Sometimes I think he loves that dog more than he loves us. I don't get jealous when dad spends time with his favourite... The word animal doesn't come to my mind.  
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Inspired by role models like social worker Anna Hazare, the people of this village in Maharashtra could overcome all hurdles because they dared to dream, discovered the children of Jnana Prabodhini Navanagar Vidyalaya of Pune.  
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The country has gained freedom but the rich continue to get richer, while the poor get poorer, especially children who work in exploitative conditions when they should be enjoying a secure childhood. A student of Siva Sivani Public School, Hyderabad, speaks of a small boy who works at his neighbour’s place.  
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From ignoring accident victims on roads to converting the country into a giant open urinal, to lack of concern for public property, cleanliness and the environment, Indians need to be more sensitive to the world around them, say students of Mira Model School, Janak Puri, New Delhi...  
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It is not as if the country does not have enough food. It has enough foodgrain but it never reaches the hungry and the needy, says Nihal, a student of the first prize winner, Fr. Agnel Multipurpose School, Navi Mumbai.  
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Water reaching each and every corner of India, and the total disappearance of famine and drought, is the dream of the first prize winner, Fr Agnel Multipurpose School, Navi Mumbai.  
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The students of D.A.V Girls Senior Secondary School, Chennai, highlight the creative, story-telling method used by renowned educationist and Gandhian, Gijubhai Badheka, in the classroom.  
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Interesting poems, submitted as part of a project by the Army School, Delhi Cantonment, Delhi, which explain the painful process of examinations and what is wrong with the education system in India.  
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Today’s dreams are tomorrow’s reality, they say. A student of the Gopi Birla Memorial School, Walkeshwar Road, Mumbai, speaks of the changing face of dreams since the days of India's freedom struggle.  
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Senior scholar and journalist Amrita Rangasami remembers August 15, 1947. She was five. With her four siblings, she said a prayer for the freedom fighters. There were sweets and a special meal...  
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She was 15 and a supporter of Gandhi. Her father was loyal to the British and kept their flag flying atop his house. Hearing that Gandhi was coming to town, Grandma thought of switching flags...  
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Kaz Suyeishi, an 18-year-old didn't think she would live through her ordeal, let alone be able to share her story more than half a century later.  
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Srimanjari, a history lecturer at Delhi University, remembers her 1998 visit to Hiroshima for the peace memorial conference, on August 6, an annual feature. She was among 10,000 others who saw the desire for peace in the eyes of the hibakushas or atomic bomb survivors.  
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Seventy-year-old Noriko remembers the day the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. She was 14 then, and her sister was 12. Most senior students were out helping in the war effort. There was no escape.  
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At 8.15 am, on August 6, 1945, the US dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. On August 9, it repeated the action in Nagasaki. A record of what people went through in those two days...  
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What happens when children from 'opposing sides' write a poem that starts with revengeful feelings, but ends with their coming together and speaking in one voice?  
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It is amazing to analyse the use of the word cat in the English language. They are everywhere: on the roof, in a bag and in the theatre in Shakespeare's age.  
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It began in the US about 100 years ago when a woman called Sonara Louise Smart Dodd felt that there should be a special day to honour her remarkable father as there was one to honour mothers.  
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There is more to ancient Greece than the Olympics - the barber shop, where men exchanged the top news and gossip of the day, and the broad brimmed hat that we thought was the gift of the Mexicans.  
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Eeryone thinks of gladiator fights and the Colosseum. But, do you know anything about the stylish togas and sandals that the ancient Romans wore.  
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Join us in our time machine as we go back in the past to ancient Egypt. Notice the ancient Egyptians' awesome sense of attire and fashion!  
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I watched as some village boys threw stones in the water, each trying to throw his stone farther than the other's. Did they know this game was played by Roman boys?  
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Scientists claim to have found the once mighty Saraswati flowing under the Thar desert in Rajasthan. If this is true, the discovery can be a boon for the desert dwellers.  
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Just as I like to watch the traffic rushing past, so does Shiva. He even has one arm raised in blessing - each passing vehicle gets his good wishes...  
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A riot of patterns and colours, with innumerable lines criss-crossing the cloth, is the hallmark of the exquisite dyeing craft of batik that has existed for more than a 1000 years.  
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Want to be in the thick of the seasons of life in India? Just travel by public transport. No matter what the season, the Indian commuter sure knows how to spice up his daily travel.  
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When Alexander the Great set off on his expedition to India, he travelled with historians and philosophers with one objective - that his teacher, Aristotle should not remain ignorant of any animal born anywhere!  
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While reading the 4000-year old account of a schoolboy's day, the author realised one thing: some things don't change with time.  
