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Old horses trot off to sanctuary's comfort
New Delhi, March 31 Beautiful stallions and sturdy mares that once worked for Delhi Police but are now injured or too old, find a perfect retirement home at a sprawling sanctuary on the outskirts of the national capital.
Man gets new life after first-of-kind surgery
Mumbai, March 31 A 39-year-old Mumbaikar secured a new lease of life, thanks to the repair of a severe aortic valve leakage in his heart by a team of medicos here.
These women perform last rites
Allahabad, March 30 They are called 'maharajin buas'. Hindu women from several families have defied tradition in Maniaya village of Uttar Pradesh to take up the profession of priests who perform the last rites. The women priests of Maniaya village in Allahabad can be seen lighting pyres and performing other Vedic rites along the banks of the river Ganga.
Mammoth tree fossil to grace Himachal
Kasauli, March 29 A 25 million-year-old rock fossil of a palm tree will be one of the star attractions at a new fossil park coming up near this picturesque Himachal Pradesh town.
Carting children to school, the eco friendly way
Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh), March 26 It could well be a case of back to the future. Bullock carts might be outmoded and belong to an era gone by, but it is the preferred mode of transport for a school here that is trying to cut down on vehicular emissions for a pollution-free tomorrow.
Driving from London to Delhi, for animals
New Delhi, March 25 It's going to be quite a drive from London to Delhi. IT consultant Tushar Agarwal and his wife Pooja are set to embark on a 13,500-km road trip next month for the thrill of travel and raising funds for animals.
Gond art mirrors tribal folklore
New Delhi, March 25 Art in the tribal Gond villages of Madhya Pradesh follows its folklore and speaks of mundane concerns mores, fears, religion and micro-economics that helps the community stay rooted to the soil.
A temple where upper castes bow to Dalits
Lucknow, March 25 Stories of socially marginalised people not being allowed into places of worship are common in India. In such a scenario, a Dalit family presiding over an Uttar Pradesh temple for ages is nothing short of exemplary.
Muslim prisoners fast and pray during Navratri
Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh), March 24 They are Muslim prisoners but they have been fasting, singing hymns and performing 'yagnas' at a jail here, hoping their prayers will be heard during Navratri. Never mind if it is a Hindu festival.
With spring, migratory birds fly out of Kashmir
Srinagar, March 24 It's spring in Jammu and Kashmir and time for around a million migratory birds to bid adieu after spending nearly six months in the valley's wetlands. Led by the eldest in every flock, they are flying back to their summer homes.
Dastangoi performer looks for new tales
New Delhi, March 24 Dastangoi the ancient Islamic tradition of oral storytelling is looking for new tales to recount to keep itself afloat as an art, says India's leading performer Mahmood Farooqui.
Krishna jazz from faraway Congo
New Delhi, March 23 The tall dark African servitor from Congo spreads the gospel of Hindu god Krishna on the east coast of Africa with a saxophone, guitar and jazz.
Hindus, Muslims rebuild shrines and peace
Bareilly, March 23 If the recent riots made Bareilly cry for peace, the trouble-torn district in western Uttar Pradesh is now witnessing a rare show of communal harmony now -- Muslims taking up the construction of a damaged temple and Hindus joining hands to restore a mazar (mausoleum).
Like a maharaja chugging from Kolkata to Delhi
Kolkata, March 22 Now, travel through the heart of India in the lap of luxury. Equipped with LCD TVs, panoramic windows and internet connectivity, the new Maharajas' Express promises to make the journey from Kolkata to Delhi a royal experience.
Where gold and silver locks are key to prayers
Kanpur, March 22 Flowers, fruits and incense sticks are not quite what devotees bring to a temple in Kanpur. To appease the deity, they make an offering of locks made of gold, silver and other precious metals.
Guided by 'zakat', a village funds its road
Lucknow, March 20 Guided by 'zakat' charity as envisaged by the Quran villagers of Muslim-dominated Shirajpur in Uttar Pradesh have repaired roads, dug wells, established schools and are now building a bridge.
Army's tours open up incredible India to Kashmiris
Jammu, March 19 For 45-year-old Rashid Badana, a nomadic Gujjar in Jammu and Kashmir, a sea was something 'slightly bigger than the lakes in our state' until the Indian Army took him to a whole new world.
National Geographic launches photography contest
New Delhi, March 19 The National Geographic channel on Thursday launched the second edition of its photography awards that provide a platform for budding as well as professional photographers to showcase their flair of capturing the perfect moment.
Kerala's ancient glory revealed
Thiruvananthapuram, March 18 A multi-disciplinary project launched three years ago has yielded archaeological evidence of Kerala's ancient glory. The official establishment plans to exploit the find to boost tourism but has little interest in identifying its creators.
