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Sunday, February 1, 2026
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Book Excerpts

Where Prayagraj got its name—Brahma’s first sacrifice after creating the world

In 'Temples of Awadh', Vipul B Varshney documents over 150 temples, ghats, and sarovars in the Awadh region.

First review of Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali—moment for India to shake the world awake

'The Bengal Reader', an anthology edited and translated by Arunava Sinha, reflects the literary life of Bengal across two centuries.

17th-century India was an Eldorado for the French—Taj Mahal, jewel mines, unimaginable wealth

In 'Glorious Failure', Robert Ivermee reveals how France's Indian empire relied on war-making, conquest, regime change, and slavery.

Understanding the Santal dilemmas through the Kolkata bhadralok

In 'City, Marginality and Education: Tribal Migrants in Kolkata', Ruchira Das explores tribal marginality and urban adaptation as the tribal community migrated to the city.

The sari is key to my romance with my husband Hardeep Singh Puri

In 'The Sari Eternal', Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri combines personal recollections and historical perspectives to offer a tribute to the garment.

Marxist painter Frida Kahlo had a deep interest in Hindu spirituality, read Upanishads

In 'The Tree Within', Indranil Chakravarty offers the story of Octavio Paz’s passionate love-affair with India, where he served as Mexico’s ambassador in the 1960s.

Keeladi excavation—Tamil Nadu’s ancient city and a long trail of clues

In 'The Dig', Sowmiya Ashok traces the serendipitous discovery of the ancient settlement at Keeladi and the political storm it set off.

Yash Chopra told me I was the quintessential Yash Raj heroine: Shalini Passi

In her book, 'The Art of Being Fabulous', Shalini Passi blends style and philosophy to offer 10 rules for living on one's own terms.

The fantastical Buraq—the Prophet’s ride to heaven

While the Buraq is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran, descriptions of it can be found in Ibn Ishaq’s 18th-century biography of the Prophet.

Anthony Hopkins only read 15 pages of The Silence of the Lambs script. ‘Best part I’ve ever read’

In his memoir, 'We Did Ok, Kid', Anthony Hopkins discusses his difficult childhood, film and theatre career, struggles with addiction, and path to sobriety.

On Camera

Budget 2026: Push for India’s bond market needs the foundations fixed first

Corporate bonds are priced as a spread over the risk-free rate. In India, the reference risk-free rate is unreliable as large institutions are mandated to buy and hold government bonds.

Union Budget: Cancer drugs & solar panels set to get cheaper; seafood exporters to benefit

Rather than broad-based consumer price changes, the Budget reflects targeted industrial and financial market signalling—a snapshot by ThePrint.

10X Budget beef-up for Intelligence Bureau capex, after Pahalgam & Red Fort terror attacks

After lapses exposed by terror attacks at Pahalgam and Delhi's Red Fort, Centre has hiked Intelligence Bureau's expenditure for investments in long-term assets from Rs 257 cr to Rs 2,549 cr. 

Swiss report should now close Op Sindoor debate. Knowing when to stop the fight is key too

The key to fighting a war successfully, or even launching it, is a clear objective. That’s an entirely political call. It isn’t emotional or purely military.