The King is Back!

Any slightly movie literate person will know that I am talking about Don-2. Don or SRK is back, more stylish and better!SRK is one person who can make people fond of villains(or negative character - it is difficult to call him a baddie or villain) in the movie.
As written in HINDU review, Sharukh can play casual arrogance with ease and the entire movie is dripping of style!!!

What more can a SRK fan ask for!

Awaiting Don-3...

P.S: Completed 3 books(Jaladeepam, Mogana Silai, Cheran Selvi) of Sandilyan...Of all three, Jaladeepam is real good!

Twist in the neck

I had nearly made up my mind to find a burial ground and do last rites to my blog, but looks like it is not that easy. So here I start jotting down something which I have been thinking about for quite sometime to ask readers for a response.

Why do villains or heroes twist their necks, especially in Indian movies?

- Acceptable in movies where they were transformed from a non-human form(read as robots, game characters, werewolves, etc) where they have twist their necks to check their brain and spinal cord nerve connections are in place

- Director thinks it creates a "threatening effect"

- Heroes or villains have a real sprain in the neck and didn't notice the movie shot started. And Editor of the movie thought it looked cute?

- They live in houses with shorter roofs that their necks get cramped


Anyone has any plausible explanations? Or do you think one of the above is more logical?

NurJahan's Daughter by Tanushree Podder

Off late, I have been into a frenzy of reading so many books [Star world channel not getting telecasted by the cable guy and hence missing "Castle" series could have atributed to this frenzy].

But it has been a long time since I got this satisfaction on reading a book.This book on Laadli(Nurjahan's daughter by Sher Afghan and hence a step daughter of Emperor Jehangir) is very engaging. I have always been fascinated by history. I thought it will be just another book but I could hardly keep the book aside once I started reading.The only other series of books I used to read this way was Harry Potter series. But after reading this book, those books seem so distant to me. This book gave me a feeling as if I was just hidden behind a curtain and was able to see all that is happening right in front of my own eyes. The author has really done a very commendable job. It is hard to believe the author is from our era and this is not book which was written by someone who worked in the court of Jehangir :-)

I don't want to get into the story here as I dont want anyone who reads this post to think they have got a gist of the story and hence might not bother to read the book.

So less said about the story the better. I wonder why books like these never become bestsellers and get ignored by the mass.

Just wanted to do my part in publicising it. And this also gave a good insight of what happened in palaces. Whenever I visited palaces, I have always wondered about the everyday chores of the royalty - like will there be really servants who will be fanning them all through the time they sleep, how will their restrooms look like, when they travel city to city - how does the tent work out, will the tents be a comfortable alternative to their royal beds, etc. Questions like these have always lingered my mind and I have wanted someone who has witnessed or been in those era to narrate them to me :-). While Tamil authors like Kalki and Sandilyan have satiated my curiosity a bit , they being male went on to describing things from a man's point of view. But here, I see Tanushree's view - what a striped golden zari will make a difference to a muslin cloth or shabnam and all the colors and hues which matter,...

Sorry - if you are getting a wrong picture. This isn't about clothes and grandeur..It is about what was getting noticed. For example, when the emperor shifts from Agra to Lahore or Kashmir, along with the royal entourage, nobles, merchants and beggars also move with them as there is where their livelihood is going to be...

Okay, let me stop my rantings here.... Dont miss this book - that's what all I have to say now.

Feel like visiting all the forts and palaces by Mughals after reading this book. Especially, want to look around the house where Laadli spent her last days with her daughter Arzani and mother Nurjahan, Anarkali's tomb, Meena Bazaar, emperor's palace in Agra, seven thrones of Shah jahan including Peacock throne, etc.

Is there any book on Aurangazeb? Especially about the time, when he was given as hostage to Jehangir in return of pardon to then Prince Khurram and Arjumand's lives(Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal) for Shahjahan's rebellion?