'Amar Chitra Katha' to come alive on TV
New Delhi, March 18 'Amar Chitra Katha' comics, which have entertained generations with interesting historical tales, epics and fables, is all set to come alive on television through Cartoon Network.
The chilli hand grenade is ready to explode!
Tezpur (Assam), March 18 It's ready to explode and not just in the mouth. The 'bhut jolokia' recognised as the hottest of spices will pack a punch when mixed with hand grenades to deal with terrorists, as trials by Indian defence scientists have shown.
Health train takes epilepsy treatment to villages
Sasaram/New Delhi, March 17 When the health train chugged to a halt at Sasaram station in Bihar, there was a doctor on board to treat a condition that villagers had given up hope of ever finding a cure for epilepsy, a neurological disorder that affects 10 million people in India.
Where a 200-member family is one village
Nepalipam (Assam), March 16 It's all in the family. Three generations of one family, numbering now around 200, live in a village in Assam populating its two schools and even buying provisions from the cooperative store run also by a relative.
Meet Jorge Ramirez, a Shah Rukh fan in the Andes
La Paz (Bolivia), March 15 Jorge Ramirez seemed like an amiable technician-turned cab owner who might be meeting an Indian for the first time in his life. 'From India?' he asked and before I could answer yes, he added, 'Shah Rukh Khan?' Before I could answer even that, he popped in a CD in his cab's player that belted out 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.'
Villagers turn radio jockeys!
Gurgaon, March 15 Sporting multi-function wireless head phones, their heads bobbing in tune to the beats in front of studio mikes and confident fingers tapping the keys on the console they are not the stylish urban radio jockeys but ordinary villagers playing on a community radio.
Teaching is my mission: India-trained Bangladeshi dancer
Dhaka, March 15 A scholarship from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and training at the Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata has made Bangladeshi classical dancer Arpita Shome resolve that she will pass on the art to others.
Indian paintings' exhibition opens in Kazakh city
Astana, March 13 'Kalpana', an exhibition comprising the works of 14 renowned Indian artists, has opened at a glittering ceremony in Shymkent, the capital of South Kazakhstan at the newly constructed and prestigious art gallery.
Painted auto-rickshaws to be auctioned
New Delhi, March 13 Auto-rickshaws painted by well-known artists will be auctioned at the upcoming Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) with the proceeds going to NGO Khushii that works for the upliftment of the poor and destitute in rural and urban areas.
From Trinidad to Indian village, a connection lost and found
Bassi (Uttar Pradesh), March 12 A village school in Faizabad district bears a cornerstone 'Built by Paltu Persad of Sorzano and Queen Street, Arima, Trinidad'. It is the story of an indentured labourer who travelled half way across the world for work and his grandchild who came back in search of her roots.
12,000 get set for Mizo bamboo dance
Aizawl, March 11 They plan to dance their way into the Guinness Book of World Records. Around 12,000 young men and women in Mizoram will move rhythmically between clicking bamboo stilts to set a record as the largest dance congregation in the world on Friday.
After MBA, she just loves being sarpanch
Jaipur, March 11 She has studied in top Indian institutes and even has a business management degree. But instead of choosing a corporate career, Chavvi Rajawat has become a village council head in Rajasthan and 'is loving it'.
Where Hindus and Muslims pray together
Gaddeajijpur, March 11 When Hindus visit a temple in Gaddeajijpur village of Uttar Pradesh, they also make it a point to pray at the adjacent mausoleum. It is no different for Muslims. For, the villagers believe their prayers will not be answered otherwise.
Exams, IPL bowl out Bollywood
New Delhi, March 10 March is usually a dry month for Bollywood thanks to the Class 10 and 12 board exams and so the industry has little to offer in terms of big budget outings. Adding fuel to fire will be Indian Premier League (IPL) matches on the big screen.
First generation woman entrepreneur of IPL merchandise
Chennai, March 9 She wanted to start a kennel for dogs in Gurgaon but changed her mind and is now selling merchandise of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), one of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket teams.
Will, grit, are key to achievement
New Delhi, March 8 They balanced homes and careers, often with great success. But breaking bastions and new grounds was not easy, say a cross-section of women who look back on their lives this International Women's Day. And what keeps them going? Determination, they chorus.
261 women paint their thoughts
New Delhi, March 8 Spirituality, women's bonding, landscapes, coloured abstractions, shapes and figures 261 artists from all over the world have put their thoughts on 300 canvases in one of the biggest women's art exhibitions at the Art Mall here.
Egyptian Sufi dance sets the capital alight
New Delhi, March 8 Nearly a dozen whirling dervishes of the mystic Sufi cult set the stage at the Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts (IGNCA) on fire with their high-energy religious folk dance and music in the capital on Saturday evening.
Fighting for women's property rights
Shimla, March 8 It's uphill task for social activist Rattan Manjari. The 57-year-old is leading a movement against patriarchal laws that bar women from inheriting property in Kinnaur as well as Lahaul and Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh.
