November 2016 - Blogmantra

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Tuesday 29 November 2016

El Clasico- More than just a game of football

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I’m writing this blog in the wake of a tragic plane crash, which took the lives of seventy one out of eighty one souls on board, including most of the squad and staff of Chapecoense football club, who were en route to Columbia to play the first leg final match of the Copa Sudamericana. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. May their souls rest in peace.

On a much lighter note, one of the most happening footballing event is round the corner, with the first El Clasico being played on 3rd of December at Camp Nou, Barcelona.

For those who are unaware, ‘El Clasico’ or ‘The Classic’ is the name given to any football match between Spanish & European giants Real Madrid C.F. and F.C. Barcelona. Other than the UEFA Champions League Final, it is considered to be one of the biggest club football games in the world, and is among the most viewed annual sporting events.

Credit: Google Images



 So, following are some of the lesser known facts about one of the most popular rivalries in world sports:

    1.    More than just a game of football

Apart from being a rivalry between the two largest cities of Spain, the rivalry has a political significance too. Real Madrid represents Spain Nationalism, whereas Barcelona represents Catalan Nationalism, which are two conflicting political ideologies in Spain.

El Clasico brings some of the world’s most talented and highest paid footballers against each other, with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Bale, Suarez representing both the sides.

Last, but in fact the most important, El Clasico is the fans’ chance to prove their point regarding a never ending debate, Indeed you got this one right, MESSI v/s RONALDO, who is better?

Credit: Google Images





    2.    The di Stefano Incident

The rivalry intensified during 1950’s, when both the clubs disputed over the signing of Argentine striker Alfredo di Stefano. Due to a major misunderstanding on the part of his Columbian club, di Stefano signed for both F.C. Barcelona and Real Madrid C.F. – AT THE SAME TIME! After FIFA’s intervention, it was decided that both the clubs had to share the player in alternate seasons. This left the clubs and fans fuming.
Somehow, Real’s then president Santiago Bernabeu managed to convince di Stefano to join his side, and the rest is history.
Stefano is sixth highest goalscorer in LaLiga (Spanish top division league), and is Madrid’s highest goalscorer in the El Clasico.

Stefano also helped the Madrid side win five consecutive European championships (now UEFA Champions League).
3.    Luis Figo’s Transfer
 
F.C. Barcelona’s vice-captain and charismatic striker Luis Figo was in his top form in 2000 when Real Madrid’s then presidential candidate and current president Florentino Perez offered him $2.4 million to join Real, if he won the election. Initially, Figo denied any interest, but eventually joined Real , allegedly due to the amount of money offered.

What followed next was the wrath of Barcelona fans all over the world. On his return to Barcelona in a Real Madrid shirt, banners with "Judas", "Scum" and "Mercenary" were hung around the stadium. Thousands of fake 10,000 peseta notes had been printed and emblazoned with his image, were among the missiles of oranges, bottles, cigarette lighters, even a couple of mobile phones were thrown at him. Among all these, the most bizzare thing to be thrown at Figo was a ‘Pig’s head’.

Credit: Google Images


    4.    The ‘Pasillo’

‘The Pasillo’ or Guard of Honour is another rarely known El Clasico tradition, where the fans of opposite team applaud their rival team squad, while coming out of the tunnel, if the LaLiga title has already been decided.

It's only happened three times in El Clasico history - twice for Real Madrid and once for Barcelona. The last time it was performed in 2007-08 season.

Credit: Google Images


    5.    Double Agents

A total of twenty one players have played for both the rivals at some point of time in their lives, including the likes of Samuel Eto’o, Brazilian Ronaldo, Luis Enrique (Barcelona’s current manager) and most notoriously, Luis Figo.


    6.    Facts & Figures
 
a.) A total of 264 El Clasicos have been played, with Real winning 97 and Barcelona winning 109 of them. 58 matches ended in a draw.

b.) Biggest win came on 19th June, 1943, When Real crushed Barcelona 11-1 in a Copa del ray match.

     c.) Lionel Messi has scored the most goals (21), most hattricks (2) and provided the most assists (13).

          d.) Manuel Sanchis (Real Madrid) holds the record for most El Clasico appearances (43).

e.) A Champions League final has never been an El Clasico, and is said to be one of the most awaited events in football.

