A Library In The Forest
byWith a meagre collection of 160 books, Akshara was started in 2012. Today, Akshara houses over a thousand books, but its story is etched with struggle.
Insight
Barabar Caves & The Lost Story Of Ajivikas
byAjivika, a rival tradition of Buddhism & Jainism, no longer exists. The only evidence are the caves in the Barabar hill.
The Vedic Text Akin To The Turing Machine
byPanini’s metalanguage uses Sanskrit phonemes as auxiliary markers to control grammatical derivations.
How Advertisers Manufactured Lies To Sell Cigarettes
byCigarettes—health hazards and severe sources of addiction—were presented as symbols of community empowerment.
How Gandhi Built A Community & Began Satyagraha At The Sabarmati Ashram
byThe Satyagraha Ashram was monumental in the development of the theory of self-reliance, which became central to the idea of Swaraj.
Mahendravarman I: Pallava King, Artist & Patron of Arts
byMamallapuram attests to the dedication of the Pallava dynasty to art and culture, especially that of King Mahendravarman I.
How Colonialists Used Phrenology, A pseudoscience, To Justify Racism & Slavery
byThe use of Phrenology, a pseudoscience sans evidence, to justify racism, colonialism and slavery is just one of the many instances of how human ignorance, cloaked as science, paved the way for inequity and oppression.
Punch: The Forefather Of Cocktails
byThe etymology of Punch comes from the Sanskrit word panchan or pancha, which means five.
Feni: A 500-Year-Old Goan Tradition
by‘When a good feni glides over the tongue, the fragrance of a hundred cashew trees floods the mouth, the waves of the Arabian Sea lap up against your feet, and a fadista bursts into song on the edges of your brain.’
Mission R&AW & The Hijack of Aeroplane Ganga in 1971
byWho orchestrated the hijack of the Indian Airlines plane, Ganga?
Ravanstrom: The World’s Oldest Bowed Instrument?
byIs Ravanhatta one of the oldest stringed instruments played with a bow? Is it a forerunner of the violin?
The Evolution Of Stamps In India
byWhen stamps began in 1854, they were issued under ‘India Postage.’ Since independence, India has issued around 3000 postage stamps.
Kalamkari: The Epitome Of Indian Design
byKalamkari art began in Hindu temples. It was a method of propagating religious knowledge.
South Asian Women Had To Undergo Virginity Tests To Migrate To The UK
bySouth Asian women were forced to take virginity tests at Heathrow airport in the 70s; their stories are a testament to how South Asians were subject to racial profiling in the United Kingdom.
How A Block In Manhattan’s East Village Came To Be Known As Little India
byLittle India is very popular because many of the restaurants have an unusual policy: they allow you to Bring your Own Booze (BYOB),