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Phool Waalon Ki Sair: An offering of communal unity at altar of secular India (IANS Special Series)

New Delhi | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

When Syed Fariddudin Qutbi, the "khadim" (attendant) of the shrine of 13th century sufi saint Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki in Meharauli, stepped out after offering a floral "chhatra" (a flower-embellished umberella) at the ancient Yogmaya temple located at a s ... read..

Sydney: A vibrant city at ease with multiculturalism (Travelogue)

New Delhi | Thursday, 2018 2:15:04 PM IST

One of the abiding pleasures of travel is that it never ceases to surprise. And so it was in Sydney when on my way to catch a bus I heard a name that rung a bell -- Dave Sharma. It turned out to be a fascinating story of a recent trip that gave a glimpse ... read..

Empowering children to be future civic leaders (IANS Special Series)

New Delhi | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

While kids of their age were busy playing, 12-year-olds Jatin, Vikas and Ritesh joined hands to resolve the problem of garbage disposal and the unhealthy living conditions in their working-class neighbourhood in Shiv Vihar in north Delhi. At the same time ... read..

Unique Mumbai cafe helps staffers overcome disabilities (IANS Special Series)

Mumbai | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

It was barely three months ago that a US-returned medico started a small cafe in upscale Juhu as a unique venture -- employing mostly those who suffer from various developmental disabilities. Now, Cafe Arpan has gained huge popularity -- among patrons, ma ... read..

A library run by industrial workers means world of change for children (IANS Special Series)

Ludhiana (Punjab) | Sunday, 2018 12:15:04 PM IST

At first look, it is just another small room with one wall almost crumbling. But this 25-square yard space means the world for children of factory workers and labourers in Punjab's industrial hub Ludhiana. ... read..

What a woman! She battled personal odds to become crusader against child marriages (IANS Special Series)

Jaipur | Sunday, 2018 1:15:04 PM IST

Her struggle for survival began even before she was born. Her own family members wanted to kill her in her mother's womb after her father abandoned them. Rajasthan-based Kriti Bharti had been fighting ever since -- which eventually led her to battle for t ... read..

In changing times, women idol makers make their presence felt, battle hardship, (Societal Feature)

Kolkata | Friday, 2018 12:15:05 PM IST

Walking cautiously along the narrow lanes of Kumartuli, the traditional sculpting hub and potters' lane in north Kolkata, one can easily locate the few women idol makers who have carved a niche for themselves in a world hitherto dominated by men. ... read..

Emerging voices preferred over veterans in India's richest literary prize shortlist

New Delhi | Wednesday, 2018 3:15:04 PM IST

Veteran writers, including Nayantara Sahgal, Kiran Nagarkar and Jeet Thayil have been overlooked by the jury of the inaugural edition of the Rs 25 lakh JCB Prize for Literature, whose shortlist, announced Wednesday, features novels by five writers who the ... read..

Babar Ali's inspiring story: How a nine-year-old's zeal brought education to Bengal's poor (IANS Special Series)

Murshidabad (West Bengal) | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

Walking home from school in a small town in West Bengal, a nine-year-old boy saw some of his friends work as rag-pickers. The thought that his companions were unable to study like him because they were poor so agonised the young Babar Ali that he decided ... read..

In former Maoist citadel, Jharkhand government instils hope (Development Feature)

Latehar (Jharkhand) | Thursday, 2018 1:15:04 PM IST

Located in the hilly and forested terrains of Jhumra Pahar, Sarju village in Garu Tehsil of this district was, till a few years ago, known as a "Maoist citadel". Now it is development that is talk of the area. ... read..

In India, we need education in culinary skills: Chef Manjit Gill (IANS Interview)

Chandigarh | Thursday, 2018 12:45:05 PM IST

Going to the extent of suggesting that children should be allowed to mess with the cooking and connect emotionally with the food they eat, well-known Chef Manjit Gill feels it is important to "understand our food". ... read..

