CHATRAPATI SIVAJI

A few centuries ago, some self respecting men stood up against 
Mughal rule. Shivaji Raje Bhosle was prominent amongst them.

Shivaji was son of Shahaji Bhosle, a general in court of Adilshah of Bijapur. Shivaji was born in 1630 on the fort Shivneri in Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra. His mother Jijabai, a brave, proud and wise lady, brought him up. She appointed Dadoji Konddev who trained Shivaji in martial arts as well as state administration.

Shivaji along with his Marathas captured forts and established his independent rule. So Adilshah of Bijapur sent his giant general Afzal Khan who tried to strangulate Shivaji by cunning. But a well prepared Shivaji used hidden steel claws to kill the enemy.

Later Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb sent his uncle Shaiste 
Khan with army. But with his usual guerilla tactics, Shivaji over came this trouble too. This infuriated Aurangazeb and he sent vast army under Raja Jai Singh. Shivaji had to surrender and sign Purandar treaty by which he had to give most of his territory and forts to the Mughal Emperor.

Shivaji was then called to Agra where he was treated insultingly by Aurangazeb and was kept under house arrest. But Shivaji escaped from there disguise. After that he lay low and collected his army. Once again he led military campaigns and recaptured his entire lost kingdom.

In 1647 he was officially coronated as Chatrapati or the king of Hindavi Swaraj. Later he expanded his rule upto Jinji and Vellor in south. He was a good administrator and tolerant towards all the religions. He built many forts and even water forts on the west coast line.

He later developed a knee problem and died in 1680. 

ASHOKA THE GREAT

One of the world’s greatest rulers was Samrat Ashoka. He was the grandson of the first ruler of the Maurya dynasty, Chandragupta Maurya. Information about Emperor Ashoka is obtained from the stone inscriptions, carved pillars and edicts found all over the country.

Since  young age, Ashoka was courageous, dignified adventurous and good administrator. So he was sent to take charge of Avanti. There he married Shakya kumara, a daughter of a merchant. They had two children, Mahindra and Sanghmitra. Later, in 268 B.C. he was crowned the king by the demand of the court ministers and subjects.

Emperor Ashoka ruled over a vast empire, which stretched from Kashmir and Nepal to Mysore and from Afghanistan to Saurashtra. But only the Patriotic people of Kalinga (Orissa) refused to accept his sovereignty. So Ashoka attacked Kalinga with his vast army. The fierce battle resulted in lot of bloodshed.

Ashoka was full of remorse after witnessing this devastation caused by his attack. So he took oath that he would never take up arms again. The Kalinga was proved to be his first and last war.

Gautam Buddha’s teachings of non-violence, kindness and love for mankind, opened a new path of life for Ashoka. He accepted Buddhism and sent his representatives all around the country and outside the country, to spread the message of Buddha.

For the welfare of his subjects, he undertook many useful projects like building hospitals for people as well as animals, wells and water reservoirs for the travelers, planting trees along the roadsides etc. Ashoka gave importance to education, agriculture and trade.

Emperor Ashoka built many Stoopas and Viharas. Carved figures of four lions on the Ashoka pillar is now official emblem of the government of India. Ashoka Chakra has the place of honour on the National Flag of India. 

AKBAR THE GREAT

Akbar….the real founder of Mugal Empire in India. His father Humayun did rule over Delhi and Agra, but his reign wasn’t very strong. It was only during Akbar’s rule, the Mugal Empire extended from Afghanistan and Godavari river in the south and from Himalayas to Bengal in the east.

This descendent of Chenghis Khan and Taimur Lang, was born on 15 October 1542 at Amarkot in Sindh.  Akbar’s father died when he was barely 13 years old. So Akbar’s guardian Bairam Khan looked after the empire in Akbar’s name. But in 1560 Akbar took the reins in his hands.

Then Akbar married Rajput Princess Jodhabai in 1561. She was the daughter of Raja Biharimal of Amber in Rajasthan and they got married at Sambhar. Raja Biharimal’s  grandson Man Singh was Akbar’s chief general of army.

