Pakubuwono XII

Pakubuwono XII (also transliterated Pakubuwana XII; Surakarta, April 14, 1925 – Surakarta, June 11, 2004) was the twelfth Susuhunan (ruler of Surakarta) and the longest ruling of all monarchs in Surakarta history.
His reign involved being under Japanese power during the Second World War, and through the Sukarno and Suharto eras – in effect three eras in which traditional Javanese power had been both respected and challenged.
Towards the end of his reign, he was able to enable the claim of his palaces' context in the modern Indonesia by the publication of "Karaton Surakarta: A Look into the Court of Surakarta Hadiningrat, Central Java" which was published in the same year of his death.
Early life.
Born as Raden Mas Soerjo Goeritno (Javanese script: ꦫꦢꦺꦤ꧀ꦩꦱ꧀ꦯꦸꦂꦪꦓꦫꦶꦠ꧀ꦤ), he was the son of Pakubuwono XI and his queen consort, Kanjeng Raden Ayu Koesparijah (styled Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Pakubuwono). RM. Soerjo Goeritno also had a half-sister namely Gusti Raden Ayu Koes Saparijam (styled GKR. Kedaton).
In his childhood, RM. Soerjo Goeritno was educated in an Europeesche Lagere School (Dutch primary school) near Pasar Legi, Surakarta. He was nicknamed Bobby by his friends. Some of his uncles, who was the same age with him, was also educated in this school. RM. Soerjo Goeritno was a friendly pupil and had a close friendship with his classmates without considering the social status. Since his childhood, he was fond of studying Javanese classical dances, especially Handaga and Garuda dances. He often recited Quran with Mr. Tjondrowijoto, a teacher in Mambaul Ulum. He also liked archery. Since 1938, RM. Soerjo Goeritno was forced to quit his education for 5 months, as he must follow his father who was mandated by Pakubuwono X, his grandfather, to leave for the Netherlands with other local monarchs in Dutch East Indies to attend 40th jubilee of Queen Wilhelmina's coronation.
After that, RM. Soerjo Goeritno continued his education to Hogereburgerschool te Bandoeng (now became SMA Negeri 3 Bandung and SMA Negeri 5 Bandung) with some uncles. After being schooled for 2 years, Pacific War broke out, in which Armed Forces of the Empire of Japan won against Allies of World War II, then Dutch East Indies fell to Empire of Japan.
Pakubuwono XI asked him to left Bandung for Surakarta. On June 1, 1945, his father died. According to Javanese tradition, the heir must be the Pakubuwono XI's eldest son, Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Haryo Mangkoeboemi. However, the opportunity was closed as his mother, GKR. Kentjana (the first wife of Pakubuwono XI), had died in 1910, so she couldn't be appointed as queen consort when his husband was crowned. RM. Soerjo Goeritno subsequently became the heir despite being the youngest son, proven with the fact that he didn't attend his father's funeral in Imogiri, in accordance with the tradition that an heir was prohibited to attend his predecessor's funeral.
Before ascending to throne, RM. Soerjo Goeritno was appointed as heir apparent, styled KGPH. Poerbojo. Another version relates that his appointment was closely related to the role played by Sukarno, future President of Indonesia. RM. Soerjo Goeritno was chosen as Pakubuwono XII because of his young age and ability to adapt into a new situation. Although a new king had been agreed on, a new problem emerged. His coronation plan was once opposed by Japanese colonial government, who stated that they didn't dare to guarantee the safety of future king.
Rule.
War of Independence.
RM. Soerjo Goeritno was crowned as Pakubuwono XII on June 11, 1945, approximately 2-month before Independence of Indonesia. Due to his young age, he was often accompanied by his mother, GKR. Pakubuwono (popularly known as Ibu Ageng or Great Mother), in carrying out his daily duties. Pakubuwono XII was often nicknamed as Sinuhun Hamardika, because he became the first Susuhunan of Surakarta who reigned in independence era.
After Proclamation of Independence, on September 1, 1945, he and Mangkunegara VIII separately issue royal decrees which congratulated to the newly founded Republic of Indonesia, 4 days before Hamengkubuwono IX and Paku Alam VIII's decree. On September 6, 1945, Surakarta Sunanate and Duchy of Mangkunegaran were granted Special Region's Charter from President Sukarno.
During Indonesian War of Independence, Pakubuwono XII was awarded titular military rank of lieutenant-general from President Sukarno, which caused him often accompanying the president to observe some battlefields. Between October 12–13, 1945, Pakubuwono XII even led an assault to headquarter of Kenpeitai in Kemlayan (now in Serengan subdistrict) and Timuran (now in Banjarsari subdistrict). He also led an assault to headquarter of Kido Butai in Mangkubumen (now in Banjarsari subdistrict).
The Netherlands who didn't consent to Indonesian independence attempted to violently seize their former colony. In January 1946, the capital of Indonesia should be moved to Yogyakarta because Jakarta had been occupied by the Dutch. In that time, Indonesian government was led by Sutan Syahrir as prime minister, aside from Sukarno as head of state. As commonly occurred in a country, an opposition fraction who did not support the governmental system of PM Syahrir emerged, for example the group of General Soedirman.
As Yogyakarta became a capital, Surakarta who had been an old rival became center of opposition. The radicals namely Barisan Banteng (meaning "Ox Front" in Indonesian) led by Muwardi deliberately abducted Pakubuwono XII and Sutan Syahrir as a protest to government of Indonesia.
Barisan Banteng successfully took control of Surakarta without being eradicated by Indonesian government due to Gen. Soedirman's protection. Gen. Sudirman was even successful to persuade the government to abolish special status of Surakarta. Since June 1, 1946, Sunanate of Surakarta was only a residency within Central Java province. The government was held by civilians, while Pakubuwono XII was merely symbolic.
Independence era.
In his early rule, Pakubuwono XII was viewed as a ruler who failed in taking important role and using political situation of Indonesia, which caused his prestige lower than that of Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogyakarta.
Pakubuwono XII had actually attempted to regain special status of Surakarta. On January 15, 1952, Pakubuwono XII ever explained extensively about Special Region of Surakarta to the ministerial council in Jakarta. In that occasion, he explains that the government of special region couldn't overcome unrest and gnawing with armed threat, while the government of special region didn't have power apparatus. However, the attempt was stagnant without solution. Eventually, Pakubuwono XII left the palace to attend education in Jakarta in 1954. He appointed his uncle, KGPH. Koesoemojoedo, as his temporary representative.
In his reign, there were two catastrophes in Surakarta Palace. On November 19, 1954, the tallest building in palace complex, Panggung Sangga Buwana, was burned and most of the building, including the roof and decoration in the top of building, was destroyed. On January 31, 1985, the core of palace was burned down at 9.00 pm. The fire happened in Sasana Parasdya, Sasana Sewaka, Sasana Handrawina, Dalem Ageng Prabasuyasa, Dayinta, and Paningrat. The entire building, including the furnitures, was completely destroyed.
On February 5, 1985, Pakubuwono XII told President Soeharto about the fire in Surakarta Palace. The president reacted by forming Committee 13 who was tasked to rehabilitate the palace. Hardjonagoro, a national cultural observer who was also Pakubuwono XII's friend, was one of the member of Committee 13. Surakarta Palace was fully rehabilitated after obtaining 4 million rupiahs from the government. The renovation of palace complex was finished and it was inaugurated in 1987.
On September 26, 1995, by Presidential Decree no. 70/SKEP/IX/1995, Pakubuwono XII was awarded Struggle Prize and Medal of Generation '45 from central government. The award was given as a form of honor for Pakubuwono XII as the first king in Indonesia to swear allegiance and stand behind the republic government in the early independence era. Pakubuwono XII also voluntarily contributed a half of his personal and royal wealth to central government in that era.
Although in his early reign, Pakubuwono XII was politically less successful, he still became the patron figure of Javanese culture. In reformation era, many national figures, such as President Abdurrahman Wahid, still respected him as elder of Java.
Death and succession.
In the middle of 2004, Pakubuwana fell into coma and underwent intensive care in Panti Kosala Dr. Oen Hospital, Surakarta. Eventually, Pakubuwono XII was pronounced dead on June 11, 2004. At the same time of the death of Pakubuwono XII, 2004 Indonesian presidential election took place in Surakarta.
Upon his death in 2004, there was no clear heir as there was no official queen installed. Two of his sons who were half-brothers claimed the throne.
The older, Hangabehi, took control of the kraton (palace) and expelled his younger half-brother Tedjowulan. Each had himself crowned and they held separate tomb-sealing rituals for their father.
Family consensus has now acknowledged that Hangabehi is the rightful heir and is now titled SISKS Pakubuwono XIII. On July 18–19, 2009, there was a ceremony in the kraton where the enthronement anniversary was conducted with the sacred Bedoyo Dance performed for the ceremony. The attendees consisted of various local and foreign dignitaries as well as Hangebehi's half-brother Tedjowulan.
In 2017, further developments of crowning Pakubuwono XIII resolved the 13-year long dispute.


