Looking Back Once the hub of commercial and political activities in ancient India, Mahabalipuram is now a buzzing tourist hub, owing to the UNESCO Group of Monuments that bring in many foreign tourists. Beyond these monuments, the town, which is more a village, retains its sleepy and laid back attitude, with pretty green paddy fields…
Tag: people
The Dolls and Masks of Bengal: a depiction through pictures
The history of Bengal goes long back archaeologically, wherein tools from the Stone Age era dating back to almost 20,000 years have been found from various excavated sites. In historical texts, we find that the epic Mahabharata talks of this area as divided into different kingdoms: Magadha, Banga, Pundra, Anga, and Suhma. Each part was…
Paintings by the colonial era Company artist: SitaRam
During the late 18th century as the East India Company expanded its control over Bengal and parts of northern India, Indian painting technique and style underwent revolutionary changes. The Mughal style of painting using natural pigments and minerals were abandoned for the newly learned watercolour technique, and old painting themes that were based on historical…
Exploring the history of tea
Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things ~ Chaim Pot. “I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea.” ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky Origin of Tea – China or India? Some historians believe that tea originated in China and is said to have been…
Tibetan Culture and Traditions
In the land of lama, don’t be a gamma. A sage advice given by those that build and maintain roads in these cold, barren lands. Whoever has travelled to the distant high mountains of Ladakh and Spiti have seen these cautionary yellow boards with advice written in black by the BRO, asking drivers to be…
Gwalior Fort in the heartland of India, Madhya Pradesh
The old State of Gwalior in India’s madhyadesa Standing amidst the forest clad ridges, low topped hills and plateaus, valleys, plains, and many rivers (Chambal and its tributaries), the old State of Gwalior in Central India has been a silent witness to many historical proceedings from times immemorial. Geographically the territory could be divided into two…
Temple of Dance- the Ramappa temple complex in Palampet, Telengana
“The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace. It is the house of the Lord.” ― Howard W. Hunter The Palampet temples In a serene valley of the long forgotten village of Palampet, amidst vast crop fields, surrounded by wooded hills and a large lake, stands…
Kakatiyan Dynasty- An Architectural Sojourn
“Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritages are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” ~ UNESCO As I sat down to read the books and various journals that I had bookmarked in order to write on…
In the Land of Pilgrimage ~ Haridwar
Escaping the cycle of life and death In India, the tradition of pilgrimage is deeply rooted within the realms of its religious consciousness. Owing to large number of pilgrim spots spread all across this sub continent, the entire region can be labelled as one vast sacred space. There are early mentions of pilgrim spots or…
Gone Fishing ~ A Bengali’s undying love for fish, and the history of Bengali food
Khai khai koro keno, esho bosho ahare, Khaobo ajob khaoa, bhoj koi jahare. ~ Sukumar Roy A seven course menu? No sir. Ours is a 9, 10, or even better, an 11 course service! A Bengali meal is a fine balance of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. A complete lunch menu would ideally start with…
Moni Gāthā 