22 December 2018

durbar

[dur-bahr]

noun (in India)

1. the court of a native ruler.
2. a public audience or levee held by a native prince or by a British governor or viceroy; an official reception.
3. the hall or place of audience.
4. the audience itself.

Origin of durbar

1600–10; alteration of Urdu darbār court < Persian, equivalent to dar door + bār entry

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for durbar

Contemporary Examples

In 1979 the Durbar Square of each city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nepal Old and New: Kathmandu Valley’s Royal Cities Get a Facelift
Condé Nast Traveler
August 19, 2013

Historical Examples

The durbar was continued day by day until every point had been discussed.
The Philippine Islands
John Foreman

At length the Nabob dismissed us, and we retired from the durbar.
Athelstane Ford
Allen Upward

If I had it I would have a durbar every day, instead of once or twice a year.
Following the Equator, Complete
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

A state elephant at a Durbar gives one a very similar impression.
Reginald
Saki

The Durbar was one of the most striking and picturesque sights I have seen.
At the Court of the Amr
John Alfred Gray

Anagram

rad rub

Today’s quote

Wine is bottled poetry.

– Robert Louis Stephenson

On this day

22 December 1880 – death of Mary Ann Evans. One of England’s greatest novelists, she published under the name ‘George Eliot’ in order to be taken seriously. Some of her novels include ‘Adam Bede’, ‘Mill on the Floss’, ‘Silas Marner’, and ‘Daniel Deronda’. Her novel, ‘Middlemarch’, was described as the greatest novel in the English language. Born 22 November 1819.

22 December 1936 – Italy sends thousands of troops to Spain to support the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War who were opposed to the democratically elected left-wing ‘Popular Front’ government which comprised of Trotskyists, communists and other left-wing groups.

22 December 1949 – birth of Maurice Gibb on the Isle of Man. Founded the Bee Gees with his brothers, Robin and Barry. Died 12 January 2003 in Miami, Florida.

22 December 1989 – The Brandenburg Gate opens for the first time in almost 30 years, allowing access between East and West Germany.

22 December 2002 – Death of Joe Strummer, co-founder, guitarist, lyricist and vocalist with UK punk band, The Clash. Born 21 August 1952.