June 1, 2023

The Udayagiri Ganesha: Why Historians Consider It Among the Earliest Ganesha Images

In the rock-cut shrines of the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh sits a sculpture often described as the earliest datable image of Ganesha in

Culture, History, Mythology, Places, Religions

The Lalitgiri Relic Discovery: What were These 2000-Year-Old Caskets Protecting?

A casket within a casket… within another. Buried beneath centuries of earth at Lalitgiri, archaeologists uncovered a remarkable series of nested caskets in 1985.

Culture, History, Places

Lakshmi Vilas Palace

He pioneered the Indo-Saracenic style or architecture and built grand landmarks across India. And yet, he did not trust his own designs and never

Culture, History, Places, Religions

What Do Japan’s Torii, China’s Paifang & Korea’s Hongsalmun Have in Common?

What’s common to the Torii of Japan, China’s Paifang and Korea’s Honsalmun? All these ceremonial gates have a shared inspiration – the toranas of

History, People, Places

The Prison That Secured Aurangzeb’s Throne | Gwalior Fort

Beneath the palaces of Gwalior Fort lies one of the most dreaded prisons of medieval India. Here, princes vanished and rivals were erased from

Culture, History, Mythology, Places, Religions

Why the Original Sanchi Stupa Had No Images of Buddha | Sanchi

Did you know the first human images of the Buddha appeared nearly 500 years after his death? Before that, artists used symbols to represent

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Culture, History

The Sengol, the Sceptre and Shifting Symbolism

The Sengol may or may not have a place in contemporary India, but historically it was considered as a symbol of righteousness and justice, to be wielded only by a worthy leader. Interestingly, the British Crown Jewels also include a sceptre – not untainted by controversy. Read on for the story of the Indian Sengol and the British sceptre.