Culture
Culture

Who celebrated Onam first? Answer: The Pandyas

(This article was first published on Sept 7, 2022) As Keralites throughout the world are celebrating Onam festival, the cultural festival of Malayalees cutting across caste and religion, a public holiday has been announced in several districts of Tamil Nadu too. Political leaders of Tamil Nadu...

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Onam
Culture

Warli tribe’s colorful tradition

At the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples celebrated near Mumbai recently, the cynosure of all eyes was the parade of adivasis: The most striking feature about them was that the clothes and hats they wore and the musical instruments they played were all made up of palm leaves....

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Warli
Culture

One hundred years of goli soda

In Tamil Nadu, the very mention of soft - or cool - drinks brings back to mind goli soda. Time was when goli soda was served to guests at home as a token of honour. Post-Independence, the industry expanded. But after the advent of the foreign soft drinks companies in the local market, the goli...

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Goli Soda
Culture

Kondaiah Raju: The painter who brought the gods home

It was artist C. Kondaiah Raju (1898-1976), who, in his portraits, infused life into several Hindu gods and goddesses and made them part of several temples and households. He was one of the few famous painters such as Raja Ravi Varma. Born to Kuppusamy Raju-Alamelu Mangammal in Chennai in 1898,...

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Painter