Bhai Dooj: The Bihar version
On the second day after Diwali, several communities in India celebrate Bhai Dooj. It is called Bhai Teeka, Bhau Beej or Bhai Phota in different states. The usual way of celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters…
Dhokha: A faux fish dish from Bihar
Kya aap dhokha khaana chahte hain? Surprised? Well, I am not asking if you want to be cheated. Dhokha is a vegetarian dish from Bihar. Why is it called Dhokha (literally meaning ‘deception’)? Because it fools you…
Sujani: Embroidery from Bihar
One of the many diverse art forms that lie relatively undiscovered in Bihar is the Sujini or Sujani embroidery. The earliest known examples of Sujani embroidery date back to the mid 1920s. Women hand embroidered these masterpieces…
She never called me Kanniya
Three days into my wedding, sitting in the bedroom, I overheard a furore in the kitchen. It was an anxious phase for me. I was still getting used to a strange new culture and tradition in a…
The ancient ruins of Nalanda
There are times when you tour the world hunting for treasures, while the treasure lies buried in your own backyard. One of those telling moments when I felt most proud to be Indian was when I visited…
Hiuen Tsang and his pilgrimage of discovery
Indians traditionally have never been good at recording history. Knowledge was often transmitted through the oral tradition. Most of what we know about our ancient history comes from the writings of foreign travellers. Hiuen Tsang was one…
Satuani: A ritual to mark the beginning of summer
Although I originally belong to Bihar, I did not grow up there. So I’m always on the lookout- trying to gather little details of the unique customs and traditions of the place. On Friday, that is on…
Saturdays and khichdi
One of the most delectable dishes that Bihar has to offer is the masoor dal khichdi. It isn’t the usual bland khichdi which is served to people who are ill. Instead this is flavourful, with added vegetables…
Chhat: When Bihar worships the Sun
Today Bihar and its adjacent areas celebrate their most important festival — Chhat. Since a lot of my friends here, don’t know much about the significance of this festival, I thought I should explain why it is so…
Muzaffarpur: The lichi city
Muzaffarpur has different connotations for different people. It was near the world’s first republic of the Licchavi clan near Vaishali. It is famous for colourful lahthi (lac based) bangles and juicy shahi lichis. It is where Baba…