Front Palace (Bangkok)

The Front Palace (, ), officially the Phraratchawang Bowon Sathanmongkhon (), was the residence of the royal holder of the same title (also known as the "uparaja" and usually translated as "viceroy" or "vice king", and sometimes as "Lord" or "Prince of the Front Palace", or "Prince-successor") during the early-to-mid Rattanakosin Kingdom. The palace was built at the same time as the Grand Palace, following the accession of King Rama I and the foundation of Rattanakosin (today's Bangkok) as the capital city in 1782. It was located at the northern end of the inner fortified city, directly in front of the Grand Palace, where the king lived, and provided security to the city.
Most of the Front Palace was built under Surasinghanat, who had been named by Rama I, though it saw further additions and modifications throughout the periods. It was home to five of the six Princes of the Front Palace, until the death of Wichaichan in 1885, after which the position was abolished by King Chulalongkorn in favour of a modern succession system. The palace compound was subsequently converted for various functions. Today, only the buildings of the main residence remain, housing the Bangkok National Museum. Other parts of the historical compound are now occupied by Thammasat University, the National Theatre, the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, and the northern part of Sanam Luang.
History.
In 1782, the general Chaophraya Chakri overthrew Taksin—who had ruled the Thonburi Kingdom following the fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1767—and declared himself king of the new Rattanakosin Kingdom, now known as King Rama I. He sought to revive the royal institutions of the Ayutthaya, many of which had been neglected during Taksin's reign. The new city of Rattanakosin was established on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River, enclosed by moats forming an area now known as Rattanakosin Island. The city was laid out according to Ayutthayan tradition, with the Grand Palace (the residence of the king) by the river, and the Front Palace, which served as the residence of the vice-king, some distance in front of it. The Front Palace held considerable power, with its own army, and administration of the northern half of the city fell under the palace.
The new Front Palace was built north of the Grand Palace, near the junction where the inner city moat (Khlong Khu Mueang Doem) met the river. Construction of the compound began in 1782, overseen by Rama I's younger brother and viceroy Surasinghanat, and was provisionally completed in 1785. As with the Grand Palace, the buildings were initially built of wood, as priority for masonry construction was given to the city's and palaces' fortifications.
Like the Grand Palace, the Front Palace compound was divided into three areas. The outer court to the east and front of the palace was home to administrative offices and military facilities. The middle court (to the west) contained the main residences and audience halls. The inner court, occupying the southwest part, served as the living quarters of the women of the prince's household. Also within the palace grounds, in the northern corner, was the royal temple or chapel, Wat Bowon Sathan Sutthawat.
Occupants and construction history.
Most of the main royal buildings in the middle court were built during the tenure of Surasinghanat. The Siwamokkhaphiman Hall, originally built of wood as an open-air pavilion, served as the first throne room. It was followed by the main residence building, a group of eleven connected halls known as the Phra Wiman, built around 1789. The Phutthaisawan Hall was probably built around 1795, when Surasinghanat led a campaign defending Chiang Mai against Burma and brought from the former the Phra Phuttha Sihing Buddha image, which was then enshrined in the hall.
Surasinghanat ruled the palace until his death in 1803. It is said that prior to his death, he had his retinue take him on a tour of the palace, and, lamenting that he would not live to enjoy the architecture, cursed anyone but his descendants to be unable to live there in peace. Word of the curse appeared to have been taken seriously, as when Rama I named his son Prince Itsarasunthon (later King Rama II) the new viceroy in 1806, he did not have him take up residence at the Front Palace. Instead, the Prince continued to reside at the Thonburi Palace, leaving the Front Palace without an occupant for seven years. Rama I had the Phra Phuttha Sihing moved to the Grand Palace during this time.
Later occupants of the palace also actively attempted to avoid the curse. When Rama II became king in 1809, the new viceroy, Senanurak, married one of Surasinghanat's daughters in the belief that by becoming a son-in-law, he would be spared from the curse. (He held the position until his death in 1817, after which the palace went unoccupied for another seven years.) Likewise, Sakdiphonlasep, the next viceroy named by King Rama III in 1824, married another daughter of Surasinghanat. Sakdiphonlasep also commissioned major repairs of the palace. He had the Siwamokkhaphiman Hall rebuilt in masonry and added a new extension, known as the Itsarawinitchai Hall, in front of the Phra Wiman group to serve as the new throne room. He also rebuilt the royal temple and gave it the name Bowon Sathan Sutthawat. Like his predecessor, Sakdiphonlasep predeceased the king after eight years, and Rama III never named another viceroy in the remaining nineteen years of his reign.
When King Mongkut (Rama IV) acceded to the throne in 1851, he named his brother Pinklao the "Second King", equivalent in rank to himself. By this time, the Front Palace had again badly fallen into disrepair. The fortifications were in ruins, and its lawns had been turned into orchards and gardens. Religious rituals were performed prior to Pinklao's taking up residence at the palace, with the Phra Phuttha Sihing moved back to the Front Palace and enchantment pillars buried at the gates and turrets. During Pinklao's time, several new buildings and pavilions were built, including the Western-style Itsaret Rachanuson Hall, which Pinklao used as his main residence.
Pinklao died in 1865, though Mongkut continued to visit the palace, ensuring its upkeep. He died three years later and was succeeded by his fifteen-year-old son Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The regent, Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse, controversially named Pinklao's son Prince Yotyingyot as the viceroy Wichaichan. The relationship between the two palaces was strained throughout the early reign, culminating in the Front Palace Crisis in 1874, which was only resolved with British support of Chulalongkorn. The Front Palace was subsequently stripped of its power and influence, and following Wichaichan's death in 1885, Chulalongkorn abolished the title, replacing it with the Crown Prince.
Conversion.
With the palace now vacant, Chulalongkorn had the Royal Museum (the country's first public museum, previously established at the Concordia Hall in the Grand Palace) moved into the Siwamokkhaphiman, Phutthaisawan and Itsarawinitchai halls in 1887. The outer court was razed, in part to create the newly landscaped royal field of Sanam Luang in 1897. The Ministry of Public Instruction was built in its northern area in 1905. The inner court originally remained as the residences of the remaining wives and daughters of the Front Palace. As it became depopulated, the area was later dedicated for military use, and barracks were built.
In 1926, King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) dedicated the rest of the remaining palace structures to the museum. Following the abolition of absolute monarchy in 1932, its administration fell under the Fine Arts Department. The College of Dramatic Arts (now part of the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute) was established at the Itsaret Rachanuson Hall in 1934, before moving to the area of Wat Bowon Sathan Sutthawat. Most of the area of the former inner court, then used by the military, was acquired for the establishment of the University of Moral and Political Sciences (now Thammasat University) in 1935. The National Theatre was built at the former site of the Ministry of Public Instruction (by then occupied by the Ministry of Transport) in 1960.
Today, the remaining buildings of the palace, along with a few newer structures, house the Bangkok National Museum. Part of the palace's southern wall remains as the boundary of Thammasat University, and foundations of the river-facing city walls (which were shared by the palace) are visible beneath the 60th Anniversary Thammasat Building.
Architecture.
The architecture of the Front Palace consists of an eclectic mix of styles reflecting the changing times over which the buildings were built, as well its owners' tastes. They range from the traditional Thai style of the original buildings to the Chinese- and Western–influenced structures built nearly a century later as the country was opening up to the Western world and beginning its modernization. The traditional architecture of the Front Palace bears distinct differences in style from that of the Grand Palace, reflecting the subordinate status of its owner. Most notably, none of the original buildings were built with the multi-tiered roofs with pointed spires known as "prasat", a common element in the buildings of the Grand Palace. This changed during Pinklao's time, since he shared equal stature as the king, and the Khotchakamprawet Pavilion was accordingly built with a spire.


Tonyukuk inscriptions

The Tonyukuk inscriptions, also called the Bain Tsokto inscriptions are Turkic inscriptions of the 8th century in Mongolia. They are the oldest written attestations of the Turkic language family, predating the Orkhon inscriptions (Khöshöö Tsaidam monuments) by several years.
Geography.
The inscriptions are in Tuul River valley at (southeast of Ulan Bator and Nalaikh). They are often confused with, or considered as a part of, the Orkhon inscriptions (Khöshöö Tsaidam inscriptions), although the Orkhon inscriptions are actually located about to the west of Bain Tsokto.
History.
Bain Tsokto inscriptions are about Tonyukuk the counselor of four Turkic khagans . (Ilterish Khagan, Kapaghan Khagan, Inel Khagan and Bilge Khagan) during the Second Khaganate. He died in the 720s. Unlike the two other Orkhon inscriptions which were erected after the hero had died, Bain Tsokto inscriptions were erected by Tonyukuk himself in 716 (?). (His deeds after 716 had not been narrated.) The narrator is Tonyukuk. The inscriptions were inscribed on two steles. The writing, which proceeds vertically from top to bottom, is in the Old Turkic alphabet.


