
Arun Shourie on his book Preparing For Death, and the possibility of meeting our end with equanimity
If we think about death all the time, we won't do any living at all, said Arun Shourie, discussing his new book 'Preparing For Death' at Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest.

Books of the week: From The Last Days of Mandelstam to On the Trail of Buddha, our picks
Our weekly roundup of books that should be on your radar.

Top 5 mediation apps for Indian users to be more mindful in your daily life-Part 1
Mindfulness is the ability to stay aware of your surroundings and thoughts and accepting them as they are.

Meditation apps might help calm you but they miss the point of Buddhist mindfulness-Part 2
Mindfulness apps are part of a massive and lucrative industry valued at roughly US$130 million.

NRC needed in Delhi as 'illegal immigrants are dangerous', says Manoj Tiwari; BJP MP says party to include demand in manifesto
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Saturday said that a National Register of Citizens (NRC) is needed in Delhi as illegal immigrants who have settled here are 'dangerous'.

Burning ghats of Benaras: In the holy city, death wears many faces, is both grand and mundane
Perched between the realm of god and men is Benaras or the ‘City of Light and Lore’ by the river Ganges, archaically known as ‘Kashi’. Its ghats shine blindingly with unwavering faith in something greater than the self, but now, spiritual corruption abounds in its lanes.

Writer Volga on re-imagining the Buddha's wife Yashodhara and why she is drawn to women from mythology
Sahitya Akademi winner Volga says that in resurrecting Yashodhara, she wanted to resurrect the intellectual and spiritual history of women. In this conversation with Firstpost, she speaks about what it means to call herself a feminist writer, the future of fiction in regional languages and why re-imagining mythology from different perspectives is important

Travelling without Moving with Himali Singh Soin
Ritual Telepathy at the Relic-Chamber by Himali Singh Soin is a slowly unfolding work. Slow like the heart of a blue whale, timing six beats per minute

At Ashok Nagar in Chennai, an Ambedkarists' Sangam rediscovers long-forgotten Dalit leaders
Set up over fifty years back, the Sangam aims to propagate the ideals of leaders like Ambedkar and to create awareness among the oppressed.

One foot in Lahore, the other in Chandigarh: How Partition's sundering affected a museum's artifacts
The collection at the Government Museum of Chandigarh, divided in Lahore on 10 April 1948, came this side of the border after long and complex negotiations between the representatives of the two newly formed governments of India and Pakistan.

In rural Maharashtra, one man is battling casteism and changing mindsets through multiple art forms
Yashwant Kamble is a house painter, sculptor, barber, tailor, and mason, among other things. He has won more than 50 awards for his social reformation and exemplary artwork, all the while fighting casteism.

'Gautam Buddha walked across India, Japan, Tibet', says Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb
Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday said Gautam Buddha walked across India and went to countries like Japan, Myanmar and Tibet to spread the message of peace and harmony

On Buddha Purnima, Narendra Modi says his teachings are important in context of terrorism, casteism
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India has never been an aggressor nor encroached upon anyone's territory and saw no distinction between religions, castes and languages

Google Home not able to recognise Jesus but can identify Buddha, Muhammad and Satan
According to reports, Google Home can identify Buddha, Muhammad and Satan but could not provide any details about Jesus.

As Bhima Koregan violence raged, this family sheltered over 100 Dalits from the mob's fury
While the Bhima Koregaon violence raged, this Sanaswadi family offered shelter to over 100 Dalits

Nitish Kumar calls on Dalai Lama at Bodh Gaya; releases book on science and philosophy
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday called on Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at Bodh Gaya near Gaya and also released a book with him.

Notes from a year spent 'discovering myself'; or How much truth is too much truth?
From the Buddha to that guy in Into The Wild and an animated horse who lives in Hollywoo, the search for truth has consumed many a fine individual. I was no different, writes Vignesh Raja

Nitish Kumar hails alcohol ban in Bihar, says there has been a drop in crimes since the imposition
CM Nitish Kumar also claimed that contrary to apprehensions, there has been a rise in the number of tourists visiting Bihar after the liquor ban last year.

Ancient India's political history is based on violence: Historian Upinder Singh on new book
Historian Upinder Singh challenges the idea of a nonviolent India in a compelling new book

Narendra Modi in Gujarat: PM wishes to build monument of Buddha in Aravalli
Narendra Modi said he aspires to build a monument of Lord Buddha in Gujarat's Aravalli district where Buddhist relics were found during an excavation