Tag Archives: India

In My Hands Today…

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Nawabs, Nudes, Noodles: India through 50 Years of Advertising — Ambi Parameswaran

This is as much the story of Indian advertising as it is about India. Ad veteran Ambi Parameswaran looks at how advertising has evolved, reflecting the country’s culture, politics, and economy in the last fifty years.

From sartorial taste and food habits to marriage and old age, music and language to celebrities and censorship, Ambi examines over a hundred ads to study how the Indian consumer has changed in the past five decades and how advertising and society have shaped each other.

Combining anecdotes and analyses to give us a slice of modern history, Ambi evaluates the relationship between affluence, aspiration, and desire in India. Exploring trends and impacts, he covers the ads that captured the imagination of the entire country. From ‘Only Vimal’ and ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ to ‘Jo biwi se kare pyaar’ and the controversial Tuffs Shoes campaign, the book is a memorable journey through brands, consumers, and the world of advertising.

In My Hands Today…

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Lady Doctors: The Untold Stories of India’s First Women in Medicine – Kavitha Rao

At a time when medicine is a highly sought-after career for Indian women, it is hard to imagine what it was like for the pioneers. The story of how firmly they were bound in fetters of family, caste, and society and how fiercely they fought to escape needs to be told. In Lady Doctors, Kavitha Rao unearths the extraordinary stories of six women from the 1860s to the 1930s who defied the idea that they were unfit for medicine by virtue of their gender.

From Anandibai Joshi, who broke caste rules by crossing an ocean, to Rukhmabai Raut, who escaped a child marriage, divorced her husband, and studied to be a doctor; from Kadambini Ganguly, who took care of eight children while she worked, to child widow Haimabati Sen, who overcame poverty and hardship—these women had a profound and lasting impact. And in their forgotten lives lie many lessons for modern women.

In truth, the compelling stories of these radical women have been erased from our textbooks and memories because histories have mostly been written by men, about men. In an immensely readable narrative and with impeccable research, Lady Doctors rectifies this omission.

In My Hands Today…

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Dashavatar : Stories of Lord Vishnu – Piyusha Vir

Did you know that each avatar of Vishnu arrived with a specific purpose?

Time and again, Vishnu has manifested in different forms to fulfil his role as a ‘protector’ of the world. Among the long list of 24 avatars, 10 have captured our imagination for centuries together—Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parshuram, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.

But how exactly did these avatars impact society? And how do they link to the Charles Darwin theory of evolution?

While each avatar has its own set of legends that extoll their characteristics and deeds, the stories behind them are just as interesting and informative.

Presented from a contemporary and unbiased perspective, these stories of the 10 avatars of Vishnu are an attempt to make mythology more believable and relevant to the world that we live in today.

Festivals of India: Marleshwar Yatra Sangameshawar

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Nestled amidst the emerald embrace of the Sahyadri Mountains in Maharashtra, India, lies the ancient cave temple of Marleshwar, a hallowed sanctuary dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Marleshwar Yatra Sangameshwar is a unique pilgrimage that converges at the sacred confluence of the Marleshwar and Sangameshwar rivers. Located in Sangameshwar in Ratnagiri in the state of Maharashtra, the temple has 300–400 steps, which need to be climbed to reach the cave where the temple is located and has a small viewing platform from which the magnificent Dhareshwar Waterfalls can be admired. Surrounded by the Sahyadri range and the Dhareshwar Waterfalls, the temple has treacherous yet exhilarating pathways and its natural environment makes it a nature lover’s getaway destination. Marleshwar’s name may have been inspired by Maral village.

Every year on the day of Makarsankranti, on January 15, the temple witnesses the marriage of Marleshwar and Girijadevi. This two-day festival, steeped in myth and vibrant tradition, celebrates the divine union of Lord Marleshwar, or Lord Shiva and Goddess Girija Devi, or Goddess Parvati. In a tapestry woven with threads of faith, folklore, and the raw beauty of nature, the celebration draws thousands of devotees from across the country.

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Legend has it that Marleshwar is associated with the sage Parashurama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Devotees believe that Parashurama, in search of penance and solitude, created the Marleshwar Linga at this location. The Sangameshwar River, a tributary of the Shastri, flows nearby, adding to the spiritual aura of the site.

The legend behind the yatra is as captivating as the landscape itself. It’s said that Lord Shiva, disguised as a hunter, fell in love with a beautiful cowherd named Girija. Impressed by his strength and unwavering resolve, Girija’s father, King Daksha, agreed to their marriage on the condition that Shiva complete a series of arduous tasks. Undeterred, Shiva conquered each challenge, and the sacred union was blessed.

