Long Reads News - Page 9
In Chennai, local organisations work toward restoring water bodies, with sustainability in mind
In June this year, Chennai's water woes caught international attention and many people around the world wondered as to how the city of 10.6 million would survive the summer heat of 50 degrees Celsius without water.
Kashmir’s forests face the axe: Forest Advisory Committee approves diversion of 727 hectares in 33 days
Kashmir forests face the axe; in 33 days the Forest Advisory Committee has approved diversion of 727 hectares of forest land and the felling of trees in designated forest areas.
Sindh’s man-made Chotiari reservoir is an environmental disaster, study finds
At a time when Pakistan is in desperate need to conserve water, the Chotiari reservoir — a mega water storing body constructed 17 years ago to boost agriculture in the country’s southern riparian Sindh province — has emerged as an unsustainable irrigation project and an environmental disaster due to bad planning, a new report revealed.
Let there be light: Chandannagar’s masters of illumination have brightened up festivals for years
Over the months of October to January, the streets of West Bengal’s towns and cities light up for a number of festive occasions — beginning with Durga Puja and Diwali, to the Jagadhatri Puja, Christmas, and then New Year’s. The dazzling illuminations seen in Bengal, especially Kolkata, owe much to a 60-year tradition, harking back to the world renowned light artist Sridhar Das
Lovers in Auschwitz, parted at the end of World War 2, reunited 72 years later
The first time he spoke to her, in 1943, by the Auschwitz crematory, David Wisnia realised that Helen Spitzer was no regular inmate.
Christmas cuisine: A guide to heirloom recipes from all over India
Christmas, as a festival, certainly has a very strong connection with food. From the quintessential rum cake (albeit with a twist) to a full Naga feast, delicate kul-kuls, to salted meat and mutton stew — we got foodies from all over India to share their favourite Christmas recipes, and memories. These traditional dishes are made as per heirloom recipes, handed down from one generation to the next.
In Mexico, a riotous celebration of food, drink, sport, culture — and death
The idea of Mexico comes with certain stock images — tacos and guacamole; a wild night out fuelled by tequila; the ancient Aztec pyramids — accumulated over the years from media and pop culture
For Jaisalmer's camel owners, an uncertain future brought on by economics of change
The old tradition of breeding and herding camels, and using them as carriers for short distances for tourism, remains one of the primary professions for villagers around Jaisalmer. But changing fortunes have imperiled their livelihood.
Climate change: Increasing presence of peafowl across Kerala piques scientists’ interest
Across the state, peafowl are now being reported by birdwatchers from areas they were never spotted before. And according to a new study, this trend is likely to increase over the next few decades as Kerala grows progressively drier.
Celia Lobo's music still soars: The life and times of India's 'only living opera diva'
Celia Lobo — "India’s only living opera diva" — has had a career filled with remarkable moments.
Pakistan’s electric vehicle policy is ambitious, but money, vested lobbies may prove hurdles
Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf government has quickly got a nod of approval for the first National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy
In Skardu's mountainous region, women villagers' traditional way of life upended by climate change
In Skardu, women farmers are experiencing a similar situation, where climate change is forcing them to deviate from centuries old traditions to adopt new means to earn a living.
As political uncertainty looms over Jammu and Kashmir, Dal Lake nears its death
As politics took centrestage, Srinagar’s Dal Lake suffered, but is this a blip or a feature of the political changes that have happened in Kashmir, finds Auqib Javeed of The Third Pole.
Romancing With Revolution: Author Zaheer Ali on the life and works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz
All those who believe in liberty, equality, justice and intend to transform the socio-economic and political conditions in the India may seek inspiration from Faiz's poetry, says Zaheer Ali.
Marathwada: Women tackle climate emergency through sustainable, organic agriculture
Sustainable, climate-resilient, organic agriculture is allowing more and more women in Marathwada to feed their families and make money.
