Society

from-survival-to-freedom-the-changing-financial-landscape-for-urban-indian-women

Mon Mar 30 12:42:22 IST 2026

The meaning of money in urban India is undergoing a quiet yet powerful transformation—especially for women. No longer confined to the traditional idea of financial security, money today represents freedom, independence, and the ability to make life choices on one’s own terms.

As per the report from Winvestor Pulse 2025–26, urban Indian women are not just participating in financial markets but redefining their purpose altogether.

One of the most significant changes is the increasing financial independence of women. Today, 56 per cent of women make their own investment decisions.

Experiences are taking precedence over assets, with 41 per cent of women choosing travel over buying a home. Holidays and personal experiences are becoming a priority, signalling a move toward living in the present rather than solely planning for the future.

This independence is further amplified in digital spaces, where over half of women investors actively engage with the stock market.

Money is no longer viewed merely as a safety net but as a pathway to freedom. The association of money with “freedom” has seen a notable rise, while its connection to “survival” is steadily declining. This changing mindset is also visible in spending patterns.

However, this rise in confidence also comes with a challenge. While a large majority of women feel capable of managing their investments, only a small portion have a clear financial plan in place.

This disconnect highlights a lack of disciplined financial planning, with many investors misjudging long-term investment horizons—often considering three years or less as “long-term”. The result is a generation of investors that is empowered but not always strategically aligned.

Trust and privacy also play a key role in shaping financial behaviour. Although satisfaction levels among those using financial advisors are high, many individuals hesitate to seek professional help due to concerns about sharing personal financial information. This caution extends to the growing use of AI in finance. While a section of investors is already exploring AI tools for information, data privacy remains a major concern, indicating a careful approach toward adopting new technologies.

Ultimately, the findings point to a larger cultural shift. Urban Indian women are no longer passive participants in financial matters; they are reshaping what financial independence means.

anirudh-tewaris-contemplations-of-ram-sewak-bridging-ancient-wisdom-and-modern-life

Fri Mar 27 16:55:28 IST 2026

In Contemplations of Ram Sewak, senior IAS officer Anirudh Tewari extends a line of inquiry he began in his earlier work, Reflections of Ram Sewak. He explores the shared philosophical ground between the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramcharitmanas.

If the earlier book sought to map these parallels through structured commentary, the new volume adopts a more reflective mode, drawing on episodes from the Ramcharitmanas and placing them alongside corresponding ideas in the Gita. The book brings together 54 reflective essays with an emphasis on the synthesis of karma, bhakti, and gyan as interconnected approaches to navigating both personal and public life. In easy-to-understand essays, the book draws the reader to connect with the age-old wisdom which they may find relevant in the chaotic world.

Tewari’s long career in public administration informs this reading. While contexts change, he argues, the underlying ethical questions around duty, judgement, and responsibility remain constant. His engagement with the texts is less an academic exercise than an attempt to locate their relevance in contemporary life.

He speaks to THE WEEK about the origins of this project, the method behind his comparative approach, and what these texts might still offer to a modern reader.

Q: Your works are built on the idea that the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramcharitmanas share a common philosophical thread despite being separated by centuries. What first led you to see this continuity?

A: I was fortunate to be introduced to The Gita and Shri Ramcharitmanas at an early age by my grandfather. Reciting parts of these two spiritual texts became part of my daily routine. It was much later that I began to grasp their profundity. This prompted me to read not only the texts but also some commentaries by enlightened souls and scholars. It was during this time that, one day, I read verse (chaupai) 121.3-4 in the 1st canto (Balkanda) of Shri Ramcharitmanas, which echoes exactly what Lord Krishna says in Shlokas 4.7-8 of The Gita. Both these verses say that whenever virtue (dharma) declines, the Supreme incarnates to relieve the distress of the virtuous. That set me thinking that there may be a common philosophical thread connecting the two great texts, despite their composition being about 3,000 years apart. It is a testament to our scholars and saints who have preserved this knowledge across generations without distorting its core thought and philosophy.

Q: Many scholars have studied these texts independently. What gap did you identify that led you to bring them into a single framework?

A: I wouldn’t say I identified a gap; I would say my initial discovery made me more curious to find more commonalities and to take a deep dive. As I delved deeper, a treasure trove awaited. Perhaps in the two books I have managed to write, I have only been able to grasp a handful. There is an infinite mine of knowledge waiting. Personally, this journey has been very fulfilling, as I have developed a slightly better understanding of the nuances of karma yoga, gyan yoga, and bhakti yoga. While the concepts are the same in both these spiritual masterpieces, the difference lies in the language and the manner of composition. While The Gita is in Sanskrit in shlokas, Shri Ramcharitmanas is primarily composed in dohas and chaupais in the Awadhi dialect of Hindi. Reading them together is an altogether different experience: joyful, satisfying, and fulfilling!

Q: You spent decades in public administration. How did that experience shape your engagement with ideas of duty, ethics, and moral conflict in these texts?

A: My over three decades of public service have certainly exposed me to situations that present dilemmas in responses. What I have discovered while reading The Gita and Shri Ramcharitmanas is that although the challenges involving duty, ethics, and morality remain the same, the responses have evolved. Nonetheless, the answers in absolute terms certainly remain the same. Perspectives have changed over time. While some relative changes are necessary and understandable, what must be borne in mind is that the fundamentals have and will remain the same.

Q: Contemplations of Ram Sewak builds on your earlier work but adopts a more reflective tone. What prompted this shift from explanation to contemplation?

A: I don’t believe it was intentional or by design; it simply happened. It is probably a part of the evolutionary process, both as a writer and as someone undertaking this journey. I am perhaps the least qualified to be instructive in this field; this is just an endeavour to nudge readers to take this fulfilling journey and discover the joy that lies ahead. Both books are just an effort to help people find their inner clarity and equanimity. It’s everyone’s personal journey and discovery. As Gautama Buddha said, “Be a light unto yourself.” So, my humble suggestion is to pause, contemplate, and progress.

Q: You place shlokas from the Gita alongside chaupais and dohas from the Ramcharitmanas. What was your method in identifying meaningful parallels between the two?

A: In both these books, the same format is followed. What I have done is to primarily select an episode from Shri Ramcharitmanas that contains profound philosophical insights. As I explore the hidden gems of spirituality embedded in the chaupais and dohas, I searched for shlokas from The Gita that reflect or enhance the same philosophical concepts, or clarify what the chaupais and dohas convey. In the first book, Reflections of Ram Sewak, I present a conversation between Shri Ram and Sabari, in which Shri Ram imparts the essence of Bhakti through Navadha Bhakti. This is reflected in Chapter 12 of The Gita, where Shri Krishna describes Bhakti Yoga. In the second book, Contemplations of Ram Sewak, I discuss the Lakshman Gita, a conversation between Lakshmana and the tribal King Nishadraj. This is Lakshman’s discourse on Karma Yoga, which Shri Krishna articulates so well in The Gita.

Q: Do Krishna and Rama represent distinct models of leadership and moral authority? What can contemporary public life learn from them?

A: Well, both of these avatars appeared in different yugas or epochs, which also reflect the development of society. For example, in Satyuga, the conflict was between the Suras and Asuras, who inhabited different lokas or realms. During Shri Ram’s avatar in Treta Yuga, the fight was between two kingdoms (Ayodhya and Lanka). At the time of Shri Krishna's avatar in Dwapara Yuga, the conflict was within the same family (the Kauravas and the Pandavas were cousins), and perhaps today, the conflict exists within each individual. So, yes, given the times and circumstances, Shri Rama and Shri Krishna offered different models of leadership and moral authority. Shri Rama was the Maryada Purushottam – the ideal one. The ethical, principled, disciplined disciple, son, prince, husband, and king. For him, dharma, truth, and duty had to be followed, even at great personal cost and inconvenience. His leadership and governance remain the gold standard. On the other hand, Shri Krishna was a coach and a guide. His dharma was adaptable to complex circumstances. His methods intertwined tactical flexibility with ethical and adaptive governance. His discourse to Arjuna, enshrined in The Gita, contains, in essence, the entire philosophy of Vedanta and perhaps resolves every dilemma a human can face in his lifetime. What might be most helpful for effective and ethical governance is Shri Rama’s moral compass and Shri Krishna’s adaptive qualities and wisdom.

Q: Your work emphasises the convergence of karma, bhakti, and gyan. Why is this integration important, and how does it apply to modern life?

A: Let me give you an example. Sometimes, to reach your destination, you use different modes of travel. Suppose you live in Chandigarh and have to attend a meeting in London. You could drive to Delhi Airport, or use your car to reach Chandigarh Airport, then catch a flight to Delhi; or drive to the railway station and take a train to Delhi; and then fly to London; and finally drive to your meeting place. So, you reach your destination using a combination of transport methods. Similarly, in your spiritual journey, you could follow a blend of all three — Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Gyan Yoga. For a householder, it might be more convenient to follow the paths of Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. On the other hand, perhaps for a sanyasi, a mix of Bhakti Yoga and Gyan Yoga could be more effective. As I mentioned, everyone’s journey and discovery are personal. Whatever suits you, use that.

Q: Do you believe India’s political and administrative culture would benefit from a deeper engagement with these philosophical traditions?

A: Our philosophical traditions have been the moral compass of our society for centuries, and they also guided our constitution-makers as they beautifully interwove them into the philosophy of our constitution and nation. While we each have personal principles that guide us daily, the governance structure must align with the philosophy of our nation as articulated in the Constitution. Blending it with the philosophy of The Gita and Shri Ramcharitmanas will only enrich and strengthen the ethical framework of the responses of the governance structures, making them more welfare-oriented, fair, just, and equitable.

Q: After exploring this confluence across two books, what is the one idea you would want a modern reader to take away, and what questions remain unresolved for you?

A: There are a billion unresolved questions, and there is just one. The same that has foxed millions before me and shall continue to puzzle millions after me. While I would leave each reader to distill their own takeaway, for me, the thought that resonates is ‘faith’. Have faith in yourself and in HIM. When I say ‘have faith in yourself’, I am following the path of karma yoga. Doing all my duties, whether at work or at home, sincerely, diligently, with complete integrity, and to the best of my abilities, without worrying about the outcome of that performance, is, in my view, having faith in myself. Having faith in HIM, HIS grace, and constantly remembering that you are merely an instrument (Nimitta Matra) assigned to fulfill a particular role in this journey of yours is Bhakti Yoga for me. Of course, it’s easier said than done. Being in constant remembrance of these is almost impossible because the power of the ego, the thoughts of ‘I, Me, Mine’ and ‘You and Yours’ are too strong and overpowering. Even before you realise them, they have swept you away. Nonetheless, the effort should not be abandoned. Slowly and steadily, we’ll make it!

decoding-the-donors-what-drives-charitable-choices-in-india

Fri Mar 27 16:46:10 IST 2026

If 'giving in India’ were a country, it would need a team of cabinet ministers, an army of bureaucrats, subject matter experts, policy think tanks, and government employees supported by a slew of non-government organisations. After all, the stakes are high — the total pool of public, corporate and private philanthropic funds in the social sector is around ₹23 lakh crore (India Philanthropy Report, Bain & Company). Of this, over 1.4 lakh crore comes from private philanthropy. That’s more than the GDP of several countries such as Sierra Leone, Guyana and Montenegro.

India recognises the power of this capital. We are the only nation in the world where corporate giving is mandatory under the Companies Act, 2013, making it obligatory to spend at least 2 per cent of the average net profits of a company whose net worth is above ₹500 crore.

In response to this, dedicated nonprofit and social impact consultancies are on the rise in India, often informing and influencing India’s social sector spending.

In February 2023, SEBI granted final approval for the Social Stock Exchange as a separate segment under recognised stock exchanges to ease the flow of these funds and bring structure to the social sector in India.

Despite the government’s efforts, the inertia within the social sector is telling. Of the 1.8-1.9 lakh registered NGOs (NGO-DARPAN), less than 100 are listed on the SSE today. It is pertinent to note that similar efforts in the UK and Canada have struggled to gain momentum, with users remarking that “it’s just a directory, not a real exchange”.

In my work as a fundraiser, I have observed that building a compelling case that is rooted in purpose, tangible, and measurable is essential. But often, decisions are not made solely on a rational basis; instead, emotions come into play too. For instance, I recently spoke to an industrialist-philanthropist who was not looking for a pitch or spreadsheets. He just wanted to give as much as it was possible, for as long as it was possible. He believed what he was doing was for the good of the nation. In making that decision, his instinct trumped data.

The rise of social sector consulting may be pushing for more data-driven decision-making, but for several high-net-worth individuals and corporate philanthropies in India, it is only just beginning to peek its head from under a century-old system that is built on trust, virtue and beliefs.

This is what leads me to examine the issue at hand: what motivates India to give, what causes attract the most support, and why. The answer to these questions may help us understand how far we have come, where we are headed, and what determines our goal posts. Do our choices reflect the values we want to showcase/signal as a nation, or are they simply the causes we turn to after our priorities are met?

Recent data from Giving USA, a well-known public outreach initiative that provides comprehensive data on giving trends in the USA, suggests that giving to religious institutions stands at roughly a quarter of the total charitable contributions in the US. In India, though, religious institutions receive the largest share of household or individual giving, between 40-50 per cent, according to the CSIP-Ashoka Report.

Educational institutions come only second to religion when it comes to giving, that is.

There’s history behind this trend. Around the 18th century, philanthropy began to shift from religious institutions to higher education institutions in the US, when funds began to flow to universities such as Harvard and Yale. This was possible because at first, these universities were affiliated with religious institutions.

Today, as with the State and the Church, universities no longer have religious affiliations. Instead, they take pride in — and protect — their independence; academic freedom is considered a must to provide fertile ground to generate knowledge that is not marred by subjective interests.

Now, philanthropic giving in the same universities runs into billions of US dollars. This was spearheaded by industrialists like Rockefeller, Stanford, and Carnegie between the 1890s to 1920s. Their goal was to support the future of industrial growth in America. Philanthropy was a strategic bet for these men.

India may just be entering its own Gilded Age, where industry, progress, innovation and strategic philanthropic funding go hand in hand. Data will drive decisions, and strategic investments in nation-building will be fuelled by philanthropy — both individual and institutional — in the coming decades.

I recently attended a monthly online meetup where social impact leaders come together to discuss the power structures at play in philanthropy. “Are philanthropists giving back, or are they paying back?” was a question that led to much debate. If philanthropy is not here to upend systems rooted in inequality, then what is its purpose? the group wondered.

Is asking those who inadvertently benefited from unequal systems to fund its dismantling ‘fair’ or ‘smart’? For example, is NVIDIA or Apple Inc truly motivated to implement just labour practices all the way down to the last tier of their supply chain?

Such questions allow practitioners such as me to situate the work we do in history and geopolitics, even as we reflect on neo-colonial structures that influence philanthropy and aid.

For now, there are no clear answers.

What is clear, though, is that corporate philanthropy’s influence in nation-building beyond profit motives is and will continue to be instrumental in deciding where we put our focus as a nation.

If innovation, higher education and industry-academia collaborations are scaffolded well by philanthropy, we are headed for progress.

The giving culture in India is undergoing a shift. A collective envisioning by an informed citizenry, private players, and civil society is necessary to squeeze the maximum impact from our philanthropic prowess and pull both local and global funds for the growth of India.

The author is director, development office, BML Munjal University.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.

from-tribal-weaves-to-operation-sindoor-a-fashion-show-celebrates-craft-and-country

Thu Mar 12 17:43:50 IST 2026

From Ladakh to Kerala, Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, homegrown textile brands from across India are making their mark, preserving and reinterpreting India’s textile art while also making a contemporary statement. This came alive at the Surajkund International Crafts Mela in Faridabad, Haryana, last month, as the Aurangabad-based woman-led enterprise Shikha’s Kariigarii presented a thematic fashion show that ended with a tribute to Operation Sindoor – the precision strikes India carried out last year in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists.

Shikha’s Kariigarii works around hand painting on fabric and products, and is an official partner of ODOP (One District One Product), Government of India.

The fashion show opened with a homage to India’s tribals and their textile traditions. Titled ‘A Tribal Life – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, it showcased the diversity of India’s tribal weaves, rooted in nature, survival, ritual and identity.

It was followed by a showcase of India’s Silk diversity – from Tussar and Chanderi and Banarasi to Lachcha Buta, Venkatagiri and Kuthampully.

Then came the showcase of of ‘Tribal to Modern Art – Hand-painted Sarees of India’. It featured hand-painted artworks inspired by Madhubani, Pattachitra, Warli, Gond, Pichwai, Assamese traditions and Chittara art.

“For me, a saree was not just a garment, it was a moving canvas. Every brushstroke carried the artist’s memory, belief and lived experience,” said Shikha Ajmera, founder of Shikha’s Kariigarii, about the collection.

The show culminated with a fashion tribute titled ‘Pride of India – Operation Sindoor’, which showcased models dressed in saris in shades of orange, white, green and blue, evoking the colours of the Indian tricolour.

“Through Shikha’s Kariigarii, my endeavour had always been to ensure that our traditional art forms did not remain confined to museums or walls, but lived, breathed and moved with people,” said Ajmera. “When someone wore these sarees, they were not wearing fashion, they were wearing history, culture and the soul of an artist,” she added.

opinion-tipu-sultan-and-the-defiance-of-iran

Thu Mar 12 17:04:20 IST 2026

History rarely remembers the obedient. It remembers those who resisted domination. Tipu Sultan of Mysore and the revolutionary leadership of Iran—from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to Ayatollah Khamenei—stand centuries apart, yet belong to the same psychological tradition of defiance. Both confronted powers vastly superior in military, financial, and diplomatic strength. Both knew the imbalance. Both understood the consequences. And yet, neither chose submission.

Tipu Sultan fell in 1799, defending Srirangapatna against the British colonial machine. He could have signed away autonomy under a subsidiary alliance. He did not. He chose sovereignty over survival. Iran, after 1979, could have recalibrated itself into a compliant regional actor under Western security architecture. It did not. It chose autonomy over integration.

This is not a comparison of theology or governance structures. It is a comparison of posture. It is the doctrine of refusal. And that doctrine unsettles empires.

The United States presents itself as the guardian of global order—a self-appointed referee in a game it also plays. It sanctions governments, isolates leaders, recognises oppositions, redraws alliances, and, when necessary, deploys force.

But one fundamental question must be asked: Who granted Washington the moral franchise to define democracy for the world? Is American democracy the universal blueprint? Is every deviation a threat? Is every non-aligned state inherently unstable?

Modern geopolitics reveals a troubling pattern. Before a nation is pressured or attacked, it is narratively prepared for correction. It is labelled authoritarian, destabilising, irrational, oppressive. The moral groundwork precedes the coercion. The script is familiar: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan. Each intervention was framed as liberation. Each left structural devastation in its wake. Iran observes this history, and it refuses to become the next chapter.

Let us bring this closer to home. Imagine Americans landing in India and declaring that saris, pallus, and head coverings are instruments of female oppression. Imagine foreign diplomats lecturing us that cultural modesty equals repression. Would Indians accept that? Absolutely not. We would call it what it is—civilisational arrogance.

Now, extend the analogy. Suppose international observers claim electoral irregularities—vote-chori, democratic erosion, institutional compromise. Would it then be acceptable for America to impose sanctions? To threaten intervention in the name of “restoring democracy”? To freeze Indian assets and destabilise our currency? Would Indians tolerate foreign armies arriving in Delhi, claiming to save our Constitution? The answer is self-evident.

Sovereignty means correcting ourselves, not being corrected by foreign armies. If we reject intervention in our cultural practices and electoral processes, by what logic do we endorse it elsewhere? This is the intellectual inconsistency that must be confronted.

When the British outlawed practices in India, they framed it as moral reform. They spoke of civilisation, enlightenment, and rationality. But behind the rhetoric was the consolidation of power. Every empire first writes a story. Power enters only after the story is believed.

Today, similar language appears in a modernised form: “Human rights,” “democratic norms,” “stability.” These are not meaningless phrases, but they are not neutral either. They can be instruments. Iran’s governance model, social codes, and legal structures are for Iranians to debate and evolve. External imposition does not produce liberation; it produces backlash. Tipu Sultan understood this instinctively. Sovereignty surrendered under moral pressure is still surrender.

The Oil Chessboard and the economics behind ideals! Geopolitics rarely operates on ideals alone. Energy markets remain central to global power architecture. Oil is not merely fuel; it is leverage. Consider the arithmetic often cited in strategic discussions: At $25-30 per barrel, certain large reserves are valued at trillions. If global instability drives prices upward to $150 or $200, valuation multiples change dramatically. Energy scarcity reshapes fiscal calculations.

Now, this does not mean every conflict is engineered for price manipulation. That would be simplistic. But it would be equally naive to assume economic consequences are irrelevant to strategic decision-making. Wars in oil-rich regions reverberate through energy markets. Energy markets affect national debt, trade balances, inflation, and political stability.

Assume the Americans and the Israelis were against dictatorial rule. In America, in the last few decades, who gets to the top slot? Bush, Clinton, Trump—the same political families and networks rotate through power. Any new face is clearly subdued. Can we assume their democracy is known for rotational power for dictatorial families? Would they accept this charge, if I may construe, against them? Then, how are they better than the Iranian rulers or the supreme leader?

A nation carrying over $39 trillion in debt, incapable of handling itself and its economy—can they send gospels to the world about how to conduct ourselves?

And here, the oil arithmetic becomes impossible to ignore. America invaded Venezuela. Took over the oil reserves. Installed a government that could be a proxy American president. If the Venezuelan crude were sold at the price of the Middle Eastern or Russian crude, how can America make money? They had to close the Strait of Hormuz. There was no other option.

Imagine, if the crude prices spiral from between $25-30 per barrel; what would a reserve of $18 trillion of Venezuela be worth at $130+ per barrel? America can wipe off its entire debt in a matter of two years. This war was necessary. Not to give a better life to Iranians. It was needed to clear the American debt. When prices spike, the average Indian pays. India, as a major energy importer, feels this immediately at the fuel pump. It is therefore not irresponsible to question whether prolonged instability benefits certain economic structures while burdening others.

Sanctions are often marketed as alternatives to war. In reality, they are war by economic means. In practice, they are economic siege tactics. Before the most severe rounds of nuclear-related sanctions intensified in the early 2010s, Iran maintained one of the larger economies in West Asia, supported by oil exports, manufacturing, agriculture, and services. Restrictions targeting oil exports and banking channels reduced foreign exchange earnings and contributed to currency depreciation and inflation.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) temporarily eased some restrictions in 2015. The subsequent withdrawal of the United States in 2018 reimposed pressure, again constraining oil sales and financial transactions. Economic pain was not accidental. It was the instrument. Sanctions aim to create internal dissatisfaction strong enough to force policy change without invasion.

But history shows a paradox: prolonged pressure often strengthens hardline resilience rather than dismantling it. Iran adapted through domestic substitution, alternative trade channels, and strategic partnerships. Economic strangulation did not produce surrender.

Whether my writing corrects the record or their forwards continue to distort it may not immediately change India’s policy, but facts deserve a footprint somewhere. Even lies deserve a coffin—if only so truth may breathe above ground.

