Long Reads News - Page 11

Following a good monsoon after years, Thar desert blooms in Pakistan’s Sindh province

Receiving a good amount of rainfall after many years, the Thar desert is in full bloom in Pakistan’s Sindh province.

'Flying photographer' George Steinmetz on capturing environmental change, the ethics of using drones

George Steinmetz says he photographs from a couple hundred feet up, which allows him to observe the scale. 'It’s much more intimate and we can decode what’s happening below. Flying helps you to get into areas you otherwise cannot,' he says

Hangzhou, the retail way: At the TaoBao Maker Festival, tech and innovation are on full display

Of the many retail offerings at the TaoBao Maker Festival held at Hangzhou, shoes made of Legos, vegan pork and liquor-flavoured ice-cream are among the most exciting

Senthil Kumaran on documenting human-wildlife conflict, and photography as a socio-political tool

Senthil Kumaran is a documentary photographer whose work focuses on social and environmental issues, with an ongoing project documenting the human-wildlife conflict.

A compassionate lens: Pulitzer Prize winner Carol Guzy's photographs have a rare quality — empathy

Carol Guzy has worked in volatile and historic situations — among them, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Kosovo refugees escaping into Albania as they fled Serb ethnic cleansing in 1999, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the devastating effects of ISIS in Iraq in 2017, and migrants journeying to America in 2018.

An orchard in the hills: At Himachal's Thanedhar Estate, lessons in apple picking and history

Himachal's Thanedar village has been pivotal to apple cultivation in India; a century ago, an American missionary set up an orchard, apart from effecting other significant social changes. Now, the house in the orchard invites tourists to learn about apple production and soak in the history of its legacy

In Ladakh's Phyang village, community-driven initiatives tackle climate change

Traditional Ladakhi houses and farming practices are finding it difficult to cope with rapidly changing climatic conditions. They want measures to safeguard rights of indigenous people and the protection of the environment.

In photos from Pathshala Institute, depictions of faith, community and nature in Indian subcontinent

Firstpost got in touch with a few student photographers from Pathshala and examined their work, themes and perspectives in light of the crisis faced by the institute last year with the arrest of their founder and award-winning photojournalist Shahidul Alam.

At Gujarat’s Tarnetar Fair, matchmaking and cultural celebration go hand in hand

Every year in the month of September, Gujarat’s Tarnetar village gears up for a much-awaited three day-long fair. The Tarnetar Fair, however, is like no other — it’s a marriage mart, with families matchmaking, and women and men looking for prospective partners at the carnival.

At Disneyland’s newest attraction, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, embracing the dork side of the Force

Disneyland’s newest attraction, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, is a blast of pure childlike amusement. And for the Star Wars fan, it is a sweet nostalgic thrill ride that not only lets you live out your childhood fantasies but lets you participate in a whole new intergalactic adventure of your own

Kutch's Kharai breed, the world's only swimming camels, battle the tide of an uncertain future

The Kharai camels of Kutch are the only ones of their kind in the world that can swim. They live with the Jat community, who have been nomadic camel herders for generations, in a beautifully symbiotic relationship.

Oya 2019: Sights and sounds from Oslo's music festival, with lessons for Indian organisers

Oya Festival in Oslo is widely regarded as one of the best in Europe. Its line-ups, like those of Primavera Sound in Barcelona, continue to amaze fans year after year.

Sikkim rail project: Amid protests, environmentalists warn of disaster waiting to happen

Environmentalists claim that the Sikkim rail project could invite natural disasters as the stretch falls in an earthquake hazard zone. Instead, the railways point to increased employment and income generation through tourism.

Dammed and mined, Narmada can no longer support people living in the river valley

The dams and rampant mining of sand from the foreshore and riverbed of the Narmada River have caused significant damage to the riverine ecology, affecting livelihoods of people living in the river valley.