In water-rich Bhutan, authorities struggle to meet the needs of a fast growing capital with lack of access
Authorities in Bhutan are struggling to meet the water needs of the fast growing capital Thimphu, especially in the winter when there is little rain or snow and pipes freeze over.
In a Dakshina Kannada village, a lesser-known god brings blessings, chases away evil
Come May, a resident of the Peral village of Dakshina Kannada dresses up and becomes a medium for the god, Rajan Daiva Ullakulu. The villagers re-enact the story of how this deity protected them during an ongoing dispute with the neighboring region, seek blessings and solutions and play a game with coconuts
Karachi Biennale 2019: With focus on ecology, questions of whether art can spark change
The Karachi Biennale 2019, with its focus on ecology, raised questions of whether art can spark change, and also showcased how a proximity to power can undermine that effort.
The Borderlands: Hope and loss in a river and shelter homes at India-Bangladesh frontier
In Part 2 of The Borderlands series, filmmaker Samarth Mahajan and his crew travel to the India-Bangladesh frontier to discover how a river serves as both a border and place to meet and fall in love. Here the No Man's Land is owned by individuals, and those who cross into India from Bangladesh are repatriated — a long, arduous process that comes at personal cost.
Viewing Article 370 abrogation through the lens of Ambedkar — and Ambedkarites
Having looked at the various Ambedkarite positions on the abrogation of Article 370, it’s important to locate what Ambedkar himself has said about this.
In Raja Deen Dayal's 19th-century albumen prints, discovering the Deccan's archaeological heritage
An album of 58 albumen prints by Deen Dayal, originally commissioned for the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1888, is going under the hammer as a complete album at Mumbai-based auction house, Prinseps' first-ever live sale on 17 November.
The Borderlands: Travels through the North-Western frontier, in search of human stories
Borderlands, an upcoming documentary film by Samarth Mahajan, attempts to tell stories from the areas which line India's frontiers — stories which are left out of the mainstream narrative, or presented largely through the lens of the army, war or nationalism. In this series, Firstpost follows Mahajan and his team as they travel across India, presenting snippets from people's lives. In Part 1, stories from the North-Western frontier.
After Cyclone Fani, women in a migrant fishing community start resilience fund
Women in a migrant fishing community in Odisha have created a resilience fund to shield themselves from disasters in the aftermath of cyclone Fani. Mapping resilience of women-led households and learning from their behaviour can provide insights to prepare better for the future.
A tale of two hospitals in two countries: How an emergency revealed broken state of Indian healthcare
In a broken system, hospitals don’t trust insurance companies to pay bills; insurance companies don’t trust hospitals not to inflate charges; and the hospitals, insurers and patients all know that going to the courts with a claim means endless years of litigation, from which lawyers will be the only ones to profit.
As Naga Sadhus gather for annual Pushkar Mela, a glimpse into their philosophy of detachment
The 'Naga Sadhus’ (literally meaning ‘Naked Yogis’) are a part of the Shaivite sadhus' sect. They gather in the holy city of Pushkar for the Mela.
At the Sonepur Cattle Fair, humans and animals meet to celebrate myriad cultures and traditions
Touted as Asia's largest cattle fair, the carnival in Bihar's Sonepur village is held a fortnight after Diwali, on the day of Kartik Poornima. Located at the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Gandak, the village attracts traders from as far as Central Asia during this time of the year, with the carnival going on for close to a month.
Along the Line of Control, a life marred by violence and wrenching separations
Life along the Line of Control — the de-facto border between India and Pakistan — bears the marks of violence, and those who live here wage daily battles of their own.
Oil spill in Bangladesh's Karnaphuli River a threat to critically endangered Ganges dolphins
The oil spill in southeast Bangladesh is the latest in a series of environmental disasters affecting river based ecosystems in the country, showcasing how inadequate the environmental safeguards are
Binodini Dasi's searing story has inspired two upcoming biopics: Will she finally get her due?
With two upcoming films based on the life of Binodini Dasi, the trailblazing 19th century actress — whose name is little known outside of West Bengal — may finally get the recognition she's always deserved.