Nayakan

Nayakan (; ) is a 1987 Indian Tamil-language crime film written and directed by Mani Ratnam. Produced by Muktha Srinivasan, the film stars Kamal Haasan, Saranya (in her feature debut) and Karthika. Loosely based on the life of the Bombay underworld don Varadarajan Mudaliar and the American film "The Godfather" (1972), it revolves around the transformation of an ordinary slum dweller named Velu into a feared don through various stages of his life.
Ratnam was initially approached to remake the Hindi film "Pagla Kahin Ka" (1970) for Srinivasan and Haasan, but refused. He instead suggested two other stories, one of which impressed Haasan and became "Nayakan". Cinematography was handled by P. C. Sreeram, and editing by B. Lenin and V. T. Vijayan. Principal photography began in late 1986, taking place primarily in Madras and to a lesser extent, Bombay.
"Nayakan" was released on 21 October 1987, Diwali day. The became a critical and commercial success, running for over 175 days in theatres. Haasan's performance earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also earned the National Awards for Best Cinematography (P. C. Sreeram) and Best Art Direction (Thota Tharani). It was included in "TIME" "All-Time 100 Best Films", and CNN-News18's "100 greatest Indian films of all time". The film was remade in Hindi as "Dayavan" (1988).
Plot.
An anti-government union leader's only son Sakthivel "Velu" is arrested by the police to find his whereabouts. They trick Velu into believing them as his well-wishers and release him. When Velu meets his father, the police kill the latter. Feeling betrayed, Sakthivel stabs the police inspector and runs away to Bombay, where he is raised by Hussain, a kind-hearted smuggler living in the Dharavi slums.
One day, when Hussain is ill, Velu, now a young man, decides to carry out the smuggling activity on behalf of Hussain. His demand for a bigger commission from the smugglers, this angers them and they involve a police inspector Kelkar to arrest Hussain and kill him in jail. When they close the case as suicide, Velu is enraged knowing the truth and murders Kelkar. He later takes care of Kelkar's family which consists of his wife and a mentally challenged son Ajit. Kelkar's wife knew that her husband's immorality resulted in his death.
Velu meets Neela, a schoolgirl forced into prostitution who has interests to pursue her education. Her innocence and courage impress Velu, and he eventually marries her. They have two children: Surya and Charumathi. Velu's power and command gradually increases in Dharavi as he voices out in support of local people which gains him huge popularity among the masses. His rival smugglers in Bombay try to murder Velu in an attack but Neela is killed instead. After avenging his wife's death, Velu sends his children to Madras to safeguard them.
As the years pass, Velu's power further increases in Bombay and is fondly called "Velu Naicker" by everyone. Surya and Charumathi return to Bombay as adults after education. Surya follows Velu's footsteps, a fact that he is initially hesitant of, and later learns to accept. But when Surya is killed trying to flee the police in a botched mission, Charumathi blames Velu for the deaths of Neela and Surya. She decides to leave Bombay citing that she wants to get away from her father and his violent ways. Charumathi disowns her father and leaves his home.
Some years later, a new assistant commissioner of police, Patil, is deputed in Bombay to eliminate the gangsters; his first target is Velu. He collects all the evidence needed for the arrest of Velu. When Velu comes to meet Patil, he learns that Charumathi is married to him and they have a son. Patil too learns that his wife is Velu's daughter and suspects that she might help her father to flee from the police.
Velu absconds and his allies are arrested. He decides to surrender to the police to save them from undergoing torture in the police station. Through Charumathi, Velu sets up his surrender. Patil is shocked due to the lack of proper evidence against Velu as none comes forward from the public as a witness against the crimes committed by him.
Patil meets Kelkar's widow and the now grown-up Ajit and requests to disclose the truth behind her husband's death in the court. She refuses and defends Velu's acts. But Ajit is shocked after learning the truth. Velu is produced in the court and is exonerated due to a lack of valid and strong evidence. He is overcome with emotion when his young grandson (Charumathi's son) asks him if he is a good or bad man, and Velu admits he does not know. Velu's grandson reveals his name as Sakthivel. Velu steps out of the court amid a big cheer from his supporters, until Ajit shoots him to avenge his father's death; Velu dies on the spot.
Production.
Development.
In the mid 1980s, Muktha Srinivasan narrated a story inspired by the American film "The Godfather" (1972) to Sivaji Ganesan who agreed to act in the film. Amala and Kamal Haasan were also confirmed to act. However Ananthu, then an associate of Haasan, felt that it would be a Ganesan-focused film and not a Haasan film. The project was dropped. Haasan later told Srinivasan about the-then upcoming director Mani Ratnam. Ratnam had previously wanted to cast Haasan as the protagonist in his directorial debut, "Pallavi Anu Pallavi" (1983), but the collaboration could not materialise then as Haasan was committed to "Raja Paarvai" (1981) at that time.
Srinivasan came to Ratnam's house and gave him an envelope, which contained a cassette of the Hindi film "Pagla Kahin Ka" (1970). Ratnam, after watching the film, met Haasan and rejected the offer to remake the film. After Haasan asked him the kind of film he preferred to make, Ratnam suggested two stories: one was in the action genre similar to "Dirty Harry" (1971) and "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984), while the other was based on the life of the Bombay underworld don Varadarajan Mudaliar; the latter was finalised. Ratnam had earlier narrated this story, when it was only an idea, to producer R. C. Prakash, but it was not picked up then. Cinematography for "Nayakan" was handled by P. C. Sreeram, and editing by B. Lenin and V. T. Vijayan.
Casting.
In September 1986, Haasan gave his schedule dates for the film to Srinivasan, and was paid 1.75 million (US$145,583 in 1987) for playing Velu. Ratnam wanted Haasan to have as realistic a look as possible. He preferred Haasan in traditional Hindu attire. Haasan was initially hesitant regarding his look and wanted to sport a beard similar to that of his old-aged look in "Sagara Sangamam" (1983), as he felt it would not give away his jaw line, which would reveal that the character was portrayed by a younger person. Ratnam, in turn, did not want Haasan to sport a look similar to "Sagara Sangamam" or any of his other previous films. Haasan ultimately sported dentures to provide some weight around his jaw for Velu's old-age look.
Neela, the wife of Velu, was played by Saranya, who made her debut in the film. The character was created by Srinivasan to reduce the violent content and help the film cater to family audiences. Ratnam wanted a "new face" to portray Neela as he felt only then the character would have the required zest and gusto. Saranya sent her photograph to Ratnam to audition for the role. She was later cast after a successful screen test. Saranya's father was against her being cast, but she and her mother managed to convince him. Though Ratnam has stated that Saranya was "the first and only person we saw for the role", Debashree Roy claimed that she was approached, but refused as she considered that speaking in Tamil would be difficult for her.
Ratnam believes that Nassar was suggested to him by Haasan, when Raghuvaran was being considered for the role of the Assistant Commissioner Patil. Nassar shot for six days and had initially believed there was nothing special in his role. He later admitted his surprise of the reach of his character post-release. Haasan wanted Tinnu Anand for the role of Ajit, the son of Inspector Kelkar (Pradeep Shakthi). Anand was reluctant since he wanted to focus on his career as a director, but after Haasan insisted and said, "If it turns out the way we have planned it, you will never be able to walk the streets of Madras", Anand accepted. Although Tara was then mainly known for playing leading roles, she accepted the supporting role of Velu's sister Shakila. She later recalled, "I didn't know what to accept and what to reject. I just grabbed whatever was offered irrespective of the character. That was a mistake." According to Suhasini, Ratnam considered her for the role of Velu's daughter Charumati; however, the role ultimately went to Karthika.
Filming.
Ratnam initially planned to complete the shooting in 60 days and 70 rolls of film. The initial budget was 6 million (US$500,000 in 1987), but time and cost overruns increased the budget to beyond 10 million (US$830,000 in 1987). According to Srinivasan, principal photography commenced in November 1986 and the first schedule lasted for 10 days, but the scenes shot during this period were scrapped because Haasan disliked them, prompting script rewrites and causing shooting to be delayed; the rewritten script had more violence, and scenes taken from "The Godfather" and "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984). According to Ratnam, a three-day test shoot involving Haasan, unknown to Srinivasan, was done in December 1986 as the script was not yet complete. While the shots taken did not make the final cut, they helped to get the technical aspects of the film on the right track.
Ratnam said the first "real schedule" of "Nayakan" began in January 1987. 15 days of shooting took place in the slum areas of Dharavi. Using photographs taken there, the art director Thota Tharani created a set at Venus Studios in Madras. Thousands of junior artists were hired to recreate the atmosphere of the slum areas. Additionally, pigeons were brought for the same. Haasan helped in the make-up for the other actors in the film and asked Janagaraj and Delhi Ganesh to cut their hair so as to make their characters Selvam and Iyer in their old age scenes look convincing. He used Ittar perfume for the female cast. Haasan also brought his own gun, sparing Ratnam the usage of a prop. In the scene where Haasan chases Kelkar, he uses his own bottle of sugar glass, which he had brought from the United States.
Ratnam had marked around 1.2 million (US$100,000 in 1987) for the film's action sequences. To make the sequences slick and entertaining, cinematographer and stunt sequence director Jim Allen, who was known for his work stunt sequences in "Sholay" (1975) was chosen. But after three days, he was removed from the film as he charged 200,000 per day (US$16,000 in 1987) and Srinivasan could not afford the money. The remaining portions were shot at Bombay (now Mumbai), including the portions involving Velu's childhood life in the city. The scene featuring Neela studying for her mathematics exams was suggested by Srinivasan. Velu's childhood portions before he moves to Bombay were canned in Old Mahabalipuram Road for one and a half days. This was also the last part of the principal photography. According to Srinivasan, the film was completed in October 1987.
The song "Naan Sirithal Deepavali" was shot at the spot where the Taj Club House is located today. The old building previously located at that spot was called the "Indian Express Building" by film industrialists as it was adjacent to the Old office of "Indian Express". Thota Tharani converted the building's exterior into a brothel and used the opposite end of the building for Velu's house location. "Nayakan" was notable for using frame-within-the-frame technique of filmmaking. Ratnam and Haasan met Mudaliar in person, when Ratnam asked Mudaliar how he would foresee his own death; according to Haasan, Mudaliar replied that he would "either die peacefully in a hospital (which is what happened) but left to the police, who couldn’t prove anything against him, they would bring him out of court and someone would slap him. This would cause a riot and they would then shoot him", which inspired the film's climax.
Post-production.
When the film was completed and the first print was ready, it ran for three hours. Although Ratnam and Haasan wanted Srinivasan to release the film uncut, he felt audiences would never see the entire film due to its length, so he requested Lenin to remove the scenes which he felt were unnecessary. The result, according to Srinivasan, "gave life to the movie, along with the theme music "Thenpandi seemayilae"."
Themes.
Haasan, Ratnam and Srinivasan have acknowledged to "Nayakan" being inspired by "The Godfather" in various scenes. These include Velu's killing of the Reddy brothers, the murder of Velu's son Surya, and Velu crying at Surya's corpse. One scene in the film involves Velu and Selvam tying their illicit cargo to large bags of salt attached to rubber inner tubes which they then dump into the sea; the cargo sinks from the weight of the salt, but when the salt dissolves the cargo bobs to the surface, by which time they have passed the customs officers. This was described by Lalitha Gopalan in her 2002 book "Cinema of Interruptions" as an homage to "Once Upon a Time in America", a view that was shared by S. Shiva Kumar of "The Hindu". According to historian S. Theodore Baskaran, the film "tends to glorify violence and portrays the anti-social, smuggler-king in an approving and sympathetic way, modelling him on Robin Hood." Lalitha Gopalan notes that the film "attempts faithfully to re-create a historical period by carefully managing different aspects of the "mise en scène". More than any other detail in the "mise en scène", automobiles – different models of cars, jeeps, and vans – indicate the passage of time within the diegesis."
Soundtrack.
The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, this being his 400th film soundtrack. Pulamaipithan wrote the lyrics for all the songs except "Nila Adhu Vanathumele", which Ilaiyaraaja himself wrote. The song "Andhi Mazhai Megam" is set in the Carnatic raga Natabhairavi, "Nee Oru Kaadhal Sangeetham" is in the Hindustani raga Desh, and "Nila Adhu Vanathumele" is in the Carnatic Keeravani. The theme song "Thenpandi Cheemayile" plays for most of the film; during the introduction titles, it has the colloquial line ""yaar adichaaro" (sung by Ilaiyaraaja), but when it plays later in the film, the line is altered to the more polished "yaar adithaaro"" (sung by Haasan). Film critic Baradwaj Rangan asked Ratnam whether this change was an indication to the eventual refinement of Velu. Ratnam said that Ilaiyaraaja's portions were recorded first, and that when they went for recording, they had this rustic version which lacked background music, and was of folk quality. Because the song was going to be repeated throughout the film, they also wanted a more orchestral version, and in this version sung by Haasan, the language became more sophisticated. "Nee Oru Kaadhal Sangeetham" is featured on both sides of the original LP record as the second track.
The Telugu lyrics are written by Vennalakanti and Rajsri.
Release.
"Nayakan" was released on 21 October 1987, Diwali day. The Censor Board at Madras initially refused to permit the release of the film, as it was based on a living person. When Srinivasan appealed to the revising committee at Bombay, they said that they would permit the release of the film he produced a letter stating that it was not based on Mudaliar's life. Through writer Mathioli Shanmugam, Srinivasan met Mudaliar, who gave him a letter, after which the censor appellate board at Bombay permitted the release of the film. G. Venkateswaran of G. V. Films bought the rights of the film after Srinivasan distributed the film; Venkateswaran also received a producer's credit. The film was a commercial success, running for over 175 days in theatres and thereby becoming a silver jubilee film. It was dubbed into Telugu as "Nayakudu" and into Hindi as "Velu Nayakan". It was later remade in Hindi as "Dayavan" (1988), which was a critical and commercial failure. In 2015, "Nayakan" was screened at the Habitat Film Festival.
Critical reception.
"Nayakan" received critical acclaim. On 23 October 1987, N. Krishnaswamy of "The Indian Express" said, "["Nayakan"] is a rare Tamil film. Sensitivity is its hallmark. Authenticity is its lifebreath. It has the stamp of nativity. It has class. Yet, it is not an Art film. It could be a watershed in Tamil cinema; an artistically made film that could make money as well." On 1 November, "Ananda Vikatan" stated that Haasan underplayed his role well and demonstrated his histrionics as a godfather in the film well, adding that the film stood out for its sets, taking, colour, richness and international quality camera work. The magazine gave the film one of its highest marks of 60. Writing for "India Today" in 1989, Madhu Jain believed "Nayakan" deserved "a permanent place in the Indian cinema pantheon" after watching it at the 12th International Film Festival in Delhi. A 1988 review published in "Bombay: The City Magazine" described Haasan as having given a "powerhouse performance".
Awards.
Haasan won the Cinema Express Award for Best Actor and Mani Ratnam won in the Best Director category at the same ceremony. At the 1987 National Film Awards, "Nayakan" won the awards for Best Actor (Haasan), Best Cinematography (P. C. Sreeram) and Best Art Direction (Thota Tharani). The film was India's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988 at the 60th Academy Awards; however, it was not shortlisted among the final nominees.
Legacy.
"Nayakan" became a "landmark" of popular Indian cinema. As a part of its legacy, the film has been acclaimed for being a box-office success whilst being a critical success. English journalist Phil Hardy stated in his 1997 book "The BFI Companion to Crime", "From the films that followed in the wake of "The Godfather", the most interesting is Mani Rathnam's "Nayakan" (1987) starring [Kamal Haasan] in a fictional version of the Bombay gangster Varadarajan Mudaliar's life." In 2005, the magazine "TIME" included "Nayakan" in its list of "All-Time 100 Best Films". After the film was selected by "TIME" as one of the best, insiders of the magazine spoke about Ratnam's work in the film, saying "Ratnam has no such difficulty blending melodrama and music, violence and comedy, realism and delirium, into a two-and-a-half-hour demonstration that, when a gangster's miseries are mounting, the most natural solution is to sing in the rain." The tagline given to the film by "TIME" was "A terrific gangster epic in the "Godfather" style."
The film was also ranked 82nd in The Moving Arts Film Journal list of greatest films of all time. "Nayakan" was also included in NDTV's list "India's 20 greatest films" at no 13. In April 2013, on the centenary of Indian cinema, CNN-News18 included the film in its list of "100 greatest Indian films of all time". When questioned by Baradwaj Rangan if he would make a sequel to "Nayakan", Ratnam said, "Never. When you finish a film, you're glad to be rid of it. You're happy you don't have to go back to that script again. Been there, done that."
In popular culture.
The scenes and dialogues from the film have been parodied in "Dumm Dumm Dumm" (2001), "Chellamae" (2004). When stand-up comedian and television anchor Bosskey launched a quirky play titled Dada (Don) in October 2005, he named the cast after famous characters in Tamil films. Accordingly, "Anniyan" (one of Vikram's character in the film), Badshah (Rajinikanth in "Baashha") and Velu Nayakkar (Haasan's role in "Nayakan") play the central characters of a family of brothers. Similarly, in the 2013 comedy film "Onbadhule Guru", in which the characters were named after popular protagonists of Tamil cinema, a member of the supporting cast was christened Velu Nayakkar. According to the Telugu newspaper "Eenadu", Rajinikanth, after being impressed with "Nayakan", requested Ratnam to write a similar script, but the project never materialised; its similarities with Pa. Ranjith's script for "Kabali" (2016) made him accept to star in the latter film. The famous line in the film, "Neenga Nallavara Kettavara?" (Are you good or bad?) was used in "The Punch Song", a song from the film, "Aaha Kalyanam" (2014). The scene where Velu cries over Surya's death has become a subject of internet memes, and fans often imitate the manner in which Velu cries loudly.
Controversy.
In October 2012, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of "Nayakan", Haasan published an article in "The Hindu", titled "Of course Velu Nayakan doesn't dance", in which he recounted the making of the film. In that article, he derided Srinivasan, claiming that the latter was not happy about shooting the film in Bombay, that films "were a business" for him and he "wasn't interested in films as art". In response, Srinivasan sent a legal notice to Haasan. He stated, "[Kamal Haasan] has abused me in his article, and this has deeply hurt me. I've been unable to do my job ever since I read the piece." Srinivasan wrote an article titled "Living in past glory", his rejoinder to Haasan's article, in which he accused Haasan of "distorting the facts for reasons best known to him, and undermining the contributions made by everyone." He also accused Haasan of meddling with the original screenplay by Ratnam to include sequences copied from "The Godfather" and "Once Upon a Time in America". Srinivasan, however, concluded by writing that he was not against Haasan taking credit for the film's success, as long as it was not at his expense.


