From Refugee Settlement to Modern Delhi: A Journey Through Time

I am a fan of history. It has always intrigued me how our society was developed and we can learn so many things from it. One such thing is the evolution of a city that is now the cultural and national capital of India, Delhi. 

Delhi, the vibrant and bustling capital city of India, stands as a testament to centuries of history, transformation, and resilience. Modern-day Delhi is not just a concrete jungle; it is a living chronicle of conquests, empires, and visions of progress. In this blog, we embark on a captivating journey to explore the fascinating story of how Delhi, once known as Shahjahanabad, transformed into the sprawling metropolis we know today. From the British Raj to independence to urbanization, we will unveil the captivating narrative of Delhi's evolution into a thriving cosmopolitan city. 

Phase 1: - From British Raj till Independence

Under British rule, Delhi witnessed a gradual transformation. The imperial architecture of Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker gave rise to New Delhi, a city planned to be the new capital of British India. The grandeur of Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, and the tree-lined avenues now called Lutyens colonies became the hallmarks of the new city, reflecting colonial aspirations. Today, it houses prominent politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen. Famous areas like Lodhi Garden, Khan Market, Amrita Shergill Marg, Prithviraj Road, APJ Aurangzeb Road, Sardar Patel Marg (Diplomatic Enclave), and Chanakyapuri come into this zone.

Phase 2: - Post-Independence

The partition of India in 1947 led to mass migrations and displacements, particularly along religious lines. As a major metropolitan area, Delhi saw an inflow of refugees from both sides of the newly formed boundary. The city was transformed into a centre for temporary camps and settlements, supplying basic essentials to displaced people. As the number of refugees increased, the government constructed designated settlements and camps to house the increasing number of displaced individuals and families. 

Kingsway Camp: Kingsway Camp, located in North Delhi, was one of the earliest refugee settlements established in Delhi after the partition of India in 1947. It served as a temporary shelter for refugees who migrated from the Punjab and Sindh regions. Today it is known as GTB Nagar.

INA Colony: The Indian National Army (INA) Colony, located in South Delhi, was established for the refugees who migrated from Burma (now Myanmar) during World War II. The INA soldiers and their families were resettled in this area, which eventually became a thriving neighborhood with residential complexes, schools, and community centers.

CR Park: Also known as Mini Bengal, initially, it was envisioned as a cooperative housing association for government personnel. Following the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, however, a considerable number of Bengali refugees, particularly from East Bengal (now Bangladesh), arrived in the region. This flood of refugees transformed CR Park into a lively centre of Bengali culture and tradition.

Khan Market: Yes, you read that correctly. The well-known (upper-class) market has its origins in refugee settlement. Central Delhi's Khan Market, which has a younger and more wealthy population, is also a refugee benefactor. Faqir Chand and Sons, one of its most prominent stores known for its social capital, was founded by a Peshawari refugee who migrated to Delhi in 1948.

Majnu Ka Tilla: Since the 1960s, Majnu Ka Tilla, located near the banks of the Yamuna River, has been an important settlement for Tibetan exiles. It has a Tibetan colony with monasteries, Tibetan shops, and Tibetan restaurants, giving visitors a taste of Tibetan culture and heritage.

Punjabi Bagh:The west Delhi pocket, encompassing Karol Bagh, Rajouri Garden, Punjabi Bagh, and Uttam Nagar, emerged as a prominent refugee settlement during the partition. Families from Punjab and Pakistan sought refuge here, building prosperous businesses and communities. This region is often referred to as the Mini Punjab of Delhi, still bearing the remnants of the Punjabi refugee presence. The settlers brought their distinct cultures, traditions, and dreams for a better life. With their lively spirit, unique style, and a touch of swag, they added vibrancy to the area's diverse tapestry. Their contributions fostered unity amid the rich cultural diversity, shaping the character of the region.

These are just a few examples of the numerous refugee settlements that have shaped the demographics and social fabric of Delhi. These settlements represent the struggles, resilience, and determination of the displaced populations who sought a new beginning in the city. The concrete jungle that we see today is the melting pot of numerous religions, traditions, languages, and cultures, and that's what makes Delhi so unique.

