The Game that was Evolved in Jabalpur

                    
                              The game of snooker was conceived in Jabalpur.The origins of the game of snooker are generally regarded as being in the latter half of the 19th century.
                             Billiards had been a popular activity amongst British army officers stationed in India who took the idea from the Indian game carrom, and variations on the more traditional billiard games were devised. One variation was to add coloured balls in addition to the reds and black which were used for pyramid pool and life pool. This gave birth to the game of snooker.The word snooker also has military origins, being a slang term for first-year cadets or inexperienced personnel.  It is generally accepted that a Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain conceived the game in the British Army Officer's Mess in Jubbulpore (Jabalpur) India, in 1875.
                              One version of events states that Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain of the Devonshire regiment was playing this new game when his opponent failed to pot a ball and Chamberlain called him a snooker. It thus became attached to the billiards game now bearing its name as inexperienced players were labelled as snookers.
                              As billiards was only a two player game, new games such as life pool and pyramid pool were developed in order to accommodate more players. Eventually, these two games were combined to form snooker.
                              Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a large green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular (full-size) table is 12 × 6 ft (3.7 × 1.8 m). It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white cue-ball, 15 red balls worth one point each, and six balls of different colors yellow (2 points), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6) and black (7). A player (or team) wins a frame(individual game) of snooker by scoring more points than the opponent(s), using the cue ball to pot the red and coloured balls. A player wins a match when a certain number of frames have been won.

The National Emblem of India

                             An Emblem is an object or a representation that functions as a symbol.  A distinctive badge, design, or device. An allegorical picture usually inscribed with a verse or motto presenting a moral lesson. An object chosen to represent an idea, a quality, a country etc.
                       Our country India also has an Emblem which is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion, capital of Emperor Ashoka the Great, as preserved in the Sarnath Museum situated near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. 
                       Emperor Ashoka the Great erected the capital atop an Ashoka Pillar to mark the spot where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma and where the Buddhist Sangha was founded. In the original there are four Asiatic lions, standing back to back, mounted on a circular abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening Dharmachakra or Ashoka Chakra wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. It was carved out of a single block of polished sandstone.
                       The Indian National Emblem, modeled on the Lion Capital, features 3 lions. The fourth lion is hidden from sight since it is positioned at the rear end, so is the bell-shaped lotus flower situated beneath. The frieze beneath the lions is shown with a wheel in the center, a bull on the right, a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left. The wheel at the centre of the abacus symbolizes the "Dharma Chakra.
                       The three lions, represent power, courage and confidence, and rest on a circular abacus girded by four smaller animals that are separated by intervening wheels. These four animals are the guardians of the four directions: 

• The lion of the north, 
• The elephant of the east, 
• The horse of the south and 
• The bull of the west. 

                       The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, instancing the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration. 

                       Inscribed below the emblem in Devnagri script is the motto 'Satyameva Jayate' meaning "Truth Alone Triumphs". It is a quote from the Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the sacred Hindu Vedas.

                       The Lion Pillar was adopted as the National Emblem of India on 26 January 1950, the day India became a republic.

                       The National emblem is used only for official purposes and commands the highest respect and loyalty. It is the official seal of the President of India and Central and State Governments. It forms a part of the official letterhead of the Government of India. 

                       It also appears prominently on all Indian currency as well as on the diplomatic and national Passport of the Republic of India. 

                       The wheel on it, known as "Dharma Chakra" or popularly "Ashoka Chakra", has even been placed onto the center of the modern National Flag of India. 

                       the national emblem of India stands as a symbol of modern India's reassertion of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill. To the 1 billion Indians, it serves as an inspiration and is a matter of pride. To the world, it stands as glowing symbol of independent India's identity and sovereignty.


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The National Flag of India.

The National Flag of India.

                                 Every free nation of the world has its own flag. It is a symbol of a free country. The National Flag of India was designed by Pingali Venkayyaand and adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" refers to the Indian national flag.
                         In the national flag of India the top band is of Saffron colour, indicating the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in colour shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land.The three bands of colors are in equal proportions. While in the center of the white band is a wheel in navy blue.
                               This wheel is an adaptation from the sculpted wheel, called Chakra, the wheel of law, appearing on the abacus of Sarnath Capital of Asoka, the ancient Indian emperor. It has 24 spokes and the diameter approximates the width of the white band. The chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation.   

