Editor's Picks
The best of Magazine
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Remembering the Gujarati lawyer who fought for Indian indentured labourers in Fiji and Mauritius
Manilal Doctor answered the call of Indians when they needed help to take on an exploitative regime of indentured servitude.
Ajay Kamalakaran
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What can we learn about Bengali women’s complex relationship with food from bratas?
These observances prove that the idea of feminine propriety has not been entirely abandoned.
Priyadarshini Chatterjee
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How a German missionary changed the way houses were roofed in western India
Georg Plebst’s brainchild, the Mangalore tile, has spread as far as Australia and Africa – and yet very little is known about him.
Ajay Kamalakaran
Trending
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Remembering the Gujarati lawyer who fought for Indian indentured labourers in Fiji and Mauritius
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A trove of ‘pornographic art’ is lying unappreciated in a sarkari library in Uttar Pradesh
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How a German missionary changed the way houses were roofed in western India
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What can we learn about Bengali women’s complex relationship with food from bratas?
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A search across India for food that is cooked on stones
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A search across India for food that is cooked on stones
From Kerala to Ladakh, hot stones are used creatively by a few families and communities to grill, roast and bake.
Priyadarshini Chatterjee
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A trove of ‘pornographic art’ is lying unappreciated in a sarkari library in Uttar Pradesh
Amid the Raza Library’s collection are paintings depicting a variety of carnal encounters that have never been reproduced in any book on Indian painting.
Kamayani Sharma
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One woman’s search for the kathak dancers who were relegated to the background by Bollywood
Who were the extras in early Hindi cinema? And what ever happened to them? Researcher Siddhi Goel found some troubling answers to these questions in her work.
Malini Nair
Food
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What can we learn about Bengali women’s complex relationship with food from bratas?
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A search across India for food that is cooked on stones
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In Sukumar Ray’s hilarious poems, food was always served with a side of commentary
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When turtle soup was a marker of social status in India
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From teabags to spinach extract: Indians have always found creative dyes to colour their food
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Amid Mughal-Maratha battles, an East India Company man reaped the benefits of political neutrality
As president of Fort St George, Nathaniel Higginson steered the Company through tricky waters.
Anu Kumar
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The story of the Indian immigrant who catalysed the New Zealand gold rush but died in near penury
Although it was Edward Peters from Satara who first discovered gold in Otago, New Zealand, the credit went to an Australian for almost a century and half.
Ajay Kamalakaran
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In Sukumar Ray’s hilarious poems, food was always served with a side of commentary
The pioneer of literary nonsense in India wrote at a time when British officials’ gluttony had became an object of ridicule.
Priyadarshini Chatterjee
Internet Culture
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Ukraine’s official Twitter handle is processing the nation’s trauma in real time with memes
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Small is beautiful: An artist in Tamil Nadu is carving miniature sculptures on pencil tips
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An artist looks at Grimms’ fairy tales and finds sexist stereotypes that are common in India
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An engineer in Canada is urging South Asians to post their family photos and memories on Instagram
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Ten Indian designers who are reimagining the English alphabet for an Instagram challenge
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How an Irish poet and playwright became a part of India’s cultural mosaic
James Henry Cousins, an accomplished writer, moved to India in 1915 and dedicated his life to cultural and educational activities in the country.
Ajay Kamalakaran
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The world of Rajasthani folk music is shrinking – despite its global fame and success
In the absence of local patronage, Manganiyars and Langas are forgetting the gathas and kathas inhabited by magical, bewitching characters.
Malini Nair
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Why a plan to link India and Burma with one of the world’s most scenic railroads didn’t work out
In 19th century, engineers trekked through the jungles of Assam and Kachin state to decide the ideal path for a railway line. But economics and war intervened.
Ajay Kamalakaran
Cityscapes
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When reimagining its streets, Mumbai should go beyond mere beautification
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Interview: Mumbai has forsaken Deonar and its communities, although both are critical for the city
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Edward Glaeser on the future of cities: I am more hopeful about India than I am about the US
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How can India meet its ambitious climate targets? With a little help from its cities
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Interview: India is disregarding its traditional water systems in favour of big infrastructure