The History of Bhairav Nath

Lord Bhairav or Bhairon is an incarnation (avatar) of Lord Shiva. Lord Bhairav is widely worshipped by tantriks and yogis to gain various siddhis. Bhairon is regarded as the protector and the kotwal. In astrology Lord Bhairav is the Lord of star (graha) Rahu so to attain the maximum benefits of rahu, people worships Lord Bhairav. Bhairav is a fierce form of Shiva. It is believed that Bhairon is connected to the Mahavidya goddess named Bhairavi who gives Lagna shuddhi (purification of the follower). This purifies and protects the body, chracter, personality and other qualities associated with the follower. Worship of Lord Bhairon is very useful to win over your enemies, success and all materialistic comforts. It is very easy to please lord Bhairav by doing normal worship daily. Coconut, Flowers, Sindoor, Mustard oil, black til etc are offered to the God to get God's Blessings. Bhairava himself has eight manifestations, Kala Bhairava, Asitanga Bhairava, Samhara Bhairava, Ruru Bhairava, Krodha Bhairava, Kapala Bhairava, Rudra Bhirava and Unmatta Bhairava.

Orgin Of Lord Bhairav

The origin of Bhairava or Bhairon can be drawn from the conversation between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu described in "Shiv Maha-Puran" where Lord Vishnu asks Lord Brahma who is the supreme creator of the Universe..  Lord Brahma proclaimed himself to be that superior person.  On hearing this, Lord Vishnu chided Lord Brahma for his hasty and overconfident words.  After the debate they decided to seek the answer from the four Vedas.  Rig Veda designated Lord Rudra (Shiva) as supreme as He is the omnipotent deity who controls all living beings.  Yajur Veda replied that He, whom we worship through various Yagnas (Yagam) and other such rigorous rituals, is none other than Shiva, who is supreme.  Sam Veda stated that the respected figure who is worshipped by various Yogis and that Person who controls the entire world is none other than Triambakam (Shiva).  Finally, Atharva Veda said, all human beings can see the Lord through Bhakti Marg and such a deity who can remove all the worries of human beings is indeed Shankar (Shiva).  But both Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu started laughing in disbelief.

Then Lord Shiva appeared as a powerful divine light.  Lord Brahma stared at Him furiously with his fifth head.  Lord Shiva immediately created one living being and stated that he will be King of Kaal and will be known as Kaal (Death) Bhairav.   Meanwhile, Lord Brahma’s fifth head was still burning with fury and Kaal Bhairav pulled that head from Brahma. Lord Shiva directed Bhairav to go around various holy places (teerths) to get rid of Brahma Hatya.  Kaal Bhairav, with Brahma’s head in his hand, started took bath in various holy places (Teerths), worshipped various Lords, nevertheless saw that Brahma Hatya Dosh was following him all along.  He could not get rid of that affliction. Finally, Kaal Bhairav reached the Moksha Puri, Kashi. The moment Kaal Bhairav entered Kashi, Brahma Hatya Dosha disappeared into the netherworld.  The head of Brahma, (Kapal) fell at a place which was called Kapal Mochan and there was a Teerth which was later called  Kapal Mochan Teerth. Then onwards Kaal Bhairav stationed himself permanently in Kashi, giving shelter to all his devotees.  Those living in or visiting Kashi, must worship Kaal Bhairav and he grants protection to all his devotees.  

Ashtami day (eighth day after Poornima) in the month of Margashirsha is an important day for worshipping Kaal Bhairav.  Besides, Sundays, Tuesdays, Ashtami and Chaturdasi days are very important for worshipping Kaal Bhairav.  A person who circumabulates Lord Kaal Bhairav eight times will be absolved of all the sins committed by him.  A devotee who worships Kaal Bhairav for six months will attain all types of Siddhi. (Kashi Khand, Chapter 31.

Another story of the origin of Bhairava is the tale of Shiva and Shakti. Shakti, the daughter of the king of gods, Daksha chosen Shiva for marriage. Her father disapproved the marriage because he alleged that Shiva resides in jungales with animals and ghosts and hence has no equality whith him. But Shakti decides otherwise and marry Shiva. After some time King Daksha held a Yagana and invited all the gods, but not Shiva. Shakti came to the yagna alone, where Daksha publicly spoke in a belittling manner about Shiva. Shakti could not bear to hear her husband insult and jumpted in the holy fire of Yagna and sacrificed her.

On hearing this Lord destroyed the yagna and killed Daksha by beheading him. Then Shiva carried Shakti's corpse on his shoulders and ran uncontrollably all around the world for days. Since this would eventually destroy all creation, Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut Shakti's body into pieces, which then fell all around. These spots where Shakti's body parts fell are now known as Shakti Peethas. In the form of the frightful Bhairava, Shiva is said to be guarding each of these Shaktipeeths. Each Shaktipeeth temple is accompanied by a temple dedicated to Bhairava (Bhairon).