Mumbai, Gandhi all on Dodiya's shutters
New Delhi, March 6 Leading contemporary artist Atul Dodiya uses the shutters of shops in Mumbai as the backdrop of his art works that combine snapshots of the city's changing urban landscape, references to history of classical painting, icons like Mahatma Gandhi, Hindu gods and even filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak to create complex surreal compositions.
Japanese takes Indian dances to the world
Bhubaneswar, March 5 She decided to learn Odissi as soon as she saw legendary dancer Kelucharan Mohapatra on video in Tokyo. Masako Ono came to India in 1996 and has not looked back since.
SPIC MACAY to help attract youth in CWG
New Delhi, March 5 A series of music concerts, photography exhibitions and short films the Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) is all set to attract youth participation in the mega 2010 Commonwealth Games here.
Theatre fest from South Asia on Women's Day
New Delhi, March 4 Be it strife-torn Afghanistan, Pakistan or Sri Lanka, women in South Asia are playing an increasingly important and powerful role fostering peace.
A gift for Sakti Burman fans
New Delhi, March 3 It is art for the masses with an exclusive tag. Veteran Paris-based contemporary artist Sakti Burman has touched base with young art lovers in the country with 24 limited edition signed copies of his works.
Now, Chandrayaan-I finds ice on Moon
Washington, March 2 Using data from a NASA radar that flew aboard India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, scientists have detected ice deposits totalling at least an estimated 600 million metric tonnes near the moon's north pole.
How does the body heal itself?
Washington, Feb 27 Unlocking the secrets of how the body heals itself, especially when organs become diseased, a new study shows that the presence of small particles known as microvesicles helps cellular communication and enables healing.
Photography turning point for Raghu Rai
New Delhi, Feb 27 Indian classical music legends, their moods and their legacies can unfold as intensely on camera as on stage especially if the man behind the lens is Raghu Rai. The ace photographer reveals he once 'wanted to become a musician'.
Coffee with an Idiot for NRI audience
Mumbai, Feb 26 It's not just the Indian milieu that identified with the concept of '3 Idiots' but the blockbuster also touched a chord with the Non Resident Indians (NRIs) abroad, says actor R Madhavan, who hosted 'Coffee with an Idiot' in the U.S.
Friendly fight it's Lathmar Holi
Barsana (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 25 Barsana, the birthplace of Lord Krishna's consort Radha, has kept its date with the famous Lathmar Holi, with thousands of pilgrims among them hordes of NRIs turning up to watch the spectacle that even saw a flower shower from the skies!
White is the colour on Holi!
New Delhi, Feb 25 Holi may be the festival of colours, but white is what rules the day, as far as clothes go. Shop owners say the demand for white garments even branded ones shoots up ahead of the festival.
Avoid chemical colours this Holi
Kolkata, Feb 25 Keep away from harmful chemical colours this Holi to protect your skin and eyes, doctors say. They suggest the use of natural vegetable colours instead.
For Holi and health, there's bhang!
New Delhi, Feb 24 Holi is around the corner and so are 'bhang thandai' and 'bhang pakoras'! But not everyone knows of the enormous health benefits of bhang known as cannabis sativa in medical language that is widely used in ayurvedic treatments.
Capturing soul in stained glass
New Delhi, Feb 24 'Captured Glass' a body of 50-odd art works in stained glass on display in the capital is about light and darkness which represent the two sides of life, symbolising the ying and the yang in eastern philosophies and the good (light) and evil (dark) in western philosophies. It is a family art project involving father, mother, daughter and son.
Discounts attracting young to shop online
New Delhi, Feb 24 Gen X Indians are getting used to shopping online for gifts and flowers. But clothes? Something that you touch and feel and then take into the trial room? Now huge discounts are tempting many to do all this virtually too.
Giving a voice to Orissa's exploited tribal women
Kandhamal (Orissa), Feb 24 Reena Rana, a tribal woman in her 20s, is waiting for her five-year-old son to be returned to her. Her husband married another woman a few years ago and Reena had to leave his house. She is voiceless, like many other tribal women in Orissa's Kandhamal district who are victims of domestic violence.
Jailbirds stage drama on robbers reform
Kolkata, Feb 23 Valmiki, legendary author of the epic Ramayana, was said to be a reformed robber, a subject on which poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote the dance drama 'Valmiki Pratibha'. Now it is being staged by convicts who have found in it their own route to reform.
58-yr-old starts Haj pilgrimage on cycle
Kathmandu, Feb 23 A 58-year-old Muslim preacher from southern Nepal has embarked on a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, two of the holiest Islamic shrines located in Saudi Arabia on a bicycle.
