Hiroshima Day 2025: 80 Years Since World's First Atomic Bomb During WWII
During World War II, Japan carried out multiple attacks against the US and British forces in its bid to take control of the European and American colonies in Southeast Asia as well as their resources. As part of it, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and British-occupied Hong Kong on December 7 and December 8, 1941. This resulted in multiple casualties, besides causing extensive damage to the US and British fleets. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
In the meantime, the US secretly went on to develop the Atomic Bomb technology under the Manhattan Project. This project was led by nuclear physicist Robert Oppenheimer. After its success, the two major atom bombs — 'Little Boy' and 'Fat Man' — were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on August 6 and August 9, 1945. As a result, Japan surrendered and this led to the end of World War II. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
In the aftermath, Japan witnessed a series of human suffering that went on to leave an indelible scar in the annals of history. Observed at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan, this day highlights the effects of nuclear wars and pays tribute to the ones who were killed. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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Hindustan Times
31 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Historic iron safe a living relic enclosed in apathy
LUCKNOW As India commemorates the centenary of the Kakori Train Action — one of the most audacious episodes of the freedom struggle — the most iconic artifact from the event, a heavy iron safe looted by revolutionaries on August 9, 1925, remains intact, yet mostly ignored, at a little-known museum at the Kakori railway station. The over 100-year-old iconic iron chest kept in a museum at Kakori railway station in Lucknow. (Sourced) Often referred to as a 'guard box', the sturdy cast iron chest, sits preserved in a corner of the museum under Northern Railway (NR). It was this very box that freedom fighters, led by Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan, targeted while halting a train to seize British treasury money, a move that shook the Colonial government. A century later, the box survives, but only in obscurity. The museum, which also houses other rare memorabilia such as a British-era brass bell, a wooden bench believed to have been present during the heist and 18 official documents related to the incident, sees barely any visitors in a year. So 'unknown' is the museum that when HT approached a senior railway official at the station to inquire about it, he expressed complete ignorance of its existence. 'I walk past the station every day and never knew there was a museum here,' said a local shopkeeper. In the past, such iron chests were a key operational feature of Indian Railways used by guards to store vital documents, emergency supplies and cash. They were known for their robust build and strict access protocols involving multiple keys and officials. With the advent of digital systems, these boxes were phased out. But the one at Kakori is a living relic, its historical value unmatched. Heritage activists and historians are dismayed. 'Instead of being a cornerstone of history education, the Kakori museum is on the verge of becoming a forgotten footnote,' said SK Sharma, a retired railway employee and history enthusiast. He urged authorities to integrate the museum more meaningfully into public memory, tourism, and education. The Forgotten 'Guard Box' The iron chest was an iconic part of the Indian Railways, believed to date back to the 1850s. Used for storing operational documents and cash, these safes featured layered security. Most were phased out by the late 20th century, but the one looted in Kakori remains, quietly preserved, but rarely seen.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Kolkata metro corridor to get new cooling system, save 180 million litres water every year
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Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
This 17th-century portrait of a couple bears a heartbreaking secret of a family tragedy
Mourners cherish pictures of the deceased as gentle reminders of their memory, but sometimes, the grief of losing someone, especially a child, becomes so unbearable and devastating that it drives them to erase such reminders altogether, to prevent anything from triggering the pain. 'A Lady and Gentleman in Black' is painted by the Dutch artist Rembrandt in the year 1633.(PC: Pinterest) One such family painting from the 17th century tells the story of a similar sorrow, where a child was intentionally removed from a finished portrait, indicating the great depth of pain that was too much to face. ALSO READ: 19th-century American artist shared watercolour self-portrait with lover; internet calls it 'the classiest nude…' What was the painting? In 1633, a Dutch artist who goes by the name Rembrandt painted a Baroque oil on canvas painting, which was titled 'A Lady and a Gentleman in Black'. The painting shows a man standing beside a woman, dressed in a wide-brimmed hat, ruffled collar and black overalls. The woman also wore a lavish outfit with the signature voluminous, ruffled collar around her neck, similar to the man's. This painting was stolen in 1990 from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It was one of the thirteen works stolen. Sadly, they have not been recovered, and only empty frames remain where the paintings used to hang on the museum walls. The interiors of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston still display empty frames where the stolen paintings once hung.(PC: However, long before the theft in 1976, an X-ray taken in 1976 revealed hidden traces beneath the visible paint. During a restoration process, an X-ray was done, and the alteration was accidentally discovered. It showed a small boy, previously invisible to the naked eye, was painted over and concealed within the portrait. While it is not known exactly when or why the boy was removed from the visible painting, it was done to help the patrons of the artwork cope with their grief. Family reunited The X-ray image was used to refine the hidden, painted-over child.(PC: The HEU team utilised AI super resolution to enhance the X-ray image with the help of the painter Mariano Sangalli. He used period clothing references to get it accurate. The final work was completed on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2022, as per the website. The child is tucked between the standing man and the seated woman. It is one of those rare moments where technology and artistry come together to recover long-lost stories, giving closure. Internet reactions Mae Sharifi, who regularly shares intriguing art and history facts on Instagram, posted about this painting on August 7th, highlighting that it's more than just a portrait of a regular couple. The comment section buzzed with emotion as one user wrote, 'This broke my heart,' while another added, 'I'm not crying, you're crying.' But of course, not everyone was on the same page. They shared their theories. One user speculated, 'Or maybe the kid grew up to be a pain, and the family just wanted him erased.' Another wrote, 'What if they erased him because they hated him?'
