Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan – Ruby Lal
Four centuries ago, a Muslim woman ruled an empire.
When it came to hunting, she was a master shot. As a dress designer, few could compare. An ingenious architect, she innovated the use of marble in her parents’ mausoleum on the banks of the Yamuna River that inspired her stepson’s Taj Mahal. And she was both celebrated and reviled for her political acumen and diplomatic skill, which rivaled those of her female counterparts in Europe and beyond.
In 1611, thirty-four-year-old Nur Jahan, daughter of a Persian noble and widow of a subversive official, became the twentieth and most cherished wife of the Emperor Jahangir. While other wives were secluded behind walls, Nur ruled the vast Mughal Empire alongside her husband, and governed in his stead as his health failed and his attentions wandered from matters of state. An astute politician and devoted partner, Nur led troops into battle to free Jahangir when he was imprisoned by one of his own officers. She signed and issued imperial orders, and coins of the realm bore her name.
Acclaimed historian Ruby Lal uncovers the rich life and world of Nur Jahan, rescuing this dazzling figure from patriarchal and Orientalist clichés of romance and intrigue, and giving new insight into the lives of women and girls in the Mughal Empire, even where scholars claim there are no sources. Nur’s confident assertion of authority and talent is revelatory. In Empress, she finally receives her due in a deeply researched and evocative biography that awakens us to a fascinating history.
Dampa Tiger Reserve Located amidst deep and dense forests, the Dampa Tiger Reserve is located about 120 km southwest of Aizwal and is rich with a variety of flora and fauna. The wildlife sanctuary covers a sprawling area of over 500 sq km in the Lushai Hills at an altitude of between 800 to 1,100 m on the western side of Mizoram and touches the international boundaries with Bangladesh. It was declared a tiger reserve in 1994 and is part of Project Tiger. The name Dampa means lonely men and refers to a local narrative about a village, where a lot of the women died.
The protected area was initially established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1985 with an area of about 680 sq km, which was reduced to about 340 sq km. In 1994, it received the status of a Tiger Reserve with an area of 500 sq km and thus became part of Project Tiger. The jurisdiction of the reserve is under two ranges, namely the Teirei Range and the Phuldungsei Range. The hills around the wildlife sanctuary are known to be the bio-geographic highway that connects India to certain regions of Mayanmar and China.
The tropical forests of the Dampa Tiger Reserve are home to diverse flora and fauna consisting of forests interpolated with steep precipitous hills, deep valleys, jungle streams, ripping rivulets, and natural salt licks. The reserve is not easily accessible unlike other parks where one can ride on a four-wheeler but one has to walk through the forest if one wishes to sight animals.
Dampa is home to the sloth bear, the serow, the hoolock gibbon, the slow loris, the endangered Phayre’s leaf monkey, the India leopard and the clouded leopard to name a few. The Bengal tiger was said to be extinct here until very recently when in May 2021 a camera trap finally captured a definite picture of a Bengal tiger. The last such recording was seven years ago, and before that, tiger scat was the only proof of their existence.
The Blue Pitta which belongs to the Pittidae family and is one of the 30 species on Earth is one of the main attractions here. Studies suggest that only 6 out of these 30 species of Pitta are found in India. There are about 54 species of birds that reside in the protected area out of which only 25 species have been identified by biologists researching the fauna of the reserve. Out of these 25, two species are in the nearly threatened category, and one is on the verge of extinction.
Dampa wildlife sanctuary is famous for its Jungle Safari. A part of the Safari includes taking detours in the deep, dense forests of the reserve. During the safari, one can spot leopards and tigers. A large variety of deer and bears are a common sight around the national park. Apart from this, Dampa also houses an exquisite variety of birds. One can book safari tours in advance and also opt to stay at one of the guesthouses available nearby at Dampa Hills.