Snake charmers take to wedding bands without snakes
Sapera Basti (Delhi Border), Feb 22 Their flutes still hypnotise, their orange turban-dhoti-kurtas are still intact. But as the saperas, or snake charmers, belt out their tunes at parties and weddings, in the back of their minds the picture is a little incomplete. They are bereft of their snakes.
Winter brings on the dancing in Lahaul
Keylong (Himachal Pradesh), Feb 22 It is icy cold here. The temperature hovers around minus 15 degrees Celsius and the valley is covered in snow, cutting it off from the rest of India. Seems too grim and harsh, but not when one sees people dancing and feasting!
Raza's 'bindu' art inspired by punishment in school
New Delhi, Feb 22 Eminent artist Syed Haider Raza, who turned 88 on Monday and says he would love to come back home after 60 years in Paris, recalls how the 'bindu' or dot that is the focal point of almost all his works finds root in a punishment he was given during his school days in Madhya Pradesh.
Organic vegetables the new taste of Sekhawati
Nawalgarh (Rajasthan), Feb 20 The platter is turning pure in Sekhawati the historic land of Sekhawat Rajputs known for its palatial family homes or havelis of the country's business giants as tourism charts a new green course out of the ornate 18th century sandstone and marble mansions to the farmers' thatched huts.
Letters arrive for river goddess
Badaun, Feb 19 They are addressed to 'Ganga Maiya', the river goddess. And the letters come in scores every day to a small post office only a few metres away from the banks of the Ganga river in Kachhla town of Uttar Pradesh.
M.K Puri blends music, dance in his art
New Delhi, Feb 19 Mohinder K. Puri is a rare artist who turns Hindustani classical music and the medieval Indian dance form Kathak into textured surfaces and fluid human figures on the canvas.
Making an art of everyday signs
New Delhi, Feb 19 The humble arrow evolved from being a weapon of war to being part of everyday signage integral to life in the 21st century. It is in focus at a show here on typographic media, popular and graphic art named after the cult magazine Typographica.
His art drawing with fingernails!
Lucknow, Feb 18 A resident of Lucknow has mastered the unique art of drawing with his nails. Be it intricate designs, portraits or cartoons, R.S. Dobarial, 31, does it all with equal ease on paper.
Indian CEO spreads Vivekanandas message in Nepal
Kathmandu, Feb 18 During his lifetime he had wished to visit Nepal and Tibet twice but failed to do so. But now, in his 148th birth anniversary year, Swami Vivekananda, one of India's most progressive monks who preached the religion of service to mankind, will reach out to the Himalayan republic, thanks to the efforts of a diehard disciple.
Ancient art adapts to a modern market
New Delhi, Feb 17 Ethnic art from the tribal heartland of India is trying to strike a balance between modernism and tradition and experimenting with contemporary issues to adapt to a growing market and changing patron bases.
College girls spur literacy drive in villages
Lucknow, Feb 17 Over 1,500 girls from a private college here have been busy shaping up the careers of illiterate and unemployed villagers in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Biking through Rann of Kutch marshlands
New Delhi, Feb 17 How about navigating the stars while biking it through the vast marshlands of the Rann of Kutch in western India? Not even mosquitoes will dare give company in the harsh clay desert, mind you.
80-year-old, 4 wives, 30 kids, another on way
Mohkhuli (Assam), Feb 16 At 80, Hussain Ali, a small farmer in Assam, is still going strong but is a little worried as his third wife is expecting his 31st child, even as he is busy cradling a bubbly two-month-old baby boy in the courtyard, born to his fourth wife.
Want great discounts? Just log in
New Delhi, Feb 15 Your wait for special discounted meal offers or spa vouchers is over; now online portals are offering the best deals to suit your pockets.
Making art objects from discarded stuff
Bengaluru, Feb 15 Bengalureans on Saturday got a lesson in how to turn discarded stuff like CDs, glass, furniture, plastic and paper into art pieces and make the city litter-free.
Making money from money at Maha Kumbh
Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Feb 12 Sitting on empty, folded sacks, they neatly pile up coins in multiple rows and jingle them every time someone passes by. For the unaccustomed, it takes a while to realise they are out to make 'money from money'.
It's radio cabs for Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 12 Flagging a black and yellow taxi in the national capital has become a thing of the past. Now most commuters just call up a radio cab number for a haggle-free and more comfortable ride with decent drivers.
Youth meet maestros at music fest
New Delhi, Feb 12 Youth is the buzz at the 63rd Shriram Shankarlal Music Festival that begins here later Friday. While young musicians like Shakir Khan, Rakesh Chaurasia and Shounak Abhisheki will take to the stage, they will also be joined by stalwarts like Zakir Hussain and Ashwini Bhide Deshpande.
Exhibition promotes women weavers, heritage textiles
New Delhi, Feb 12 In an effort to promote women weavers and entrepreneurs and revival of Indian heritage textiles and embroidery, a two-day exhibition will be held in the capital.
