Simon Harmer kept it simple to script South Africa’s famous win over India
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EXPLAINED CULTURE NEWS - Page 7
New Year’s Resolutions 2025: 3 cultural practices explaining its originsSubscriber Only
January 2, 2025 20:19 IST
New Year’s Resolutions 2025: While the futility of the humble New Year's Resolution has been called to question, the practice of connecting the start of the calendar with a resolve to start afresh is a tale as old as time.
100 years of the Charles Dickens Museum: The writer’s lasting legacySubscriber Only
December 31, 2024 19:48 IST
A museum in the 19th century London home in which the British writer wrote Oliver Twist and The Pickwick Papers, has now been open to the public for 100 years. We explore the life and legacy of this influential writer of the sentimental and picaresque
5 notable New Year traditions from around the worldSubscriber Only
January 1, 2025 04:58 IST
If the Spanish gobble 12 grapes right when the clocks strikes midnight for the New Year, in Greece onions are hung on doors of homes to attract growth and ward off evil. Here is a look at five popular New Year traditions from around the world and their origins
What is Vasilopita, the traditional Greek New Year’s cake that ‘brings luck’?Subscriber Only
January 2, 2025 08:37 IST
Nestled within the dough is a hidden coin (called flouri) – a token of fortune, love, and health for the lucky person who finds it in their slice. Here is the legend behind the tradition.
What made Shyam Benegal’s films stand out?Subscriber Only
December 30, 2024 05:27 IST
Shyam Benegal is among the foremost directors of India’s Parallel Cinema wave. His films also challenged social norms and prized authentic portrayals of marginalised groups, at a time when films like ‘Sholay’ set the template for mainstream Hindi films.
Goa’s Serendipity Arts Festival features ‘interactive art’ exhibitions: Everything you need to know about the genreSubscriber Only
December 27, 2024 15:36 IST
The roots of interactive art go back to the early 20th Century when surrealist artists such as Salvador Dali and Joan Miro challenged conventional notions of art
The curious case of December: Why the 12th month is the roman word for 10Subscriber Only
December 26, 2024 12:55 IST
It is not just December, rather all months named after numericals — September (from septem meaning seven), October (octo meaning eight), November (from novem meaning nine) — that are nomenclaturally anachronistic. Why is that?
How Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25Subscriber Only
December 25, 2024 12:51 IST
Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. But early Christians did not celebrate his birth, and no one knows on which date Jesus was actually born
Why do we have Christmas trees?Subscriber Only
December 24, 2024 14:37 IST
There is no dearth of legends about the emergence of the Christmas tree. One of the most popular ones is that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, was the first person to decorate a pine tree for the holiday
Pushpa 2’s success: What are ‘masala movies’, which Bollywood loved and seems to have lost?Subscriber Only
December 23, 2024 22:32 IST
As Bollywood falters and movies from the south come roaring in to capture the space it once dominated, we take a look at 'masala' films. What is the genre, and why does it matter so much to audiences, critics, and the film industry?
Explained: The transcendental legacy of Ustad Zakir HussainSubscriber Only
December 17, 2024 13:08 IST
Zakir Hussain passed away after a brief illness on Sunday. Here is why the tabla maestro is considered to be among the greatest musicians India has ever produced
Rahul Gandhi mentions Eklavya: His story beyond the thumb-cutting, questions of ‘dharma’ it raisesSubscriber Only
December 18, 2024 11:59 IST
The broad story of Eklavya and how he lost his thumb are well-known. But what happened to him after the episode with Drona? What questions of 'dharma' and duty are raised by his story? We explain.
Explained: From ‘brain rot’ to ‘kakistocracy’, what Words of the Year tell us about 2024Subscriber Only
December 11, 2024 05:09 IST
While 'brain rot' relates to the constant consumption of online content, 'kakistocracy' refers to the 'rule of the worst' in politics. Here is what to know.
Treacle puddings, Turkish Delights, with a side of nostalgia: foods from beloved children’s books, explainedSubscriber Only
December 10, 2024 22:38 IST
Puddings can be savoury, and 'pastries' in the West don't mean sponge cake and cream. Here are more food items you may have read about in Enid Blyton and other books, decoded.
Explained: The Turner Prize for art and the controversies around itSubscriber Only
December 7, 2024 12:46 IST
Indian-origin artist Jasleen Kaur has won this year’s Turner Prize, which has helped many past winners attract mainstream recognition, and led to several controversies.
All about Chill Guy, the internet’s newest favourite iconSubscriber Only
November 28, 2024 12:44 IST
Today a viral meme, Chill Guy presents a marked contrast to recent social media trends that incorporate detachment.
Guru Tegh Bahadur Shaheedi Divas: The life and martyrdom of the ninth Sikh GuruSubscriber Only
November 24, 2024 15:35 IST
Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Aurangzeb in 1675. At the site of his execution stands Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi.
Why T M Krishna’s ‘criticism’ of M S Subbulakshmi is in fact a commentary on society at largeSubscriber Only
November 25, 2024 15:23 IST
In its recent order, Madras High Court called for respecting the legendary singer’s wishes. The legal battle spotlighted the fault lines in the Carnatic music establishment, and the questions raised by Krishna, its famous insider
How a duct-taped banana sold for millions of dollarsSubscriber Only
November 24, 2024 12:05 IST
The artwork is just a fresh banana affixed to a wall with duct tape. Its purchaser receives a roll of duct tape, instructions on how to 'install' the banana and a certificate of authenticity guaranteeing it is an original work
How Bollywood influenced Björk’s experimental electronic musicSubscriber Only
November 22, 2024 14:25 IST
India has been inextricably weaved into the work of Icelandic musician Björk — one of the world’s first ‘experimental’ electronic artists. She met Sridevi on the sets of Bollywood film ‘Judaai’ and one of her songs samples a Satyajit Ray film's soundtrack
What happens during the exposition of sacred relics of Saint Francis Xavier in GoaSubscriber Only
November 21, 2024 11:22 IST
Pilgrims and tourists from around the world will come to Goa for the 45-day long event to venerate the sacred relics of the saint
International Men’s Day: Why it is on November 19, Indian woman’s role behind itSubscriber Only
November 20, 2024 11:50 IST
What is International Men's Day? Why is Men's Day not observed on the same scale as UN-recognised Women's Day? Do we even need a Men's Day? We explain.
Miss Universe 2024 crown goes to Denmark: How the pageant began, its tryst with Trump and bankruptcySubscriber Only
November 18, 2024 12:22 IST
Do you know how the Miss Universe pageant came into being? Here's the answer to that, along with other interesting facts about the contest.
Tulsi Vivah 2024: What is the legend behind the festival, which marks beginning of Hindu wedding seasonSubscriber Only
November 13, 2024 11:49 IST
Why is Tulsi married to Shaligram on Tulsi Vivah? What is the Shaligram? All your questions answered.
‘No sex with Trump voters’: The ABC of the 4B movementSubscriber Only
November 11, 2024 20:53 IST
While the 4B movement originated in South Korea a few years ago, not having sex with men as a political protest is not a new idea. We take a look at 4B, its history, and (non-sexist) criticism.
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In ‘historic first’ deal, India to source 10% LPG imports from US in 2026
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MEA reacts to Sheikh Hasina’s death sentence
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Deepika Padukone says fame and money no longer drive her choices: ‘Rs 500 crore films…’
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