As soon as November hits, I’m sure that everybody begins seeing Christmas trees popping up all over the place! And then, before we know it, we are taking them all down again come January! Christmas trees are typically evergreen conifer, spruce or pine and are typically decorated with baubles, lights and tinsel. But where didContinue reading “Christmas Trees: A Brief History”
Tag Archives: History
‘The New Colossus’ 1883: An Analysis
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognisable sculptures in the world, and is symbolic of America, the American Dream and freedom. Gifted to America by the French, and designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, Lady Liberty is probably inspired by Libertas, the Roman goddess of Liberty and was originally conceived in 1865, toContinue reading “‘The New Colossus’ 1883: An Analysis”
Birthdays: A Brief History
Everyone knows what birthdays are – they are the anniversary of someone’s birth. A birthday comes around once a year, ie, September 10th, a birthdate, is the complete date, ie, September 10th 1999. Nowadays birthdays are heavily celebrated with cake, with some birthdays carrying more weight and importance than others. But where did these traditionsContinue reading “Birthdays: A Brief History”
The Partition of India: A Brief History
The 14th and the 15th of August is the anniversary of the Partition of India, an event that occurred in 1947 and refers to the splitting of British India into India and Pakistan. As well as affecting India’s borders, the seminal event is often cited as the cause of certain religious and cultural divides. IndiaContinue reading “The Partition of India: A Brief History”
Snow White: Origins, Womanhood and Christian Allegory
Disney’s Snow White hit cinemas last weekend after many controversies and tribulations. At the heart of the story is the famed fight for the fairest of them all between two iconic Disney, and literary, characters, the Evil Queen and Snow White. In the most recent adaptation these characters are played to perfection by Gal GadotContinue reading “Snow White: Origins, Womanhood and Christian Allegory”
‘The Convergence of the Twain’ 1912: An Analysis
Despite being a Thomas Hardy fan, I was unaware that he had written a poem about the Titanic soon after its sinking. The content of the poem, and the time of its publication caused controversy as some deemed Hardy’s work to be distasteful and disrespectful towards those who lost their lives. Let’s take a closerContinue reading “‘The Convergence of the Twain’ 1912: An Analysis”
New Year’s Resolutions: A Brief History
It’s that time of year! Everyone is either making New Years Resolutions or has broken them already. All this discussion got me thinking, where did this common practice originate from? Answer? The Babylonians, nearly 4000 years ago. The Babylonians lived in Ancient Mesopotamia, which is now known as southern Iraq. It is the Babylonians whoContinue reading “New Year’s Resolutions: A Brief History”
‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ – Fact and Fiction
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s long awaited Netflix series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ is set during the fight for Indian independence, and follows the lives of several tawaifs, in the title district in Lahore. While the series looks incredible and replicates the period detail of Bhansali’s other critically acclaimed works, I would argue that the real lifeContinue reading “‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ – Fact and Fiction”
Rani Padmavati: In Film and Literature
Rani Padmavati is a legendary Rajput Hindu queen. Her story has been most recently bought to modern audiences by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, in his 2018 film ‘Padmaavat,’ which still remains one of the most expensive Indian films ever made. It tells the story of Rani Padmavati, and focuses on the war that her husband, RatanContinue reading “Rani Padmavati: In Film and Literature”
Vaisakhi: A Brief History
Originally posted on Khambay's Words, Words, Words:
Vaisakhi is a festival observed by both Sikhs and Hindus in the Panjab. The festival is usually celebrated on the 13th of April, although in some years it has been celebrated on the 14th. Vaisakhi is a harvest festival for the people of Northern India, and for…
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