29th June Events for Children – Discover fascinating history, from Emperor Romanos IV’s exile to the first iPhone launch, National Statistics Day, and the hilarious story of how a Bengali officer accidentally named a railway station ‘Noather Dhal’.
Dear Students,
Remember how I told you the story about “there was a brown crow,” where a British officer got hilariously taught how to speak Indian languages? Well, today, I have another funny language story—Noather Dhal! But first, let’s see what interesting things happened in history on the 29th of June.
🏰 A Blinded Emperor
Long, long ago in 1072, there was an emperor named Romanos IV Diogenes who ruled the Byzantine Empire. Well, he was defeated in the Battle of Manzikert. To make sure he could never become king again, his rivals blinded him and sent him away into exile. It sounds harsh, but back then, this was their way of ending someone’s claim to power.
🏛️ Swami Vivekananda and the Secret Brotherhood
Here’s something you might not have heard before—Swami Vivekananda was a Freemason!
But who are Freemasons?
Imagine a club that has been around for centuries, where people meet secretly to help each other and do good work for society. That’s what Freemasonry is—one of the world’s oldest organisations that believes in universal brotherhood, secularism, kindness, and making good people better. On 29th June 1800, a Freemason lodge was established in Alkmaar, a town in the Netherlands. Besides Swami Vivekananda, many famous scientists, artists, and leaders were Freemasons.
📱 The Birth of Smartphones
Something very close to your hearts—the iPhone!
On 29th June 2007, the first generation iPhones were released.
Before that, people mostly used phones to make calls or send text messages. But this little device changed everything! Apps, touchscreens, internet browsing—it was the beginning of the smartphones we use today.
📊 National Statistics Day
If you love mathematics and data, you should know about Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.
He was a famous scientist and statistician who created the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Calcutta.
To celebrate his birth anniversary and his enormous contribution to statistics, National Statistics Day is celebrated every year on 29th June.
😂 The Funny Story of Noather Dhal
Now, for the tale you were waiting for!
If you ever travel by train from up North Bengal or North East to Calcutta through Bardhaman, you’ll see many stations with names ending in “Dhal.” In Bengali, “Dhal” can mean a shield or a slope downhill.
During British rule, when the railway lines were being built, a Bengali officer had the job of naming the stations. He kept naming them after the local slopes—“this Dhal,” “that Dhal,” until the British railway officer got frustrated!
One day, the Bengali officer brought yet another proposal ending with “Dhal.” The British officer, tired of hearing about Dhals all day, shouted:
“Name it anything but NO OTHER DHAL!”
But our Bengali friend wasn’t very good at English. He scratched his head and thought the British boss had suggested a beautiful name—Noather Dhal!
He even wondered:
“Who is this Noada? Must be some important British person …”
Not wanting to ask too many questions, he quietly approved the station name as Noather Dhal.
And guess what?
That station still exists today!
So next time you pass by it, remember this hilarious mix-up!
💡 What Can We Learn?
Language is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it can lead to the most unexpected and funny stories. Whether it’s “brown crow” or “Noather Dhal,” these tales remind us to be patient, kind, and always willing to learn from each other.
Stay curious, keep laughing, and never stop exploring!🌈