The History of Shah Jahan

Born On: January 5, 1592

Died On: January 22, 1666

Achievements: Founder of the magnificent monument Taj Mahal, Also associated with the Red Fort of Delhi, Jama Masjid of Delhi, Section of Agra Fort, the Wazir Khan Mosque and the Moti Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan

Shah Jahan, his name along with the name of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, being synonymous with the existence and ever growing popularity of Taj Mahal, was a Mughal Emperor of the Southern Asia who reigned from 1627 to 1658. Born as Prince Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram in the Lahore, Pakistan of 1592, Shah Jahan was the son of Emperor Jahangir. His name Khurram, which means "joyful" in Persian, was given to him by his grandfather Akbar the Great. Displaying great military skills at an early age against numerous enemies including Mewar, the Lodi in the Deccan, and Kangra, impressed his father so much that Shah Jahan received the title "Shah Jahan Bahadur" from him. He wasn't just a sharp military leader, but also had an exceptional talent for building and proved it by re-designing buildings within the Agra fort. Among many titles he had earned, "The Builder of the Marvels" was one that was about to be proved the most deserving in the time to come.

The most significant part of Shah Jahan's life history began in 1607 when he was 15 and was betrothed to Arjumand Banu Begum, the granddaughter of a Persian noble and was just 14 at that time. After they got married in 1612, Arjumand became the unquestioned love of his life. Khurram, upon finding her appearance and character elect among all the women of the time, bestowed her with the title of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning "Jewel of the Palace". Although Mumtaz was one among the few wives Shah Jahan had had, according to the official court chronicler Qazwini, the relationship with his other wives "had nothing more than the status of marriage. The intimacy, deep affection, attention and favor which His Majesty had for the Cradle of Excellence (Mumtaz) exceeded by a thousand times what he felt for any other". She was his inseparable companion, accompanying him even on military ventures, a trusted confidante and their relationship was intense.

After she died in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child, Shah Jahan undertook the work of constructing world's most beautiful monument in her memory. This monument, which entombs Mumtaz Mahal as well as Shah Jahan, came to be known as "Taj Mahal", the building of which took 22 years and 22000 laborers. It was in 1657 that Shah Jahan fell ill, and Dara, Mumtaz Mahal's eldest son assumed responsibility of his father's throne. His other son, Aurangzeb, accompanied by his younger brothers Shuja and Murad marched upon Agra to in order to claim their share. They defeated Dara's armies and declared their father Shah Jahan incompetent to rule and put him under house arrest in Agra Fort. After Shah Jahan died in 1666 in captivity, his body was taken quietly by two men and was laid beside Mumtaz. Apart from the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Red Fort of Delhi, Jama Masjid of Delhi, Section of Agra Fort, the Wazir Khan Mosque and the Moti Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan, are some of the noble structures associated with the name of Shah Jahan, meaning "King of the World" in Persian.

The Real Hero Khudiram Bose

Born In: Tamluk, Midnapore, Bengal

Died On: August 11, 1908

Career: Freedom fighter

Nationality: Indian

Khudiram Bose, a young political activist from Bengal, was not only one of the most prominent figures in India's fight for freedom from British rule, but also the youngest revolutionary that the Indian independence movement had witnessed. Khudiram Bose led a life of risk and adventure, never for once flinching from his goal of acquiring freedom for his country. Apart from possessing the spirit of a fighter, Khudiram Bose was also known for his leadership qualities and his services to the society. However, the revolutionary died an unfortunate early death, leaving India bereft of one of the greatest freedom strugglers that the country had ever seen. Khudiram Bose will always be remembered in the history of Indian independence as the proponent of the 'Agni Yuga' or the fiery age, an era which was characterized by young people getting involved in the fight against the British without thinking twice about their own lives. Khudiram Bose was the first martyr of the early twentieth century.

Childhood

Khudiram Bose was born on December 3, 1889 in the small village of Habibpur situated close to the town of Tamluk in Midnapore district of Bengal. Khudiram Bose was the fourth child in a family of three daughters. His parents, Trailokyanath Bose and Lakshmipriya Devi had two sons before the birth of Khudiram but both of them died prematurely. Following the tradition of the yesteryear superstitious society, his mother decided to give up possession of a male child to avoid further deaths in the family. According to reports, her baby boy was sold to her eldest daughter Aparupa in exchange of a measure of foodgrain, also known as 'khud' in Midnapore. After selling her son to her daughter, the mother abandoned all rights to take care of her son. He was thus named Khudiram as he was bought in exchange of 'khud' and henceforth was taken care of only by his sister. Thus, it was right after his birth that Khudiram Bose lost all contact with his mother and father.

Inspiration on the Path to Revolution

Khudiram Bose showed a revolutionary spirit even when he was a mere child. As a child Khudiram Bose loved adventure and was widely known for his courage and bravery on the face of danger. Quite naturally, he also made a very good leader in political groups. It was in the years 1902 - 1903 that Khudiram Bose was inspired to plunge into active freedom struggle. During this time Sri Aurobindo and Sister Nivedita were in Medinipur to deliver a lecture inspiring people to join the freedom struggle against the British. Khudiram Bose was a teenager at that point of time and was bubbling with energy. He was part of student revolutionary groups in Tamluk.

