SPANISH FLU (1918-20) AND CORONA PANDEMIC (2019-?)
A Forgotten Episode of Human History Public memory is proverbially short. Almost none of my friends know much about the Spanish Flu, which ravaged mankind a hundred years ago. The few, who had heard about it, thought that it was confined to Europe. I first learnt about it when I was studying the demographics of India for some other subject. …
The last ‘Mahant’of Nankana Sahib
His name was Narain Das, and he was the ‘Mahant’ (the high Priest) of Nankana Sahib during the first two decades of the twentieth century. Being the birth place of Guru Nanak, it was the holiest shrine, next only to the Golden Temple, in Amritsar. His life and deeds are so heinous and detestable that the community has obliterated his …
What Makes Kerala Distinctive? (Reformatted ) -by Joseph Thomas
Preface Born in Peshawar, and brought up in North India, I had seen very few South Indians during my childhood. And the only Christians we saw were either Anglo-Indians or teachers in the elite schools. All this changed, when I joined the NDA, in Jan 1958. I met Thomas, and I got to know all that I know on …
What Makes Kerala Distinctive? -by Joseph Thomas
Preface Born in Peshawar, and brought up in North India, I had seen very few South Indians during my childhood. And the only Christians we saw were either Anglo-Indians or teachers in the elite schools. All this changed, when I joined the NDA, in Jan 1958. I met Thomas, and I got to know all that I know on …
WAS Lt Gen A.A.K. NIAZI A TIGER OR A JACKAL???
Vicissitudes in the life of Lt Gen AAK Niazi It is not uncommon for fortunes to fluctuate in life. But in the case of Lt Gen Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the amplitude of the swing was phenomenally large. He joined the army as a Y-cadet; earned an emergency commission at the somewhat late age of 27 and yet, rose to an exalted rank. At the …
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RADCLIFFE LINE
My Mother-tongue: Shahpuri Punjabi Before our independence in 1947, the undivided Punjab was at least eight times larger than the present day Indian state of that name. A large chunk went to Pakistan, and what was left was divided into three states, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. In 1911, the state was so noteworthy that when Gurudev Tagore wrote an immortal song, …
THE CHENNAI FLOODS OF 2015 – HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF by Joseph Thomas
Editor’s Note I have already said many things about my NDA course-mate, Joseph Thomas. One can write a book on his academic achievements. He entered the Academy as the topper and retained that place all through the six terms. Later, he became a Test Pilot, trained in the USA many decades ago. He has logged more than 6000 flying hours. And …
PICTURES IN SEARCH OF SUITABLE CAPTIONS
Dear Friend, Recently, I received a picture from a friend, which compelled me peer at it for quite a while. I then used the ‘picture manager’ to focus my attention on a tiny portion, then looked at half of the photograph, before getting back to the entire picture. I am sharing the results, since it tells a poignant tale. I want you …
A TREASURE TROVE IN KASAULI
A brief note from the editor A Caravan Many months ago, perhaps in January 2015, Ashwani came to me and told me about a dysfunctional tower clock in a church in Kasauli. He told me that no one is willing to repair it, even as far as Delhi. It emerged that it was installed in 1884, and is a pendulum controlled mechanical …
VIDYA VICHAARI TAN PAROPKARI
The 2nd of September is a date etched in the psyche of our family. On this day, in 1926, our saintly ancestor, Bhai Hira Singh ji, breathed his last. Tomes have been written about his life and work. He became famous as a ‘Ragi’ ( a singer of the guru’s hymns). However, what is not so well known, is that …
