex is a popular tourist spot in the capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1. Tallest brick minaret

Standing at 72.5 metres, the Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world. It has a base diameter of 14.3 metres which reduces to 2.7 metres at the peak. The Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan is the next tallest brick monument at 62 metres. Interestingly, the Qutub Minar is said to have been inspired by the Minaret of Jam.

2. No more climbing to the top

There are 379 steps that lead to the top of the Qutub Minar. It was once allowed for the public to climb the stairs and catch a glimpse of the city from the top. However, on December 4. 1981, a power failure caused a blackout at the staircase, leading to a stampede. Nearly 300 to 400 people were inside when the blackout happened and in the rush to the exit. 47 people, mostly school children, were killed. Ever since, no one has been allowed to climb the monument.

3. The oldest mosque

The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, which is part of the Qutb complex was commissioned by Qutb-ud-din-Aibak. It was the first mosque to be built in Delhi after the Islamic conquest of India. The mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the country and the oldest surviving example of Ghurid architecture in the Indian subcontinent.

4. Khilji's incomplete dream

Emperor Alauddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty enlarged the Quwwat ul-Islam Mosque during his reign. Post this, he wished to build a minaret of his own called the Alai Minar. This was to be double the size of the Qutub Minar. The construction of this minar was however abandoned after his death in 1316, and the 24.5 metre high first storey core of the minar still stands among the ruins of the Qutb complex.

5. The iron pillar

The Iron Pillar of Delhi is part of the Quth complex. It was constructed by emperor Chandragupta II and was erected elsewhere before being moved to its present location. The pillar is famous for the rust-resistant composition of metals used in its construction. Till date, the pillar has not corroded.

Picture Credit : Google

What are the interesting facts about the Qutub Minar and other monuments in the Qutb Complex?



The Qutb complex in Delhi contains buildings and monuments from the Delhi Sultanate era. Amongst these is the Qutub Minar, built as a victory tower by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who was once the Sultan of Delhi. The tower commemorates the victory of the Delhi Sultanate over the Hindu kings. Several monuments were added to the complex later by his successors and future rulers. Today, the complex is a popular tourist spot in the capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.



1. Tallest brick minaret



Standing at 72.5 metres, the Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world. It has a base diameter of 14.3 metres which reduces to 2.7 metres at the peak. The Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan is the next tallest brick monument at 62 metres. Interestingly, the Qutub Minar is said to have been inspired by the Minaret of Jam.



2. No more climbing to the top



There are 379 steps that lead to the top of the Qutub Minar. It was once allowed for the public to climb the stairs and catch a glimpse of the city from the top. However, on December 4. 1981, a power failure caused a blackout at the staircase, leading to a stampede. Nearly 300 to 400 people were inside when the blackout happened and in the rush to the exit. 47 people, mostly school children, were killed. Ever since, no one has been allowed to climb the monument.



3. The oldest mosque



The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, which is part of the Qutb complex was commissioned by Qutb-ud-din-Aibak. It was the first mosque to be built in Delhi after the Islamic conquest of India. The mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the country and the oldest surviving example of Ghurid architecture in the Indian subcontinent.



4. Khilji's incomplete dream



Emperor Alauddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty enlarged the Quwwat ul-Islam Mosque during his reign. Post this, he wished to build a minaret of his own called the Alai Minar. This was to be double the size of the Qutub Minar. The construction of this minar was however abandoned after his death in 1316, and the 24.5 metre high first storey core of the minar still stands among the ruins of the Qutb complex.



5. The iron pillar



The Iron Pillar of Delhi is part of the Quth complex. It was constructed by emperor Chandragupta II and was erected elsewhere before being moved to its present location. The pillar is famous for the rust-resistant composition of metals used in its construction. Till date, the pillar has not corroded.



 



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What are the interesting facts about the Charminar?



