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What a 4,500-Year-Old Skeleton Reveals About Indian Ancestry

At Rakhigarhi in Haryana, archaeologists uncovered the 4500-year-old skeleton of a middle-aged woman from the Harappan period. Scientists recovered ancient DNA from her remains;

Culture, History, People, Places, Religions

The Story of the Heliodorus Pillar at Vidisha

An ancient pillar that has been worshipped for centuries. And a Greek ambassador who declared himself a devotee of Vasudeva. Around the 2nd century

Culture, History, Mythology, Places, Religions

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

Culture, History, People, Religions

The Story of Karaikal Ammaiyar

The 63 Nayanmars – poet-saints devoted to Shiva – were among the earliest ambassadors of the Bhakti movement. Karaikal Ammaiyar was one of the three women who were part of the group. Once a great beauty, she is usually depicted as a ‘ghoul’, apparently a form she begged to be blessed with! This is her story.

History, People, Places

Begum Samru: The Story of India’s Only Christian Queen

Begum Samru was the first (and last) Catholic queen in India. Despite being an orphan and later a widow, she defied all odds as she became the ruler of Sardhana in Uttar Pradesh during a tumultuous time in the country. With her political acumen and military prowess, she emerged victorious in several significant battles. Read on to explore her remarkable story.

History, People, Places

Rani Abbakka: A Reign of Steel and Spice

Centuries before the anti-colonial resistance in India, Rani Abbakka Chowta fought valiantly against Portuguese colonisation. As the queen of Ullal, she resisted the Portuguese navy's oppressive tactics, forged alliances, led a guerrilla army, and even eliminated their admiral. The tales of Abbakka's bravery live on in folklore and performing arts. Read on to know more about one of India's first female freedom fighters.

History, People, Places

The Cholas as Hydraulic Engineers

The Cholas were known to be passionate patrons of art and culture - and a number of grand temples in Tamil Nadu stand testament to that. But did you know that they also invested heavily in water resource projects? Some of those waterbodies still exist today.

History, People, Places

The Ice King, the Ice Doctor, and the Ice War: The Story of Frederic Tudor

Thanks to a maverick American, Chennai was importing ice from the US even before refrigeration was invented! This is the cool story of the 'Ice King' – Frederic Tudor.

Culture, History, People

The Other Great Rajas of the Chola Dynasty

The Cholas were one of the longest reigning dynasties in Indian history. And while Rajaraja is probably the most well known, he was only one among the many great Chola kings. How well do you know the other Chola emperors and their feats? Read on to find out.

Culture, History, People

Women of the Imperial Chola Era

The women in Kalki Krishnamurthy’s magnum opus, Ponniyin Selvan, are feisty, independent and influential. But what about the real-life figures that inspired these fictional characters? What kind of lives did they lead and what was their role in the shaping of Chola history? Read on to know more.

History, People

The Great Wall of Thorns

Tax on salt was the third largest source of revenue for the British Raj. But with the alarming numbers of salt smugglers on the prowl, the British had to find a way to protect their revenue. So what did they do? They built a giant wall of thorns that went all the way from Punjab to Odisha! Read on to know more.

Culture, History, People

The Last Great Queen of Travancore

It was because of the system of matrilineal succession in Kerala that Sethu Lakshmi Bayi became the queen, even though she wasn’t born into the ruling dynasty. But as fate would have it, she was the one who paved the way for the end of the practice. This is the fascinating story of one of the most dynamic rulers of the Travancore kingdom.

History, People, Places

Chettur Sankaran Nair: The Forgotten Voice of Jallianwala Bagh

On the 13th of April, 1919, the British Army carried out a brutal assault on a large crowd of Indians who had gathered to peacefully protest against British atrocities at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. The massacre was one of the darkest episodes in the history of the Indian freedom struggle. C. Sankaran Nair, a nationalist and a celebrated lawyer, was one of the most vociferous voices against the act. This is his story.

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