Rama and Sita entered a wonderful maze of lit streets, and when Bharatha caught sight of them as he ran down the steps of the palace, the whole city was chiming with celebration with this festival of lights. A fascinating excerpt from Vayu Naidu's book, The Living Legend.
'I get enormous pleasure from seeing the uplift of an underprivileged or poor person.' 'I feel elated when I walk on the street and see someone who pushes a handcart talking on a cell phone.' A revealing glimpse from Peter Casey's The Story of Tata: 1968 to 2021.
Delicious recipes from the palaces of Nepal.
A fascinating excerpt from Shantanu Gupta's book, Teachings from the Ramayana on Family & Life.
China will always try to set the agenda for negotiations and tries through such means to determine the direction of talks, and to avoid discussing subjects that may paint it into a corner or compel the Chinese negotiator to disclose their position prematurely.
'It is notable how humble he was and didn't want anything different just because he was a Tata.'
Nilanjana S Roy compiles a list of the most eagerly awaited books next year.
Keen to settle the India-Pakistan dispute 'once and for all,' HD Deve Gowda spoke to his then counterpart Nawaz Sharif over the phone and the two hit it off quite well but his government fell before they could meet, says a recent biography of the former Indian prime minister.
'It is in the form of the nava shaktis that Durga or Adi Shakti lives inside everyone.'
'Sridevi was known as this elusive movie star, but there was a ticking brain there that I don't think she got enough credit for.'
Jawaharlal Nehru was a man of the people and of many gifts and achievements, says veteran author Ruskin Bond in his new book, and describes Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a man of humble beginnings, whose political acumen and yogic willpower have brought him to the top.
'It is the regional parties and their leaders who are the ones we have to watch.'
Mithali Raj will come out with her autobiography next year which will provide a candid and revealing look into her personal and sporting life.
Those who continue to think that the 2024 election will see the BJP pursuing a more militant line are being alarmist, argues Rajeev Mantri. The BJP, Mantri believes, is not about to shoot itself in the foot. If anything, he says, the BJP may be more inclined to push a harder secularism.
A revealing excerpt from Rahul Shivshankar and Siddhartha Talya's book, Modi & India: 2024 and the Battle for Bharat.
Economist Gandhi: The Roots and the Relevance of the Political Economy of the Mahatma by retired entrepreneur Jerry Rao provides insights into a hidden facet of Gandhi's personality -- his thoughts on economics and capitalism -- and also highlights some of his views on religion, ethics, human nature, education and society.
Colouring books for adults are helping people loosen up and rediscover their childhood.
'You should ask your boyfriend that,' the stranger replied. 'We've never met in person. We've been talking for two years. Met on Words with Friends on Valentine's Day two years ago when you were travelling in Bali, shooting your Instagram videos.' A sobering excerpt about love and relationships from Shenaz Treasury's lively new book, All He Left Me Was a Recipe: Lessons From My Break-Ups.
The actress remembers the everyday fare at her childhood home in Bengaluru.
As Ravichandran Ashwin achieved the milestone 100th Test in Mohali, everyone had their lists of his best bowling feats. But Ashwin's finest cricketing moment was probably when he and Hanuma Vihari battled inhuman injury to draw the Sydney Test against Australia after India were bowled out for 36 in the first Test at Adelaide.
There is no other vegetable that can be eaten in any shape, or at any consistency than the potato, says Vir Sanghvi.
'Despite our being a part of a welfare state, benefits are not trickling down to the intended beneficiaries at the desired levels. People's aspirations about leading a dignified life are often met with challenges. One of them, primarily, being poverty'
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley on Friday said Emergency is no longer possible in the country as media censorship is not possible in the digital era and amendment to the Constitution has ensured that people cannot be detained without a cause.
The reason why Jamsetji Tata built the Taj Mahal Hotel was his love for Mumbai and India. For him, the 'why' was so powerful that it urged him to stake his reputation, withstand all scepticism, and invest a very large sum of resources to create the iconic hotel.
Three takeaways for individuals living in a global society today, where misinformation and disinformation are rife.
Two wonderful recipes from Pratibha Karan's The Book Of Dals.
It took India and the Indian Army to show to the world that enough is enough and to challenge the neighbourhood bully, he said.
Within six months, outlets carrying Vicks jumped from 60,000 pharmacies to 750,000 general stores. The trade boycott collapsed. Consumers were happy, finding Vicks now at every street corner. A fascinating excerpt from Gurcharan Das's Another Sort of Freedom.
Why eat simple when you can try something royal?
'India is a multifaceted place that resides in one country.' 'I always say that there are 1.3 billion Indias and everyone takes their own form and shape of the country.' A fascinating glimpse from Barkat: The Inspiration And Story Behind One Of The World's Largest Food Drives, Feed India.
'They say our mothers lay the early foundation on which we build our dreams and lives. This holds true for me.' Kotak Mahindra Bank CEO Uday Kotak tells us about his mom's wonderful cooking.
Stacey Bendet's Alice + Olivia presentation at the New York Fashion Week was inspired by Salman Rushdie's The Enchantress of Florence.
Two varieties of indulgent desserts just for you.
His mother was so furious with him that she made him eat karela for lunch and dinner for an entire week.
It had meant nothing but moments of intimacy, sweet but transient moments. An intriguing excerpt from Manju Kapur's new novel The Gallery.
Rahul Gandhi could be where Modi has not been. Modi aspired to be with the pantheon of gods on the walls, while Rahul could sit with the family because there is a family member in the picture.
Today, he lies in an unknown grave in a corner of a farmer's field in Pakistan, having given his all for his country. A riveting excerpt from Ian Cardozo's Beyond Fear: True Stories on Life in the Indian Armed Forces.
One easy dessert and one complicated dessert. Take your pick!
"A true nationalist must have a "sense of shame" for the crimes his government commits and accept that his country is not perfect," said the eminent historian.
A must-read excerpt from former RBI governor and former Rajya Sabha member Bimal Jalan's India: Priorities For The Future.
There they were, showing the world that there are still people motivated not by religious structures, not by past glories, not by hatreds deliberately stoked. These were ordinary folks doing something extraordinary purely because they think that effort might shake a nation out of a spiralling miasma of division, mistrust, cynicism, sophistry and violence.
