India
India's Field Hockey Heartbreak
In recent weeks, as the Indian men’s hockey team played its World Cup matches to heaving stands and pyrotechnics in the east Indian state of Odisha, the sport that has brought the country eight Olympic golds returned to the national stage, only to end in now-familiar disappointment.
The Gandhi Gambit
India's opposition, led by the Congress party, completes today an ambitious 2,260-mile-long march from the south to the north of the country. While it has added to leader Rahul Gandhi’s popularity, it remains uncertain whether this will translate into votes.
India Loses Its Sense of Humor
After attacks on artistic freedom, stand-up comedians in India are treading carefully around topics like religion and politics. In recent years, many have come under fire, with several shows canceled amid threats from the Hindu right wing.
Old Delhi’s Temples Reveal a Multicultural Past
Over 100 Mughal-era Hindu temples are scattered across Old Delhi, hidden in plain sight of a bustling metropolis. Historians are now trying to bring attention to this little-known aspect of Mughal history and the deteriorating condition of the temples.
The Many Ways of Celebrating an Indian Christmas
What’s unique about India is the indigenization of Christmas. It can be seen in the regional dishes for feasts, variations on the holiday cake and carols sung in Indian languages.
Keeping Himalayan Art Alive
Pahari miniature art flourished in the north Indian hills between the 17th and 19th centuries. Many paintings have found homes in prominent museums, including Zurich’s Rietberg Museum and New York’s The Met. Recently, one such painting sparked controversy in India.
After 30 Years of Violence, Rediscovering India’s Coexistence
The fate of the Babri Masjid has become a touchstone for the narrative of Islam in India. Thirty years after its destruction may be the right time to look southward for an alternative. Another significant monument tells a very different story of Islam’s advent and importance across history in the subcontinent.