One more aspect of Iran’s demonisation in our country. A lot of sanghi and RSS forwards are creating an image of Iran, depicting them as being monstrous. But the most repeated claim about Iran in India is also the most intellectually lazy one. It is fashionable in certain Indian circles to contrast ancient Persia’s scholarly glory with modern Iran’s supposed decline. This narrative is shallow.

Since 1979, Iran has:

Expanded literacy dramatically.
Increased university enrolment.
Produced significant scientific research output in engineering, chemistry, and medicine.
Developed domestic pharmaceutical capacity.
Advanced missile and satellite technologies.
Built industrial and petrochemical infrastructure.
Gained global recognition in cinema and cultural production.

Women participate extensively in higher education. Many universities have women heading departments or are Deans of institutes. Trump declared cheaply of ‘the bedsheet’ (referring to the burqa or the hijab) over the body can be removed now, now that Khamenei is gone! Someone needs to remind him: nudity is not liberation. It simply means objectifying them. It often reduces them to a commodity. If objectifying and commoditising women were empowerment, Epstein should be the undisputed President of the World. He ran the network, worldwide!

Iran is not a failed state. It is not merely an oil pump with clerical leadership. It is a sanctioned, technologically active middle power navigating constraints. To dismiss Iran as backward is not analysis; it is ideological comfort. And why does this positioning persist? Because making another civilisation appear small allows us to feel larger than we are. That is shortsighted.

Civilisations are complex organisms. They contain contradictions. India itself is technologically ambitious yet socially challenged, democratic yet polarised, ancient yet modern. We demand nuance for ourselves. We deny it to others.

Colonial administrations once produced reports framing resistance as barbarism. Today, media framing influences how international audiences interpret unrest. But propaganda does not operate only through governments. It travels through information systems. Media as a weapon: a narrative before action. In modern conflict, perception precedes policy. Casualty figures circulate rapidly. At times they are verified; at times they are estimates; at times they are contested. Headlines travel faster than corrections. Information ecosystems amplify emotional content. Algorithms reward outrage. This is not a conspiracy theory; it is structural media reality. Governments communicate strategically. Advocacy groups communicate strategically. Oppositions communicate strategically.

In such an environment, the citizen’s duty is scepticism—not denial, but disciplined scepticism. And here is where perception begins to overpower reality.

I wish to conclude by saying the old adage: ‘jo dikhega, wahi bikega.’ We can use this effectively in this situation. What we hear of the so-called atrocities of the Iranian regime against its citizens is a perception sold wildly over the shelves, across the world. If oppression were as absolute as portrayed, a society of 90 million people would not remain silent. Again, the sold theory is that those who revolted were killed, some 30,000 of them. Who counted? Who informed of this? That is the interesting side of this war.

India’s conflicted position reflects its relationships across the geopolitical spectrum:

Strategic cooperation with Israel.
Economic and defence engagement with the United States.
Energy and connectivity interests with Iran.
Diaspora and trade ties across the Gulf.

This is strategic autonomy in practice. However, public discourse often reduces complex diplomacy into binary alignments. When high-level visits coincide with regional tensions, speculation flourishes. Transparency in democratic systems is essential, but speculation must remain evidence-based. India’s strength lies in balancing, not bandwagoning.

History provides several examples of how states under pressure respond when confronted by stronger powers.

Case studies in resistance

Tipu’s Rocket Innovation: Tipu Sultan’s forces employed advanced rocketry against British troops—an example of technological adaptation under asymmetry. Innovation becomes necessity when resources are limited.
The Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988): Iran endured eight years of brutal conflict, including chemical attacks by Iraq. Despite isolation and limited external support, it did not collapse. Its resilience under sustained military pressure echoes Mysore’s determination against British encirclement.
Iran’s Indigenous Development: Under sanctions, Iran expanded domestic production in pharmaceuticals, defence systems, and energy infrastructure. Isolation stimulated internal capacity building.
U.S. Interventions in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan: Each intervention was justified rhetorically through democracy or humanitarian language. Each resulted in prolonged instability. Iran’s resistance must be understood against this backdrop: the determination not to become another externally redesigned state.

Sovereignty is a Non-Negotiable Principle! At its core, this debate is not about endorsing every policy of Iran or romanticizing confrontation. It is about a principle. Sovereignty cannot be conditional.

If India rejects foreign interference in its elections, culture, and governance, intellectual integrity requires consistency when evaluating other nations. Tipu Sultan’s refusal was not about victory; it was about dignity. Iran’s refusal is not about perfection; it is about autonomy. Submission may bring temporary economic relief, but it reshapes national psychology permanently. Resistance carries costs—but it preserves agency.

Whoever controls the narrative decides who is called a terrorist and who is called a liberator. In India, we often repeat sweeping claims about who controls institutions—Brahmins controlling media, Jains controlling business, Marwaris controlling money. But credible data doesn’t prove or approve this known fact. Similarly, no one can credibly prove the same about the expansionist regime of Israel. We are not ignorant of the fact that the media is under the control of the Jews. Who spreads such perceptions? Do we need persuasion, or do we simply inherit narratives?

History will debate policies. It will critique decisions. But it will always judge posture. The tiger of Mysore fell, but he did not bow. Iran stands under pressure, but it has not bent. Empires prefer compliant partners. They are unsettled by unbowed actors. In a hierarchical world order, sovereignty is not gifted—it is asserted.

India, with its own colonial memory, must approach global narratives with intellectual discipline. We must question simplifications. We must resist the temptation to elevate ourselves by diminishing others. We must defend the principle we demand for ourselves.

The fire of resistance is not about glorifying conflict. It is about preserving the right to choose one’s path. History does not ask who was comfortable. It asks who remained sovereign. And sovereignty, once surrendered, is rarely returned.

That is the doctrine of refusal. That is the fire that refuses to die.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.

opinion-why-slowing-down-may-be-the-real-revolution-cartoons

Wed Mar 11 13:13:08 IST 2026

At the recent AI summit in New Delhi, the atmosphere carried a sense of technological triumph. Giant screens flashed live demonstrations of generative tools. Speakers spoke of speed, scale, disruption and the future of content creation. The hall was full, the press attentive, and the message unmistakable — creativity had entered the age of automation.

At that very moment, far away in Aizawl, a group of media students quietly switched off their phones and shut their laptops. For the next three days, they would not touch a single digital device. Instead, they worked only with paper and pencil — brainstorming, observing, discussing and drawing. Their task was to create journalism, not through prompts but through presence.

They were not alone. Similar scenes were unfolding in Kottayam, in Jammu, and even in Delhi itself. While one world accelerated toward machine-generated expression, another was deliberately slowing down to rediscover human expression.

This contrast reveals something deeper than nostalgia. It signals a shift in how we understand thinking itself. Over the past two decades, political lampooning has steadily declined in mainstream newspapers and magazines in India.

Full-time cartoonists have become rare. What was once a powerful democratic tool — a sharp cartoon capable of questioning authority in a single frame — has gradually vanished or softened into safe illustration. There was a time when political cartoons occupied the pride of place. One recalls the famous cartoon by Keshav Shankar Pillai, popularly known as Shankar, where Jawaharlal Nehru is shown prodding a snail representing the Constitution, with B.R. Ambedkar seated atop it. At the time, it was accepted as democratic satire. Decades later, when the same cartoon was reproduced in an NCERT textbook, it triggered uproar.

What changed? The cartoon did not. Somewhere along the way, newspapers reduced their appetite for satire. Whether out of caution, commercial pressure, or fear of backlash, sharp commentary slowly gave way to decorative visuals. Cartoonists were replaced by illustrators. By no means does this devalue illustration — illustrators contribute significantly to visual storytelling.

But what a cartoonist does is different. A political cartoon interrogates. It punches. It provokes. It distils a complex situation into a single frame that makes the reader pause and think, Yes, exactly! And now, even illustrators are being replaced.

Flip through any major daily published from the national capital, and you increasingly encounter AI-generated images accompanying opinion pieces and features. The shift is subtle yet telling. A human artist interpreting the mood of a story is replaced by an algorithm capable of producing polished visuals in seconds.

For publications, speed improves, and costs drop. But with AI imagery, something intangible disappears — instinct, lived experience, and moral courage embedded in a hand-drawn line.

Ironically, while local cartooning declines, one thing remains untouched: the quarter-page dedicated to American syndicated comic strips — from Hägar the Horrible and Peanuts to Calvin and Hobbes. For decades, American syndicates dominated the Indian market by offering high-volume, low-cost content. Because these strips were already profitable in the United States, they could be sold cheaply to Indian newspapers, creating a structural barrier for indigenous creators.

We constantly hear that attention spans are shrinking. Young people, we are told, want only short content. History suggests otherwise. In the 1990s, Bollywood insisted that audiences demanded sensationalism. Then came simple love stories like Maine Pyar Kiya and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak — and they became massive hits. The audience had not demanded vulgarity; the industry had assumed it. Two decades ago, we believed children no longer read books. Then Harry Potter arrived, and children eagerly waited for 600-page volumes.

Veteran journalist P. Sainath once responded to the claim that readers would not care about rural reporting by asking: “When did you last meet your readers to make that claim on their behalf?” The problem was never attention. It was assumption.

Today, the pace has intensified. After reels and shorts comes AI — content produced at the speed of typing a prompt. Text, images and video can now be generated faster than they can be meaningfully understood. Creation begins to outrun reflection. While countries such as Australia debate restricting social media access for children in order to protect attention and development, we are preparing to introduce artificial intelligence to students as early as Class III. The direction is revealing — instead of asking how young minds learn to think, we are teaching them how to consume. A generation risks becoming fluent in tools without acquiring knowledge.

Shraddha Sarki’s comics developed in Aizawl While You Scroll… captures this condition with unsettling clarity. Her protagonist ignores a real neighbourhood civic issue — a burst pipeline — because a reel says otherwise: “10K likes = it’s a fact.” Around him float memes, trends and viral distractions, embodied as a grinning “brain-rot monster” that feeds on endless scrolling.

In the final frame, the creature’s purpose becomes clear: keep the youth occupied while history quietly disappears from their syllabus. The satire is not merely about phones; it is about attention being deliberately redirected away from reality.

Recently, nearly a hundred media students, under the New Media Communication programme at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, are learning journalism without screens; classes run from 9 to 5pm. They observe surroundings, talk to people, verify experiences and translate complex realities into four-frame wall-poster comics.

The comics are photocopied and pasted in public spaces to initiate discussion.

The issues they chose reveal why this matters. Arya Choudhary created AI Friend, exploring emotional dependence on artificial intelligence after news of teenage suicides in Ghaziabad. Instead of sensationalising tragedy, she examined isolation when virtual companionship replaces human connection. “Comics speak to every age group and address real issues honestly,” she reflected.

In Jammu, Avni Jain’s Blind by Choice showed a dried riverbed turning into real-estate opportunity — until floods return. Annapurna explored poaching and extinction. Ankit Patel examined cross-border drug trafficking ignored by mainstream media. Isha Kumari’s Kya Mumbai Kya US… exposed hypocrisy in attitudes toward migrants. Khushi Jaiswal’s Maanga Kya – Mila Kya? questioned development promised to flood victims but replaced by tourism projects.

Together, these works reveal something striking: while mainstream media moves toward automation and speed, young journalists are rediscovering depth, ownership, and accountability. The most powerful lesson they articulated is this—they own the medium. It is created by their own hands. It requires no algorithm, no expensive software, no digital dependency. It allows them to choose their audience, initiate dialogue, and address issues that may otherwise remain ignored.

In an age obsessed with immediacy, slowing down becomes an act of resistance. While machines learn to draw faster, these young journalists are learning to see better. And perhaps the future of meaningful storytelling will not belong to those who generate the most content—but to those who dare to observe, reflect, and create with intention. Time to go grassroots.

The writer is the initiator of the Grassroots Comics movement.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.

alka-mathur-weaving-time-and-life-into-art-one-tea-bag-at-a-time

Tue Mar 10 18:23:20 IST 2026

A true artist carries within them an inner magician—one who can transform anything, even objects dismissed as “insignificant” or “trash” by untrained eyes. For artist Alka Mathur, tea bags have become that unlikely medium, enabling her to move across both physical and metaphysical spaces. Her work Tea Diaries Vol. 2, currently on display at Unshelving Memories, a contemporary book art exhibition curated by Prof. Shijo Jacob at the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, emerges from a practice she began in 2006.

Ritualistic in form, the work unfolds through the simple act of drinking tea while recording fragments of inner thought and everyday minutiae. Timekeeping, mapping journeys and journaling have gradually become integral to this practice, with life and art carefully collaged together in Mathur’s process. For the artist, the practice is both meditative and therapeutic, allowing her to capture time through tactile compositions. Here is a candid conversation that THE WEEK had with the artist.

Q/ Tell us about this practice of keeping tea journals. How did it begin?

A/ It began almost accidentally. I never really planned it. Initially I started collecting used tea bags simply for their colour. I would jot down small notes—something like, “Today I had a cup of tea, I went here, I went there.”

Slowly it expanded. Over time it became almost an obsession. Now these journals hold everything I want to remember—they have become my soul in a way. They are my daily journals where I record what happens every day.

Q/ What exactly goes into these journals?

A/ Whenever I travel I collect cups, tea bags and small memorabilia connected to that moment or place. Then I write about it—where I drank the tea, what the day was like, who I was with.

For instance, if my mother was having chai in a particular cup, I would note that down. I have this habit of collecting small objects that connect you to a time or a memory.

When I was invited to participate in this exhibition, these works existed as individual pages—one page for each month. So I had to assemble them into book form.

For the past month I have been stitching them together, creating a spine, threading them so that each month becomes a consolidated journal.

Q/ So the tea bags themselves are part of the artwork?

A/ Yes. The tea bag I use that day becomes part of the page. In a way, it is literally measuring time.

Of course, other things enter the journals too—newspaper clippings, cups, little objects I collect. I embellish the pages because otherwise it would just be a diary. The visual element is important; that is what turns it into art.

The writing happens spontaneously. Sometimes I even use the tea leaves we brew at home. My household staff know never to throw them away because I use them in the journals. I write with permanent markers so the writing doesn’t wash away.

Often, I use whatever paper I find—the back of an ordinary sheet, scraps, little notes with scribbles everywhere.

Q/ Do you come from an art background?

A/ Yes, I am primarily a painter.

My interest in tea actually began through my fascination with natural colours. In 2006 I attended an artist residency in Santa Fe, where I began experimenting with colours derived from everyday natural materials.

Then I thought: what colour do we encounter every day in life? Tea. It is natural, it stains beautifully, and it is something we consume daily. So tea gradually became central to my work.

While in Santa Fe I also encountered an artist couple who worked extensively with found materials. Because the weather there is extremely dry, they could preserve objects easily. They had even created an entire wallpaper made of tea bags.

That influenced me deeply. Initially I was only staining handmade paper with tea. Then I started collecting the tea bags themselves. From there the work evolved into many forms.

Q/ How large is this collection now?

A/ There must be around 60 or 70 books by now, and I have not brought even half of them to the exhibition.

Before these journals there was what I call Volume One—a massive scroll, 54 feet long and four feet wide, made entirely of tea bags. I ironed them onto fusion material to create the scroll. It is still rolled up in my studio.

These journals now form Volume Two of the project.

Q/ Would you describe the process as meditative?

A/ Very much so. Many thoughts pass through my mind as I work.

The earlier diaries were quite simple—sometimes only five or ten pages. But as life became more complicated, the journals became denser. When my sister went through cancer, for instance, I felt compelled to document everything.

Being married to a bureaucrat also means constant travel. These journals therefore become travelogues as well. Even in hotel rooms I hide tea bags so that the housekeeping staff doesn’t throw them away.

Q/ Tea seems to connect memory and time in your work.

A/ Exactly. Tea connects the past, present and future.

I mostly drink light black tea, though in winter I sometimes add a little milk. Because I usually drink it without sugar or milk, the tea bags preserve well. Over time even my family began collecting them for me—my parents, siblings, and children.

Interestingly, these journals were never meant to be public. This exhibition is the first time they are being shown. I always told my children: after I die, you can decide what to do with them.

After all, they contain very ordinary things—what I ate, what happened that day, whether the maid came or not. But they also capture the world outside in small ways.

Q/ There are deeply personal memories here too, like your sister’s illness.

A/ Yes. When my sister went through chemotherapy, many of those hospital days entered the journals. We would drink tea there, so I collected those tea bags as well.

Looking back at those diaries now makes me grateful that I recorded those moments. We spent meaningful time together—making art, talking. She herself was a remarkable artist, an architect and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

The journals are personal, but they become artworks because I go beyond simply writing. There is collage, assemblage, and visual composition.

Q/ Do you revisit the journals often?

A/ Yes, but interestingly the timelines overlap. I might be assembling a journal from 2017 while living in 2020. In fact, the COVID journals are still lying unassembled in bags.

When I start working on them I relive those experiences again. It is like travelling back and forth in time.

Sometimes making a book takes immense patience—you might finish only five pages in a day. Imagine doing thousands of pages like this.

For nearly five years after COVID, I was doing almost nothing else. My daughter eventually told me to stop and take a break.

Q/ Does rereading them change your perspective on past events?

A/ Absolutely.

For instance, when I reread my 2012 journals, I remember losing a close friend, and the time when my father-in-law was often hospitalised. I couldn’t work in my studio much then, so the tea journals allowed art to travel with me wherever I went—home, hospital, train, or flight. Collecting the tea bags and the stories every day had to become a part of my life wherever I was.

It is in a way embarrassing, too, because I constantly have a big bag where I keep collecting wet tea bags. My husband earlier used to get very embarrassed. But now he also collects [for me], while also sharing about his day.

Q/ What about your painting practice? What kind of imagery interests you?

For the past 25–30 years my work has been primarily abstract. Earlier I painted figurative works influenced by folk traditions, perhaps because I come from Rajasthan.

There was also a shift toward landscape imagery. My sister was a landscape architect, and many members of my family taught geography. That awareness of landscape probably influenced me deeply.

The tea stains themselves often resemble landscapes seen from above—like aerial topographies.

Q/ Tell us about your childhood and artistic influences.

A/ My mother was very artistic and still is—she is now ninety. She was not formally a painter, but she embroidered beautifully and created an aesthetically rich home environment.

We mostly grew up in Delhi because my father had a transferable job, though our roots are in Rajasthan—Jodhpur and Ajmer.

Rajasthan’s heritage and folk traditions definitely shaped my visual language. I use many stamps and patterns that resemble block prints. The lines I draw also echo traditional textile techniques like Kantha stitching.

At the same time, because we lived abroad for some time, there is also a Western sensibility in my work.

hyderabad-a-city-with-persian-architecture-and-fed-by-iranian-cuisines

Thu Mar 05 15:35:02 IST 2026

Paradise, Sarvi, Café Bahar, Bavarchi, Nimrah Café, and Shah Ghouse are some of the most visited restaurants and cafés in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. They share two things in common: remarkably popular food and having been started by Iranian families. Iranians brought biryani, haleem, Irani chai, bun maska, and Osmania biscuits with them. These ubiquitous dishes testify to the deep and enduring Iranian influence on Hyderabadi cuisine. Beyond the big names, dozens of Irani cafés once dotted the city, becoming informal meeting spaces for generations of Hyderabadis. They were not merely eateries but social institutions.

THE WEEK spoke to Dr Mohammed Saifullah and Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana, two city-based historians, about the historical and cultural bonds of Hyderabad city with once Persia and today's Iran.

Hyderabad was founded in 1951 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, who belonged to the Qara Qoyunlu tribe of Persian origin, said Satyanarayana, a city-based historian. The Qutb Shahi kings encouraged the migration of scholars and experts from Persia. The layout of Hyderabad city was prepared by Mir Momin Astarabadi, an Iranian scholar and architect. Inspired partly by Isfahan, the design reflected Persian urban planning ideals—wide boulevards, gardens, and the symmetry embodied in the Charminar. “All the major Hyderabad landmarks, such as Charminar, Falaknuma Palace, and Chowmahalla Palace, were built in the Persian-influenced Indo-Saracenic style,” he said.

“The Persian cultural and artistic sensibilities embedded in the city’s earliest vision structured Hyderabad’s aesthetic and social world from its very beginning. The Qutb Shahi dynasty, which ruled between 1518 and 1687, attracted several scholars and experts from Persia,” said Saifullah.

Another significant wave of immigration arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Political upheavals and sectarian tensions in Iran prompted many ordinary Iranians from regions such as Yazd and Kerman to migrate to India. “A lot of common Iranians fled from regions like Yazd and Kerman to India to try their luck. Many arrived in Bombay and Pune and began serving tea to British soldiers. Some later came to Hyderabad. They adapted their traditional tea and mixed it with milk, pioneering what became the famous Irani café culture,” he said.

In Hyderabad, the Irani café evolved into a cultural landmark. A cup of thick, milky Irani chai served on marble-topped tables, accompanied by bun maska, samosas, or biscuits, became a daily ritual. These cafés were egalitarian spaces, offering affordable food and unlimited time to anyone who walked in. They helped shape what many call the city’s informal culture—relaxed, conversational, and resistant to rigid social hierarchies. The way Iranians converted Hyderabadis to their tea culture was interesting, said Satyanarayana. “They would serve the Iranian tea every morning for free; within a year, it became a must for the city.”

Over time, this café tradition spilled into Hyderabad’s biryani culture. Although biryani is a local adaptation of broader Persian pilaf traditions, it has become a distinctly Hyderabadi signature. Iranian café owners and restaurateurs helped popularise versions of biryani and other Persian-linked dishes by blending local rice and spices with Persian flavour profiles. Café Bahar, founded by an Iranian immigrant family, grew from a modest café into a major culinary landmark. In the past two decades, haleem has risen to unprecedented prominence. During Ramzan, it becomes the most sought-after dish in the city, drawing crowds across communities. Hyderabad now exports haleem to Gulf countries, turning what was once seasonal comfort food into a global product.

Persian influence extends beyond food. Languages such as Urdu and even Telugu absorbed Persian vocabulary—bazaar, darwaza, and bagh among them. Sufism, architecture, attire, and music also carry visible Persian echoes. “Until 1883, Persian was the court language in Hyderabad, as in many other major Indian centres,” Saifullah noted. Only later did Urdu replace it in official use.

This Iranian connection is not confined to history. Diplomatic and cultural ties continue through festivals, trade, and the presence of the Iranian consulate in Banjara Hills. Some families of Iranian origin in Hyderabad maintain strong cultural links with their ancestral homeland, preserving language, cuisine, and traditions across generations.

The US–Israel war on Iran resonated in Hyderabad, with people taking to the streets to protest the killing of Iran’s supreme leader. Protests in parts of the Old City prompted the Telangana government to heighten security near the US and Iranian diplomatic missions. People expressed feelings ranging from confusion to condemnation.

“Before 1947, undivided India shared a border with Iran. If we look closely, no other neighbouring civilisation has impacted Indian life so profoundly—through Sufism, architecture, food, and language. Hyderabad still preserves much of that civilisational treasure,” Saifullah said.

happy-holi-2026-best-wishes-quotes-to-send-to-your-friends-and-family-on-this-festive-occasion

Tue Mar 03 17:03:48 IST 2026

It goes without saying that Holi is the most colourful festival in India, literally and figuratively. It is also arguably the simplest festival in terms of the myth and overall mindset. There is a rocking vibe to Holi and as such, people have a blast while partying on this festive date.