Traffic woes in Hyderabad

I have been busy with my new car - my first four wheeler. From the time, I was a kid, I had a fascination for "Red Maruti Car". It got realized now, except the "red" part as Maruti Alto doesn't have the proper red I like.
So, yes I have a driving license and had learnt driving 8 years back. So I had a refresher course from two different driving schools here. But as I have heard driving your own car is really different from driving in driving schools. With the driving school instructors having all the controls, when I drove my car, for sometime I felt as if the car is running amuck.

Well, to start with it took me atleast a week to get the confidence - why not - if everyone drives by rule, it will be a hell lot easier! I am reminded of a Tamil saying - just not writing it here as it not very decent. But a similar one is "Be a Roman when in Rome"

And after a week I have a few things to tell everyone - in Hyderabad no one bothers the indicators you use - either they are not literate about it or they just dont care. For instance, as soon as you put left indicator to inform that you are going to move to the left, a swarm of two-wheelers and autos will try to speeden up and cross me from left side and I really want to yell - when I put on a left indicator - it means - I am moving left and you either need to slow down or move to right.

Share Autos and RTC buses - I just can't stop raving about the gimmicks they perform. Autos take up one and half times their actual space as there are extras hanging out from both sides and the drivers consider themselves no less than racers that they just choose the direction and start moving - you cant expect any signal about stopping , starting or turning whatever from them. Yes poor fellas - they are multitasking and we expect them to signal? They gotta blast loud music for all people in road, and they need to hear a poor passenger who needs to yell at the top of the voice to stop(over the loud music) and as it doesn't work - nearly 4 to 5 other people sitting in the auto tap the driver's shoulder to inform him to stop. And now he feels he has already crossed where the passenger needs to get down and hence brakes so suddenly irrespective of the speed he is in and moves to the left of the road, unmindful of if he was in the middle or the right end of the road!!!!

RTC buses - bus stops for them are just to indicate where they need to stop. But they wont stop at the left end, there by disrupting the left most and the middle lanes basically because the bus stops in the middle lane and the passengers have to commute and block the left most lane as they need to alight and get into the bus.

I just wish I was appointed as traffic police for a week - who are more bothered about cars and two wheelers and dont care about these share autos and RTC buses who ARE the real culprits in causing disruptions in traffic!

First week @Windy City

My first trip outside India was to the windy City Chicago - when I set foot, rather, when the plane landed the weather was good - unlike what was expected in September end.


Well this week passed on just trying to figure out the nearest grocery stores or supermarket and am still stumbling with my way to office. Well, one of the days last week, I wasn't sure of the way to my place and the cab driver told me "You ought to be familiar with where you stay, young lady".Because from a different direction, I cant recognize my own apartment.

Google maps is my second God here, without it - I just can't exist ...In India , I get lost anywhere, everyone around seems to know the direction. But here, I think people will tell me, why dont u check on computer?(well, computer is only google map here). I wonder how people survived before google and esp. google map came into existence. It would have felt like world without electricity.

And here everything is North , South, East or West, as the roads,blocks or the buildings are squares or rectangles. Coming to the food - that was the most difficult thing here - as I just cant eat burgers,pizzas, or, sandwiches (One of my colleagues even commented that I am not eligible to have gone to US then)and Chinese food here is pure chinese, not the Indian chinese. But found some pretty gud places.

And so far, people have already commented that my accent is more Austrian/German...Now, thats something!

Didn't start any sight seeing yet...

Harry Potter disappoints

Watched two movies, visited General Bazaar @ Secunderabad, R.P. Road(Rashtrapathi Road) and Charminar.....

On Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - I have to say that I am pretty much disappointed. To be true, it felt like they conducted a survey among HP fans and asked them which scenes would they like to see in visuals and just compiled them all into a movie, keeping in mind to have a mix of comedy, romance, innocence and wittiness in them. Be aware that 3D is only for the first 15 minutes. And the announcement in the theatre was even more worse. It went on ".....Please keep your 3D glasses safe to keep them cleaning.....". Nevertheless, that really pepped up the mood a little.

