Hyderabad’s so-called guardians of the environment seem to have developed an odd obsession. If it’s a lake, they’ll fight tooth and nail to save it. But if it’s a historic rock formation, a green lung space, or an open stretch of land vital for the city’s air quality, then it’s fair game for ‘development’. The…

Ugadi, marking the New Year for Telugu and Kannada communities, is a time of joy, reflection, and culinary traditions. Central to these celebrations is the preparation of ‘Ugadi pachadi,’ a unique dish that embodies the myriad flavours of life. However, in recent years, a key ingredient – neem flowers – has become increasingly scarce during…

There was a time when acts of kindness and goodwill were celebrated. Today, even a simple prayer for a friend has become cause for outrage. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s special prayer at Sabarimala for his ailing best friend, Mammootty, should have been seen as a touching gesture of camaraderie. Instead, it has triggered a wave of…

A science exhibition is meant to showcase scientific ideas – be it physics, chemistry, biology, or technology. But in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar, a private school reportedly decided to push the boundaries of absurdity by displaying your fate in the afterlife as part of a science fair. A nine-year-old student’s exhibit showed two dolls: one clad in…

Today is Happy Waffle Day, and while most of us didn’t know waffles had their day, here we are, ready to embrace it with open mouths and empty wallets. Why? Because we Indians love a good celebration – no questions asked, no reasons required. If someone declared tomorrow as ‘International Elbow Appreciation Day,’ chances are…

In the 2012 Telugu film Racha, also known as Betting Raja, the protagonist embarks on a high-stakes journey, wagering not just money but his very life. Fast forward to 2025, and some of our beloved celebrities seem to have taken inspiration – only this time, the stakes are the public’s hard-earned money and trust. A…

Tamil Nadu’s ruling class, led by M.K. Stalin and his Dravidian ideological cohorts, never misses an opportunity to oppose the so-called ‘imposition’ of Hindi and Sanskrit. The mere mention of these languages is enough to send them into paroxysms of righteous indignation. They paint Hindi as a sinister North Indian plot to erase Tamil identity…

Pets are truly adorable. They can be your best friends, offering unconditional love and loyalty. In our family, we have two dogs who have brought endless joy and laughter into our lives. Their story begins during the Covid pandemic, a few months before my wife and I returned from Dubai for good. It was during…

Every year, as Holi approaches, a familiar chorus begins – complaints about how people should be allowed to stay away from the festival, how colours shouldn’t be thrown on the unwilling, and how faiths must be protected from a little playful splatter. Really? Are our beliefs so delicate that a pinch of gulal or a…