Articles Archives - Storytrails

People, Places, Religions

Guru Tegh Bahadur -The Martyr

This is the tragic story of Guru Tegh Bahadur, a Sikh Guru who died at the hands of Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. Guru Tegh Bahadur died championing the cause of Kashmiri Pandits who were not even Sikhs, but Hindus!

Culture, People, Places

Why are South Indians called Madrassis?

Back in the 1970s, Chennai was called Madras. And in the Hindi-belt, everyone from South India was classified as Madrassi. It did not matter where they actually came from: Kanyakumari, Kakinada or Kozhikode. Bollywood took the stereotype to a whole new level and the idea of a Madrassi was here to stay.

History, People, Places

Humayun and Hamida: love in time of war

The love story of Mughal Emperor Humayun and Hamida Banu Begum, the mother of the future emperor Akbar is as intriguing as it was eventful. It was while he was living as a refugee in Sindh that they first met. But Humayun never hesitated in pursuing her and his steadfastness finally won her over.

History, People

Camels, Elephants, Village Goddesses and the end of an epidemic

India in 2022 is still dealing with the Corona epidemic as it enters the third year. But this isn’t the first epidemic the world is facing, and it is certainly not the deadliest. The 1950s smallpox epidemic was worse. India's massive vaccination campaigns kept us relatively safe, but there were challenges.

History, People

The woman who transcended infinity

Great men often had selfless partners resolutely supporting them in pursuit of their dreams. This is the story of one such woman, Janaki Ammal, wife of the celebrated mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan.

History, Places

Marking History through British buildings

India is dotted with many old British buildings - some grand and iconic and some odd and quirky. Each of these buildings that the British left behind tells us something about their colonial journey in India.

Culture, History, Places

Tales that pots tell: Keeladi excavations

In 2015, on the banks of the river Vaigai, near Madurai in Tamil Nadu, archaeologists unearthed several artefacts dating back to the 6th century BCE. They offered many clues to the archaeologists about that civilisation: it told them about the language and literacy levels, the social hierarchy, and the age of the civilisation. What are now known as the ‘Keeladi excavations’ point to the existence of a literate society in parts of South India nearly 2,500 years ago!

History, People, Places

The Taj Doppelgängers

The Taj Mahal, one of the Wonders of the World is considered the pinnacle of Mughal architecture. It has a beautiful facade that is immediately recognisable and it tells many poignant stories. But there are some lesser known monuments that bear a resemblance to the Taj, with equally intriguing stories behind them.

History, Places

Why does the dome of the Rashtrapati Bhavan look like the Sanchi Stupa?

The distinctive architecture of Rashtrapati Bhavan combines many elements of Mughal and Sultanate architecture. But it is the Sanchi Stupa, an icon of ancient India, that leaves the most visible stamp on Rashtrapati Bhavan.

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