And the second movie - The Hangover - nothing great about it too. The gross comedy managed to have us in splits but the usage of the four letter word in every other sentence was an overkill. I feel the Bollywood flop movie "De Taali" which was telecasted in DD last week also managed to evoke the same amount of laughter without even being gross.

Still disappointed with Harry Potter. Disappointments are common when you have high expectations.....

The Case of the Stolen Debit Card

This is one post many of my friends wanted me to write. It was in Draft mode for quiet a long time(more than a year) because of a few reasons and now, here it comes...

This incident is dated 21st January 2008 - a day to be remembered in this journey of my life...

I stay in a hostel, which is a bit on the costlier side. I was in a two-member room - got to share my room with another roommate.

I was going to Yoga classes (Isha Yoga - 7 day Inner Engineering program) from 6 AM to 9 AM everyday and Sunday full day(6 AM to 6 PM). Monday morning, I noticed that my debit card is missing from my purse and hence, immediately checked my account using net banking and found that my debit card has been swiped across various counters in Hyderabad Central for a total amount of about Rs. 43000 and the balance in my account was only Rs. 15.

Tried phone banking and for some reason it did not work. Then I visited the bank's branch in Jubilee Hills and the branch manager there was really helpful and I blocked my debit card and he informed the necessary people to start investigation on the transactions and told me about the procedure I will have to follow.
I had to submit the Lost/Stolen Card form with franking(stamping of Rs. 100 in each sheet of the form. There were two sheets) along with the copy of FIR which I will have to get it from the police station in my area where I suspected losing the card.

While travelling back to office, I got the number of Hyderabad Central's office from Just Dial(040 -24444444), called them up and explained what happened(That a stolen debit card has been swiped 7 times across various bill counters in the mall). They told me to come in person.

I was going to the police station to raise a FIR. On the way, I collected the bank statement from the bank's Hi-tech City branch along with the exact card swiping timings.Then went to the police station and the police officials had just gone on some duty and I was told to get a User form from any of the e-seva centres which is a pre-requisite before they come.

In the meantime, I decided to visit Central and while I was on my way, I called up my roomie and asked her if someone entered our hostel room and I explained what had happened. She told me that none entered the room and told me to call her up if I needed any help and keep her informed what I am doing. At that time, I didn't suspect her at all as she is very rich that she spends around 10K per day without worrying.

She asked me what I am doing. I said I am going to central to see if I can find out anything. She asked what can I find there. I told her I will call her later.

Then went to central, tried meeting the office people - they were of little help. Then if I hadn't told u before, there were 7 swipings between 12.17 hrs to 15.58 hrs(Shopped for 43K within 3.5 hrs).
One for 9990.00 in Just LifeStyle(Just In Vogue), 17500.00 in IIIrd Eye(a digi cam shop) , 1 said Madura Garments and the rest all said Hyderabad Central. Though 3rd Eye and Just LifeStyle are also in Central, thank God it showed its own names against swiping.

Somehow, got in touch with Just In Vogue. Initially, t he person in charge was reluctant to give any information. Then I had to say that I am "Fathima" and I am telling u that a fraud has been committed using my card in ur shop but u r not ready to give information. He said, he will give info only to bank and all that. I tried to find if its a guy's watch or a girl's watch,etc. At last he budged and showed the signature and details. The signature was totally different and the phone no left there in the bill was fake.

Then went to the camera shop and guy in charge was very helpful. He told it was a girl and she was roaming there for more than 1 hr in that area.

Then went to the back office of central. The guy over there was also helpful(None of the top officials were helpful) and led me at last to the CC footage room. (Usually, the footages get erased and re-written every 24 hrs. So I was afraid that it may get erased). There, somehow after a lot of convincing, they agreed to show it(as they said proper permission has to be obtained).

In the meantime, my roomie was calling to ask what I was doing. I was really getting irritated.

