Popularity: 11% [?]

The Rashtrakutas left behind a creative legacy that celebrated rich and varied rock-cut cave art. Theirs was a reign which encouraged the structural and visual flowering of artistic achievement.

The post–Gupta epoch is marked by the rise of different regional powers among whom the Rashtrakutas in the Deccan, the Pratiharas in the North and the Palas in the East were dominant. The Rashtrakutas had humble origin; they claimed descent from Yadu, one of the sons of Yayati, and the founder of the eponymous clan of the Yadavas. According to some scholars their origins lie in the Rathikas, mentioned in Ashokan inscriptions, who were officers of the Empire. However, the first known historical personage of the Rashtrakuta family was Mananka who hailed from Manapura (present Mana, Dt. Satara, Maharashtra). Their early history is obscure, and it is only from Dantidurga (752 – 97A.D.) that we trace the beginning of their history till their end around 1000 A.D. Dantidurga’s name occurs in an inscription on the nandimandapa of Cave 15 (Dashavatara) at Ellora. He defeated Kirtivarman II, the Chalukyan king and became a sovereign ruler.

Popularity: 13% [?]

“People like to talk of me as the king or prince of Sarod, but actually I’m the slave of the Sarod,” maestro Amjad Ali Khan is reported to have commented. “I am devoted to it and I always want to try and find out what it wants to say.” Here he reflects on his beloved instrument and its rich tradition, tracing, in the process, the story of his own illustrious family and its contribution.

‘Sarod’ is a Persian word; in fact, the actual pronunciation is ‘Sarood’, which means music or melody. This instrument was modified (or invented) in India and its evolution goes back more than three to four hundred years.

Popularity: 13% [?]

The Ranki Vav step well in Patan aesthetically represents the expression of a Queen’s response to the passing of her loved one and in doing so, reflects the larger interplay of the spiritual and temporal.

In the region of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the climate has traditionally been dry. Scarce rainfall, seasonal rivers and a low water table, has made water a significant life force. This is why, during the course of time, the simple village well, pond or reservoir developed into an inventive architectural form – the step well. One quadrant of a circular well was opened up and flights of steps were introduced from the surface of the ground right down to the water below. Sometimes, a pond was provided for between the stairs and the well at the end. To solve the engineering problems in excavating and building an underground structure in the sandy soil, pavilions were inserted at regular intervals in the stepped corridor. Long descending staircases, pavilions, reservoirs, draw wells – all these resulted in a unique structural form.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Durga Puja is synonymous with West Bengal. It is the yearly occasion when the many faceted Devi is worshipped and people celebrate the power of the Great Mother.

The banks of the River Hugli resound with the enthusiastic chants of ‘Bolo Durga Maiki Jai’ (Glory be to Mother Durga) as devotees carry the idol of the Goddess on their shoulders, in a procession for immersion. Only after an entire year will Devi Durga ‘return’ to her home, to spend five days among her devotees. These five days will be celebrated as Durga Puja, the grand festival of West Bengal and the most important event in the calendar of all Bengalis.

Popularity: 12% [?]

They are the majestic embodiments of pure animal power, sharing a genetic connection with their African cousins. The Asiatic lions thrive in their thousand and a half or so sq. kms of territory, rulers of a shared kingdom.

The distinctive calmness of a moonless night in Sasan Gir National Park in the Junagadh district of Gujarat is sometimes broken by the primeval call of an Asiatic lion which never fails to chill even the bravest of hearts. This fierce and reverberating roar is spellbinding in its majesty, reflecting the spirit of the king himself. Unfortunately, this is the only place left on the planet where you can actually hear the Panthera leo persica. There was a time, when this graceful creature once roamed the lands of Yemen, Macedonia in Greece, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, sometimes even living on the borders of Bangladesh. Of course, now it is confined to a mere 1412 sq.kms.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Surya Namaskar or salutations to the Sun, is essentially worship of the Sun God. The Sun is the source of all energy and a prayer to him everyday, early in the morning is believed to bestow one with unlimited energy. We find mention of this practice in ancient Indian texts like the Rigveda, in the Chapter “Trucha – Kalpa – Namaskarah – Rugvediya Nityavidhi”, as also in the Puranas. Nityavidhi means tasks to be performed daily. The Surya Namaskar accompanied by Aumkar (Articulating the ‘Aum’) is an all round exercise which is believed to keep the body and mind in a state of well being.

Modern Sports and Medical Sciences relating to Health and Sports analyse benefits of exercises by calculating Strength, Endurance, Core stability, Elasticity, Flexibility of the body and Power of the mind. The Surya Namaskar exercises done with Aumkar are supposed to meet these Norms.

Popularity: 17% [?]

For centuries, the Indian Himalayas, a mighty mountain chain that dramatically stretches across from the northwest to the northeast of the Indian sub-continent, has struck awe and admiration in the hearts of people all over the world. Indian pilgrims who travelled here in ancient times coined the name “Himalaya”, which is a Sanskrit word meaning “the Abode of Snow”. This seemingly endless chain runs along the northern frontiers of the country and Indian States – Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh — from west to east. For the mountain people living in these states, the Himalayas continue to be the predominant force in their lives. Having acted as a natural and political barrier for centuries, the Himalayas have isolated a number of communities, cultures and customs, showcasing Nature in all her resplendence.

Our rediscovery of this magnificent chain begins in the west…

Popularity: 11% [?]

For sheer exuberance of spirit, devotion to her Lord, mastery over language as well as mythology and her ability to speak to us across the centuries, there are few poets who match Andal, the poet-saint in the Vaishnava tradition of South India. Today we cannot identify completely with all her materialistic allusions. There is, however, no disputing the emotions Andal evokes in us of wanting to partake and enjoy the benefits of living in peace together and in praying to one who brings ‘disparate hearts together’ – a very pertinent prayer in our raucous times.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Worn by everyone, from the Maharaja of Kolhapur to rural folk, these chappals have a story that dates back four hundred years. Comfortable, hardy and aesthetically designed, they express the very essence of a traditional craft.

A long time ago, when footwear wasn’t fussy and design was a response to utility, the now well-known Kolhapuri chappals made their appearance. Evolving from the basic features of a simple wooden base and toe (similar to that worn by sadhus), they went on to become footwear with a hard leather sole that would bend a bit with use, helping the farmer to walk in muddy areas with the two braided straps at the big and small toes holding the chappal in place. Those for kings had a softer sole and a lot of decorative work on them.

Popularity: 16% [?]