Matka Man: From London to Delhi on a thirst-quenching mission (IANS Special Series)

New Delhi | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

On a scorching summer day, the likes of which are plentiful in Delhi, what one needs most is a glass of water to quench one's thirst, more so for those who toil in the unbearable heat to earn their livelihoods. The hundreds of civic workers, rickshaw pull ... read..

Four women in shortlist of six for Man Booker 2018

London | Thursday, 2018 3:45:05 PM IST

Anna Burns, Esi Edugyan, Daisy Johnson, Rachel Kushner, Richard Powers and Robin Robertson were announced on Thursday as the six authors shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. ... read..

Kashmir in its pristine glory as autumn arrives (Travel Feature)

Srinagar | Sunday, 2018 3:15:04 PM IST

As turtle doves and pigeons compete with each other to the accompaniment of cicada's flattering music to pick the fallen grain left behind in paddy fields after harvesting, the message is loud and clear - autumn, Kashmir's golden brown season of plenty, h ... read..

Mumbai-born Mahesh Bindra hopes for 2nd term in NZ parliament (Diaspora Feature)

Chicago | Thursday, 2018 12:15:04 PM IST

With his first three-year term as a Member of Parliament in New Zealand behind him, Mumbai-born Mahesh Bindra is biding his time for the next phase of his engagement in his adopted country's public life. ... read..

A hijab-wearing Muslim bodybuilder breaks stereotypes in India (IANS Special Series)

Vadakara (Kerala) | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

When 23-year-old Majiziya Bhanu took to the stage to compete in the women's segment of the Mr Kerala competition in Kochi earlier this year, all eyes were on her -- never before had a bodybuilder wearing a hijab (Muslim head scarf) participated in the eve ... read..

From dance music to a vehicle of happiness, different ways to look at jazz (Music Feature)

Koktebel (Crimea) | Sunday, 2018 12:15:04 PM IST

Jazz -- a genre with the ability to embrace varied cultures -- has evolved exponentially in the past century-and-a-half and is today a major form of musical expression. But what is it that exactly gives a "jazzy characteristic" to a musical note? ... read..

How Delhi schools are revolutionising education, one teacher at a time (IANS Special Series)

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 11:50:53 AM IST

When Roshan Lal, a 40-year-old rickshawpuller, got his son Rakesh admitted to a government school in Delhi, all he wanted for him was to get a decent education. Since he could not afford to pay for a private school, all that was on his mind was that "gove ... read..

Smart City or Heritage City? That seems to be Agra's dilemma

Agra | Tuesday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

In the race for a Smart City tag, heritage structures in Agra are under threat, stakeholders say. The haphazard growth of urban clusters encroaching on the free space around monuments and the alarming rise in pollution levels have compelled rethinking whe ... read..

Vintage cameras, turn-of-the-century images on display in Delhi

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 2:45:04 PM IST

An exhibition of vintage cameras and some turn-of-the-century images that throw light upon the life of a former Nepalese Prime Minister opened for public viewing at the India Habitat Centre here on Monday. ... read..

Of travels, crime thrillers and a lifelong association: Vajpayee beyond-the-usual

New Delhi | Thursday, 2018 8:15:05 PM IST

"Between the guns and guards, there were two dogs called Sassy and Sophie who would run around the prime ministers house, and also Ritu, the cat," journalist Saba Naqvi writes in her recent book "Shades of Saffron" in describing Atal Bihari Vajpayees pers ... read..

Hindu migrants from Pakistan living a life of homeless wanderers, courtesy Indian red-tapism (Social Feature)

Jodhpur | Tuesday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

At a time when the world is battling one of its biggest refugee crises, India has its own share of the problem -- thousands of Hindu migrants from Pakistan remain stranded at this Rajasthan transit hub. They have been awaiting their citizenship papers for ... read..