So, don’t forget to catch El Clasico live on 3rd December at 08:45 pm IST, only on Sony Six and Six HD.
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Friday 18 November 2016

Little things that you never notice.

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Do you know that some things are so regular that we don't even bother to notice them. We often come across them but fail to observe the little discrepancies in them. It is not your fault, it is human tendency to go with a broader perspective rather than thinking about the little things.

Credit: indulgy


Here is a list of things that you never cared about, not only you but a lot of people.

1). The hole in the ring pull of a can is meant for a straw, so that the straw does not float up and down when you are taking a sip of your favourite drink.

Credit: mix969.iheart


2). I can feel that for some of us, chopping the onions is the worst job ever. It takes a great deal of courage to undergo that torture which ends with red & watering eyes. But you can save yourself from all that misery by chewing gum while chopping them.
  
Credit: prevention



3). The four kings in the deck of 52 playing cards represent 4 different kings of History.
Credit: Designshack


4). In the era of Shakespeare, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled them, the ropes get tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. This gave birth to the phrase.....
Credit: linkedin



5). We all have lit candles or matchsticks, but we never noticed the fact that fire has no shadow.
Credit: youtube           

6).  The Poop emoji isn't really poop, it is a chocolate ice cream. For god's sake, stop using it as a poop emoji. And yes i am serious. 

Credit: buzzfeed



7). Yes girls, this one is for you. You love your hair and try different hairstyle but there is one thing you have been doing wrong. The bobby pin it is.

Credit: blog.birchbox



8). Some of us like eating strawberries and some of us like eating bananas but what i am going to say next will just blow your mind. Strawberry is not a berry but a banana is.

Credit: wowamazing


9).We see many statues in a park or crossroads with gallant men riding on the horses. But do you know that the position of a horse bears a meaning to it. But many of them don't really follow the pattern.

Credit: haikudeck



10). The phrase "Rule of thumb" or "thumb rule" comes from an old English law which states that you cannot beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

Credit: Rot.gif



So now you know about a lot of little things, share them with your friends and do comment if you knew about any one of them.
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Wednesday 16 November 2016

GoatMan: An out-of-the-box adventure

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It has always been a human dream to inherit various characteristics of other animals or birds such as ability to fly, to dive and explore the depth of sea and oceans and many more.
Credits: businessinsider

But, this is a story of a person named Thomas Thwaites a.k.a GoatMan, who took this dream way too seriously and left all the worldly pleasures and the comforts of being a human, to live as a goat, wandering in the alps, on four legs!

Thomas, a 34 year old Londoner, worked as a freelancer with various firms. Since, the employment was irregular, the stress to earn livelihood was enormous.

One fine day, walking with his friend’s dog, Thomas noticed how happy and joyous the dog seemed about life. It was the first time that this bizarre idea struck his head.

Thwaites said to Dailymail: "When I first had the idea, a lot of people called me crazy, but I was fed up with my life anyway and needed a break. I was jobless and I had a lot of personal problems, and I found everyday life so stressful."

But, Thwaites was not very much fond of meat, so he decided against becoming a dog.

Thwaites said that he pondered upon the idea of becoming an elephant, but realised they seem to have the same problems humans do - they get sad, they get upset and they can even suffer from post-traumatic stress.
Eventually he settled on the idea of becoming a goat, a project that took nine months and £1,200 to complete.

He applied for a university grant to study goat psychology and tracked down a goatherd in the village of Wolfenschiessen in Switzerland.
Thwaites' prosthetic 'goat legs' were designed with the help of a doctor at the University of Salford Prosthetic Clinic, Manchester which helps people who have suffered amputations.

