2025
-
Horse Before Petrol
Horses cannot be bred easily in India because of the climate. Most of the land is taken up by farms; therefore, horses can only be bred in stalls. The hot and humid climate of the monsoon is unfavourable to horses.…
-
Hail the Fire Goddesses
While some have argued that these sati practices were a means by which women protected themselves from being violated by invaders, the fact remains that sati stones began to appear in almost every corner of India, at least five centuries…
-
Buddhism, Jainism Within Brahmanism
As per conventional history, Jainism and Buddhism originated in India 2,500 years ago to challenge Vedic ritualism and casteism. Then, a thousand years ago, Buddhism was driven out by Brahmins, with a little help from invading Muslim warlords.
-
Whose Shrine Is It, Anyway?
Across India today, there is a movement to identify Hindu shrines that were broken by Muslims and replaced by mosques and dargahs. This is being done in the name of social justice—historical wrongs are being made right. However, the same…
-
The Mercantile Side of Buddhism
When we talk about Buddhism, we often think of otherworldliness, yet the earliest grand architectures and sculptures in India were funded by Buddhist merchants.
-
Secrets of Goddesses and Trees
Jamboo Savari is the great elephant procession of Mysore kings during the post-monsoon festival of Dussehra. Many people think Jamboo or Jambi comes from the word “jumbo” which means “extra large” and was the name of a large African elephant…
-
How Mythology Impacts Notions of Social Justice
It is important to understand how mythology impacts our notions of social justice. Modern social justice has its roots in monotheism, not in atheism.
-
Jangal Mein Mangal: A Mytho-Fiction Talent Hunt with Devdutt Pattanaik in the Himalayas
Ten writers. One forest. Infinite myths. Join Devdutt Pattanaik in the Himalayas for a one-of-a-kind mytho-fiction writing retreat, where symbolism meets storytelling. Over four days, you’ll co-create a collective narrative, guided by Devdutt and an editor from HarperCollins India. Set…
-
Kubera, the Refugee From Lanka
When the Constitution of India was first published, over 75 years ago, it included many artworks. Amongst them was one showing Kubera, Ravana’s brother and the king of wealth and yakshas (nature spirits), fleeing from Lanka. It is often mistaken…
-
ASAP In Eternal Time
ASAP is a popular acronym for ‘as soon as possible’. But more often than not it is used to mean ‘immediately’ in corporate circles. In political, bureaucratic and judicial circles, it depends on the relationship of the beneficiary and the…
-
The Many Horse Invaders of India
India has been invaded several times, for over 3,000 years, by horse-breeding tribes from the steppes, grasslands north of the Himalayas, the last of whom were the Mughals, and the Mughals came only 500 years ago.
-
Stories of How India Connected East and West
The Indian subcontinent is located right in the center of the world if we see Europe and America as the West and China and Japan as the East.
-
12 Children In 12 Castes
Caste (jati) is a reality in India. People in India for at least 1500 years could not change vocation or marry outside caste. This led to social stagnation.
-
Akbar the Jogi
Depending on the perspective, Akbar’s behaviour was explained as either the result of his being a Hindu sage in a previous life or as the outcome of him being tricked and brainwashed by sorcerers, or being a pragmatic king who…
-
Sultan, Badshah and Shahenshah: What These Titles Say About India’s Muslim Rulers
Politicians usually refer to the Islamic period (1000 to 1800) as the Mughal period (1500-1800), but that is not quite correct.
-
The Chatur-varna System of Punjab
Despite their military support, Jats were seen inferior by Brahmins, Rajputs and Khatris, as they practiced a form of widow remarriage (chadar chadhana) and refused to indulge in widow burning (Sati) valorised in royal and martial communities.