Clay tablets used in Mesopotamia in 3BC. The calamus, triangle shaped instrument was used to make characters in moist clay.

At Nineveh, 22,000 tablets found, dating from the 7c BC- the archive &library of the kings of Assyria

In Ancient Egypt, papyrus was used for writing & first evidence from about 2400 BC

A calamus, the stem of a reed sharpened to a point, or bird feathers were used for writing

Papermaking started in China about AD 105, using mulberry and other bast fibres along with fishnets, old rags, and hemp waste

paper used for wrapping & padding was used in China since 2BC paper used as a writing medium only became widespread by the 3C

The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440 marks the entry of the book into the Industrial Age

Books printed before January 1, 1501, are called incunables.

Jikji, Selected Teachings of Buddhist Sages, earliest known book printed with movable metal type, 1377

1455:The Gutenberg Bible 1stmajor book printed in Europe with movable metal type by Johannes Gutenberg

The first book printed in India was Conclusões e outras coisas Printing in Goa during 1556 CE

first book printed in India in an Indian language was tampirAn vaNakkam in 1578, a 16-page translation of the Portuguese “Doctrina Christam

1456: Gutenberg the German genius found out the printing technology. The first book ever printed was the Bible

A printing press was sent from Portugal to Abyssinia. The ship carrying it reached Malabar coast & kept so 1st printing press

First printing press in India:

at Ambazhakad in kerala in 1556 after ship Carrying press kept in Kerala by Jesuits

Doctrina Christum, a Latin book by St. Francis Xavier was the first publication from Ambazhakad in Kerala

However , the firstbook printed in any Indian language from Malabar happened to be a Tamil one – Thampuran Vanakkam

Priest Johanus Gonsalvus carved out the ‘Malabar’ Alphabet.

Father Hendrick published Malayalam version of Doctrina Christum and ‘Thampuran Vanakam’ by name ‘Christava Vanakkam’ in 1579

First book in Bangla

Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, A Grammar of the Bengal Language (Hugli, India, 1778).

First printed book in Hindi. A Grammar of the Hindoostanee Language (Calcutta, India: Chronicle Press, 1796).

First printed book in Oriya. Mrtyuñjaya Bidyalankar, trans.[New Testament] (Shrirampur, India: Serampore Mission Press, 1807).

First printed book in Malayalam. [New Testament] (Bombay, India: Courier Press, 1811).

First printed book in Assamese. William Carey,trans. [New Testament] (Shrirampur, India: Serampore Mission Press, 1813).

First printed book in Telugu. Grammar of Telugu (Shrirampur, India: Serampore Mission Press, 1813).

After a false start at the Einta Minarets which are also on one end of the Ahmedabad railway station we again set off on our search. This time we reached the right place.

Sidi Bashir Mosque had been built by a slave of the Gujarat Sultans &he’s buried in a tomb next to it. It bears the name Malik Sarang, who was a noble in the court of Mahmud Begarha.Whether the two were the same or whether Sarang built the Mosque isn’t clear tome just now. Need to research it to get the right answer.

Our taxi drivers had kept trying to put us off by saying no one is allowedto enter it.

But I was determined. It was in a small Mosque compound and it was quitewelcoming. It turned out Noone is allowed to climb up the minar or shake it.But you can enter the Mosque.

The Mosque to which the darwaza with the Minar were attached was broken infighting between Maratha’s and the Gujarat Khans.

A British Library photo shows the two standing forlornly with the connecting door.

At some point not many years ago a Mosque has been built by the locals andis being used by them.

They were called jhoolta or Shaking minarets because if one applied pressureto either one of the other would shake hence the name. Yet the passing trains don’t shake them for some reason. Now it’s not allowed.

One can’t climb up but you can admire it!

There is one more Mosque in Ahmedabad called Raj Bibi ki masjid which also has shaking minarets.

Be very specific when you want to visit it which one you want to go to