Food
How a Maratha Prince Gave Sambar its Name!
Few South Indian dishes are as beloved as sambar. This tangy stew of lentils and vegetables, the familiar partner to
Murali Duggineni
March 13, 2026
Murali Duggineni
Storyteller, Quizzer, Marcom Pro.
Murali Duggineni
Storyteller, Quizzer, Marcom Pro.
My Blogs
My Stories
- Accidental Discoveries (13)
- Art & Culture (106)
- BackStory (300)
- Blog (34)
- Branding (46)
- Business (45)
- Career Development (9)
- Education (27)
- Entrepreneurship (35)
- Etymology (96)
- Food (24)
- Geographical Indications (15)
- Heritage (83)
- History (112)
- India (140)
- Initiatives (29)
- Innovation (9)
- Marcom (30)
- Medicine (3)
- Miscellaneous (58)
- Mythology (32)
- Social Impact (22)
- Sports (1)
- Technology (48)
- Travel & Tourism (47)
- Wildlife (5)
Art & Culture
How did the “blazer” get its name
The lines between formal and casual have blurred, yet one garment remains the ultimate bridge. It’s the blazer. Unlike a
Murali Duggineni
March 11, 2026
BackStory
Why do some countries drive on the left and others on the right?
It all comes down to history, horses, and Napoleon. For centuries, most travelers rode or drove on the left. Long
Murali Duggineni
March 10, 2026
BackStory
Bougainvillea: the plant that wears its colors on its leaves
Walk past a bougainvillea in full bloom and you might assume those vivid, papery bursts of pink, purple, orange, or
Murali Duggineni
March 9, 2026
History
Diogenes, cynicism, and the hunt for integrity
A brief look at one of antiquity’s most provocative thinkers and the expression his legend inspired. Diogenes of Sinope (c.
Murali Duggineni
March 8, 2026
BackStory
Inside the “kitchen cabinet” of power
Not every consequential conversation happens in a boardroom. Some can happen in the kitchen! The phrase kitchen cabinet refers to
Murali Duggineni
March 7, 2026
BackStory
DMD: a rare diagnosis, and expensive hope
We often see news stories about a child diagnosed with DMD, with families turning to crowdfunding and kind strangers to
Murali Duggineni
March 6, 2026
BackStory
Why “in the doldrums” means feeling stuck
Some expressions carry entire histories within them. In the doldrums is one such, born from the hardships of ocean navigation
Murali Duggineni
March 5, 2026
BackStory
How often is “once in a blue moon”?
“I watch movies once in a blue moon.”“Why did you buy such an expensive device when you use it once
Murali Duggineni
March 4, 2026
Etymology
What is petrichor, why it smells so good
Petrichor is the distinctive scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. The word was coined in 1964 by Australian scientists
Murali Duggineni
March 3, 2026
Etymology
Pandora’s Box and the trouble we can’t undo
To “open a Pandora’s box” is to do something that seems small or harmless but releases many unforeseen problems. It’s
Murali Duggineni
March 2, 2026
India
What 22 Rapido rides taught me about dignity, bias, and survival
I wanted to get a first-hand experience of the work that many of us depend on every single day but
Murali Duggineni
March 1, 2026
Etymology
How “personality” evolved from stage masks to human identity
Personality is a set of individual emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that make a person unique. The word carries the history
Murali Duggineni
February 28, 2026
Etymology
How “quisling” became a synonym for betrayal
A quisling is a person who betrays their own country by collaborating with an enemy, especially during wartime occupation. The
Murali Duggineni
February 27, 2026
BackStory
The sinister story behind the Derrick crane
When engineers speak of a derrick—that towering crane-like structure used to hoist machinery, drilling equipment, or cargo—few pause to consider its
Murali Duggineni
February 26, 2026
BackStory
What makes Alphonso so exceptionally prized
The Alphonso mango (Mangifera indica cv. Alphonso), known locally as Hapus, is considered among the finest mango varieties in the world. What sets
Murali Duggineni
February 25, 2026
India
The drug that emptied Indian skies!
