1912 photos of Calcutta found in a Peter Lord shoebox in Edinburgh

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Amazing collection of photographs depicting life in India a century ago are found in an old shoebox. A tennis party pose among tea trolleys: full-length dresses and sun hats for the ladies; shirt-sleeve order, neat moustaches and optional pipe for the men.

One image shows buildings in the city of Calcutta lit up over the Lal Dighi body of water, commemorating a British royal visit, while another depicts ships arriving at the Chandpal Ghat, the main landing site for visitors to the city along the Hooghly River.

All 178 of the plate-glass negatives were found inside a size-nine Peter Lord shoebox by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) in Edinburgh. All 178 images were found in a Peter Lord shoebox in Edinburgh and are about 100 years old.

A tennis party poses (one, far right, with a pipe) among tea trolleys in this
photo taken in India around a century ago.


Two men stick dance in front of a crowd in Maidan, Calcutta. The dance
represents a mock fight between legendary warrior Durga and the mighty
demon king Mahishasura.


Buildings on the south-east side of Lal Dighi, Calcutta, lit at night for the
1912 British royal visit by King George V and Queen Mary.


Archivists have confirmed some of the images were definitely taken in 1912,
when the royals visited. It was the only trip by a British monarch to India
as Emperor of the subcontinent.


King George V and the Queen arrive in Delhi in 1911.


A crowded riverside with bathers at Chandpal Ghat in Calcutta, the main
landing site for visitors to the city along the Hooghly River.


A street scene in an unknown location, capturing life in India at least
a century ago.


Ships arriving at Chandpal Ghat, while crowds gather by the docks.


A Jain temple complex in Calcutta. RCAHMS hopes that members of the
public and photography enthusiasts might be able to shed more light on the
photographic discovery.


A street hairdresser giving a 'Hindustani haircut' (pudding bowl)
in Strand Road South, Calcutta.


Celebrations for the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Calcutta in 1912.

A Muhurram (sacred month) procession through a crowded Calcutta street
with tazieh theatre performance in the background. Tazieh drama re-enacts heroic
tales of love and sacrifice.


Calcutta is lit up for the royal visit; right, a group seated in two ferry canoes moored in a stream at an unknown location.


Waterside with a group of washermen at a dhobi ghat (open-air laundry zone.

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Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad

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Falaknuma Palace is one of the finest palaces in Hyderabad, India belonging to the Paigahs but later owned by the Nizams. It is located on a 32 acre, 19400 sqaure meters area in Falaknuma, 5 km from Charminar. It was built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra, the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad. Falak-numa literally means “Like the Sky” or “Mirror of the Sky” in Urdu.

In 2000 Taj Hotels started renovating and restoring it. The new renovated hotel was opened in November, 2010 as “Taj Falaknuma Palace”. The rooms and halls were decorated with ornate furniture, rich handcrafted tapestries and brocade from France. The interiors are a splendid interplay of Venetian chandeliers and intricate frescos, and have charming outdoor terraces, and a treasure of rare artefacts,including paintings, statues, furniture, manuscripts and books. The palace also has a 101-seat dining hall, considered as world’s largest, and the Durbar Hall.

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WHOEVER DISCOVERED:
Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. What it will do is what some call 'turning to sugar'. In reality, honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will "crystallize". When this happens, loosen the lid, boil some water and sit the honey container in the hot water, but turn off the heat and let it liquefy naturally. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. This will kill the enzymes in the honey.

FACTS OF HONEY AND CINNAMON COMBINATION:
It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, when it is taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon, as researched by western scientists.

HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply it on bread instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, when they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins.

ARTHRITIS:
Arthritis patients may take daily (morning and night) one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain -- and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from its root.

GAS:
According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

RASPY OR SORE THROAT:
When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms.

PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month.

FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.

BAD BREATH:
People of South America, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in the morning so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

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Exotic Tropical Fruits of Philippines

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The tropical climate of the Philippines makes it possible for the soil to grow some delicious exotic fruits. Most of these exotic fruits are of South American origin and brought here by the West Indians, Spanish or the Americans. These heavenly fruits can be found fresh in the local market for cheap prices. Some of the fruits mentioned are only available seasonally.

1. Philippine Mangoes

Undeniably Philippine mangoes are the sweetest and juiciest in the world. Recorded in the 1995 World Guinness Book of Records as the sweetest fruit. The sweetest mangoes come from the province of Zambales and Guimaras in IloIlo.

There is a wide variety of mangoes in the Philippines but the most popular and the sweetest is the "Kalabaw" variety. Locals eat unripe green mangoes with bagoong (shrimp paste) although this maybe an usually acquired taste. Green mangoes are great with vodka as cocktails!

2. Rambutan Sweet and juicy when fresh. Rambutan literally means hairy caused by the 'hair' that covers this fruit.

3. Avocado Very refreshing as fruit shake. Try if you can find avocado flavored ice-cream in the local groceries. Arce is a good brand of local ice cream. They use local fruits as flavor. Avocado is cheap in the Philippines. You can buy them at 1$USD for a kilo and when in season they can go as low as .50$USD per kilo!

