G'day mandeep, On 28/08/2008, at 12:18 AM, Mandeep Singh Bajwa wrote: << A capital idea.John Masters wrote in 'Bugles and a Tiger' that Holi was looked down upon by British officers because of its noisy revelry.It was 'not considered quite quite'. > They took no part in it at all. What great fun they missed out on ! Not all of them - I know of at least one who did! :-) ooroo If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. Anon.

G'day Harshawardhan, On 27/08/2008, at 11:54 PM, Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar wrote: > Let's invite John sahib to India to enjoy the holiday > of ''Holi'' I well remember Holi. It is in my mind because I had to wear clothes that I wore the previous year and were now too small for me! ooroo If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. Anon.

Hi Listers: Someone asked how to freeze mangoes. Unfortunately the mangoes found in our grocery stores in North America are so far removed from the mangoes of my childhood in India that they are not worth eating or freezing but I will give you the procedure for freezing Michigan peaches (which are delicious) and you can apply this to mangoes. Drop peaches in a pan of boiling water for about 30 seconds. Peel. Remove from seed. Quarter. Put in plastic bag and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a cup of fruit to prevent browning. Mix. Place in freezer. Instead of lemon juice you may add 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which in the US is sold under the brand name of "Fruit Fresh" or you may use citric acid if available. Of course mangoes do not need to be put in boiling water to peel. Moira Breen USA

I'm sure many Brits enjoyed or at least recognised Holi for what it was.Masters of course represents the views of that period among a definite set of people who were likely to take a corporate view of things.I find many veterans of the Raj surprised to see Sikh, Muslim or Christian officers leading prayers in Hindu temples in Army units in modern times. In their day it was unthinkable for British officers to join their troops in their religious or social activities.1857 had a lot to do with it. Anyway Holi's a lot of fun ! Mandeep On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 8:05 PM, John Feltham <wulguru.wantok@gmail.com>wrote: > G'day mandeep, > > On 28/08/2008, at 12:18 AM, Mandeep Singh Bajwa wrote: > > << A capital idea.John Masters wrote in 'Bugles and a Tiger' that Holi > was > looked down upon by British officers because of its noisy revelry.It was > 'not considered quite quite'. > > > They took no part in it at all. What great fun they missed out on ! > > Not all of them - I know of at least one who did! :-) > > > > ooroo > > If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. > > Anon. > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

G'day Mandeep, On 27/08/2008, at 6:52 PM, Mandeep Singh Bajwa wrote: > The Bhang lassi ? Not bad.Its the after-effects that are mind- boggling ! Did you mean mind-blowing? :-) ooroo If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. Anon.

Well - I'm now speechless (not really, but almost!) > PIO card information can be found at > > _http://www.indianembassy.org/policy/pio/introduction_pio.html_ > (http://www.indianembassy.org/policy/pio/introduction_pio.html) Thanks Charles - I really never knew that such a thing existed. Despite the high cost, it seems that current application is at a considerably lower rate than when the PIO was introduced in 1999 - now only about a third of the cost in US dollars; though once I checked the Australian $ price, it is only about half the earlier cost. What really leaves me almost speechless though, is the realisation, (if I have read the blurb correctly) that even I could apply for a PIO card. However, can see that I shall have to check out the Government of India Act 1935, to see if my father and his parents' birth in India will qualify me!! For the benefit of other Australian residents, the website for the Indian High Commission PIO link is: http://www.hcindia-au.org/pio.html This clearly calls for more investigation, even from my upside down position! Cheers Sylvia

A capital idea.John Masters wrote in 'Bugles and a Tiger' that Holi was looked down upon by British officers because of its noisy revelry.It was 'not considered quite quite'.They took no part in it at all.What great fun they missed out on ! Most respectable Indians who wouldn't dream of doing drugs have no problems with imbibing Bhang on Holi. Mandeep On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 7:24 PM, Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar < bosham@gmail.com> wrote: > Let's invite John sahib to India to enjoy the holiday of ''Holi'' > - a day when bhang flows like water through much of India. > It's our traditional, official bacchanalia, don't you know. :-) > > --- Harshawardhan, grinning > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mandeep Singh Bajwa" > > > The Bhang lassi? Not bad.Its the after-effects that are mind-boggling! > > John Feltham wrote:> I wonder what the Bhang Lassi tastes like? > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Tuesday , August 19 , 2008 The great Khushwant Singh writes on a new book on Maharajah Dalip Singh *** Navtej Sarna of the Indian foreign services has done a commendable job in reconstructing Dalip Singh's life through his letters, making up versions ascribed to his Sikh valet and maidservant, notes by Login, his wife and others concerned to tell the tragic tale of this non-hero. His novel, The Exile, is a masterly mix of fact and fiction and makes a spine-chilling story of sordid intrigues, murders, betrayals and delusions of grandeur. It is gripping. *** [snip] http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080819/jsp/opinion/story_9710639.jsp --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