Sinking of Dongfang zhi Xing

MV "Dongfang zhi Xing" (; translated as "Oriental Star" or "Eastern Star") was a river cruise ship that operated in the Three Gorges region of inland China. On the night of 1 June 2015, the ship was traveling on the Yangtze River when it capsized during a thunderstorm in Jianli, Hubei Province with 454 people on board. On 13 June, 442 deaths were confirmed, with 12 survivors (including two rescued by officials). The passengers were mostly in their 60s and 70s, and mostly from Nanjing, where the ship started its cruise.
The final investigation concluded the ship navigated into a squall line (the biggest scale of thunderstorm) from 21:19 onwards, blasted by a downburst (a form of windshear) from 21:26 to 21:32, capsized at 21:31, and sank at 21:32. The ship met gusts of 32–38 m/s (72-85 mph, equivalent to wind force scale of 12-13). The hourly rain was observed at 94.4mm.
It is the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in China's history, and the worst maritime disaster (including wartime disasters) since the steamer sank in January 1949, killing more than 1,500.
Sinking.
Around 21:28 on 1 June 2015, "Dongfang zhi Xing" was making a trip from Nanjing to Chongqing on the Yangtze River. When the ship was near Jingzhou, it was caught in a storm and sank in approximately deep waters. The captain and the chief engineer said that the ship was hit by a tornado, and the China Meteorological Administration confirmed that a tornado occurred in Jianli County with wind-speeds reaching EF1 strength, or approximately . It was once widely believed that the tornado struck the river near the ship's location, but later investigation suggested that the tornado struck a location 8 km away and did not affect the ship; instead, based on Doppler radar data and other evidence, the official report found that a massive downburst in the thunderstorm, with gusts over (12–13 on the Beaufort scale), was the likely cause of the capsizing.
Passengers and crew.
Initially, the Chinese authorities reported 458 people were aboard the ship, but later reduced this figure to 456. This included 405 passengers, all of whom were Chinese and mostly elderly, 46 crew members and five tour guides. According to crew members that were rescued, the storm hit and capsized the ship quickly while most of the passengers were asleep. One rescued passenger stated that the ship had become flooded with water, and with the turbulent river conditions, capsized after experiencing a list greater than 45 degrees. Seven survivors were able to swim to shore and alert authorities about two and a half hours after capsizing. On 13 June, the Chinese authorities updated that 454, not 456, people were on board and 442 bodies had been found with 12 rescued.
Analysis of the incident.
Severe weather reports were issued for the area, which should have subsequently been sent to all vessels on the river in the area for them to take necessary precautions. There is no confirmation that "Dongfang zhi Xing" had been properly notified, though at least one other vessel travelling nearby was shown to have taken precautions due to the weather warning. The ship's captain and chief engineer, two of the rescued persons, were taken into custody for questioning.
The Chinese government censored news and discussion about this accident, while tightly controlling media coverage. The Politburo Standing Committee attempted to control public opinion about the disaster response, by issuing an order to both "understand the sorrow of the families" and "concretely preserve social stability".
On 30 December 2015, the Chinese government issued the investigation report on the incident. The report said that heavy storms caused "Dongfang zhi Xing" to capsize; it also found that the shipping company and local authorities had flaws in their daily management and suggested that 43 people be punished accordingly.
Ship.
MV "Dongfang zhi Xing" was constructed in February 1994. In 1997 the ship's length was extended by . It underwent another retrofit in 2008 that cut its capacity from 584 to 534 people. As of 2015, the ship was long with a beam of . It was owned by the Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation and operated by Xiehe Travel. It made cruises in the Three Gorges area of inland China.
"Dongfang zhi Xing," as well as other Yangtze River cruise ships, had come under increasing government scrutiny in recent years due to the growing tourist industry in China. In 2013, "Dongfang zhi Xing" and five other ships were cited for safety violations by the Nanjing maritime bureau, though the Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation did not comment on the nature of these infractions.
Rescue.
Rescue efforts were made immediately to save the passengers and crew, reaching full scale about twelve hours after the capsizing. Eighty-two people had been confirmed dead by 4 June, with some bodies having washed ashore downstream from the wreck. Fourteen people were rescued in the immediate aftermath, including the ship's engineer and captain.
According to a tweet from China Central Television (CCTV), rescuers were able to hear the sound of people trapped inside the vessel. CCTV reported that search teams heard people yelling from within the ship. One thousand police officers from the Hubei Armed Police Corps were sent to the site with 40 inflatable boats. Authorities reported that the search and rescue effort included 3,000 people and 50 boats. Crews used both underwater approaches with diving apparatus, and above-water approaches through holes cut through the inverted hull.
Additional search efforts were made to locate survivors or bodies up to downstream of the wreck. The Three Gorges Dam upriver was instructed to cut water flow rates by half in order to lower the river levels for the rescue effort.
On 5 June, the inverted ship was fitted with cables and nets, and the holes cut in the hull sealed, in order to right the ship and resume the search for survivors or bodies. The search yielded only bodies. The search range was subsequently expanded to downstream on 5 June.
The highest levels of government were involved in the search coordination. Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang ordered rescue efforts. Premier Li Keqiang, Vice Premier Ma Kai and State Councilor Yang Jing traveled to the site.
Mourning.
On 7 June, more than 500 rescue workers and government officials at the site mourned during a three-minute silence, after an announcement from Minister of Transport Yang Chuantang. According to Chinese tradition, the seventh day is a key occasion to mourn the passing of the dead ().
To mourn the victims, all Chinese satellite television channels suspended entertainment programs from 7 to 8 June.