Built in the year 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Charminar is an iconic monument in Hyderabad, India. This square-shaped structure is built out of granite and lime mortar, predominantly in an Islamic-style design. However, influences of Hindu architecture can be noticed in the ornamentations.



1. What's in a name?



The Charminar takes its name from the four pillars/minars that are part of the monument. However, its relation to the number four goes beyond just the four pillars. There are four main arches in the monument and each of the main arches has four smaller arches on either side. Each of the pillars is also divided into four parts and the number of galleries found at each level is also four. Apart from these, one can spot many more connections to the number four, according to experts.



2. Commemorates the end of an epidemic



There exist several theories about the purpose of the construction of the Charminar. But the one widely accepted is that the monument was built to commemorate the eradication of plague in Hyderabad. Plague was a widespread disease in Hyderabad at that time. Another popular theory, according to the 17th Century French traveller Jean de Thevenot, is that the Charminar was built in 1591 to commemorate the beginning of the second Islamic millenium year.



3. The centrepiece



When Qutb Shah moved his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad, he planned for the Charminar to be the centre of the Old City of Hyderabad. The Old City was spread around the Charminar in four different quadrants that were segregated according to the established settlements. The modern city of Hyderabad has expanded since, but the Charminar remains the centrepiece of the once walled Old City.



4. A secret tunnel?



It is believed Qutb Shah had built a secret underground tunnel from the Charminar to the Golconda Fort, his former capital. He is said to have built this tunnel as an escape route in case of a siege. However, till date no one knows the location of this secret tunnel.



5. On the state emblem



The Charminar features in the emblem of the state of Telangana. The logo was designed by noted Telangana artist Laxman Aelay in four days and has been in use since June 2014.



 



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What are the interesting facts of the Notre-Dame de Paris?



1. Built over a Pagan city



The Notre-Dame was built over the ruins of what was once the Gallo-Roman city of Lutetia. Before the cathedral was built there were four other churches that stood at the same place one after the other over centuries. And before the churches, there stood a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. In 1160, when the Bishop of Paris. Maurice de Sully decided to build the Notre-Dame, he called for the demolition of the earlier church and chose to reuse some of its material for the Notre-Dame.



2. When Victor Hugo saved the cathedral



The cathedral was in a degraded state since the French Revolution. Some of its statues had been destroyed, while most of its bells had been melted and used as cannon balls. Not much importance was given to the Notre-Dame until Napoleon decided to crown himself the Emperor of France in the cathedral.



In 1831, French writer Victor Hugo published his masterpiece The Hunchback of Notre Dame or Notre-Dame de Paris, which revolved around the cathedral and served as a tribute to the monument. The book became so popular that the public demanded restoration of the Notre-Dame, ultimately leading to massive renovations directed by French architect Viollet-le-Duc in the mid-19th century.



3. The Gargoyles are not so medieval



The famous Gargoyles that can be found around the cathedral are not from the medieval times, as many think. They were in fact added during the 19th Century restoration work by Viollet-le-Duc, inspired by the creatures that appear in Victor Hugo's book.



4. All roads lead to the Notre-Dame



On the square in front of the Notre-Dame, is a tiny plate engraved with a compass, embedded in the cobblestones. It is marked Point zero des routes de France or Point Zero of French Roads. This is the point from which all distances to and from Paris are measured.



5. Fire, destruction and restoration



On April 15, 2019, the roof of the Notre-Dame caught fire while undergoing renovation and restoration. The fire burned for around 15 hours and destroyed many parts of the cathedral. It also led to the contamination of the site and the surrounding environment. Following the fire, many companies and individuals made donations to restore the monument and on July 29, 2019, the French National Assembly passed a law stating that the restoration must preserve the cathedral's historic, artistic and architectural interest. In November 2020, the structure was stabilised to prevent any possible collapse and reconstruction of the cathedral commenced again in January 2021.



 



Picture Credit : Google


What are the interesting facts about the London Eye?