Internet rescues long distance relations
New Delhi, Feb 11 Don't fret if you are away from your partner this Valentine's Day. With emotions being exchanged virtually and gifting just a click away, technology is helping bridge the gap in long distance relationships.
Jyoti Basu's life now in jatra
Kolkata, Feb 11 Less than a month after his death, India's communist legend Jyoti Basu's life has become the subject of jatra, West Bengal's popular folk theatre form.
Faces through Dilip Banerjee's lens
New Delhi, Feb 10 The man who documents lives, politics, faces and situations through his lens both in India and abroad is holding an exhibition here.
'Gandhi saw first film at 74'
Kathmandu, Feb 9 When did the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, watch his first film? Which movie was it and how did the vegetarian and boycotter of foreign goods like it? The answer to these questions come from across the border in Nepal.
Riding to Green Games on 'Soleckshaw'!
New Delhi, Feb 9 Here come the 'Soleckshaws'. Thousands of athletes and officials taking part in the Commonwealth Games here this year will get to travel in solar rickshaws a zero carbon vehicle.
India may have lost Siberian Cranes forever
Mumbai, Feb 9 For the tenth consecutive year, the majestic Siberian Cranes among the most endangered birds in the world have skipped India this winter, say experts.
Machines are preferred to manmade craft
Porbandar (Gujarat), Feb 8 Leaving his family's tradition of carving idols of Lord Jagannath, Manmohan Mahapatra turned to the sands at Orissa's beaches 30 years ago. Now known the world over for his magnificent sand creations, he says it's a struggle to promote the art in India where 'machines are preferred'.
Jackson statue from India to grace Neverland
Bangalore, Feb 6 Over seven months after his death, Michael Jackson is etched in the hearts of millions of fans and also in 12 feet of black granite that its maker plans to ship to the late king of pop's Neverland Ranch in California.
Here come nursery rhymes with Katrina
New Delhi, Feb 6 Children might love this. Here comes a bunch of English nursery rhymes from Saregama that not only offers audio-visual content but also features popular actress Katrina Kaif and some musical magic from Oscar-Grammy winner A.R. Rahman's school.
A monk who never reached India
Kuala Lumpur, Feb 5 A prince-turned-Buddhist monk from Japan set out on a pilgrimage to India over 1,000 years ago. It is a mystery how he ended up in Malaysia where his cemetery now lies.
This doormat could be Guinness record holder
Alappuzha (Kerala), Feb 5 Four workers of a Kerala factory spent four months using 470,000 coir tufts to churn out what they call 'the world's longest doormat' and they are hoping it will go straight into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Ramayana casts its ancient spell
Singapore, Feb 5 With numerous heroes and villains and its powerful feel-good message of good triumphing over evil, the Ramayana has been one of the great epic poems of Indian culture for centuries. Originally attributed to the Hindu Sanskrit poet Valmiki, who lived about 400 B.C., the story has been retold and adapted over time by poets, scholars and everyday storytellers.
Uniform motivates small town women
Panchkula (Haryana), Feb 3 They may be from small towns but that hasn't stopped them from dreaming big. They have made it to the first women's contingent of the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to be deployed soon at the international border and other sensitive locations.
A chronicle of Manhattan from Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 2 A continent and the Atlantic Ocean separate the World Trade Centre and the young Vicky Roy from Purulia, an impoverished district in West Bengal, but the geographical distance has not prevented the young photographer once destitute at the New Delhi Railway station to chronicle a slice of American history.
It's an all women affair in Kochi
Kochi, Feb 2 With B. Sandhya taking over as the new Inspector General of Police, central range, on Monday, women hold all the key posts in this commercial capital of Kerala.
Give leprosy-affected a chance
New Delhi, Feb 1 He greets people brightly at the traffic light, a smile lighting up his creased face. Kondasamy would be like any other beggar on Delhi's roads, only his disfigured face and the stubs where his fingers once were, give him away as a leprosy patient, one among the hundreds in Delhi.
Making melody without boundaries
New Delhi, Feb 1 They combine classical Indian music with western jazz, blues, funk and Persian poetry. Melange, a seven-member ensemble of leading musicians from different countries, believe in making music that has no boundaries.
91 years old and writing strong!
Agra, Feb 1 He is 91 years old and has written as many as 157 books. M.L. Agarwal, an educationist from Agra, has been writing prolifically since 1951 and refuses to call it a day.
A calendar that takes you to 2100
New Delhi, Feb 1 This futuristic calendar not only helps you with the days and dates of 2010 but it also takes you straight to the year 2100 as the Gregorian calendars for these two years are identical.
Delhi to host India's first 'Newseum'
New Delhi, Feb 1 Delhi will have the country's first museum on news Newseum!
