Pilgrimage or carnage
Two crore pilgrims visit the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala annually, and the environment pays dearly for it
Big gods came after the rise of civilisations, not before, finds study using huge historical database
A massive database, named after Seshat, the Egyptian goddess of record keeping, is helping researchers
In pursuit of eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi
From cow dung to alum, eco-friendly experiments ruled the art of making idols of Ganesha this year
The answers within
Swadhyay, which literally means study of the self, is a movement that has introduced realistic social change in India's rural communities
Saving Krishna's forests
This is the story of Friends of Vrindavan, a unique experiment in conservation, which brings to attention the important role that India's …
Organised religion can play a crucial role in helping tackle COVID-19
Faith leaders need to play positive roles in educating their communities about the disease rather than attribute it to divine will
Official double-speak keeps Indian women down
WOMEN AND FAMILY LAW REFORM IN INDIA Archana Parashar Publisher: Sage Publications, New Delhi Price: Rs 295
Transient truths
UNTO THE FOLD·Colour· 87 mins·Hindi with English subtitles·Directed by Pravin Kumar·Samanvaya Trust, New Delhi&…
Forsaken forests
Economic growth and development are destroying Rajasthan's unique forest-based religious system
Serving in god's name
This dedicated band have abandoned their egos and selfishness to go about performing social service without any fanfare
`We are teetering at the edge of a new era'
It is very hard to understand why we do not seem to grasp the immensity and urgency of climate change that is already unfolding around us, says …
Muslim identity stays veiled
BOUNDARIES AND IDENTITIES: MUSLIMS, WORK AND STATUS IN ALIGARH E A Mann Publisher: Sage Publications, New Delhi Price: Rs 220
The common root
The ancient tradition that sanctified groves for the common good awaits a voyage of rediscovery.
Give Peace A Chance
Only a campaign that aims to conserve "wants" with the support of age-old "religious beliefs" can lead to a less strifed and more "peaceful world"
Pak NGOs under fire
While right-wing religious groups in Pakistan indulge in a hate campaign against voluntary organisations, the military regime looks the other way
Primitive classification
The Gonds, like other indigenous communities, still do not have sovereign political rights
Skin-deep Hinduism
Desperate Hindu extremists are making a mockery of the real problems that the river Ganga faces
How cow became the mother of demigods
The current political discourse on cow protection disregards the history of beef eating in India
Illicit Staple
Ritual offering, survival food, index of sophistication: what's pagan about northeast India's penchant for wild meat?
Traditional wisdom
Researchers in Gujarat use rural expertise to predict weather when modern methods fail to make accurate forecast
Coconut courier service
The economy of a village is built around coconuts—delivered free to a shrine via buses
Ragi is back - but only as exotica
No body knows for sure how the ragi bandwagon started, but all of a sudden the urban elite became curious about the grain. Today, it is being …
Toda traditions in peril
Can this tribal community in the Nilgiris survive the concrete trappings of civilisation? Tarun Chhabra on the eco-friendly Todas
Biodiversity & ethics
BIOTECHNOLOGY, BIOSAFETY AND BIODIVERSITY: SCIENTIFIC AND ETHICAL ISSUES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT·editors Sivramiah Shantharam and Jane …
Religion & environment