Jayayakshya Malla

Jayayakshya Malla (often named Yaksha Malla for short) () was a Malla Dynasty king of Nepal from around 1428 to 1482. He enlarged the boundaries of Nepal and developed infrastructure. He divided his lands among his sons, effectively ending the possibility of a unified Nepal for some time. The major divisions were:
1. Khowpa: Modern Day Bhaktapur
2. Yein: Modern Day Kathmandu
3. Yala: Modern Day Patan
4. Kipli: Modern Day Kirtipur
5. Dhunkhya: Modern Day Dhulikhel
6. Bhota: Modern Day Banepa
7. Thee: Modern Day Thimi
8. Bhimphedi
9. Bandipur
10. Dolakha
11. Panauti
12. Palpa
13. Bhojpur
14. Chitlang
Construction works.
He encircled Khowpa Bhaktapur city with moats and defense walls pierced with defense gates and ordered the construction of The Palace of Fifty-five Windows (Bhaktapur's Royal Palace). The palace would later be remodelled by Bhupatindra Malla in the seventeenth century
He constructed the Pashupatinath Temple, a replica of the temple by the Bagmati River in Yein Kathmandu and the Siddha Pokhari, a large rectangular water tank located near the main city gate of Khowpa Bhaktapur. He is also credited as the founder of Yaksheswar Temple now standing in the palace complex.
Conquests and treaties.
Early in his reign, he raided south into Mithila, into the State of Bihar and as far as Bengal. He consolidated control over the trade route to Tibet and captured the Tibetan stronghold of Shelkar Dzong.
After his death in 1482, he was succeeded in Bhaktapur by his son, Raya Malla, and in Kantipur by his son Ratna Malla.


Lapthe Flora

Lapthe Chau Flora (born Vietnamese: "Châu The Lap") is a Major General in the United States Army. He most recently served as commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. Flora is the former commander of the Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command, Virginia National Guard. He also served as the Assistant Adjutant General of the Virginia National Guard in Sandston, Virginia. Concurrently, he served as a deputy commander of United States Army Africa, as well as Army Reserve Component Integration Advisor, US Army Africa.
Early life.
He is the son of ethnic Chinese parents, born in South Vietnam in 1962. His father, a South Vietnamese Merchant Marine, was killed during the Vietnam War, when he was 2 years old. His mother was left a widow with six children. When he was 11 years old he worked in a factory to help his family and himself.
In 1980, five years after the end of the Vietnam year, he fled the city of Saigon, now renamed Ho Chi Minh City to escape the indoctrination of communist principles initiated by the Hanoi government of Vietnam. He and several siblings lived in the jungle, surviving on snakes, rats porcupines and vegetation.
He escaped by boat with other refugees by sailing in the South China Sea. Their ship was later rescued and they were all taken to an Indonesian refugee camp. After a year at the camp, he was allowed to immigrate to the United States, where he was adopted by John and Audrey Flora.
Education.
In 1983, he graduated from Cave Spring High School (Roanoke, Virginia).
He earned a degree in Biological Sciences from the Virginia Military Institute.
Assignments.
In 1988, he started his military career in the Virginia National Guard after graduating from the Virginia Military Institute and has since served in every staff position within 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, including as commander of that battalion.
He served as the 116th IBCT executive officer, 29th Infantry Division’s director of operations and most recently as the Joint Force Headquarters – Virginia director of strategic plans. He has successfully completed three overseas deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. He has also participated in several security cooperation missions with the Republic of Tajikistan, the nation partnered with Virginia as part of the Department of Defense's State Partnership Program.
In May 2015, he assumed command of the Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command, Virginia National Guard at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Sandston, Virginia. On 16 May 2016, he assumed duties as Assistant Adjutant General, with subsequent promotion to brigadier general.
In June 2019, the Senate Armed Services Committee nominated Lapthe Flora to be Major General. In June 2020, he assumed command of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa.
Civilian career.
Flora is Director of Quality Assurance, Night Vision & Communications Solutions (NVCS) with Exelis Inc. in Roanoke, Va., and holds six patent awards related to the AN/PVS-14 and AN/AVS-9 night goggles.
Decorations and awards.
He was awarded the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.
Family.
He is married to his wife Thuy and they have a daughter named Christine, an AEMT. His adopted father John Flora graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1937, was a retired realtor, had been a battalion staff officer with the 116th Infantry Regiment when it landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. His adopted parents John and Audrey Flora have died.


Paramaras of Chandravati

The Paramaras of Chandravati ruled the area around the Arbuda mountain (present-day Mount Abu) in India during 10th-13th centuries. Their capital was located at Chandravati, and their territory included parts of present-day southern Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. The most notable ruler of the dynasty was Dharavarsha, who helped his Chaulukya overlords repulse a Ghurid invasion at the Battle of Kasahrada in 1178.
Territory.
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The Paramaras of Chandravati ruled the area around the Arbuda mountain (present-day Mount Abu). Their territory, called Arbuda (or Arvvuda in an inscription), spanned over present-day southern Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. Chandravati (also called Chandrapalyam or Chandrapalli in inscriptions), a town at the foot of the mountain, was their capital.
Political history.
The Paramaras of Chandravati ruled between 10th and 13th centuries. The 1161 CE inscription of the Paramara king Ranasimha refers to the Agnivansha myth, stating that the dynasty was created by the sage Vashistha during a ritual sacrifice. It then states that the historical king Utpalaraja was born in this dynasty at Chandrapalli, which is probably an alternative name for the kingdom's capital Chandravati.
The inscription then goes on name and praise Utpalaraja's successors, describing them using stereotyped phrases and double entendres. Dhandhuka, the sixth ruler after Utpalaraja, had at least three sons. Punyapala, or Purnapala, the eldest of these, seems to have died without an heir, and was succeeded by his younger brother Dantivarmman. The throne then passed on to the third son Krishnadeva, whose descendants Kakkaladeva and Vikramasimha also subsequently became the kings. The throne then passed on to Dantivarmman's descendant Yashodhavala.
According to Ranasimha's 1161 CE inscription, he was a son of Vikramasimha, and ruled after Yashodhavala. However, the Roheda inscription states that Yashodhavala's son Dharavarsha succeeded him on the throne, and that Ranasimha obtained the throne "for a while" (or "in the meanwhile"). Ranasimha's 1161 CE inscription states that Ranasimha vanquished the "immense army" of Malava at the Parnna river. The Roheda inscription also refers to this victory, although the relevant verse can be read interpreted to mean that either Ranasimha or Dharavarsha obtained this victory. Based on the Roheda inscription, epigraphist H. V. Trivedi theorizes that while Dharavarsha was busy fighting an invasion from Malava, Ranasimha usurped the throne for a brief period. Historian R. C. Majumdar theorizes that it was Ranasimha who defeated the Malava army as the king of Chandravati, and subsequently ceded power to Dharavarsha. Dániel Balogh, who edited Ranasimha's 1161 CE inscription, considers another possibility that Ranasimha acted as a regent for Dharavarsha. Balogh notes that Dharavarsha's earliest inscription is dated 1163 CE (1120 VS), while his last inscription dated 1219 CE (1276 VS). This means, he ruled for at least 56 years, which is unusually long for the dynasty. Thus, it is likely that he inherited the throne when he was a child, and had Ranasimha as his regent during his early regnal years.
Epigraphist H. V. Trivedi identified the Parnna river as the Purna stream that flows beside the Girvad (Girwar) village near Mount Abu and Chandravati. Balogh doubts the accuracy of this identification, noting that this stream is too insignificant to be mentioned as a landmark in the inscription, and is not located on the way from Chadnravati to Malava, where the battle was likely fought. According to Balogh, "Parnna" may be a shorter form of "Parnnasha" (IAST: Parṇṇāśā), which is most likely another name for the Banas River.
Dharavarsha, who ruled as a Chaulukya feudatory, is regarded as the greatest ruler of the dynasty. According to "Partha-Parakrama-Vyayoga", a text composed by his younger brother Prahladana, he repulsed a Chahamana attack at night. Dharavarsha was one of the Chaulukya vassals who repulsed a Ghurid invasion at the Battle of Kasahrada in 1178; he is called "Darabaraz" (Hasan Nizami) or "Darabaras" (Firishta) by the Muslim chroniclers writing about the battle.
Religion.
The 1161 CE inscription of Ranasimha begins with an invocation to Shiva, describing him as the "stage director" of the world's creation, and naming Brahma and Vishnu as his assistants.
Rulers.
The following is a list of Paramara rulers of Chandravati, with approximate regnal years, as estimated by epigraphist H. V. Trivedi. The rulers are sons of their predecessors unless noted otherwise:
Yashodhavala's last inscription is dated c. 1150 CE (1207 VS); Ranasimha's inscription is dated 1161 CE (1218 VS); and Dharavarsha's earliest inscription is dated c. 1163 CE (1220 VS). This suggests that Ranasimha either held the throne sometime between 1150 and 1163, or acted as a regent during Dharavarsha's early regnal years.
Inscriptions.
Some of the dynasty's inscriptions, written in Sanskrit language and Nagari script, include:


Tarkhan dynasty

The Tarkhan dynasty (), or Turkhan dynasty, was established by the Turkic Tarkhan and ruled Sindh, Pakistan from 1554 to 1591 AD. General Mirza Isa Beg founded the Tarkhan dynasty in Sindh after the death of Shah Husayn Arghun of the Arghun dynasty. Mughal emperor Akbar annexed Sindh after defeating the last Tarkhan ruler.


Russian Party of Life

The Russian Party of Life (RPL; ) was a political party in Russia, led by Sergey Mironov (Speaker of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament). According to its website, the party was liberal on economic issues and nationalistic on everything else. Its headquarters were located in Moscow.
In the legislative elections on 7 December 2003, the alliance of the Party of Russia's Rebirth and the Russian Party of Life party won only 1.9% of the popular vote and no seats, despite attracting to its list a number of Russian celebrities, most famously Oxana Fedorova.
The Russian Party of Life merged with Rodina and the Russian Pensioners' Party into a new party, A Just Russia, on 28 October 2006.


