What connects hunting tigers, astrology, and Kamal Hassan? | #108
Fun Facts about Ms Marvel ➡️
Hello friends,
The Queen of England recently completed 70 years as a reigning monarch. That’s a long rule. Though she was never the Queen of India, she did make 3 visits as the Head of State to India and each has been memorable in their own way.
This week’s newsletter takes a look at some interesting stories from each of her ‘onsite’ trips.
Things we learnt this week 🤓
1961 - The Queen’s visit in 1961 included a trip to Jaipur at the invitation of the Maharaja of Jaipur. The Queen and her husband Prince Phillip, were taken on a hunting expedition and were even photographed with a dead 8 foot tiger. Coincidentally, Prince Phillip became the President of the World Wildlife Fund in the UK that same year.
Hunters and the Hunted 1983 - The Queen of England visited India in 1983 to inaugurate the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. The Queen has a reputation of being punctual, but her flight landed in India at 12.05PM instead of the scheduled time of 12PM. It is believed that Indira Gandhi’s astrologers had advised her that 12PM was a bad time and this matter was taken up at the highest levels of diplomacy. Astrology taurus apart, we say.
Queen Elizabeth 2 with Indira Gandhi. Prince Phillip in the background. Maybe symbolic of how women should be at the forefront and men in the background. 1997 - The Queen of England visited India for the 50th year of Independence. Though she was short of a full apology, she visited the Jallianwala Bagh and called it a ‘difficult episode of our past’. More importantly, she visited the sets of Kamal Hassan’s magnum opus Marudhanayagam, a film on the freedom fighter Maruthanayagam Pillai. The film was touted to be the most expensive film made in India. The Queen’s visit proved so successful that the film has remained unfinished and does not look like it will ever be released.
From IWTK, with love 💌
Rafael Nadal won his 14th French Open title last week. Not only is the number mind-boggling, his first title was so long ago that an iPhone didn’t exist then.
We are all excited about Ms. Marvel on Hotstar. Here are some fun facts about the character.
Only in India 🇮🇳
The greatest protest ever in the history of protests.
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❤️ IWTK