Inspired by the speeches of Sri Aurobindo, Khudiram Bose took part in the secret planning sessions that were held by Sri Aurobindo and Sister Nivedita. Shortly after, in the year 1904, Khudiram Bose shifted from Tamluk to the main town of Medinipur, not only to enroll at the Medinipur Collegiate School but also to take part in the martyr activities that were then a common occurrence in principal towns across India. Khudiram Bose became an active member of a martyrs' club in Medinipur and soon won the attention of even his seniors at the club through his adventurous and leadership qualities, his dedication and his services to the society. 

Apart from Sri Aurobindo and Sister Nivedita, Khudiram Bose also derived inspiration from verses in the Bhagavad Gita and the words of his teacher Satyendranath Bose. In the year 1905, Khudiram Bose became involved with the political party Jugantar to show his disobedience to the British government following the Partition of Bengal the same year. A few months later Khudiram Bose planted bombs close to a police outpost in Medinipur. Though he was not arrested in 1905, police arrested him three years later and announced a death sentence for a similar incident involving killing by bombing.

The Muzaffarpur Incident

Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki from Jugantar were sent to the town of Muzaffarpur in Bihar to carry out the killing of Kingsford, the magistrate of Calcutta Presidency. The two revolutionaries went to Muzaffarpur, adopted the code names of Haren Sarkar and Dinesh Roy respectively, and took shelter in the 'dharmashala' of Kishorimohan Bandopadhyay. Though they wanted Kingsford dead, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki did not want the bloodshed of innocent people accumulated around a court during the daytime. Therefore they decided to shoot him when he was on his way from the European Club to his home or vice versa. On April 30, 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki took position outside the European Club and targeted the carriage of Kingsford as it moved out of the club at around 8:30 in the evening. The bombs and the pistol shots hit the carriage. Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki immediately fled the place of crime thinking that their task were complete, only to be informed later that it was the wife and daughter of barrister Pringle Kennedy who were traveling inside Kingsford's carriage. Both Khudiram and Prafulla were filled with remorse for their act of killing two innocent women. The duo were then constantly on the move to escape the eyes of the police. However, the police caught them soon after the incident took place. 

Death of Prafulla Chaki

After the failed attempt to kill magistrate Kingsford in Muzaffarpur, Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose had taken two separate routes to flee the police. On May 1 when his companion Khudiram Bose was arrested, Prafulla Chaki was received in the house of a local in Muzaffarpur who did his best to save his life by providing food, rest and also a train ticket to destination Kolkata. Prafulla Chaki had to change trains on his way from Muzaffarpur to Howrah and it was in the train that misfortune met him in the form of Nandalal Bannerjee, the sub inspector in the British police. Immediately suspecting the young Prafulla Chaki, Nandalal Bannerjee was successful in tracing information which led him to believe that it was Prafulla Chaki who was involved in the Muzaffarpur incident. As soon as Prafulla Chaki left his first train to board the next which would drop him to Howrah, Nandalal Bannerjee was prepared with other police personnel to arrest him. While Prafulla Chaki tried to kill Nandalal Bannerjee by shooting at him, his attempt was unsuccessful, after which he fired the gunshot at himself. Prafulla Chaki took away his own life unable to bear the humiliation of submitting himself to the British authorities.

Incidents leading to Arrest of Khudiram Bose

The Muzaffarpur incident took place at 8:30 in the evening. People were made aware of the killing on the same night and security consisting of armed police constables was stationed at all crucial positions around the country, especially the railway stations. In addition, the British government had also announced Rs 1000 cash prize for the person who could trace the attackers or assist the police in doing so. Knowing that the police would be behind him, Khudiram Bose decided to walk his way to Medinipur rather than board a train. However, ill fate was waiting for him in Oyaini, where he stopped for a glass of water. Constables were immediately on his side when Khudiram Bose stopped by at a tea stall to ask for a glass of water and were curious to know the reason which made him walk such a long way as to make him so tired and dusty. A search which ensued revealed that Khudiram Bose was armed with two revolvers and 37 rounds of ammunition. It is to be remembered that Khudiram Bose was a mere 18 year old kid at the time of the incident and was no match to the strength of the much older constables. 

On May 1, 1908, Khudiram Bose was taken under arrest for his involvement in the Muzaffarpur killings, but the arrest failed to undermine his nationalistic spirit, the young boy crying the slogan 'Vandemataram' even after the entire town of Muzaffarpur accumulated in front of the railway station to take a look at the boy who could commit such a heinous crime. After being taken to the magistrate's office in Muzaffarpur, Khudiram Bose took the blame for the incident which led to the killings and deaths in Muzaffarpur just a day ago wholly upon himself. No attempts would make him reveal the name of either his partner Prafulla Chaki or his revolutionary group in Medinipur. However, police produced before him the body of Prafulla Chaki who had taken away his life by then. The shock was elaborately written upon his face and Khudiram Bose came to know that there was no point in hiding the identity of his group from the police, who would soon trace the revolutionary group under Barindra Kumar Ghosh, which Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki had been working for. The police authorities working under the instructions of the British proved how inhuman they could be when they chopped off the head of the dead Prafulla Chaki and sent it to Kolkata for further confirmation on his and Khudiram Bose's revolutionary links. 