4. Lanzones Sweet and succulent little round fruits. The sweetest lanzones come from the province of Camiguin, where they hold an annual festival celebrating the lanzones fruit.

5. Durian The king of Tropical fruits found it's way in the Philippines through our neighboring countries. Known for its large size and unique aroma. Some people regard the durian as fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and offensive. The 19th-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace famously described its flesh as "a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds". The province of Davao in Mindanao is home to durian farms.

6. Langka (Jackfruit) When ripe this fruit is very sweet and has a very aromatic flavor. It also widely used as cooking ingredient for local desserts such as ginataan and turon.

7. Atis (Sugar Apple) Very sweet and creamy. It's a little bit of effort to eat this fruit as they have a lot of seeds. The fruit flesh is sweet, white to light yellow, and resembles and tastes like custard. The edible portion coats the seeds generously; a bit like the gooey portion of a tomato seed. Sugar-apple has a very distinct, sweet-smelling fragrance.

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WONDER OF THE NEEM TREE

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FACTS:

• The Neem tree is a fast growing evergreen that is native to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. This amazing tree is claimed to treat forty different diseases.
• The use of neem as a medicinal herb dates back over 5,000 years. Today it’s benefits have been proven by scientific research and clinical trials.
• To give you an idea of the healing powers of the neem tree, here are a few names that the people of India have given it, Divine Tree, Village Pharmacy, Heal All and Nature's Drugstore.

DIABETES
In treating diabetes, neem has been found to actually reduce the insulin requirements by as much as 50% without altering the blood glucose levels. Take 3 to 5 drops internally each day.

BLOOD DISEASES
Neem cleanses the blood, stimulates antibody protection and strengthens the immune system which improves the bodies resistance to many diseases.

MOUTH INFECTIONS
Used as a mouth wash it treats infections, mouth ulcers, bleeding sore gums and will even help prevent tooth decay!

PINK EYES
For pink eye the juice of neem leaves can be used as eye drops, warm 5-10 ml and apply several drops.

JAUNDICE
To treat jaundice, mix 30 ml of neem juice with 15 ml of honey, take on an empty stomach for seven days.

BURNING SENSATIONS
If you suffer from burning sensations and excessive sweating, add 5 to 10 drops of neem oil in a glass of milk before going to bed.

ACNE
For acne problems take 2 capsules twice daily, you will start to see results within a few days.

SINUSITIS
For sinusitis, plain pure neem oil can be used as nasal drops. Use tow drops twice daily, morning and evening.

ATHLETES FOOT
For athletes foot, soak feet in warm water with 15 ml of neem oil.

EAR-ACHES
Neem oil will quickly stop earaches, just warm some oil and apply a few drops into the ear.

LICES
To kill head lice, neem oil should be massaged into the scalp and left on over night. Shampoo your hair as usual the next morning.

INFLUENZA
Drinking neem tea during an outbreak of influenza will help alleviate some of the symptoms and speed up the recovery time.

HEAD-ACHES
For headaches neem powder should be applied to the forehead, neem oil should also work in combating headaches when used the same way.

KINDEY PROBLEMS
Blood disorders such as blood poisoning, kidney problems and poor circulation have been benefited by the use of neem.

OTHER BENEFITS
Neem is highly effective in treating gastritis, indigestion and heartburn. With all of the countless medicinal benefits that are already provided with the use of neem, it is also being studied very closely for a treatment for AIDS, cancer, allergies, diabetes and both male and female forms of birth control!

Neem oil should be stored in a cool dark place, if the oil solidifies it can be placed in warm water to bring back to liquid form.

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THE GREAT BANYAN TREE

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The Great banyan tree - a tree with multiple trunks and crowns of the largest in the world. The Great banyan tree - the tree (ficus Bengal) with the world's largest area of the crown. Located in the Indian Botanical cadu in Hauri.

Age of the Great banyan tree is 200-250 years. The history of the tree, unfortunately, not clear, there are only a few records, dating from XIX century.

During 1884 and 1886 hurricane years have been damaged some of the basic processes, and the tree was divided into two parts. After a lightning strike in 1925 was the splitting of the main stem, so that the barrel had to be cut.

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An American city similar to Indian one

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Granada is an ancient city of USA but sounds like Canada.

Granada was founded in 1524 ostensibly the first European city in mainland of central America. Unlike other cities that claim the same distinction, the city of Granada was not only the settlement of the conquest, but also a city registered in official records of the Crown of Aragon, and the Kingdom of Castile in Spain.

Granada, Nicaragua was historically the sister capital in Central America to Antiqua,Guatemala. During the colonial period, Granada maintained a flourishing level of commerce with ports on the Atlantic ocean through Lake Nicaraqua and the San Juan River.

Granada is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. seen in its architecture and structureIt has rich colonial heritage. The city has been witness and victim to many battles and invasions from English,French and Dutch pirates

Most of the Granada's streets are narrow, as the city evolved centuries before the advent of motorized vehicles. Therefore, today, many streets allow only one-way traffic, offering a challenge to visitors traveling by car.

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