The #Coronavirus spread is approaching pandemic proportions. Here are seven communities that are so isolated that they are least likely to be affected by #Coronavid19 (fingers crossed)
07. Barrow, Alaska - This is the northernmost point of the United States and is only accessible by plane. People live there despite the harsh weather because of large oil deposits nearby.
Watch this amazing video about Barrow - "Why the Northernmost town in America exists" -
06. Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica - Two days away from South America by boat, this is a Chilean settlement in Antarctica that boasts of a church, a public school, a souvenir shop and even a gym.
Check out this AFP News Agency short video for more on this town -
05. Palmerston, Cook Islands - Another super remote island with all the inhabitants being descendants of just one Englishman who got there in 1863. He had four wives and seventeen children and so on.
Watch and marvel at life on a remote island -
04. La Rinconada, Peru - this is the highest city in the world (altitude-wise, not because of ganja). One of the harshest places to live, they have no running water or sewage system and are six hours by road from the nearest city.
Watch as a bunch of intrepid motorbike riders make their way across to the place -
03. Tórshavn, Faroe Islands - Named after Thor (the Norse God, not the Avenger), this is the smallest capital city in the world. It is halfway between Norway and Iceland and hopefully too far for the virus to spread.
Looks a lot like the place where Thor drank a shitload of beer in Endgame, yes?
Here's a guide to the Faroe Islands -
02. Tristan da Cunha - This is the most remotely inhabited archipelago in the world and is many days away from South Africa by boat.
Here's a fascinating documentary about the airport at Helena, another island on the archipelago titled "The World's Most Useful Airport" -
01. Easter Island - most of you know this place with its awe inspiring statues. It is so expensive to get to that even viruses (or is the plural virii?) fear to tread.
For a change, this is a video of some vloggers having a shit time on the island. A cautionary tale for all globetrotters -
Remember to wash your hands and take care of your health. Stay indoors and spend time on Youtube.
Back in 1971 when the nation was formed, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, considered the leader of the freedom movement, was not in the country - he was in jail in Pakistan.
And it was a former lover of Bhutto who was able to secure his release.
A love story 🧵
In 1971 Pakistan's armed forces laid down their arms at a ceremony in Dhaka before the joint command of the Indian armed forces and Bangladesh's Mukti Bahini.
As the two armed forces were celebrating their victory, Mrs Indira Gandhi had other things to worry about.
1. The enormous cost of the war 2. The cost of dealing with over 10M refugees 3. The un-budgeted responsibility of having to look after the 93,000 Pakistani soldiers taken as POWs.
India wanted to keep the POW's in conditions that went above and beyond Geneva norms.
A school-going kid once visited the Congress party office, where Tamil lyricist Kavirajar Kannadasan asked, "Would you like to work in films, child?" The kid said, "Ask my father."
This child was destined to become one of India's greatest superstars!
A thread on Sridevi! 🧵
It is said that when Sridevi was born, there was a bright red mark on her forehead, and hence people started that a devi had born in the house.
Thus she was named Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan.
Before ruling the box office as a leading star, Sridevi was a phenomenally accomplished child artist.
Here she is, sharing the screen with MG Ramachandran, playing his nephew in a film that also starred J. Jayalalitha!
This film, starring Supriya Pathak & Hugh Grant, is based on a novel by Mircea Eliade.
Its the story of a 23-year-old Mircea who came to Calcutta to study under philosopher Surendranath Dasgupta.
There, he fell in love with Maitreyi - teacher's daughter.
Sounds familiar? A 🧵
In this novel, Mircea fictionalizes how his love story was cut short because Surendranath Dasgupta was unhappy about the relationship. The relationship was "exposed" by Maitreyi Devi's sister.
The novel was published in 1933, a couple of years after Mircea's time in Calcutta.
For some additional context, Maitreyi was a savant! Maitreyi was mentored by Rabindranath Tagore, and she even wrote a book Mongpute Rabindranath (Tagore by The Fire Side) about the time spent with the great poet.
20 years ago, we were reminded that good films need not make money, & films that make good money need not be great!
On June 18, 2004, Lakshya was released, telling the story of an aimless rich youngster who joins the Indian Army & discovers his true goal.
A thread🧵
Lakshya was written by @Javedakhtarjadu: He was told by senior army officers about the declining enrollments to the Indian army each year, prompting him to promise to write a film addressing the issue!
The script marked Akthar's comeback as a scriptwriter after ages!
Lakshya was a departure from the kinds of war movies made at the time like Border, LOC Kargil etc.
In fact, director @FarOutAkhtar's goal was to tell a story about a boy who finds himself in the backdrop of Kargil War.
On June 15, 2001, the world saw the release of a monumental film in scale & vision, with its main plot revolving around a cricket match between India & the British Empire!
A thread 🧵on Lagaan, the film that convinced Aamir Khan to pursue the kind of films he believed in.
After two failed attempts at films, @AshGowariker's confidence was low.
He then conceived a story where a key battle is resolved by a cricket match. He pitched this to Aamir in 4 lines, who told him not to waste time on this.
Lagaan was @AshGowariker’s third foray into direction after his earlier two movies – Pehla Nasha and Baazi.
Baazi is famous for the “Item number” by Aamir Khan. Pehla Nasha had Aamir and SRK in the same movie with some cringe worthy puns
This is freedom fighter Raj Narain, who achieved the greatest electoral upset in India's history.
In the 1977 elections held after the lifting of the Emergency, Raj Narain defeated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
A thread 🧵
The story begins with the 1971 election.
Originally scheduled for 1972, Indira Gandhi called for early elections, catching opposition by surprise.
The opposition quickly recovered and nominated Raj Narain to contest against Mrs. Gandhi in Rae Bareli.
📸 @htTweets
Indira Gandhi was probably displeased with the nomination.
At a campaign rally she said, "Mr. Narain had been chosen by the opposition parties to contest from Rae Bareli because he was a well-known Nehru hater and baiter."