Dampa Tiger Reserveis the largest wildlife sanctuary in Mizoram, was notified in 1985 and declared a tiger reserve in 1994. It is situated in the western part of Mizoram state, on the international border with Bangladesh about 127 km from Aizawl. It covers an area of approximately 550 sq km. The tropical Forests of Dampa are home to rich flora and fauna. It consists of forest interpolated with steep precipitous hills, deep valleys, jungle streams, ripping rivulets, natural salts licks, with an altitudinal zone of 200 m to 800 m. Dampa Tiger Reserve is a part of Project Tiger funded by the Government of India
Lunglei Situated in the south-central part of Mizoram, which means the bridge of rock got its name from a bridge-like rock found in the riverine area around Nghasih – a small tributary of the River Tlawng, the longest river in Mizoram. It is the largest town after the capital, Aizawl, and is located about 165 km south of Aizawl.
Lunglei was the capital of the South Lushai Hill Districts for 10 years from 1888, as was Aizawl for the North Hill Districts. The two were united in 1898. Until India’s partition, Lunglei had direct access to Chittagong, a big city in what is today Bangladesh which made Lunglei the commercial and educational centre. The first Jeepable road to Lunglei was made only in the 1950s.
Lunglei is famous for its scenic beauty and natural setting and is an ideal offbeat destination for those who love natural beauty and adventure activities bundled into one. Trekking, bird watching and camping are among the popular activities opted for by tourists visiting Lunglei. Lunglei is a biodiverse region, home to the Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary and the Saza Wildlife Sanctuary. While the Saza Wildlife Sanctuary is famous for hosting migratory and endemic bird species, the Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary is home to several animal species such as leopards, tigers, porcupines and leaf monkeys among others. Visiting the Lunglei Rock Bridge at the Nghasih stream is another popular activity while here.
On a rocky portion on the southern edge of Tawikhawthlir hill near Mualcheng village, about 65 km south of Lunglei, there are three figurines of persons in meditational poses which the local people call Lung Milem or the Stone Figures. It is not known who created them and it remains a mystery to date as no other relics of Buddhism are found elsewhere in the state.
Ui Lung is a monolith famous for its remarkably intricate carvings. It was erected in the whereabouts of 1800 by a certain Chinzah chieftain and his citizens in an expression of their longing for their fellow clansmen who perished in a severe famine. Their former village called Dawn is now in the Myanmar Republic. The stone features intricate carvings of animal heads, gongs, and human figures with spears and other weapons. It is a landmark in the historical wealth of the state. One may also visit Chhura leh Naa Vawk, a monolith with carvings portraying Mizo historical stories close to Ui Lung.
The District Museum at Lunglei is well-known as a storehouse of the ethnic culture and traditions of the state. There are exhibits of armour, jewellery, utensils, paintings, and other native art.
Lying about 84 km northeast of Lunglei, Khawnglung is a mountain situated near Pangzawl and a village of the same name used to be located on the ridge and was the scene of one of the bloodiest massacres during the days of internecine feuds between the Sailo chiefs in the middle of the nineteenth century. Intertwined with this event is the tragic love story of Chalkunga and Thanghniangi, a beautiful maiden who happened to be one of the many female captives taken by the raiders. Chalkunga later rescued her in a daring lone foray, only to lose her on the way home in the flooding Tiau river which swept her away from his grasp while they were attempting to cross it. With sheer cliffs on all sides, the mountain has always been a natural shelter for man and animals for ages. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2000, Khawnglung covers an area of 35 sq km and is rich in flora and fauna, particularly primates and birds. It however requires trekking for about 10 km to reach the sanctuary. The best time to visit is between October and March.
Champhai A bustling commercial town at the Indo – Myanmar border, Champhai is a beautiful place and a storehouse of ancient relics, monuments, legends and folklore. Located about 186 km east of Aizwal, Champhai is also considered the fast-emerging fruit bowl of Mizoram. Well-tended vineyards, passion fruit and the recently introduced kiwi fruit plantations in the surrounding hill slopes provide a kaleidoscope of colours. Champhai is believed to be the entry point and the settlement of the first Mizo migrants to India. At the base of the town, towards the Myanmar border is the Champhai Valley. Surrounded by undulating hills, is a wide expanse of rice fields, popularly known as the rice bowl of Mizoram. Because of Champhai’s strategically important location, it is the main business corridor for India and Myanmar in the area.