Then in one footage of the camera(I could give the timings the person was in each shop based on the swipings) in front of the watch shop, I saw a girl's back pose exactly at the swiping time. So got confirmed that it was a girl. But the camera at that place was not working properly, so could see only a blurred image.
Then I tried to see the footage was at another place. At that time, my roomie called up again and confessed again that she did it, and at the same time, I saw her in the camera.

She told me to come to room immediately and that she is not that type of girl,blah, blah, blah and that she will return back all the money and all that.

So, I got my money back later and all that...
Thanks to everyone who helped me in identifying the culprit...

Re-cap

Its nearly five months since I have been actively writing. Was I too busy to write, did I run out of ideas, or, did I just get bored of writing? None of these. Too many things seemed to be happening around me and in the world, that I was getting drifted along the whirl, rather than holding on to my position.

Just to have a re-cap, let me look at things, irrespective of whether they are important or silly, but worth recollecting, if I look back into this post few years later.

Completed my one more revolution around the sun last month.

Been watching a lot of movies(old and new) of late - Thanks to Moserbaer, cable TV and Hitec theatre - Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi(Good one - well it has SRK in it. One time watch though), Astitva(Must Watch and Neat. *****. When Astitva movie released years ago, I had fallen in love with the song "Mein thi, Main hoon, Main Rahoongi...". Tabu is just amazing),Khwaish, Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam, Ugly Aur Pagli, Phoonkh(Not Scary as advertised. But a good one), Princess Dairies (Sweet), Ghajini (Tamil version was better. Surya looked more human), Yuuvraaj (Disaster! Sallu's crying on full screen....Yuck! Anil Kapoor and Katrina were good) , Jodhaa Akbar (Hrithik's performance is good. I liked the movie overall). Yet to watch Slumdog Millionaire, Billu, Arundathi, Raaz - The Mystery Continues ....

AR Rahman is a genius. I couldn't stop loving "Tu Meri Dost Hai..."(Yuuvraaj), "Tu Muskura..."(Yuuvraaj), "Masakkali..."(Delhi-6).

Got a new cellphone (Nokia 1650)

Moved to new house and came the very emotional decision making situation of segregating a lot of things from nursery rhyme books, grammar books, Hindi Manohar Kahaniyaan, first rank batches got in school(with the rusted safety pins intact), compass, mini drafter, 2H 2B pencils used in Engg Drawing, mom's M.Sc. record note, Huckleberry Finn, Laurel and Hardy, old floppy discs, floppy holders, Gokulam magazine in which my story was published once - I don't know how they can be termed "important material"(thats what I have told my mom who didn't get a peek into these) - But I am just not able to make up my mind to get rid ofthem. So they all joined me in the new house, of course camouflaged in new boxes :-).

My yearly quota of cold, fever and throat pain already visited me. So no more of them, for the rest of the year!

One of my close friends from my school had called me and I couldn't recognise her voice. What a shame! Well, she is now the mother of 2 kids and yelling at them has given an authoritarian tinge.

Will add on if I had missed anything ...

Indefinite Break!!!

Thanks for dropping by. Looks like I have just hit a bloggers' block.
Will take an indefinite break from blogging!!!

House of Flying Daggers

I have never looked beyond Tamil, Hindi, English movies and occasionally, Telugu and Malayalam movies. UTV World Movies looks like a boon to me. After this channel started some 5 months back, I am realising how much I have been missing ...the world????? The movies come with subtitles(Thank God!).

Chinese movies have become my favourites. As a horror movie lover, there was a dearth of real good horror movies until I came across this channel. When it is horror movies, English movies try to get away with the distorted images which evoke disgust rather than horror, Indian language movies or serials with a lady in a white saree(and white chudidhar nowadays) with some face mask. But Chinese and Korean movies will give all these, a run for their money. Leaving aside horror, French, Spanish and Italian movies are good but test my patience at times.

"Viva Cuba" is a Spanish Cuban movie which keeps you engrossed in the journey of the two kids, because when you were young, you would make the same silly assumptions like they do. It captures even the most subtle nuances. "Monday" introduced me to Japanese humour - where in, I used to associate Japanese only with technology and hard work. And there are many more different genre of movies like Jules et Jim(French), Boccacio 70 (Italian), Eye in the sky (Hong Kong based Chinese), etc.