When sadhus came astride elephants
Haridwar, Feb 1 Some sat on gold and silver thrones balanced majestically atop elephants, some stood tall on horse-driven chariots, and yet others walked to din of drums, bells and conches. Peshwai, the royal procession of Naga sadhus and other ascetics at the Maha Kumbh Mela here, was a grand affair on Saturday.
Martyrs Day: Artistes pay tribute
Porbandar (Gujarat), Jan 30 Sixty-two years after Mahatma Gandhi's death, nearly 150 artists from across the country have assembled at the beaches here to mould the sand to depict his life and values in time for Martyrs' Day here on Saturday.
Mobile temple for lord Hanuman!
Port-of-Spain, Jan 30 A mobile temple with a seven-foot tall idol of Lord Hanuman is travelling through Trinidad and Tobago as part of a religious procession being taken out by the Hindu community in these islands.
Hampi's royal fest concludes
Hampi (Karnataka), Jan 30 Curtains came down late Friday on the three-day 500th anniversary celebrations of the coronation of the Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya in the ruins of this renowned world heritage site here.
At age 77, cardiologist runs 101st marathon
Chandigarh, Jan 29 Even after creating history in Mumbai on January 17, where 77-year-old Ashis Roy competed in his 100th marathon, the determination to keep running is only growing stronger for this tireless runner.
'Coronation' breathes life into Hampi ruins
Hampi (Karnataka), Jan 29 The ruins of Hampi, the capital city of the mighty Vijayanagara empire for over 300 years in medieval India, have turned into a beehive of activity five centuries after its greatest emperor Krishnadevaraya was coronated in circa 1509.
Ladies' club, where passion meets business
Mysore, Jan 28 You have heard of ladies' clubs, but a ladies' kite club? Kite flying may not be one of the usual hobbies that you hear women take to, but here in Mysore, 10 women who love the sport have come together to form this unique club of women-only kite flyers.
From Finland to Kerala: An elephantine affair
Thekkady (Kerala), Jan 28 It was love at first sight for Laura Gafmine. A native of Finland, she has fallen so much in love with elephants that she is now learning to be a mahout.
How about some Hebrew qawwali
New Delhi, Jan 28 He sings soul-stirring Sufi songs - and he does it in Hebrew. Israeli composer Shye Ben-Tzur believes even if the language is unknown to listeners, they will enjoy if 'the music touches their heart'.
AIDS patient inspires others
Chandigarh, Jan 27 She may be suffering from AIDS, but that has not stopped 28-year-old Pooja Thakur from working for the welfare of other HIV positive patients here - a courage and commitment recognised by the government that honoured her with a state award during the Republic Day celebrations.
Hampi set for coronation 'again'
Hampi (Karnataka), Jan 27 The stage is set to relive the grand coronation of Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya on Wednesday at this world heritage site five centuries after he founded the empire in the Deccan plateau of south India.
Radio programme specially for soldiers
New Delhi, Jan 27 A radio programme started during World War II for Indian soldiers posted in Afghanistan has not only gone from strength to strength but has also got its first woman announcer.
Netaji's aide to hand over 'legacy'
New Delhi, Jan 22 Eighty-nine-year-old Trilok Singh Chawla, a close aide of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has a wish before he breathes his last - to return to India two pistols belonging to the freedom fighter - and has sent his son from Thailand to meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Hansiba weaves a success story
Ahmedabad, Jan 17 Twenty-three years back, Hansibaben was just another artisan in a little known village in Gujarat. Today, at 92, she has a cloth brand named after her which has reached such heights that international names are scurrying to have tie-ups with it.
Florence Nightingale of Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 In 1998, Shashiprabha Devi stood outside the Capital Hospital here with a strange request. A week into retirement, she wanted to return to her job as a nurse. And she did not want to be paid for it.
Some disabled people conquer all
New Delhi, Jan 16 Some of the disabled conquer everything including their disability.
'A lot of money is given to backward classes to study for employment examinations but we don't get anything,' said Delhi-based Pradeep Raj, both of whose legs are polio- stricken.
God is with devotional music
New Delhi, Jan 16 Devotional music is one genre that has shown no decrease in popularity in India at a time when all other genres of the Rs.7.3 billion a year industry have been affected by Bollywood music, say singers and music sellers.
Astronomy, faith meet in Haridwar
Haridwar, Jan 16 Tradition and astronomy fused on the banks of the Ganges during the annular solar eclipse Friday as temples shut their doors and covered the idols in muslin shrouds and bathers completed their morning pre-eclipse rituals by the time the sun went into the shadow of the new moon.
Faith, science mark solar eclipse
New Delhi, Jan 16 Millions of Hindus bathed in holy rivers and tanks across India after a four-hour celestial spectacle that turned the sun into a 'Ring of Fire', bringing out science enthusiasts to view and record the rare event.
