Tag: Indian culture

This mysterious iron pillar in India has been exposed to the elements for over 1,600 years. So why hasn’t it ever rusted?

Can an iron structure stand tall for 1,600 years without rusting, despite being exposed to the elements? By Poonam Binayak, CNN It seems implausible, considering the supposed lack of technology at the time of its construction. Yet, inside New Delhi’s UNESCO-listed Qutb Minar complex – a collection of historic monuments and buildings built in the early 13th century… Read More This mysterious iron pillar in India has been exposed to the elements for over 1,600 years. So why hasn’t it ever rusted?

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Rajput Anger in Western UP Puts BJP in Firefighting Mode Days Before Polling

A sudden wave of protest meetings held in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Meerut by leaders of the dominant, landed community has forced the BJP to address their question and try to gloss over the divisions in its electoral caste rainbow by ramping up the Hindutva card and sentiments of nationalism. Omar Rashid With just a week… Read More Rajput Anger in Western UP Puts BJP in Firefighting Mode Days Before Polling

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The Hindu caretaker and his mosque: symbol of harmony amid India’s religious discord

Bechan Baba has dedicated his life to Varanasi’s Anarwali mosque, where Hindus and Muslims come to pray – despite the historical disputes raging outside Jyoti Thakur and Hanan Zaffar in Varanasi In the heart of Varanasi, where the sacred Ganges meanders by and incense smoke mingles with the faint echoes of prayers from a myriad… Read More The Hindu caretaker and his mosque: symbol of harmony amid India’s religious discord

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A Brief History of the Sampradayikta Virodhi Andolan; Movement Against Communalism (1984-1993)

First posted July 17, 2013 A Brief History of the Sampradayikta Virodhi Andolan (1984-1993) NB – This history has been prepared by some activist participants, and may be liable to correction, revision and improvement over time. It is presented here after having been placed on Facebook about a year ago as a Note on my… Read More A Brief History of the Sampradayikta Virodhi Andolan; Movement Against Communalism (1984-1993)

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Modi’s Strange India of Celebrations and Superstition

In this weird India, bizarre scenes are witnessed daily. Words of wisdom come from a villager in Haryana. He says what a scholar could have said: “Modi ji, Hinduism continued to survive centuries of foreign rule because religion was not associated with the ruler. If it were associated with a Prime Minister or President or King,… Read More Modi’s Strange India of Celebrations and Superstition

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मध्यमार्ग का अवसान: दिलीप सिमियन (EPW, November 2014)

मध्यमार्ग का अवसान : दिलीप सिमियन  (Translated by Suman Keshari)The Broken Middle  1984 की हिंसात्मक घटनाओं को मुख्य रूप से सहमति की राजनीति और साझा भारतीय राष्ट्रवाद के आदर्श के विघटन के रूप में देखा जाना चाहिए। जब साम्प्रदायिक शत्रुताएँ समाज में व्यापक रूप से फैलती हैं, तो वे (प्रत्यक्षतः अथवा अवचेतन ढंग से) सामाजिक चेतना को छिजाते… Read More मध्यमार्ग का अवसान: दिलीप सिमियन (EPW, November 2014)

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No Notice Served: 600-Year-Old Mosque Razed in South Delhi’s Mehrauli Locality

Mosque’s Imam said the demolition operation was surreptitiously carried out before sunrise on Tuesday. Pieces of debris were meticulously removed to conceal the demolition from the public eye, he said. This shocking event unfolded amidst a broader demolition drive by the DDA and the Forest Department in the Sanjay Van area. Temples, dargahs, and graveyards… Read More No Notice Served: 600-Year-Old Mosque Razed in South Delhi’s Mehrauli Locality

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