Coming back to what made me start writing this post - House of Flying Daggers, a Hongkong movie in Mandarin language. It is an action-oriented romance movie, or rather, romance-oriented action movie - it has Martial arts in the most beautified form. All martial arts movies I have seen, make me yell - "I am not here to take a mini-course of Martial Arts. Can we get on with the story please". But it has been captured so beautifully in this movie, that it looks more graceful than dance.

I can also compare this movie with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Devdas" at times, for the extravagant background, the only difference being Devdas looked rich and beautiful and House of flying daggers looked fresh and beautiful. While watching Devdas, one will get lost in the background (and Sharukh) more than in the actual story going on. Similarly, the locations are breathtaking that one can just take snapshot of each scene and use it as their desktop wallpaper.

And I am getting a strong urge to tell you the plot of the story. But let me sign out before I do that. The movie's first time telecast was last Thursday's 8.30 PM slot and was re-telecasted on Saturday afternoon. I hope there will be repeat telecast in some other slots vcry soon. Don't miss it!

Hail UTV World Movies!!!!!

Blog Readability Level

India Unbound by Gurcharan Das

I hardly read books on economics, politics, etc. So I thought, a few pages in to this, I will probably abandon the book.But the book didn't let me do that. After a couple of pages, I could not put down the book until I completed it. The book is like a orator who grabs the attention of a totally disinterested audience by his/her power of speech.

I remember reading about this liberalization, MRTP Act, etc. for my MBA. When I read them, it were mere acts, which had a set of laid down policies. I never understood the impact these acts and policies had on India Inc and the common man. I knew corruption exists in India but never knew the firm root cause ( I thought it was people's greed coupled with opportunity). I have seen private sector is efficient and public sector is not but never wondered why such a big umbrella should be present under public sector; I knew Japan's ecnomic/industrial growth rate is high but never did it strike to me that it was not less population and more hardwork alone that led to it - it was planning and the right policies. I have always considered India's population is detrimental to its growth but didn't realize we had "human capital" which could be our boon and not bane. I can go on and on regarding the clarifications I got about "India" itself from this book. My total outlook has changed.

I liked the way Gurcharan Das has brought about the point, where in India tried to embrace the goodness present in democracy, socialism and capitalism and ended up embracing the worse things in all.

Some of the key points in his book:
1. Giving services and things like power, rice free of cost will not end poverty. Bcoz it will just result in short-term relief and also empty government treasury.
2. Making people capable of earning by educating them and creating employment opportunities is the only way of eradicating poverty. By creating employment oppotunities, he doesn't mean creating a lot of government jobs and keep paying salaries. He means to encourage enterpreneurship by reducing the obstacles to the enterpreneurs and create jobs in a competitive environment, which will generate "quality" employment.
3. Unless a lot of bureaucratic controls cease to exist, the corruption is there to stay.
4. We cannot replicate any nation's economic policies, as every country is unique(We are unique). Its like there is no particular panacea for all diseases.
5. And a set of policies aren't suitable for a country always. We should keep changing them with requirements and place proper monitoring systems to check the results and modify them if they aren't helping in anyway.

In my humble and earnest opinion, the contents of this book should be prescribed to academic curriculum (I am not sure if it already has been included)!

A must read for every Indian if he/she has to know what our country has underwent after independence!

Jab I Met

Wowee!!! I was in the new Airport at Shamshabad on Wednesday to catch a flight to Coimbatore and to my surprise, I met ISRO Chairman Mr.Madhavan Nair there! I had seen him in newspaper only a day ago. I could hardly believe what I saw and I asked him if he was Madhavan Nair and he acknowledged it.

Now, I realise, I should be carrying a autograph book with me.

I also heard Actor Rajnikanth travelled in the same flight(in which I travelled) to Coimbatore the next day.