At New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ramayana comes alive in a stunning exhibition

A new exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases exquisite, centuries-old paintings depicting scenes from Ramayana

Argentine-German photographer Gerardo Korn paints the city of Buenos Aires in black and white

Argentine-German photographer Gerardo Korn's series captures the metropolis of Buenos Aires in its absolute beauty and in complete stillness.

In search of summits, surf and a sunrise: A true travel story from Bali

A glorified retelling of ordinary days and experiences.

How Rakh-e-Arth resettlement colony for Dal Lake dwellers became a quagmire with no end

The Rakh-E-Arth Resettlement Colony is the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s ambitious project to resettle some 10,000 land encroachers in an attempt to conserve the Dal Lake. But for those who have been moved here, the many problems of Rakh-e-Arth make it seem as though they were transported from heaven to hell.

In Sangli's Juni Dhamani village, normalcy remains a distant dream post-August floods

For the residents of Juni Dhamani, this delay in returning to normalcy has meant their nightmare is far from over.

The Quentin Tarantino Cinematic Universe: A look at the maverick director's 7 best characters yet

From Col Hans Landa to Dr King Schultz, ranking the seven best characters from Quentin Tarantino's films

Our freedoms are fragile, as we must remember on 73rd Independence Day and Sec 377 ruling anniversary

The judgment which struck down the law outlawing who we could love in the sanctity of our personal lives had this to say on freedom: Sexual autonomy and the right to choose a partner of one‘s choice is an inherent aspect of the right to life and right to autonomy.

Raqs-e-Inquilab: In conflict-riddled Kashmir, artists feel compelled to take to the easel, poetry

Mukti Krishan and Niyantha Shekar’s documentary Raqs-e-Inquilab (‘Art in a time of Conflict’), made before the abrogation of Article 370, studies how the old wounds of Kashmiris – some festering for as long as three decades – have manifested in the art made by painters and poets

As Maharashtra floods yet again, residents of a village in Kolhapur gather what remains of their lives

Memories of the 2005 Maharashtra floods haunt the residents of Kavathesar village in Kolhapur district. While some await their return to their homes, others go back to starting their lives from scratch.

Bakri Eid feasts from across India: Mappila cuisine to Bohri tradition, a celebration through food

There is a great diversity in the feasts that are prepared for Bakri Eid across India. In addition to the quintessential biriyani and kebabs, dishes like the lucknawi mutton chaap from Awadh, mutta mala from Kerala and methi maaz from Kashmir also feature prominently on dinner tables.

Kerala floods: Experts point to climate change, population pressure as state faces another deluge

Kerala is grappling with deluge, a repeat of the devastating August 2018 floods. A meteorological unpredictability is looming large over South India and it’s more visible in Kerala. The state is facing the combined after effects of climate change, population pressure and unscientific land utilization.

As Volkswagen ceases production of Beetle, Mumbai's 'Bug' aficionados share memories of iconic car

On 10 July, the last Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the company's assembly line in Mexico. The iconic car had been in production since 1938 and has enamoured generations of car lovers across the globe.

In rural Maharashtra, an athlete who overcame polio and discrimination, now mentors the next generation

At the age of three, Bavadekar started suffering from polio in both the legs. Today, he is an athlete, wrestler, body-builder, swimmer, coach, farmer, and a cashier in the bank.

In UP and Bihar, a social venture involving electric rickshaws is providing eco-friendly livelihoods

A social enterprise, SMV Green Solutions, is helping people from low-income groups in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to own and operate electric rickshaws.

From Camden to Columbia Road, a pictorial journey through London's many specialty markets

London’s many vibrant markets make for a fascinating visit any time of the year, but on a warm summer’s day this experience becomes even more of a pleasure.

In Tamil Nadu, anatomy of a caste crime: Families devastated by honour killings speak of the scourge

Honour killings in Tamil Nadu have left behind broken families, disillusioning fights against the social order, untold amounts of grief — through which faint glimmerings of hope shine through