EXHIBITION ANNOUNCEMENT Victoria & Albert Museum London 10 October 2009 - 17 January 2010 The word 'maharaja' (literally 'great king') conjures up images of fantasy and spectacle. The heyday of the maharajas began in earnest after the collapse of the Mughal empire in the early 18th century. The exhibition will open with this period of chaos and adventure and will close at the end of British rule in 1947, when Indian princes acceded their territories into the modern states of India and Pakistan. The show will explore the extraordinary culture of princely India, showcasing rich and varied objects that reflect different aspects of royal life. The exhibits will include both Indian and Western works, featuring paintings, photography, textiles and dress, jewellery, jewelled objects, metalwork and furniture. These sensational works will be explored within a broader historical context of princely life and ideals, patronage, court culture and alliances. http://www.designtaxi.com/news.jsp?id=20632&monthview=0&month=8&year=2008 --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

British schools to teach history of British India and slave trade By Indo-Asian News Service Wednesday, August 27, 2008 London: Secondary school students in Britain are to be taught history of Mughal and British India and black slavery as part of the government's move to make students better appreciate modern issues related to immigration and ethnic minorities. The two subjects, aimed at highlighting the influence of ethnic minorities, will join the two world wars and the Holocaust as periods that must form part of the history syllabus from September. (snip) http://www.freshnews.in/british-schools-to-teach-history-of-british-india-and-slave-trade-60472 --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Let's invite John sahib to India to enjoy the holiday of ''Holi'' - a day when bhang flows like water through much of India. It's our traditional, official bacchanalia, don't you know. :-) --- Harshawardhan, grinning ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mandeep Singh Bajwa" The Bhang lassi? Not bad.Its the after-effects that are mind-boggling! John Feltham wrote:> I wonder what the Bhang Lassi tastes like?

Mind-blowing.......oh yes ! msb On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 3:39 PM, John Feltham <wulguru.wantok@gmail.com>wrote: > G'day Mandeep, > > On 27/08/2008, at 6:52 PM, Mandeep Singh Bajwa wrote: > > > The Bhang lassi ? Not bad.Its the after-effects that are mind- > boggling ! > > Did you mean mind-blowing? > > :-) > > > ooroo > > If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. > > Anon. > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

----- Original Message ----- From: "John Feltham" <wulguru.wantok@gmail.com> ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi > > When the mango season is in I lay down a lot of mango in my freezer. > Enough to last until the next season. > John - I make a kind of mango 'fool' using yogurt with mango pulp - tinned or fresh. It is indeed'yummy' and a wonderful summer drink. How do you freeze mangoes please ? Do you need to peel and slice ..... pulp perhaps ? Sally

The word ''bhishti'' recently left a Scrabble-mad linguist friend of mine from Canada puzzled, as it has been transcribed (or spelt) in English in several ways. He asked me the reason. Thus reminded of Kipling's Gunga Din, the famous regimental bhishti, I made some search and found two links that show those great men in action: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00glossarydata/titles/bhishti/bhishti.html http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=1544078 And the following is John Feltham's input - *** Australia has its own famous bheesty-wallah. One John Simpson who did sterling work in Gallipoli with his donkey. See... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Simpson_Kirkpatrick Even today, there are still calls on the Government to award him a posthumous VC. *** The word is indeed Indian - a part of the essential Anglo-Indian glossary of the 18th and 19th centuries. The great Hobson-Jobson dictionary describes it thus: ''BHEESTY, The universal word in the Anglo-Indian households of North India for the domestic who supplies the family with water, carrying it in a mussuck or goatskin, slung on his back. The word is derived from Persian bihishti.'' Why those different spellings? Well, that was the fashion of that era. You spelt a foreign word as you heard it. So, bheestie, bheesty, bhisti,bhistie, bhishti, and bheesty. Hindustan, Hindostan, Hindoostan, Hindosthan ... There were no formal and universal rules of transliteration. The regimental bhisti was an angel of mercy for the wounded soldiers, bleeding, screaming, and slowly dying on the battelfields. Next to the Red Cross Florence-Nightingales, he was the most coveted man. Braving the arrows, lances, bullets or whatever missiles flying all around him, he used to run from soldier to soldier, pour water down their throats, and move on. Many a bhishti used to die if caught in a crossfire. The following is an entry from the book ''People of India'' by K Suresh Singh, Kumar Suresh Singh, B. V. Bhanu. http://books.google.com/books BHISHTI/BHISTI = The BHISHTIs are water carriers. The synonym or the group is Pakhali. The word BHISHTI is said to be derived from the Persian word 'behist' (paradise) and to have been given to them on account of the relief which their ancestors provided to thirsty soldiers. They are known for their leather waterbag. They are not aware of their origin and migration.Their mother tongue is Urdu and they use the Persian script. Apart from Urdu they can also speak Marathi and English and use the Devanagri and Roman scripts. ===== --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

