A wise man once said…
Nothing
Murali Duggineni
Storyteller, Quizzer, Marcom Pro.
Murali Duggineni
Storyteller, Quizzer, Marcom Pro.
Category Art & Culture
The sticky truth behind the word “sincere”
We often use the word sincere to describe someone who is honest or genuine, but its linguistic roots are far stickier than you might think. The popular legend traces back to Roman marketplaces. It is said that dishonest sculptors would use wax…
How did the “Ceded Districts” get their name
The “Ceded Districts” in Andhra Pradesh refers to a group of territories that were ceded (formally handed over) by the Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Nizam Ali Khan – Asaf Jah II, to the British East India Company in the late…
Did yellow walls keep tigers away? the Pilibhit story
Located in Uttar Pradesh, near the India–Nepal border, Pilibhit lies in the fertile Terai belt at the foothills of the Himalayas. It is best known for the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, a key habitat for India’s tiger population. There are two…
The Punkah-wallah: the human engine behind colonial comfort
During the British colonial era in India, and long before the hum of air conditioning, coping with the subcontinent’s intense heat required ingenuity and labor. The term Punkah-Wallah emerged to describe those employed to manually operate large, ceiling-suspended cloth fans.…
The significance of 786 in Islamic culture
In many South Asian Muslim communities, the number 786 is a common sight, appearing on storefronts, letterheads, and even license plates. While some mistake it for a “lucky number,” its significance lies in Abjad numerals, an ancient Arabic tradition in…
Why the “third degree” feels so intense
The term “third degree” refers to an intensive, often grueling interrogation used to extract information or a confession from the accused. While we now associate it with police tactics, it traces its linguistic roots to the traditions of Freemasonry. Before…
Understanding Ugadi and the six different tastes of life
Ugadi, derived from the Sanskrit Yuga (era or age) and Adi (beginning),” marks the beginning of a new era. The festival marks the commencement of the Hindu lunar new year and falls on Chaitra Shuddha Padyami, the first day of…
A cup across continents: the story of Irani Chai
Walk through any lane of Hyderabad or Secunderabad, and you will find the ubiquitous Irani café serving Irani chai. This popular beverage is a cultural bridge between Persia and India, preserved in a porcelain cup. The Journey from Persia to…