1. Celebrating the millennium



The London Eye is also known as the Millennium Wheel. It was designed and built by London-based architects Julia Barfield and David Marks of Marks Barfield Architects. The duo came up with the design in response to a competition organised in 1993 by The Sunday Times and Great Britain's Architecture Foundation to build a new monument in London to commemorate the new millennium. Construction of the London Eye began in 1998 and the monument was formally inaugurated by then British Prime Minister Tony Blair on December 31, 1999. However, it did not open to the public until March 9, 2000 due to a technical snag.



2. Europe's tallest wheel



When it opened to the public in 2000, the London Eye was the tallest ferris wheel in the world with a height of 443 feet and a diameter of 394 feet. Today, it is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel (a cantilevered wheel is supported only on one side).



The Eye is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United Kingdom, drawing over three million visitors annually.



3. A slow ride



The Wheel rotates at a speed of 0.9 kmph, completing one full rotation in about 30 minutes. It does not usually stop to pick up passengers. The rotation is so slow that passengers can easily embark and disembark from the capsules. The Wheel does stop for differently abled and elderly passengers so that they can get on and off comfortably.



4. The story behind the 32 pods



The London Eye has a total of 32 air-conditioned pods, with each pod weighing about 10 tonnes and holding up to 25 people. Each of the pods represents one of London's 32 Boroughs and are numbered 1 to 33. Number 13 is excluded for superstitious reasons. On a clear day, passengers in the capsule can see up to 40 km in all directions from the London Eye.



5. A temporary attraction?



When it was constructed, the London Eye was intended to be a temporary attraction with a five-year lease. However, in December 2001, the operators submitted an application to the Lambeth Council (the local authority of the London Borough of Lambeth) to give the Eye a permanent status. The application was granted in 2002 and the London Eye lives on.



 



Picture Credit : Google


What are the interesting facts about the Humayun’s Tomb?



Humayun's Tomb, situated in Delhi, is the grand mausoleum of the Mughal emperor Humayun. Built in 1570, Humayun's Tomb is situated in a complex spanning 27 hectares that also houses other monuments such as Nila Gumbad, Isa Khan's tomb, Bu Halima, Afsanwala tomb complex, Barber's Tomb, and the Arab Serai, the complex where the craftsmen employed in the construction of Humayun's Tomb stayed.



1. Commissioned by a queen



Humayun's Tomb was commissioned by his wife. Haji Begum post the Mughal emperor's demise. It is said she called for architects from Persia and asked them to build something spectacular that the world would remember. The tomb was designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and his son, Sayyid Muhammad. Emperor Akbar, the son of Humayun, oversaw the entire project



2. The first garden tomb



The monument is the first garden tomb to be built in the Indian subcontinent. It is an example of the charbagh style, a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise represented by waterways. The main tomb is located in the centre of the charbagh. The four quadrants are further divided into smaller squares by pathways, leaving us with 36 squares in all. This 36-square design is typical of later Mughal gardens.



3. An unique combination



Humayun's Tomb is the first monument to use the unique combination of red sandstone and white marble. While the tomb is made of rubble masonry and red sandstone, white marble has been used as cladding material to provide a degree of thermal insulation and weather resistance. It has also been used for the flooring, door frames, lattice screens/jaalis (a screen made of perforated stone usually in an ornamental pattern), eaves and the main dome.



4. Dormitory of the Mughals



It might be called Humayun's Tomb, but the monument is often referred to as the 'dormitory of the Mughals', as over 150 graves of Mughal family members can be found buried in the cells of the garden-tomb. Since the graves are not scripted, it is difficult to know the names of the people buried there.



5. Inspiration for the Taj



 Humayun's Tomb was the first of the many dynastic mausoleums which became synonymous with Mughal architecture. It inspired several major architectural innovations by the Mughals and culminated with the construction of the Taj Mahal in Agra by Shah Jahan, who drew inspiration from the architecture and design of Humayun's Tomb.



 



Picture Credit : Google