The real challenge was to survive in the wild eating grass, just like the goats. For this, a fake goat's stomach, created by experts from the University of Aberystwyth was tied onto his waist which contained artificial rumen. The plan was to chew grass and spit it into the bag for digestion, and later suck it from a pipe.
Photograph: Thomas Thwaites


But, at the end of the day, he used pressure cooker to break down the grass, as the researchers advise him that the former idea can give him serious gut infection.

Thwaites said: "You'd have to eat a lot of grass to keep your energy up and that's what makes goats so amazing. I had to eat the Mars bar to keep me in the game."
The culmination of the project came in the summer of 2015 when Thomas travelled to Switzerland to join a herd of goats.
Photograph: Tim Bowditch

Thwaites said, “It was incredibly painful to be in the suit. It was fine going uphill but when I had to stick with the herd coming down it was a nightmare. All the points where the suit rubbed got blisters and bruises."
He also made a goat friend who followed him all over the place.
Returning to his normal life after six whole days of trying to escape it, Thwaites said “'I learned something important, and that is that even goats have a hard life and need to fight for their existence. Every day was tough, and that is something that just is part of being alive. The one other thing I reckon I found is that goats are better people. They live much more in the moment than we do, and show us that we really do need to learn to be a bit more relaxed about life.”

 Let's see what does Thwaites has to say about his experience in the Alps
Blogmantra talks to Mr. Thwaites



For detailed story of Thomas Thwaites' out of the box adventure, please refer to ‘GoatMan- How I Took a Holiday from Being Human’ by Thomas Thwaites
Photograph: Thomas Thwaites
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Friday 11 November 2016

7 Reasons which supports your chocolate craving.

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Chocolates are the ultimate comfort food. Whether young or old, everyone wants to grab a quick bite of it. The inexorable craving for chocolates, the soft and smooth feeling when it melts right in the mouth, the sweetness of the caramel are absolutely irresistible, thus making you more of a chocolate lust.
They are one of the finest things that man has ever made. Different in colour, texture and shape, they are all so beautiful and mouthwatering.

Credit: stuffpoint


But next time when you eat chocolate, you will not be filled with guilt. Chocolate is as healthy as it is tempting. They don't just taste good but the goodness of it reaches deep down and improves your health. Below is a list of benefits of eating chocolate. With every point that you read, you find yourself more reasons to eat chocolates.
But before that you should know the difference between a good chocolate and a bad one.

A good chocolate is the one which has cocoa content as high as 70% or more, that is a dark chocolate. If it is too sweet then its not a dark chocolate. Regular intake of dark chocolate can prove to be a life saviour for you, but be careful with the amount. 7 ounces which means 4 dark chocolate bars per week would be perfect.



1. Chocolates are mathematics friendly.

Not everyone is good in maths and if you are one of them then chocolate has come to your rescue.
Yes, it sounds weird but true. British psychologists did a little experiment, they asked a bunch of people for counting backwards from a randomly generated three digit number. To their surprise, after drinking a cup of hot chocolate, they did it pretty well and better than that without chocolate. Its is due to flavanols which improves mental math and it is found in chocolate. So next time when you are preparing for your maths test, binge on chocolates.

2. Kill Obesity with Chocolates. 

You must be wondering, how is that even possible. Actually if you take chocolate 20 minutes before your meal, then it helps in the release of a hormone that says "I am full". So you won't feel like eating any sweet, salty or fatty food. This is so amazing, right ! All this while you have been finding ways to lose weight, and it was right their in the candy store next to your house.

3. Chocolate makes you happy.

Studies have proved that chocolates are a real time stress buster and relaxes your mind. Tryptophan is a chemical which is found in chocolates, it releases a neurotransmitter in the body caller Serotinin which is actually a mood lifter. So you see, it is only a game of hormones. Next time when you feel low, switch to chocolate stashes, that type of emotional eating is not bad at all, and now you know it.

4. Chocolate brings out the nerd in you.

According to a research done in the University of Nottingham, the intake of cocoa rich dark chocolate containing flavanols directs the blood flow to the paramount parts of the brain for 2 to 3 hours, thus improving your brain's performance and alertness. Another research done in Oxford and Norway Universities, says that Chocolates also enhance the cognitive processing of the brain.

