The Culture Kitaab

  In a historic move, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York City recen tly made headlines by returning 15 ancient Indian artefacts, valued at Rs 9.87 crore, to their rightful home: India. This decision sheds light on the long-standing issue of stolen relics from India, which were plundered during the colonial era and found their way into Western museums. While international museums are obligated to trace the lineage and provenance of their acquisitions, the presence of legal loopholes has allowed museum authorities to exploit these gaps for personal gain.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art Source: The MET Valued at over $1 million, the repatriated artefacts included West Bengal's Yakshi Terracotta and Madhya Pradesh's sandstone Celestial Dancer (Apsara). Additionally, a ceramic pot from Chandraketugarh dating back to the 1st century B.C.E . and a stone bust of Kamadeva, the God of Love , from the second half of the 8th century C.E., were also among the items on th...

As the mercury rises, it is only suitable to return to our favourite childhood drinks to cope with the summer heat. India boasts an impressive number of summer elixirs. Be it sherbet, aam panna, or doodh soda, everyone had a drink of choice during childhood, demanding a glass when they returned from school. As for me, I could not live without shikanji ! The icy-cold lemon drink flavoured with spices such as roasted cumin, amchur (dried mango), and black salt is the perfect summer brew and a cultural gem in northern India where it is served chilled and garnished with mint leaves. The name shikanji derives from the word shikanja (a trap), a small wooden contraption used to squeeze lemons. Originally called sherbet-e-shikanjavin , the drink acted as an oral rehydration therapy against the scorching South Asian summers. Though there are many localized versions of the drink, the most common recipe involves squeezing lemon juice in cold water and adding sugar or salt along with cumin po...

Summers in India have historically been, well, hot. So much so that during the days of the British Raj, the “hot weather" season presented an annual excuse for India’s princely elite to seek a leave of absence from the privileged drudgery that was life in their capitals ! While the northern parts face scorching heat with the sun blazing down from the clear blue sky, the coastal regions face unrelenting humidity. At the same time, the western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan face intense heat. The nation's northeastern states and the hill stations of northern India provide a delightful respite in these conditions.  Over the years, the people in India have adopted various strategies to cope with the heat. The traditional methods such as using jharokhas , baolis , matkis , and ayurvedic practices are deeply rooted in Indian culture and ancient wisdom. One such tradition that has continued to thrive (and even taken on new forms) is the use of breathable cotton fabric.  A Journe...

Manipur is burning! What started off as a dissent against the honourable Manipur High Court’s order to seek a recommendation on granting the Meiteis the status of Scheduled Tribe (ST) under India’s affirmative action policy is now spreading flares across the state. However, the current uprising has linkages that can be traced back to the already existing tensions between the two communities.  Representational Collage Source: (L-R) PTI, Economic Times, Arul Horizon via Indian Express, Business Standard The state of Manipur, situated in India’s North East Region (NER) and sharing international boundaries with Myanmar has been experiencing unprecedented violent exchanges between its two ethnic communities i.e., Meiteis and Kukis for the past two months. These sporadic yet vicious clashes have claimed more than 100 lives so far . Given the increasing acts of ethnic violence , people are resorting to relief camps or fleeing away to safer places either within or outside the state. A...

Nestled in the heart of South Asia, India is a land of diverse topology, from the towering Himalayas in the north to the tropical coastline in the south, the presence of which elicits a wide range of weather patterns. The country's ancient architecture has evolved over the ages to fight the burning heat, which remains a recurring challenge. The story begins with the Harappan civilization (2600-1900 BCE), which has one of the first examples of urban planning and construction. The well-designed structures of Mohenjo-Daro included houses built with thick mud walls that provided excellent thermal insulation, keeping the insides cool throughout the scorching summers. Mud plaster used for the construction of a wall in Mohenjo-Daro, 2500-2000 B.C.   Source: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Digital Photo Archive   In the medieval period, the construction of step wells and baolis (traditional Indian water tanks) played a crucial role in ventilating the surroundings. The water bo...