Court Trial and Martyrdom 

Khudiram Bose was put behind bars on May 2, 1908 and the court trial began on the 21st of May. Binodbihari Majumdar and Mr. Mannuk were the prosecutors for the British government, while Upendranath Sen, Kalidas Basu and Kshetranath Bandopadhyay fought in Khudiram Bose's defense. Narendranath Lahiri, Satishchandra Chakraborty and Kulkamal Sen also joined the team of defense lawyers for Khudiram Bose as the trial progressed, the entire team fighting the case for free. On May 23, 1908, Khudiram Bose had to give his first statement in court. Following the advice of his lawyers, Khudiram Bose denied any involvement in the gunshots and bombings that led to the death of the two British women in Muzaffarpur. The trial progressed slowly with the judge announcing that the final verdict would be delivered on June 13. 

It was on the date of the verdict that the prosecutors in the Khudiram Bose case received an anonymous letter warning that bombings would soon take place in Kolkata and this time it would be the Biharis rather than the Bengalis who would be behind the attack. The defense board was now sure that the letter would convince the judge that people other than Khudiram Bose can be involved in the killings in Muzaffarpur. The chief intention of the defense board in the case was to prevent the pronouncement of a death sentence for Khudiram Bose. However, the British Raj was not prepared to let go off an Indian who had already been declared as a revolutionary. The death sentence was awarded to Khudiram Bose. Khudiram Bose embraced the sentence with dignity. In fact he also refused to appeal to the High Court, a practice which existed during those times, saying that he was destined to be hanged to death. 

It was his defense lawyers who convinced Khudiram Bose to make the appeal to the High Court arguing with him that a life sentence instead of a death sentence would mean that Khudiram Bose could live on to serve his motherland. The hearing at High Court took place on July 8, 1908. It was Narendrakumar Basu who fought on behalf of Khudiram Bose in the July High Court trial presenting several arguments which would avert the possibility of a death sentence for a revolutionary who had become an overnight hero for young nationalists in India after the Muzaffarpur incident. The judge at the High Court said that July 13 would be the date for the ultimate verdict on the matter. 

The arguments put forward to the High Court by Narendrakumar Basu would have put the case in favor of Khudiram Bose and could have saved his life, but the British government had already decided that they would award the death sentence to Khudiram Bose. An attempt of appeal made to the Governor General was also turned down and the death sentence for Khudiram Bose was made public on August 11, 1908. The sentence led to a huge uproar among people, young and old, who accumulated in front of the courthouse to shout slogans of protest against the sentence. The local press was vociferous in making the sentiments of the Indians heard. But it was Khudiram Bose who surprised many by embracing his death gracefully by going to the gallows on August 11, 1908 with a smile on his face.

1889: Khudiram Bose was born on December 3.

1904: He shifted from Tamluk to Medinipur and took up revolutionary activities seriously.

1905: He joined political party Jugantar.

1905: He planted bombs in a police station to kill government officials. 

1908: He gets involved in the Muzaffarpur killings on April 30.

1908: He is arrested for the killings on May 1.

1908: His partner in the Muzaffarpur killings Prafulla Chaki kills himself.

1908: The Khudiram Bose trial begins on May 21.

1908: He gives his first statement in court on May 23.

1908: June 13 is announced as the date of verdict.

1908: The trial starts in High Court on July 8.

1908: Final verdict of death sentence announced on July 13.

1908: Appeal to Governor General thwarted and final verdict announced on August 11.

Akbar the Great Emperor of Mughal In India

In 1582, King Philip II of Spain received a letter from the Mughal Emperor Akbar of India.

Akbar wrote: "As most men are fettered by bonds of tradition, and by imitating ways followed by their fathers... everyone continues, without investigating their arguments and reasons, to follow the religion in which he was born and educated, thus excluding himself from the possibility of ascertaining the truth, which is the noblest aim of the human intellect. Therefore we associate at convenient seasons with learned men of all religions, thus deriving profit from their exquisite discourses and exalted aspirations." [Johnson, 208]

Akbar the Great chided Philip for the anti-Protestant excesses of the Spanish Counter-reformation. Spain's Catholic inquisitors had by this time mostly rid the country of Muslims and Jews, so turned their murderous attentions to Protestant Christians instead, particularly in Spanish-ruled Holland.

Although Philip II did not heed Akbar's call for religious tolerance, it is indicative of the Mughal emperor's attitudes towards people of other faiths. Akbar is also renowned for his patronage of the arts and sciences. Miniature painting, weaving, book-making, metallurgy, and technological innovations all flourished under his reign.

Who was this emperor, famed for his wisdom and goodness? How did he become one of the greatest rulers in world history?

Akbar's Early Life:

Akbar was born to the second Mughal Emperor Humayan and his teenaged bride Hamida Banu Begum on October 14, 1542 in Sindh, now in Pakistan. Although his ancestors included both Genghis Khan and Timur (Tamerlane), the family was on the run after losing Babur's newly-established empire. Humayan would not regain northern India until 1555.