Tuesday (March 3) is the Holika Dahan when they conduct bonfires to celebrate the victory of good over evil. In fact, some parts of India, such as Mumbai, are also celebrating the Rangwali Holi, the celebration of colours, today as well. Wednesday (March 4) is primarily going to be the day of Rangwali Holi.

On this festive season of Holi 2026, here are some of the best quotes to send to your friends and loved ones.

Happy Holi to the friend who adds the most colour to my life, literally and figuratively! Let's make this one unforgettable.

Holi without you is like colours without brightness. Wishing my best friend a day full of madness and memories!

Ready for the pichkari battle? No mercy today! Happy Holi, bestie!

You're the one who makes every festival feel like the best one ever. Happy Holi, my favourite person!

May your Holi be as vibrant and crazy as our friendship. Love you to the moon and back!

Friends who play Holi together stay together! Here's to another colourful year of memories with you.

Holi is incomplete without throwing colour at your best friend first! Brace yourself. Happy Holi!

May our friendship always stay as beautiful as the colours of Holi, bright, lasting, and full of joy.

Thank you for being the yellow to my sunshine, the blue to my sky, and the red to my heart. Happy Holi!

Here's to getting completely drenched, covered in colour, and creating memories we'll laugh about forever. Happy Holi, friend!

Colours fade, but the memories of Holi with friends last forever. Let's make more this year!

May your Holi be as warm and wonderful as the bond we share. Wishing you a day full of colour and love!

Happy Holi! You're the friend I run to with the biggest water balloon and the biggest hug. You know who you are.

May this Holi bring you all the joy you deserve, which is an awful lot, by the way. Happy celebrations!

Wishing my ride-or-die friend a Holi filled with the loudest laughs, the brightest colours, and the best food!

They say Holi is about forgiveness, so I forgive you for everything, but not for the last pichkari attack. Happy Holi!

You've coloured my life in the most beautiful ways. This Holi, I'm returning the favour with as much gulal as I can!

May our friendship grow stronger with every Holi we celebrate together. Happy Holi to my forever friend!

Holi reminds me of you, vibrant, unpredictable, and impossible not to smile around. Happy Holi, you wonderful human!

Here's hoping your Holi is filled with everything that makes you happy, food, music, colour, and great company.

No matter how far life takes us, Holi will always bring me back to our best memories together. Happy Holi!

Wishing you a Holi as bright as your smile and as bold as your personality. Cheers to friendship!

May every shade of Holi remind you how much colour you bring to the lives of everyone around you. Happy Holi!

From the bottom of my colourful heart, Happy Holi to the best friend I could ever ask for!

Holi is better with you in it. Always. Here's to another year of celebrating everything together!

Don’t forget to share the gujiya and thandai! Dance, sing and be merry! The festival of colours is here! Happy Holi 2026!

May God gift you all the colours of life – colours of joy, colours of happiness, colours of friendship, colours of love and all the other colours you want to paint in your life.

Celebrating the colours of our beautiful relationship, I wish you and your family all the bright hues of life. Have a colourful Holi

May God paint the canvas of your life with the colours of joy, love, happiness, prosperity, good health and success. Wishing you a happy Holi!

blood-moon-eclipse-today-when-is-sutak-kaal-and-is-it-safe-to-observe-the-total-lunar-eclipse-2026

Tue Mar 03 14:46:04 IST 2026

Today, in India, the eerie blood moon will appear a little before dusk, thanks to a total lunar eclipse, or chandra grahan. “It’s as if all of the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the moon,” read a statement by US space agency, NASA.

According to the latest schedule, the lunar eclipse will be visible from India from 3.20 pm to 6.48 pm on March 3, 2026. At its totality phase, the Moon is set to appear red somewhere between 4.34 pm and 5.33 pm.

The West might call this spooky hue, but the chromatic science of sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere holds much more cultural significance in India for those who follow the Hindu faith.

The lunar eclipse also triggers what is called the sutak kaal (sutakakaalam in the South), something of spiritual importance. During the grahan time, temples are closed, and auspicious activities are postponed till the eclipse ends. The sutak kaal, as per belief and common consensus, is said to fall between 9.39 am and 6.48 pm on March 3 for the general public, the time specifically applied to children, the elderly, and the sick from 3.20 pm to 6.48 pm.

In Kerala, given that the revered Attukal Pongala festival falls on the day, the offerings this time of the year would be done early. The belief in some quarters is that travel should be avoided during this window.

In many parts of India, devotees cover idols of deities before the eclipse begins, and do not leave food uncovered. These practices, rooted in faith-based customs, are still followed by many.

Many Hindu clerics and devotees also say that the grahan time is that of prayer, and reciting mantras is believed to provide protection from negative influences. Commonly chanted mantras range from Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Sarvara Mangal Maangalyayei Sharanyayei Triyambike Gauri Narayani Namostute, Om Jayanti Mangala Kaali Bhadra Kaali Kapalini Durga Kshama Shivadhatri Swaha Swadha Namostut to Hanuman Chalisa and other traditional hymns and verses from various parts of the country.

The lunar eclipse happens when the Moon crosses into Earth’s shadow, with totality occurring when the planetary bodies align perfectly, and the Moon is fully blocked from the Sun’s view.

The little amount of light that hits the Moon gets refracted through our atmosphere, scattering the violet side of the light spectrum. What is left is the red side, hence giving the natural satellite its colour. At least, that is how it appears to humans. Dogs and many other animals that have different ocular prowess when it comes to the visible spectrum might see things much differently.

Can you observe the lunar eclipse?

You can, if you choose to, observe a lunar eclipse without any special equipment, says NASA. “All you need is a line of sight to the Moon! For a more dramatic observing experience, seek a dark environment away from bright lights. Binoculars or a telescope can also enhance your view,” they added.

This time, central Asia and South America will only get a partial eclipse. Those in Africa and Europe may not even see it. People in North and Central America and far western South America could observe it in the early morning, in totality. But the front seat is for those in India and the rest of eastern Asia and Australia.

toy-trains-in-auroville-electric-ride-for-kindergarteners-set-to-launch

Mon Mar 02 18:36:29 IST 2026

Toy trains will soon become a reality in Auroville. They are set to begin operations inside Auroville, following a visit last month by a delegation of senior officials from the Railway Board to finalise plans for an electric-powered toy train project. The delegation had conducted detailed site inspections and planning discussions with Auroville representatives to shape the initiative.

And the exercise was successful.

According to Sindhuja Jagadeesh, a member of the Auroville Town Development Council and legal coordinator of the Auroville Foundation, the project has already been launched and tenders have been floated. “At present, there are three functional kindergartens in the Cultural Zone, and the toy train will connect these facilities,” she said.

Sindhuja said the project aligns with The Mother’s vision of soul-centred education, where learning is driven by joy rather than examinations or career outcomes. Under the Kindergarten Belt of the cultural zone in the Auroville Galaxy Plan, children aged four to seven are encouraged to develop independence, confidence and autonomy from an early age.

As part of the plan, a designated drop-off zone will be created beyond which parents will not be allowed on a daily basis. “The system is designed so that children can travel independently using the toy train, accessing their spaces safely and confidently,” Sindhuja said. As Auroville expands its kindergarten network to up to 14 centres accommodating around 525 children, the toy train will support this growth.

“The toy train project, costing approximately Rs 1.5 crore and gifted to Auroville by Southern Railway, is currently under implementation. In parallel, discussions are underway on a larger e-tram project along the circular Crown Belt in Auroville. While budgetary approvals are pending, the e-tram project is expected to follow once the toy train becomes operational,” said Sindhuja.

Aligned with Auroville’s founding principles, the battery-operated toy train meant for kindergarten children reflects the 1965 vision of a walkable city. These low-speed electric vehicles will move through landscaped green zones, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-based transport.

“At a time when cities across the world are retrofitting themselves to reduce congestion and phase out fossil-fuel vehicles, Auroville stands out as the first city planned from inception to be pedestrian-friendly and limited to electric vehicles," says Sindhuja.

She added that the 4.5-km e-tram route along Auroville’s outer circle is only proposed at this stage. “The final phase would include the implementation of the Crown Road project; central to the master plan that envisions Auroville as a City for the Future."

While toy trains operate at UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway, a toy train designed exclusively for the daily commute of kindergarten children is unprecedented in India. If implemented, as planned, the Auroville initiative will be the first of its kind in the country.

holi-2026-why-is-the-festival-celebrated-on-two-days-in-india

Mon Mar 02 18:31:44 IST 2026

When we think of Holi, the term 'festival of colours' is what comes to us instantly. For a large part of the country, colours signify the festival's significance but there are different traditions that are followed in various parts of the country. Whenever we look up the date for Holi in a year, we always see two dates associated with it.

For instance, Holi 2026 is celebrated on March 3 and March 4. Why is this and what is the significance? It's simple - both days have their own significance. If you are just relating the festival to playing with colours, then March 4 is your date for 2026. It is called Rangwali Holi which translates to 'Colourful Holi'.

What happens on March 3 then? It is called as Holika Dahan, which is basically the ritual of lighting up bonfires across the country as a mark of showcasing the victory of good over evil. It is believed to be a tradition that tells us that all the bad qualities in the world will be destroyed by the good ones.

Historically, the Holika Dahan happens in the evening, mostly after sunset and there are muhurat timings for the same. For 2026, the muhurat timings for Holika Dahan range from 6.30 pm to 9 pm across different parts of the country. Holika Dahan tells the famous mythological story of Holika and Prahlad while Rangwali Holi tells us the iconic story of Radha and Krishna.

Once upon a time, there was a ruthless king Hiranyakashyap who wanted to be worshipped by everyone but one of his sons, Prahlad, was a stout devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hence, he refused to obey his father's orders. Angered at this, Hiranyakashyap asked his sister Holika to help him take out Prahlad. How? Holika was blessed with a special cloak that helped her escape fire.

Holika then sat on a huge pile of fire with Prahlad on her lap, hoping to burn him down. The twist? That cloak which was supposed to protect Holika, landed on Prahlad instead and Holika got burnt away. This is why bonfires are used everywhere to celebrate the good over evil on Holika Dahan day.

When it comes to Rangwali Holi, the romantic story of Krishna and Radha is considered to the base of the celebrations. One famous myth around this festival is that Krishna during his younger days applied colour on Radha who had a fair complexion. Krishna did this on his mother's advice and out of childish jealousy.

Over the years, Rangwali Holi has been used as a tool to promote love and harmony in India. It has also become one of those festivals that virtually become a 'secular celebration event' with the popularity and impact ranging across all sections of life. People are busy drowning themselves in colours with a wide variety of Holi toys also in business to shoot colours on people.

Historically, Rangwali Holi is always celebrated on the morning after Holika Dahan, and that's why, the festival of Holi is celebrated across two days in India.

in-ladakhs-high-altitude-kitchen-a-silk-route-story-and-a-climate-warning

Sat Feb 28 20:17:50 IST 2026

A dish that quietly stole attention at 'Ladakhi Chef' Jigmet Mingur’s recent Ladakh on a Plate showcase at The Leela Palace, New Delhi, was the Silk Route Yarkhandi pulao, or rice simmered in mutton, mutton fat, dried fruits and carrots—with a raita of wild herbs. In a high-altitude cold desert where farming is limited and water scarce, rice feels almost out of place, if not forced.

The phrase Silk Route, however, peels back the layers of both the dish and Ladakhi cuisine itself, shaped by a harsh climate but also the caravans that once connected the region to Central Asia. Yarkhandi, itself, traces its roots to Yarkand in Xinjiang, China.

Its desert climate, however—with biting cold, harsh summers, and low rainfall—shapes the cuisine profoundly. While summer brings a short burst of fresh produce, winter relies on dehydrated vegetables, stored grains, and fermented breads. With horticulture limited, wild edible plants and hardy mountain herbs fill the gaps. Barley, buckwheat, wild chives, winter peas and capers form the backbone, and there’s a copious use of fat.

“The climate demands it. We need fat to keep warm,” says chef Jigmet Mingur. A monk-turned-chef, he now runs Tsam Khang, a 10-seater restaurant in Ladakh.

“I do my own farming there, and the menu depends entirely on what grows in the garden and what we can forage nearby."

At the pop-up, he begins the eight-course meal with a warm cup of khunak, salted green tea, followed by khambir, a fermented bread, served with skotse, a butter infused with wild chives. Then arrived a warm bowl of nyamthuk—roasted barley soup with dried demo cheese and black winter peas.

Barley is a key ingredient, says the chef.

“At lower altitudes, where wheat grows, you see more breads and baked preparations. At higher altitudes, where barley grows better, you see more stews and soups, such as nyamthuk.” Along with barley soup and flour, it’s also brewed into the local Chhang.

Ladakhi ingredients extended to the bar menu, as well, with apricot honey, buckwheat honey, and sea buckthorn pulp infused into neatly crafted cocktails.

Next came the heartier courses: mok mok, Ladakhi dumplings and gyuma sausages. The meal closed on a gentler note with sea buckthorn ice cream paired with apricots.

According to chef Jigmet, Ladakh is often flattened into the broader idea of the Himalayas.

“I wanted to show that Ladakh belongs to the Trans-Himalayan region: its flavours are distinct, milder, more restrained.”

He argues that the cuisine receives far less visibility than its Kashmiri or Jammu counterparts because of the region’s small population. “Fewer people means less representation and less documentation.”

Long shaped by its climate, Ladakhi cuisine now faces a new pressure: climate change.

“We traditionally relied on wild herbs,” says Jigmet. “But with unusual rainfall patterns, the ecology is shifting. The mountains we forage in are not the same. Different herbs are appearing. Cultivation zones are moving. Even the taste of vegetables has altered slightly.”

It is crucial to take note of this, as in the ecologically-fragile Ladakh, even small changes matter.

20-songs-multiple-languages-a-singer-traverses-indias-folk-traditions-from-sohrai-to-baul

Thu Feb 26 18:55:35 IST 2026

It was for two hours straight that singer Runki Goswami held the stage – her voice travelling from Jharkhand’s Sohrai percussion to Himachal’s Morni, from Bengal’s Baul to Rajasthan’s Gorband. She sang 20 songs in multiple languages, taking a pause only to explain to the audience about the song she was to sing next and the folk tradition of that particular state.

At the India International Centre in New Delhi, where ‘Lok Yatra: A Folk Music Journey’ was held, as a partnership between the Ministry of Culture, The National Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, Prayagraj, and partner cultural institutions, she didn’t stick to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as an audience member suggested, given her deep understanding of the region. Instead, she chose to sing folk songs from Kashmir to Kerala and from Gujarat to West Bengal.

The presentation showcased not only the diversity in terms of folk traditions and languages but also themes. The Himachali folk number ‘Morni’, for instance, becomes a gentle lesson in ecological coexistence.

“Here, a mother asks her daughter why she’s getting thin,” Goswami explains. “The girl replies it’s because of a peahen who makes noises during the night, because of which she cannot sleep, and asks whether they should kill it. Here, the mother tells her daughter that killing is not an option.”

On the other hand, a song from West Bengal told a deeply personal tale while also foregrounding a social ill. “It’s about a woman who is married to a man 30 years older than her, whom she doesn’t like. She instead develops feelings for her young brother-in-law. And through this song, she tries to have a conversation with herself,” the singer explains.

Through her presentation, she also underscored how regions in close proximity can nurture vastly different folk traditions. For instance, when she performed a song commemorating the harvest festival of Sohrai, celebrated in Jharkhand, percussion took centre stage. “This reflects the state’s strong tribal culture, which is distinct from that of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” she explains.

Which was her favourite part of the evening? “It was Bengali, because I got to sing Baul,” she says. And the toughest? “It was to get the correct phonetics, the dialects, especially when it came to singing in Malayalam and Telugu.”

While some segments of the performance were more powerful than the other, what Goswami managed to pull off remains commendable.

Putting the piece together, she says, was an enriching journey in itself. “You get to understand so much about the culture of the regions. Like, if you even think of Rajasthan, you hear about ‘Gorband,’ but what is ‘Gorband’? It is actually the string that is tied around the camels.”

On the popularity of folk music today, she says: “Even contemporary musicians are bringing up folk, especially with platforms like Coke Studio. It’s here to stay.”

how-do-you-archive-the-intangible-a-new-contemporary-art-show-takes-on-the-question

Fri Feb 20 19:41:33 IST 2026

We archive history in many ways. Manuscripts in libraries, artefacts in museums, documents catalogued with precision. But how do you archive art, or rather, something as intangible as what an artist was thinking, creating and evolving through at a particular moment in time?

A new exhibition, ‘Moving Archives’, takes on that very question. Featuring 22 contemporary artists and over 50 works, the exhibition is on view at Bikaner House, New Delhi, until February 23.

Among them is Arunkumar HG’s 2007 painting ‘Cross-Section of the Mind’. A thin image of a head stretches across the canvas, crisscrossed by restless lines, as if reflecting the many thoughts running through the artist’s mind. “There’s so much chaos in the head, but at the same time, he wants to make some sort of alignment,” says curator Ranjita Chaney.

Nearby stands a large elephant, constructed in 2023 from reclaimed material. The two works are separated by over 15 years. “You see an evolution here. There is a language that has evolved. There’s a growth that the artist has experienced. So he’s undone a lot of things and he’s added a lot of things,” Chaney adds.

An archive is no retrospective. “We’re not talking about the ‘best’ works,” says the curator. “We’re asking different questions: Why did an artist do a particular thing? What becomes of an artist over time? Many of them are engaging with ecology, with society, you see those conversations shift.” Archiving, she explains, means putting everything together, the conversations, the sketches.

What becomes of an artist

Bengaluru-based artist Preksha Tater, who is part of the exhibition, says the idea of archiving here “is not just about documenting objects, but moments, thoughts, silences – the intangible. It’s not limited to visual art; it can extend to poetry, music, dance, anything that carries lived experience over time. When you bring together works created across years, that very act becomes an archive of evolving thoughts and contexts.”

Chaney admits that artists may not immediately understand how this exercise benefits them. “The only benefit they might see is that they have people like us who are putting together a document of their practice. People are interested in talking about theatre, cinema, and music. But there are very few people who want to talk like that for artists.”

Chaney also points to the lack of writing and documentation around contemporary art. “I’ve been in this field for 20 years. When I was doing my master’s in art history, I thought I would engage with something contemporary. But the thesis I was assigned was still on the 16th century. I kept wondering: Who is writing about us?” she says. That question eventually became the idea behind the exhibition.

A niche but growing segment

Documenting and archiving art remains a niche but expanding area. For instance, art historian Gayatri Sinha’s The Critical Collective focuses on building a body of knowledge around Indian and South Asian visual art.

Such initiatives provide further context to artists and their works, while contributing to the wider art history.

tired-of-fake-reviews-this-app-will-help-you-plan-next-trip-with-trusted-recommendations

Tue Feb 17 16:17:31 IST 2026

You’re in Rome, craving for the "real" Italy—not the one you see on the postcards. But how do you find it? Krishna and Pia Shivdasani have the answer. Their app, NowYouKnow (NYK), skips the anonymous reviews of strangers and taps into the one thing that matters: the trusted recommendations of your friends. It’s travel, redefined by the people you know the best.

Growing up in a family where travel was a way of life, the duo have a deep understanding of the global travel trends, which eventually led to the founding of the app. Their travels across more than 30 countries were never guided by anonymous online ratings or tour guides, but by the vetted word of trusted family relatives or friends.

“Our friends’ experiences and recommendations are scattered across WhatsApp threads, Instagram bookmarks and disorganised Google Sheets, but NYK brings your friends’ suggestions under one platform,” says the siblings.

With AI reshaping the internet and paid reviews botching the algorithms, authenticity is the new luxury. This app cuts through the digital clutter and ensures that the reviews you read aren’t just content – they’re authentic experiences from people you actually trust.

“Most travel apps help you find places. NowYouKnow helps you trust them,” said Krishna Shivdasani.

“We’re built around real recommendations from people you actually know or choose to follow, not anonymous reviews, sponsored posts or AI-generated content. It turns the existing way of people planning travel, texting friends, into something organised, personal, and actually usable,” he said.

When asked what’s behind the name, Krishna explains that it comes from a common exchange: when one person says, “Oh, I didn’t know that,” and the other replies, “Well, NowYouKnow."

Although the app was launched in 2023, it went live to the public just last year. Many users find it valuable and continue to expand their social circles by inviting friends.

"I don’t trust random reviews anymore - I feel like everything is completely sponsored. What works for me is seeing [a place] where my friends actually went and genuinely experienced, good or bad. NowYouKnow feels closer to how we’ve always planned trips, through people we trust," said Anjali Mirchandani, USA.

Abhishek Advani, based in the UK, says that since joining the app, he has already built a shortlist of recommendations from friends with similar tastes and lifestyles.

Gabriela Sein from France said most of her travel plans used to happen on WhatsApp groups. "Now those recommendations finally live in one place on NowYouKnow instead of getting lost in chats and notes," adds Gabriela.

Pia Shivdasani explains that NowYouKnow was created to solve a key problem: Today, discovering reliable tips on where to stay, eat and drink is fragmented, noisy and fake, while trust remains with people you personally know.

“The app simply brings back a very natural way of sharing and finding places through genuine experiences, personal taste, and recommendations that actually help elevate travel plans," she says.

when-is-singles-awareness-day-after-valentines-week-its-time-to-celebrate-singlehood-here-are-quotes-to-share-as-social-media-status

Sat Feb 14 19:27:51 IST 2026

Singles Awareness Day is celebrated on February 15, the day after Valentine’s Day. It not about rejecting relationships but about honouring yourself and embracing self-love. You could be single by choice, healing from a past relationship or simply enjoying your own company. But it is important to realise that your relationship status does not define your self worth.

This special day also stands as a reminder that love comes in many forms, it could be friendship, family, and most importantly, self-love. Singles Awareness Day challenges the narrative that romantic love is the ultimate goal. It instead celebrates personal growth, emotional independence and freedom of choice.

Here are some empowering, witty, and heartfelt quotes to use as social media status on Singles Awareness Day.

I am complete on my own.
Being single isn’t a status. It’s an opportunity.
My relationship with myself sets the tone for every other relationship.
Single is not lonely. Single is selective.
I am not waiting to be chosen, I choose myself.
Happiness starts with you.
Fall in love with taking care of yourself.
You don’t need someone else to make you whole.
Growth begins when you choose yourself.
Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m single and fabulous—how about you?
Relationship status: committed to inner peace.
I’m not single. I’m in a long-term relationship with freedom.
Chocolate understands me better than most people.
I belong to myself.
The strongest love is self-love.
Freedom is waking up and choosing your own path.
I am building a life I love—solo and strong.
Me, myself, and I — the real trio.
Self-love is my love story.
Healing. Growing. Glowing.
I choose me. Every time.
Be so whole that nobody completes you.
Relationship status: thriving.
Too focused to be bothered.
Single and stress-free.
I don’t chase. I attract.
High standards, higher peace.
Enjoying my own company.
Creating a life I love.
Whole on my own.
Love will come. I’m not rushing.
Single is a season, not a sentence.
Single by choice, not by chance.
I’m not alone. I’m independent.
Peace feels better than drama.
Unavailable for nonsense.
Loving my freedom more than anything.

valentines-day-2026-best-proposal-quotes-to-express-love-to-your-special-partner-on-february-14

Fri Feb 13 20:33:02 IST 2026

Valentine's Day almost upon us. Within the next few hours, the calendar will roll over to February 14, the big day for romantic people across the globe. This entire Valentine's week has always been special with each day having a theme or purpose surrounding it. We wrap it up with 'Kiss Day' on February 13 to wind things up.

