This story and photographs appeared on the eve of Holi, March 5, 2015 in Hindustan Times. Text and photos by Abhishek Saha, Hindustan Times Nandgaon/Barsana: “The creator of this entire world is Sri Krishna. But do you know the source of his energy?” I was sitting at a small teashop in western Uttar Pradesh’s Nandgaon…
In Jharkhand’s hinterland—dotted with deep ravines and hills rich in bauxite—the eight particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) of Jharkhand (including the Birhors and Asurs) struggle hard to survive against a dwindling population, lack of infrastructure and government apathy.
Djinns live in the heart of Delhi: they are spirits tending to the faithful seeking help. On Thursdays, they are busy when thousands turn up with letters for them.
Welcome to the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla fort: it was built by Sultan Feroz Shah Tughlaq in the fourteenth century and now nestles between a cricket stadium and Delhi’s Ring Road. In the niches and alcoves of its stone walls, believers pray, light candles and diyas, and write letters to djinns, supernatural creatures of Islamic mythology made of fire rather than clay as humans are.
At almost 8,000 feet above the mean sea level and lined with colonial buildings and pine and deodar tress, Shimla is the quintessential Indian hill station, albeit a bit crowded and commercialized. Offering spectacular landscapes to take in and pedestrian-only stretches to stroll around, the town, which served as the summer capital of British India from 1864 to 1947,…
Though the week-long Pushkar Mela is internationally popular for what’s known to be the largest camel fair in the world, residents feel that along with the animal trading what adds to the splendour of the event is amalgamation of different cultures.
By Abhishek Saha, Hindustan Times Soon after Maqsood was mauled to death inside the white tiger enclosure in Delhi zoo, photographs and a video of the horrific incident, clicked and recorded by onlookers, came into the public domain. Blurring certain parts of the frame, the video was put up by most media organisations and soon…
Traders and businessmen from Pakistan at the ongoing Pakistani lifestyle exhibition, Alishan Pakistan, at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan feel that no matter how the diplomatic ties are between the two nations, the common man in both countries have no hatred against each other. Abdus Saboor Saleem, owner of the handicraft company Saleem Associates, says that it…
