The BJP is on a casting spree in Telangana. Its pre-election production in India’s youngest state borrows liberally from the events surrounding the liberation of Hyderabad on 17 September, 1948. The kingdom of Hyderabad joined the Indian Union 13 months after India gained independence. This was made possible through ‘Operation Polo’, mounted by the Indian forces that marched into Nizam’s territory. Taking its hero worship of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel a […]

Shravya Reddy Deshmukh comes across as an unassuming person. It’s only been a few days since she completed the daunting task of travelling across 31 districts in Telangana in 31 days. She has totally traversed a distance of 4116.4 km in a single month. “It’s all for the love of women,” Shravya reminds us, adding that it’s been her dream to touch every woman’s life and create a positive impact. […]

The second largest city in the state of Telangana, Warangal is also one of the most important historical cities in the county with many ancient monuments and temples. It was the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty during the early Medieval Period of India and has been ruled by many great rulers since then. Therefore, Warangal is a cultural and historical hub for travellers from all over India today. Tourist come […]

The 700-year-old tree is being given a treatment by injecting it with a diluted chemical to kill termite population that has infested the tree. Pumping the chemical into the stem has failed and hence, the forest officials are now infusing the chemical solution via a procedure similar to the saline drip given to patients in the hospital. As part of rejuvenation attempts to revive the almost dying tree, the world’s […]

Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pustivardhanam urva rukamiva bandhanan mrtyor muksiya māmrtāt Kaleshwaram Mukteswara Swamy Temple is famous in Karimnagar District of Telanagana. This ancient temple is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. The most unique aspect in this temple is the presence of two Shiva Lingams that can be seen on a single pedestal or Panavattam. One belongs to Lord Shiva (Mukteshwara) and the other belongs to Lord Yama […]

As many as 250 out of the 380 villages in Telangana state which were declared as ‘cashless transaction’ villages post-domonetisation have returned to cash transactions. The initial enthusiasm for cashless transactions has faded within 10 months due to poor internet connectivity in semi-urban and rural areas. The easy availability of cash in banks and ATMs has also prompted the people to return to cash transactions. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao […]

As the loudspeaker begins creaking at 7.45am, the people of Jammikunta, all 35,000 of them, get set to drop whatever they’re doing to stand still in a few minutes time. They get down from their bikes if they’re in the middle of the road, they put their spoons and coffee mugs down if they’re in the middle of breakfast, they pretty much shut down all other human activity, we presume, […]

The memoir of an Indian woman who was born a so-called untouchable and now works as a conductor on the New York City Subway has been hailed by critics for its unflinching account of caste and family in India. Journalist Sudha G Tilak spoke to Sujatha Gidla about her life story and how it became Ants Among Elephants. In Sanskrit, the main language used by scholars in ancient India and […]

The setting is perfect for breaking the fast in the holy month of Ramadan. A regal palace located on a hill, overlooking the old city of Hyderabad yet far from its chaos. The atmosphere serene, the ambience mystic, qawwali in the background — and to top it all, sumptuous Nizami food. In this historic city, known for its rich Muslim culture and legacy, Taj Falaknuma is trying to recreate the […]

I was 12 years old when the Delhi rape incident took place. I remember my mom joining the march for the Nirbhaya (meaning fearless) campaign with 500 people for several weeks to support the victim and her family. Curious about the protest, I asked my mom if I could come along one day. Soon, I started attending the protests every weekend. The more often I went, the more enraged I […]