On this Valentine's Day, here are some of the finest proposal messages that you can give to your special one on February 14.

"The biggest problem is that I have only one lifetime to be with you… will you be mine forever?"

"I knew you were the one for me when I realized my happiness lay in your smiles, not mine. Will you marry me?"

"I can’t promise everything will be perfect. But I promise we’ll make it work, no matter how hard it gets. Be mine forever, will you?"

"I knew we were made for each other when I realised that even doing NOTHING with you meant EVERYTHING to me. Will you marry me?"

"Ever since the day we met, I’ve felt a sense of happiness in my life like never before. Will you marry me and make me the happiest man ever?"

"I want to be there for you when you’re down. I want to share life’s happiest moments with you. I want to pamper you whenever I can. I want to help you achieve your dreams. I want you to support me. I want to hold you close now and forever. Will you marry me?"

"Everything I’ve done has led me to you… And everything I haven’t done in life yet, I want to do with you. Will you marry me?"

"There are many ways to be happy in life. But I only know one person in the universe I’d want to share my happiness with…. That’s you! Will you marry me?"

"In life, a lot of people will hold your hand. But no one will hold your heart the way I do. Will you marry me?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do if you say "no," so could you save us both the trouble and say yes?"

"I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise never to forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime love. Marry me?"

"It's the day of love today, and I don't want to miss the opportunity to tell you how much you mean to me now and forever. I hope we can seal this bond forever and be each other's ride-and-die for the rest of our lives."

"Fall from a mountain, there's a rope. Fall into a river; there's a boat. But fall in love, and there's no hope! That's how the famous proposal day quote goes, but will you bring hope to my life by falling in love together?"

"On this Valentine's Day, I want to confess that my life changed after you entered it. It's never been the same for me, and I want to cherish you for the rest of my life. Will you allow me to love you and call you mine forever?"

"Happy Valentine's Day, wifey! You are and will always be my sunshine. Together, we have weathered many storms and experienced many happy days. On this proposal day, can I ask you to never change and love me forever and more?"

"Happy Valentine's Day, my forever Valentine. I can hardly believe we've made it this far together. Every day with you has been an adventure, and I wouldn't want it any other way! I love you!"

You are my sun and my moon. I give you my whole heart and life, and I know you will hold it precious, just as I hold you. Happy Propose Day, my forever Valentine.

"I didn't know what happiness meant until I met you. Loving you has opened my heart and soul to the true meaning of commitment and happiness. May this joy last forever. I love you, my Valentine."

"I browsed through hundreds of love dialogues in English literature to find a proposal quote that justified my feelings for you. But in the end, all I can think of is this: "No amount of time or distance can change my love for you. It's not poetic but straight from my heart for my dearest partner."

"When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest to start as soon as possible." When Harry Met Sally

"I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it." Seth in City of Angels

"It's only in the mysterious equations of love that any logical reasons can be found. I am only here tonight because of you. You are all I am. You are all of my reasons." Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind

"I promise to look at you more than my phone. Will you marry me?"

"I might not be the perfect husband, but I will do the dishes. I can also help clean the house if you promise to make me delicious food forever."

"Baby, I know you are high maintenance, but it's ok because I like maintaining you. If you allow, I would like to maintain you all my life. Will you marry me?"

"I think we both are unusually weird. It would be a waste not to explore our weirdness more. So I was thinking, would you like to explore it together for the rest of our lives? Would you be my partner in weirdness forever"?

"I promise not to keep score in our arguments, even though I'm winning. Marry me?"

happy-valentines-day-messages-texts-to-send-your-single-friends-on-february-14-short-funny-and-maybe-a-bit-savage

Sat Feb 14 10:34:24 IST 2026

We all have that friend (or friends) who is destined to remain a couch potato on 14 February. If you are in a love-hate relationship with that single person or have the freedom to pierce his or her broken heart a little bit on V-Day, here are 15 messages to send. They are mean, but not very mean, savage but not unpardonable, and importantly, on point!

ALSO READ | Best gift discount offers, quotes and wishes to send to your Valentine

Who knows, maybe a little rudeness could be the motivation your friend needs to find their soulmate in hiding. Try sending them these texts on Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I was going to set you up with someone, but I actually like them too much to do that to them.
I hope your Valentine’s Day is as drama-free as your dating life... because there isn't one
At this point, being single is your personality trait.
Happy Valentine's Day! You’re the only person I know who can buy themselves a gift and still pretend to be surprised :P
Think of all the money you’re saving today. You’re not single; you’re just economically superior ;)
If Rocky bhai was the CEO of India, you’re officially the CEO of Third Wheeling... Happy Valentine’s Day!
Couples are exchanging gifts. You’re exchanging memes and peace. Cheers, buddy!
Happy Valentine’s Day! I’d tell you to go find the love of your life, but I think you’d rather just find a remote that works.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Don’t worry, your soulmate is out there. They’re probably just stuck in traffic. Or dead. One of the two.
At least you don’t have to post a caption you don’t mean. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Cupid saw your profile and said, “I’ll get back to you.” Just hang tight!
Another Valentine’s Day, another year of “it’s complicated” with nobody.
Your relationship status has more stability than your excuses.
You don’t need a Valentine — you need a miracle and better texting skills.
At this point, your soulmate might be lost or avoiding you on purpose. I'm confused too -_-

kiss-day-2026-quotes-wishes-and-messages-to-make-your-significant-someone-feel-special-this-valentines-week

Thu Feb 12 22:42:46 IST 2026

Kiss Day, which falls on February 13, is one of the most romantic days of Valentine’s Week. A kiss is not a mere gesture, it’s a beautiful expression of love, passion, comfort, and connection.

If you’re looking for the perfect words to send to your better half this Kiss Day, here’s a list of quotes, wishes, and messages to make them feel truly special.

Meaningful quotes to share on Kiss Day

Kissing you is like breathing, I just can’t stop.
Your kiss is the silent promise of forever.
In your kiss, I found my home.
One kiss can say what a thousand hearts feel.
A kiss from you is my daily dose of happiness.
Every love story begins with a spark, but ours continues with a kiss.
When our lips meet, the world fades away.
Your kiss is the poetry my heart understands.
Forever starts with a kiss.

Kiss Day wishes to send your loved one

Happy Kiss Day, my love! Every kiss from you feels like magic wrapped in warmth.
Your kiss is my favourite place to be. Happy Kiss Day, sweetheart!
Every time you kiss me, my world feels complete. I love you endlessly.
Happy Kiss Day to the one who makes my heart skip a beat with just one kiss.
A kiss from you is all I need to brighten my day.
May our love grow deeper with every kiss we share. Happy Kiss Day!
One kiss from you is enough to melt all my worries away.
Sending you a million kisses wrapped in love.

Heart-touching messages to share on Kiss Day

If kisses were raindrops, I would shower you with a storm of love.
Your kiss is the sweetest addiction I never want to quit.
A kiss from you is better than a thousand words.
Every kiss we share writes another chapter in our love story.
I crave your kisses more than chocolate on Valentine’s Week!
With each kiss, you seal my heart forever.
Distance may keep us apart, but it can’t stop me from sending you virtual kisses!
Every kiss with you feels like the first and the last at the same time.
I fall in love with you all over again every time we kiss.
Your lips are my favourite temptation.
Sealed with a kiss and all my love.
One kiss, endless love.
Can’t wait to kiss you!
Your kiss = My happiness.
Sending you sweet kisses!
A kiss for the love of my life.

why-hug-day-matters-heartfelt-quotes-wishes-and-messages-to-share-with-your-loved-ones-during-valentines-week-2026

Wed Feb 11 19:34:23 IST 2026

As Hug Day approaches on February 12, it is a beautiful reminder of the warmth, comfort, and love that a simple embrace can bring. Sometimes what words cannot convey can be expressed through a hug, whether its affection, support, forgiveness, friendship, and deep emotional connection.

So take a pause, appreciate your loved ones and express your feelings openly. The world is fast-paced today and we often forget the power of physical connection. A genuine hug can strengthen bonds and make relationships feel more secure. Whether it’s a romantic partner, a best friend, a sibling, or a parent, you should not miss the chance to give them a warm hug and make their day special.

Here’s a list of quotes, wishes, and messages you can share with your partner, friends, family, or anyone who deserves a warm embrace.

Hug Day quotes

A hug is the shortest distance between friends
Sometimes, a silent hug speaks a thousand words
A hug is a handshake from the heart
Your hugs are my favourite place to be
One hug can cure a bad day
In your arms is where I belong
A warm hug is like a bandage for a hurting heart
Hugs: the universal medicine for the soul
Every time you hug me, my world feels complete
Hug tightly, love endlessly

Wishes for Hug Day

Happy Hug Day 2026, my love! Your arms are my safest place in this world.
Every hug from you feels like home. I’m so lucky to have you.
On this Hug Day, I just want to wrap you in my arms and never let go.
Your hug is my daily dose of happiness. Happy Hug Day, sweetheart!
May our hugs always be tight, warm, and full of love. Happy Hug Day!
Sending you a virtual hug until I can hold you for real.
With every hug, I fall more in love with you.
Happy Hug Day to the one who makes my heart smile.
Happy Hug Day, my dear friend! Here’s a big hug for always being there.
Friends like you deserve the warmest hugs every day.
A tight hug to remind you how special you are to me.
Life is better with friends who give the best hugs!
Sending you a bear hug filled with love and laughter.
On this Hug Day, I’m grateful for our friendship and all the comfort it brings.

Messages to share on Hug Day

Big hug coming your way!
Hugs, love, and endless smiles!
A hug for you, because you deserve it.
Here’s a warm hug to brighten your day.
Nothing beats a heartfelt hug.
Stay close, hug tight.
If I could, I’d send you a thousand hugs to remind you how much you mean to me.
In difficult times, I hope my hug gives you strength.
Whenever you feel alone, remember my arms are always open for you.

WhatsApp status captions

A hug from the right person can make everything better.
Celebrating Hug Day with the warmest embrace!
Hug more, worry less.
When words fail, a hug speaks from the heart.
A hug is happiness you can feel.
Love begins with a hug.
Collecting hugs, spreading love.
Nothing heals like a heartfelt hug.
Wrapped in love this Hug Day!

happy-promise-day-2026-30-quotes-and-wishes-to-shares-with-your-loved-one-this-valentines-week

Tue Feb 10 21:08:43 IST 2026

During this Valentine’s Week, Promise Day gives you an opportunity to express your commitment to your loved one. It the day you renew your vows, make heartfelt promises and deepen the bond with your better half.

Whether you’re in a relationship, friendship, or simply want to show someone how much they mean to you, these quotes are the perfect way to put your feelings into words. This is the moment to cherish the promises you make and here are some quotes and wishes to share with your partner, friends or anyone you want to make a meaningful promise to.

Quotes

"Promises are the language of the heart. May our hearts forever beat in sync."
"I promise to always cherish you, respect you, and love you, no matter where life takes us."
"With every promise I make, I give a piece of my soul to you.
"I promise to be the person who holds your hand through every storm and celebrates with you in every sunshine."
"In the journey of life, let my promises be the guideposts that lead us to love and happiness."
"I promise that even when we are apart, my heart will always be with you."
"On this Promise Day, I vow to love you more with each passing day, and to never let go of the bond we share."
"I promise to be your support when you need strength, your laughter when you need joy, and your comfort when you need peace."
"Love isn’t just about words, it’s about promises kept. Let’s make our love timeless."
"I promise to be your home in times of trouble and your adventure in times of joy."
"Every promise I make today will stand the test of time, as strong as the love I have for you."
"In this lifetime and beyond, I promise to find you in every form, in every life, and in every heartbeat."
"I vow to love you even when we are apart, even when life gets hard, even when the world seems dark."
"I promise that my love for you will be my greatest adventure and my finest accomplishment."
"A promise is a bridge from today to tomorrow, built on trust and love."
"In a world full of uncertainty, my promises to you will always be the one thing you can count on."
"Every promise is a seed of faith planted in the soil of love, waiting to bloom forever."
"I promise to love you not just in the happy moments, but in the moments when love is the only thing that will keep us going."
"I give you my word today, and I will keep it for as long as I breathe."
"On this Promise Day, I pledge to be with you, love you, and support you in every step we take, forever and always."

Wishes and messages

Happy Promise Day 2026! May every promise you make today turn into a lifetime of love, trust, and happiness.
On this Promise Day, I wish that all your heartfelt promises are fulfilled and your love story grows stronger every day.
Wishing you a beautiful Promise Day! May your bonds deepen and your promises always be kept with honesty and care.
Happy Promise Day to the one who makes life brighter—may our promises be as endless as our love.
This Promise Day 2026, I wish you a relationship filled with loyalty, understanding, and meaningful commitments.
May every promise you make today become a beautiful memory tomorrow. Happy Promise Day!
Sending you warm wishes on Promise Day—may love guide your promises and trust strengthen your bonds.
Happy Promise Day 2026! May your heart always find comfort in the promises you share.
On this special day, I wish you the courage to make true promises and the strength to keep them forever.
May Promise Day bring you closer to the people you love and fill your life with lasting joy and devotion.

happy-teddy-day-2026-best-teddy-day-gift-offers-quotes-and-wishes-to-send-to-your-loved-one-on-february-10

Tue Feb 10 16:58:22 IST 2026

Only five days remain for Valentine's Day 2026 and the Valentine's Week is already in progress with each day having its own theme. February 9 was Chocolate Day and as it draws a close, Teddy Day looms large. The theme is self-explanatory - it is about expressing gifts through teddy bears but people usually also use quotes and wishes to express their love.

If you are someone who is interested in celebrating each day of the Valentine's week, expressing love on Teddy Day is inevitable, just like it would be with every other day in this week. Here are the list of best Teddy Day gift offers, quotes and wishes to send to your loved one on this beautiful day.

Best Teddy Day gift discounts

Flipkart is giving upto 59 percent off on teddy bears of various sizes

Ferns N Petals is offering upto 65 percent off on teddy bears alongside combos of chocolates, flowers etc

Amazon is offering upto 60 percent off on teddys and other soft toys

Floweraura is giving upto 40 percent off on teddy day gifts

GiftALove are offering discounts in the 10-20 percent range on Teddy Day gifts

Best Teddy Day quotes and wishes

"Teddy bears don't need hearts as they are already stuffed with love"

"You are just like a teddy-warm, sweet and cuddly too. Today is teddy day so I am sending you a teddy for softness and love. Keep both teddy close to your heart -both mean teddy and me!"

"By gifting you this teddy I want to show am ready to make you mine and fill my life with sunshine"

"A sweet teddy bear, to my sweet mate, on a sweet event, just to say, happy teddy bear day"

"Every day is a teddy day, when I am with you, but yet its worthy to celebrate, and the reason is you!"

“A teddy bear does not judge, it simply offers comfort and love.”

“Teddy bears are just another way of saying ‘I love you’ without words.”

“There’s nothing more comforting than a hug from a teddy bear and the warmth of someone who truly loves you.”

“A hug is always the right size when it comes from a teddy bear!”

“On this Teddy Day, I am sending you a teddy bear as a token of my love. May it remind you of the warmth and comfort we share. Happy Teddy Day!”

“A teddy bear is a faithful friend you can pick up at any time, and it will never let you down.”

“Happy Teddy Day, my love! Just like this teddy, may our love be soft, warm, and full of cuddles."

“A Teddy Is Not Just A Toy, It’s A Soft Reminder Of Love, Comfort, And Warm Hugs That Stay Close Forever."

“This Teddy Day, Let Your Feelings Be Wrapped In Cuteness And Delivered With Endless Love And Smiles.”

happy-chocolate-day-2026-9-ideas-to-gift-your-loved-ones-chocolate-this-valentine

Mon Feb 09 12:41:25 IST 2026

Everyone is counting down the days of February this Valentine's week. February 9 happens to be Chocolate day and this will be your opportunity to get your loved ones their favourite sweet to brighten their day.

Chocolate is celebrated on several days across the world. While World Chocolate Day falls on July 7th, February 9th is your chance to gift your loved ones their favourite chocolate.

Chocolates are some of the best gifts you can get for your significant others and friends, as they are the most beloved sweet treats.

The versatility of chocolates also mean that it appeals to a wide audience compared to other dessert items.

Popular brand Cadbury is one of the reasons people celebrate Chocolate Day ahead of Valentine's Day on February 14th. In 1861, British Chocolatier Richard Cadbury linked cocoa to love when he introduced a heart-shaped chocolate box with cupids and roses.

Chocolate soon became a symbol for shared love.

Surprise your partner with their favourite chocolates this Monday. Mondays can be tiring, and their favourite sweet or not-sweet dark, milk or white chocolate could cheer them up.

Here's how you can celebrate Chocolate Day with your partner.

Try...

Gifting them a box of their favourite luxury chocolate.
Get them flowers and chocolate.
Take them to a chocolate tasting session at a chocolatiers.
If they are diabetic or hate sweets, get them the most premium dark chocolate.
Surprise them with chocolate by delivery.
Try a roadside chocolate fondue stop where you can get chocolate-covered strawberries or marshmallows.
Maybe get them a basket of chocolate to last them a month.
Plan a date with an assorted set of chocolates they have never tried before so that you can have a tasting session.
You could also get them chocolate cake, hot cocoa, and chocolate ice cream if that's what they like.

There is no right or wrong way to surprise your significant other with chocolates, as long as your affection for them comes through.

happy-propose-day-2026-best-propose-quotes-and-wishes-for-this-valentines-day-season

Sun Feb 08 22:26:50 IST 2026

Valentine's Day is that time of the year when people across the globe get into a deep romantic mood. February 14 is still six days away but the traditional countdown for V-Day has begun. Sunday (February 8) is the Propose Day and while the day is almost over, the season is still alive and you have time till February 14 to propose, if that is your intention for this Valentine's week.

Love is an extreme emotion that has universal connect across all walks of life. There are people who don't necessarily like to dedicate just a week or a day to express their love and their views need to be respected too. However, for a majority of people in this world, Valentine's Day and Valentine's Week are the ideal time for expressing love.

Here are some of the best Propose Day quotes for this Valentine's season:

"Be with me here, there and everywhere! I love you! Happy Propose Day!"
"Will you hold my hand. If I ask to spend a lifetime will you?"
"As days go by, my feelings get stronger,To be in ur arms,I cant wait any longer.Look into my eyes & u'll see that its true,Day & Night my thoughts r for U. Happy Propose Day!"
"Hi beautiful, I wish I was around to bend on my knee, hand you a rose and propose you to be my Valentine!"
"Love is missing someone whenever you're apart, but somehow feeling warm inside because you're close in heart. As we are, Happy Propose Day sweetheart!"
"Love is not Something you find Love is Something that finds you.. I want to be with U until the sun falls from the sky."
"I wanted someone to care, I wanted someone to love, I wanted someone to be true, and all I want is someone like you."
"Love puts the fun in together, the sad in apart, and the joy in a heart. Happy Propose Day my love!"
" On This Special Day I Want To Say, Grow Old long With Me, The Best is Yet To Be. Will You Spend The Rest Of Your Life With Me?"
" I can't imagine life without you. Will you hold my hand tight for the rest of the life? Please be mine"

happy-valentine-s-week-2026-49-wishes-to-share-with-your-partner-crush-or-situationship

Sun Feb 08 20:14:40 IST 2026

Love is already in the air, as folks of all ages around the world celebrate Valentine's Week from February 7 to 14.

At the core of the Valentine's spirit is the celebration of love for that one crush, newly proposed lover, longtime partner, or even situationship.

But finding the right words can be a challenge. If you are looking for a good mix of sweet, cool, quirky, and emotional wishes for each day of Valentine's Week, look no further, because our list of 49 ideas has you covered:

Rose Day (February 7)

No thorns, just vibes. Happy Rose Day to my favourite person in the whole world.

Roses are red, violets are blue, my screen time is high because I'm texting you.

Sending a bouquet of red roses to say you’re the most rosiest person I know.

A rose for the person who makes my life feel like a garden in full bloom.

I’m not usually a 'flower person', but for you, I’m a florist.

Propose Day (February 8)

I don’t just want to be your 'now,' I want to be your 'always'. Happy Valentine's!

I’m officially soft launching our 'forever'. Join me?

This heart belongs to you. Will you keep it safe for the rest of our lives?

Life’s a mess, but it's better when it's our mess. You and me against the world. What do you say?

Life may have got me cooked, but love really said: "Let them cook harder."

Chocolate Day (February 9)

Life is like a box of chocolates, but I’m glad I found the sweetest one: you.

I love you more than I love chocolate mousse ice-cream loaded with choco chips (and I really love chocolate mousse ice-cream loaded with choco chips).

Our love is like chocolate: rich, smooth, and incredibly addictive.

Sending you chocolate so your serotonin levels match mine when I see your face.

Chocolate is temporary, but you and I? We're endgame.

Teddy Day (February 10)

You’re low-key more huggable than this teddy bear.

Pookies get 10 free bear hugs from me today. Turns out, you're one too! Happy Valentine's!

You're my favourite cuddle partner—no plushie required.

DC Comics has the Riddler, but I have the Cuddler.

When I see you, my brain goes: "10/10 would cuddle!"

Promise Day (February 11)

I promise to choose you, even on the days that test us.

I promise to never ghost you or open the calculator app in front of you, even if the conversation gets awkward.

I promise to hold your hand through the storms and dance with you in the rain.

I promise to always let you have the last bite of the fries. Except when they are cheesy fries.

Pinky promise to always keep it 100 with you.

Hug Day (February 12)

One hug from you wipes away a million tears.

Sometimes the best peace in the world within your embrace. Bring it in!

Beep beep! Incoming hug! Arms out to accept!

One hug from you, and my troubles all melt away. You're awesome!

You're basically a human weighted blanket, comforting me on my best and worst days.

Kiss Day (February 13)

Your kiss is the spark that keeps my heart’s fire burning.

Sealing our story with a kiss today and a thousand more for the years to come.

Chemistry check: 100 per cent. Bring it in!

A kiss a day keeps the loneliness away.

You're invited to my kiss contest. Population: You and I.

Valentine's Day (February 14)

I love you more than my favourite playlist—and that’s a lot of good songs.

To the one who knows all my flaws and still thinks I’m magic, happy V-Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to my favourite intrusive thought.

Happy Valentine's Day to the one who made my love life absolute cinema.

You're my favourite person to lock in and do absolutely nothing with.

You are the best thing that ever happened to my soul.

You moonwalked into my life for a reason, and I see it every time I look into your eyes. Happy V-Day!

You’re the only person I’d stop scrolling for. Happy V-Day!

Whatever our souls are made of, yours and mine are the same. Happy Valentine's!

Thanks for being the only person who gets my specific brand of weird.

Found the person I want to annoy for the rest of my life. Happy V-Day!

