Chikan Kari to Enlightenment 2

So many stories to look into, 

notes to self- everywhere

Many layers to Lucknow.

Nawab came in 1700's who was here before?
Smack dab in the middle of the Ganges Plain with incredibly rich farm lands, situated on trading roots for tax collection it was one desirable kingdom.
Then the British East India Company turned up,initially begging for a few trade concessions and then some more and more. Building their wealth and own army the became the ultimate bully, eventually divesting the Nawab of his kingdom completely because as they said, he could not look after it.

In the start they wanted his help for the upkeep of one fellow as an intermediary, along with his secretary.... years later the British had a whole community and all their servants they expected the Nawab to keep and an area of the city filled with beautiful homes, and their army to upkeep. The British made 'loans' from the Nawab and didn't repay.....
Once the Nawab was exiled to Kolkata one of his Begums ( Queens) stayed....
A long story- to cut it short,  disgruntlement with being suppressed boiled over and the British trying to wrongfully take over kingdoms from the Rani ( Queen ) of Jhansi and the Begum of Lucknow  started India's First War of Independence. Known to the British as the Uprising.
Read Shashi Tharoor 

An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India

William Dalrymple The Anarchy  for the full story, and interesting connections to today's corporate mindset.

both well written, riveting and shocking.

Why worry about what happened then?
For me because of the injustice and to understand the present psyche of India, to alert myself to how it might happen again.
India very wisely, upon Independence wrote into the constitution rules that made it very difficult for foreigners to take their lands again.
We all need to contemplate this, perhaps notice what corporations, media and governments do now to control.

Rani of Jhansi is a personal favourite of mine, she was a feisty character. When we arrived in Varanasi I found out she was born in the area of the Assi Ghat.... a little link I liked.

Varanasi/ Buddha/ Jains so many religions and movements converge on the spot of Ancient Kashi [Varanasi now was Benares to the British and Kashi in ancient Hindu texts.... you have heard of reincarnation?] 

Varanasi, India. Situated on the west bank of the Ganges, Varanasi - also known as Benares - is an important holy city for both Hindus and Buddhists. According to legend, it was founded by the Hindu deity Lord Shiva 5,000 years ago, though modern scholars believe it to be around 3,000 years old. which ever date it started one of the worlds oldest continuous cities. 

I was expecting it to be hectic... India can do hectic pretty well somedays, and was pleasantly surprised to find it easy. no one really in your face wanting to bless you or show you around.

Ask and you shall receive

sometimes much quicker than you expect! when I arrived home this interesting article turned up in a feed I follow with so much wonderful detail about the religious reforms and changes around the time The Buddha and others walked the Earth 

Ohh I do love a good story to discover, I can see many happy hours poking around, googling and reading.

Next week, though Praveen and I are on holidays. We are running away to an island in Thailand and disconnecting from work.

Weird concept but we are trying.

Put the out of office notice up on my email- got workshop staff all sorted. 

Running away !!! Yippee