Category Art & Culture

How “brownie points” earned their name

Brownie points are imaginary credits earned for helpful or commendable acts, often to gain approval or favor rather than a real reward. Examples include helping a colleague meet a deadline or remembering an important anniversary. In use The expression originated…

The rare flower that gave the Nilgiris their name

The Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) is one of India’s most extraordinary flowering plants, found mainly in the high-altitude shola grasslands of the Western Ghats. What makes this flower unique is its rare blooming cycle: it flowers en masse only once every…

The tearful origins of “maudlin”

Ever wondered how the name of a revered biblical figure came to describe someone who is overly emotional? The story behind maudlin is one of art, religion, language, and centuries of cultural memory. The word maudlin means excessively sentimental, tearfully…

Chippiparai: the royal dog breed of Tamil Nadu

Fast enough to chase deer across open plains and fearless enough to confront wild boar, the Chippiparai was once the preferred hunting dog of Tamil royalty. The breed takes its name from Chippiparai (aka Sippipparai), a village in Vembakottai Taluk…