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Ciao!

Sources: -

https://shorturl.at/oxE15

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsway_Camp

https://www.epw.in/engage/article/embracing-%E2%80%98refugee-istan%E2%80%99-look-delhis-refugee

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/opinion-chittaranjan-park-delhis-mini-bengal-turns-salt-and-pepper-50/366130

Power Up Your Fitness: 8 Must have exercises in your Gym routine

Are you looking to build power and strength while achieving a well-rounded physique? Look no further! In this blog, we will explore a comprehensive workout routine that incorporates key exercises that will help you build a good physique. These exercises target major muscle groups and provide a solid foundation for overall strength and conditioning. 

So, let's dive in and unleash your inner strength!

Deadlift: It is one of my favourite exercises. The deadlift is a compound exercise that engages multiple muscle groups, primarily targeting the back, hips, and legs. It builds strength and power, improving overall body stability and posture. Start with lighter weights, 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, once or twice a week. 

Dumbbell Bench Press: The dumbbell bench press is an excellent exercise to develop upper body strength, particularly in the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Vary your grip and adjust the bench angle to target different areas of the chest. The best is to start with a 45-degree angle. You can do an incline, flat & decline bench press to target the upper, middle & lower chest parts.

Chest Supported Row: The chest supported row primarily targets the upper back muscles, including the rhomboids and rear delts. By using a bench for support, it isolates the targeted muscles & minimizes lower back strain effectively. Maintain a controlled motion, squeezing the shoulder blades together for maximum engagement. 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, once a week only.

Overhead Press: The overhead press, also known as the shoulder press, focuses on developing strength and stability in the shoulders, triceps, and upper back. It promotes balanced shoulder development and enhances overall upper-body strength. Start with lighter weights and progress gradually to avoid strain. 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, once or twice a week.

Face Pull: The face pull exercise targets the rear deltoids, upper back, and rotator cuff muscles. Use a cable machine and focus on pulling towards the face, squeezing the shoulder blades together. 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps, once or twice a week

Chest Cable Crossover: The chest cable crossover is an effective exercise for isolating and developing the chest muscles. It creates tension throughout the entire range of motion, providing a challenging workout. Maintain proper form by keeping the chest up and engaging the pectoral muscles to maximize results. I would recommend using this exrecise over bench press to target the lower chest. Only on chest day, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps

Glute Ham Raise: The glute ham raise primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It strengthens the lower back, promoting better posture and reducing the risk of injury. Start with bodyweight and progress to using additional weights as your strength improves. Do not hyper-stretch and keep your momentum slow to avoid back injuries. 

Weighted Squats: Weighted squats are a fundamental compound exercise that targets the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core. They help improve leg strength, stability, and overall lower body power. Ensure proper form by keeping the knees aligned with the toes and maintaining a neutral spine. Focus more on getting the form right than on increasing weight. Pro tip: Use a back support belt while performing this exercise. 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, once a week only.

Remember, always prioritize proper form, gradually increase weights, and listen to your body to avoid injuries. So, lace up your shoes, grab those weights, and enjoy the journey towards a more powerful and resilient body!

Ciao!

Smart IRCTC

Hey guys, it's been a long time since I've written a blog. Please pardon my absence; I was preoccupied with some work. So, coming back to the matter, what will you tell me about your experience reserving a seat on IRCTC? I'm guessing that most of you will give it a 6 or 7 on a scale of 1-10. You will describe it as one of the most inept and clumsy ticket booking websites. But what if I told you it's a fantastic portal?

Have you ever thought about how the berths are booked on the railways? Why does the IRCTC not allow you to choose seats?

Would you believe that the technical reason behind this is PHYSICS?

Booking a seat on a train is far different from booking a seat in a theatre.