With his parents in exile in Persia, little Akbar was raised by an uncle in Afghanistan, with help from a series of nursemaids. He practiced key skills like hunting, but never learned to read (perhaps due to a learning disability?). Nonetheless, throughout his life, Akbar had texts on philosophy, history, religion, science and other topics read to him, and could recite long passages of what he had heard from memory.

Akbar Takes Power:

In 1555, Humayan died just months after retaking Delhi. Akbar ascended the Mughal throne at the age of 13, and became Shahanshah ("King of Kings"). His regent was Bayram Khan, his childhood guardian and an outstanding warrior/statesman.

The young emperor almost immediately lost Delhi once more to the Hindu leader Hemu. However, in November of 1556, Generals Bayram Khan and Khan Zaman I defeated Hemu's much larger army at the Second Battle of Panipat. Hemu himself was shot through the eye as he rode into battle atop an elephant; the Mughal army captured and executed him.

When he came of age at 18, Akbar dismissed the increasingly overbearing Bayram Khan and took direct control of the empire and army. Bayram was ordered to make the hajj to Mecca; instead, he started a rebellion against Akbar. The young emperor's forces defeated Bayram's rebels at Jalandhar, in the Punjab; rather than executing the rebel leader, Akbar mercifully allowed his former regent another chance to go to Mecca. This time, Bayram Khan went.

Intrigue and Further Expansion:

Although he was out from under Bayram Khan's control, Akbar still faced challenges to his authority from within the palace. The son of his nursemaid, a man called Adham Khan, killed another adviser in the palace after the victim discovered that Adham was embezzling tax funds. Enraged both by the murder and by the betrayal of his trust, Akbar had Adham Khan thrown from the parapets of the castle. From that point forward, Akbar was in control of his court and country, rather than being a tool of palace intrigues.

The young emperor set out on an aggressive policy of military expansion, both for geo-strategic reasons and as a way to get troublesome warrior/advisers away from the capital. In the following years, the Mughal army would conquer much of northern India (including what is now Pakistan) and Afghanistan.

Akbar's Governing Style:

In order to control his vast empire, Akbar instituted a highly efficient bureaucracy. He appointed mansabars, or military governors, over the various regions; these governors answered directly to him. As a result, he was able to fuse the individual fiefdoms of India into a unified empire that would survive until 1868.

Akbar was personally courageous, willing to lead the charge in battle. He enjoyed taming wild cheetahs and elephants, as well. This courage and self-confidence allowed Akbar to initiate novel policies in government, and to stand by them over objections from more conservative advisers and courtiers.

Matters of Faith and Marriage:

From an early age, Akbar was raised in a tolerant milieu. Although his family was Sunni, two of his childhood tutors were Persian Shias. As an emperor, Akbar made the Sufi concept of Sulh-e-Kuhl, or "peace to all," a founding principle of his law.

Akbar displayed remarkable respect for his Hindu subjects and their faith. His first marriage in 1562 was to Jodha Bai or Harkha Bai, who was a Rajput princess from Amber. As with the families of his later Hindu wives, her father and brothers joined Akbar's court as advisers, equal in rank to his Muslim courtiers. In total, Akbar had 36 wives of various ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Probably even more importantly to his ordinary subjects, Akbar in 1563 repealed a special tax placed on Hindu pilgrims who visited sacred sites, and in 1564 completely repealed the jizya, or yearly tax on non-Muslims. What he lost in revenue by these acts, he more than regained in good-will from the Hindu majority of his subjects.

Even beyond the practical realities of ruling an enormous, predominantly Hindu empire with just a small band Muslim elite, however, Akbar himself had an open and curious mind on questions of religion. As he mentioned to Philip II of Spain in his letter, cited above, he loved to meet with learned men and women of all faiths to discuss theology and philosophy. From the female Jain guru Champa to Portuguese Jesuit priests, Akbar wanted to hear from them all.

Foreign Relations:

As Akbar solidified his rule over northern India, and began to extend his power south and west to the coast, he became aware of the new Portuguese presence there. Although the initial Portuguese approach to India had been "all guns blazing," they soon realized that they were no match militarily for the Mughal Empire on land. The two powers made treaties, under which the Portuguese were allowed to maintain their coastal forts, in exchange for which the promised not to harass Mughal ships that set out from the west coast carrying pilgrims to Arabia for the hajj.

Interestingly, Akbar even formed an alliance with the Catholic Portuguese to punish the Ottoman Empire, which controlled the Arabian Peninsula at that time. The Ottomans were concerned that the huge numbers of pilgrims flooding in to Mecca and Medina each year from the Mughal Empire were overwhelming the resources of the holy cities, so the Ottoman sultan rather firmly requested that Akbar quit sending people on the hajj.

Outraged, Akbar asked his Portuguese allies to attack the Ottoman navy which was blockading the Arabian Peninsula. Unfortunately for him, the Portuguese fleet was completely routed off of Yemen. This signaled the end of the Mughal/Portuguese alliance.

