Blogs

A small hamlet in Thrissur comes together to reclaim a dying temple pond It was the sight of an old man tucking up his mundu and wading into the slime that chang ed everything. Until that moment, the crowd on the bank of the thodukulam— the pond beside the Peruvanam Mahadeva temple in Cherpu panchayat,…

As the March 31 deadline for the current 30% import duty on yellow peas approaches, trade circles and policy observers are closely watching the Centre’s next move. While speculative reports regarding a duty relaxation have surfaced periodically since January, the government is expected to take a nuanced view that aligns with its successful track record…

World Happiness Rankings & India Since 2013, March 20 has been celebrated every year as the International Day of Happiness. On this day, the annual World Happiness Report is released, ranking around 140 countries based on their happiness, measured from Gallup World Poll surveys. The World Happiness Report (WHR) is a partnership of Gallup, the…

It’s now 12 years since the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) admitted in 2014 that there was a need for front of pack labelling of packaged foods. Yet, not only has it not put in place such regulation,  it has informed the Supreme Court that it could take a great deal longer….

A couple’s art dwells in the world of coir workers and landscapes in retreat They say coir once left Neeravil, a remote village in Kollam beside Ashtamudi Lake, by water—bundles of fibre loaded onto country boats bound for Aspinwall & Co. in Kochi. There is something quietly circular about what has followed: The coir that…

By Farida Khanam Eid is a celebration of harmony, gratitude, and peace, marked by prayer, charity, and goodwill. It is a day when families unite, and believers thank God. The festival begins with the sighting of the new moon. As soon as the crescent appears, believers say a prayer: “O God, let this moon come…

The idea of ‘regime change’ is prominently associated with US-led invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan. But most regime changes – meaning transition from one political system to another – happen internally.Succession crises can trigger a regime change, or splits within ruling elites, or military coups, major protest movements, etc. Bombing a country to try and…

War coverage would have us believe, US and Israel are almost evenly locked in battle with Iran. Iran is matching – even outsmarting – US through “strategic cleverness”, and “asymmetric warfare”. US appears impulsive, Iran, smart, defiant, and resilient. But, this, simply, isn’t true. Read full story on TOI+   Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer…

As a stand-up comedian, I often joke that at 53, I am not in a bad marriage, but that by casual observation it could be said, I am in a boring marriage. These days my husband and I are more excited by purveyors of non-dairy pizza, than we are with one another. Unsurprisingly, I get…

There’s a medicine called Semaglutide that helps people lose weight and manage health problems like diabetes. In countries like the United States, it has become very popular—millions of adults are already using it. Now something important has happened in India. The patent for this medicine has expired, which means more companies can make it. This…