5. Eat Chocolates and live longer.

There are many products available in the market that claim to increase the life expectancy. Don't fall into all those crappy ideas. Because you have a delicious one with you. Yes, chocolate can help you to live long and healthy. Jeanne Louise Calment lived for 122 years, and that is the maximum anyone has ever lived. She ate two and a half pounds of dark chocolate every week. Study has found that chocolates increase life expectancy by 2 years. But watch out, most of the chocolates available in the market are processed and not that pure to do the magic for you.



6. Chocolate is good for your skin.

Now its time to replace those creams and makeup products with something that you really love.
Eating chocolates refreshes your skin too, and protects it from the adverse effects of the UV rays. 
A research in London found that subjects that eat chocolates containing flavanols did not undergo reddening effect of the sun. Chocolate facials helps you clean away all the dust and dirt and makes your skin glow.

7. Chocolate per 7 days, keeps the doctor away.

Chocolates are rich in minerals and antioxidants. We already know that it helps in blood circulation. It also reduces the possibility of a stroke and heart attack. A Swedish study says that 2 servings of dark chocolate each week can reduce the risk of heart failure. And not just that, Chocolate contains a compound called pentamer which disrupts the multiplication of the cancer cells. Chocolates also induce insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of cancer. So, eat chocolates and save yourself from those bitter tablets.

So now you know all the benefits of chocolates, "gift chocolates to your loved ones not only because you love them but because you really care".
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Friday 4 November 2016

Elon Musk: Impossible is Nothing

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Although his name is enough, but for those who don't know about "The Elon Musk", he is a business magnate, investor, engineer and inventor, born all together into a single body.
Elon Musk never fails to amaze the world, a man will take a minimum of seven lives to achieve what he has achieved in his one.
He comes with his futuristic, phenomenal ideas one after the other, which are hard to accept and impossible to create. But he proves everyone wrong each time.


He is the founder, CEO and CTO of SpaceX; co-founder, CEO and product architect of Tesla Motors; co-founder and Chairman of SolarCity; co-chairman of OpenAI; co-founder of Zip2 Corporation and founder of X.com which later merged with PayPal.
That is too much of adjective for a single man to carry.
Below is everything that you will ever need to know about him , and with each point that you read, you will turn into more of a Elon Musk fan like me.


1). Elon Musk is a South African-born Canadian-American.
 Elon Reeve Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1971. His father was a South African ElectroMechanical Engineer while his mother is a Canadian Model over the last 50 years and counting. He was a Canadian and later got the American citizenship in 2002.


2). Too intelligent for his age.
He had an extraordinary mind since his birth. He learned programming at an early age of 12 and created a space game called Blaster for himself. Later, he sold that game for $500.



 3). He became a millionaire by the age of 28.
In 1995, Musk went to the Stanford University, California to study nuclear physics but he dropped out of grad school to start his own company Zip2 Corporation which he later sold to Compaq's AltaVista division in 1999 for $307 million.


4). Tesla model S awarded a rating of 5.4 out of 5.
Musk co-founded Tesla Motors, which designs and manufactures electric sports car.  In November 2013 Motor Trend named Tesla S, its auto of the year. It won the highest rating ever given to a Car by the National Highway Safety Administration. So that makes Sedan S, the safest car on the road.


5). This man wants to colonize Mars.
He wanted to try his hands on rocket technology and space science, so with this vision he founded SpaceX a.k.a Space Exploration Technologies. He aims to reduce the cost of space flight, making it affordable so that one day he can accomodate mankind on Mars using his commercial space vehicles.
SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA and is successful in bringing down the cost of a Space Mission to 90%.


6). The Marvel Movie Character Iron Man is inspired by Elon Musk.
If there is a man in real life who has money, woman and power, it has to be Musk. The director of the movie Jon Favreau stated that Elon was the inspiration behind the iconic character of Tony Stark. SpaceX Office was used in filming few scenes of Iron Man 2, and Musk also did a Cameo role in the same.