Meeting you was fate, becoming friends was a choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control. Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy V-Day! You’re the only person in my 'Close Friends' list that is now family for real.

I love you more than free shipping, same-day delivery, and discounts combined.

at-india-art-fair-where-personal-meets-political-in-art-on-women

Sun Feb 08 16:06:21 IST 2026

As you enter the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi for the four-day India Art Fair, a large installation immediately catches the eye. Created on a quilt, the work by artist Judy Chicago poses a pointed question: ‘What If Women Ruled the World?’ The participatory project invites visitors to respond, weaving together global voices that have been “digitally threaded” to create the artwork.

While Chicago’s question is overtly political, the artistic conversations become more personal and intimate once you enter the booths. Here, the female form and beauty standards, sacrifice and violence, familial responsibilities, and female goddesses assume the spotlight.

Here, the personal and the political merge, echoing long-standing feminist concerns.

Bodies, scaled differently

In her artwork—‘This Is the Least I Could Shrink’—artist Natasha Sachdeva showcases a woman struggling to force a red bangle onto her foot, an act that remains unfinished.

The work invites viewers to confront their own relationship with the body, posing unsettling questions: “Would you exchange your body for a better one? Does your body feel like baggage? Have you ever been triggered by your own body?”

ALSO READ: India Art Fair: Artists highlight Delhi’s environment crisis, and offer solutions too

Drawn from personal experience, Sachdeva traces the work back to her teenage years, when she was diagnosed with PCOD and experienced sudden weight gain. “Bullying made me question my own body,” she says, adding that she was too young then to understand the beauty standards. That struggle continues. “I’m still trying to develop a loving relationship with my body,” she reflects. “It’s still an unpleasant relationship.”

The piece builds on her long-standing engagement with the female body through self-portraits and depictions of elderly women, particularly the ways in which desire is suppressed over time.

While Sachdeva makes her woman shrink, ace sculptor Ravinder Reddy expands the female form into something monumental. Nowhere is this more apparent than in his brightly painted, gilded fibreglass head sculptures. With golden skin, crimson lips, and bulging eyes, Reddy’s women are unmistakably theatrical, drawing from the visual language of classical ‘devis’ (goddesses) while resisting easy reverence. Incidentally, one of his most celebrated works is titled ‘Devi’.

Though rooted in female anatomy, the sensuality here is restrained. What eventually stands out is the unwavering gaze, piercing and assuming a monumental space of its own.

Speaking of devi, mythology and religion have long turned to female figures—goddesses, or otherwise—to give form to the experience of being a woman.

The many devis

Rooted in her own experience of a gruelling six-hour surgery, after which she asked to see the knees removed from her body, Jayasri Burman created ‘I, Dharitri’. In Sanskrit, Dharitri means the Earth, symbolising stability, strength, and fertility.

The excruciating pain led Burman to the story of Sati, who died in her father Daksha’s sacrificial fire but did not burn. “Maddened with grief, Shiva danced holding her, and Vishnu cut her body into 51 parts, which fell across the subcontinent, sanctifying the land as Shakti Peethas. For the artist, the severed body and the flow of blood became the provocation. Was there no other way to honour Sati except through her dismemberment?” Sinha writes.

“The sweeping flow of red, like the manic manifestation of Raktabeej, spread unevenly through the topography of breasts and limbs, universalising the sacrifice of women. The Earth and her body parts contoured the landscape. As an embedded emblem of faith, how many satis did it take to make such a blood-drenched landscape?” she adds.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi visual artist Ashfika Rahman turns to Bon Bibi, a guardian deity revered by both Hindus and Muslims in the Sundarbans of India and Bangladesh.

While doing so, she makes a larger point, archiving the identities of Hindus and Muslims killed in religious brutality in both countries over the past 50 years.

The artwork takes the form of a flower that grows in the Bon Bibi temple grounds. Relatives and close friends of the victims embroider their names onto what resembles a blooming bell.

Another work, a monumental sculpture by Natasha Preenja, depicts a crouching figure of Lajja Gauri, an ancient goddess of fertility whose squatting posture is closely associated with birth and domestic rituals.

“The sculpture draws from the figure of Lajja Gauri, an ancient embodiment of fertility whose grounded, squatting posture is intimately tied to birth, reproductive cycles, and domestic ritual,” says Preenja. “Squatting is also a way of protesting to claim the space. When you protest and sit,” she adds.

Meanwhile, responses to Chicago’s ‘What If Women Ruled the World?’ also assume personal spaces. “I believe that vulnerability should be allowed by both genders, to show that we can all be with each other,” read one. “There would be a lot more compassion. I would love to see that world,” read another.

at-india-art-fair-artists-move-beyond-spotlighting-delhis-pollution-crisis-to-imagining-solutions

Sat Feb 07 14:54:01 IST 2026

Delhi’s air pollution crisis is impossible to ignore—measured, debated, and monitored in real time. The city’s water pollution, particularly the Yamuna, also demands similar attention whenever white, toxic foam floats into view. Yet, far less visible and rarely discussed is the crisis beneath Delhi’s feet: the contaminated soil feeding its farms and, in turn, its people."

Putting a spotlight on this is multidisciplinary artist Sidhant Kumar’s ‘Studies from a Quiet Harvest’, currently on view at the India Art Fair.

On entering the exhibit, a large LED display laid out on the floor draws the eye. Names of metals—cadmium, iron, copper—scroll across the screen, mirrored by the raw topsoil placed beside it, underscoring the contamination embedded in the land

Here, Kumar foregrounds the realities of Ranhola, a peri-urban locality in West Delhi.

Its fields, the exhibition note explains, are lined with fast-growing crops such as spinach and brinjal to meet the demands of Delhi’s expanding population. Running alongside them is the Najafgarh drain, carrying sewage and industrial effluents from nearby unauthorised factories, the only source of water for cultivation. Notably, the drain is also a primary contributor to the Yamuna’s pollution.

As a result, the soil and its produce remain contaminated, particularly with heavy metals, posing serious health risks to both farmers and consumers, the note adds.

“Whenever we see a lush green field, we think everything is alright. But when I went closer to the land, I saw the violence behind it,” Kumar says.

Alongside the exploitation of the land, the artist also draws attention to the exploitation of farmers, most of them migrants from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, who till land leased from owners.

“They work under what is known as the Bataiya system, where migrant farmers cultivate leased land. Three-fourths of the produce goes to the owner, and only a quarter to the farmer,” explains Kumar, who hails from Siwan in Bihar.

Working on such thin margins, he adds, the farmers receive little in return and are often forced to source water on their own. Drawing water from the Najafgarh drain, Kumar emphasises, is not a question of right or wrong, but one of survival. “It’s an intersection between ethics and survival,” he says.

These concerns are woven into the installation through a range of elements. A large wooden plough hangs on the wall, bearing an LED display that reads, “Mujhe khet ka swaad pata hai” (I know the taste of the field). The work gestures towards mechanised farming, which has increased yields but also accelerated land degradation.

The installation also includes photographs of the farmers, a short film that traces structures of exploitation, and a display resembling a research paper that documents the contamination of the soil.

An answer in green

While Kumar’s exhibit puts a spotlight on a problem, this one offers a solution.

Created by Sri Lanka–based artist Raki Nikahetiya and supported by Max Estates, Forest II is a Miyawaki-method pocket forest comprising over 20 species of plants and trees native to Delhi and the Aravalli region.

The Miyawaki method, a Japanese afforestation technique, relies on dense planting of native species to create fast-growing, self-sustaining forests, driven by competition for sunlight.

Built using discarded materials, the structure holds around 200 native saplings, forming what appears to be a walled grove.

Visitors walk along a winding pathway through the trees, accompanied by an audio layer of birds, bees, and rustling leaves native to Delhi.

“One plant alone doesn’t make a difference; it’s about the forest. Forests create that negative carbon footprint,” says Ankit Khurana, who is part of the project.

Large development projects, he adds, are often marked by tree razing and what he calls “green erasure.” Afforestation techniques, including the Miyawaki method, offer one way of bringing green back into the conversation.

Forest II is a site-specific installation and will eventually be relocated to a Max Estate site.

from-ireland-to-india-the-family-flax-and-fortitude-behind-burgoyne-linen

Tue Feb 03 17:46:49 IST 2026

Long before sustainability became a buzzword, there was linen. Woven into the wrappings of Egyptian mummies and, according to the Bible, laid around the body of Christ after the crucifixion, linen has clothed both royalty and ritual for millennia. Soft yet strong, it is spun not from oil or synthetics but from the resilient flax plant—requiring far less water than cotton and no chemical crutches.

“So, linen is one of the most sustainable textile products you can make for the world,” says William James Burgoyne Baird, chairman of WFB Baird & Company (India) Pvt Ltd, his voice grounded in both history and conviction.

That heritage stretches back to the early 20th century, when James’s great-grandfather, William Frederik Burgoyne, founded a linen mill in the small Northern Irish town of Lurgan with a simple vision: to craft the world’s finest linen. His descendants took that vision to heart. Today, Burgoyne is widely regarded as one of the finest linen producers globally, with world-class products emerging not only from Ireland and Poland but also from Kakkanad in Kerala.

Burgoyne established its first facility in India two decades back. James says the Nair family—who once owned the Leela brand and had investments in textiles—was instrumental in encouraging the Bairds to enter the Indian market.

“For a European business, entering India was a big cultural shift. We had to figure out the best way to approach it,” James recalls. “We ultimately decided to set up in the Cochin Special Economic Zone in Kakkanad. As an export-oriented company, that setup gave us certain tax benefits and reduced bureaucratic hurdles.”

“You need support when you take such a big step—a little help from your friends. And that’s exactly what we had in the Nair family. They have since exited the textile industry, but their support back then made all the difference.”

When Burgoyne first set up operations in India, they brought in European managers.

“But after a few years, we realised Indian managers were more than capable,” says James. “They understood the local culture far better and could handle things very effectively. That ability to translate between two worlds—European ideals and Indian realities—has been central to our growth and success.”

James refers to current CEO Suchitra Menon as a vital bridge between the European way of thinking and Indian practicalities. “As my son puts it, she spends 30 per cent of her time managing the owner—telling him, ‘that might work in Europe, but this is not how things are done in India,’” he quips.

Suchitra, meanwhile, adds that the company isn’t run purely in an Indian way. “There’s a really good balance—a blend of the family’s passion with our local way of working. That balance has evolved through long-standing relationships and mutual trust,” she explains.

Burgoyne also points to a unique cultural similarity between India and Ireland that has been core to their operations: the importance of family.

“Family matters in Ireland. Family matters in India,” he says, adding that for them, it’s not just about being in business—it’s about being part of an extended family across two cultures.

“If you ask me what I’ve learned over the years, I’d say it’s that family values in India are the rock, the core, the very constitution of this place. Never underestimate the power of Indian families. You’ll find love, loyalty, integrity—all of that stems from the Indian family unit,” he says.

To aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter textiles, James offers this advice: it's a business that evolves slowly over time. “If you want to make a quick fortune, I can assure you—textiles is not the way. But if you're in it for the long term, it’s one of the most wonderful industries to be in. It grows like a child—into a man, and then into an elder. That’s how a textile business matures,” he says.

That long view has shaped Burgoyne’s journey in India. James recalls that when the company first came to India, it operated purely as an export unit, primarily serving the American market.

“What we discovered along the way was that we could also start supplying linen over the counter here in India. Today, our Burgoyne brand is available in around 5,000 shop fronts across the country. Then we realised—hold on—there’s real demand for linen in India. But our factory in Kochi wasn’t big enough. So, we built another one in Tamil Nadu to meet domestic demand."

"Later, we saw that not everyone in India could afford pure linen—so we began developing linen-cotton blends, intimate blends, and other variations. These were well received in the Indian market. Eventually, we recognised the domestic demand for linen yarn itself and started a spinning plant. And now, we’re very happy with how that’s turned out. So yes—from little acorns, oak trees grow. That’s how we scaled.”

James’s son Joshua, director at WFB Baird & Company (India) Pvt Ltd, says linen is a powerful niche and the company is well-positioned thanks to the quality of its products. “Our job now is to build on that—continue looking after our customers, develop new and exciting products, and push innovation where it matters,” he says.

Like every other industry, AI is a buzzword in textiles too. “In our business, AI is already very useful on the administrative side—stock control, customer data, analysing ten years of purchasing behaviour in seconds,” says James. But as for placing robots on the factory floor—machines that automatically go to the back of a loom when it stops, tie it up, and restart it—that still feels like science fiction. “We’re not quite there yet,” he adds.

There are areas, like fabric inspection, where AI is expected to play a bigger role in the near future. “But manufacturing textiles—say, making a shirt from scratch using a robot—that’s still a long way off. I’m not saying it won’t happen, just that we don’t know yet,” says James. “Right now, AI is very effective in data analysis and spotting trends. But the problem is, these systems are logical—and the world we live in is not always logical. Machines can’t process stupidity or genius. They can’t invent or surprise. They can only do what they’re told. But it’s the extraordinary—the things that break the rules—that build great businesses and define the future.”

guli-ma-family-how-a-kerala-mans-descendants-were-found-in-china

Tue Feb 03 17:28:34 IST 2026

History is like a thin, bright ribbon—only the small portion we manage to save. What survives are the names, dates, and victories of a tiny fraction of humanity. Everything else sinks into the vast dark: the unrecorded lives, the unspoken griefs, and the unnoticed exchanges that once shaped entire worlds. For every story that enters our collective memory, a million others fall soundlessly away.

Yet now and then, someone bends down into that darkness with patient hands and retrieves a story that should never have been lost. Joe Thomas Karackattu, a Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Madras, is one of those rare seekers—someone who followed faint traces across centuries and uncovered some crucial, forgotten threads of human exchange between India and China, woven over the past 700 years.

Kerala’s ports—especially Kollam (Quilon), Kozhikode (Calicut), and Kochi (Cochin)—once sat at the heart of the ancient Spice Route, drawing Chinese merchants and envoys from the Song and Yuan dynasties. The most active phase of this contact came under Admiral Zheng He of the Ming dynasty, whose seven treasure-fleet voyages (1405–1433) included repeated stops in Kerala. These missions are believed to have introduced fishing techniques embedded in artefacts such as the cheena vala (Chinese fishing nets), still iconic in Kochi. Language and local traditions preserve these traces too—cheena chatti (Chinese wok) and Cheenam Palli (a mosque at Panthalayani in Kozhikode) are among the fossilised markers of that exchange. And what moved along those routes wasn’t just spices, technologies, and ideas—but people as well.

“Being from South India, I was familiar with our region’s long history of maritime contact with China,” says Karackattu. While the Song and Yuan periods witnessed maritime outreach, it is during the Ming period that tribute missions to India became regular. The Ming Shilu (the Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty) records envoys from the city-states travelling back on return trips, including from Calicut, Quilon, Cochin, Samudra, Malacca, Hormuz, among other places. Karackattu triangulated these sources with extensive fieldwork and interviews with historians. One Chinese scholar specializing in the Ming era told him of a reference she had seen to an ambassador from “Guli” who had come to China and left behind a commemorative tablet in Fujian. Many scholars would describe migration in general, others would discuss Indian-origin inter-group exchanges but none too specific. Gradually, through contacts, friends, and local intermediaries—most of whom had no specific expertise on Calicut’s past – the list of respondents were narrowed and eventually allowed for snowballed interviews. After nearly 20,000 kilometres of travel – there was respite when the search was zoomed-in on a family in southern China in Guilin (Guangxi province), that went by the name of ‘Ma family’ (with a distinct ‘Guli’ prefix).

From there, he began speaking to people both in Kerala and in China to trace this family. Gradually, through contacts, friends, and local intermediaries—none of whom were historians and none of whom had any particular interest in Calicut’s past—the search narrowed. “They would ask around through their own networks: Has anyone heard of such a family? That informal snowballing eventually led us to Guangxi province, particularly a place called Guinan,” says Karackattu.

Karackattu decided to turn this entire search into a documentary film, despite having no background in directing. He spent hours watching YouTube tutorials to learn the basics. He experimented with framing, relying on a kind of street-smart improvisation to capture the feel of his journey from Kerala to Shanghai, Beijing, and eventually Guangxi. Back then, dashcams were not common, so he fixed the camera onto his car dashboard with 20-rupee double tape so it could record him as he drove.

China helped him in unexpected ways. Recordkeeping there was systematic, especially from the Qing dynasty onward. Families maintained jiapu—written genealogies that preserved lineages with remarkable detail. Karackattu managed to lay his hands on the Jiapu (record of family ancestry) of the “Guli Ma family”, which the family meticulously maintained. It was a revelation - the Ma family traced its ancestry to a man named Ma Like – believed to be a variation of ‘Malik’ or ‘Maliki’—who is recorded to have come from Guli, or Calicut, seven centuries ago as per the family Jiapu (record of family ancestry), marrying a local thereafter.

Since it was a two-way movement of people, Karackattu had already scoured sites in Kerala where he met and interviewed individuals who had fascinating accounts of their family connections to China (mostly through trade). The cephalic head shape and visual features stunned Karackattu. “Their stories were based on oral lore. They can’t prove it, but their narratives preserve the cultural memory of that connection,” he says. In China, by contrast, documentation offered a sturdier bridge.

The search took more than two years before he finally reached the descendants of the Indian man who had voyaged to China. Then, in December 2015, the ribbon of history he had been holding widened into a doorway—Karackattu met the 14th generation of the “Guli Ma” family.

“They were a very simple, middle-class family,” he recalls. “You could tell from their furniture and the setting. They had kept Chinese tea and cut fruits ready for me. They were clearly expecting me and were thrilled, because my friends had already arranged the meeting.”

He had wondered whether his being Indian might cause discomfort, given the fraught political climate between the two countries. Instead, they welcomed him warmly. They were more excited, in fact, to meet a Malayali for the first time. The man traced his ancestry back to Kerala; his wife, though not part of that lineage, extended the same warmth. She used a charming phrase for Karackattu and her husband saying the two were: lao xiang—“old fellow villagers.”

Karackattu remembers the moment vividly. “I felt immense satisfaction that two years of effort had finally led to something concrete—tangible proof, ancestral records, a living family. And at the same time, I was moved by how, despite centuries of intermarriage and complete genetic change, they still took pride in their Malayali ancestry.”

Their genealogical records showed that the fourth and fifth generations of the family had worked for the Ming court; the eleventh generation prospered in business.

The meeting made him reflect on the enormity of that original journey. Someone from Kerala had crossed the seas seven centuries earlier, settled in a new land, learned a new language, and built a life that endured through fourteen generations. “Today we talk about migration in terms of remittances or globalization,” he says. “Back then it was sheer bravery.”

When he told the family that people in Kerala would be thrilled to meet them, they smiled but said their health would not allow such long-distance travel anymore. Still, he made sure they knew how much their story meant back home. His documentary Guli’s Children premiered in Calicut in 2016 and has travelled the world since.

After completing Guli’s Children, another unusual episode of exchange between China and India drew Karackattu’s attention. One thread that stirred his curiosity was the claim that the Chinese had introduced tea to the Nilgiris. As he dug into timelines and compared them with developments in northern India—including the “tea history” linking Chinese from Shanghai to Garhwal—he concluded that the more accurate story involved the British using convicted Chinese workers to introduce cinchona plantations in the Nilgiris.

This time, Karackattu was far better prepared and technically more confident in filming his documentary. He titled it Those 4 Years, referring to the period from 1865 to 1869 when prisoners from the Straits Settlements—British colonies in Southeast Asia—were transported to the Madras Presidency. Triangulating archival records from Malaysia, Hong Kong and Tamil Nadu, revealed the fascinating insight of a small number of Chinese convicts sent to the Nilgiris to work on construction of iconic institutions such as the Lawrence School and also the Cinchona plantations. The records revealed distinct dialects not limited to the Straits Settlements—evidence that it was a Chinese cohort within the transported population from different sites. While most convicts were sent back, some were allowed to remain in India - strangers to the language and culture and yet making India their home.

Though strangers to the language and culture, these Chinese men remained in India. They married local Tamil women, worked on tea and coffee plantations, and sold dairy products, according to their descendants in India. Those 4 Years, which premiered in 2021, was screened in China for the first time recently, with two showings in Beijing.

Both documentaries were entirely self-funded. But for Karackattu, the work is not about money—it is about unearthing stories from the past that can shift the perspectives of the present so that the future can be imagined with greater clarity.

climate-change-development-push-arunachals-grasslands-to-the-brink-experts

Mon Feb 02 19:46:42 IST 2026

Environmental experts, scholars and regional stakeholders recently flagged the growing vulnerability of Arunachal Pradesh's grassland ecosystems at the Bengal Florican report release session as part of its annual flagship initiative, Siang Dialogue 3.0, convened by Red Lantern Analytics (RLA).

The session warned that climate change, habitat degradation and development pressures pose serious risks not just to biodiversity but also to livelihoods and regional stability.

At the centre of the deliberations was the Bengal Florican, one of India’s most endangered bird species, widely regarded as a key indicator of the health of grassland ecosystems. Experts underlined that the bird’s declining population mirrors the broader ecological stress facing the region’s grasslands.

Speaking at the session, Prof. Deepak Pathania, Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Central University of Jammu, described Pasighat and its surrounding wildlife sanctuaries as a “critical biodiversity landscape” that is increasingly fragile. He cautioned that the impacts of climate change in the region go beyond environmental loss and have direct consequences for agriculture, local livelihoods and long-term socio-economic stability.

“Grassland ecosystems are often overlooked in conservation planning, yet they are essential for biodiversity, ecological balance and climate resilience,” Pathania said, stressing the need for scientifically grounded policy interventions. He also highlighted the role of river systems in sustaining Arunachal Pradesh’s ecology, calling for urgent measures to protect them from degradation and unregulated development.

Dr Ayanjit Sen, Chief Advisor at Red Lantern Analytica, drew attention to the close interlinkages between ecology and economy, arguing that sustainable development in the Northeast is impossible without ecological safeguards. He noted that the Bengal Florican serves as a marker species, reflecting the overall health of grasslands that support water regulation, agriculture and community livelihoods.

Dr Sen pointed out that conservation initiatives linked to the Bengal Florican have also opened up economic opportunities, particularly through nature-based tourism, ecological research and documentation. “These efforts not only help protect biodiversity but also generate local employment and ensure that economic benefits remain within the community,” he said.

Community-led conservation practices, including cultural events such as the Partung Festival, were cited as examples of how environmental stewardship can be integrated with local traditions and identity, reinforcing the idea that conservation and development need not be opposing goals.

Concluding the session, Dr Siddhartha Ghosh, Director of Red Lantern Analytica, called for stronger ecosystem-based planning, deeper community participation and sustained policy commitment to protect Arunachal Pradesh’s grassland and river ecosystems. He reiterated RLA’s commitment to facilitating informed dialogue and supporting conservation efforts aimed at ensuring ecological security and sustainable growth in India’s Northeast.

tere-mere-bridge-mein

Fri Jan 30 20:47:52 IST 2026

Earlier this week, the latest innovation in bridge design was unveiled at Mira-Bhayandar, a far-flung, fast-growing suburb of Mumbai. A new four-lane highway coursing along without a care in the world suddenly came to a stop. A low concrete wall stood in its way, and four lanes became two.

