Chhath: A prayer for society and a quiet act of resistance
Each year, as dawn breaks over the ghats of Bihar and eastern India, the riverbanks shimmer with the golden light of the rising sun, mirrored by thousands of diyas floating on the water’s surface. Men and women,…
Crisp Noni saag ke pakore
I don’t know how many of you have heard of noni ka saag. It is an edible weed which grows as a creeper with a tendency to spread quickly. It is called as wild purslane (Portulaca oleracea)…
Bajka or Tarua: Fritters from Bihar
One item which is a must in every thali at lunch when guests come visiting to a Bihari home are bajkas. These are fritters made out of assorted vegetables. These are quick to make and can be…
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…
