Culture

Hegemony: Kerala’s Bharatapuzha as a political stage

Unlike the North Indian Kumbh, the Bharatapuzha by contrast has never functioned as a Pan-Hindu pilgrimage centre. It has no historical association with mass ritual bathing, no priestly networks that regulate sacred time, and no inherited mythological mandate that binds the river to cyclical purification rites. The introduction of the Maha Magha Mahotsavam is a clear cultural imposition by Hindutva

Tamas and the Shadow Over Empuraan: A Nation Still Disturbed With Itself

Tamas encountered legal and political challenges in the late 1980s. The government attempted to prevent the series from airing. There was fear it would provoke unrest. Now, if Empuraan disturbed us, it should, for who we are: a culture that justifies and forgets.

India’s Heartfelt Eid: where flowers & faith bridge divides

India celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr with unity and love, as people from different faiths come together to spread joy and kindness, in sharp contrast to the hate-driven politics that politicians and police displayed in some locales like Varanasi and other parts of UP; from Jaipur to Mumbai, Prayagraj to Indore, heart-warming gestures of communal harmony paint a vibrant picture of the nation's diverse yet cohesive social fabric, showcasing the enduring power of unity and mutual respect for each other

Mughal Emperors Played Holi And Called It Eid-e-Gulabi

Amir Khusro And Other Muslim Poets Composed Beautiful Verses On Holi; Now It is Being Weaponised

Colours of Discord: How Holi is being turned into a battleground for hate and exclusion

Once a festival of unity and joy, Holi is now marred by political rhetoric and exclusionary calls. While some leaders push for harmony, the ruling establishment fuels division

The Story of Shivaji’s Coronation

First published on December 15, 2015The Coronation …“By the...

Sikhs, Muslims of Prayagraj welcome Kumbh pilgrims with shelter, food, and warmth

In the spirit of unity, a profound display of unity & compassion, prayers were offered at Daragh for the wellness of those injured in the Maha Kumbh stampede. Prof. V.K. Tripathi distributed fliers of love and peace at Kumbh Mela. In a heroic act, Farhan Alam saved the life of devotee Ram Shankar with CPR, Sikhs and Muslims selflessly served by providing food to Kumbh devotees, while Mosques opened for help: provided beds and blankets to 25,000, served food; said, 'Devotees Are Our Guests'

Celebrate Diversity

It was late evening, on the day after Uttarayan...

Heroes among us: Waris Khan’s rescue of 7 after road accident, Arif Bamane’s rescue after Neelkamal ferry accident

Waris Khan and Arif Bamane embody selfless heroism in times of crisis. Khan saved 7 lives after a car accident in Madhya Pradesh, while Bamane rescued 30 passengers from the sea following a ferry collision in Mumbai

Spreading Light and Love: Diwali festivities unite communities in Bareilly and beyond

Celebrating unity in diversity, from Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s Dargah to Diwali fairs in Syana and Bareilly. Through shared prayers, festive lights, and acts of kindness, India’s rich tradition of interfaith harmony continues to inspire, bridging divides and fostering peace across cultural and religious boundaries

Language as Unifying Force: Sitaram Yechury

“Here I am, born in Tamilnadu, mother tongue Telugu, settled in Hindi-speaking Delhi, representing the people of West Bengal in Parliament and addressing the august gathering here of Tamil speaking people from all over the world. This is India,” said Sitaram Yechury, in 2010, the erstwhile general secretary of the CPI (M) whose demise after a prolonged lung infection on September 12 this year, has drawn forth an outpouring of shared memories

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Sambhal, UP: ASI has no records to prove that Shahi Jama Masjid was built after demolishing earlier structure

Belying the majoritarian hysteria and attacks on Sambhal’s Mosque and the Muslim minority living in the western UP town, the Archaeological Survey of India has told the Central Information Commission that it does not have any records indicating whether the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal was constructed after demolishing any earlier structure or on vacant land, nor does it have documents identifying the landowner at the time of its construction. Previously, a “commission” appointed by the Sambhal district court has reportedly said in its 2024 report that symbols associated with Hinduism had been found at Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid, protected by the ASI since 1920!

Bidar, Karnataka: Two school teachers assaulted in Karnataka’s Bidar, triggering communal tensions

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India: Left at the forefront, opposition & people protests US-Israel attacks on Iran

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Censorship Broken: Naseeruddin Shah speaks on the Urdu language at Kalina, Mumbai & recites from its rich poetry

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The Erosion of Equal Protection: Constitutional attrition and State apathy in targeted attacks on Kashmiri vendors across the states

Systemic 2025 and early 2026 vigilantism and attacks against Kashmiri sellers, fuelled by religious profiling and hateful propaganda, dismantles the constitutional "bedrock" of Articles 19(1)(d) and (g), by substituting "reasonable restrictions" with mob-enforced exoduses, these acts subvert state authority and corrode public morality

Temple Leases, Food Morality: Rajasthan’s new Panchayat order

The recent decision by the BJP-led government in Rajasthan of granting land parcels to temples, moreover those controlled by Brahmins and Banias, and further making it “mandatory” for meat shops to obtain NOCs from the local Panchayat, privileges caste elites and food choices while also being fundamentally exclusionary