A dip into peace: Bathers at Mahakumbh
Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Jan 15 Deep, unquestionable faith. That's what millions of bathers at the first ritual bath of the Mahakumbh Mela in Haridwar shared as they carried forward a centuries-old Indian tradition by taking a holy dip in the Ganges river on Thursday and emerged feeling blissful.
American Buddhist monk displays rare snapshots
New Delhi, Jan 15 A rare snapshot of the Dalai Lama standing on a mat with his hands folded is part of an exquisite collection of 20 black and white photographs that American Buddhist monk Nicholas Vreeland has put together for an exhibition in the capital.
Bollywood advises on student stress
Mumbai, Jan 15 Aamir Khan starrer '3 Idiots' has spurred Bollywood personalities to look at their educational qualifications, how they got their degrees and how students should lead their lives.
Combating climate change, with help from Lord Ram
Sonbhadra/Lucknow, Jan 14 Ram, Ramayana and global warming the association may sound odd, until you realise how the religious context helped an NGO in Uttar Pradesh combat the ill effects of climate change.
'Chalo Kerala' from January 17
New Delhi, Jan 14 Wondering what holidaying in Kerala would be like? Just drop in at Nizamuddin station Sunday for a view of a stunning montage of backwaters, beaches and the wildlife. Chances are you would come out only to pack up for a trip to God's own country!
Bird fights, feasting on Bhogali Bihu
Hajo (Assam), Jan 14 For a trophy and cash reward of Rs.2,001, up to 400 birds and their owners are locked in a bitter fight an event that marks Bhogali Bihu, the harvest festival in Assam beginning on Thursday.
Kite festival is a threat to birds in Gujarat
New Delhi, Jan 11 Bird lovers say Gujarat's killer kites are out again. As Uttarayan festivities grip Ahmedabad city, environmentalists and wildlife officials all over the country are concerned over the safety of the winged beauties.
I've gone back to childhood in Lahore
New Delhi, Jan 11 In his new series of works, leading Indian contemporary artist Krishen Khanna has travelled back in time to his days in pre-partition Lahore, which today lies in Pakistan.
Odissi dancers enthral audience at youth fest
Bhubaneswar, Jan 11 The rhythm of Odissi dance one of the famous classical Indian dances from Orissa performed by artistes from across the country enthralled the audience on the third day of the National Youth Festival here on Sunday.
India takes cue from French architecture
New Delhi, Jan 11 Courtyards, shaded porticos, built-in gardens, water and solar harvesting and narrow streets India is taking cues on sustainability and eco-friendliness in architecture from France, considered a champion of new-age architecture.
Jumbos get land as New Year gift
New Delhi, Jan 9 In what is being described as the first such conservation step in Asia, more than 25 acres of land has been donated to the Karnataka forest department so that wild elephants can move freely through a dedicated corridor between two reserve forests.
Theatre music takes in from the world
New Delhi, Jan 8 From Bal Gandharv, who gave the Marathi stage a definite musical genre in the early 20th century, to eminent music director Bhaskar Chandavarkar, who fused traditional Indian music with western jazz and folk, Indian theatre music has acquired a more global face.
This Delhi man collects Metro cards!
New Delhi, Jan 8 When Anil Marwah walked into the Anand Vihar Metro station on Thursday morning and got the first Metro smart card, it was his 13th one for each of the routes in the Delhi Metro network that has been inaugurated since 2002.
New Year agony on Indian sailor's world voyage
Panaji, Jan 4 Learning to make do with numb hands, a busted autopilot and a couple of rebellious bolts... that's the sum of Commander Dilip Donde's New Year story on board the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Mhadei on his daunting marine expedition around the world.
Indian film industry enters New Year with many global milestones
New Delhi, Jan 1 Three Oscars, collaborations with Hollywood studios, a doctorate for Shah Rukh Khan and many more -- the Indian entertainment industry made its mark on the global arena in 2009. Now it is set to move forward with international projects like \'Kites\' and \'My Name Is Khan\' and Grammy nominations for A.R. Rahman and Amjad Ali Khan.
Take home Delhi Metro for Rs.10,000!
New Delhi, Jan 1 In the New Year, be ambitious. Don't buy a motorcycle or a car, instead take home a Delhi Metro train and that too only for Rs.10,000 well, at least a handcrafted model of the train.
Pak artists bring 'Truck Art' to India
New Delhi, Dec 31 Lanterns, mugs, cups, kettles and jugs painted in colourful floral patterns are just a few examples of Pakistan's well-known Truck Art tradition that have been brought here by an NGO from the country that is participating in the ongoing annual Dastkari Haat Samiti festival.
Tai Ji can make Indian yoga more effective: Chinese-American master
New Delhi, Dec 31 Tai Ji, the ancient Chinese martial art and dance form, can be used for making Indian yoga more relaxing and spontaneous for effective healing and circulation of positive energy in the human body, globally acclaimed Tai Ji master Chungliang Al Huang says.