Angels of hope: They make the poor and helpless aware of their rights (IANS Special Series)

New Delhi | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

When Rambabu, a 27-year-old who worked in a ration shop in Patna, got to know he was suffering from brain tumor, he was devastated. But his nightmare was compounded when he travelled over a thousand kilometres in that condition to New Delhi for treatment ... read..

Inside an arts residency: How open spaces help young artists freely ideate

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 3:15:04 PM IST

A critical presence in an arts residency is a source of a counter opinion, and can be a real boon for young ideating artists, said Serendipity Arts Foundation Director Smriti Rajgarhia on housing a resident critic -- an under explored concept in the India ... read..

Vulnerable South Asian communities gear up to fight floods (Environment Feature)

Patna | Wednesday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

Vulnerable communities in four South Asian countries across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region are hopeful and confident of fighting floods this monsoon, thanks to community-based flood early warning systems (CBFEWS). ... read..

How tribal women of Kanha are driving their own destiny (IANS Special Series)

Mukki (Madhya Pradesh) | Sunday, 2018 2:45:04 PM IST

Mukki zone in the famous Kanha National Park had been known throughout its recorded history to have been ruled by tigresses, rather than tigers. True to this legacy, tribal women of the Mukki zone are breaking conventional chains by taking over men-domina ... read..

Ramachandra Guha pens 'the most ambitious book' on Gandhi

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2018 1:45:04 PM IST

Renowned historian and author of several bestselling books, including the highly acclaimed "India After Gandhi" and "India Before Gandhi", Ramachandra Guha has penned a new book on the father of the nation, which has just gone to the press and will be out ... read..

Man Booker longlist captures a world on the brink

London | Tuesday, 2018 12:15:04 PM IST

From a staggering 171 submissions -- the highest number of titles put forward in the Man Booker Prize's 50 year history -- 13 novels, which capture facets of a world on the brink, have been longlisted for the 2018 edition of the much-coveted 50,000 pound ... read..

Not easy to embrace diverse perspectives in a country of strong opinions: Publisher Meru Gokhale

New Delhi | Sunday, 2018 1:15:04 PM IST

India is the second-largest English-language publishing market in the world and Penguin Random House India, a major player in the sector, publishes more than 200 books a year. But Meru Gokhale, it's editor-in-chief, says it is not always easy to publish m ... read..

Pottery, an underpaying profession, makes surviving a struggle in Delhi

New Delhi | Thursday, 2018 11:45:04 AM IST

Thirty-two-year-old Geeta sits patiently, painting pots created by her husband in the small open porch in her house at Kumhar Gram or Potters' Village that interestingly has managed to find space in West Delhi's Uttam Nagar. ... read..

Breaking faith barriers, Shia Muslim artists create Hindu wedding mandaps (IANS Special Series)

Jaipur | Sunday, 2018 12:45:05 PM IST

For centuries, their creations have been used in sombre processions to commemorate and reconstruct the narrative of the 7th century Battle of Karbala in Islamic history. But now, these artists, mostly Shia Muslims, make Hindu wedding mandaps, replicating ... read..

How waste management is helping Vietnamese women earn a living (Societal Feature)

Hoi An (Vietnam) | Friday, 2018 3:20:56 PM IST

With over 20 million tourists visiting per year, this port city -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- produces approximately 27,000 tonnes of urban waste per year. ... read..

Street vendors turn 'City Beautiful' Plaza into a mess

Chandigarh | Monday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

The Plaza of the 'City Beautiful' Chandigarh may have been its star attraction for a number of decades but has now virtually been hijacked by street vendors. ... read..

American father-daughter duo bring 'technological difference' to remote Arunachal village (IANS Special Series)

Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) | Sunday, 2018 1:15:04 PM IST

National Geographic explorer Mike Libecki and his 14-year-old daughter Lilliana are essentially travellers who have been to several remote corners of the world. But it is not just the high-ranging mountains or far-flung seas that have a distinct pull for ... read..

