Welcome to Wikipedia

,

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Poster for the Tamil version

Chandralekha is a 1948 Indian historical adventure film produced and directed by S. S. Vasan of Gemini Studios. Starring T. R. Rajakumari, M. K. Radha and Ranjan, the film follows two brothers who fight over ruling their father's kingdom and marrying the village dancer, Chandralekha. Veppathur Kittoo developed a story based on a chapter of Robert Macaire; or, The French Bandit in England, a novel by George W. M. Reynolds. The film spent five years in production, undergoing a number of scripting, filming and cast changes, and was the most expensive film made in India at the time. Vasan mortgaged all his property and sold his jewellery to complete the film. The Tamil version (poster pictured), released on 9 April 1948, did not recoup production costs. Vasan directed a Hindi version with some changes, which was a box-office success. South Indian cinema became prominent throughout India with the film's release, inspiring South Indian producers to market their Hindi films in North India. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Mckenna Grace

... that Mckenna Grace (pictured) has portrayed younger versions of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Tonya Harding, and Captain Marvel?
... that the perigynia of the few-flowered sedge spring outward when brushed against?
... that historian Anne Balay wrote two books on oral histories from LGBT steelworkers and truck drivers?
... that according to the Source–Message–Channel–Receiver model, all forms of communication are attempts to influence the behavior of the audience?
... that Wu Xiaoyan, persecuted because of her adoptive father Wu Han, committed suicide 13 days before the end of the Cultural Revolution?
... that the stop-motion lyric video of Kylie Minogue's "Skirt" was created using more than 1,000 still photos of her posing in a hotel room?
... that Ade Surapriatna confronted a police officer who had ticketed his party's supporters for violating traffic laws at a rally?
... that Lord Dunsany's story "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth" may feature "the most original method of dragonslaying ever devised"?

In the news

Wildfire damage to Lahaina

Wildfires in Hawaii kill more than 90 people and destroy much of Lahaina (damage pictured) on the island of Maui.
Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio is assassinated in Quito, eleven days before the general election.
The Netball World Cup concludes, with Australia defeating England in the final.
The Hazara Express train derails in Sindh, Pakistan, killing 30 people.

On this day

August 15: Independence Day in India (1947); National Liberation Day of Korea (1945)

Syngman Rhee

1261 – Michael VIII Palaiologos was crowned Byzantine emperor in Constantinople.
1812 – War of 1812: Potawatomi warriors ambushed a United States Army convoy after it had evacuated Fort Dearborn, in present-day Chicago, and razed the fort.
1941 – Josef Jakobs, a German spy, became the last person executed at the Tower of London.
1948 – The Republic of Korea was established with Syngman Rhee (pictured) as its first president.
1977 – Big Ear, a radio telescope at Ohio State University received a strong, apparently extraterrestrial radio signal that became known as the Wow! signal.

Conrad II, Duke of Swabia (d. 1196)
Johan Gadolin (d. 1852)
Melinda Gates (b. 1964)
Rick Rypien (d. 2011)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

Illustration of a battle from the Devi Mahatmya

The Devi Mahatmya is a text of Hindu philosophy describing the goddess Durga as the supreme power and creator of the universe. It is part of the Markandeya Purana. This illustration, created with watercolour and ink on paper, is from an early-18th-century Nepalese folio of the Devi Mahamya, and depicts the goddess Ambika leading the eight mother goddesses in battle against the asura (demon spirit) Raktabīja. A few Sanskrit words are written across the painting, which was gifted to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California.

Painting credit: unknown

Recently featured:

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – The central hub for editors, with resources, links, tasks, and announcements.
Village pump – Forum for discussions about Wikipedia itself, including policies and technical issues.
Site news – Sources of news about Wikipedia and the broader Wikimedia movement.
Teahouse – Ask basic questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Help desk – Ask questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Reference desk – Ask research questions about encyclopedic topics.
Content portals – A unique way to navigate the encyclopedia.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is written by volunteer editors and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other volunteer projects: