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Mihri Müşfik Hanım's 131st Birthday



As a princess, a painter, and a portraitist, Mihri Müşfik Hanım wore many hats in her lifetime.

Hanım established herself as the first contemporary Turkish female artist, and was known mostly for her portraiture. Born in Istanbul in the Anchabadze dynasty to a royal family, Hanım took an early interest in literature, music, and painting. Her father was an anatomy specialist and a well-known instructor in the Military School of Medicine, and it’s believed that he had a strong influence on her artistic pursuits.

Hanım took private lessons in painting, and eventually moved to Rome and Paris, in hopes of immersing herself in art circles. In Paris, Hanım was introduced to Cevit Bey, the Ottoman Minister of Finance. Bey saw Hanım’s talent and sent a recommendation to the Minister of Education to have her appointed as an art teacher at the Istanbul Teachers’ Training School for Girls in 1913. A year later, Hanım was hired as the director and a fine arts instructor. Throughout her career, she also painted portraits of important figures such as Pope Benedict XV.

Today, we remember Hanım and her incredible contributions to art on what would be her 131st birthday.

Abdul Sattar Edhi’s 89th Birthday



Today's Doodle honors Abdul Sattar Edhi, a global-reaching philanthropist and humanitarian who made it his life’s mission to help those in need.

Edhi was born in India but moved to Karachi shortly after Pakistan was formed. He soon noticed that many Pakistanis lacked shelter, medicine, education, and other essentials, and was moved to help in any way he could. He began by simply asking others around him to contribute time or money, especially when a flu epidemic hit Karachi. In a 2009 interview with NPR, he said, "I got medical students to volunteer. I was penniless and begged for donations on the street. And people gave."

In 1951, he established the Edhi foundation, which is funded solely by private donations. The foundation, which operates 24 hours a day, provides a variety of social services from homeless shelters to medical care — all free of charge — and has helped thousands of people around the world in times of need. Most notably, the foundation operates the world’s largest volunteer ambulance network in Pakistan. "In my entire life I have driven no other car except my ambulance," Edhi said.

Edhi was directly involved with the foundation throughout the rest of his life. He always focused more on those around him than on his own comfort or needs. In fact, he and his family slept in a room near the foundation's headquarters and had only a few belongings. But his charitable empire and "family" were vast — at the time of his death, he and his wife Bilquis were registered as parents or guardians of tens of thousands of Pakistani children. “My mission is to love human beings," he said in an interview. "Each day is the best day of my life."

Here’s to Edhi, whose unwavering commitment to others will always be remembered.

Carnaval 2017 (Brazil)



Brazil Carnaval is a week-long affair of parades, samba music, themed costumes, and dancing that celebrates a time of fun and indulgence before Lent begins. Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval is considered to be the largest, with up to 2 million people taking part!

Today’s animated Doodle - by Doodler and Brazil native Pedro Vergani - gives us a glimpse of Carnaval through the ages, depicting the traditional and colorful attire spanning from the 1910s to the 2000s.

Happy Carnaval 2017!

St. David's Day 2017



Today’s Doodle depicts a Welsh Lovespoon in honor of St. David’s Day, a commemoration of Welsh culture, marked by festivals, parades, feasting, and music. As far back as the seventeenth century, young suitors carved ornate symbols (like anchors, horseshoes, and hearts) into wooden spoons. When the spoons were completed, they bestowed these gifts on their love interests as a sign that they could provide for them.

Girls' Day 2017



Girls’ Day, also known as “Hinamatsuri” or “Doll’s Day,” is a day-long Japanese festival to wish for the health and wellbeing of young girls. On March 3rd, sprawling displays of ornate dolls sparkle atop 7-tiered red carpet platforms—with each step representing a different layer of society from the Heian period (an era considered to be the peak of the Japanese imperial court). In the traditions of this time (794-1185), straw hina dolls were floated out in little boats, taking with them the troubles and dark spirits of the believers who set them out to sea.

This Doodle features the stars of the first platform: the Emperor who holds a ritual baton in his hands and the Empress with her fan. Between them, two vases of peach branches were said to bring good luck, as the very beginnings of their seasonal bloom often corresponded with this day of feminine celebration.