Now, road-shedding is contagious in Mumbai and other cities around the country. It happens all the time, as hawkers take up permanent residence and spread their wares expansively on public thoroughfares.

But the process is usually evolutionary. It takes months to starve a new highway and reduce it to a gully. But here, forward-thinking MMRDA engineers, anticipating the eventual outcome, incorporated changes right at the design stage and proved conclusively that innovation in bridge design is alive and well.

Bridge building has for long been the cradle of change. In Mumbai’s busiest suburb, Andheri, they had spent nearly a decade rebuilding the Gokhale Bridge. Finally, in an impressive feat of daring, they finished construction of the bridge but did not complete it. Two arms of the bridge were suspended metres apart like unconsummated lovers. Undeterred by the symbol of ill-fated romance, the inauguration went ahead anyway. We take these things in our stride.

Amid bridges being made, unmade and re-made, Bhopal came up with a turn for the better. Believing that curves are reserved for the better things in life, design engineers gave the Aish Bagh bridge a breath-taking 90-degree turn. Euclid would have applauded, but motorists are appalled. Another example of innovation is the seasonal bridge. Like mangoes, a 6-foot long, 10-ft wide structure on the Kari Kosi river comes out only when it’s in season. For the rest of the time, i.e., the flood season, it stays submerged.

There’s a price to be paid, of course, for all such innovations. For bold new designs to come up, the old bridges must fall, the quicker the better. Last year’s monsoon accounted for the collapse of 12 bridges in the space of 20 days, a stunning record of a bridge collapsing roughly every 30 hours.

And what happens to the bridges that stand through it all? They become too well-known and pay the price of popularity, the target of big game souvenir hunters. A 60-foot-long, 30-tonne iron bridge in Chhattisgarh vanished overnight. Other stolen bridges included a 500-tonne bridge in Rohtas district in Bihar where bridge robbers added a filmi touch to the proceedings by posing as irrigation officials executing a state government firman - yeh bridge mujhe deydey thakur.

Now experts tell us that a bridge should be seen as more than a structure that links A to B over C. It’s a must-see tourist attraction. The crowds who used to visit the Howrah Bridge are soon jaded, experiencing deja vu. They’ve seen it all a hundred times before - in movies, on video and photographs. But a couple of years ago, wide-eyed droves came from across the country to Mumbai, curious to glimpse the bridge with the hole. Surely, many more will now make their way to Bhayandar to see the shrinking of the Setu, probably humming the song from Lakhan - ‘four two ka one, one two ka four’.

Also, mind gurus say that some bridges are the latest psychological test. It’s a trendy variant of the traditional question - is the glass half-full or half-empty? If you see a four-lane bridge suddenly becoming two-lane, and think of the traffic trauma caused, you are a pessimist. On the other hand, if you look at the problem from the opposite angle, and see a two-lane bridge expanding into four lanes, you are a sunny optimist.

You will agree there’s more to a bridge than meets the eye. Perhaps Lata Mangeshkar and S.P. Balasubramaniam summed up the teeming sentiments best years ago when they gave us tere mere bridge main…

indias-silent-crisis-the-fight-to-save-hundreds-of-endangered-languages

Tue Feb 03 11:49:18 IST 2026

UNESCO's 2003 report on language endangerment and vitality, in its preamble, quotes Russell Bernard: “About 97% of the world’s people speak about 4% of the world’s languages; and conversely, about 96% of the world’s languages are spoken by about 3% of the world’s people.” The report then infers, “Most of the world’s language heterogeneity, then, is under the stewardship of a very small number of people.”

India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. According to linguists' estimates, India is home to more than 700 languages out of the world’s total of nearly 7,000. The majority of these languages are minor and endangered languages, spoken by fewer than 10,000 speakers, and are therefore ignored by the Census of India.

According to UNESCO’s 1996 Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing, any language that is not learnt as a “mother tongue” by at least 30 per cent of a community’s children needs to be considered seriously endangered.

As a linguist working with endangered language communities to document or revitalise their languages, I often face common resistance from the language community members themselves as well as neighbouring communities, who often ask: “Why preserve these languages? What is the benefit of speaking such languages? It does not get us jobs, nor does it allow us to travel to other places for education or employment. It even brings social stigma to us when identified as a member of a marginalized or oppressed community.”

Studies show that it is not linguistic diversity that kills off languages; rather, it is the rapid and mindless urbanisation in the name of development. Many language communities in India undergo forceful or coercive language loss because of the pressure for assimilation and social mobility. The more technologically and infrastructurally connected we are, the more we fall into homogenised boxes as citizens, workers, and even as netizens. This includes externally imposed codes of corporate culture—of which the coloniser’s language is an inescapable requisite—and internalised beliefs and stigma regarding one’s own culture and social status. Speaking one’s own mother tongue is unfashionable for dominant language speakers, but it is socially detrimental for minority/endangered language speakers. It does not help that minority language speakers also tend to belong to socially and economically minoritised, marginalised, and oppressed communities. Language becomes worthless collateral damage, the loss of which is a mere "side effect" in the process of development. It is left unseen because we prioritise the apparent benefits of development. So, what exactly is lost if your language is lost?

Imagine waking up tomorrow and forgetting your mother tongue. An educated Indian today typically speaks at least three languages, so being multilingual, one might imagine that they would be able to manage their daily life even without their mother tongue. But how realistic is this assumption?

We have heard the famous Akbar-Birbal story in which a polyglot, fluent in many languages, comes to Akbar’s court and challenges the scholars there to find out his mother tongue. When all others fail, Birbal hides near the polyglot's bedchamber and shocks him out of his deep sleep. The polyglot jumps awake, crying out in his mother tongue, and Birbal wins the challenge. As in this story, there are many instances in our daily life where nothing can replace our mother tongue. Many people cannot properly express their emotions in languages that are not their mother tongue. Many others use idioms and expressions from their mother tongues and try to use literal translations of them even when speaking English or other languages. Many swear in their mother tongues. Malayalis and Bengalis are particularly known for speaking their mother tongues when they encounter someone from the same state, often completely disregarding and excluding other people who may be present. Here, the mother tongue represents a social bond of belonging, shared cultural understanding, and value systems.

Our native language shapes our identity and serves as a medium to understand the world around us. This is why early education should start in a child’s mother tongue. Experts in the field of Mother-Language Education have shown how school dropout rates, especially in Adivasi communities, are caused by primary school textbooks and teaching being inaccessible to the students because the state language, the medium of education, is alien to them. To a child who lives with nature as their home and animals and plants as their friends and family, how can stories and examples of cars and city life be relatable?

Studies have also shown that the loss of the mother tongue can affect the well-being of the community in many ways. The decline in the intergenerational transmission of the mother tongue can be correlated with an increase in suicide rates and substance addiction among such communities, as well as to increasing school dropout rates. This is related to the identity struggle caused by the loss of cultural continuity. Language links people to their cultural past and anchors their social, emotional, ecological, and spiritual vitality. It helps one situate oneself in space and time in relation to everything and everyone else around them. Without this anchoring, youth across the world have been observed to fall into patterns of depression and self-effacement, leading to self-harm.

Each language encodes a unique way of seeing the world and making sense of where and how one is placed in the ecological and social fabric. For instance, the languages of northeast India show us how their beliefs about the peaceful coexistence of humans, animals, plants, and spirits underlie every aspect of their lives. Languages also encode sustainable ecological preservation practices that we can learn from. For example, many coastal languages have words that encode the depths of the sea at various distances and correlate them to other ecological phenomena related to those areas, while many Himalayan languages have words for the maximum height till which terraced paddy farming is possible, based on the terrain and rainfall patterns. Endangered species of flora and fauna have been discovered with the help of the knowledge encoded in the languages spoken in the forested areas.

Our native languages also influence the kinds of pattern recognition and contextual meaning-making we are capable of within our brain. Multilingualism fosters memory capacity, cognitive adaptability, task-switching skills, empathy, and mental flexibility. We stand to lose on all of these fronts if we lose our languages.

Fascinating facts:

The Sora language, spoken in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, uses a mixed number system of base-12 and base-20 unlike the common decimal system familiar to most of us. (Reference: Gregory Anderson, documentary, “The Linguists”)

In the Great Andamanese language, body part names encode the “zones” of the body they are located in. For instance, the word for “blood” will encode a prefix denoting whether it was from the head, torso, legs, etc. (Reference: Anvita Abbi, Vanishing Voices of the Great Andamanese)

In the Himalayan language Rodung, instead of an adverb of intensification like “very,” reduplication is employed in interesting ways. Eg. “chhakchhakwa” is ‘cold,’ “chhakchhakchhakwa” is ‘very cold,’ and “chhakchhakchhakchhakwa” is ‘very very cold.’ (Reference: Ktien Hima et al, SIDHELA archives of Sikkim University)

Onomatopoeia is the encoding of words denoting and imitating sounds from nature. The dog’s barking in English is “bow-wow,” in Hindi it is “bhow-bhow,” and in Tamil it is “Llol-llol.”

kolkata-s-football-love-turns-literary-at-the-argentina-themed-book-fair

Tue Jan 27 20:38:43 IST 2026

Football fans in Kolkata missed a chance to catch a glimpse of football icon, Lionel Messi, during his December 2025 visit, but with Argentina being the theme country at the ongoing 49th International Kolkata Book Fair, books on Messi and Maradona are selling like hot cakes.

“People come here for football, it is true and we are selling many books related to Messi and Maradona. Apart from that, some people arrived for books on Jorge Luis Borges, our most well-known writer from the 20th century,” said Andrea Rojas, Counsellor, Embassy of Argentina.

The books that sold the most, less than a week into the book fair, were Messi’s autobiography, leaving organisers to collaborate with a local book store to get in more books. However, the deeper connection between Argentina and West Bengal goes beyond football.

“Argentina is not only a city of football. It is a country of literature. Nobel laureates like Jorge Luis Borges, who worked with magical realism,” said Tridip Kumar Chatterjee, General Secretary, Publishers and Booksellers Guild and organiser of the Kolkata International Book Fair.

India’s Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore stayed in Argentina for one and a half months after falling ill while he was on his way to Peru in 1924. “He stayed at a house called Miralrio in Sun Isidro city, which was bought for him by Victoria Ocampo, who was then an upcoming author and essayist, familiar with writings of Rabindranath,” explained Chatterjee, which is why the organisers wanted Argentina to be the theme country this year to commemorate the centenary year which could not happen last year due to certain reasons.

“For us, it is a huge opportunity to showcase that Argentina is much more than football and we share cultural traits between West Bengal, Kolkata and Argentina. For instance, their love for books, their love for literature, there are certain literary figures from the past and we are trying to promote all those aspects that are also well-known," says Rojas.

Among the books at the exhibition, there are several titles on Messi, including his biography. A collection of photographs from Argentina showcases portraits of artists and writers made by Sera Facio, a famous female photographer of the 20th century.

A range of speakers from Argentina are also present at the book fair to deliver lectures on the cultural insights of the country and its people. Argentinian representatives are going the extra mile to also showcase films on different cultural aspects of the country, like the tango dance and writers. A film production between India and Argentina called ‘Thinking of him’, directed by Paolo Caesar, which is about Tagore‘s visit to Argentina and his relationship with Victoria Ocampo, will be screened twice during the book fair.

inside-the-hyderabad-lit-fest-insights-from-gopalkrishna-gandhi-and-abhijit-banerjee

Sat Jan 31 14:09:31 IST 2026

In 1998, former President K. R. Narayanan decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on a non-political personality. He chose M.S. Subbulakshmi for the honour. When he sought to inform Prime Minister I.K. Gujral, the PM suggested another name. Predictably, it was Lata Mangeshkar.

However, the President told him that Lata could receive the honour the following year, and the decision was finalised. When Narayanan called Subbulakshmi to convey the news, he realised she did not quite understand what the award was. He then asked his secretary, Prof. Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a fluent Tamil speaker, to explain the honour to her in Tamil. Even then, she grasped little. But by the time of the award ceremony, she understood what the Bharat Ratna meant.

A year before, another Tamilian got Bharata Ratna and he too attended the award function to receive the honour. Both awardees sat next to each other and spoke in Tamil. The awards were presented, and once again they resumed their conversation. At one point, Subbulakshmi called Prof. Gandhi, and asked him in a low voice, “Tell me, who is the person that has been talking to me?” “Such a brilliant singer who remembered any number of notes, yet she was a pure personification of innocence in other matters. Ladies and gentlemen, she was the forever nightingale of India, and he was the future President of India — A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,” Prof. Gandhi later recalled.

The hall erupted in applause. Prof. Gandhi was narrating the episode while discussing his recent book India and Her Many Futures at a session of the Hyderabad Literary Festival, held from January 24 to 26. He went on to speak about the Nehru–Patel relationship, Patel’s unflinching support for “his leader Nehru”, the universal affection commanded by the former and the confidence inspired by the latter. The conversation ranged across political, cultural and literary questions.

Back to his book, Prof. Vijay Kumar Tadakamalla, moderator of the session and director of HLF, asked Prof. Gandhi why he devoted his introduction to explaining the genre of the book. Prof. Gandhi replied that his introduction was like an alap, the melodic opening in classical music. “If you like my alap, you can continue reading the book. Otherwise, you can say, ‘Bye-bye Gandhi’ and go away,” he said with a smile.

With the HLF venue overflowing with youngsters, including school students, it was evident that they had taken to the festival’s alap. Experts from across the country discussed dozens of subjects under more than 15 themes — literature, politics, culture, environment, gender, STEM, architecture, religion, handicrafts, history, cinema, law and endangered languages. The sublime spread of topics catered to the varied interests of Gen Z.

“We started the festival as a single-day event in one hall 16 years ago, and we have come a long way. Today, we have about 1,50,000 participants,” said a visibly delighted Amita Desai, founder-director of the festival. With every passing year, the crowd has been getting younger. This year, more than 50,000 audience members were under 30. She was particularly pleased with the participation of school students. “Teenagers sitting through sessions on conservation and animal protection — that was clearly something,” she said.

P. Sriramani, a recent law graduate, agreed. “What I like about HLF is that you can hear experts speak on a wide range of topics. You won’t get this range anywhere else,” she said. “For instance, I attended a panel discussion on mysterious murders and later a lecture on economics by Nobel Prize winner Abhijit Banerjee.” Talking about the range of discussions, Desai described HLF as a festival of life and letters. Probably nothing falls outside its scope — even judicial efficiency.

In a session on [In]Complete Justice? Supreme Court at 75, editor of the book and former High Court judge S. Muralidhar spoke about the limitations confronting the judiciary. His tone was not sombre but analytical. When the moderator asked whether it was appropriate to appoint BJP women leaders as judges in the Bombay and Madras High Courts, Muralidhar said it was acceptable as long as judges with other ideological positions were also appointed. “It becomes problematic if appointments are made to keep out judges with other ideologies,” he said.

The sessions were not merely serious or academic; they were also infused with wit and humour. Farida Tampal, Telangana director of WWF-India, while moderating a session on conservation stories, recalled how her first job at the Madras Crocodile Bank had initially made her family happy — and later unhappy. “I am from Mumbai. Many of my family members and relatives were in banking. They were happy that I got a position in an ‘international bank’. But they were not so happy when they found out that I was going to research reptiles,” she recalled, drawing laughter from the audience. When wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam was asked about spending time with Gir lions during his PhD, he urged the audience never to attempt it. “I was young, unmarried, careless and spent my time with lions. Any one of them could have killed me with a single leap. They just didn’t. I request you not to go close to lions,” he cautioned, to an amused audience. His shadow could be seen in a photograph where a pride of the Gir lions rested nearby.

If one moved beyond wit and knowledge, the conversations occasionally turned philosophical. This was evident during a session on the “Universals of Dance” conducted by Jayachandran Surendran, a faculty member at the Centre for Exact Humanities at IIIT Hyderabad. He began with the premise that, like music and other arts, dance too must have style-neutral universals. He explained the difference between “postures” — basic positions — and “transformations”, the rhythmic movements that differentiate dance forms. While postures may be common across styles, transformations separate one form from another. He emphasised the importance of teaching these universal postures before inducting students into specific dance traditions. “It is unethical to induct children into a particular dance form because they continue to believe they are dedicating their lives only to Bharatanatyam or Kathakali or Mohiniattam,” he said.

From laughter and learning, the festival also moved towards introspection when Nobel Prize-winning economist Abhijit Banerjee spoke on society and economics. Regarding affirmative action, merit and reservation, he stated that India chose affirmative action to rectify historical injustices accumulated over thousands of years. When an audience member asked why there was increasing pushback against reservations, Banerjee pointed to the dwindling availability of decent jobs for the middle class. “This is not just a public sector issue. The private sector is also responsible,” he explained. He also addressed the question of why poorer families spend more on marriages, often mimicking the rich, but hesitate to invest similarly in education and health. “It is easy to spend money,” Banerjee said. “Education requires sustained parental effort along with money. Health also requires a certain sophistication. Spending on a marriage is the simplest thing to do.”

The participation of over 300 experts from India and abroad made this exchange of ideas both vibrant and meaningful. To ensure the seamless conduct of dozens of sessions, the HLF team worked with close coordination and textbook precision. Amita Desai said she closes the Goethe-Zentrum — the institution she heads — around Christmas and converts it into the festival’s operational office. “All my staff work for this festival, and we have only one paid employee for the entire event,” she said. The entire venue was provided free of cost, added Masiuddin Ahmed, an organising committee member, pointing to the sprawling Sattva Knowledge City located in the heart of Hitec City, Hyderabad’s ritzy IT district.

The state-of-the-art IT park, spread over 30 acres, is more than any event organiser could ask for. Its spacious buildings, multiple halls, more than 25 eateries and essential amenities ensured the smooth conduct of events. The space, Masiuddin said, was a major reason for the festival’s lively vibe. Space utilisation was also done creatively. For instance, District150, a resto-bar and corporate meeting space, hosted several sessions each day. Large lobby areas were repurposed into event halls using temporary partitions.

Participants enjoyed the festival without worry, as the expansive campus also offered a sense of protection and freedom. The HLF’s judgment-free ethos further reinforced this atmosphere. A queer man walking past in a female dress might draw curious glances, but they hardly care since they know it is their space as much as others. This safe space hosted sessions not only on queer cinema and identity but also on Kashmir’s identity, history and weaving traditions — subjects that rarely find space in today’s mainstream discourse.

As the festival grew, it also attracted unconventional partners. Aadyam, an Aditya Birla Group initiative working to revive Indian weaving traditions, exhibited Kashmiri shawls and participated in panel discussions. “Hyderabad Runners, a running club from the city, insisted on partnering this year. They held a panel discussion on the importance of running and jogging in improving our health,” Desai said.

That all events were open and free of cost added to the festival’s appeal. “We neither sell tickets nor front-row seats,” she said. The festival also witnessed enthusiastic book sales, with readers queuing up to get copies signed by renowned authors.

The HLF concluded with a valedictory ceremony named after Ajay Gandhi, the chartered accountant who founded Manthan, Hyderabad’s foremost discussion forum, and played a key role in building the festival from scratch. At the session, Bhaktiyar K. Dadabhoy and Prof. Gopalkrishna Gandhi discussed the latter’s recent book Undying Light: A Personal History of Independent India. Though several anecdotes were serious and informative, Prof. Gandhi captivated the audience with lighter moments.

One such instance was when Jawaharlal Nehru once probed Prof. Gandhi’s sporting habits after seeing him as a chubby boy. “I was chubbier than I am now. We were on an old lift that made creaking sounds. I was chubbier than I am now. Nehru gave me a disapproving look and asked if I played any games at all. I panicked and wanted to bluff, so I told him that I regularly play football. He poked my round belly and said, ‘Look at this belly. It looks like a football. You want me to believe you play football, uhh?” Prof. Gandhi narrated. The amphitheatre bursts into laughter.

global-buddhist-summit-2026-opens-in-delhi-turns-lens-on-contemporary-issues

Sat Jan 24 19:09:19 IST 2026

The second Global Buddhist Summit, convened by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Culture, began on Saturday at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

The two-day conference brings together Buddhist leaders, policymakers, and scholars from across the globe under the theme, ‘Collective Wisdom, United Voice, and Mutual Coexistence’.

Moving beyond historical reflection, the summit looks at contemporary global challenges through the lens of Buddha Dhamma.

Reflecting concerns over growing global fragmentation, the opening session examined ‘Collective Wisdom and United Voice for Social Harmony’. This was followed by a second session on ‘Entrepreneurship and Right Livelihood in Buddha Dhamma’.

Speaking at the opening session, the former foreign minister of Thailand, Maris Sangiampongsa, reflected on on how his country served as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia, along with Japan and South Korea.

“Buddhism, in particular, provides a powerful civilisational link between our countries.”

While Orthodox Christianity remains the most widely practised religion in Russia, the country is also home to three Buddhist republics: Buryatia, Tuva, and Kalmykia.

Reflecting on the Soviet period, when state-promoted atheism severely constrained religious practice, Dzgambinov Ochir Vladimirovich, Deputy Head of Government of the Republic of Kalmykia, said that the collapse of the Soviet Union left the region with “almost no functioning monasteries and very few monks".

“However, we managed to preserve our faith,” he said, adding that new monasteries are now being built and that Buddhism has been officially recognised by the Russian government as one of the country’s traditional religions.

In that regard, Chowmna Mein, the deputy chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, pointed out how both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism are practised in the state.

“There is no competition, only mutual respect. Both traditions flourish side by side, embedded in daily life and community practice,” he said.

Meanwhile, Daw Nu Mra Zan, Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs, Myanmar, underscored the centrality of Pali, noting that the ancient language continues to be extensively studied in the country.

The conversation then steered towards entrepreneurship, where a question emerged: “Can Buddhists amass wealth?”

On the second and final day, the summit will focus on other contemporary issues such as 'Scientific Research', 'Healthcare', 'Medicine and Sustainable Living', 'Learning in the Light of Buddha Dhamma', and 'Sangha Dynamics, Including Roles, Rituals and Practice'.

from-an-afghan-durga-to-roman-birds-a-new-exhibition-maps-a-world-without-borders

Fri Jan 23 20:59:00 IST 2026

Today’s political discourse, both in India and beyond, increasingly leans on divisions, neatly boxing people into cultural and historical silos. It is ‘your history versus mine’. Against this backdrop, a new exhibition at Delhi’s Humayun’s Tomb Museum unsettles this idea. Spanning artefacts from the 2nd century BC through the 19th century, it traces shared threads across civilizations -- from Italy to Southeast Asia -- showing how ideas, art and religious traditions flowed freely across borders for millennia.

Titled 'Shared Stories: An Art Journey Across Civilizations Beyond Boundaries', the exhibition brings together 120 artefacts originally from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Iran and Italy. It is a collaboration between the Humayun’s Tomb Museum, Italian Institute of Culture, and Museo delle Civiltà, and runs until May 30.

Durga of Afghanistan

“A focal point of the exhibition is Afghanistan — a historic crossroads shaped by Greek foundations, Kushana cosmopolitanism, Shahi and Hindu-Shahi patronage, and later the Ghaznavid court,” reads the exhibition note.

