Mary and Frederik began a courtship secretively for two years. The only people who knew were their family and close friends who kept the secret hidden well. But Danish media soon found out and their secret was exposed. They were officially engaged in October of 2003 and their wedding was held in the Copenhagen Cathedral, Denmark, in May of 2004. It was attended to by scores of royalty and high political figures. Talk about your dream fairy tale wedding! It was even televised live in Australia.
Mary officially became the crown princess of Denmark. This beautiful young woman embodies every hope and dream of young women everywhere. She was born a commoner in the Australian outback, met a dashing young Prince who fell in love with her despite her common origin and soon became a real live princess.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Mary Donaldson and Danish Crown Prince Frederik Love Story
Antony and Cleopatra Love Story
As the story goes, and to make a long story very short, Cleopatra was the wife of Ceasar. Ceasar truly did love her because she was intelligent and resourceful. She was everything he could have ever wanted in a wife. But the Senate would not recognize the marriage because she was a Greek. Together they gave birth to Ceasar's only child, Ceaesarion. The Senate did not want an illegitimate child of the empire ruling in Ceasar's stead and he was assassinated. Next on the list for assassination was Cleopatra and Ceaesarion.
Antony was Ceasar's favorite general. He took a huge risk in getting Cleopatra and her son out of Rome unharmed. Together, they safely arrived in Egypt. They fell in love and remained together for quite some time.
Antony challenged the Roman Empire led by Octavian, who had plotted in the murder of Ceasar. Together, Cleopatra and Antony challenged the Empire by acquiring followers of their own. But they had too few and were outweighed by the giant Roman Empire force who had a strong distaste for Cleopatra. In their eyes, Cleopatra was a deserter and an adultress who left Ceasar for another man - Antony.
While at battle, Antony learns false news of Cleopatra's murder. Distraught, heartbroken and with nothing left to fight for, he fell upon his own sword. When Cleopatra hears of his death, she too is heartbroken and in utter grief. She slips an asp (some legends say a rattlesnake) into her quarters and lets the dangerous snake bite her on the arm. In this manner, she does the noble death of a queen.
Love Story Of Salim & Anarkali
Love Story Of Salim & Anarkali
The son of the great Mughal emperor Akbar, Salim, fell in love with an ordinary, but beautiful courtesan Anarkali. Anarkali was known for her dancing skills, as much as for her beauty. Salim was mesmerized by her beauty and fell in love as soon as he saw her. But, the emperor could not digest the fact that his son was in love with an ordinary courtesan. He started pressurizing Anarkali and devised all sorts of tactics to make her fall in the eyes of the young, love-smitten prince. When Salim came to know of this, he declared a war against his own father. But the mighty emperor's gigantic army proved too much for the young prince to handle. He was defeated and sentenced to death.
This was when Anarkali intervened and renounced her love to save her beloved from the jaws of death. She was entombed alive in a brick wall, right in front of her lover's eyes. Some people, however, say that she did not die. The tomb was constructed on the opening of a secret tunnel unknown to Salim. It is said she escaped through that tunnel and fled the place, never to return again. Thus, ended the tragic love story of Salim and Anarkali. However, Salim lived on to become Emperor Jahangir, who loved Anarkali throughout his life and remembered only her when he was dying.
A tomb that is believed to be of Anarkali, is located in the premises of Punjab Civil Secretariat in Lahore and now houses the Punjab Records Office. The tomb was previously transformed to a church by an invading British officer. There is also a market located at a near by road, The Mall road, which is famously known as the Anarkali Bazaar. It is believed to the one of the oldest markets in Pakistan. While no one knows whether Anarkali actually existed or not, her legend is still alive in millions of hearts across Indian and Pakistan.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Love Story of Laila & Majnu
Love Story of Laila & Majnu
Laila was a beautiful girl born in a rich family. Being no less than a princess, she was expected to marry a wealthy boy and live in grandeur and splendor. But as they say, love thinks from the heart and she fell in love with Majnu, a poor lad. Their passionate love for each other knew no bounds and no logic. As fate would have it, the two lovers were banished from seeing each other. Laila's parents married her off to a wealthy boy and she lived in a big mansion. She couldn't bear the separation and committed suicide. Majnu became a madman and ultimately died on Laila's grave.