-----Original Message----- From: india-british-raj-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:india-british-raj-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Annette Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 10:48 AM To: india-british-raj@rootsweb.com Subject: [INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ] THIS is nostalgia ...with a commercial touch Good Morning A new restaurant has opened in Adelaide called "British India"......PLEASE do tell me where it is as Telstra couldn't provide me with an phone number or address. Awaiting in anticipation from Adelaide Annette Aksenov Hi Annette. I think this may be the Restaurant you are looking for, I found it in the white pages, Stephen. British India Indian Restaurant (08) 8212 2411 270 -274 Morphett St Adelaide SA 5000

G'day folks, On 27/08/2008, at 5:19 AM, Mandeep Singh Bajwa wrote: > 'Lassi' is buttermilk. Mandeep's response made me look it up on the Net. See... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi When the mango season is in I lay down a lot of mango in my freezer. Enough to last until the next season. This last year I have been making what I call a 'mango lassi'. I take a frozen packet of mango and put on a blender with a large tub of natural yoghurt. After blending I add a little water and start drinking! It usually lasts three or four days. Yummy. From wikipedia I see that I can add ground pistachio nuts sprinkled on top. Sounds good. I wonder what the Bhang Lassi tastes like? ooroo If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. Anon.

The Bhang lassi ? Not bad.Its the after-effects that are mind-boggling ! Mandeep On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 10:55 AM, John Feltham <wulguru.wantok@gmail.com>wrote: > G'day folks, > > On 27/08/2008, at 5:19 AM, Mandeep Singh Bajwa wrote: > > > 'Lassi' is buttermilk. > > Mandeep's response made me look it up on the Net. > > See... > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi > > When the mango season is in I lay down a lot of mango in my freezer. > Enough to last until the next season. > > This last year I have been making what I call a 'mango lassi'. > > I take a frozen packet of mango and put on a blender with a large tub > of natural yoghurt. After blending I add a little water and start > drinking! > > It usually lasts three or four days. > > Yummy. > > From wikipedia I see that I can add ground pistachio nuts sprinkled > on top. Sounds good. > > I wonder what the Bhang Lassi tastes like? > > > > > > ooroo > > If you don't hear the knock of opportunity - build a door. > > Anon. > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

"Thanks! -H" Once again (and again) I come with "simple" questions in hopes that I may get a "simple" answer. All my pre-adolescent and adult livelihood, I've only been made aware of the spelling "maharajah" never have I seen "maharaja". What happened to the "H" at the end? .... As I am not a fan of Google I really would like a straight-forward answer to come from the people of Mughal or those with Mughal experiences or those who don't give a hoot and would like to share Mughal stories. Google has so many "snippets" of so many cultures and so very entertaining. But when reading my culture it can be "mis-leading", esp. when I'd "lived" my culture's way of Life. So, my thirst for another's culture can be "abrupt?" as I do not have all the time in the World. Is Mughal like that of Royalty of Britain? --Manaia ++++ --- On Wed, 8/27/08, Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar <bosham@gmail.com> wrote: > EXHIBITION ANNOUNCEMENT > > Victoria & Albert Museum London > > 10 October 2009 - 17 January 2010 > > The word 'maharaja' (literally 'great > king') conjures up images of > fantasy and spectacle. The heyday of the maharajas began in > > earnest after the collapse of the Mughal empire in the > early 18th > century. > > The exhibition will open with this period of chaos and > adventure > and will close at the end of British rule in 1947, when > Indian > princes acceded their territories into the modern states of > India > and Pakistan. > > The show will explore the extraordinary culture of princely > India, > showcasing rich and varied objects that reflect different > aspects > of royal life. The exhibits will include both Indian and > Western > works, featuring paintings, photography, textiles and > dress, > jewellery, jewelled objects, metalwork and furniture. These > > sensational works will be explored within a broader > historical > context of princely life and ideals, patronage, court > culture > and alliances. > > http://www.designtaxi.com/news.jsp?id=20632&monthview=0&month=8&year=2008 > > --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar

Good Morning A new restaurant has opened in Adelaide called "British India"......PLEASE do tell me where it is as Telstra couldn't provide me with an phone number or address. Awaiting in anticipation from Adelaide Annette Aksenov

Interested to read Vanya's request and also VERY curious. What on earth is a PIO Card? Have never heard of such a thing (but then that may not be surprising as here I am hanging on to the bottom of the world ....) I was under the impression that official Baptismal Certificates, and certainly the certificates produced by the India Office were accepted in place of birth certificates, where none existed. Sylvia > -----Original Message----- > From: india-british-raj-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:india-british-raj-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Vanya Orr > Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 4:25 AM > To: india-british-raj@rootsweb.com > Subject: [INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ] PIO cards > > Dear friends have any of you any advice for someone getting a > PIO (Person of Indian Origin) card§ I have -6 weeks in Uk to > get one... I am worried that it will take a month to process > & then I will discover that there is something not right & > will have to start all over again. It isnt possible to get > birth certificates for grandparents born in 1866 _--_ just > church records of christenings,, Is there anyone who can > pass an eye over documents _ a facilitator, that can help? > Does such a person exist? I know there are such people for > visas.... Vanya from Nilgiris & UK >