A theatre is a hall, whereas a train is a moving object. As a result, safety concerns on trains are extremely high. The Indian Railways ticket booking software is designed in such a way that it would book tickets in such a way that the load on a train is evenly distributed. For example, to make things clearer, imagine there are sleeper class coaches in a train numbered S1, S2, S3,... S10, and in every coach, there are 72 seats, so when someone first books a ticket, the software will assign a seat in the middle coach, like S4, with a middle seat numbered between 35-45, and preferably lower berths (Railways first fill the lower berths to achieve a low center of gravity.) The software books seats in such a way that all coaches have uniform passenger distribution and seats are filled starting from the middle seats (36) to seats near the gates, i.e., 1-2 or 71-72, in order from lower berth to upper.

Railways want to ensure that each coach has the right balance for equal load distribution. That is why, when you reserve a ticket, you are always assigned an upper berth and a seat numbered around 2-3 or 70, unless you are not replacing someone who has cancelled their seat.

What if the trains book tickets at random? A train is a moving object that moves around at a speed of around 100 km/hr on rails. So there are hell lot of forces and mechanics acting on the train. Imagine if S1, S2, and S3 were completely full and S5, S6, and others were partially full. When the train takes a turn, some coaches will face maximum centrifugal force and some minimum, which creates a high chance of derailment.

This is a very technical aspect, and when brakes are applied, there will be different braking forces acting on each of the coaches because of the enormous differences in the weight of the coaches, so the stability of the train becomes an issue again.

So the next time you do not get your preferred seats or berths, you will know what might be the real reason.

Hope you like it.

Ciao!

KYF- Know Your Food

I hope you all are doing fine and have taken your 1st or 2nd dose of vaccination. Last week was quite hectic and I did not get the time and inspiration to write the blog. But ek kahawat hai na "Jab Jaago Tabhi Savera"

I am a big foodie and this blog is all about food. I think most of you would be familiar with these dishes but do you know about its origin and history? I think you don't. So let me walk you through the 'History' of some of the most unique food items in India.

1. Pani Poori

It is known by different names Pani Poori, puchka, gol gappe etc. It's one of the most famous street food in India and I bet each one of you has tasted it atleast once in your lifetime. But let me tell you something which you don't know. The origin of 'Gol Gappe' can be traced back to the Magadha region (erstwhile Mauryan Empire) when the puritans existed. Some traces of this dish can be found in Mughal texts also. One thing is sure that this dish rules the street food of India.

2. Kathi Roll

A Bengali street food which was started by Nizams of Bengal & Awadh, as handy, quick to serve for office goers had spread like wildfire throughout India. The word Kati or Kathi was added to the Bengali after the demand for rolls rose. As steel "seekh" were costly, Nizams thought of an alternative and used instead "Kathi" as seekh and thus came the name Kathi Kabab. As the popularity of Kathi Kabab spread so did the number of outlets offering it and its taste gets easily blended with regional taste.

3. Chicken Jahangiri

The Mughal Empire ruled for over 200 years. It hugely influenced the art, culture, architecture and food of the subcontinent. Mughliya cuisine is a confluence of Persian, Samarkandi, Uzbekistan and adjoining regions of Timurid Empire, Turko-Afghan food and lastly different Indian cooking techniques like those of the Rajputs, Eastern India, Punjab, Kashmir cuisine. This dish was started as a breakfast meal in Emperor Jahangir time and was widely famous among his courtiers and Harem, hence every bit of this dish manifests India in its true self- of accepting and creating a beautiful mix.

4. Pav Bhaji

"Pav"- a Portuguese word for bread and "bhaji"- a Marathi word for vegetables. The story of pav bhaji is synonymous with the rise of the Indian textile industry during the British Era. This dish was made up of the leftover vegetables cooked together and served along with 'pav' as lunch to the Bombay textile workers. It soon became a symbolic dish representing the 'chawls' and life revolving around it. But later was adopted by regular restaurants and today it's among the most preferred found item in the local restaurants and street food vendors.  

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Ciao! 

 

Story of a Double Agent

 

So today's blog is about an interesting guy who acted as a double agent and faked his death for 36 years.

