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Friday, August 22, 2025
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Around Town

Ancestor worship, ghosts & nature—new book celebrates Kerala’s dying folk dance, Theyyam

KK Gopalakrishnan's book was launched by IGNCA chairman Sachinanand Joshi, Amita Prasad Sarbhai, Arshiya Sethi and KE Priyamvada from Delhi's IIC.

No baithaks, tehzeeb, shrinking vocabulary—the romance of Old Delhi is coming to an end

Veteran architect Ashok Lal attributed the now irrevocable change in Old Delhi to the influx of trade. First demographic change came with Partition, and the second with the railway station.

Ghazni’s Somnath Temple loot is absent in Sanskrit texts. House of Commons started the debate

Githa Hariharan's 'This Too is India' is the Indian Cultural Forum’s last hurrah. The website was set up to highlight the importance of India’s rich and plural heritage.

When ‘Jai Shri Ram’ met ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’—Delhi book launch unpacks India of the past decade

"I reject this notion of Hindu nation. India must forge a new identity," P. Chidambaram said at the launch of Maria Shakil and Narendra Nath Mishra's book 'India on the Move'.

At Desi Oon Festival 2024, shepherds turn designers, weave culture and myth into rugs

The Desi Oon Festival 2024 is an initiative by the Centre of Pastoralism, which works with shepherds to support their livelihoods and preserve traditional practices.

Anand Hi Anand—an event celebrating Dev Anand and brothers is an opportunity half missed

Sohaila Kapur’s engaging reading combined professional highlights with personal anecdotes, but the accompanying visual presentation did not do justice to Dev Anand’s flamboyance.

What links Hampi to Indian movies—wet saris and the Queen’s Bath

Some habits like voyeurism and male gaze cut across cultures and the passage of time. The men in Hampi would lounge in the balconies to catch a glimpse of women in the Queen’s Bath.

John Lennon wrote a song full of expletives called ‘Maharishi’. Then he had to tone it down

At the screening of his documentary, ‘The Beatles and India’, Ajoy Bose showed how the band’s visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram helped export Indian classical music to the West.

Science fest platforms rural innovators—new crop varieties, crash-safe vehicles, EV bicycles

The People’s Festival of Innovation brought together over 100 inventors, many from rural India. It proved that there is no age limit on creativity.

Delhi spends an evening romancing the 80s. Prank calls, fan mail, Nirula’s

The launch of Seema Sethi’s coffee table book 'Romancing The 80s: Snapshots From A Cherished Decade' transported the participants back to the old era of Delhi.

On Camera

Swraj Paul was the original NRI powerbroker. Helped Indira’s return, shaped India Inc

When he was asked why he was so loud in his criticisms of Indian industry when his purpose could be better served by a shrewder approach, he said, “Because I am a Punjabi, not a Marwari”.

New insolvency frameworks to shorter timelines, how 2025 amendment bill proposes to transform IBC

New bill aims to fix key issues with IBC 2016, including delays & patchy implementation, and protect creditors, with window for genuine promoters to retain control of their companies.

India and France to jointly develop and manufacture 120 kN engine for homegrown AMCA

The new engine, set to be developed over the next 10 years, will power the second tranche of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. First set will be equipped with GE 414 engines.

War of IAF, PAF doctrines: As Pakistan obsesses over numbers, India embraces risk, wins

Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?