While Afghanistan of today is marred by conflict and persecution, the exhibition rightfully treats it as the starting point. So when you enter, you see a fragment of Durga as Mahishasuramardini (slayer of buffalo-demon Mahishasur). Though broken, the sculpture vividly shows the goddess gripping the bull’s horn while seated on the animal. Dating to the Shahi period (9th–11th century AD), it was discovered in a Buddhist sanctuary.

Intertwined birds & grape vines

One recurring motif across artefacts from Italy to Afghanistan is that of birds intertwined at the neck. The image appears on an 11th-century water basin from Ghazni (Afghanistan), a 1st-century marble funerary urn from Italy, and a 10th-century bowl from Iran.

“Across cultures, birds have been seen as messengers between heaven and earth, between the human and the divine,” says Andrea Anastasio, director of the Italian Cultural Centre, during the walkthrough. It is why this motif surfaces again and again, across centuries, regions and media.

Rather than asking where the motif ‘originated’, Anastasio adds, the exhibition focuses on how widely and persistently it resonated across civilizations.

Grape vines -- a key motif in Mediterranean visual culture -- recur far beyond their place of origin, appearing in Buddhist stucco from Gandhara, a striking 17th-century Chinese porcelain, and vessels from Iran. A similar iconographic continuity can be traced in the west-to-east spread of winged horses.

Stories travel too. The romance of Layla–Majnun moves across geographies, taking the form of a miniature painting in India and a flowing scroll in Iran, which are a part of the exhibit.

Islamic iconography

While Islamic art is often associated with aniconism, the exhibition presents artefacts from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran that depict birds and animals. In India, similar imagery is frequently interpreted as evidence of earlier Hindu or Buddhist structures; these works offer a more complex counterpoint, and argue for a far more layered artistic history.

Ancient globalisation

“We were very keen on doing this exhibition because we live at a time when there are such narratives of closed civilisations – either enemies or friendly with each other,” says Anastasio.

It also presents assertively that ancient and medieval civilizations were way more connected than commonly understood. Long before globalization entered the modern vocabulary, ideas, forms, motifs and beliefs travelled freely across regions -- from East to West and back -- carried by artists, traders, pilgrims and empires.

opinion-deepak-is-dead-shimjitha-is-in-jail-but-women-are-on-trial-the-curious-case-of-keralas-social-media-courts

Fri Jan 23 20:20:43 IST 2026

It takes immense courage and an insane amount of time for many women to speak about sexual harassment or misconduct. It takes only minutes for the world to dissuade them and decide they should have stayed silent.

The recent death of Deepak U, a resident of Kozhikode in Kerala, following allegations of sexual misconduct, is indeed tragic. But what is even more disturbing is the way the incident has been repurposed in the social media echo chamber—not as a moment for reflection or accountability, but as a warning aimed squarely at women.

The case raises many unanswered questions. Yet, what followed quickly was not an attempt to seek truth or clarity, but a rush to weaponise the situation into a public trial of women who dared to stand up for themselves.

The narrative was quickly changed from facts to fear-mongering!

There is no denying that Shimjitha Musthafa, a 35-year-old social media content creator and former panchayat member, who recorded the video during a bus trip showing Deepak's elbow allegedly grazing her chest, should have approached the police with the video evidence. Equally, one can only wish that Deepak had sought the legal route instead of taking matters into his own hands. These realities place anyone commenting on the case in a moral and ethical dilemma, a real grey area. Who is to be blamed? Who is the victim? Is it Deepak or Shimjitha? How are we sure?

These are questions that demand due process, not instant trial by social media courts.

Acting on a complaint filed by the man’s family, Shimjitha was arrested and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days on charges of abetment to suicide. However, it appeared as though Deepak’s death became less about justice and more about giving a prejudiced section of society an excuse to vent its resentment, particularly towards women.

Social media has since been flooded with memes and reels expressing solidarity with men portrayed as ‘hapless’ victims who must now guard themselves from cameras.

Videos of men boarding public transport holding cardboard shields to protect themselves from accusations of sexual misconduct may seem humorous or even relatable to the thousands who liked and shared them. What often goes unnoticed, however, is the quiet but vengeful misogyny being served alongside the laughter—an attempt to ridicule feminism and silence women.

I recently watched a reel by a journalist from a so-called reputable media organisation in Kerala, and it left me deeply unsettled. The wordplay was sharp, the delivery confident, but where were the journalistic ethics? Had the idea of avoiding a public trial been forgotten? Media, traditionally considered the fourth pillar of democracy, can shape or shatter public perception. It would serve better for everyone if journalists focused on reporting facts rather than assuming the role of judge and jury, conducting public trials.

One cannot forget the visuals of men’s rights activists in Kerala welcoming a man accused of touching himself in public upon his release from judicial remand. That was a moment when the country’s most literate state appeared to sink into profound moral shame.

Stories from older generations of women carrying safety pins while travelling on buses and trains are not uncommon. Public harassment is not new; it has simply taken new forms. Yet this unfortunate death has triggered a sudden sense of emergency, particularly among cis-men who now claim they must protect themselves from the feminists or feminazis.

At this point, the loudest voices shouting for ‘men’s rights’ do not seem to care about the man who lost his life. Instead, the solidarity on display seems aimed at discrediting feminism and fostering hostility toward women. Across the world, women continue to experience abuse, assault, and violence, and are still expected to live through all of it.

Using one tragic case to spew hatred, manipulate public opinion, and undermine women who speak up against abuse is nothing more than a continuation of generational misogyny. The best course of action now is to allow the law to function, let policymakers do their jobs, and resist the urge to turn tragedy into a tool for silencing women.

(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK)

what-has-mathematics-got-to-do-with-art-quite-a-lot-actually

Thu Jan 22 18:20:14 IST 2026

The question sounded almost playful when British mathematician Marcus du Sautoy asked the audience at the Jaipur Literature Festival in 2026: “1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13. What comes next?”

“21,” came the answer.

“You probably know these as the Fibonacci numbers, named after the Italian mathematician from the 12th-13th century who realised that these numbers lie at the heart of nature. But really, they shouldn’t be named after Fibonacci, because he wasn’t the first to discover them. So who was? Indian poets and musicians,” he says, setting the tone for what’s ahead.

Of numbers and imagination

The sharp divide between mathematics and the arts is a relatively recent phenomenon. The former is seen as cold, while the latter is seen as emotional; yet, for centuries, the two have complemented and informed each other. In fact, many of history’s greatest creative minds have played with mathematics—an idea du Sautoy explored in his Jaipur Literature Festival session and in his 2025 book, Blueprints: How Mathematics Shapes Creativity.

“The book is about how creative artists are deeply interested in structure, and mathematics is, at its core, the study of structure,” he said.

Of Shakespeare and Taj Mahal

While British playwright William Shakespeare and one of the seven wonders—the Taj Mahal—don’t have anything in common apart from: structure.

Again, mathematics comes into play here, du Sautoy argued.

For example, we know Shakespeare as a great wordsmith, but he was also obsessed with numbers. “Take iambic pentameter: ten beats, five pairs of short–long rhythms. Shakespeare uses it constantly, but he also disrupts it deliberately.”

For example, the iconic line in Hamlet: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” “That line has eleven syllables, not ten. Why? Because eleven is a prime number—indivisible. Shakespeare breaks the rhythm to wake you up,” the mathematician said.

Similarly, a line in Macbeth reads: “Is this a dagger that I see before me?”

“That extra 'that' disrupts the rhythm, forcing attention.” Among all forms of art, architecture is probably the strongest fusion of mathematics and art. There’s science, so the building stands, and then there’s the aesthetics, where the art comes into play.

“Fractal is another powerful structure: a pattern that repeats itself at different scales. You see this in Indian architecture: octagonal rooms transitioning into domes through intricate, honeycomb-like forms that repeat at smaller and smaller levels,” he explained.

“The Taj Mahal is a perfect example. Remarkably, even the layout of Agra shows fractal structure,” he added.

Math in nature

Here, du Sautoy made an interesting observation on why this feels harmonious. “It’s because nature itself is fractal. Trees branch, then branch again, then again. Our brains recognise these patterns.”

For example: “Cut an apple horizontally and you’ll see a five-pointed star. A banana reveals three points. A persimmon shows eight.” Again, Fibonacci numbers.

Le Corbusier’s mathematics

The same Fibonacci numbers, du Sautoy said, are seen in the buildings designed by French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier. "Though his buildings were called brutalist, his interiors are deeply human. Families have lived in his buildings for generations because the proportions feel right."

Not only the arts, human body itself is mathematical. For example, symmetry communicates health and fitness.

“Our brains evolved to detect mathematical structure. That’s why we’re all, in some sense, mathematicians at heart,” said du Sautoy.

opinion-why-the-world-still-believes-baba-vanga-the-bulgarian-clairvoyant

Mon Jan 19 17:42:26 IST 2026

As 2026 approached, social media remembered Baba Vanga (Grandma Vanga), Vangeliya Pandeva Dimitrova (1911–1996), the late Bulgarian blind mystic and healer, often referred to as the 'Nostradamus of the Balkans' for her prophecies.

The Alpine bar fire in Switzerland on New Year’s Eve heightened interest in Baba Vanga’s predictions. Her prophecies for 2026 include protracted conflicts in Europe and Asia, political fragmentation in Europe, humanity’s encounter with extraterrestrial life, automation replacing large parts of the workforce, natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and fires, and a Russian leader emerging as a major player on the world stage.

Baba Vanga is believed to have predicted the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the September 11 attacks, the rise of ISIS, the Middle East conflict, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the first Black President in the USA, the Ukraine conflict, a cure for cancer, the end of hunger, and human longevity of 200+ years. The internet community also ascribes to her predictions of a population decline in Europe, the acceleration of polar ice cap melt, and an artificial sun illuminating part of the Earth.

On a New Year’s travel flight, a fellow passenger, learning that I live in Sofia, asked me whether I knew Baba Vanga. I told him that a month earlier, I had visited her memorial complex in Rupite, a small village in southwestern Bulgaria near the border with Greece and North Macedonia. It is modest but well-maintained, ensconced in the hills.

Baba Vanga was born in Strumica, then part of the Ottoman Empire (now North Macedonia), and at the age of 12, she lost her sight after being caught in a severe storm. After that, she began claiming to have visions and insights. Over the years, people from across Bulgaria and neighbouring countries visited her for advice on health, personal issues, and future events. In her later life, she lived in the village of Rupite, where she continued to meet visitors until she died in 1996.

Throughout human history, mystics and healers have contributed to society’s psychological, social, and cultural systems. Shamans, Yogis, hermits, Sufis, and monks have filled the void in human imagination regarding suffering, loss, dreams, death, and destiny.

Human existence is a blend of science and rationality, and of stories, symbols, rituals, and beliefs. Healers address not only trauma and stress but also humanity’s emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs. They help communities prepare for and cope with fear, loss, and future uncertainty; therefore, mystics like Baba Vanga will continue to evoke interest for generations to come.

(Arun Sahu is the Ambassador of India to Bulgaria & North Macedonia)

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.

the-netherlands-has-a-restitution-policy-returning-colonial-items-but-challenges-remain

Thu Jan 15 12:29:53 IST 2026

Discussions over whether Britain should return the Kohinoor diamond—one of the most potent tangible symbols of its colonial plunder of India—have repeatedly begun and gone nowhere. Even the question of return is fraught: if Britain were to give it back, who would claim it? India, where the diamond was mined in Golconda? Pakistan, since it passed to Queen Victoria after the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1849, when the Sikh empire’s capital was Lahore? Or Afghanistan, which possessed it earlier under Ahmad Shah Durrani?

While Britain has shown little inclination to even seriously consider restitution of the Kohinoor or other cultural artefacts taken from India, several European countries have begun doing so, with the Netherlands emerging at the forefront.

Returning colonial-era artefacts

Most recently, the Dutch government agreed to return thousands of fossils from the world-renowned Dubois Collection to Indonesia. Excavated in the late 19th century by Dutch anatomist and geologist Eugène Dubois, when Indonesia was under Dutch colonial rule, the fossils are regarded as the first evidence of Homo erectus, an ancestor of Homo sapiens.

“There were doubts among some scientists about whether restituting the Dubois Collection was a good idea, given that it is a scientific collection,” said Dewi van de Weerd, Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, during a discussion titled ‘From Objects to Relations: Dutch Views on Heritage Cooperation’ at the Humayun Tomb Museum in Delhi on Tuesday. “But it can still be researched, only that you would have to travel to Indonesia, where the collection belongs.”

Earlier, the Netherlands returned six colonial artefacts to Sri Lanka, including a cannon, two guns and a ceremonial sword. It has also announced plans to return a 3,500-year-old sculpted stone head to Egypt, and in 2020, returned a 600-year-old artefact to Nigeria that had been smuggled out in 2019.

The restitution challenges

While acknowledgment is important, the process of restitution is far from straightforward. Martine Gosselink, general director of the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, who has been involved in restitution, said it is often difficult to determine to whom an artefact should be returned. “Sometimes collections are claimed by specific groups, while restitution frameworks tend to operate at a state-to-state level,” she said.

Practical challenges also remain. In some cases, countries to which artefacts are to be returned lack the necessary infrastructure. Belgium, for instance, holds a large number of artefacts from Congo, which has limited storage facilities and cultural institutions.

The restitution debate has also reopened questions closer to home. In the Netherlands, it has revived discussions around the return of Dutch Golden Age paintings taken to France by Napoleon’s army. Of the nearly 200 paintings removed, about 130 were returned, while around 70 remain in France.

“During an exhibition two years ago, a political party argued that the remaining 70 paintings should return,” Gosselink said. “The logic was that if the Netherlands is willing to return colonial artefacts so readily, these paintings should also come back. I asked: Do we miss those 70 paintings? Do we have empty museums? Are we hurt by them being in France? It isn’t painful in any way. So why bring them back when they can serve as ambassadors of Dutch art?”

Restitution also raises questions, such as whether the climate or infrastructure of the receiving country is suitable for preserving the artefacts. “This is nothing but neo-colonialism by the Western world on how one should preserve artefacts,” said Robert van Langh, director of the Drents Museum.

The Dutch policy has shown results. “It is bringing us closer to each other,” van de Weerd said.

Germany has also accelerated restitution, returning artefacts to Tanzania, Namibia, Cameroon, and Ethiopia. Last year, France repatriated three skulls of Indigenous warriors to Madagascar, while Belgium returned a gold-capped tooth belonging to Patrice Lumumba, the slain Congolese independence hero. Finland, too, returned a 17th-century royal stool to Benin.

This leaves us with Britain.

when-the-siren-sounds-for-silence-how-halaga-villages-no-screen-mode-is-rewriting-childhood-evenings-in-karnataka

Wed Jan 14 12:33:09 IST 2026

At exactly 7:00 pm, as dusk settles gently over Halaga village in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, an unusual sound cuts through the everyday hum of rural life. It is neither an alarm nor a warning. It is a siren for silence. Within moments, television screens go dark, mobile phones disappear from curious hands, and homes that once glowed blue with digital light return to the softer illumination of tube lights and lamps. For the next two hours, Halaga collectively chooses books over screens, conversations over scrolling, and learning over leisure.

This is Karnataka’s first community-led 'No Screen Mode' experiment, an ambitious, quietly radical attempt to reclaim children’s study hours from the grip of digital addiction.

A village close to power, yet rooted in simplicity.

Halaga is not an isolated hamlet. Located barely two kilometres from the imposing Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the Karnataka Legislature convenes its winter session, the village houses nearly 8,500 residents. Of these, around 2,000 are children. Like most villages in contemporary India, Halaga lives in two worlds at once, deeply rooted in community life, yet fully immersed in smartphones, television serials, and social media feeds.

Over time, this digital presence began to raise quiet concerns. Teachers noticed declining attention spans. Parents complained about children avoiding homework. Ironically, the greatest distraction came not only from children’s mobile phones but also from adults glued to prime-time television serials.

The prime-time problem

“Seven to nine in the evening is the most critical time for children to study,” explains Asha H G, the Panchayat Development Officer of Halaga Gram Panchayat. “Unfortunately, this is also the time when televisions are loudest, and phones are busiest.”

This simple observation became the foundation of a bold idea: what if the entire village switched off screens during these two hours?

The proposal was discussed among Gram Panchayat members, School Development and Monitoring Committee members, teachers, and community elders. Eventually, a formal resolution was passed urging all households to voluntarily turn off televisions and mobile phones between 7 pm and 9 pm every day.

Inspired, but pioneering

The idea was inspired by a similar digital detox experiment in the Sangli district of Maharashtra. However, Halaga became the first village in Karnataka to adopt such a measure through a Gram Panchayat resolution.

The initiative was officially launched on November 14, 2025, marking Children’s Day. Symbolically, it is scheduled to run until January 24, National Girl Child Day, aligning with the 10-week Child-Friendly Gram Panchayat Campaign initiated by the Department of Panchayat Raj. Yet from the very beginning, the intention was clear: this was not meant to be a temporary social experiment.

More than a rule, a community movement

Implementing No Screen Mode required more than a siren and a resolution. It demanded trust, persuasion, and collective ownership.

Before the first siren ever sounded, the Panchayat launched an extensive awareness campaign. Teachers spoke to students in schools about the importance of focused study time. Panchayat members and volunteers went door to door, explaining to parents why the initiative mattered, not as a restriction, but as an investment in their children’s future.

Every evening at 7 pm, a siren announces the beginning of the screen-free window. During this time, Panchayat members and teachers walk through the village lanes, not as enforcers, but as reminders. There are no fines, no punishments, and no public shaming. Compliance is built on mutual respect and shared responsibility.

Reclaiming the golden hours

The immediate impact has been subtle but powerful. Homes are quieter. Children sit with textbooks. Some families read together. Others talk, sometimes for the first time in weeks, without the background noise of television debates or soap operas.

Parents, initially hesitant, are beginning to notice changes. “Earlier, even we were distracted,” admits one resident. “Now, when the TV is off, the whole house becomes calm. Children study, and we also sit with them.”

Teachers report better homework completion and increased attentiveness in class. While it may be too early for measurable academic outcomes, the social shift is unmistakable.

Breaking digital addiction together

Digital addiction among children is increasingly recognised as a serious concern across India. Smartphones reach rural households faster than libraries. Entertainment arrives instantly, but discipline does not. Halaga’s approach stands out because it does not place the burden solely on children.

Instead of telling children to study harder, the village chose to change the environment itself. By asking adults to switch off their screens too, Halaga acknowledges a hard truth: children imitate what they see. When parents put away their phones, children follow.

Leadership with vision

At the heart of this initiative is grassroots leadership. Asha H G emphasises that the idea was shaped collectively.

“This is not about controlling families,” she says. “It is about creating a learning friendly atmosphere at home. Once parents understood that this was for their own children, the response was overwhelmingly positive.”

She adds that while the campaign officially ends in January, the Panchayat plans to continue the practice even afterwards. Discussions are already underway to institutionalise the two-hour screen-free window as a permanent feature of village life.

A model for rural India

Halaga’s No Screen Mode raises an important question: can simple, low-cost community interventions succeed where policy directives often struggle?

There are no apps here to monitor screen time. No digital locks. No external funding. Just a siren, social consensus, and collective will.

In an era dominated by digital solutions to digital problems, Halaga’s analogue answer feels refreshingly grounded. It reminds us that technology, while powerful, must be guided by human values, and that sometimes, progress means pressing the off switch.

The sound that signals hope

As the siren sounds again at 9 pm, screens flicker back to life. But something has changed. The two-hour pause has already done its work. Lessons have been revised, homework completed, and conversations shared.

In the shadow of Karnataka’s legislative seat, a small village is passing its own unwritten law, one that protects a child’s right to learn in peace. Halaga’s experiment may be quiet, but its message resonates loudly: when a community comes together, even silence can speak volumes.

Dr Darshan B M is an Assistant Professor at Presidency University, Bengaluru.

when-and-how-to-celebrate-lohri-makar-sankranti-and-pongal-this-year

Tue Jan 13 17:12:36 IST 2026

The three great harvest festivals celebrated in January have been set in motion. According to Hindu beliefs, Lohri, Makar Sankranti, and Pongal are celebrated to pay homage to the sun god (Surya Deva) and the fire god (Agni Deva).

The festivities are to mark the positive beginning of the year, spreading hope and prosperity. All three festivals share the same story, even though the names of the festivals differ based on the region where they're celebrated.

The essence of these festivals is, like every other, about togetherness, hope, and revitalisation of new and positive thoughts.

Why is Lohri celebrated?

You will find Lohri marked on calendars, a day before Makar Sankranti. January 13 is celebrated as Lohri this year. It is primarily celebrated in the Northern part of India, predominantly in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Bonfires and offerings are made on Lohri to celebrate to the fullest. This is an act to pay honour to Agni, the fire god. The celebrants also recall the legacy of Dulla Bhatti, the 16th-century Punjabi folk hero, who stood up to resist the injustice of the Mughal regime and saved the two sisters, Sundri and Mundri. Many such Lohri tales are sung as songs to help the festival set its rhythm.

Among the offerings burnt in the glorious bonfire of Lohri are sesame seeds, peanuts, jaggery, and popcorn. Sweets made from peanuts, Revri, Gajak, Pinni, along with a blend of Lohri-Punjabi delicacies, also mark the day’s specials.

Crossing the gates of Makar Rashi

People will always find space for celebrations and memories, no matter what happens, and irrespective of the stories behind them.

This statement is especially true for Makar Sankranti.

In the simplest terms, the entire purpose of this celebration is to mark the movement of the sun to the Tropic of Capricorn. Astronomically, the sun moves towards the northern hemisphere, entering the zodiac sign Makara (Capricorn), marking Uttarayan.

It is believed that the sun's journey brings a feeling of renewal, elevation, and grace, which is what Makar Sankranti is about. The festival takes different names in different places. In Kerala, it's Makara Vilakku, Tamilians celebrate it as Thai Pongal, whereas in the North-East, it is Magh Bihu.

The festival is also a part of culture in Nepal as Maaghe Sankrant, in Thailand as Songkran, and in Cambodia as Mohan Songkran. Everywhere, it's celebrated with unique add-on customs, marking the departure of the long winter and the beginning of longer days, leading to a joyous harvest.

Matching Lohri, sesame-jaggery sweets are the centre of the festival. Til Gul Ladoo, Puran Poli, puffed rice Ladoo (Murmura), Til Chikki, and Khichidi varieties, and many more fill the table during Makar Sankranti.

The Brimming Joy of Pongal

The four days of Pongal are central to celebrations for Tamil Nadu and also certain parts of its neighbouring states. The first day of Pongal, Bhogi Pongal, is to welcome ‘renewal’. The second day, Thai Pongal, is the main day of the festival. The day is sweetened by the cooking of sweet rice, more colloquially termed as Pongal. The third day, Mattu Pongal is allotted to celebrate the strength and efforts of cattle involved in farming activities. The final day of celebrations is Kaanum Pongal, the day for visiting relatives and spending quality time with loved ones and family.

The celebrations are remarkable with the vibrant line-art of Kolams, drawn using rice powder. They symbolise prosperity and highlight the colourful nature of the whole festival.

recalling-a-lost-inheritance-tracing-the-long-shadow-of-india-s-intellectual-amnesia-in-shashi-ranjan-kumar-s-the-decline-of-hindu-civilisation

Sun Jan 11 17:04:41 IST 2026

“Long years of subjugation have buried our collective memory beneath layers of debris. Even when it resurfaces, it does so faintly.”

