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An Ode to Frontier Gandhi, The Man of Peace Who Fought For a United India
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, famously known as Bādshāh Khān, and Bāchā Khān, was a legendary Pashtun freedom fighter and pacifist whose greatness transcended all tribal and communal divisions. Though born...
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This British Journo Defied the Raj to Ensure the World Knew About Jallianwala...
“It is impossible to believe that the people of England could ever be persuaded that a British General was justified in, or could be excused for, marching up to a great crowd of unarmed and wholly...
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This Bengali Family Has Been the Keeper of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial for...
On the fateful day of 13 April 1919, thousands of Indians had assembled at a low-lying dumping ground in Amritsar. It was surrounded by small houses and narrow lanes. It was the day of Baisakhi and...
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Food With Dollops of History: 5 Iconic ‘Cabins’ Where Kolkata’s Obsession...
As the stomach impatiently growls for attention, my hand reaches out to grab the phone. A few clicks, and moments later, my delicious sustenance is on the way. This is the recurrent scene in the life...
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96 Years & Counting: Mumbai’s Most Iconic Irani Cafe & its Culinary ‘Kohinoors’!
Nestled at 16 Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai, Britannia & Co, the Indo-Persian café, stands in stark contrast to most structures that surround it. This pre-independence eatery was started by Rashid...
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How India Gave ‘Shampoo’ To The World, Thanks to a Young Barber From Patna!
Did you know that shampooing was first invented in India? Derived from the Hindi word champu, which in turn evolved from the Sanskrit word chapyathi, the word essentially means ‘to massage or press’....
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5 Puris & 6 Generations: How a Stall Grew Into Mumbai’s Iconic Pancham Puriwala
Located on Perin Nariman street opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST), near the General Post Office in the Fort area, Pancham Puriwala may appear to be a penny-plain, no-frills restaurant...
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Rooh Afza: How Hamdard’s Ruby-Hued Refresher Became an Indian Summer Staple
I was never very keen on visiting relatives. The forcefully tight embraces that squeezed the life out of you and the dramatic display of love by pinching the cheeks till you squirm in pain—are integral...
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Raja Deen Dayal, the Unsung Legend Behind Some of India’s Oldest & Rarest Photos
Although photography came to India in 1840, it wasn’t until 1874 that Lala Deen Dayal, a public works department employee in Indore, became the first Indian to make his mark in the medium. Until the...
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Vidyasagar: The Brilliant Man Who Stood Up For The Women of 19th Century India
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a legendary educationist, a Sanskrit scholar and a social reformer who not only changed the Bengali alphabet and type but also challenged Hindu orthodoxy by playing a...
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Kolhapur’s Century-Old Tryst With Wrestling Gave India Its 1st Individual...
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article wrongly used images by photographer Indrajit Khambe. The images have been removed. We deeply apologise for the error. The year was 1948 and Khashaba...
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4 Nations & 2500 Km: Sher Shah’s ‘Grand’ Marvel Amazes Us Even 500 Years Later!
We’re marching on relief over Injia’s sunny plains, A little front o’ Christmas-time an’ just be’ind the Rains; Ho! get away you bullock-man, you’ve ‘eard the bugle blowed, There’s a...
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The Untold Story of India’s 14-YO Female Revolutionary & Her Historic Trial
She was like any other pre-teen girl, scared of the darkness under the table while studying at night. That was before the proscribed books, arms, and ammunition secretly made their way to her study...
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Jahanara Begum: The Forgotten Mughal Princess Who Designed Chandni Chowk
In an unassuming part of India’s capital city, amidst winding alleys lined with attar and chadar sellers, lies the 800-year-old dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya—one of the most revered saints in...
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IISc Turns 110: 5 Reasons Why the Indian Institute of Science Is Iconic For...
On this day, 110 years ago, the then British Government in India passed a vesting order that established the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru on 371 acres of land that the Mysore Durbar...
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The Bold Begums of Bhopal Who Trumped Patriarchy to Rule For Centuries!
A sudden silence swept over the chaos, as she stepped into the court. Cutting through the swarm of prospective successors, the widowed queen entered carrying her infant daughter. Murmurs rose; yet...
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81-YO ‘Lighthouse Man’ Travels For 20 Years, Turns Home Into Maritime Museum
The 8-year-old boy picks up his pace to match his father’s giant strides. His huge eyes soak in the vibrant ambience of Moore Market of Madras (Chennai). He is oblivious to the high-octane energy of...
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This Forgotten Engineer Built The Airstrip That Saved Ladakh From Pakistan
In the annals of post-independence Ladakh, a British-trained engineer Sonam Norbu finds a special place. While it was the Indian Armed Forces who played a pivotal role in securing the cold desert from...
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Harappa to Japan: The Story of Curry & How It Got Its Name
As a Bengali who grew up in Goa, fish curry is not just a dish; it is a sentiment. Whether it was Bengal’s maacher jhol or Goa’s xitt codi, I grew up savouring fish curry as my staple lunch for years....
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This Legend Was Once Known as The ‘World’s Most Feared Penalty Corner...
If Indian hockey legend Prithipal Singh were a cricketer, who scored the highest number of runs in the 1983 World Cup, we would most certainly know all about him today. His name would be revered...
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