Penco Guitars

Penco was a brand of guitars owned and manufactured by the Hoshino Gakki Co. in its factory of Nagoya, Japan. Ibanez guitars was another brand owned and manufactured by Hoshino Gakki. In the United States, Penco guitars were distributed by the Philadelphia Music Company.
Penco line of products consisted of electric and acoustic guitars, most of them were copies (also known as "lawsuit guitars") of renowned US guitar like Fender or Gibson, produced by Japanese companies in the 1970s). The term "lawsuit guitar" origininated after a lawsuit filed by Norlin (Gibson's parent company) against Elger (owner of Ibanez) over trademark infringent in 1977.
History.
The Penco brand was of relatively high quality. Their acoustics were usually but not always made with laminated back and sides and often laminated tops. Penco made Martin and Gibson style acoustic guitars. Reverse engineered and built to spec, Penco produced some of the closest replicas of the Martin D-28, D-41, D-45, and D-45 12 models in existence today. Penco also made bolt neck copies of Gibson's Les Paul and SG guitars and basses, Rickenbacker 4001 basses, Fender Stratocaster/Fender Telecaster copies, Fender Jazz Bass copies; and the odd mandolin and banjo.
They also made 12-string acoustic guitars. The Penco brand was also put on "lawsuit" Korina-finished Gibson Explorer-styled guitars. These were identical to the Ibanez Destroyer and the Greco Destroyer of the same period. The Ibanez line was distributed on the West coast of the U.S., while the Greco was exclusively for Japan, and Penco was distributed on the East coast of the U.S. There is bit of variance between the Penco acoustic models depending on what year the guitar was manufactured. A Penco A22M may or may not have an adjustable saddle via thumbscrews. Also some of the models have book matched backs while others maybe tri-backed.
Penco acoustics had solid spruce tops and laminated backs and sides of maple or rosewood depending on the model. The A24 is a 12 string acoustic guitar, with a solid –but relatively thin– spruce top, rosewood sides and back and a mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard. They had a zero fret and a screw adjustable bridge modeled after the Gibson Heritage Jumbo bridge of that period. They sold new for around $140 in the mid 1970s. The A10 was a solid top AA or AAA size Rosewood Laminated back and possibly their first acoustic model.
Models.
Some of the models commercialised with the Penco brand were:


Kulamandan Shah Khad

Kulamandan Khand 'Shah' () was the first king of Kaski district and ancestor of the great king Prithivi Narayan Shah of Nepal.
Kulamandan conquered Kaski Kingdom and received the title of "Shah". His son Yashobrahma Shah succeeded him as the King of Lamjung and Kaski. His eldest son Narhari Shah became ruler of Lamjung while the second son ruled over Kaski. His youngest son, Dravya Shah ruled the Kingdom of Gorkha.
His successors are as follows:


Robert Townsend Farquhar

Sir Robert Townsend Farquhar, 1st Baronet (1776 – 16 March 1830) was an influential British merchant of the early nineteenth century who served as a colonial governor and Member of Parliament. During his lengthy service for both the East India Company and the British government, Farquhar gained a reputation as an efficient and ambitious administrator and he notably served as Lieutenant-Governor of Prince of Wales Island (Penang Island) from January 1804 to 1805 and as governor of Île de Bourbon, now known as Réunion from 1810 to 1811.
He was the 1st Governor of Mauritius from 4 December 1810 to 20 May 1823. During his tenure on Mauritius, Farquhar became well known for his operations against French slave traders, having previously investigated the possibility of replacing slaves with paid Chinese labourers. After returning to Britain Farquhar, who was made a baronet in 1821, sat in Parliament for Newton and later for Hythe.
Early life.
In 1787, at the age of 11, Farquhar joined Westminster School. He then took up the study of book-keeping under James Pierson of Castle Street. After this he joined the East India Company.
E. I. C. Ambonya.
Farquhar rose rapidly in the company and by the late 1790s was the commercial resident in Amboyna, a former Dutch colony seized during the French Revolutionary Wars.
Farquhar concluded treaties of Alliance and Commerce with the Sultans of Tidore (12 November 1801), Ternate (23 November 1801) and Batchian (30 January 1802), all of which the Madras Government dissolved. None of them are mentioned in Aitchison's "A Collection of Treaties, Engagements, and Sanads relating to India and neighbouring Countries," and can only be found at the National Archives (U.K., Ref. No. IOR/H/635).
In 1802, at the Peace of Amiens, Farquhar was charged with assessing British claims on the colony as it was returned to the Batavian Republic.
During his time at Amboyna, Farquhar earned the Governor of Madras' displeasure by exceeding his brief in initiating a successful attack on the Dutch settlement of Ternate after the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars. Demoted and sent back to London, Farquhar submitted his resignation together with a strongly worded letter of vindication to the Governor-General, Lord Wellesley. Impressed with Farquhar's initiative and direct approach, Wellesley offered him the governorship of Penang.
E. I.C. Lieutenant-Governor, Penang.
During his administration at Penang, Farquhar began public works activities to improve roads, water supply and the fortification of the settlement. Farquhar Street in Penang is named after him. Farquhar was responsible for the reconstruction of Fort Cornwallis at a cost of $80,000.
On 1 January 1804, Farquhar succeeded Sir George Alexander William Leith, as Lieutenant-Governor of Penang. Almost immediately upon assuming his new role, Farquhar began submitting a great many schemes for the improvement of the island, to his East India Company superiors in Bengal, which some have said, were near-impossible. These included turning Pulau Jerejak into a dock for building and refitting ships, buying a great deal of timber from Siam for that purpose; and a highly involved, complex and detailed plan to supply George Town with water from the waterfall gardens using a long brick channel, employing a hundred convicts to cut the canal, construct the aqueduct, lay earthenware pipes through the streets and tin pipes to conduct water to houses.
Farquhar worked out and submitted a long report ending with an estimate of $648,000 profit against an initial expenditure of $28,000, derived from taxing the public and shipping representatives for the use of the water, and from a 'money-exchange' revenue farm, at $4,000 a year. His plan to bring good, clean water into town was approved but the Board of Directors cautioned that the aqueduct would be better if made of clay to avoid disorganising the entire system in the event a brick or two became dislodged. The idea of taxing the company's own ships, it was felt, was unusual and it was noted that these had always enjoyed free water in the past, and instructed this to be removed from the revenue estimates. They further noted that it was unlikely for Malays, Chinese and other inhabitants of George Town to avail themselves of the channelled water owing to the presence of a good well in town, sufficient to their needs. The final nail in the coffin came when they asserted that taxation ought to be kept as low as it could to encourage settlers to come to the island.
It has been said that no other governor of Penang had deluded the Government of India into incurring the expense of practically worthless project than Farquahar, aided as he was, by what has been referred to as "his exrtraordinary system of book-keeping," that resulted in his short term being referred to as "The Age of Humbug."
In one instance, the return of trade showed 2,000 tons of black pepper exported without any drain on the Island, and the settlement 'daily increaring in population and elegance," apparently bringing Penang neck-and-neck with Acheen in the pepper trade race. Buoyed by this and other indicators of prosperity he provided to them, the Court of Directors in London decided to promote Penang to become India's 4th Presidency (after Bengal, Madras and Bombay). Philip Dundas was appointed to succeed Farquhar, and arrived with a large staff including three Council members, a Secretary, a Deputy Secretary (Stamford Raffles), a staff of writers, and their wives and dependants, aboard the Ganges, on 18th September, 1805. Not having been consulted, the residents, surprised, wondered where the revenue would come from to pay for all of this additional overhead.
He has even been called reckless. Christopher Smith, originally appointed as Botanist to explore the spice market (p 7/34), was in 1805, appointed Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens (1805-1806). He accumulated 71,266 nutmeg plants, 55,263 clove plants, as well as Canary Nut and Sugar Palm specimens, all of which Farquhar sold for $9,656, immediately upon the sudden death of Smith, shortly after his appointment to the Gardens.
Denouncing slavery.
Farquhar became interested in the labour problems that rose from the abolition of the slave trade in 1807, and published a scheme to replace African slaves with paid Chinese labourers entitled "Suggestions for counteracting any injurious effects upon the population of the West India colonies from the abolition of the slave trade", although the idea did not gain widespread support.
Bourbon and Mauritius.
In July 1810, Farquhar was ordered to accompany the fleet under Commodore Josias Rowley that was to invade the French colony of Île Bonaparte, known today as Réunion. The attack was successful and Farquhar remained on the island as governor, moving to Mauritius in December 1810 after a successful invasion of the island under Admiral Albemarle Bertie
During his time as governor of the Indian Ocean islands, Farquhar had extensive maritime charts made of the region and encouraged trade with Madagascar and Mozambique, occasionally with disastrous results for the traders involved. He also made significant military and diplomatic efforts to end the East African slave trade, aggressively deploying naval units against the French ships that carried the slaves and conducting treaties with Madagascar and Muscat.
Farquhar remained Governor on Mauritus for 13 years (although he took a leave of absence between 1817 and 1820) He resigned from the post in 1823 and returned to Britain.
Parliamentarian.
On 11 February 1825, Farquhar became Member of Parliament for Newton. He was Member for Hythe from 1826 (9 June) till his death in 1830 (succeeded by John Lock on 26 March).
Baronetcy.
From letters patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Robert Townsend Farquahar (Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Island of Mauritius) and his lawful male heirs, were granted the dignity of Baronet on 27 July 1821.
Family.
Farquhar was born Robert Farquhar, on 14 October 1776, the second son of Walter Farquhar (1738 – 1819), an eminent Scottish physician, and his wife Anne Harvie. He took for himself the name of Townsend, to be placed before Farquhar, on 19 July 1824, although he had begun using that name (Townsend) earlier on.
His elder brother was Sir Thomas Harvie Farquhar, 2nd bart. (1775-1836), and his younger, Walter Farquhar. He had four sisters who survived him. On 10 January 1809, he married Maria Frances Geslip de Lautour. His only legitimate son was Sir Walter Minto Townsend Farquhar, 2nd bart. (1809–66). His bastard son was Walter Farquhar Fullerton. In his will, he provided £500 for one George Harrison, ‘whom I have taken under my protection and educated’.
Representation in fiction.
He was depicted by Patrick O'Brian in the Mauritius Command as a competent political man, working well with the British military (army and navy) as well as with the local people being taken over by Britain.
Demise.
Robert Townsend Farquhar died at his home, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, London, on 16 March 1830, seven months shy of his 54th birthday.
At the time of his death he was a member of the board of directors of the East India Company, on which he had served on and off, by rotation, through the years since 1 March 1826; the Alliance British and Foreign Life and Fire Assurance Company; and member of Parliament for Hythe.
He had been a director of the Australian Agricultural Company, a member of the Royal Society, and was an Honorary Life Governor of the African Institution.


