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Sholapith
Sholapith or shola pith (also referred to as shola and Indian cork) is a dried milky-white spongey plant matter from ''Aeschynomene'' species. It can be pressed and shaped into objects of art, or for practical use. It is the "pith" used for pith helmets, so giving them their name. ''Aeschynomene'' The useful part of this plant is the wood (secondary-xylem) of the stem. This wood is often mistaken as the pith. The wood of ''Aeschynomene'' is among the world's lightest. Shola grows wild in marshy waterlogged areas. The biological name of shola is '' Aeschynomene aspera'' of the bean family. It is an herbaceous plant, which grows especially in the marshy areas of Bengal, Assam, Odisha and the Deccan. The sholapith is the cortex of the plant and is about 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) across. Crafts Traditionally sholapith products have been used for decorating Hindu idols and creating the headgear of brides and grooms for a traditional Bengali wedding. In more recent times, sholapit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Topor (headgear)
A topor ( bn, টোপর) is a type of conical headgear traditionally worn by grooms as part of the Bengali Hindu wedding ceremony. The topor is typically fragile, made of sholapith and white in colour. The topor is traditionally given to the groom by the bride's family. The groom dons the topor before the main ceremony begins. It is believed to bring good luck. Brides will typically wear related, but differently-shaped, headgear ( bn, মুকুট, mukut). Topors are also worn by infant boys as part of the annaprashana The Annaprashana ( sa, अन्नप्राशन, , bn, অন্নপ্রাশন, ) also known as Annaprashana vidhi, Annaprasan or Anna-prasanam, is a Hindu rite of passage (Saṃskāra) that marks an infant's first intake of food ot ... ceremony, when they are dressed like grooms. Religious significance According to a legend associated with it, it is evident that the Topor was crafted because Lord Shiva wanted to wear a special headwear for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pith Helmet
The pith helmet, also known as the safari helmet, salacot, sola topee, sun helmet, topee, and topi) is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of sholapith. The pith helmet originates from the Spanish Empire, Spanish military adaptation of the native ''salakot'' headgear of the Philippines. It was often worn by European travellers and explorers, in the varying climates found in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the tropics, but was also used in many other contexts. It was routinely issued to European military personnel serving overseas in hot climates from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Definition Typically, a pith helmet derives from either the sola plant, ''Aeschynomene aspera'', an Indian swamp plant, or from ''Aeschynomene paludosa''. In the narrow definition, a pith helmet is technically a type of sun helmet made out of pith material. However, the pith helmet may more broadly refer to the particular style of helmet. In this case, a pith helmet can be made out o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aeschynomene Aspera
''Aeschynomene aspera'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is also known by the names sola (''Odia'' ସୋଲ), shola (''Bengali'' শোলা) sola pith plant, pith plant, laugauni (Hindi) ponguchedi (Malayalam) or Netti (Tamil). Pith of low density from this plant is used to make hats known as pith helmets or sola topis. It is native to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is an aquatic plant and is considered a minor weed of rice paddies across its range. Used part From the biological viewpoint, the used part is the wood of the stem (often mistaken as pith, but it is not). Aeschynomene sp. woods is one of the lightest woods in the world. Aeschynomene woods feel like a piece of thermocol or even lighter, and have a corky texture. It is bright white to off-white (white with a slight reddish or yellowish tinge) in color. This corky material is used to make some ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Murshidabad
Murshidabad fa, مرشد آباد (, or ) is a historical city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, a distributary of the Ganges. It forms part of the Murshidabad district. During the 18th century, Murshidabad was a prosperous city. It was the capital of the Bengal Subah in the Mughal Empire for seventy years, with a jurisdiction covering modern-day Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. It was the seat of the hereditary Nawab of Bengal and the state's treasury, revenue office and judiciary. Bengal was the richest Mughal province. Murshidabad was a cosmopolitan city. Its population peaked at 10,000 in the 1750s. It was home to wealthy banking and merchant families from different parts of the Indian subcontinent and wider Eurasia, including the Jagat Seth and Armenians. European companies, including the British East India Company, the French East India Company, the Dutch East India Compa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Birbhum District
Birbhum district () is an District#India, administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division—one of the five Divisions of West Bengal, administrative divisions of West Bengal. The district headquarters is in Suri, Birbhum, Suri. Other important cities are Bolpur, Rampurhat and Sainthia. Jamtara district, Jamtara, Dumka district, Dumka and Pakur district, Pakur districts of the state of Jharkhand lie at the western border of this district; the border in other directions is covered by the districts of Bardhaman district, Bardhaman and Murshidabad district, Murshidabad of West Bengal. Often called "the land of red soil",Rahim, Kazi MB, and Sarkar, Debasish, ''Agriculture, Technology, Products and Markets of Birbhum District'', ''Paschim Banga'', Birbhum Special Issue, pp. 157–166, Information and Cultural Department, Government of West Bengal. Birbhum is noted for its topography and its cultural heritage which is somewhat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nadia District