Akbar maintained more enduring relations with other empires, however. Despite the Mughal capture of Kandahar from the Persian Safavid Empire in 1595, for example, those two dynasties had cordial diplomatic ties throughout Akbar's rule. The Mughal Empire was such a rich and important potential trading partner that various European monarchs sent emissaries to Akbar, as well, including Elizabeth I of England and Henry IV of France.

Akbar's Death:

In October of 1605, the 63-year-old Emperor Akbar suffered a serious bout of dysentery. After being sick for three weeks, he passed away at the end of that month. The emperor was buried in a beautiful mausoleum in the royal city of Agra.

The Legacy of Akbar the Great:

Akbar's legacy of religious toleration, firm but fair central control and liberal tax policies that gave commoners a chance to prosper established a precedent in India that can be traced forward in the thinking of later figures such as Mohandas Gandhi. His love of art led to the fusion of Indian and Central Asian/Persian styles that came to symbolize the height of Mughal achievement, in forms as varied as miniature painting and grandiose architecture. This lovely fusion would reach its absolute apex under Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan, who designed and had built the world-famous Taj Mahal.

Perhaps most of all, Akbar the Great showed the rulers of all nations everywhere that tolerance is not weakness, and open-mindedness is not the same thing as indecisiveness. As a result, he is honored more than four centuries after his death as one of the greatest rulers in human history.

Mary Kom’s Olympic medal celebration with her twins in her home in Manipur.

Mary Kom’s Olympic medal celebration

Northeast India is now in the nation’s mind space. The violence in lower Assam. The exodus of people of Northeast origin from Hyderabad and Bangalore. A looming refugee crisis and knee jerk anti-foreigners drive in Manipur. All these have kept the region busy. It seems that MC Mary Kom’s Olympic medal celebration in Northeast is long due.

So what Mary Kom did for the Northeast – or to be precise for Manipur – remains under-reported. Not just Mary Kom, the three others from Manipur who made it to the Olympics – L Devendro Singh (boxing), Laishram Bombayala Devi (archery) and Ng Soniya Chanu (weightlifting) gave youngsters of Manipur something new to dream. Sports will not only get a living for their family, but also accolades and recognition.

As my journalist friend from Imphal Rajkumar Suresh Sigh puts it, Poverty is the biggest adversary of achievement. Ironically, the word ‘poor’ also can be a motivating factor for some people to attain success. The Manipuri Olympian is an embodiment of this thought. The story of Mary Kom’s humble background has been written over and over again. The story of a benign beginning for the other three sportsperson from Manipur who went London is no different from Mary’s.

Deprivation inspires them to accept challenges instead of fading away in oblivion. In doing so, these achievers become a great inspiration for others from the same background. Ethnic unrest, insurgency, counter insurgency and human rights violations, Manipur has it all. For its rural youths, poverty, lack of education and joblessness is the price for being born in Manipur. Their choices are limited. Either joins a rebel insurgent outfit or excels in sports to get a government job in sports quota.

For sports and music loving Manipur, a medal at the Olympic means not just fame and wealth but an inspiration to all the poor people of the world to succeed at the highest level and a motivation to keep on ‘dreaming’.  And perhaps the dream is a contrast to the continuing bloodshed, strikes and protest the state has been over four decades.

Just before packing her bag for London Olympics, Mary Kom told us: “It never failed to amaze me how the sense of deprivation can drive you to your success. I remember my parents insisting me to leave the sport due to the financial burden. Sports is regarded as a leisure activity and it was not meant for the poor. If I had followed their advice I would have been ‘nobody’ toiling hard to make both ends meet. However, a sort of challenge developed in me to prove this notion wrong. So I adopted boxing as a means and I followed it with all my conviction. Even now, I have that conviction and I will not leave it until I win a medal at the Olympics.”

Sharing the same story, Ng Mangi spoke to us about how he used to toil as a manual labourer to support her daughter Ng Soniya Chanu, the youngest of seven siblings, in her dream to pursue weightlifting: “I have always known that Soniya was special kid, I didn’t have a decent job so it was really a struggle to support her dream and feed the rest of the family at the same time. So, I took every petty manual work available to get whatever money I can. But I have never regretted hoping that someday my daughter will bring pride to me.” Indeed Ng Soniya Chanu, who is currently working as an inspector in UP Police, did bring pride to her family. For the poverty striken family a modest job with UP Police was like manna dew from the heaven.

Success was not really a cakewalk for archer Laishram Bombayala Devi and boxer Laishram Devendro Singh. “I have been fortunate compared to other sportspersons from Manipur who had to struggle hard or leave the game for financial reason. But in way I did faced some discouraging moments, I have been told often that I cannot make a living in sports during the initial stage of my career in sports. In a way, those people were only reminding me of the general perception of sports in our society. Every parents hope that someday their children will become a doctor or an engineer instead of an archer or a boxer so that they can earn enough money to lead a comfortable life,” says Bombayala Devi.

In rural Manipur many young Marys and Devendros are trafficked, lured by the rebels to become child soldiers. Their athlete built is used in nation’s destruction. The medals and struggles of the Manipuri sportsmen would, perhaps, change that scene for good.