Prodyot Coomar Tagore

Maharaja Bahadur Sir Prodyot Coomar Tagore KCIE (17 September 1873 – 28 August 1942) was a leading land owner, philanthropist, art collector, and photographer in Kolkata, India. He belonged to the Pathuriaghata branch of the Tagore family.
Prodyot Coomar was the eldest son and heir of Sir Jatindramohan Tagore (1831–1908), who had been honoured with the hereditary title of "Maharaja Bahadur" in 1891. Like Jatindramohun himself, Prodyot Coomar was adopted. His biological father was Sourindra Mohan Tagore (1840–1915), who was Jatindramohun's brother. Prodyot Coomar's natural and adoptive fathers were men of "learning, taste and enlightenment". Sourindra Mohan was a distinguished musician and musical scholar.
Art and photography.
Gopi Mohan Tagore, Prodyot Coomar's great grandfather, had begun the Tagore family's art collection with the assistance of the British artist George Chinnery, who had visited Calcutta in 1803. Prodyot Coomar greatly expanded the collection, and at his death it was the largest collection of European art in India. Works by Van Dyck, Rubens, Constable, Veronese and Murillo as well as British painters who were active in Calcutta in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, such as Jacomb-Hood, Chinnery and Thomas Daniell, covered the walls of the Tagore palaces. In later life, Prodyot Coomar donated extensive collections of Company Paintings to the fledgling collection of the Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata. When the Tagore collection was finally dispersed in the 1950s, a number of pictures and drawings were acquired by the institution for its permanent collection.
In addition to being a collector Prodyot Coomar was an active patron and artist himself. He was a keen photographer, and in 1898 was the first Indian to be elected a fellow of the British Royal Photographic Society. He maintained a studio in his Tagore Castle residence, and exhibited in Kolkata. He was the founder and first President of the Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta, a trustee and Chairman of the Indian Museum and a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Public life.
The Maharaja was active in public life. He was a Commissioner of the Corporation of Calcutta, a Governor of the Mayo Hospital, and a member of the Bengal Legislative Council. From 1899 to 1911, he was the Secretary of the British Indian Association, an organization of wealthy landowners which represented their own and Indian interests in general to the British administration.
Prodyot Coomar Tagore represented the city of Calcutta at the coronation of Edward VII in 1902, one of fifteen "Indian Representatives of British Indian Provinces" to be present at the coronation in Westminster Abbey. When George V visited India in 1905, Tagore was the Secretary of the Imperial Reception Committee. During the King's stop in Kolkata, he gave a "lavish and extensive entertainment" on the maidan for him. He was knighted in May 1906 by the Prince of Wales (later George V), and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) in the 1936 Birthday Honours.
The Tagores built a number of extravagant palaces in Kolkata and elsewhere. Prodyot Coomar Tagore divided his time between Tagore Castle, a fanciful imitation of European castles; The Prasad nearby, now used by the United Nations; and Emerald Bower, a country estate now part of Rabindra Bharati University.
Prodyot Coomar Tagore died on 28 August 1942 in Varanasi.


Bomubogor

Prince Xiang of the First Rank, or simply Prince Xiang, was the title of a princely peerage used in China during the Manchu-led Qing dynasty (1644–1912). As the Prince Xiang peerage was not awarded "iron-cap" status, this meant that each successive bearer of the title would normally start off with a title downgraded by one rank "vis-à-vis" that held by his predecessor. However, the title would generally not be downgraded to any lower than a "feng'en fuguo gong" except under special circumstances.
The sole bearer of the title was Bombogoor (,20 January 1642 – 22 August 1656), the Hong Taiji's 11th son, who was made "Prince Xiang of the First Rank" in 1655. Bombogoor died without an heir and had not adopted any children, leaving the peerage extinct. Bombogor was honoured with the title "Prince Xiangzhao of the First Rank" (和硕襄昭亲王, "xiangzhao" meaning "helpful and luminous").


Calapan Cathedral

Calapan Cathedral (), also known as the Santo Niño Cathedral Parish (), is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, dedicated to the Santo Niño. It is the episcopal seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan and is a marked historical structure by the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
History.
The church and parish mission of Calapan was founded in 1679 by Fr. Diego de la Madre de Dios, an Augustinian Recollect. Under Fr. de la Madre de Dios, the church was fortified with stone walls. Due to frequent Moro raids in the island, two watchtowers and twenty cannons were also installed in the church and its environs. In another Moro raid on October 23, 1754, Fr. Andres de Jesus y Maria, then the parish priest of Calapan, and many people taking refuge in the church, were taken as hostages and were brought to Mindanao. In August 1881, the church was burned, and was reconstructed in 1887. Revolutionists in 1898 prior to the Philippine-American War occupied the church. In 1936, the Apostolic Prefecture of Mindoro, then comprising the present-day provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro and Romblon, was carved from the territories of the dioceses of Jaro and Lipa. Towards the end of the World War II in 1945, the church this time was occupied by the Americans and was turned over to the Filipinos in the same year. In 1951, the apostolic prefecture was elevated to Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan. In 1962, the present cathedral was finished. The Calapan vicariate subsequently lost territories to establish the Diocese of Romblon in 1974 and the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Mindoro in 1983.


Alex Pilibos

Alex Pilibos (Armenian: Ալեքս Փիլիպոս; November 15, 1888 in Kharpert – December 1966, in Fresno) was a prominent philanthropist, businessman, large-scale grower of melons and founder of the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School. He was believed to be one of the largest producers of cantaloupe in California.
Life.
Of Armenian descent, Alex Pilibos was born in Kharpert, Mamuret-ul-Aziz Vilayet, Ottoman Empire in 1888. In 1905 Pilibos settled in Fresno, California. Alex Pilibos was asked by his father to buy land in the San Joaquin Valley. After buying land and starting a farm, Pilibos studied engineering at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He also attended law school at USC, where his roommate was William Saroyan's uncle Aram Saroyan. Pilibos went into the farming business in the Imperial Valley with partners Arpaxad Setrakian and Harry Karian, both of whom later became large landowners on their own (Karian in the Coachella Valley and Setrakian in the San Joaquin Valley). In the late 1940s, Pilibos and his younger brother Stephen established a successful melon production and packaging company in the Mendota area. His farm was located near El Centro, California and was 400 acres.
The brothers introduced new varieties of melons from seeds they brought from Syria. They developed new packaging for melons and made improvements in both melon varieties and the packaging to meet market demands. Stephen Pilibos, developed grading and sorting machinery to improve the packing process.
He was a committee member of the Western Growers Association.
An avid deep sea fisherman and power boat enthusiast, he maintained a house on Lido Isle, in Newport Beach, Calif.
He died in Fresno, California in 1966.
Philanthropy.
Alex Pilibos was a philanthropist who established the Armenian Educational Foundation and also supported the California Armenian Home and Armenian orphanages in Syria, Cyprus and Greece.
After the death of Alex Pilibos, his wife, Rose provided the funds for the establishment of the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School in 1969. His brother Stephen and sister-in-law Lucille have both supported the school.