                              With all these things the width and length of the Tricolor is supposed to be in the proportion of 2:3 .                                                                      
                        The flag was designed as a symbol of freedom. Its use and display are, however, regulated by a code.
                              On 26th January 2002, the Indian flag code was modified and after several years of independence, the citizens of India were finally allowed to hoist the Indian flag over their homes, offices and factories on any day and not just National days as was the case earlier. Now Indians can proudly display the national flag any where and any time, as long as the provisions of the Flag Code are strictly followed to avoid any disrespect to the tricolour. 
                              For the sake of convenience, Flag Code of India, 2002, has been divided into three parts. 
                              Part I of the Code contains general description of the National Flag. 
                              Part II of the Code is devoted to the display of the National Flag by members of public, private organizations, educational institutions, etc. 
                             Part III of the Code relates to display of the National Flag by Central and State governments and their organisations and agencies.  
                             There are certain dos and don'ts laid down for common people regarding Indian flag.

• When the National Flag is raised the saffron color band should be at the top.
• No flag or emblem should be placed either above the National Flag or to its right.
• All other flags to be placed to the left of the National Flag if they are hung in a line.
• When the National Flag is carried in a procession or parade, it shall be on the marching right or in front of the center of the line, if there is a line of other flags.
• Normally the National Flag should be flown over important government buildings like the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Parliament House, the Supreme Court of India, the High Courts, the Secretariats, the Commissioners' office etc.
• The National Flag or any imitation of it must not be used for purpose of trade, business, or profession.
• The National Flag should always be taken down in the evening at sunset.

                               

The Do's:

• A member of public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise consistent with the dignity and honour of the National Flag.
• Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises.

The Don'ts

• The flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes. As far as possible, it should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather.
• The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water. It cannot be draped over the hood, top, and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft.
• No other flag or bunting can be placed higher than the flag. Also, no object, including flowers or garlands or emblems can be placed on or above the flag. The tricolour cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting.

  
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The National Emblem of India

Chausath-Yogini (Sixty Four female Yogis)

                                                  This Temple, in the court of Chausath-Yogini temple enshrining an image of Gauri Shanker inscribed as Varesvera was originally erected in A.D.1155 by the kalchuri Queen Alhana devi, during the reign of her son Narsimhadev. There is an inscription on the front wall of the sanctum referring to the daily worship of the deity by Gosaldevi, mother of kalchuri king Vijaysimha. 
                  Of the original temple only the lower portion of the sanctum has survived. 

One of the unique features of this temple is that both Shiva and his consort Parvati appear together riding on the Bull or the Nandi. 

               Situated atop a hill rock and approached by a long flight of steps,the Chausath-Yogini Temple commands a singularly beautiful view of the Narmada flowing through the jagged gorge of Marble Rocks in Bhedaghat.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this 10th century temple has exquisitely carved stone figures of deities belonging to the Kalchuri period,  arranged in a circular order

               According to local legends, this ancient temple is connected to the Gond Queen-Mother Durgavati's palace of Singaurgarh in Sangrampur as well as to the Maharaja Madansahi's Madan-Mahal bastion through underground passages. These passages offered safety to the visiting royalties in addition to allowing escape route in times of distress.

Madan Mahal Fort (Jabalpur)

                                 Built by the Gond ruler Maharaja Madan Sahi, in 1116 atop a rocky hill, the fort dominates the skyline and provides a panoramic view of the town and the country side around it.

It rises to an approximate height of 500 meters above the ground and was once the Pleasure Palace of Raja Madan Shah, the son of Rani Durgavati.

Queen Durgavati had used it as a Watch tower and the architecturally designed rooms in front of the main structure were probably used to house the military troops of the rulers who lived here.

A View of the Jabalpur City From Atop the Madan Mahal Fort.