A tryst with the mythical age in Orissa
Bhubaneswar, Dec 28 Do you want to slip into a time machine and move back to a mythical age? An entire town in western Orissa transports itself back to the Dwapara Yug, one of the four ages described in Hindu scriptures.
Shrine that plays postman to god
Orissa, Dec 28 God's divine intervention can be sought in many ways you can pray silently, speak aloud or sing. Or you can drop a letter at a shrine in Orissa's Khurda district where devotees believe that god is a reader.
Did Christ come to India to study Buddhism, Vedas?
New Delhi, Dec 25 The spotlight is back on Jesus Christ and his India connection as the world celebrates Christmas Friday. Some historians believe he spent 17 years of early life from the age of 13 to 30 in India learning Buddhism and the Vedas.
Irulas say tsunami changed their destiny for better
Chennai, Dec 24 It's one of life's brilliant ironies. The tsunami that struck India's east coast exactly five years ago in 2004 brings back only sad memories for most but not the Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu. The killer wave brought them relief they had always been deprived of.
Tagore's chair, teapot found in Bangladesh
Dhaka, Dec 24 A chair and a teapot that Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore used have been found in Bangladesh, over six decades after the poet's death.
300-yr-old 'Sunheri Quran' to shine in museum
Lucknow, Dec 23 A 300-year-old ancestral 'Sunheri Quran' (Golden Quran), with its pages in the shape of golden leaves, the most prized possession of an Uttar Pradesh Muslim family, may soon become the centre of attraction at a museum.
Warm home-stays amid snow-clad Himachal mountains
Shimla, Dec 22 How about celebrating Christmas and ringing in the New Year in a snug wooden cottage amid the orchards with the snow-clad Himalayas in the backdrop? Himachal Pradesh is promising tourists a cozy year-end with local cuisine and folk culture shows thrown in for good measure.
Indian classical music is spiritual: Khans
New Delhi, Dec 22 Young sarod maestros Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan, the sons of legendary sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, feel Indian classical music has an edge over its counterparts 'in terms of years'.
Youth to educate Karnataka's poor kids
Bangalore, Dec 21 Like any other teenagers, Anitha and her classmate Mamtha, both school students in India's tech hub Bangalore, dream to achieve ''big'' in life but are shackled by poverty. Now help is at hand for such poor children in Karnataka to achieve education.
Get ready to cross swords with Rani Lakshmibai!
Lucknow, Dec 19 Rani Lakshmibai, the fiery queen of Jhansi, had taken up arms against the mighty British in 1857 to free her country, and now she might cross swords with you in an action-packed computerised game at a museum.
Western Ghats campaign for the masses
Bangalore, Dec 18 Long before words like 'climate change' came to hit common lexicon, a group of environmentally conscious people in India took up the cause of the Western Ghats, one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots.
400-year-old Jharkhand drummakers struggle to keep trade alive
Adharjhor (Jharkhand), Dec 17 In the heart of a dense forest in the Patamda block, this ramshackle village of 100 thatched huts is fighting a tough battle to keep afloat its 400-year-old traditional craft -- making percussion instruments.
Mumbai remembers 26/11 victims
Mumbai, Nov 26 Sending the strongest possible signal that they would not be deterred by terror, Mumbaikars went to school, college and office as any other day on November 26 but also paused in their tracks to honour the memory of the 166 people killed in the devastating 60-hour terror strike last year.
Bihar villagers get green electricity
New Delhi, Nov 20 A technology that converts rice husk into electricity is gaining ground in Bihar. Some 100,000 households in the state already use electricity produced from biomass and their number is steadily growing.
Flying foxes get sanctuary in Jharkhand
Jamshedpur, Nov 20 Every evening, as dusk gathers on the smoking chimneys of this iron and steel township, an army of giant vampires creeps out of lairs on a small island in the middle of a lake.
Taste of India for US soldiers
New Delhi, Nov 3 Up with the sun to sit cross-legged, finishing the day with curry and naan, the 250-odd US soldiers in India for a fortnight-long joint exercise got more than what they expected -- but they weren't complaining.
Who visualised India's N-capacity...
New Delhi, Oct 29 He laid the foundation of India's huge atomic energy establishment almost singlehandedly, nurturing and expanding it with his dynamic vision.
Nehru to Salman: Visiting Delhi's parantha paradise
New Delhi, Oct 29 If the aroma of hot paranthas draws you while walking down a narrow, crowded lane in Chandni Chowk in Delhi's old quarter, you must have ventured into Paranthe Wali Gali. Some of the shops came up more than 100 years ago, but even today the crispy, spicy and even sweet fare on offer seldom disappoints.
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Vayalar Ravi, who assumed office as Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs on January 30, 2006, was born in 1937 in Vayalar village of... 
In cheering news for wildlife conserva- tionists, tiger poaching dropped nearly 60 percent...