History & Myth/Iraq

The birth of Baghdad was a landmark for world civilisation

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The Baghdad city was founded in the month of July, 762 CE. Where Iraq stands today is historically known as ‘the cradle of civilisation’. This land, also called Mesopotamia — the fertile land around the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, saw the rise and fall of great ancient empires like the Sumerian, Babylonia, Assyria, and the Akkadian empire. As Baghdad was built on the trade route which linked central Asia with eastern lands, it became a trade hub with markets offering goods not only from all parts of the Muslim world but from Europe and far off countries like India and China.

Art & Culture/India

Shops Without Shopkeepers in Mizoram

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Hidden from the world’s eye in between Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, and Myanmar, the North Eastern region of India seems detached from the rest of the nation — even on the map. Inside the deep jungles of Mizoram, just two to three hours from the state capital Aizawl, the local Mizo community practices a unique tradition: nghah loh dawr or shops without shopkeepers. The people of Mizoram are true role-models for us to be inspired from. We should all aspire to reach their collective sense of honesty and integrity.

History & Myth/Iraq/Travel & Leisure

Erbil Citadel

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Settled more than 6,000 years ago, Erbil Citadel is thought to be one of the longest continuously inhabited sites in the world. The Citadel, which rises some 30 meters above the plain, is surrounded by a lower town that developed in the modern city of Erbil. The Erbil Citadel, locally called Qelat, is a tell or occupied mound, and the historical city centre of Erbil. Over the millennia, the Erbil Citadel has taken shape, each generation building new structures on top of those of the previous generation.

Finance & Business

COVID-19: A Knightian Uncertainty

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Frank Knight, an economist, formalised a distinction between risk and uncertainty in his 1921 book, Risk, Uncertainty, and Profit. In his classic book, Knight introduced a distinction between measurable uncertainty, which he called “risk,” and “true uncertainty,” which cannot “by any method be reduced to an objective, quantitatively determined probability.”

Perspective & Perception

Impact of COVID-19: Reverse Migration in India

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Post COVID-19 lockdowns in India, thousands of daily wage labourers belonging to the unorganised sector have been leaving big cities in droves. They have no other alternative but to return to their villages though their future there is also bleak. Having no public means of transport, many have left on foot to remote places like UP, Bihar, and West Bengal from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, etc. Some have taken rickshaws to reach their destinations.

History & Myth/India/Travel & Leisure

A sleepy town with a vibrant history

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Budaun is a historical city with its history lost in its dusty avenues and sleepy streets. It seems nothing more than a secluded small town. But moving around the city, you can come across numerous historical ruins and monuments that reveal many legends from its past. Situated on the banks of the river Ganga, Budaun is indeed a hidden gem of Uttar Pradesh. Budaun was the capital of Delhi Sultanate for four years from 1210 CE to 1214 CE during Sultan Iltutmish rule (reign: 1210-1236 CE).