My Blog Page | Murali Duggineni

My Blogs

My Stories

Art & Culture

Buddha and Bodhisattva: what is the difference?

The simplest way to understand the difference between a Buddha and a Bodhisattva is this: a Buddha is one who

Murali Duggineni September 26, 2026

Art & Culture

Understanding Padmapani, the lotus-bearing Bodhisattva of Ajanta

Step into Cave 1 of Ajanta in Maharashtra, and you will find one of India’s most celebrated paintings: the serene

Murali Duggineni September 20, 2026

BackStory

The pigeons that became an obsession

Walk through the older parts of Hyderabad, and you may hear the flutter of wings before you notice the pigeons.

Murali Duggineni September 19, 2026

Art & Culture

Why is Lord Ganesha offered durva

Among the many offerings made to Lord Ganesha, durva grass holds a special place. Its association comes from the story

Murali Duggineni September 17, 2026

Art & Culture

MS Blue: the saree that became an icon

September 16 marks the birth anniversary of M.S. Subbulakshmi (1916), one of India’s most celebrated Carnatic vocalists. Her music carried

Murali Duggineni September 16, 2026

Art & Culture

In search of Ganesha beyond the celebration

There was a time when Ganesh Chaturthi carried a bigger purpose that went well beyond the rituals of the day.

Murali Duggineni September 15, 2026

Art & Culture

The story behind the Carnatic masterpiece “Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje”

Few Carnatic compositions capture the spirit of Lord Ganesha as beautifully as “Vatapi Ganapatim Bhajeham.” Its opening phrases are familiar

Murali Duggineni September 14, 2026

BackStory

How “gaslighting” can make someone doubt themselves

Have you ever been told, “that never happened,” when you clearly remember that it did? Or been made to feel

Murali Duggineni September 13, 2026

India

Indigo: the dye that made farmers rebel

Indigo is a dye obtained traditionally from plants of the Indigofera genus. It has been used for thousands of years

Murali Duggineni September 6, 2026

BackStory

Occam’s razor: a simple rule for better thinking

When something goes wrong, our minds often search for complicated reasons when a simple one is right in front of

Murali Duggineni September 5, 2026

BackStory

Why playing a second fiddle means taking a backseat?

To “play second fiddle to someone” means to occupy a secondary or less important position, especially when another person receives

Murali Duggineni September 3, 2026

BackStory

Why do we say “fit as a fiddle”?

When someone is described as “fit as a fiddle,” it means they are in excellent health, physically strong, energetic, and

Murali Duggineni August 23, 2026

Travel & Tourism

How Bobbili got its name

Bobbili in Andhra Pradesh has a fascinating connection to the town’s royal origins and the tiger, and its evolution reflects

Murali Duggineni August 16, 2026

Technology

What the Jacquard Loom reveals about ChatGPT

More than 220 years before ChatGPT, a machine was already doing something that feels surprisingly familiar: following instructions encoded by

Murali Duggineni August 9, 2026

Marcom

Stop “reinventing” everything

Almost every day, we come across a company proudly announcing that it’s reinventing banking, reimagining healthcare, redefining mobility, or transforming

Murali Duggineni August 7, 2026

Innovation

The happy accident that put tea in a bag

Did you know the teabag owes its existence to a fortunate mistake? In 1908, American tea merchant Thomas Sullivan was

Murali Duggineni August 6, 2026

Branding

The African antelope that inspired a global sportswear giant

Some of the world’s most recognizable brands have names with surprising origins, and Reebok is one of them. Long before

Murali Duggineni August 5, 2026

BackStory

How ASICS built a legacy on a Latin ideal

Did you know that the name ASICS is an acronym derived from the Latin phrase Anima Sana in Corpore Sano,

Murali Duggineni August 4, 2026

Travel & Tourism

Horsley Hills and the story behind its name

Horsley Hills is a hill station in the Eastern Ghats in Annamayya district (formerly part of Chittoor district) in Andhra

Murali Duggineni August 3, 2026

Art & Culture

Bonalu, Ujjaini Mahakali, and the lesser-known legacy of Suriti Appaiah

Every year during the month of Ashada (July-August), lakhs of devotees converge at the Sri Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad

Murali Duggineni August 2, 2026

Reflections

Decoding Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” for modern life

Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is one of those rare books that continues to captivate readers decades after its

Murali Duggineni August 1, 2026

Design

Font, Typeface, Type, and Typography: Understanding the Language of Design

If you’ve ever called Arial or Times New Roman a “font,” you’re in good company. Even many designers casually mix

Murali Duggineni July 31, 2026

Reflections

Can you be a meditator without practicing meditation?

When we hear the word meditator, we often imagine someone sitting cross-legged with closed eyes, chanting a mantra, or following

Murali Duggineni July 30, 2026

Art & Culture

What is the true significance of Guru Purnima?

Every civilization has celebrated teachers in some form, but few traditions place them as deeply at the center of spiritual

Murali Duggineni July 29, 2026

Food

The mystery behind the name “Military Hotel”

Despite the name, Military Hotels have no official connection with the armed forces. The term refers to a distinctive style

Murali Duggineni July 28, 2026

Art & Culture

July 27, 1890: the day Vincent van Gogh shot himself

On July 27, 1890, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh walked into a wheat field near Auvers-sur-Oise, France, and shot himself

Murali Duggineni July 27, 2026

Education

Why do students wear black hats at graduation ceremony?

Every graduation ceremony features a familiar sight: graduates dressed in black gowns and square black hats, proudly known as mortarboards.

Murali Duggineni July 26, 2026

Science

Why is the Nobel Prize named after Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize is named after Alfred Nobel (1833 to 1896), a Swedish chemist, engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose

Murali Duggineni July 25, 2026

BackStory

How “holocaust” came to mean humanity’s darkest hour

The word holocaust has a long and complex history that predates the Second World War by centuries. It comes from

Murali Duggineni July 24, 2026

BackStory

Why Antarctica is the world’s largest desert

When we think of deserts, vast stretches of sand like the Sahara or the Thar usually come to mind. Surprisingly,

Murali Duggineni July 22, 2026

Sports

Why Argentina bears a Spanish name

Spain’s victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Final highlighted an intriguing historical irony. While the two nations share

Murali Duggineni July 20, 2026

BackStory

Why is it called a “red letter day”?

We all look forward to a red letter day. It is a day of celebration, joy, or personal significance such

Murali Duggineni July 19, 2026

Food

Why do chefs wear tall hats?

Did you know the tall white hat worn by chefs is called a toque blanche, French for “white hat?” It

Murali Duggineni July 18, 2026

Etymology

Why is a carpenter called carpenter?

The word carpenter has a history that stretches back nearly 2,000 years. It comes from the Late Latin word carpentarius,

Murali Duggineni July 15, 2026

BackStory

How one wooden barrier gave us two very different “bars”

The word “bar” has the same surprising origin in both law and hospitality. It comes from Old French barre, meaning

Murali Duggineni July 14, 2026

BackStory

Why is the Pacific Ocean called “Pacific”?

The Pacific Ocean owes its name to the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during his historic circumnavigation expedition in 1520. After

Murali Duggineni July 12, 2026

Reflections

The greatest pilgrimage is the one within

Every full moon, thousands of devotees undertake girivalam around Tiruvannamalai. Across India, countless others travel to famous temples, perform elaborate

Murali Duggineni July 11, 2026