Akbar was tolerant towards all other religions. He cancelled the pilgrimage tax on Hindus and remitted the Jiziya, a toll tax on non-Muslims. This endeared him to all his subjects. From 1561 to 1601 he carried on many military campaigns and expanded his empire with the help of the Rajputs.

Akbar was a shrewd statesman and a very able administrator. He brought about many social and economical reforms. Though he was illiterate, he encouraged art, literature and crafts. He began his own new creed, Din-e-ilahi; by taking all good points from different religions like Hindu, Islam, Christian and Zorastrian. He was liberal in religious views and his court boasted of many Hindus like Raja Man Singh, Raja Todarmal, Birbal and Tansen, on important posts.

Akbar built many magnificent buildings like the Red Fort of Agra in 1565 and the entire city of Fatehpur Sikri from 1571 to 1578.

Following a brief illness, Akbar died on 17 October 1605. He was buried at Sikandara near Agra. This famous tomb, Akbar Ka Makbara is still visited by many tourists every day. 

DECEMBER 10-PERSON OF THE DAY-MICHAEL DUNCAN

" He kill them wi' their love. Wi' their love fo' each other. That's how it is, every day, all over the world."

                                                          -from The Green Mile

 You know guys.. I am very much privileged to wish him a happy birthday.. Because,he was so fucking awesome. Just one movie.. One movie 'The Green Mile' is enough to show what he has.. Pure talent.. I dont know how many of you have seen the movie.. Those who have seen knows what I really meant.. It was this man, the soul of the movie.. His extraordinary acting talent played the most important role in what the movie had done..

Michael Clarke Duncan was born in December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illianos. He got his breakthrough through the role of John Coffey (yeah, like the drink, only not spelt the same) in the movie The Green Mile for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe and won Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films,USA Award; Black Reels Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for the same. 

In his early days he used to work for Chicago gas company and as a bodyguard for celebrities like Will Smith, Jamie Foxx etc. He played basketball and it is said that he used to give $ 5.00 for anyone  in the streets who recognize him and knows his full name.

He was a part of 96 movies as an actor, like The Green Mile, Armageddon, The Scorpion King, Daredevil, Sin City etc..  and 1 as the producer. He gave sound to the character Atlas  in the famous video game God of War II. He was also a part of the famoud TV series Two and a Half Men.

The big man died on September 3, 2012. Being unique in what he does..it was definitely a lose for movie fans.

To know more about him.. Check out the

links we provide..

Follow him on facebok: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Clarke

Take care.. and watch Green Mile if you have not..

KNOW NIK WALLENDA - THE KING OF THE ROPE

"I am one of those people who always tries to overachieve.

I want to do more. I want to do bigger things".

Determination makes a man to achieve the impossible. Desires come true only with strong determination.

I am pretty sure that this man is one among the most followed adventurists across the world. "Nikolas Wallenda or Nik Wallenda is an American acrobat, aerialist, daredevil, high wire artists and author" -the search results from the Google says it all. But according to me he is an adventurists who has realized his true potential.

Nik was born as a seventh generation member of THE FLYING WALLENDAS family. As a child Nik showed interests in tightrope walking and made his tightrope walking debut at the age of thirteen. Nik also showed exceptional talent in high rope bicycling. Later, by the passage of time Nik set forth nine incredible Guinness World Records stunning the rest of the world. Of all the stunts he have made the walk across the Niagra Falls is the most popular.

His family supported him the most to achieve all these. The acts often feature him alongside family members.You know how Nik proposed his future wife Erendira ? While performing on a 30 feet rope he walked to middle of the rope and got down on one knee, proposing to Erendira in front of  25,000 people. They got married just after two weeks. Nik is now the father of three children.His children too are upcoming tightrope artists.Wallenda credits God for all his success and believes that what he had is a God given gift.

Follow Nik Wallenda on facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/nik.wallenda?fref=ts

Get latest updates of his performances from his official website: 

http://nikwallenda.com/

View the videos below and see why people call him as the 'king of rope'.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHLLYIUbfB8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvzcLs3H5Jk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX_jFK9Zf5k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSBye1LFaug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoAr0kfZyFI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGMfOcXSn1U