A SINGLE sentence from Narendra Modi’s address at the consecration ceremony of the Balak Ram idol at the brand-new Ram Mandir in Ayodhya summed up the epochal nature of the event. Choking with emotion, the prime minister said, “Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent, he will now reside in his divine mandir.” The imagery those words evoked— from a forlorn tent to a grand temple—encapsulated the century-old bloody struggle to build a mandir at what is believed to be the birthplace of one of the most revered deities of the Hindu pantheon. It was also emblematic of the cultural renaissance that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Modi and its mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), hope to foster in India in the months and years ahead. Not to mention the emotional connect the event generated among India’s Hindu majority, which experts say will boost the BJP’s bid to win a third consecutive term with a clear majority in the general election to be held in the summer of 2024.
THIS IS A TEMPLE OF NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS. RAM IS THE FAITH, THE FOUNDATION, THE IDEA, THE LAW AND THE GLORY OF INDIA. RAM IS ETERNAL BUT IS ALSO CONTINUITY — Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India
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Queer Quartet
National Award-winning filmmaker Onir has taken several creative leaps with his queer romance, We Are Faheem & Karun
Changing the Narrative
In an ambitious new touring exhibition across India, veteran photographer Dayanita Singh pushes the boundaries of how we experience images
INDIA'S SPAM WAR
AS UNSOLICITED CALLS AND MESSAGES INUNDATE CELLPHONES, NEW TECH SOLUTIONS AND REGULATIONS AIM TO COUNTER THIS INVASIVE DIGITAL EPIDEMIC. BUT IT'S STILL A LONG HAUL
LALU'S OLIVE BRANCH GAMBIT
Winter may be intensifying in Bihar but the state's political climate is anything but cool.
IN THE PRODUCER'S SEAT
Actor Richa Chadha on being a first-time producer with Girls Will Be Girls, which released recently on Prime Video, and being a new mother
SPRING IN THEIR SETS
The upcoming Spring 2025 Season of the Symphony Orchestra of India at NCPA, Mumbai-headlined by Maestro Zubin Mehta and Sir Mark Elder-promises a host of international performers
SAFFRON'S CROSS CONNECTION
THE BJP REALISES THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IS CRUCIAL FOR THE PARTY TO MAKE A BREAKTHROUGH IN KERALA. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS ALSO AWARE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT
BURNING RESISTANCE
The 337 tonnes of toxic waste from the abandoned Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, awaiting disposal for four decades, has hit a roadblock.
VIRAL FEAR RISES ANEW
The fear is not an irrational one-it's just the other day that the spectre of Covid-19 was harassing the whole world. So as China reports a spike in respiratory illnesses, the memories of planetary disruption have come rushing back.
A PLUM PART
Tahir Raj Bhasin loved getting under the skin of Vikrant, the character he plays in Netflix's Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, whose second season is out now