India woman boxer's silver at world meet

Indian sports circles were celebrating on Thursday after a female teenage boxer captured a silver medal in the women's world boxing championship in the United States.

C. Merykom Hmangte, an 18-year-old from the tiny northeastern state of Manipur, won two bouts before losing to her Turkish rival in the light-flyweight category at the inaugural women's world meet held in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Indian women have only recently taken up boxing, overcoming stiff resistance from parents reluctant to let their daughters pursue the bruising sport, fearing it may affect their marriage prospects.

"She was leading in the first round but her opponent managed to score points in the final round," coach Anoop Kumar said on the squad's return home.

Kumar said Hmangte's effort was even more praiseworthy because the squad managed to reach the venue only minutes before the opening round because of a delay in obtaining visas.

"In fact, our best bet was Lekha in the lightheavy class but she had to fight her first round just 20 minutes after landing in Scranton and lost," Kumar said.

Russia won the team championship in the November 27-December 2 event, ahead of Canada and Hungary.

India was only one of four Asian countries -- China, Chinese Taipei and Thailand were the others -- to participate in the 30-nation event.

The History of M A R Y K O M

Known for her never-say-die spirit and quick moves in the ring, Mary Kom has etched herself a name in history as the first woman boxer to bring home an Olympic medal. On woman’s day, we applaud the mother and fighter in Mary that has helped her scale the toughest hurdles to reach the top.

Born as Mangte Chungneijang, MC Mary Kom shot to fame when she won the bronze medal in the Fly weight category in Women’s boxing at the Olympics. Before her stint at the Olympics, she was a five time World Boxing Champion and the only boxer to win a medal in all six world championships. The mother of twin boys, Mary Kom, started her boxing career at the tender age of 16. She was only 18 years old when she made her international debut at the first AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in the United States, winning a silver medal.

Here are a few things the lean and mean boxer does to keep herself in top shape:

A boxing match lasts for 8 minutes, so staying agile and at the top of your game is essential throughout those eight minutes. Mary says she works out all parts of her body but mainly concentrates on her brain-eye coordination and stamina building. These are absolutely essential during a fight because it helps her pre-empt the opponent’s moves.

Morning: her training starts very early in the morning where she runs for about 14 kilometers. She follows this up with stretching exercises and then goes to the boxing ring for some shadow boxing. She also includes sessions with the punching bag and speed bag.

Afternoon: She spends this time with her family. Has a little lunch and rests.

Evening:  Her evenings are spent in the gym, doing a lot of push ups, sit ups and strength training before moving back to honing her boxing skills. One essential technique she follows is ‘practice fighting’ also called sparing. This is a technique where one does not really land a real blow. According to Mary this is the most important part of her training. She then cools down with a short run and stretching.

Minimumweight Mangte Chungneijang Merykom (aka Mary Kom or MC Merykom) is from Kangathei Village, Moirang Lamkhai in rural Manipur, India. Her interest in boxing was inspired by the success of Manipuri male boxer Dingko Singh.

She took to sports in an effort to provide some financial support to her family. "I was initially an all-round athlete, and 400-m and javelin were my pet events. When Dingko Singh returned from Bangkok (Asian Games) with a gold, I thought I should give it a try. Dingko's success triggered a revolution of sort in Manipur and surprisingly I found that I was not the only girl who was drawn into boxing," she said.

She began boxing in 2000 and was a quick learner who preferred to be put through the same paces as the boys around her. "In just two weeks, I had learnt all the basics. I guess I had God-given talent for boxing."

She initially tried to keep her interest in the sweet science from her father, M. Tonpu Kom, and mother Saneikham Kom, but winning a 2000 State championship got her photograph in the newspaper - and her secret was out of the bag:

"I still remember I was castigated by my father who said with a battered and bruised face, I should not expect to get married. He was furious that I took to boxing - a taboo for women - and he did not have the slightest idea about it. But my passion for the sport had got the better of me and I thank my cousins who coaxed and cajoled my father into eventually giving his nod. I'm happy that I did not let anybody down," she told the Deccan Herald in September 2004.

After winning her first title and Best Boxer at the First State Level Invitation women's boxing championship in Manipur in 2000, Mery kom went on to win the gold in the Seventh East India Womens Boxing Championship held in West Bengal and subsequently to win five Indian National Championships from 2000 to 2005. 

She also embarked on an international campaign that has brought her a series of gold medals and honors, though not without a few setbacks. 

On her way by train to the selection camp for her first Asian Womens Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, she had all her luggage and her passport stolen. Her parents asked her to come home but she carried on her course. "My saviour was a city-based uncle, who said he'd fix everything if I got selected. I did, but I returned empty handed (from the meet in Bangkok). The stress following the loss of documents and luggage interfered with my training." Her solution was still more training. "We girls really worked hard. Womens boxing was a very recent introduction, and we really wanted to excel."

Merykom's "international gold rush" finally began with the Second Asian Women's Championship in Hissar and continued with a win in the Third Asian Women's Championship held in Taiwan.

