Culture

UP’s syncretic warrior cults facing Hindutva challenge

Be it the attack on the Gogamedi shrine in the Hanumangarh district of northern Rajasthan or the Neja Mela in the Sambhal district of western Uttar Pradesh, Hindutva’s systemic attack on India’s syncretic traditions, past and present, reveals its rigid and Brahmanical ideological orientation: imposition of a strictly hierarchical, exclusionary and structured notion of faith and practice

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

Ganesh Chaturthi: where unity triumphs over communal divides

Defying religious boundaries, Hindus and Muslims unite for Ganesh Chaturthi across India, mosques host Ganesh idols, and Muslims join Hindus for prayers and celebrations, three inter-faith friends join hands to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi

“A Legacy of Love”: Muslim craftsman and devotion for Hindu deities

“Faith beyond Boundaries”: 80-yr-old Ishtiyaq Ali's wooden deities, UP's Muslim polishing idol of Lord Krishna for generations

Baba Chamliyal: The Healing Saint of Unity and Faith across Borders

Baba Chamliyal, known as the ‘Healing Touch Saint,’ is revered in Jammu and Kashmir for his miraculous healing powers. His shrine, located at the India-Pakistan border, symbolises unity and attracts thousands of pilgrims annually. The shrine's "Shakkar" and "Sharbat" are believed to have healing properties.

Harmony in diversity: Surendra Mehta’s mission of unity at Kullu’s Pir Baba shrine

Surendra Mehta, also known as Bhai Ji, maintains the shrine of Pir Baba Lala Wale in Kullu, a place that promotes communal harmony by welcoming devotees of all faiths. His family's century-long dedication exemplifies unity and peace, fostering interfaith relationships in a diverse and often divided India.

Hindu-Muslim Unity: The other side of Kanwar Yatra

Muslim Artists and Hindu Kanvarias in Haridwar have long shown the spirit of brotherhood amidst the religious polarisation

Urdu signboard reinstated at Varanasi City Railway Station after intervention from the civil society members

In the memorandum submitted to the superintendent of the Varanasi City Railway Station, the civil society group had questioned the railways for failing to reinstate Urdu board and demanded its reinstallation

Rich Heritage but Poor Plight of Bishnupur’s Baluchari Silk Artisans

Most cooperatives set up during Left rule have closed. At present, about 15,000 people are involved in Baluchari saree-making, a majority whom work as daily wage labourers, as they do not own looms.

Bridging Faiths, Uniting Hearts: Innovating Interfaith Dialogue on Campus

An Inspiring Journey with Hindu Muslim Harmony Fellows Sharing Stories of Fostering Peace and Understanding

Mira Road: Mosque clerics welcome people from across religion and caste to Jama Masjid Al Shams this Ramzan

Muzaffar Hussain, a former legislator and managing trustee of the mosque extended the invitation for all, to unite people of different religions on one platform and tear down barriers between communities

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UP’s syncretic warrior cults facing Hindutva challenge

Be it the attack on the Gogamedi shrine in the Hanumangarh district of northern Rajasthan or the Neja Mela in the Sambhal district of western Uttar Pradesh, Hindutva’s systemic attack on India’s syncretic traditions, past and present, reveals its rigid and Brahmanical ideological orientation: imposition of a strictly hierarchical, exclusionary and structured notion of faith and practice

No Hearing, No Notice, Just Deletion: How Bengal’s SIR Erased a Decorated IAF Officer

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An Adivasi woman once in bonded labour now serves her village as a Sarpanch

As India marks 50 years of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, cases of bonded labour still surface in states like Telangana where many workers in sectors such as agriculture, brick kilns, fishing and construction remain trapped in debt and coercion; here the author reflects on a transformative journey of an Adivasi woman who serves as a Sarpanch.