Shangjing, Zhejiang

 () is a village located in Tangxi (), Wucheng District, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, China. It is situated about 30km to the west of downtown Jinhua and 2.5 km away from the town of Tangxi. The village is bordered by Yue Stream () in the east, Houdayuan Stream () in the south, and Jiufeng Mountain () in the west. The village was formerly known as Fenglinzhuang () or "Maple Forest Village" and changed to the current name due to its "wind and water favourable" location, according to the principles of fengshui characteristics.
Architecture.
Shangjing still preserves more than 50 ancient houses and 20 historic grand halls that can be dated back to Ming and Qing Dynasties. The village’s buildings are of a typical Wu-style and feature white walls, black tiles ornate wooden cornices, high doors, and lattice windows. Its wood carvings and tile carvings are typical elements of ancient Chinese architecture. Among them is the provincially unique five-room ancestral hall, known as Lui Clan Ancestral Hall, and six other architectural sites: Baishun Hall, Liuji Hall, Qianji Hall, Xizhen Lane, and Folk House 48 (the Upstairs Hall). The Trail Gate Tower, Dragon Eye Well and Lui Clan Ancestral Grave were all named the "Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units" in January 2017.
List of Historic sites in Shangjing.
Liu Clan Ancestral Hall.
The hall was initially built in 1264 and reconstructed in 1627 by order of Tianqi Emperor. The whole building is a south oriented three-hall construction covering an area of nearly 3000 square meters. Having a grand door lintel and delicately-carved wooden brackets, the hall assumes an architectural style that is quite rare in the province and earns it the reputation of the main Ancestral Temple of Tangxi. Liu Clan Ancestral Hall is one of the “two and half ancestral halls” widely known in Jinhua. The complex has been listed as a “Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit” in Zhejiang.
Screen Wall of Auspiciousness.
The screen wall is a brick construction consisting of a pedestal, a body, a top and a Chinese character "" (, meaning "blessing") in the middle. Screen walls of auspiciousness like this were very popular in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) and acted as screen against the penetration of wind and evil and the dissipation of qi. On the right side of the wall is a deer, which in Chinese is homophonic to "" () meaning "wealth". On the left side is a crane implying longevity. These carvings together with peaches and old men around the wall and on four corners convey a wish of auspiciousness, wealth, and longevity.
Chengqi Hall Site.
Chengqi Hall was built in the early Ming Dynasty. "" () means "taking over from the past and setting a new course for the future; glorifying forefathers and enriching posterity". It was said that Chengqi Hall was built by the eldest (Liu Fushigong) of three brothers, who belong to the Fu generation of Liu clan. The building is structurally compact and delicate, using brick beams and columns near the wall of the hall. So the hall is also known as brick hall. Now only the eastern rooms remain.
Lamei Hall.
The whole building faces south and has two storeys. With the gate, hallways and back room co-axially arranged, the first floor is wide and bright and used for the display and sales of food and local specialties. The second floor is clean and spacious and offers an excellent view, and now is used as a lounge where visitors can watch all kinds of performances put on outside down on the ground.
Chongli Hall.
Chongli Hall was initially built from 1457 to 1464. It is a three-hall construction facing south and located on the head of the boat-shaped village, and is characterized by a unique two-homocentric squares courtyard in the middle. The pond in front of the gate is called "Up Water Pond" (or Shangshui Pond), which together with the building forms a fengshui pattern called "Zhuque" (firebird) – "Xuanwu" (dragon tortoise) (i.e. a spatial layout) and acts for fire prevention purpose.
Baishun Hall.
Baishun Hall was initially built between 1403 and 1424, and is also known as Lower Hall. It was built by the second elder brother (Liu Fushiwugong) of three brothers who belong to the Fu generation of Liu clan, and has a history of 600 years. Oriented south, the whole building is a brick beam-column, three-hall three-courtyard construction, carrying a plain but lofty brick carving of " () on the arch. The central bay has a removable stage, and rooms on the left and right sides are made into elevated balconies for high officials and noble lords to watch the performance do recreational activities. Large timber is used in the middle hall, with beams and columns up to 60 cm in diameter. The hall is three-room wide and nine-purlin deep, which was typical in Ming Dynasty. Baishun Hall is the biggest among the “36 halls” so far preserved in Shangjing Village and appears on the list of Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.
Liuji Hall.
Liuji Hall was built with the financial support of Liu Zhaogan, the Grand Preceptor of Emperor Jiaqing. The whole building is southwest oriented. It covers an area of 306m2, and appears on the list of Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units. The lintel of the gate is engraved with " () as well as various auspicious patterns. On the bottom left of the gate are horse and monkey carvings, implying quick promotion, and on the bottom right are deer and crane carvings, implying eternal prosperity. The hall is three-room wide and is connected with walls on both sides, and each wall has a side door to form a courtyard. Inside the hall preserved wood carvings with animate figures of characters, flowers and vases.
Tail Gate Tower.
Tail Gate tower is one of the bridge galleries built over a street. In Shangjing Village, there are two kinds of gate towers, i.e. the Head Gate Tower and the Tail Gate Tower, both of which act together to connect two relatively independent houses and make them look integrated. With arches, "women needn’t walk on the road and shoes won\t be dampened on a rainy day". They also provide a space for folks to chitchat. The Tail Gate Tower was built in Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty and has been listed as a Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.
Yuanji Hall.
Yuanji Hall was built by Liu Weicheng, the grandfather of Liu Zhaogan. Because of the meritorious services by his grandson Liu Zhaogan, he was honored with the title of "Fengzhi Dafu" and granted the entitlement to Level-5 official welfare by order of Emperor Jiaqing. Yuanji Hall opens its gate to the west and was previously guarded with a pair of drum-shaped bearing stones (destroyed after liberation). The hall currently is a 3D experience house exhibiting fairy tales and legends from all around the world and offering visitors an extraordinary cultural experience.
Liu Zhaogan’s Former Residence.
Liu Zhaogan, who was nicknamed “White Duck”, earned his certified student title at the age of eight, the first-degree scholar title at the age of thirteen, and became the Grand Preceptor of the then-Prince Jiaqing during the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. The gate is wide, featuring wide head and narrow tail for the purpose of preventing dissipation of Qi. A pair of drum-shaped bearing stones, which was a typical indication of the architectural class and family status of dignitaries in the Qing Dynasty, is placed apart on both sides. The gate used to carry a plaque of " () which is missing now. The central room is decorated with a caisson ceiling and lattices on doors and windows are also elaborately designed and carved. The sparrow braces above the gourd beam are carved with two animate goldfish, symbolizing auspiciousness and richness, and the beautiful lotus on the brackets implies the identity of the house owner.
Sutra Hall Site.
Sutra Hall, also known as Fuqing Temple, was the place where natives prayed to Buddha for help. In addition to the statues of Maitreya Buddha, Weituo Bodhisattva, the Four Guardians, Avalokitesvara (or Guanyin), Tathagata, and the Eighteen Disciples of the Buddha, it used to enshrine the Goddess of Birth (whom ancient women frequently visited to pray for a son), Lord Guan, and God of Wealth. Four characters " () are still faintly discernible above the lintel of the west door. Compared with the past prosperity, now only the ruins remain.
History.
The village was founded in 1048 when Liu Qing, the first ancestor of the Liu clan, settled there, the clan has been living in the village for 36 generations. The village is surrounded by two streams, called Dongzhen () and Xizhen (), respectively and dotted with ancient alleys, houses, halls, and wells here and there.
The village is known for its cultural heritage, farming tradition, tea plantation, historical buildings, traditional dishes, traditional dances and costumes, and sites such as the Xifen artificial lake and a 1500 year old Buddhist temple near Jiufeng Mountain.
Apart from its signature Jinhua ham the village itself is known for its traditional dishes such as cow's hoof (), fish (), fried chicken () and cold noodles ().
Transportation.
Jinhua is approximately four hours by car from Shanghai. There is also the G-train (Gaotie High speed train) which takes approximately 2 hours to get to Jinhua Railway Station. There is a public bus to Tangxi town and another bus straight to the village. The village is close to Tangxi and there are footpaths and road links to the village.


Draupathi (2020 film)

Draupathi is a 2020 Indian Tamil-language action drama film directed and produced by Washermanpet based director, Mohan G Kshatriyan. The film features Richard Rishi and Sheela Rajkumar in the lead roles, with K.S.G. Venkatesh, Karunas, and Nishanth in supporting roles. The music of the film was composed by Jubin and cinematography was performed by Manoj Narayan and edited by Devaraj S. The film is a crowd funding project. "Draupathi" was released theatrically on 28 February 2020.
Production.
This film marks the second collaboration between the director Mohan and Richard Rishi after "Pazhaya Vannarapettai". The film was shot in Chennai, Vellore, Viluppuram and Ariyalur and will be set in northern Tamil Nadu. The film had to be crowdfunded as no producer was willing to produce the film fearing it would incite controversy.
Soundtrack.
The soundtrack of the film was composed by Jubin. The audio rights was secured by MRT Studios.
The film's first single, titled "Kanna Moochi Aatam" which is sung by Velmurugan and lyrics by Pattinathar and Mohan.G was released 9 October 2019. Another song "Kukukukku" song lyrics was penned by Manikandan Priya.
Promotion and release.
The official trailer of the film was released by Lahari Music on 3 January 2020.
Home media.
The satellite rights of the film was sold to Star Vijay.
Reception.
Critical reception.
Akshay Kumar of Dina Thanthi "group in DTNEXT says ""Director Mohan has walked the tight-rope of a social message movie laced with casteism and almost manages to make the film un-polarized".""
Priyanka Thirumurthy of "The News Minute" gave it 1 out of 5 stars, claiming it was almost like the movie was "birthed on allegations by PMK Chief S Ramdoss" who claimed Dalit men were luring Vanniyar women with "jeans, T-shirts and fancy sunglasses" back in 2012.
"The Indian Express" Navien Darshan gave the movie a 1.5/5, calling the movie for trying to "brainwash" what he called "a naeive audience possessing a shallow idea about casteism" and called out the directors for painting a single community (Dalits) as being the organizers of the marriage racket, closing by saying "the only thing people must be separated from is such works of hatred."
"The Hindu's" Srinivasa Ramanujan claimed the movie was "A bland outing that has very few cherishable moments," and called it "farcical" that the movie lasted 2.5 hours to show the audience a change in attitude, although he noted that the movie was not as blatantly casteist as the trailer made it out to be.
"The Times of India" critic M. Suganth gave it 2.5/5, claiming the first half had a "vigilante thriller" vibe and was interesting, but the second half became more about a message and the story got lost in narration.
"Sify.com" gave it 2/5, claiming that Draupathi is an average drama shedding light on an unknown crime in society.
Indiaglitz gave 2.5/5 stating that "What works best in 'Draupathi' is the first half which plays out like a murder mystery thriller with a vigilante touch."
"Behindwoods" rated 2.25/5 stating that "The film focuses on a serious problem of fraudulent legal marriages but fails to deliver the desired impact due to the wrongful stereotyping of a particular group".
"Ananda Vikatan" gave the film a rating of 29 marks out of 100, the magazine's lowest rating given to a film in the past 20 years.


Vice-Presidential Edict No.X

Vice Presidential Edict No. X () was an edict issued by Indonesian Vice-president Mohammad Hatta on 16 October 1945 which gave the Central Indonesian National Committee (KNIP), initially a purely advisory body, the authority to become the legislative body of the government.
Background.
Following the 17 August 1945 Indonesian Declaration of Independence, on 29 August, the Central Indonesian National Committee (, KNIP) was established to replace the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) in line with the transitional provisions of the provisional Constitution of Indonesia. Under these provisions, the KNIP was an advisory body pending the election of the legislature, the People's Representative Council (DPR). However the KNIP had no legislative authority as all power was vested in the hands of the president. It comprised 135 members appointed by President Sukarno aided by Vice-president Hatta, including the entire membership of the PPKI.
Resentment over the composition of the cabinet, which was dominated by men who had cooperated with the Japanese during the occupation, and the authoritarian presidential system led to some KNIP members, including former underground figures Sutan Sjahrir and Amir Sjarifuddin, deciding to establish a more democratic system. On 7 October, a petition with 50 signatures demanding legislative powers for the KNIP was handed to Sukarno and Hatta. Both men agreed to implement this change, and on 16 October Hatta issued an edict on behalf of himself and Sukarno giving the KNIP joint legislative powers with the president. The KNIP was to delegate these powers to a Working Committee comprising members of the KNIP which would meet at least once every ten days.
The edict.
The edict read as follows:
Aftermath.
On 11 November, the KNIP, demanded the cabinet answer to it, rather to President Sukarno. In response, Sukarno dissolved the cabinet, and on 14 November a new cabinet was announced, with Sjahrir as prime minister and Amir as defense minister. In practice this meant that the 1945 Constitution was suspended, although it officially remained in force.
Numbering.
The "X" in the edict does not mean "10". According to Hatta, when the edit was issued, State Secretary Gafar had forgotten to bring the list of numbers used for such documents, so the edit was temporarily numbered "X" until the correct number was determined. However, as the edict was published as "Number X", and as people assumed this was the final title, the State Secretariat felt it was too late to change it.


Perunggit

Tuanku Panglima Perunggit, also titled Kejuruan Padang, was the second ruler (1641–1700) of the Sultanate of Deli (now in North Sumatra, Indonesia). He continued the rule of his father Tuanku Panglima Gocah Pahlawan, who was the representative commander ("wali negara") of the Aceh Sultanate to rule former area of the conquered Aru Kingdom. His mother's name was Putri Nang Bulan beru Surbakti, a sister of the Sunggal chieftain (Karo: "raja urung"), Datuk Itam Surbakti, one of the rulers of the Karo people in Deli Tua.
As the Aceh Sultanate's influence was then weakening in various regions of Sumatra, Perunggit took the opportunity to make Deli independent. He first gained support from the Dutch East India Company in Malacca, and in 1667 sent envoys directly to its headquarters in Batavia. In 1669, Perunggit announced that Deli was independent from Aceh's realm.
Perunggit was married to the sister of the Sukapiring chieftain. After he died, his rule was continued by his son, Tuanku Panglima Paderap.