The star-crossed lovers immortalized their feeling of love for each other by giving away their lives in the name of love. Their agony is felt by many in their hearts even today, when the heart-rending saga of Laila and Majnu is narrated to them. The story of Laila-Majnu has several variations. In India, it is believed that Laila and Majnu breathed their last in a village in Rajasthan, where they took refuge. Their graves are believed to be located in Bijnore village, near Anupgarh in the Sriganganagar district. A rural legend in the area holds that Laila and Majnu originally belonged to Sindh, from where they escaped to these parts of India and finally, died in the Indian territory.
Another variation of the romantic tale of Laila and Majnu pictures both the lovers meeting in school for the first time. Majnu is captivated by Laila’s beauty and falls in love in her. He is beaten by the schoolteacher for being more attentive to Laila than studies. As their families learn about this, the lovers are separated. However, they meet when they grow young. Laila’s brother Tabrez warns her against marrying Majnu. Mad about Laila, Majnu murders Tabrez, and is arrested. Laila is married off to some other man, who challenges Majnu to death as he gets to know Laila’s inclination towards Majnu. While Majnu is killed by Laila’s Husband, she kills herself on learning of Majnu’s death.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert Love Story
Victoria was a cheerful and vibrant young woman who suddenly found herself as Queen of England after her Uncle, King William IV, died in 1837. She was the closest heir. In 1840, she married her cousin, Prince Albert. At first the country was not found of Prince Albert, only because he was German. But he proved to be a loyal subject and faithful to England. Victoria loved him immensely and came to depend on him for political and diplomatic advice.
In 1861 Prince Albert died and Victoria was utterly devastated. She would not show her face in public again for three full years. People began to doubt her and assassination attempts were made on her life. She finally did come out of hiding but absolutely refused to wear anything but black to show her mourning for her late husband. And for forty years, until her death in 1901, she wore nothing but black and mourned him until her own death. Her long state of mourning earned her the nickname, "The Widow of Windsor". Victoria asked for two items to be in her own coffin. In one hand was placed one of Albert's dressing gowns while in the other was a lock of Albert's hair.
Unfortunately for her, she had the longest reign in England's history, and she mourned through most of it. She truly loved her Prince and could not let his memory go.
Besides being known as the Widow of Windsor, the time in which she reigned was truly a remarkable period in the life of England. England was going through the industrial revolution and the period became known as the Victorian Era.
Johnny Cash and June Carter Love Story
During Johnny's country music career, he became addicted to drugs and alcohol. In his greatest time of need, his wife pretty much deserted him. But his best friend, June, stuck by his side through his most difficult times. Both of their marriages had failed. And one day, on stage and in front of a live audience, Johnny proposed to June. With a tearful acceptance, she agreed to marry him, her best friend. He had actually proposed to her 30 times before that night on stage when she finally said yes!
Throughout their marriage of 35 wonderful years, Johnny fell back into drugs and alcohol a number of times. But their love endured. June would not leave his side, even when the going got tough. When most people would have left, she stuck around. And because she stayed loyal to him through the hard and rough times and through his addictions, he loved her even more for it. Johnny Cash did have a great music career. He won eight Grammies. Seven of them were won after he married June.
In 2002, Johnny Cash remade the Nine Inch Nails song Hurt and released a video. For him, the song and video was a monument to his years of drug abuse and life pitfalls. In his video, which you can find here on YouTube, it shows a dramatic emotional voyage leading up to his last days on earth. He dedicated this work to his wife, June, who is also shown in the video. Two months after the taping of Hurt, June Carter passed away. Johnny Carter died just a few months after her death. This video won best video of the year at the Grammys and at the Country Music Awards.
