Author: Deshwale Editorial Desk

A few days ago, Delhi’s air was in good shape. Heavy rain at the end of October helped, and the month turned out to be the cleanest October since 2015, with an average AQI of 167, according to a CREA analysis reported by PTI. Now the city is under a layer of smog again.The change has been very quick. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s AQI was 60 on 30 October, the cleanest October day since 2022. It was 117 on 31 October, 261 on 1 November and 324 on 2 November. That made 2 November the…

A birthday comes once a year, but the little traditions around it make the day feel special. A cake, a few candles, a phone call from an old friend and the familiar words “Happy Birthday” can bring a smile to someone’s face. But have you ever wondered where this famous birthday song came from? The history of birthday celebrations goes back centuries, but the way people celebrate has changed over time. Today, birthdays are marked in different ways across cultures. Some families follow traditional customs, while others enjoy cakes, gifts, parties and gatherings with friends. Among these traditions, one has…

Next time you stand at a temple door, watch what happens after the last person rings the bell. The hand drops away, the crowd moves in, and the bell is quiet. Except it isn’t. If you stay a moment longer, you will notice a soft sound still hanging in the air, getting thinner and lower until it slips away on its own. Nobody is touching the bell. So what is keeping it alive? Start with an egg. Acoustics expert Dr Savio Sebastian, who taught at IIT Madras, suggested a little experiment to India Today Digital that anyone can do at…

You have probably done it today without noticing. Someone asks how your year is going, and you say you have not fallen sick once. Before the sentence is even finished, your hand has found the nearest table, door or wooden chair and given it a quick tap. “Touch wood,” you add, a little embarrassed, as if the universe might have heard you. Millions of people do this, and few can say why. It is one of those small habits we pick up as children and never question. So where did it come from? The honest answer is that nobody knows…

Sometimes, a run is not just about reaching the finish line. It is about discovering what we are capable of, finding confidence in ourselves and taking another step towards the life we dream of. In Jharkhand, four women are doing exactly that, one morning at a time. It is early morning. The air is fresh, the ground is getting busy and a group of women is preparing for a 1,600-metre run. Some are wearing sports shoes and T-shirts, while others have arrived in traditional clothes. A few have their husbands and children cheering for them. Others have come on their…

The aroma of freshly ground spices, the taste of homemade chutney and the familiar sound of something being pounded in the kitchen are memories that connect generations of Indian families. Long before mixer-grinders became everyday kitchen companions, simple tools made of stone and wood played an important role in preparing the food we grew up eating. Think about the taste of freshly prepared coriander chutney, crushed garlic or a masala made from whole spices. In many Indian homes, preparing these ingredients once involved a flat stone, a small grinding tool and a little patience. These were ordinary kitchen activities, yet…

Think about your last week. Maybe you had instant coffee before leaving for work. Maybe you ate a ready-to-eat meal on the way, or ordered groceries that reached your door in minutes. None of this feels unusual anymore. Convenience has become part of daily life, and many of us are happy to pay extra for anything that saves time and effort. But this raises a simple question. Are we using convenience to manage our time better, or are we slowly losing our willingness to make small efforts? Psychologists say convenience itself is not the problem. Divya G, a psychologist at…

The whole world is living in the 21st century, and in this modern age, most of us can hardly imagine life without technology. But what if I told you that there is a village in our own India that has neither electricity nor internet? You may think I am joking, because in today’s world, living without the internet seems impossible. But there is a Vedic village called Kurmagram in Andhra Pradesh. Kurmagram is in Srikakulam district, roughly 110 kilometres from Visakhapatnam. Only 56 people live here, including 14 families and a few Krishna devotees. The village was founded in 2018…

Drive about 95 km north of Delhi, and you reach Panipat. Ask most people what the city is famous for, and they will talk about history or textiles. Three major battles were fought here, in 1526, 1556 and 1761. Today, Panipat is better known as the “Textile City”, a hub for textile manufacturing and the recycling of old clothes into yarn. But stop by the highway, and a different Panipat comes into view. Shops are stacked with jars of mango, lime, chilli and mixed achaar. For many Indian families, these pickles represent the familiar taste of home. So, who is…

By: Ragini Chaubey क्या मृत्यु भी किसी के लिए मुक्ति का द्वार हो सकती है? काशी के मणिकर्णिका घाट पर पहुँचने वाले लोगों का विश्वास यही कहता है। गंगा किनारे बसे इस घाट को हिंदू परंपरा में महाश्मशान कहा जाता है, जहाँ चिताओं की लौ जीवन के अंतिम सत्य की याद दिलाती है। श्रद्धालुओं का मानना है कि यहाँ अंतिम संस्कार होने पर आत्मा जन्म और मृत्यु के चक्र से छूट जाती है। यही विश्वास मणिकर्णिका को बनारस के सबसे अहम घाटों में शामिल करता है। इस घाट के नाम के पीछे एक पौराणिक कथा भी है। मणिकर्णिका का अर्थ…