In her first AIBA World Women's Boxing Championship in Scranton, USA in 2001, the 18-year-old Merykom had to settle for silver, losing to Hulya Sahin of Turkey by 13-5 in the 48-kg final after defeating Jamie Behl of Canada by 21-9 in the semi-final and Nadia Hockmi of Poland by RSCO-3 in the quarter-final. "She was leading in the first round but her opponent managed to score points in the final round," coach Anoop Kumar said of Merykom's performance in the final.

The next year, she struck gold at the Second AIBA World Womens Senior Boxing Championship held from October 21-27, 2002 in Antalya, Turkey, winning the 45-kg division by defeating Svetlana Miroshnichenko of the Ukraine in her semi-final and Jang Song-Ae of North Korea in the final

On November 22, 2003 in the 46-kg finals of the Asian Women's Championships at Mahabir Stadium in Hisar, India, she defeated Chou Szu Yin of Chinese Taipei by RSCO-2. She had previously defeated L. G. Chandrika of Sri Lanka also by RSCO-2.

Her once-skeptical father accompanied his trail-blazing daughter to the ceremony in 2003 at which she was the first woman ever to receive India's prestigious Arjuna award for her achievement in boxing.

She also took gold in the 46-kg division of the Women's World Boxing Tournament in Tonsberg, Norway from 27 April to 2 May 2004, defeating Derya Aktop of Turkey by RSCO-2 in the semi-final and Xia Li of China by RSCO-2 in the final.

She was also the Witch Cup Tournament champion in Hungary in 2004.

At the August 2004 Asian Women's Boxing Championships in Taiwan she  defeated Gretchen Abaniel of the Philippines 35-11 in the 46-kg final.

She successfully defended her 46-kg world title at the Third AIBA Women's World Championships held from 25 September to 2 October 2005 in Podolsk, Russia. She won the final by a 28-13 score over Jong Ok of North Korea, who had reached the finals with a 22-20 decision over Gretchen Abaniel of the Philippines. Kom had defeated Elena Sabitova of Russia 31-16 in her semi-final and Nancy Fortin of Canada 30-13 in her preliminary. While she saw her repeat win as great progress, she expressed admiration for the Russians, who won the team event.  "They are so well-built, with big muscles!"

On 19-22 October 2006 at the Venus Box Cup in Vejle, Denmark, Mery kom won by RSCO-2 over Sofie Molholr of Denmark in the 46-kg semi-final and defeated Steluta Duta of Romania by retirement in the third round. Duta had defeated Valeria Calabrese of Italy RSCI-2 to reach the final and had also won the 46-kg division of the Ahmet Comert Tournament in 2006 with a RSCO-2 over Derya Aktop of Turkey (Mery kom did not compete in that tournament.)

On 23 November 2006 at the AIBA World Championships at Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, India Merykom again won the 46-kg division - this time with a 22-7 decision over her Venus Box Cup final opponent Steluta Duta of Romania. Mery kom kept the Romanian on the defensive for most of the bout, then celebrated her win with a demonstration of Manipuri folk dance in the ring. Duta reached the final with a RSCO-2 win over Boranbayeva Zalgul of Kazakhstan in the semi.

In New Delhi, Mery kom had previously defeated Jong Ok of North Korea 20-8 in the semi-final, and Chandrike Geruga of Sri Lanka by RSCO-2 in the quarter-final after a bye in the preliminary round.  She began the tournament with a cough and fever (and was unable to take any medication because of the doping test) but she still performed well enough to lead Chandrike Geruga 13-3 after one round, and the bout was stopped in the second with Mery kom ahead 19-4.

"Everyone in our team worked very hard for this day and it is good to see that we have achieved it on our home soil," she said. On this occasion the Indian women's boxing team edged the formidable Russians by 34 points to 28 in team standings.

Like most world-class amateur female boxers, Mery kom now hopes to compete in the Olympic Games some day. "Now I will dream again to represent India in the Olympics at least once till the time my body permits."

On her ring strategy, Mery kom says "I simply try to cramp my opponents so that they don't get any chance to free their arms. 'My height (around five feet) is a problem but my fitness is my advantage. I make my opponents run a lot in the ring, which tires them.'  In 2005 she told a felicitation program organized by Indian Amateur Boxing Federation and YMCA: "I do not only rely on my technique or strength but also on my mind," adding that in her 46-kg weight category "I mostly meet different boxers in my weight category as the older ones change to higher weight category. But I have established myself here."

"To be a successful boxer one must also have a strong heart. Some women are physically strong but fail when it comes to having a strong heart. One also must have the zeal and the right fighting spirit," says Mery kom."We work harder than men and are determined to fight with all our strength to make our nation proud. God has given me the talent and it’s only because of sheer grit and hard work that I have made it so far."

Mery kom works out five to six hours a day to stay fit. Coming from a poor family who struggled to educate her siblings, her success as a world champion is a testament to her determination, perseverance and drive to succeed. She has used her earnings from boxing to obtain a new house and land for her parents and savings deposits for her younger siblings but she bemoans the lack of sponsorship for Indian female boxers, saying "I guess that’s because I don’t play tennis or cricket. Seriously, are there no other sports in India?"  She has said that she would eventually like to share her boxing experiences while grooming new sports talent in Manipur.