First - A Beautiful Message posted this Diwali.
Diwali, in essence, is celebrated to kindle the light of wisdom in every heart, the light of life in every home, and bring a smile on every face. Diwali is the shortened form of Deepavali, which literally means rows of lamps. Life has many facets and stages to it. It is important that we throw light on all of them, for if one aspect of our life is in darkness, we cannot express life in its totality. The rows of lamps lit on Diwali remind us that every aspect of life needs our attention.
Diwali means to be in the present — dropping the regrets of the past, the worries of the future, and living in the moment.
Diwali seems incomplete without Crackers. But was it always this way? How was it celebrated in the past? Here is an account from Medieval Kotah:
By the eighteenth century, fireworks began to become de rigueur in grand scale Diwali entertainments organised by rulers. Peshwayanchi Bakhar, a Maratha chronicle text, mentions a recounted account of Diwali celebration in the Kotah (modern Kota, Rajasthan). Mahadji Scindia in it describes to Peshwa Savai Madhavarao: “The Divali festival is celebrated for 4 days at Kota, when lacs of lamps are lighted. The Raja of Kota during these 4 days gives a display of fire-works outside the premises of his capital. It is called … “Lanka of fire-works”. Mahadji then went on to describe an image of Ravana at the center, surrounded by rakshasas, moneys and a big image of Hanuman prepared in Gunpowder, which upon being lit actually illustrated the scene of Lanka dahan via Hanuman’s tail via pyrotechnics. After hearing this, the Peshwa gave orders for a similar display of fireworks for his entertainment. The resultant grand performance, as per the chronicle, was “witnessed by the people of Poona in large numbers”.
The contribution of firecrackers to air pollution, at a time when they are fairly affordable and readily available in India for all to use, raises the question as to how far do firecrackers and fireworks really go in Indian history and how their availability and consumption has changed over time.
The use of fireworks in the celebration of Diwali, which is so common in India now, must have come into existence after about 1400 AD, when gunpowder came to be used in Indian warfare.
What generally seems apparent from the sparing descriptions of crackers and fireworks in medieval India is not only their grand nature, but also that they were probably quite expensive and hence commissioned mainly by the rulers for personal and citizen entertainment or by the economically well-to-do of the community. In the colonial era, it is likely that like most indigenous industries, India’s fireworks production and development also took a setback, with imports from Europe and China appearing in the Indian market.
The first fireworks factory in India was set up in Kolkata in the nineteenth century. After Independence, Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu emerged as India’s Firecracker hub, benefitting from the restrictions of imports of firecrackers. It is plausible to theorise that, unlike in the colonial and medieval eras, with increase in the population and economic prosperity of the Indian middle class — especially in the last three decades — and with ready supply coming in from the flourishing domestic industry, bursting of firecrackers only grew and never looked back.
WELCOME TO JHALAWAR
Jhalawar is the 'land of the Jhalas' - a clan of brave Chauhan Rajput warriors.
The city of Jhalawar (once known as Brijnagar) was founded by Jhala Zalim Singh (First), who was the then Dewan of Kota state (1791 A.D.). He established this township, then known as Chaoni Umedpura, as a cantonment. The township was surrounded with dense green forests and wild animals.
Legendary Jhala Zalim Singh recognized the importance of this place and
started to develop it as a military cantonment and township, so that he
could use this place to attack and stop Maratha invaders before they can
reach to Kota state.
Chaoni Umedpura got developed as a cantonment and township around
1803-04 A.D. Colonel Todd, who visited the region in December, 1821
described this area as the cantonment established by Jhala Zalim Singh
plus a well-established township with large houses, havelis, and
surrounding walls.
In 1838 A.D., English rulers seperated Jhalawar state from Kota state
and gave it to Jhala Madan Singh, the grandson of Jhala Zalim Singh. He
developed his administration services to develop the state of Jhalawar.
He resided in Jhalara Patan for a long time and started to build The
Garh Palace (1840 - 1845 A.D.). He was the first ruler of Jhalawar state
and made his great contribution in the history of Jhalawar.
The 19th century kingdom of Jhalawar (south of Kota) is placed in one of
the most picturesque and unexplored part of Rajasthan. In 1838, the
state of Kota was converted into a new pricipality of Jhalawar by the
British for descendants of Zalim Singh. Madan Singh, who acknowledged
British supremacy, became the first ruler of this new principality and
was vested with the title of Maharaj Rana.
Jhalawar is better known as a temple town because of Jhalrapatan in its suburbs. Many of these temples date back several centuries.
Thanks to the beautiful hosts at Jhalrapatan. The food, stay, ambience everything was lovely and full of warmth. This Diwali coudn't have been better.
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