~Tanushree Wadodkar We have all grown up hearing about the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, Radha-Krishna, and even Lord Shiva. These stories have been passed down through generations and retold in several different ways. Over time, the way these stories were told began to change. What once belonged to oral traditions and community spaces gradually moved into […]Read More
– Ananya Sinha Through the centuries and between cultures, politicians and states have sought something in addition to raw military power or administrative ability to sanctify their rule. They have also looked for myth. Myths of heroes or gods—borrowed or fabricated ancestors—are yielded into political speech as legitimation. These myths were not just entertainment or […]Read More
Also termed the Mahaparv, Chhath Puja is one of the most prestigious festivals of Hinduism celebrated mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Nepal. The festival venerates the Sun God (Surya) and his sister, Chhathi Maiya, both being icons of life, wealth, and healing. It is a four-day festival characterized by stringent rituals, […]Read More
Pachisi is a cross and circle Indian board game that is played between two to four people. Traditionally it is played on a cross shaped cloth, however, any surface may be used, including a drawing or engraving on the floor. The name of the game finds its roots in the Hindi word “Pacchis” meaning twenty-five. […]Read More
Aravan was the son of Arjuna and the Naga princess Ulupi. He was killed by the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra conflict, but according to legend, he dedicated his life to the Goddess Kali to secure the Pandavas' triumph in the war. In India, he is also known as the god of the transgender population. Aravan references can also be found in the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavata Purana, in addition to the Mahabharata. Read More
Shikhandi is born a male but becomes transgender as a result of Shiva bestowing the capacity to remember her former lives on her. In any case, Shikhandi gets his chance to be the cause of Bhishma's death near the end of the Mahabharata during the Kurukshetra war, as Shiva prophesied, and the question of his gender plays a key role. Read More