Samia Gamal’s 93rd Birthday



A child of 1920s Egypt, Samia Gamal went on to become a celebrated film actress, renowned for her belly dancing talents. Best known for Raqs Sharqi (Oriental dancing), she took inspiration from all styles of dance, from ballet to ballroom.

After establishing herself, it wasn’t too long before her talents were recognised and she was starring in films in her home country and abroad.

By the late 1940’s she was a huge star and was named “National Dancer of Egypt.” She continued to appear in numerous films into the ‘60s — an era that saw the star stepping out in New York and performing her fusion of Latin-style belly dancing.

On what would be her 93rd birthday, we celebrate Samia Gamal, an Egyptian icon whose talents are admired as much today by aspiring dancers and film fans as they were in the height of her fame.

37th Anniversary of Komodo National Park



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 37th anniversary of Komodo National Park with an interactive quiz to test your knowledge about Its main, reptilian inhabitant: the Komodo dragon!

Komodo National Park in Indonesia sits at the center of an archipelago and consists mainly of 3 volcanic islands. The landscape is unlike any other, ranging from dry savanna conditions to lush forests, all surrounded by white-sand beaches and bright blue water.

Although Komodo National Park was created to protect the life of the 5700 Komodo dragons who call it home, the park's scope has now expanded to other native wildlife. In addition to the Timor deer, which is the main source of food for the Komodo dragon, the islands are also the habitat for 72 species of birds, such as the yellow-crested cockatoo. Thousands of fish species swim in the surrounding waters, as well as sea turtles, dolphins, and whales.

Despite the plethora of native wildlife, Komodo dragons are still what the park is best known for. Thanks to National Parks like Komodo, wildlife can continue to thrive largely uninterrupted by human interference.

Here's to the Komodo dragon and Komodo National Park's 37th year!

International Women's Day 2017



Happy International Women's Day 2017!

This International Women's Day, we’ve chosen to look to the past to celebrate some of the female pioneers who paved the way to where we are today.

Our slideshow Doodle features a little girl whose grandmother tells her the best bedtime story ever: the tale of her favorite historical heroine. The little girl then visits 13 remarkable women in her imagination, taking us along on a journey that spans centuries and circles the globe.

Although some of the women showcased in today’s Doodle aren't household names, each made a mark in her own way. They pursued a range of professions and passions and hailed from an array of backgrounds and countries. In fact, all of these women have been featured in individual Doodles in the past, but often only in their countries of origin. So today we're taking the opportunity to share their stories with everyone.

After all, that's part of the original spirit of International Women's Day: giving a voice to women who might not otherwise be heard. It all started in 1908, when a group of women gathered in New York City to demand fair pay, better working conditions, and the right to vote. Their commitment to equality sparked similar events in other countries. In 1911, the first official International Women's Day rallies were held in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The day is now observed in a myriad of countries and a multitude of ways.

Holi Festival 2017



Today, the Google letters are taking on a fresh set of colors in honor of the Holi festival. Coinciding with the arrival of spring, the vibrant celebration looks a lot like the Doodle: people run around happily covering each other in a rainbow of powdery hues.

Amid the cloud of red, blue, yellow, green, and everything in between, festival-goers can often be found laughing, singing, and dancing in the streets. The joyous event, which takes place in India, Nepal, and other countries around the world, traditionally marks the triumph of good over evil. It also gives family and friends a chance to simply come together, enjoying a spirited “Festival of Colors” that undoubtedly lives up to its name.

140th Anniversary of the First Cricket Test Match




The first officially-recognized test cricket match took place 140 years ago today. It was a contest between the established English side and the newly-formed Australian team. Australia won the first match, but England won the second match to draw the series 1:1. The rivalry between the English and Australian teams, forged on the field, endures to this day.

Today’s Doodle hits the deck with a lighthearted rendering that captures the spirit of sportsmanship and the inaugural test match. Mustachioed and musclebound, the batsmen, bowlers and opposition fielders spring into action, never losing sight of the red ball.