13 September - Jatindra Nath Das death anniversary

 Jatindra Nath Das  (27 October 1904 – 13 September 1929), also known as Jatin Das, was an Indian independence activist and revolutionary. He died in Lahore jail after a 63-day hunger strike.

Jatindra Das was born in 1904 at Calcutta. He joined the Anushilan Samiti, a revolutionary group in Bengal, at a young age and also participated in Gandhi's Non-Cooperation movement in 1921

13th September - Pedro Alvarez Cabral arrived in Calicut in 1500

On 13th September 1500, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, a Portuguese explorer and navigator arrived in Calicut and opened the first European factory in India.

Cabral, who is also considered the discoverer of Brazil, is remembered for carrying out the first consequential exploration of the northeast coast of South America, which he eventually annexed for Portugal. In 1500, Cabral was chosen to lead an expedition to India using Vasco Da Gama’s newly discovered route around Africa. The aim of this journey was to bring back valuable spices from India while establishing trade relations with the country in the process; considering the fact that the spice trade was dominated by the Arab, Italian and Turkish merchants.

 

14 September - Virajanand Dandeesha death anniversary

Virajanand Dandeesha, also known as the blind sage of Mathura was the celebrated teacher of Arya Samaj founder Dayanand Saraswati. He was a scholar and teacher of Sanskrit grammar and Vedic literature.

Virajanand was born in Kartarpur near Jalandhar in the year 1778 in a Mohyal family. At the age of five, he lost his eyesight from an attack of small pox. Soon thereafter his father, who had initiated him into the rudiments of Sanskrit learning died. Leaving him to the mercy of his elder brother and sister-in-law at very young age. As they did not treat him well, the temperamental Virjanand soon left their home.

His wanderings took him to Rishikesh where he led a life of meditation and austerity for about three years. Tradition has it that Swami Virjanand left Rishikesh for Hardwar at the instance of a divine command. At Hardwar, he came in contact with The swami Purnanand Giri, a Sanskrit scholar who initiated him into 'sanyas'. Purnanand created in him a deep love for Sanskrit grammar and for the "arsha" Shastras (scriptures authored by Rishis). Soon, he began to master other branches of Sanskrit literature, and also took up teaching others.

Virjanand died on 14 September 1868, at the age of 90. On 14 September 1971, the Post and Telegraph Department of India released a stamp in his honor depicting the swami in a sitting posture.