The enduring legacy of trade routes lies in shared stories and religious diversity. Can the India-Middle East-Europe Economic corridor harness this legacy to empower nations, asks Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Wherever you look, heroism seems to be on the retreat. Is this a modern malaise or are heroes doomed to fall, asks Arundhuti Dasgupta.
But won against Ranbir Kapoor, recalls adman Sandeep Goyal.
Instead of its once haloed existence as the year of lofty goals and vision statements, it is now staring at an epitaph that may well read: The year when death ran amok and the gods went missing, notes Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'With doctors going up against a seemingly invincible enemy, often at immense risk to their lives, the myths reveal an interesting relationship between the men of medicine and the rest of humankind,' notes Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'Manthara wants Kaikeyi to make her son Bharat king of Ayodhya, instead of Rama.' 'She fuels hate and mistrust in her queen, much like what many modern-day viziers are doing, whipping up venom and frenzy among an entire nation,' notes Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Arundhuti Dasgupta maps a trail from the southernmost tip to its suburbs.
The fascination for the skies and what lies beyond has fathered an expansive stockpile of astronomical myths and legends and in India, also an elaborate astrological system, notes Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'Gods are deceitful too and villains can be upright upholders of the law.' 'Perhaps political leaders of all shades would benefit from these lessons instead of declaring themselves upholders of a dharma that means different things to different people,' points out Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'This year, it may be pertinent to look at some of the myths that invoke her warrior form, where she manifests herself as Shakti, the underlying strength in all humanity,' says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'She exists alongside Sita, the archetype of the ideal woman,' notes Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'Even among scientists and technology mavens -- typically communities that tend to view the world through the lens of logos or reason and not mythos, there is a shiny-eyed enthusiasm for the mythical world,' says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Fake news, much like the golden deer in the Ramayana, is leading the world into chaos, says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Arundhuti Dasgupta finds herself surrounded by Greek legends and fables in the mythical centre of the world.
'Fear of the Other stalks our lives as it did in ancient times and the mobs are just as easy to incite as it was then,' says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Arundhuti Dasgupta on the anxiety and logistical challenges of caring for elderly parents during lockdown, especially if they are ailing and live away from you.
Growing trees means much more than strewing seeds around; it takes an understanding of local climatic conditions, indigenous strains and partnership with local communities.
As politicians fast to score brownie points, they should know that not every fast has a desirable ending, says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
What drove Ravana, a good king, and Duryodhana, who could match Bhima on strength and valour to ruin?
In this lockdown, no matter how many similarities the memory dredges up from past events and associations, there is one thing that has no precedent: The isolation that it has imposed on people, reports Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Inclusion has never been a straight road and stories from ancient cultures show it has always been a struggle to accord equal status to all genders and species, says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'Through his conversation with Yama, Nachiketa helped society grapple with a bunch of knotty issues, just as many of the ongoing conflicts could do today,' says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'Clearly, no hero can become one without a loyal and unquestioning set of followers.' 'But how does one deal with them once their purpose is served?' asks Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Many scholars have suggested that the importance of the cow and her association with the pantheon grew with the growing influence of the cult of Krishna,' says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
According personhood to the Ganga and Yamuna is probably the best way to ensure the protection of natural resources, says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'There are several stories in the Mahabharata where kings drunk on their power are banished to hell.' 'The story of Krishna and Kamsa is a case in point and the Ramayana, at its very core, is a story about Rama's victory over an arrogant Ravana,' says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Fathers and sons have had a vexed relationship throughout myth, says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
'Politicians have long appropriated the hero turned god as their totem, but never before with the ferocious intensity of the present regime,' notes Arundhuti Dasgupta.
A year has passed since Shashi Kapoor passed into the ages. His movies live on on television, but Shashiji's greatest legacy must remain Mumbai's Prithvi Theatre, where people came to be entertained, informed and, perhaps, also enlightened.
Stories about the harrowing experiences of young artistes are common lore.
The company behind brands like Aquaguard focuses on technology to differentiate brand, rethinks communication strategy.
Not only is the number of native language users set to grow faster than English users over the next five years, these users are more likely to lead a more active digital life. Arundhuti Dasgupta & Urvi Malvania find out how brands are rethinking digital marketing plans to accommodate this.
Global studios and indie content shops tap into the growing fan base for movie and TV characters in India, report Arundhuti Dasgupta & Urvi Malvania.
A Molotov cocktail of lies, abuse and bigotry is blowing up social media.
Satvik food is de rigueur this time of the year in most Western and Northern Indian homes, say chefs and food historians Arundhuti Dasgupta and Shally Seth Mohile.
'Degrees get you into the room, it is the attitude that counts,' says adman Madhukar Kamath.
It is actually quite remarkable that EPW has survived for so long. "I see it as a journal of dissent," says Rammanohar Reddy and is thankful to the EPW community for keeping it relevant.
If the classical language is to live in India, its teachers and fans must separate their love for the language from that for the country or their religion, feels Arundhuti Dasgupta
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