Delhi, the capital of India, traces its roots to Indraprastha, the city founded by the Pandava princes, the protagonists in the Mahabharata. It has no remarkable connection with the Ramayana, …
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Navaratri literally translates as ‘nine nights’. The word also evokes the spirit of renewal. In Bengal, the festivities begin on Mahalaya, the first day of Sharadiya Navaratri, with an electrifying …
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Subah-e-Banaras is one of the popular phrases that evoke images of the sacred city where mornings begin before sunrise. Many residents get up early and head straight for the river …
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The evenings in the city of Lucknow, the heart of Awadh, whisper intoxicating seductions in responsive ears. The Hindustani word shaam rhymes easily with shabaab (beauty, kebab, and sharab (wine). …
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An old saying puts three regions above others praising their pleasant climatic features in morning, evening and night- Subah-e- Benaras, Shaam-e- Awadh and Shab- e-Malwa. People translate this as the …
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The face of the city has changed almost beyond recognition since the days when the princely painter Ravi Varma from Kerala recreated the landscape of Shehar Jeypore on his easel. Founded by a …
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The world knows the Mithila region in the state of Bihar as home to radiant Madhubani paintings that traditionally adorned walls in village homes. The images recreated scenes of Sita’s …
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Rabindranath Tagore, the myriad-minded man, had, in the wake of the Partition of Bengal in 1905, launched a visionary campaign—a mass Raksha Bandhan—with Hindus and Muslims tying rakhis on each …
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Independence Day is celebrated every year with the unfurling of the tricolor on the ramparts of the Red Fort, and sweets- mostly a couple of bundi laddus- are distributed to …
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“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright,In the forests of the night;What immortal hand or eye,Could frame thy fearful symmetry?” Sadly, the king of the Indian forest, the mount of Goddess Durga, is …
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There was a time that seems so long ago, when the monsoon, whether advancing or receding, was a time to rejoice. The rains provided relief from scorching summer and rejuvenated the …
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Legend has it that Indradyumna, the King of Kalinga, dreamed one night that Lord Vishnu was telling him to build a temple dedicated to Sri Krishna. The next morning, strolling by the …
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Manipur, situated between Nagaland and Mizoram, shares the international border with Myanmar. A Hindu Kingdom for centuries, it is home to many tribes inhabiting the valleys and highlands, proud of …
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Ganeshotsav is celebrated on a grand scale in Mumbai in July. Gigantic Ganesh idols are fabricated and displayed in public spaces. Smaller ones are installed at home, worshipped for ten …
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Bhadrapad gets its name from the nakshatras purva and uttar Bhadra and the constellation associated with Bhadra the fierce sister of Shani (Saturn) the malevolent planet. According to legend she …
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The month of Shravan (corresponding to June-July in the Gregorian calendar) is sacred to the devotees of Shiva. Barefoot, thousands of kanwaria hit the road, mindless of the heat and …
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When the sky darkens with rain-bearing clouds, lightning flashes, and thunder rumbles, announcing the onset of the monsoon, separation from the beloved becomes unbearable. This is when villages in eastern …
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Kalidas, the great Sanskrit poet, composed his lyric poem Ritusamharam celebrating seasons circa the 5th century CE. The opening canto lists things that are cool to the touch and bring …
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The whole world today is aware of yoga, India’s unique gift to humanity. It is recognised as the foundational concept of Indic civilisation. It is ironic that the equally seminal …