By Shree Sauparnika V Every year, just before the beginning of Lent, the coastal state of Goa comes alive with the vivid colours, lively music, and infectious energy of the Carnival. This vibrant festival that takes place in February or March, is a unique celebration that embodies the rich cultural heritage and Portuguese influence in […]
By Shree Sauparnika V In the 19th century, India was grappling with numerous social issues, including caste discrimination, gender inequality, and a lack of access to education, especially for marginalised communities. At this critical juncture, two remarkable individuals emerged as champions of reform: Savitribai Phule and her husband, Jyotirao Phule. Their tireless efforts towards education […]
By Vijita Mukherjee Makara Sankranti is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. On this day, known as Uttarayani or Ghughuti (घुघुति) in Kumaon, the sun enters the zodiac sign of ‘Makara’ (Capricorn), and starts to move to the north (uttar). With a change of season, the migratory birds start […]
By Mangalam Narayanan and Lakshmi Madhusudan History is considered boring and studying for and writing history exams is nothing less than a chore. Some of the more enterprising teachers have devised interesting ways of teaching history, but what about history exams? How can we make history exams inspiring and engaging for our students? Have you […]
The Syrian Christian community of Kerala is one of the oldest Christian communities in India, dating back to the first century CE. Margamkali is a traditional dance performed by them in which a dozen dancers, wearing the traditional chatta (blouse) and mundu (dhoti) dance around a brass lamp. The dance incorporates the martial arts of […]
Yubee-Lakpee literally means ‘coconut-snatching’, which is a high-energy Manipuri game. In Manipur, able-bodied young men clutch a large coconut, its husk oiled thoroughly, and dodge other players to reach the goal. Yubee-Lakpee is almost like rugby in its roughness but definitely more difficult. Even the bodies of the players are greased! Each team has seven […]
India is full of unique festivals and celebrations, which differ from region to region. One such interesting and important festival is Dree, which is celebrated in the months of June and July in Arunachal Pradesh. This is an agricultural festival, aimed at pleasing the gods and praying for a bountiful harvest. According to the legend, […]
In the month of Chaitra, falling between March and April, parts of North and Central India celebrate the festival of Gangaur. The word Gangaur comes from ‘gana’ referring to Shiva and ‘gaur’ which refers to Gauri, another name for Parvati. This festival is dedicated to Parvati, the goddess of marriage and fertility, and is celebrated […]
Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' -- this clarion call was given by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He was a towering figure in the Indian Independence movement. A nationalist to the core, he believed strongly that modern education would inculcate patriotism and self-respect in the people. His inspiring speeches and writing landed Tilak in jail several times. But this did not dampen his spirit or will to cast off the yoke of foreign rule from his motherland.