Nadia () is a district in the state of West Bengal, India. It borders Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Purba Bardhaman to the west, and Murshidabad to the north. Nadia district is highly influential in the cultural history of Bengal. The standard version of Bengali, developed in the 19th century, is based off the dialect spoken around Nadia. Known as the "Oxford of Bengal", Nabadwip made many contributions to Indian philosophy, such as the Navya-Nyaya system of logic and is the birthplace of the Vaishnava saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The district is still largely agricultural. Etymology "Nadia" is a shortened form of Nabadwip, the name for a historic city in the district. Nabadwip, literally "new island", was formerly an island created by alluvial deposits of the Ganga. Geography Nadia district is located in southern West Bengal, in the west-central Bengal region. The district is largely alluvial plain, formed by the constant sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hooghly District
Hooghly district () is one of the districts of the Indian state of West Bengal. It can alternatively be spelt ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli''. The district is named after the Hooghly River. The headquarters of the district are at Hooghly-Chinsura (''Chuchura''). There are four subdivisions: Chinsurah Sadar, Srirampore, Chandannagore, and Arambagh. History The district of Hooghly derived its name from the town of Hooghly on the west bank of the Hugli River about 40 km north of Kolkata. This town was a major river port for trade in India before colonialism. The district has thousands of years of rich heritage as part of the Bengali kingdom of Bhurshut. The first European to reach this area was the Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama. In 1536 Portuguese traders obtained a permit from Sultan Mahmud Shah to trade in this area. In those days the Hooghly River was the main route for transportation and Hooghly served as an excellent trading port. Within a few decades, the town of Hoog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Malda District
Malda district, also spelt Maldah or Maldaha (, , often ), is a district in West Bengal, India. It lies 347 km (215 miles) north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Mango, jute and silk are the most notable products of this district. The special variety of mango, Fazli, produced in this region is popularly known by the name of the district and is exported across the world and is internationally acclaimed. The folk culture of gombhira is a feature of the district, being a unique way of representation of joy and sorrow in daily life of the common people, as well as the unique medium of presentation on national and international matters. According to the National Investigation Agency Malda is believed to be a hub of a fake currency racket. It is reported that 90 percent of the fake currency that enters India originates in Malda. The headquarters of Malda district is in English Bazar, also known as ''Malda'', which was once the capital of Bengal. The district maintains ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aeschynomene
''Aeschynomene'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, and was recently assigned to the informal monophyletic ''Dalbergia'' clade of the Dalbergieae. They are known commonly as jointvetches. These legumes are most common in warm regions and many species are aquatic. The genus as currently circumscribed is paraphyletic and it has been suggested that the subgenus ''Ochopodium'' be elevated to a new genus within the Dalbergieae, though other changes will also be required to render the genus monophyletic. Species ''Aeschynomene'' comprises the following species: * '' Aeschynomene abyssinica'' (A. Rich.) Vatke * ''Aeschynomene acapulcensis'' Rose * ''Aeschynomene acutangula'' Baker * ''Aeschynomene afraspera'' J. Léonard * ''Aeschynomene americana'' L.—shyleaf ** var. ''americana'' L. ** var. ''flabellata'' Rudd ** var. ''glandulosa'' (Poir.) Rudd * '' Aeschynomene amorphoides'' (S. Watson) Robinson * '' Aeschynomene angolense'' Rossberg * '' Aeschynomene aphylla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Howdah
A howdah, or houdah (Hindi: हौदा ''haudā''), derived from the Arabic (hawdaj), which means "bed carried by a camel", also known as ''hathi howdah'' (''hāthī haudā'', हाथी हौदा), is a carriage which is positioned on the back of an elephant, or occasionally some other animal such as a camel, used most often in the past to carry wealthy people during progresses or processions, hunting or in warfare. It was also a symbol of wealth for the owner and as a result might be elaborately decorated, even with expensive gemstones. Notable howdahs are the Golden Howdah, on display at the Napier Museum at Thiruvananthapuram, which was used by the Maharaja of Travancore and that used traditionally during the Elephant Procession of the famous Mysore Dasara. The Mehrangarh Fort Museum in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, has a gallery of royal howdahs. Today, howdahs are used mainly for tourist or commercial purposes in South East Asia and are the subject of controversy as ani ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South 24 Parganas
South 24 Parganas (Pron: pɔrɡɔnɔs; abbr. 24 PGS (S)), or sometimes South Twenty Four Parganas and Dakshin 24 Parganas, is a district in the Indian state of West Bengal, headquartered in Alipore. It is the largest district of West Bengal by area and second largest by population. It is the sixth most populous district in India (out of 640). On one side of the district there is the urban fringe of Kolkata, and on the other the remote riverine villages in the Sundarbans. History Originally, the capital of Raja Bikramaditya and Maharaja Pratapaditya was at Dhumghat. Later it was transferred to Ishwaripur (Originated from the name Jeshoreshwaripur). Maharaja Pratapaditya declared the independence of South Bengal from the Mughal Empire. Pratapaditya's father Shrihari (Shridhar), a Kayastha, was an influential officer in the service of Daud Khan Karrani. Upon the fall of Daud, he fled with the government treasure in his custody. He then, in 1574, set up a kingdom for himself in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
