This story by Rati Hegde, about Mahadev Shambhu, a Gram-Devata, captures the the reality of many such deities and their temples in India. It traces the socio-economic and cultural shifts that have shaped the ecosystem of these temples through the decades. The author paints a poignant picture of how duty and devotion have given way to reluctant obligation even as these deities continue to remain central to the Hindu faith.
At the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati converge, the Kumbh Mela unfolds as a grand experiment in collective consciousness. This ancient gathering, rooted in Hindu lore, integrates sophisticated scientific principles, from astronomical cycles to fluid dynamics. The 2025 Mahakumbh Mela exemplifies this blend, with AI-powered crowd management and real-time navigation tools enhancing the experience for millions of pilgrims. This convergence of science and spirituality not only preserves cultural heritage but also fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose, inviting both spiritual seekers and scientific minds to explore its depths.
Sai Alluri reviews the book “Ideas Have Consequences”, a philosophical classic authored by Richard Weaver in which he diagnoses the challenges of modern age. Sai Alluri talks about how the author investigates the etiology of modern man and attempts to alleviate his condition, requiring the reclamation of what constitutes his essence.
The Ramayana is an epic of unparalleled significance in Hindu mythology. It is rightly and widely regarded as a story that epitomizes righteousness, duty, sacrifice, and devotion. At its heart, however, lies the eternal love story of Prabhu Shri Rama and Mata Sita; a divine saga that transcends the boundaries of time and serves as the very essence of the epic.
A comprehensive review of "Rama of the Axe" by Ranjith Radhakrishnan, and his treatment of plots and characters beyond what is mainstream, including but not limited to the protagonist Bhagwan Parashurama and the antagonist Kartyavira Arjuna.
Rohan Raghav Sharma reviews SL Bhyrappa's "Aavarana - the veil" translated from the original Kannada into English by Sandeep Balakrishnan. He explores the multi-layered plot, the flow of the story, and evolution of the characters while also touching upon salient points of criticism along with his own critique of the book.
Shashank Poddar throws light on the shastrik view and importance of grihashta ashrama in this beautifully researched piece.
A deeper dive into some characters and aspects of Mahabharata with the help of Ami Ganatra's book "Mahabharat Unravelled".
This article is a summary and paraphrasing of three of the important essays by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy on the English education of those times (Education in India; Memory in Education; and Music and Education in India).
These three brilliant essays appear in the book Essays in National Idealism. He wrote on an overwhelming variety of topics, which perhaps would require a lifetime of study for any individual.
The aim of this article is to stimulate readers to undertake a serious journey to the writings of Coomaraswamy, a person whose rediscovery means a lot to present India, confused by a mass of rhetoric eulogising the notions of "modernity" and progress.
The reality of a hundred years ago, that he highlights in these essays, is unambiguously still relevant to India, with its acceptance of both the English language as the major medium of instruction and secularism as the guiding principle of our curricula.
"The application of logical interpretations of the Mimamsa Rules of Prabhakara could aid in developing reasoning tools to deal with deontic concepts, such as prohibitions and obligations, paving the way for ethical decision-making in artificial intelligence."
The golden age of Indian thinkers was a fertile period of intellectual richness. The preservation and study of this intellectual heritage will help us in gaining better understanding of our shared philosophical history. The intellectual legacy of Mimamsa and other Indian schools of thought is a rich resource for contemporary philosophical and ethical discourse, Ram Sharma writes.