                                    (Image source:- Google pictures)

In World War II, a Spanish spy named Joan Pujol Garcia approached the Allies to work for them. When they refused, he approached the Nazis, and they accepted him (giving him the codename Arabel). Once he earned credentials working as a Nazi spy, he approached the Allies again, this time getting a job as a double agent (codenamed Garbo).

This is where it gets unbelievable. He fed the Germans a combination of misinformation, true but useless information, and high-value information that always got to the Germans just a little too late. He even created a network of 27 fictitious agents while not a single one of these sub-agents existed. They were completely imaginary, but regardless, he submitted expense reports for them and had the Nazis giving him money to pay their salaries. At one point, when he had to explain why some high-value information got to the Germans late, he told them that one of his spies had died. He actually got the Germans to pay the imaginary spy's imaginary wife a very real pension for her loss.

Not only did his false information get the Nazis to waste millions of mark, but he was also instrumental in convincing the Nazis that the attacks on D-Day were just a diversion, and the real attack was yet to come, keeping vital German resources away from the front lines. The man got the highest honor of service from both the Allies and Axis in World War II, pulling off the greatest double agent move ever. He is the only person to ever get an Iron Cross from the Germans (which required Hitler's personal authorization, since he wasn't a soldier) and an MBE from King George VI.

Ciao!

Source :- Reddit , History.com

Choose your companions wisely....

Paul Erdos remains one of the most revered mathematicians in history. His name sits right alongside Newton in the golden halls of academia. Erdos was eccentric, foregoing wealth and riches, living out of one suitcase. He often worked 18 hour days, focusing on new theorems and pushing the boundaries of research.

He often arrived at various universities, knocking on the doors of local math professors' homes in the wee hours. Erdos knocking on your door was not an event any reasonable mathematician snoozed through.

Years later, an interesting phenomenon emerged from the large social network that Erdos built. It is called “The Paul Erdos Number”. Through math communities, it was a game of how many degrees of separation you were from Erdos. What is most interesting: you can trace math competency to how many degrees removed someone is from Erdos. If you are one degree, with him being your teacher, you are assuredly brilliant. If you are two degrees, with your math teacher studying under him, you are still likely very smart. You can see how competency radiates outward like an earthquake.

The lesson is very simple: surround yourself with fantastically competent people in that one skill you are strong in. The saying that you are the average of the five people you spend time with has significance.

Ciao!

Treat Teachers also as Frontline Workers

As the second wave of a pandemic continues to haunts the country, the teaching community has also been hit hard. Universities like Delhi University, Mumbai University, Presidency University and many schools and colleges have seen the tragic inter-generational loss of promising young teachers and veteran academics. Schools all across the country are grappling with teachers death. For government school teachers, who are deployed on Covid-19 and in panchayat election duties are more prone to this dangerous virus. In Uttar Pradesh, 700 teachers are estimated to have died of Covid-19 after allegedly contracting it while on duty in recent panchayat elections. For their students, colleagues and families the grief is collective and hard to measure. The loss of vital academicians is grim implications for any possibilities of the education system returning to Normal.

                                  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5LcagWEmYc)

It has now become vital to include teachers also as frontline workers. One of the many misses in India's vaccination program is not having allowed teachers and school staffs, regardless of their age, to jump the vaccine queue. Many international institutions have called to include teachers also as frontline workers and many countries like Sweden, Canada and France are aligning to this philosophy. The economic shock of the first wave has been a heavy one smaller schools mostly in the semi-urban and rural area, which was already facing a downfall in student enrollment, resulting in many teachers losing jobs and income. As India has learnt the hard way, the pandemic is not likely to fade away soon. The second wave has caused an unprecedented loss of lives and livelihood to many innocent people. As the future waves (3rd and maybe 4th) are inevitable the education system has embraced the difficult disruption from classroom to screen, with no support to teachers who have managed this transition on their own by putting in more working hours. But, as several surveys have shown, the online classroom is an imperfect and iniquitous solution. 

While the society as a whole must learn to acknowledge and recognize its contribution, both state and central government must do more to secure their well being. That would be a wise investment in a shared future.