Whenever I faced a dilemma, my grandmother would advise me to open a random page of the Ramcharitmanas, pray to Shri Ram, close my eyes, and place my finger on a Chaupai. “Read it, decipher its meaning,” she’d say, “and there you’ll find your answer.” Sometimes I found answers; other times, it was hard to…
Happy Life by Lobsang Wangdu
Poem by a Tibetan Monk living in Mcleoadganj “Amidst vast fields of wildflowers, I recall the days of childhood play—when stone powder became rice and grass our vegetables, as my young cousins and I pretended to feast. I remember gathering grass and flowers for our cattle in the lush meadows of my homeland. Each time…
Discovering the Heritage of Lucknow: A Walk Through History
If you are a history enthusiast and love exploring heritage sites, a visit to Lucknow—the city of Nawabs—should be on your list. The Lucknow Heritage Walk is an enriching experience that offers a deep dive into the city’s illustrious past. This guided tour not only enhances your knowledge about Lucknow but also provides an immersive…
Harkara Movie review – Go watch it!
Harkara, released in October 2023 on Amazon Prime, is a Tamil movie that takes audiences on a nostalgic journey into India’s rich postal history, particularly honoring the unsung heroes of the postal department known as Dak runners or Harkaras. I watched the Hindi dubbed version. Who are Harkaras: Initially appointed to deliver letters and crucial…
Unleash the miraculous power of Indian folklore in modern advertising
एक था राजा एक थी रानी दोनों मर गए खत्म कहानी। (There was once a king and a queen; both died, and the story is over.) This might have been invented when, as kids, we implored our dadi nani to narrate a bedtime story, and they were too tired to delve into their mythical creative…
Dance, divinity and devotion in Orissa
Dance in Orissa is not merely an art form; it has always been a conduit for connecting with the divine since its inception. The carvings in the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves, dating back to the 2nd century BCE, vividly illustrate the historical intertwining of dance with religious practices. Throughout history, the form of divinity associated…
The story of Silver Shoes!
वाह! आई ऍम फ्लेबरगास्टेड (flabbergasted)!! जी, बिलकुल, ये अटपटा ,हिंगलिश-नुमा वाक्य ही ज़हन में आया जब इन जूतों को देखा तो । चांदी के पत्रे पर नक्काशियों की बारीकियों में उलझे नक्काशकार को जब हमने पूछा क्या आप क्या बना रहे है …तो वह जल्दी से बोले, रुकिए हम आपको कुछ दिखाते है, और वह …
Facts about Ramayana that you must know
We all know the story of the great epic Ramayana, and many of us have either learned from Ramananad Sagar’s Ramayana on TV or have heard its short stories in the form of folklore from our grandparents who always added their creativity to make it more interesting. If you are from the North the other…
Let’s turn inward to preserve our crafts!
“वो सुनते हैं न कि कभी ड्रैगन था , उसी तरह होगा कि कभी ज़रदोज़ी थी। एक दिन वह आएगा कि हमको किसी मंदिर या दरगाह में भीख मांगनी पड़ेगी।” ,says nazir. Coming such words from the finest zardoz in old Lucknow is heart-wrecking. Unfortunately, not only zardozi but chikankari, handblock printing, chanderi, many…
Memories and Emotions – Lucknawi Itra
“जिस फूल को वाहिद ऐ इक रोज़ ही जीना था, उस फूल को बक्शी है हयात हमने।“, that is Mr. Imran Ahmed, an itra craftsman’s take when someone says: you ruin beautiful flowers to make itra. सलीके से हवाओं में वो खुशबू घोल देते है,अभी कुछ लोग बाकी हैं जो मीठा बोल देते हैं, it’s…
