A historic library lies in ruins in Aligarh

When Deepak Singh started working as a salesman in the US, he was ashamed of the fall in status this signalled, says Vikram Johri. IMAGE: Deepak Singh narrates his experiences with a steadfast focus on what he learnt from them in his book, How May I Help You? Photograph: Kind courtesy Deepak Singh/Twitter Deepak Singh grew up in Lucknow where he did an MBA and ultimately found a job with the BBC's radio service in the city. In the early 2000s, he met Holly, an American anthropology student ...

Legends, tales and history can leave an unforgettable vivid imprint on your mind as you walk through the small clearings amid the forests of Rajgir or Rajagriha – the house of the royals. It’s an ancient capital of the most powerful empire Magadha until ...

The last book in the Harry Potter series by J K Rowling was released in 2007, but the fandom for the fantasy fiction has refused to wane out even a decade later. Keeping the memories of the tale that shaped almost every 90s kids childhood, a special ...

Harish Kapadia is the only Indian to win mountaineering's most prestigious award, reports Sadiya Upade.Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Early in November Harish Kapadia was conferred the Piolets d'Or Asia Lifetime Achievement Award from the Union of Asian Alpine Associations, which hands out the 'Oscars of climbing'. How did he celebrate? By climbing another mountain, of course. This time, he and his group headed out to explore Incheon in South Korea. "It was just a day-long trek," ...

A short story by award-winning writer Madhulika Liddle. Illustrations: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com The washerwoman, her sari clinging to her wet ankles as she drew water from the well, was the first to inform Sulakshana of the news. Sulakshana had been sitting on the charpai under the neem tree that grew in a corner of the courtyard. It was her favourite place, the place she always retired to after she had done the little bit of supervision that was required to keep the household moving in its ...