nPostednOctober 30, 2016
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nTodaynwe celebrate an Indian historian who was born on this date in 1932. n
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nBarunnDe was a senior professor, an editor, and an academic in a variety ofnorganizations and universities. He was the founder and director ofnthe Centre for Studies in Social Sciences in Calcutta, and he servednas member and chairman for museums and heritage conservationncommittees. n
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nHenresearched in particular the colonial conquest of India and thennational movement that ended India’s time as a British colony.
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nIndiannhistory is, of course, long and complex. The Indus Valley is famousnfor early civilizations, and a lot of impactful world religions gotntheir start in India. Inventions of everything from rulers to shampoon(the word shampoo is derived from a Hindustani word!); fromnchess to Pachisi; from the spinning wheel to fabrics such as calico,nchintz, and muslin; from yoga to zero – many aspects of our worldnwere first invented, discovered, or used in India.
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nBarunnDe was born in Bengal. This region is mostly a low-lying river deltansystem that has been partitioned into different nations –nBangladesh (once East Pakistan) to the east and India to the west.nThe portions of Bengal that are in India make up the state that hasnbeen called West Bengal for years – but apparently has been newly renamed Bengal. The capital city of that state is Kolkata (oncencalled Calcutta) – and that is the city where De was born, where hendied, and where he studied and worked and lived most of his 80 years.
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| Kolkata is a mix of serene and frenetic busy-ness. |
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nChecknout Kolkata:
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nKolkatanis even more a blend of past and present than most cities. Thenhand-pulled rickshaw is associated in many people’s minds with thencity – but it is also associated with cruelty to thenrickshawwallahs. Apparently they are being replaced withnbattery-operated modern vehicles.
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nThenwidest tree in the world in the Great Banyan Tree in Kolkata’snbotanic gardens. Strangely, it still lives and grows, even though itnno longer has a trunk! Check it out!
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nKolkatanhas a lot of “biggest in the world” / “largest in India” /n“biggest in Asia” bragging rights. One of the ones that interestsnme the most is the fact that its book fair is the world’s largestnnon-trade book fair, and it is the most-attended book fair in thenworld, as well. It is recognized as the world’s third-largestnconglomeration of books, and it is Asia’s largest book fair.
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Innother book-lover’s-paradise news, Kolkata’s College Street is oftenncalled the world’s second largest second-hand book market in thenworld.
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nAlsonon this date:
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Diwalin
Diwalin
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nAnniversary of the Declaration of the Slovak Nation
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nMischiefnNight
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nInternationalnMagic Week
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nChecklistnDay
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nAnniversarynof the radio show “War of the Worlds”
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nNationalnCandy Corn Day
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nHauntednRefrigerator Night
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nNovembern holidays
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nNovembern birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in November
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