The name of a north Bengal village makes many shudder today. It came into the news five decades ago and modern-day dissenters are tagged to the name of the village: they are called “Urban Naxals”. Located 3km from the Nepal border, Naxalbari was the birthplace of an armed revolt by peasants, which gave a new term to the political lexicon. The armed Naxalites have a presence in over 50 districts. “This shows the relevance of Naxalbari even after 50 years,” said Abhijit Mazumdar, son of revolutionary Charu Mazumdar. “The flaming fields now have extended far and wide.”
Existing in a parallel narrative is Ayodhya, an ancient city being prepped as the Hindu capital of the country with Ram as the presiding deity. The temple, a symbol of Hindu nationalism, will be opened for darshan by December 2023. The city has sharply influenced the political history of the country and the fortunes of the BJP. Mahant Satyendra Das, the chief priest at the Ram Temple, also an eyewitness to the tumultuous events of Ayodhya, confirmed to THE WEEK that his Guru Abhiram Das placed the idol of Ram Lalla inside the disputed structure in 1949—an act that would change the course of the country.
Denne historien er fra August 22, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 22, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.