Mark Twain once said, "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." Banaras which is called by different names such as Kashi and Varanasi is said to be a timeless city. It is also called Avimuktaka, the sacred space never to be forsaken by Shiva. It is believed to be the original ground created by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Those who die here are guaranteed liberation from the repeated cycle of birth and death. Manikarnika which is the chief burning ghat on the Ganges bank in Banaras is never to be without a body burning on the pyre. It is said to be every Hindu’s duty to make sure Manikarnika never goes idle! Considered to be one the holiest Hindu cities, this town breathes divine bliss. And today on the Indian Podcast, we will be talking about the living history of Banaras which is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world with Ms. Pooja Sodhi, who is a seasoned marketing professional and a blogger. She has been studying Indian traditions and is a culture enthusiast and writes about them on her blog poojasodhi.com

I’m sure most of you must have heard of Zardozi embroidery. Today this craft has become a mainstay in couture and bridal costumery and can be afforded by many. But there was a time when only the kings and the royals could adorn garments embroidered in Zardozi as it was made using fine gold, silver and precious stones. This magnificent art of metallic embellishment on fabrics added glitter, glamour, opulence and power to their wardrobe. Though this craft was prevalent in India even in ancient times but Zardoz as a class of artisans along with other artisans came to India only in the twelfth century along with the sultanate conquerors. And by the Mughal period, this craft reached its zenith. There were many times this craft lost its patronage and that led to its decline but it always found patronage somewhere else and again became popular. In this episode, listen to Dr. Charu Smita Gupta talking about the historical development of Zardozi in India and how it’s material was transformed over time to make it affordable for the common man. Dr. Charu Smita Gupta is an anthropologist and museologist with a diverse professional experience in the field of cultural traditions of India. She has also written several books including one on our todays topic - 'Zardozi Glittering Gold Embroidery'.

The Harappan Civilization is a culture wrapped in a shroud of mystery.

Who were the Harappans? What language did they speak? How urbanised was the Harappan civilization? How did it decline? In this episode, listen to Prof. I.S. Marwah talking about the marvels and mysteries of the Indus Valley Civilization. He is a social anthropologist who has a vast experience of almost 5 decades in studying a number of tribal and agrarian communities in India and abroad. He has taught at the University of Delhi in the Department of Anthropology. He is also interested in studying ancient civilizations such as the Mayan civilization in Mexico and the Harappan Civilization in India.

India’s fascination with the Rolls Royce goes back to the days of the Maharajas. Did you know the very first Rolls Royce bought by an Indian Maharaja was the ‘Pearl of the East? It was bought by the Maharaja of Mysore after he saw the car in the Bombay-Kolhapur Motor Trial in 1908. Why was India such an important market for Rolls Royce? What kind of specific body styles people in India asked for when they bought a Rolls Royce? Was it ever used as a garbage collection vehicle in India by a Maharaja? Also why in the post independent era, hardly any Rolls Royce were bought and imported in India? To answer these and many more questions, listen to Mr. Gautam Sen who is a leading automotive consultant and an authority of historic vehicles. He has written several books including a book chronicling the life of a very special Rolls - 17EX.

It was India’s finest hour: when Indian armed forces fought against those of Pakistan to help the Bengali speaking population of East Pakistan from annihilation and give them a new country called Bangladesh. This conflict completely reshaped the sub-continent and today, on the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh Liberation War, listen to Satyajit Lall who is passionate about military affairs and diplomacy and is writing a book on the 1971 war talking about the reasons and factors which led to India’s greatest victory of all time.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the 9th of the 10 Sikh Gurus. The first phase of his were years of education, marriage and heroism. The second phase of his life were years of intense meditation at Baba Bakala. The third and the last phase of his life were years of his pontificate on the spiritual throne of Guru Baba Nanak. Guru Tegh Bahadur and his three disciples were executed at Chandni Chowk, Delhi on the order of Aurangzeb for espousing the cause of persecuted Hindus. In this episode of the Indian Podcast, listen to Dr. Anurag Singh from Ludhiana, Punjab who has written 5 books on various aspects of Guru Tegh Bahadur's life. He is the son of late Dr Trilochan Singh who wrote First Authorised Biography of Guru Tegh Bahadur, hailed as First Biography of its genre by Indian as well as western scholars.

India, with around 500 tribal groups is home to the largest tribal population in the world. Known as Adivasi’s, these tribal communities have an enigmatic culture and continue to practice their own values, traditions and customs which are passed down from generation to generation. Munda tribe is one of the indigenous tribes of India which belongs to the Chota Nagpur plateau and is spread across Jharkand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal. Who are the Mundas? Where did they come from? What is unique about their culture? How did tribal leader Birsa Mundas’s role in the Indian freedom struggle changed the course of modern India’s history? To answer all these questions, listen to Dr. Abhik Ghosh, who is an anthropologist and has worked closely with the Munda tribe in this episode of The Indian Podcast with host Alisha Anand.

Long before we had the modern and contemporary art, we had the indigenous art which showcased a wide variety and genealogy. Passed down from generation to generation, Indian folk and tribal art is culturally diverse and distinct. It was never indulged in purely for pleasure but was the creative expression of people who lived in harmony with nature. It depicted people’s daily lives. It was made during special occasions and ceremonies. These Painted narratives on various surfaces have today become important sources of knowledge about the past. In this episode of The Indian Podcast, listen to Dr. Charu Smita Gupta talking about how some of the most important traditional folk and tribal art forms like Warli, Madhubani, Phad, Bhil and Gond paintings have evolved over the years and become globally famous. She is an anthropologist and museologist with a diverse professional experience in the field of cultural traditions of India. She has also written several books including one on our todays topic - Indian folk and tribal paintings.

What today is called the Old Delhi or Purani Dilli, was once the imperial capital of the Mughal empire. It was called Shahjahanabad. And at its heart was the famous Qila –e – Mubarak or as we know it today the red fort; which served as the main residence for the Mughal emperors starting from Shah Jahaan. This walled city saw both grandeur and tragedy and even today one does get to see the remnants of it. In this episode of The Indian Podcast, listen to historian, Dr. Swapna Liddle, who has also the authored the book ‘Chandni Chowk: The Mughal City of Old Delhi’ talking about this magnificent city which was build in the 17th century and how it transformed with the passage of time.

We all know the story of Ramayan, where Raavan abducted Shri Ram’s wife Sita and took her to his kingdom of Lanka. He held her as a prisoner in Ashok Vatika, and also expressed a desire to marry her. Later, Rama, with the support of vanara king Sugriva and his army of vanars, attacked Ravana in Lanka. Raavan was killed and Sriram rescued Maa Sita. This day is celebrated as Dussehra and gives the message of victory of good over evil. But Raavan was he just pure evil or did he also have a streak of goodness in him? How did Raavan turned from a brahmin Shiv bhakt to a demon king who abducted Maa Sita? Were the events that took place in Ramayan predestined? Find answers to all these questions and more in this episode of The Indian Podcast with Mr. Ajay Chaturvedi who is an author, Vedic scholar, Darshnik and an entrepreneur.