7). Elon Musk is a workaholic.
He works almost 100 hours per week. Currently divides his time between SpaceX and Tesla. Mondays and Tuesdays at SpaceX, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Tesla, while Fridays split equally between the two. His employees say that he is never satisfied by his work. He wants to progress every minute.


8). He owns the James Bond Car.
He owns Wet Nellie, a custom built Lotus-Esprit Submarine Car from the James Bond Movie:The spy who loved me. He says that he is going to upgrade the Car and transform into one, for real.


9). Awards and Recognition.
He was named one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st Century by the Esquire Magazine. He also bagged Fortune's title of "Businessperson of the Year" for SpaceX, Solar City & Tesla Motors. Musk was also presented with FAI Gold Space Medal in 2010. His list of achievements is never ending, and I'll fall short of words.


10). His latest endeavour Hyperloop.
A completely new, one of its kind concept of ground transportation using pressurised tubes that can send people from San Francisco to Los Angeles in just half an hour. Musk says that if no one builds it for him, he will do it himself.

Elon Musk lives in the present and dreams of the future. His work revolves around his vision to provide the ordinary with the extraordinary. He wants to change the world and the Mankind. Probably, that is what makes him a superhuman. 

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Thursday 3 November 2016

Know it before you Grow it : (Purpose of No-shave November)

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No-shave November is a family run, non-profit, web-based organization devoted to growing cancer awareness and raising funds to support cancer prevention, research and education.
Forgo the razors, let your legs be natural for a month, skip those waxing appointments and save your one month of grooming expenses to educate about cancer prevention, save lives and aid those who are fighting the battle.


When did it all start ?
No-shave November has been a tradition for many years, but it wasn't until the fall of 2009 that members of the Chicagoland Hill family decided to use it as a means to raise funds for charity.
But this project held special meaning to them because the father of these 8 Hill Children, Mathew Hill, passed away from Colon Cancer in 2007. So in 2009, they added a special purpose to this years old tradition.

The Hill Children
Is it meant for the men only ?
People have a general misconception that No-shave November is a guy thing. No, not at all. No-shave November welcomes female participants too. While the boys can ditch shaving facial hairs for a month, women can also join this movement by quitting all kinds of grooming for a month, like threading, waxing and haircut and donating their savings to a Cancer aid society.
No-shave November just wants you to carry along the spirit of the movement beyond the gender biasness.

Why it emphasises to grow hair ?
The one and only reason why No-shave November movement lay stress on growing your hair for a month and saving the grooming cost to be donated to the Cancer fund, instead of any other means is because they want you to embrace your hair for those Cancer patients who lose theirs due to the vigorous treatment. Hair is a natural gift of God, to be grown wild and free.

 Success of No-shave November ?
But what started as a trend for the Facebook followers to ditch razors for a month has turned out to be a nationwide celebration.
Every November for the past six years, the No-shavers have donated the cost of grooming and helped the organization to raise over 2 million dollars till date. No-shave November has grown exponentially since 2009.

"If you are not ready to get hairy for a month, sit back and support who are"


Share this post so that every girl gets to know that No-shave November is not meant only for men, and every guy gets to know the special purpose behind it.
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Muskuraiye Janaab, Aap Lucknow Me Hain

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The city of Kebabs and Newabs, Lucknow is an amalgamation of food, art and culture, mixed ergonomically.
Lucknow is sitting proudly on the Northwest shores of the Gomti River. You need to lose yourself in Lucknow in order to experience all of its prodigal flavors.
If there is any place in India that reflects the Sultanate era of the historic past along with the modern upshots spreading its ever growing tentacles, then it is Lucknow.



1). Second Happiest City of India.
According to a survey conducted by LG and IMRB International, Chandigarh bagged the first place, but Lucknow is no less. Lucknow is the second best on the happiness index based on Pursuit, Purpose, Passion, Pleasure and Context.


2). Always a gourmet's delight.
The authenticity of kebabs, the aroma of the 18 layered paranthas, the irresistible biryani, succulent naans, softness of the Sheermals, mouth watering kachoris and creamy kulfis are all available on the asking. And if you haven't tasted the Lakhnawi pan yet, then you are missing out on life.