Inspired by Super 30, Jindagi realising dreams of medical aspirants in Odisha (Education Feature)

Bhubaneswar | Friday, 2018 1:15:04 PM IST

He could not become a doctor himself, but is now pulling out all stops to ensure that others fare better. This year, 18 students from Odisha made it to medical school thanks to the initiative of Ajay Bahadur Singh, who once sold tea for a living but now i ... read..

Children act as 'green agents' in Rajasthan's drought-hit Baran (Environmental Feature)

Jaipur | Wednesday, 2018 1:15:05 PM IST

The "green agents" of Baran district in Rajasthan are nurturing foliage in their villages, despite a two-year rainfall deficit in the region. Over 3,000 children across 20 villages have planted 7,000 saplings thus far. ... read..

Japanese artist hopes to introduce Aritayaki in India

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 1:45:04 PM IST

A popular Japanese craft, Aritayaki porcelain enjoys a global market but estimates suggest there are barely about a hundred independent artists producing it by hand. Japanese artist Yuji Obata hopes to introduce the craft to India and was recently in the ... read..

An equal-opportunity school sets a sterling example in social integration (IANS Special Series)

Lucknow | Sunday, 2018 2:45:04 PM IST

Much before the Indian parliament promulgated the Right to Education Act (RTE) in 2009 that guaranteed education to all a committed local teacher had already pioneered the idea of making school access a reality for hundreds of underprivileged children, ir ... read..

Rajasthani musicians epitomise India's syncretic culture, but are a struggling lot (IANS Special Series)

Jaipur | Sunday, 2018 12:45:05 PM IST

They are Muslims, yet they sing Krishna "bhajans" (hymns) from Hindu lore. They have adopted a hybrid culture that is a mix of both religions and lifestyles. Many of their names too blend two religions, like Shankar Khan and Krishna Khan. ... read..

Bespoke programme marks JLF's fifth year in London

London | Tuesday, 2018 2:15:05 PM IST

India's popular Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) has completed five years of its presence here in what was a bespoke programme for UK audiences, featuring dialogues and debates from across the South Asian region. ... read..

Seema's story: Educating girls to negotiate life, become change agents (IANS Special Series)

Hardoi (Uttar Pradesh) | Sunday, 2018 12:45:05 PM IST

Inside a dimly-lit classroom in this district, with its walls decorated with drawings and paintings made by children, Seema Yadav, 36, is teaching a group of 25 girls who are sitting in a circle in one corner. These are girls who were either never enrolle ... read..

Down the memory lane: Jatin Das exhibits diverse pankha collection

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 1:45:05 PM IST

What began as a gift from a friend 40 years ago has now snowballed into an extensive collection of over 5,000 pankhas (handheld fans) for eminent Indian artist Jatin Das. A carefully-curated part of this staggering collection, along with numerous prints, ... read..

Journey into marriage is about 'we', away from it is about 'me': Writer Devdutt Pattanaik (IANS Interview)

New Delhi | Saturday, 2018 9:50:54 AM IST

A marriage is not just about the bride and the groom, asserts mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik who has done considerable work on ancient Indian scriptures. In fact, according to him, it has always had a much larger connotation than what is normally perceived ... read..

Despite tragic history, mosque and gurdwara stand tall in harmony (IANS Special Series)

Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab) | Sunday, 2018 1:45:04 PM IST

This town of sacred pilgrimage in Punjab has been witness to one of the most tragic, painful and violent chapters of Sikh-Mughal history going back three centuries. Despite that, a 350-year-old mosque not only stands in complete harmony with a recently co ... read..

New series of books to mark Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary

New Delhi | Friday, 2018 4:15:05 PM IST

A wide range of books and scholarly readings on Mahatma Gandhi will be published by the India office of Oxford University Press (OUP) to mark his 150th birth anniversary. ... read..

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