Champhai was the headquarters of Lalbura Sailo, the son of Vanhnuailiana, a Mizo Chief against whom the British Expedition of 1871–72 was directed. It was accorded the status of a fort during British colonial rule. The Champhai Valley was once a lake and was gradually silted to obliterate the lake. The soil of the plain was still uncultivated during the Lushai Expedition of 1872. Irrigated rice cultivation started in Champhai in 1898 encouraged by the British colonial authorities to supply rice to their soldiers and labourers.
Champhai has several tourist attractions mostly including natural settings, including Kungawrhi Puk, a cave, the river Tiau Lui and the Rih Dil lake. Adventure enthusiasts can indulge in some trekking at the Thasiama Seno Neihna which is about 83 km south of Champhai.
Hla Kungpui Mual is a monument to commemorate Mizo poets, writers, and composers. It was set up in 1986 at the southern edge of the Khawbung Village in the Champhai district. Here, the monuments of Mizo laureate poets and writers are erected at intervals of 10 years. There is a Mizo Poets Square Archive and Library within the compound where the belongings of the poets are preserved. Currently, a total of 36 monuments call the Poet’s Square home.
Once upon a time, on the legendary Lianchhiari Lunglen Tlang cliff, the love-smitten Lianchhiari used to look out for her lover, Chawngfiang, who had migrated to a distant village. With its idyllic view, this perilously protruding cliff has it has found a natural home in a plethora of romantic lore. It lies South of Champhai on the way to Khawbung.
Located to the northeast of Champhai, Mt. Lengteng and its surroundings have been declared a wildlife sanctuary. The second-highest mountain in the region is filled with broad leaf and tropical evergreen forests, and sheer rocky cliffs. It is home to the endangered state bird, Vavu or Mrs Hume’s Pheasant and hornbills and endangered mammals like the slow loris, the leopard, the leopard cat, the serow, the goral and the Asiatic black bear. The sanctuary boasts orchids of various hues and beautiful flowering trees like rhododendrons and cherries. The Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary is very close to the Murlen National Park which is spread over an area of 100 sq km with sub-tropical evergreen forests.
The Rih Lake is the largest in Mizoram and is often contested to be situated in Myanmar. It is a beautiful heart-shaped lake, believed to be the passage of souls to their eternal abode and is 14 miles from Champhai in Mizoram and 63 miles from Falam, Myanmar. Because it lies in a sensitive area, it cannot be visited without prior permission from the Deputy Commissioner’s Office.
Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child – Noël Riley Fitch
Julia Child became a household name when she entered the lives of millions of Americans through our hearts and kitchens. Yet few know the richly varied private life that lies behind this icon, whose statuesque height and warmly enthused warble have become synonymous with the art of cooking.
In this biography we meet the earthy and outrageous Julia, who, at age eighty-five, remains a complex role model. Fitch, who had access to all of Julia’s private letters and diaries, takes us through her life, from her exuberant youth as a high-spirited California girl to her years at Smith College, where she was at the center of every prank and party. When most of her girlfriends married, Julia volunteered with the OSS in India and China during World War II, and was an integral part of this elite corps. There she met her future husband, the cosmopolitan Paul Child, who introduced her to the glories of art, fine French cuisine, and love. Theirs was a deeply passionate romance and a modern marriage of equals.
Julia began her culinary training only at the age of thirty-seven at the Cordon Bleu. Later she roamed the food markets of Marseilles, Bonn, and Oslo. She invested ten years of learning and experimentation in what would become her first bestselling classic, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Now, her career is legend, spanning nearly forty years and still going strong. Generations love the humor and trademark aplomb that have made Julia a household name. Resisting fads and narrow, fanatical conventions of health-consciousness, Julia is the quintessential teacher. The perfect gift for food lovers and a romantic biography of a woman modern before her time, this is a truly American life.