3). No less than a shopper's paradise.
Lucknow is famous for its embroidery work, Chikankari, a 400 year old art. The markets of Hazratganj are modelled by the Britishers after London's Queen Street. Naza market is the second largest electronics and computer market in India. The markets of Aminabad is one of the oldest in the city and offers all kinds of commodities to choose from.

4). Lucknow is India's first CCTV city.
It is the first city to start the CCTV surveillance, it began with 4,000 cameras, which is being doubled up as the year goes. The cameras are perfectly install to cover all of the cityscape.

5). Lucknow was a Rebellion Hotspot.
The first Rebel against the British was initiated in Lucknow in 1857, and then the fire reached from Lucknow to Kanpur and Bengal. The city eventually witnessed many uprisings. In the 19th Century Lucknow also lent support to the Khilafat Movement.

6). Cradle of dance and music.
Lucknow has beautifully captivated the essence of art and culture. Kathak, an Indian classical dance form got a great deal of recognition since the Nawabs reigned Awadh.
The soul touching Ghazals and Shayaris echoed the royal courtrooms of the Sultanate. The city has given birth to a myriad of poets and artists.

7). Magnificent Architecture that will enthral you.
The Lucknow University is inspired by the European Architecture. The Turkish Architecture has also a bearing on the heritage of Lucknow, the Rumi Darwaza of Lucknow resembles the Gateway of Constantinople and hence is known as the Turkish Gateway. While some parts of the old Lucknow reflects the Mughal Architecture.
The Charbagh Railway Station is built in such a way that it looks like a chessboard with pawns when viewed aerially.

8). The Astounding Hospitality of the Lucknowites.
Lucknow is not just famous for its Nawabi Shaan but also for its Adab and Tehzeeb. The way the Lucknowites will treat you, will melt your heart. Their courtesy is irreplaceable. The intricate euphemism of Lucknow is no surprise.That is probably one of the reason why life is much easier in Lucknow.

9). The intriguing Lucknow Mahotsav.
Lucknow Mahotsav is a festival organised every year to showcase the art and culture of the city. The success of this Mahotsav could be understood from the fact that it has rightfully found a place in the calendar. Popular musicians, shayars and other artists add a star to this annual congregation with their presence.

10). World's 74th fastest growing city.
Lucknow is blessed with cultural richness, but that does not make it less of a modern city. The city is undergoing rapid developments to compliment itself with the other metro cities.
The city currently has expansion plans for the airport and commemoration of Metros. That's not a bad beginning.


If you are a Lucknowite, then you are blessed to feel the extravagance of Lucknow. But if you are not, then visiting Lucknow won't be a bad decision.
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Wednesday 2 November 2016

Lose yourself to History in Rampur Raza Library

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The Raza Library of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh being one of the biggest library in Asia is a repository of Indo-Islamic cultural heritage and a treasure house of knowledge.

Credit: rampurcourt


It was established by Nawab Faizullah Khan in the 18th century. Notable additions were made by the successive Nawabs of Rampur which helped the library to grow in leaps and bounds.
Today it is fostered by the Government of India.

The library contains rare manuscripts like Quran written by Hazrat Ali on a unique parchment made of deer skin and Ramayana written by Sumer Chand in Persian.
Nawab Yousuf Ali Khan Nazim, one of the Nawab of Rampur was himself a poet of Urdu and his poems particularly known as The Nawab's Diwan (collection of verses), written in gold is preserved in the library.

It is also a storehouse of valuable historical documents, specimens of Islamic calligraphy, miniature paintings, astronomical instruments and rare illustrated works in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Pashto,Tamil and Turkish, and appoximately 30,000 printed books in various other languages.

The Rampur Raza Library has initiated a digitization project under PM Narendra Modi's Digital India Campaign, after which around 90,000 books will be available online so that students, researchers, professors, historians and life long learners can explore and uncover the treasure of the rich Indo-Islamic history. 
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