More abt my review on the new Hyd International Airport in my next post. I liked the airport unlike the critics.

Tagged by ReetuAshwin

Family
Dad, Mom & Sis. I take them for granted. I dont feel sorry abt what they tell me or what I tell them.

Friends
I talk to many but I am choosy abt my friends. And hence the count is for sure not more than twenty.

My Love
I love myself a lot. I am my best company, well-wisher and friend. (Mein aap hi apni premika; Mein Aap hi apni Saheli)

Things I Like
1. Red colour
2. Jasmine(Gundu malli) flowers
3. Applying mehndhi in my hands and legs
4. Bright dresses, glittering accessories.
4a. Lipstick 4b. Glass Bangles 4c. Anklets 4d. Kaajal
5. Visiting places of historical importance(and feeling a part of it)
6. Books
7. Bharathanatyam and other forms of dance too( I fell in love with the hip movement of Odissi).
8. Fried Fish
9. Ears which can listen to me tirelessly
10. My laptop
11. My scooty
12. Sharukh Movies
13. Dances of Madhuri Dixit , Padmini and Vyjayanthi Mala.
14. Very old Tamil movies abt Kings, Vittalacharya movies.

Books
Horror Thrillers(or is it Horrific thrillers), Mysteries and historical books top the list. Philosophy and self-improvement are a strict no-no. My Book List

Movies
Even a illogical one will do as long as it keeps my mind occupied and I am able to comprehend what is going on without having to strain. I love horror flicks with beautiful, cunning or no ghosts. Recent fav is Jab We Met. Kinda fallen in love with the movie.
Fav include Chak De India, Devdas, Viva Cuba, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,......

Myself
Superstitious, selfish, organized girl, who is absolutely comfortable when left alone. I can forgive easily but not forget. I prefer to switch on and off my brains whenever required.

Recent Plans
To buy "Prison Break" DVD.
To see "Jodhaa Akbar" in theatre(hope it is still running).
To visit Charminar again for shopping.
Mango season has started. Wanna try different varieties.
To visit Hussain Sagar Lake.

Activities
Fell in love with UTV World Movies channel and watching it regularly.
Studying US map to know the location of states exactly so that I can relate to it when I hear abt it in movies/serials.

Dreams
I want to be an archaeologist and travel across the world and visit places of historical importance.

Hmmm, on a second thought... rather dream, I visualise myself as Queen of a country - living in my own fort, having learnt all the 64 forms of art(from archery,horse riding, disguising, cooking, dancing,ship building, singing, poetry,painting, spying, hair dressing and all that) in Gurukul, have a faithful horse of my own, able to take strategic and military decisions for my country, devise economical policies and financial policies with the help of my ministers. I will be awaken every morning with the music from musical instruments, take bath in pond using ayurvedic powders, have breakfast like a king( :-)) , wear bright dresses and glittering ornaments, go to my durbar, discuss that day's happenings, have a good lunch, spend the afternoon dancing and watching dance and music, going out for a walk in the evening, going out in disguise in the night to keep a watch over my country. And occasionally fighting wars and battles(few battles in sea too). Live life Queen Size! :-) I think Kalki and Sandilyan are to be blamed for this dream of mine.

May be I want to become a Structural Engineer(Inspired by Wentworth Miller of "Prison Break") or a ship building engineer(Inspired by "Kadalpura" written by Sandilyan).

I want to open my own detective agency but again, what will I work on (I dont want to work on what these on the news detective companies work - finding fowl plays of suspecting spouses).

Own a theatre and watch ( and make people watch) movies I like.

I have lot more dreams. Miles and Miles to go before I wake up from my dreams.

I tag:
Divi , Arvi Sharma, Munch , Iris, Janani Sundararajan, RSam, Vinesh and Abhinav.

Hyd Explorations - 3 : Chowmahalla Palace, AP State Museum and Salarjung Museum

When talking about the Nizam period, I have to mention about two royal ladies - Durr-e-Shehvar and Niloufar Khannum Sultana.