Growing up, I walked three km each way to school every day. Along the way, it was common to see
Murali Duggineni
February 24, 2026
India
Bengaluru’s pink paradise: Neginhal’s blooming legacy before Ugadi
Every year, a month before Ugadi, Bengaluru sheds its concrete cloak and blushes pink. Streets turn into dreamy canopies of
Murali Duggineni
February 23, 2026
Art & Culture
The moment Siddhartha became the Buddha
After forty-nine days of deep meditation under the Bodhi tree, Siddhartha Gautama achieved full enlightenment. His first words were not
Murali Duggineni
February 22, 2026
BackStory
Cracking the shell: Why the world is your oyster
After graduating, she realized the world was her oyster as she had multiple offers. With the new funding, the budding
Murali Duggineni
February 21, 2026
BackStory
From grain storage to office politics: “working in silos”
The expression “working in silos” comes from agriculture. A silo is a tall, sealed structure used to store grain or
Murali Duggineni
February 20, 2026
Etymology
A lampoon that launched a word
A pasquinade is a satirical piece of writing, a lampoon or public mockery, typically posted or published anonymously and aimed at a
Murali Duggineni
February 19, 2026
Etymology
The sacred boundary of the word “profane”
Long before the word “profane” carried its modern meaning of disrespect or vulgarity, it described something far more literal —
Murali Duggineni
February 18, 2026
Etymology
Why cruel pleasure is called “sadism”
Sadism refers to deriving pleasure from inflicting pain, humiliation, or suffering on others. The term comes from Marquis de Sade
Murali Duggineni
February 17, 2026
BackStory
Pyrrhic victory: The battle you win, and still lose!
The term “Pyrrhic victory” describes a win achieved at such a staggering cost that it negates the benefits of winning.
Murali Duggineni
February 16, 2026
Mythology
Why are bilva (bael) leaves offered to Shiva?
Among the many rituals associated with the worship of Lord Shiva, the offering of Bilva (Bel) leaves holds deep significance.
Murali Duggineni
February 15, 2026
Etymology
How a finance minister lent his name to the word “silhouette”
The word silhouette refers to the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background. While
Murali Duggineni
February 14, 2026
Etymology
Boycott: the man who gave protest its name
The word boycott means to deliberately refuse cooperation (such as buying, selling, or dealing with a person or organization) to
Murali Duggineni
February 13, 2026
Etymology
How a Turkish river shaped the word “Meander”
To meander is to follow a winding, indirect course without a fixed destination. As a verb, it describes both rivers
Murali Duggineni
February 12, 2026
Etymology
How is a fiasco different from a failure?
A failure can be quiet, private, or simply an unsuccessful outcome. A fiasco, however, is a failure that is loud,
Murali Duggineni
February 11, 2026
Etymology
Why peaceful times are called “halcyon days”
The phrase “halcyon days” refers to a period of peace, happiness, and prosperity — often looked back on with nostalgia.
Murali Duggineni
February 10, 2026
Etymology
Why “mortgage” literally means a “dead pledge”
A mortgage is a loan secured against property, where the lender holds a legal claim on that property until the
Murali Duggineni
February 9, 2026
BackStory
Why do we say “under the weather” when we are slightly unwell?
The expression “under the weather” means feeling unwell or slightly ill. If someone says, “I’m a bit under the weather,”
Murali Duggineni
February 8, 2026
Art & Culture
The 29 principles that guide a Bishnoi way of living
The Bishnois are a Hindu community known for their deep-rooted commitment to environmental protection and ethical living. The sect was
Murali Duggineni
February 7, 2026
Etymology
The longest word in English, and what it means
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is often cited as the longest word in the English language, clocking in at 45 letters. Despite its intimidating
Murali Duggineni
February 6, 2026
Technology
What is a Feature Store, why AI models depend on it
A Feature Store is the bridge between raw data and AI models in production. A simple way to understand it
Murali Duggineni
February 5, 2026
Technology
Why Perplexity AI calls itself an “answer engine”
Perplexity AI was founded in August 2022 by Aravind Srinivas, Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski. It reached a
Murali Duggineni
February 4, 2026
Technology
From comedy to code: how python became a global tech favorite
Python is a popular programming language used to tell computers what to do, using simple, readable instructions that feel close
Murali Duggineni
February 3, 2026
Technology
Understanding blockchain: the technology behind trust
Blockchain technology is a decentralized, distributed ledger system that records transactions across many computers. Each “block” in the chain contains
Murali Duggineni
February 2, 2026
Blog
Databricks and the rise of Lakehouse architecture
Databricks is a unified Data and AI platform built on a “Lakehouse” architecture, which combines the low-cost, flexible storage of
Murali Duggineni
February 1, 2026