Walchand Hirachand started from the small town of Solapur (in 1920 it was definitely a small town) and became one of India's foremost industrialists.

Unfortunately our intellectual class looks down upon Industrialists and Wealth makers.

If not for people like Walchand , Birlas and Tatas - India would have no Industrial base once the British left.

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Aneesh Gokhale

@authorAneesh

Feb 4

Why recapturing Sinhagad in Feb 1670 was important in the grander scale of things.

A flutter of a butterfly creates a storm halfway around the globe.

After losing 23 forts to Aurangzeb , Shivaji laid low. Spent his time rebuilding. Also spent a year escaping from Agra and reaching Rajgad.

Sinhagad was one of the most important forts lost. In fact it retained its importance as Pune's guard fort right up to 1818.

Sinhagad was a very important and strategic fort. Stone's throw from the capital Rajgad , guarding the important route from Kalyan to Pune as well as Pune itself.

It gave Aurangzeb the base needed to launch any future attacks and kept Chhatrapati Shivaji hemmed in.

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Aneesh Gokhale

@authorAneesh

Jan 24

Not only is Abide with me a Christian Hymn, it is a Christian Funeral Hymn.

Yup, we were humming a funeral tune for approx 70 years during " Beating the Retreat "

And yeah, it's called " Sacred Song"

This is the American Navy. Note the occasion.

Yep, very Universal lyrics.

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Aneesh Gokhale

@authorAneesh

Jan 22

The Indian Army has something known as Repugnant Battle Honours.

Honours won by various Regiments fighting for the British Empire against Indian powers.

Example Assaye (1803)

Many of our Regiments trace themselves back two hundred years or more. The battles at Assaye, Laswari, killing of Tipu etc were done by Regiments full of Indians.

But it is important to note that the Regiments do not mark these battles.

Their medals are not worn nor are the days celebrated any more.

The Indian Army recognises that these were battles fought for a foreign power against native ones.

Good example of having a heritage but staying in the present.

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Aneesh Gokhale

@authorAneesh

Jan 10

Let us learn bit more about this Shaikh Umar Avlia, an Arab who is believed to have travelled to Lohagad from Mecca.

With him came Bawa Malang of nearby Malanggad and Shaikh Salla who went to Pune.

All this in probably the 14th century.

Shaikh Umar found that on Lohagad there lived a Hindu ascetic, whom he grabbed by the feet and tossed clear of the hill to the nearby Visapur fort.

Shaikh Salla's tombs meanwhile (there were two) are believed to have been built over Narayaneshwar and Punyashwar temples in Pune

On Lohagad, it was a shrine to Bahiroba converted into a tomb for Shaikh Umar.

Just like the Narayaneshwar temple and Punyeshwar temples were converted to the Dhakta Shaikh Salla and Thorla Shaikh Salla dargahs in Pune

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