Durr-e-Shehvar:
The Princess of Berar
Wife of Prince Azam Jah Bahadur
Daughter in law of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur
Daughter of Last Caliph of Turkey Abdul Majid Khan II
Mother of Mufarram Khan and Mufakkam Khan(Esra Jah is wife of Mufarram Khan)

Niloufar Khannum Sultana:
Cousin of Princess of Berar Durr-e-Shehvar
Wife of Moazzam Jah
And was considered as one of the most beautiful ladies of her time

Chowmahalla Palace
Click here to visit the Official website of Chowmahalla Palace
Entry fees is Rs.25 and it is at a walkable distance from Charminar.

Chowmahalla Palace gets its name from the four palaces it comprises off. It belonged to the Nizams. It has lots of photos of the royal family - esp. Princess Niloufar and Princess Durr-e-Shehvar.

Now it has a studio called Royal Studio, where in visitors can wear dresses as worn by the royal family and get their photos taken. It costs around some Rs. 100 to Rs. 200(Not sure).

I came across a lot of new words during my visit here.Sikiligar is the name used for Sword smith; In a house, Zenana is used to denote the part where women live in and Mardana for men; Mahallat is an evocative name used locally to refer to the ladies in the household of Nizam-ul-Mulk, head of Asaf Jah Dynasty and ruler of Deccan. In this museum, it is used to denote Royal ladies of Asaf Jah dynasty 1885 - 2005


AP State Museum
The entry fee is Rs.10.
This museum houses a Mummy of 16 or 17 year old girl. The Mummy has been brought from Egypt. There is a description of how the dead bodies are processed. The Mummy is fully covered with cloth and Kept in vacuum, but the cloth at the toe nails are worn out, which when seen gives a spooky feeling.
Here, there are many statues, sculptures, Spittoon(Sailabchi), Nagardaan, Pandaan,Guldaan(flower vase), Aftaba(water jug), Surahi(water jug)which were excavated or collectedfrom various places in India. Tulwar is a type of sword and it doesn't translate directly to sword, as I had believed.

Inscriptions on stones/walls, which were found in various places, have been brought and embedded in concrete structures in the museum. The inscriptions are mostly in Persian(Naskh, Nastaliq scripts) and Arabic(Thulth script)

In one of my previous blogs, I have told about Jade stone vessels which were used to identify if the food is toxic. Here, in this museum , there are a collection of Jade vessels and a briefing about it. Jade vessel was considered to identify toxic food either by changing color or breaking. There was another type of material, which resembled Jade - Celadon. It seems Salah ed din (Saladin), Sultan of Egypt, sent 40 pieces of different vessels made of a bluish green stone material to Nur-ed-din, Sultan of Damascus and the material got named after Saladdin - Celadon.

Salarjung museum
The entry is Rs. 10.
This museum houses the articles and items collected by Salarjung who was the prime minister of Nizam and an art lover. Three generations of his have taken care of this - Salarjung I, Salarjung II, Salarjung III.

There was much hype about the musical clock and Double sided statue. The clock was an example of real good craftsmanship, considering the time it was made and its capabilities. The double sided statue which has a man on one side and woman on other side is a marvel. But I fell in love with "The Veiled Rebecca" statue made of marble by Roman Sculptor Giovanni Maria Benzoni. This was one thing that had me stumped to the ground. The status is of Rebecca who was brought up by her brother and when she was of marrigable age, he brings Isaac to home one day and asks Rebecca if she likes him. Rebecca likes him and covers herself using a veil because of shyness.The sculpture is to depict that moment.

Click here to see a glimpse of the statue though the photo here is nothing when compared to what you get to see in original.
Click here to see another admirer of Veiled Rebecca

There are many sections in the museum. And of all sections, I liked the clock section(where in the year and country where the clock was made was specified) and the manuscript section(which had old manuscripts).

Marie Antoinette(once Queen of France)'s dressing table and writing table are also present in the museum. One day is not sufficient to go around this museum.