Allô Chatrath

 While sorting out my old papers, today I came across a clipping from The Economist dated July 29th, 2006. It talks about "Slavery in West Africa: Stones of shame" while briefly reviewing the book "The Grand Slave Emporium: Cape Coast Castle and the British Slave Trade" by William St. Claire. The book focuses on the castle, located on the coast of present-day Ghana, which served as a hub for the capture, storage, and shipment of enslaved Africans to the Americas and Europe. St. Clair delves into the daily operations of the castle, highlighting the brutal and dehumanizing conditions enslaved individuals endured while awaiting transportation. He examines the lives and motivations of the British traders, soldiers, and officials who operated the castle, providing a stark contrast to the experiences of the enslaved. It makes a grim reading and reminds one of the line 'And much it grieves my heart to see, What man has made of man' written by William Wordsworth in ...

  This is a child friendly height for a wash basin...And a lot more could be done about cleanliness in our public toilets.

                                                                   Maria Callas in 1958 I was keen to watch the series 'Maria' on Netflix....Based on the amazing Maria Callas and lead role by Angelina Jolie...what could possibly go wrong?....Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century.... Well, let me start by the Trailer, I thought.  I must confess that I do not know much of the genre of music that Maria Callas is famous for........And then the bigger confession- I couldn't handle even the trailer, what to talk of watching the whole series... One should admit when one is licked....

  I am lucky to have visited the San Agustin National Park in Colombia. The largest complex of megalithic monuments of the ancient Americas is comprised of a group of archaeological sites scattered over a wide area in the upper Magdalena river valley in southwestern Colombia, known as the "archeological zone of San Agustin" (Maps I and 2). Included by Unesco since 1995 in the World Heritage List, San Agustín monumental statuary is witness to the creativity and imagination of a pre-hispanic culture that flowered in the difficult and varied natural environment of the Northern Andes. The monuments -monolithic sculptures, earth mounds and burial corridors- reflect a stable socio-political organization and a unique world view. The first written descriptions of the monuments were made in the late seventeenth century by chronicler Friar Juan de Santa Gertrudis, and since 1913 the region has been intensely studied by archaeologists interested in better understanding the monumen...

                                                  Chief Little Crow - Photo source: Wikipedia "To ensure the Dakota (tribe) were totally driven from Minnesota, a bounty was created, awarding money for every Dakota scalp turned in. Little Crow, who had led the first raids, was killed and his scalp collected for bounty. His skull was kept as a memento until 1971. The last Dakota executions took place in 1865." (Source: University of Minnesota, USA website: https://cla.umn.edu/chgs/holocaust-genocide-education/resource-guides/us-dakota-war-1862)

Tut...Tut    Just watch for yourself on the Facebook

 I was charmed by this display of  patterns of colourful tiles outside a tile factory near Belur in Karnataka, India

  The depiction of hell varies across religions, with some common themes being punishment, suffering, and a place for the wicked:   In Christianity , hell is often depicted as a fiery place of punishment for those who have separated themselves from God. However, some Christian sects believe that hell is more of a place of suffering due to abandonment of God, rather than literal fire and torture.   Islam In Islam, hell is called jahannam and is depicted as a place of torment filled with fire and boiling water.   Buddhism In Buddhism, hell is depicted as having both hot and cold hells, with Avici being one of the worst types of hell.   Hinduism In Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, the realm of hell is called Naraka and is a place of torment.   Mesopotamia In Mesopotamian traditions, hell is described as a distant land of no return, a house of dust, and a sealed fortress.   Babylonian In Babylonian mythology, the dead must pass through seven gates ...

  The topless towers of Bologna, Italy (With respectful apology to Christopher Marlowe) who wrote: Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships, And burnt the topless towers of Ilium? Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss. -Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus.   Bologna had 180 towers by AD 1200. The tallest was 320 feet high and still stands.   Coming soon....my coffee table book on Bologna, Italy.

While visiting Chile about 5 years back I took this photo of a sketch in a museum. It fascinated mebut I have not been able to decipher it. Would any learned friend throw some light on it?