Category BackStory

What a “ghazal” really means

Imagine a conversation where every sentence is a world of its own, yet every breath follows the same heartbeat. This is the essence of the Ghazal, a poetic form that not only tells a story, but captures the fragmented, bittersweet…

Poramboku: the fall of a word that once meant shared wealth

The term poramboku is a fascinating example of how a technical administrative word evolved into a social slur. Derived from the Tamil elements puram (“outside”) and pokku (“account” or “record”), it originally referred to land outside or exempt from revenue registers. During the Chola period…

Guns firing from ship

Thunder of honor: the story behind gun salutes

Long before medals and ceremonies defined prestige, the thunderclap of cannon fire spoke volumes. Gun salutes, shots fired to honor a person or occasion, have historically served as one of the most dramatic expressions of rank and respect. The louder…

The paradox of “Good Friday”

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. At the outset, the day appears tragic, marked by profound suffering, humiliation, and execution. Yet it is called “Good” because, in Christian theology, the crucifixion is understood…

How April 1 became the world’s day of mischief

Every April 1st, the world indulges in pranks, hoaxes, and gleeful mischief. But where did this peculiar tradition actually come from? Despite being observed for centuries, the true origins of April Fools’ Day remain unknown and effectively untraceable. The most…

Cauliflory: nature’s trunk-blooming marvel

Ever seen a tree where flowers and fruits sprout directly from the thick trunk or woody branches instead of leafy twigs? This fascinating botanical phenomenon, called cauliflory (literally “stem-flowering” from Latin caulis and flos), is an evolutionary adaptation prevalent in trees such as jackfruit, figs,…

How an Italian tonic became an Indian icon

Bisleri is synonymous with packaged drinking water in India, much like Xerox is for photocopying. But did you know its story began far from the subcontinent? The brand traces back to Felice Bisleri, an Italian chemist and inventor in the…