COVID-19 has devasted the world and has shown us how much of an impact this pandemic as well as that of major infectious diseases and epidemics has on human lives, wreaking havoc on long-term social and economic development. Global health crises threaten to overwhelm already overstretched health systems, disrupt global supply chains and cause disproportionate devastation of the livelihoods of people, including women and children, and the economies of the poorest and most vulnerable countries. There is an urgent need to have resilient and robust health systems, which can reach those who are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations. The first-ever International Day of Epidemic Preparedness was held on 27 December 2020.
In the event of the absence of international attention, future epidemics could surpass previous outbreaks in terms of intensity and gravity. It is important to strengthen epidemic prevention by applying lessons learned on epidemic management and how to prevent the stoppage of basic services. There is a great need of raising awareness, the exchange of information, scientific knowledge and best practices, quality education, and advocacy programmes on epidemics at the local, national, regional and global levels as effective measures to prevent and respond to epidemics. It is important to strengthen epidemic prevention by applying lessons learned on epidemic management and how to prevent the stoppage of basic services, and to raise the level of preparedness to have the earliest and most adequate response to any epidemic that may arise, and recognising also the value of an integrated One Health approach that fosters the integration of human health, animal health and plant health, as well as environmental and other relevant sectors.
International cooperation and multilateralism play an important role in the response to epidemics. The significance of partnership and solidarity among every individual, community, State, and regional and international organisation, in all stages of epidemic management, can’t be stressed enough, as well as the importance of considering a gender perspective in this regard.
Last month Singapore’s Ministry of Health officially launched a new research programme that aims to build up Singapore’s preparedness and response capabilities for future pandemics. The Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response’s (PREPARE) immediate task will be to work closely with MOH to develop a national epidemic research and development plan. This dedicated research programme will help to bring together multi-disciplinary experts throughout the pandemic research ecosystem in a coordinated fashion and will also further strengthen Singapore’s existing capabilities by forming research networks as well as developing necessary tools, methods, and products to respond to future infectious disease outbreak threats. Internationally, the new programme will strengthen research partnerships, share information and knowledge, and collaborate in clinical trials with various institutions in the region.
The United Nations system, in particular the World Health Organization, plays a pivotal role in coordinating responses to epidemics, per its mandate, and in supporting national, regional and international efforts to prevent, mitigate and address the impacts of infectious diseases and epidemics under the goal of advancing the 2030 Agenda. There is a need to recognise the primary role and responsibility of Governments and the indispensable contribution of relevant stakeholders in tackling global health challenges, especially women, who make up the majority of the world’s health workers. Member states must commit to ensuring inclusive, equal and non-discriminatory participation, with special attention to those, who are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations with the highest chance of epidemic infection. There is an urgent need to have resilient and robust health systems, to reach those who are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations.
The theme for the 2022 International Day of Epidemic Preparedness is
Merry Christmas! To everyone around the world, may the magic of the festival bring peace and happiness…
As we countdown to the new year, both GG and BB are on a well-deserved break. Both have plans to meet up with friends and make the most of their break before school restarts.
China is in the midst of a huge Covid wave and there are concerns that this may, in turn, trigger a new variant. Hospitals are filling up fast, especially with the more vulnerable and the elderly. China’s home-grown vaccines have been proven less effective at protecting people against serious Covid illness and death than the mRNA vaccines used in much of the rest of the world. My prayers are with the people of China and hopefully this wave peaks soon and the situation comes under control very soon.
Today’s quote is a line from a classic I enjoyed as a child. Publishing as L.M. Montgomery, Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry, beginning with the classic Ann of Green Gables from where this line is taken. This is something so simple, yet meaningful. I love this quote so much that I think I will use it as the basis for my next year. When I have to imagine something or dream of something, let me dream of something worthwhile. So dream on and while you are dreaming or imagining what your life will be, don’t imagine or dream of something small or inconsequential, dream big so it’s a dream that’s worth achieving!
And on that note, here’s wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a wonderful end to 2022. Let’s hope 2023 is one where all our dreams are huge and ones that get achieved.
Memories and Such 