With those words, senior bureaucrat Shashi Ranjan Kumar opened the launch event for his book, The Decline of Hindu Civilisation, turning what might have been a routine literary event into a sustained examination of how India lost not only political power, but also intellectual continuity.

Kumar, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Tripura cadre and currently Secretary of the Union Public Service Commission, framed civilisational decline not as an absence of achievement, but as a process of accumulated amnesia. India, he argued, continues to celebrate fragments of its past without understanding the intellectual systems that once sustained them.

He illustrated this through mathematics, beginning with zero.

“Zero appears in many ancient cultures,” Kumar said. “But in most of them it is only a placeholder. It is only in India that zero becomes a genuine number, capable of arithmetic operations.”

By the seventh century, Kumar noted, Brahmagupta had laid down formal rules for calculations involving zero. In the twelfth century, Bhaskara II went further, associating division by zero with the idea of infinity. These abstractions, he argued, were far ahead of their time.

“Negative numbers are even harder to imagine,” he added. “Yet Indian mathematicians accepted them and integrated them systematically, while Europe struggled even to accept zero.”

He pointed out that Florence banned the use of zero in public accounting in 1299, fearing it would enable fraud—long after Indian mathematicians had normalised it.

To explain deeper divergences between civilisations, Kumar contrasted Euclid and Panini. Euclid’s Elements, he said, shaped a Western tradition grounded in axioms, definitions and deductive proof. Panini’s Astadhyayi, by contrast, represented algorithmic thinking of extraordinary precision.

“The emphasis is on method rather than metaphysics,” Kumar said. “On procedures, not assertions.”

This distinction shaped astronomy as well. Greek astronomers sought physical models of the cosmos and justified them philosophically. Indian astronomers, by contrast, focused on computation.

“They were less interested in what the universe looked like,” Kumar said, “and more interested in accurately calculating planetary positions.”

He anchored these abstractions in historical episodes.

Kumar recalled that in 1140 CE, a literary gathering in Kashmir brought together 32 scholars—philosophers, poets, grammarians, aestheticians and architects—to celebrate the completion of a Sanskrit epic.

“This was not a local salon,” he said. “Scholars travelled long distances. It shows the scale of the intellectual ecosystem that once existed.”

A decade later, Bhaskara II’s Siddhanta Siromani blended algebra with poetry, posing mathematical problems through romantic imagery.

“No one found this inappropriate,” Kumar noted. “That confidence tells us something about the culture.”

That ecosystem, he argued, collapsed rapidly after the late twelfth century. The defeat at Tarain in 1192 opened the Gangetic plains to conquest. Nalanda was destroyed. Scholarly networks disintegrated.

“The destruction was not just material,” Kumar said. “It was institutional and epistemic. India entered a long arc of intellectual contraction.”

By the time European colonialism arrived, India had already been weakened by centuries of earlier disruption. Kumar also pointed to a paradox in military history.

“Deception lies at the heart of the Arthasastra,” he said. “Yet historically, India rarely used deception systematically in warfare.”

Equally damaging, he argued, was India’s lack of curiosity about the outside world.

“We sent merchants and monks abroad,” Kumar said. “But we produced no sustained accounts of foreign societies. We were generous givers of ideas, but reluctant borrowers.”

The second set of responses came from Swapan Dasgupta, author and former Rajya Sabha MP, and Amish Tripathi, who placed Kumar’s argument in a broader civilisational frame.

Dasgupta argued that questions of decline and sovereignty had preoccupied Indian thinkers from the nineteenth century until Independence, but were abruptly sidelined thereafter.

“A certain idea of modernity encouraged disengagement from the past,” he said. “The term ‘Hindu civilisation’ itself became suspect in polite discourse.”

He pointed to the collapse of Sanskrit as a living discipline and the narrowing of academic history as evidence of institutional neglect. Kumar’s book, Dasgupta said, mattered because it restored legitimate questions to public debate, even if it did not settle them.

Tripathi approached the issue from a different angle, arguing that the last thousand years should not be read simply as a sequence of defeats.

“Many ancient cultures faced the same invaders,” he said. “Most did not survive. Hindu civilisation did.”

The story, Tripathi argued, was one of prolonged resistance, sustained by cultural flexibility rather than doctrinal rigidity. He warned against treating Hindu civilisation as a single, exclusive tradition.

“That idea is modern,” he said. “Historically, Hindu society functioned through multiple, sometimes contradictory, streams.”

He cited the Ranakpur Jain temple, where a fierce Shaivite guardian deity stands at the entrance to a shrine dedicated to non-violence.

“Pacifism inside, force at the gate,” Tripathi said. “That complementarity was a strength.”

The final intervention came from Gautam Sen, Director of the Dharmic Ideas and Policy Foundation, who adopted a sharper tone. Sen warned that India was losing a global “narrative war” over its past.

He argued that civilisational scholarship rooted in India remained underfunded and institutionally weak compared to well-resourced international academic networks. Kumar’s book, he said, was valuable precisely because it was accessible to non-specialist readers.

Despite differences in emphasis, all four speakers converged on a shared concern: that India’s decline was not the result of intellectual poverty, but of broken transmission.

Recovering that inheritance, they argued, requires neither grievance nor nostalgia, but a renewed willingness to examine the past without fear.

the-silent-disciple-how-an-indian-dog-is-leading-a-global-movement-for-peace

Sat Jan 10 19:53:46 IST 2026

Sometimes peace does not arrive with speeches, slogans, or protests. Sometimes it arrives quietly on four paws.

An Indian ex-stray dog is the talk of the town, as his gentle presence and quiet companionship bring calm and connection while drawing attention from residents, animal lovers, and social media alike.

Known as Aloka, a name meaning “light” or “illumination” in Sanskrit, this four-year-old Indian Pariah dog is currently the silent leader of a 3,700 km cross-country pilgrimage across 10 US states. Alongside 19 Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, Aloka is walking from Texas to Washington, D.C., in a 120-day ‘Walk for Peace’ that has transformed from a quiet spiritual exercise into a viral national sensation.

The story began when this stray started to follow the monks during a 112-day peace walk across India. Since then, he has accompanied his fellow walkers in the peace march globally.

‘Walk for Peace’ is a moving meditation. In Buddhist history, walking is a form of active meditation. Ancient monks didn’t just walk to reach a destination; they walked to shake off mental defilements like greed, anger, and ego. By walking 3,700 km across the US, the monks are not protesting against something; instead, they are walking for the cultivation of internal peace and are essentially planting seeds of mindfulness.

Aloka was one of the many nameless strays in India. He was amongst other Indian pariah dogs living in the streets, like millions of strays that remain unnoticed. No home. No certainty. Just survival.

While Aloka is being celebrated in the news and on social media, India is currently grappling with heated legal and social debates over how to manage stray dog populations and the cruel injustice they face every day. Amidst this chaos, seeing an Indie rise to become an international sensation and a global icon of peace provides a powerful narrative of redemption and overlooked value.

To understand Aloka is to understand the 15,000-year history of the Indian Pariah. Often dismissed as strays on the streets of metro cities, these dogs are, in fact, one of the world’s oldest and most resilient primitive breeds.

What makes Aloka special is not the enormous distance he walks. It is the bond he shares with the people around him. They walk together as true companions. This is chosen loyalty.

The monks didn't just see a dog; they saw a companion. A presence that felt like peace; a quiet soul walking with them.

Hence, the monks named the then nameless dog ‘Aloka’, meaning light.

This blissfully unconscious dog displays a stoic patience. He doesn't bark at distractions, walks off-leash. He is a true disciple of the path, a living reminder that tranquility and kindness aren’t a human invention, but a natural state that even a former street dog can master.

Despite being hit by a car and falling ill during the initial journey, Aloka refused to leave their side. His resilience was so profound that the monks eventually brought him to the United States, where he has traded his life as a street survivor for a role as a global ambassador of compassion.

The monks didn’t rescue Aloka by taking him to a shelter; they walked with him. This highlights the Vipassana philosophy of coexistence, that the animal isn’t a problem to be solved, but a fellow traveler.

While Aloka remains blissfully unaware of his metrics, he has inadvertently become the “Zen” companion we didn't know we needed. Even though Aloka doesn't know what a “follower” is, he has become a global celebrity on the internet. With over 1,60,000 fans on Instagram (@alokathepeacedog), his page has turned into a daily must-watch for people all over the world.

People love seeing him in his cozy green and red sweaters, leading the monks through morning mist, taking a well-earned nap after a long day, or playing with the kids along his route. Aloka has proven that you don’t need to say a word or do a lot to go viral. His account is a digital hangout where thousands of strangers come together every day just to share a little bit of his peace. Supporters can also track Aloka’s exact location via the live GPS map hosted on the Walk for Peace website, allowing the digital community to walk with him in spirit.

The most profound part of this marketing strategy is that it isn’t a strategy. The monks don’t view Aloka as a marketing tool, but the world does. This has led to Aloka being an accidental brand that has done more for the awareness of Buddhism and animal welfare in 100 days than most traditional PR campaigns do in a decade. He has shifted the narrative of stray dogs from being a problem to be solved to souls to be respected. His soft influence story tends to spark a renewed conversation about the treatment of indies in India and the potential for shelters worldwide, and to rethink how they view unadoptable strays.

Aloka, with his heart-shaped mark leading the way, remains a quiet pilgrim, unaware that he is a hero to millions and reminds us that perhaps peace isn't something we find at the end of a journey, but something we carry with us, one paw print at a time.

why-amitav-ghosh-is-writing-a-book-no-one-will-read-until-2114

Thu Jan 08 19:24:23 IST 2026

Stephen Hawking spoke of “cathedral projects” – ambitious, long-term undertakings inspired by cathedrals, built for a future their creators, knowingly, may never live to see. While such patience feels almost unimaginable in a world that’s changing by the day, one such project has been quietly taking shape in Norway, called the Future Library.

A 100-year project founded in 2014 by Scottish artist Katie Paterson, a writer is invited every year to submit a manuscript, which is sealed and locked in Oslo’s main public library, and will remain unread for 100 years. The 100 manuscripts, by globally acclaimed writers such as Margaret Atwood, Han Kang, and Elif Shafak, among others, will only be revealed and published in 2114, for readers who do not yet exist.

And Amitav Ghosh is the 12th, and latest, author to join, who will submit his manuscript in June at a ceremony in the Future Library forest.

This forest, in Nordmarka on the northern edge of Oslo, is crucial to the project. A thousand spruce trees were planted here in 2014, at its inception. In 2114, they will be felled and pulped to make the paper for the hundred manuscripts—until then, sealed inside the public library’s ‘Silent Room’.

Given Ghosh’s extensive writing on climate and forests, most notably the Sundarbans in ‘The Hungry Tide’ (2004), the project appears to fit perfectly and a continuation of his work.

‘An incredibly difficult, amazing challenge’

“It’s an incredibly difficult and amazing challenge, more complicated than I imagined,” said Ghosh during ‘Writing for the Future: A Dialogue Across Time’, a discussion with Anne Beate Hovind, director of the Future Library, at the Norwegian Embassy in Delhi earlier this week.

“I thought to myself, what kind of challenge it would be to try and think a 100-year cycle for myself in relation to my work.

And it was such an intriguing idea that I had to say yes,” he added.

‘Until we dared’

It’s natural to wonder how much the world might change in a hundred years: Will we have flying cars? Will humans have colonised Mars? Will books even exist in 2114? When the project began in 2014, Hovind was asked the last question “quite often.”

“Everyone thought digital books would take over. But now, nobody asks that question anymore,” she said.

Interestingly, not “whether there would be books in 2114?”, what was a bigger worry at the start was whether authors would want to be a part of the project. “And we didn’t know until we dared to start off with Margaret Atwood,” Hovind said.

Along with Atwood, Kang, and Ghosh, other authors who have contributed to the project include David Mitchell, Sjón, Valeria Luiselli, Karl Ove Knausgård, Tsitsi Dangarembga, and Tommy Orange.

And with the forest, while the team started off with planting spruce trees, “this year, we planted another type of tree – pine. We had to plant it because of climate change. A diverse forest is more sustainable and resilient,” Hovind said. And who knows: a project rooted in a forest could one day serve as a repository of how the climate would change over these hundred years.

And as Ghosh puts it: “When writing for the future, your first inclination is to be a futurist. But if the immediate past is any indication, the future is literally unimaginable.”

everyone-knows-iskcon-only-a-few-know-its-founder-that-is-his-greatest-leadership-success

Wed Jan 07 20:07:08 IST 2026

In today’s times, it’s hard to go wrong with religion and spirituality. Add a dash of self-help, and you have a recipe that seldom fails. ‘Sing, Dance and Lead’ (Penguin Random House India), the latest book by best-selling author Hindol Sengupta, taps into this winning mix by drawing from the life of Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The book distils leadership lessons by combining ancient Indian philosophy and wisdom with modern management principles.

Lessons from a ‘spiritual entrepreneur’

At 70, “an age when many of us seek rest, he undertook an extraordinary journey,” Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan said at the book launch on Wednesday at the Vice President’s Enclave.

He was referring to Srila Prabhupada’s 1965 voyage from Kolkata to the United States aboard a cargo ship to spread Krishna consciousness. A year later, he founded ISKCON; within 12 years, before his death in 1977, the organisation established a global presence.

“He didn’t have anything when he started, but he still persisted,” author Hindol Sengupta said.

“He has never been studied as a spiritual entrepreneur,” said Chanchalapati Dasa, vice chairman and co-mentor of the Global Hare Krishna Movement and senior vice president of ISKCON Bangalore, adding, “This is the first time another aspect of his personality is being explored and celebrated.”

Global North-South gap

In the book, Sengupta reflects on how most leadership lessons continue to be drawn from the West, with a conspicuous absence of examples from India and the Global South.

“I wondered why, in India, we do not talk about our own examples of breakthrough leadership and exemplary institution-building. While this seemed like a missed opportunity, it was one worth correcting,” he writes.

Sengupta has previously authored the best-selling ‘Sing, Dance and Pray’, a biography of Prabhupada.

‘Not a cult-like organisation’

Speaking on the leadership lessons young leaders can draw from the ISKCON founder’s journey, Madhu Pandit Dasa, chairman and mentor of the Global Hare Krishna Movement and chairman of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, said, “He didn’t build a cult-like organisation that would disintegrate after him, but one with a strong foundation.”

“Today, many people know ISKON, but very few know its founder. And that’s the greatest success of his leadership,” said VP Radhakrishnan.

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that as opposed to visibility, speed and short-term gains, Prabhupada’s journey shows “how depth creates durability.”

Among the leadership lessons corporate leaders can take from him, Madhu Pandit Dasa added, are the importance of not centralising power and understanding that leadership is not about authority or dominance.

“His thoughts are more relevant today than ever in this rapidly transforming world,” the Vice President said.

“This is a book that makes you reimagine leadership not as a skill, but as a way of life,” Shekhawat added.

what-is-your-happy-new-year-resolution-for-2026-here-are-some-unique-ideas

Wed Dec 31 22:37:03 IST 2025

As we step into a new year, the pressure to set resolutions can feel intense—especially when the cliché goals like "hit the gym" or "save money" feel too predictable. If you're looking for something different this year, here are some unique resolutions that go beyond the usual to help you grow, explore, and make the most of the year ahead.

Master a new micro-skill

Instead of picking an entirely new hobby, you can pick a micro skill that you can master in small, bite-sized chunks? It could learning to hula hoop, memorising the periodic table or anything that gives you a sense of accomplishment. Also, you’ll have a party trick handy.

Digital detox

Have you been hooked to your phone and feel guilty of scrolling without purpose. Socila media could also impact your mood negatively. You could try staying away from social media or at least reduce your time on screen. Use this extra time to engage with the real world and your loves ones.

De-clutter one corner at a time

If your home is cluttered, it's time to tidy up this new year. The books piled up on your desk, the clothes falling out of your wardrobe or the food items in your refrigerator. Let it be anything. But instead of overwhelming yourself by doing it in one go, focus on one corner every week. This can make a huge difference and ease your mind too.

Set family traditions

You have been busy with your work life in 2025. But it is time to change it this new year and find your personal and family time. Go for a morning jog alone before work. Take your family for an evening walk. Watch a movie on a particular week day or specific date of a month. These little changes in life could give you a sense of belonging and strengthen your bond with your family.

Journal your day

While everything else could become a cliché, there is one thing that doesn't lose its relevance—a good old diary. It does not have to be a physical journal. You can use an app that lets you log your mood and emotions. Have a great 2026 ahead.

happy-new-year-2026-wishes-greetings-and-messages-to-send-your-love-ones

Wed Dec 31 20:57:27 IST 2025

As we bid good bye to the old year and ring in 2026, it is the time to send wishes to friends, family, colleagues, and loved ones on New Year midnight. New Year greetings are a way to spread positivity, hope, and excitement for the 365 days ahead. Whether you're sending a message via text, writing a card, or simply expressing your feelings in person, these New Year wishes are sure to inspire and warm hearts.

The beginning of the New Year is a moment to reflect on the past, set new goals, and embrace the opportunities coming your way. It is the time to celebrate life, overcome hurdles, and look forward to the possibilities that await in the coming months. Sharing heartfelt wishes not only strengthens your bonds but also encourages those around you to dream bigger and pursue their own happiness and success.

Wishing you a Happy New Year full of peace, joy, and prosperity. May 2026 bring you success and happiness in your life!
Happy New Year! May 2026 be filled with love, laughter, and endless memories. Here’s to new beginnings!
As we say goodbye to 2025, I wish you a brighter and more fulfilling 2026. Cheers to a fresh start!
New Year, New Beginnings! May you have the courage to chase your dreams and the strength to overcome any obstacles. Wishing you all the best in 2026!
Every new year gives us a blank page to write our story. May 2026 be filled with adventure, growth, and great achievements!
With each new year comes new hope. Let’s welcome 2026 with open arms and an optimistic heart!
May the year 2026 be the year you finally reach your goals, live your dreams, and embrace every opportunity. Here’s to your success!
Wishing you a year of growth, learning, and the courage to chase your passions. Make 2026 your best year yet!
New Year’s is the perfect time to start fresh. Believe in yourself, and make 2026 a year of endless possibilities!
Wishing you a prosperous and successful New Year! May 2026 be filled with new opportunities, growth, and achievements for both you and your team.
Happy New Year to an amazing colleague! Here’s to another year of teamwork, success, and accomplishments in 2026!
May the New Year bring fresh opportunities for growth and success in your career. Wishing you a fantastic 2026!
Happy 2026! Here’s to a year filled with love, joy, and success!
May your 2026 be as amazing as you are. Happy New Year!
Cheers to new adventures and new beginnings in 2026!
Here’s to a year full of exciting adventures, new experiences, and unforgettable moments. May 2026 be your best year yet!
Life is an adventure, and 2026 promises to be an exciting chapter. Let’s make the most of it!

New Year wishes for your friends

To my best friend: You made 2025 unforgettable, and I can’t wait to make more memories with you in 2026. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to the one who’s been with me through thick and thin. Let’s make 2026 the best year yet!
Cheers to another year of friendship, laughter, and endless adventures. Wishing you all the love and happiness in 2026!

New Year wishes for your partner

Happy New Year, my love! Every day with you feels like a new beginning, and I can’t wait to spend another year making beautiful memories together.
2025 was amazing, but I’m so excited for the year ahead with you by my side. Wishing you all the happiness in the world this New Year!
You are my everything. Let’s make 2026 even better than the last one. Happy New Year, my heart!

New Year wishes for your family

Wishing my wonderful family a year full of love, health, and laughter. May 2026 bring you all closer together!
Happy New Year, family! Let’s cherish every moment in 2026 and make even more beautiful memories.
To my family: You are my greatest blessing. I hope 2026 brings us all joy, good health, and plenty of happy moments.

from-mtv-to-the-post-the-things-we-are-losing-to-time-in-2025

Wed Dec 31 12:27:21 IST 2025

Why does one feel bad about the shutting down of a TV channel you haven’t seen in years? Yet, that is exactly the sentiment many people, especially those of a certain vintage, felt, when it was announced that Music Television, better known for its acronym MTV, would be shutting down its music channels at the stroke of the midnight hour on New Year’s Eve 2026.

It’s another matter altogether that MTV made the pivot to reality shows a long time ago, faced with the relentless onslaught of internet entertainment in general, and music videos switching to YouTube, in particular. But, for many, especially those who grew up in the 1980s, 90s and even the 2000s, MTV was so much more than a go-to to catch the latest videos. It was a cultural lodestar to the scintillating pop culture glory days of the period, right from the eighties down to the new millennium. As a wry social media reel put it, MTV veejays were the original influencers, holding forth on anything from music to clothes to trends to even ‘cool mannerisms’. And the channel itself was an intrinsic part of growing up for any of those Gen X to Millennials.

Science tells us that nostalgia hits hard because they appeal to the two feel-good hormones in our body — dopamine as well as oxytocin. If that is the case, growing up is also a steady stream of ‘nostu’ kicks, as many of the fond recollections from a younger age get consumed by the onslaught of time.

The eve of 2026, as we know it, is already consuming quite a few of the steady presence of our younger days. For example, Denmark has announced that it will put to pasture its postal service on New Year’s eve, and retune the government postal department into a parcel and courier service. In India, it may still take time since inland letters and post cards still survive as a vestige of the welfare state, though their usage has come down dramatically in the age of cheap data and video calls. Of course, registered post was discontinued three months ago, while telegram itself went extinct way back in 2013.

Often, the sense of loss is very much the perception of our lives the way they were, or as they often say about nostalgia, the way we look at our past self and past days with rose-tinted lenses. There is a certain sense of comfort and reassurance in harking back to the glory days, even if the reality may just have been a wee bit more hard-hitting.

Science today has an explanation for this: nostalgia triggers good feelings, activating the hippocampus and amygdala part of the brain. More importantly, in an era of constant stress, uncertainty and anxiety, it can be the right form of escape to a time, or at least a feeling of, ‘when life was so much better!’

If you, like most of us, are given to bouts of nostalgia, then there is a lot to induce that bittersweet ache for: MTV is gone, at least in the form you remember it (MTV India, which pivoted to reality shows several years ago, has been at pains to declare that it is not shutting down and it is only its music channels in the west that are facing the axe), and the post is surely winding down, even if the bells are tolling in faraway Denmark. Then there is Windows 10 operating system, whoever’s used it, which Microsoft has said it will stop software updates for it), as well as 3G networks (UK is shutting down the last of it).

Tech, by virtue of its very nature, has a whole lot of things which is going out, or on the way out: LCD TVs, for example, except as hand-me-downs, while some say it is a matter of time before physical credit cards and even passwords will be obsolete.

But hey, not all that is bygone remain bygone forever — vinyl records, the way music was enjoyed for much of the 20th century, and even cassettes, have made a comeback recent years, while hit shows like ‘Stranger Things’ have brought back to vogue, and to the top of the charts, half-forgotten pop hits from four decades ago. Dhurandhar has turned into an internet dance challenge, a Pakistani hit song from the mid-eighties, Hawa Hawa, thanks to the vagaries of online virality. So, who knows, your favourite piece of memory might still have another moment in the sun!