I was fascinated with the representations of winged genii carved on the walls of the palaces of Assyrian Kings. I saw them at the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad during my last visit along with Lamassu. The genie is a powerfully built man, with wings sprouting from his back. Winged genii are not to…
It's the election time in India. The voting will begin in phases in a week's time. The politicians are counting votes based on caste, religion lines. This makes me think are we really racists? This is the sad truth that we are guilty of racism: not always but distressingly often. It’s shameful. Yet, we are…
I was to transit via Doha this time like I had done before. I travelled by the same flight connection before also. I like Qatar Airways because of its short 90-minute stopover at the Hamad International Airport (HIA). This time it was different. When I arrived Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, I was informed that…
Truffles have gained widespread attention in the culinary world lately, becoming a favourite among chefs and food-lovers alike. Not to be confused with the chocolate confectionery of the same name, truffles are a type of fungus that grows near the roots of certain trees. Truffles were a mystery to the ancient world of the Greeks…
My friend Akum came to me on December 5 with the news of Delhi Comic Con 2018 being held in New Delhi from December 7 to 9. The first thing that came to my mind when I heard Comic Con would be Cartoon characters, cosplays etc. I was filled with joy and excitement since I have never…
The Kumbh Mela — the largest congregation in the world — sees world gathering of saints, pilgrims, devotees to take holy dips in the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati. Bathing in these rivers is thought to cleanse and purify ones’ soul of all sins. Recognized by UNESCO as India’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’, Kumbh Mela never ceases to amaze and its amazement is always felt in the grandeur of it being the largest religious-cultural festival in the world.
Ritual formed structure and hierarchy and helped define their place in the world. Ritual gives shape to emotions and helps humans come to terms with the major events of life. As modern religions emerged, ancient rituals were absorbed into new forms. A religious ritual is a standardised, repetitive sequence of activities. It involves the manipulation of religious symbols such as prayers, offerings, and readings of sacred literature.
A few days ago, I read an interesting news that archaeologists have made a first of its kind discovery of a rare couple’s grave — the skeletal remains of a young man and woman, interred with his face turned towards her — has been excavated at the Harappan settlement at Rakhigarhi in Haryana, about 150km…
While transiting through Hamad International Airport (HIA) this time, I saw a new huge sculpture. I was drawn at it by its huge size and a bit of comical artwork. It's named "Small Lie.” Airport artwork doesn't get much bigger than at Doha's Airport, which now boasts another giant sculpture to sit alongside the iconic 23-foot canary yellow teddy bear — “Lamp Bear” by Urs Fischer.
Experts have figured out why flies have a knack for appearing when a can of beer or bottle of wine is enjoyed outside.