The Marleshwar Yatra celebrates this divine marriage, with the temple becoming a symbol of their eternal bond. The cave itself, formed by a natural spring, adds a mystical touch to the experience. The ancient carvings and sculptures adorn the walls, whispering stories of faith and devotion, while the gentle flow of the spring water creates a soothing ambience.

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The most unusual phenomenon related to the Marleshwar Temple, which also makes it extremely popular among pilgrims, is the presence of cobra snakes in the temple complex. It is widely believed that Lord Shiva lived here with these snakes. Legend says that these snakes are harmless and do not bite the visiting pilgrims and one can even touch them if they want to. So far, there have been no reports or incidents involving the snakes, and this occurrence makes the temple extremely renowned among devotees. The sighting of these cobras has, however, reduced drastically over the past few years because tourists tend to annoy or scare away the snakes.

The Yatra transcends a mere religious event; it’s a vibrant explosion of colours, music, and cultural immersion. The air thrums with devotional chants and the rhythmic beats of drums. Devotees adorned in their finest attire offer prayers and seek blessings from the deities. The surrounding fairground comes alive with a kaleidoscope of stalls selling traditional handicrafts, sweets, and souvenirs. Cultural performances like dance dramas depicting the story of Shiva and Parvati add to the festive spirit, filling the atmosphere with captivating narratives. There are also fairs on Mahashivratri and Tripuri Poornima.

The journey to Marleshwar itself is an adventure in its own right. Nestled amidst verdant forests and cascading waterfalls, the path to the temple winds its way through breathtaking scenery. The air is crisp and invigorating, and the sounds of nature create a symphony of their own. The trek to the cave temple, although challenging, is a rewarding one, offering panoramic vistas of the surrounding Konkan region. For those seeking a deeper connection with nature, the yatra provides an opportunity to explore the surrounding beauty. The cascading Dhareshwar waterfall, a short distance from the temple, offers a refreshing respite. Adventure enthusiasts can trek further to explore nearby forts and ancient caves, each whispering tales of a bygone era.

Central to the Marleshwar Yatra Sangameshwar is the unwavering faith and devotion of the pilgrims. The act of undertaking this pilgrimage is not merely a tradition; it is an expression of deep-rooted belief and commitment to spiritual growth. Pilgrims approach the yatra with humility, surrendering to the divine forces that guide their journey.

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While the Marleshwar Yatra Sangameshwar embodies the timeless traditions of Maharashtra, it is not immune to the challenges of the modern era. Environmental conservation, infrastructural development, and the preservation of cultural authenticity pose complex challenges. Efforts are underway to strike a balance between preserving the sanctity of the pilgrimage and adapting to the needs of the contemporary world. Conservation initiatives, awareness campaigns, and community involvement play crucial roles in ensuring the sustainable continuation of this sacred tradition.

For those who undertake the yatra, it is a transformative experience—a journey that transcends the physical and delves into the spiritual. The Marleshwar Yatra Sangameshwar is more than a pilgrimage; it is a celebration of faith, community, and the timeless connection between humans and the sacred landscapes they traverse.

In My Hands Today…

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Last Among Equals: Power, Caste & Politics in Bihar’s Villages – M.R. Sharan

Sanjay Sahni was living an ‘araam zindagi’ in Delhi, working as an electrician, until a chance encounter with a computer sent him hurtling into the labyrinth that is the NREGA—one of the world’s largest rural poverty alleviation programmes—and the corruption within. It led him back to his village, where eventually, he and his comrades (primarily women from the Dalit and most backward castes) formed the anti-corruption group Manrega Watch. Their tale is one strand of village politics, a story of resilience among citizens, those outside the system.

But what of the ‘insiders’? The complex local-state unit of the village has at the top a mukhiya, who, like the one in Sanjay’s village, wields great power, even to do harm. Ward members—closest to their constituents and the most socially representative group in the panchayati raj system—are at the bottom of this structure.

Development economist M.R. Sharan brings these two interweaving strands of insiders and outsiders together to tell a tale of hope: that those on the margins can challenge entrenched hierarchies. Through government action—reservation, decentralisation, transparency measures—and through citizen engagement, social movements and elections, change is possible, if not necessarily easy. Take the resourceful ward member, Kamal Manjhi, who repurposed the grievance redressal system to complain against the state: this was essentially a member of the local state, using a state mechanism to arm-twist another part of the state to do its job.

Last Among Equals eschews the usual sweeping narratives of national and state politics, reaching instead for the ‘swirling, vivid sub-narratives that escape easy categorisations’, the darkness of the material leavened with deep empathy. The result is a captivating, often searing narrative of how lives are lived in the villages of Bihar—and indeed in much of India.