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It was a sheer explosion of rebellious ideas over 2000 years ago and Jainism was born out of this protest of new groups against the supremacy of the priestly class. The birth anniversary of its founder, Mahavir, is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti.  
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Good Friday, a day of fasting and penance for Christians, was the day Christ was crucified. Christ, with his simple teachings, stood between the Jewish priestly class and the vast Roman empire.  
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Easter Sunday is a very important day for Christians. For most of us it means the Easter egg, a joyful day and the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion. But in reality, Easter signifies much more and is in fact, has much older roots.  
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On the tenth day of month of Muharram, Muslims take out 'taziya' processions mourning the memory of the tragic killing of the Prophet's grandson. Taziyas are symbolic of the tomb of the martyr and show a high degree of craftsmanship.  
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As the dormant volcano on Mount Pelee arose from its sleep it left a trail of death, disaster and a lost city. However two men survived the tragedy in an incredible story of fate.  
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In the last one year two major scandals involving politicians and cricketers have been exposed using hidden camers. It looks like this type of spying equipment is here to stay.  
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Shajahanpur is a sleepy little town in northern India, but till a few years ago, it had one unusual feature: night-long musical debates by competing groups of singers. The themes varied from price rise to the Ramayana.  
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Twenty-four years ago, Abdul Kareem bought five acres of wasteland and grew trees and plants in it. Today, the forest is many times larger and it is the haunt of nature-lovers.  
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Thousands of children in Karnataka work like industrious ants in matchbox-sized spaces in sericulture units. A documentary film highlights their plight.  
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Drawn curtains and the absence of lights make this restaurant for the blind in Zurich, pitch dark. And it's a hit even with people who can see.  
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In the day they treat figures of authority with irreverence and flock to the famous poet's gathering in the evening where local politicians are the target of 'pun-ny' verse - the people of Banaras can really be mischievous!  
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The people of Gokul had had a good crop. Winter was on its way out, the spring flowers were budding and it was a full moon day. And infant Krishna had arrived in local landlord Nand's family. The notes of happiness, or Hori, were natural…  
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Holi used to go on for 20 days in her village, reminisces the 65-year-old writer. A chariot procession before school-going time, a custom where the new daughter-in-law locked the elders in a room demanding compensation, and colours of course!  
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Prabhu is among the several children employed in the shrimp farms of Andhra Pradesh. Using his mouth to pick out shrimps from saline pools, he suffers from sores in the mouth.  
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Colourful and intricately carved, these famous traditional wooden toys have brought alive the real world of humans and animals as well as mythological figures, for generations of children. Each handcrafted toy is unique.  
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Eid celebrations holds a special place in the hearts of those who celebrate it. This year thirteen-year-old Asif Ansari is going to his native village, Yusufpur, to experience the lost magic of the festival he so loves.  
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It might start with fasts but the end of Ramdan signals the time for Muslims to lay out the most lavish spread of kebabs, biryani and seviyan.  
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Originally denoting the simple meal that breaks the fast of Ramdan, Iftar has come to acquire a whole new meaning today with politicians holding lavish Iftar parties that include Mughlai food and even music.  
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Apart from Christmas celebrated by Christians all over the world, and Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated by Muslims, a brief review of two other festivals more or less happening during the winter solstice.  
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What is the symbolism inherent in the story of the birth of Christ? Does it just talk about the birth of Jesus? Or does it enable us to go deeper and unravel a few of the reasons for the founding of Christianity?  
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With origins in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, Christmas today is a jumble of customs, rituals and food specialities from all over the world.  
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Christmas, the celebration of the birthday of the man who founded Christianity, is an out and out commercialised festival today. But did you know that the American version of Christmas has always been so?  
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Siva Kalyan is a prodigy. Not only is he studying advanced math and physics at the age of nine years, but he is also overcoming a tough physical condition. And it's all in no small measure due to his parents.  
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No, they are not the kind of bronzes weightlifter Malleswari won in the recent Olympics, but the most exquisite sculptures made in an equally fascinating manner down the ages.  
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Little Rabi used to pretend that the straight, tall railings of verandas at his sprawling mansion in Calcutta, were students who he could cane at will. But the boy who grew up to be his generation's greatest Indian literary figure, hated school himself.  
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So you thought dolls are just pretty plastic things with no real value at all. Well, you haven't seen Francoise' dolls have you?  
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What are the images that Venice evokes? A sense of history and timelessness. And long leisurely rides through its myriad canals in gondolas. But all this is under threat today.  
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Inspired by Persian art, the 400 year old traditional art of Bidri has spread from its mother town Bidar to the rest of India. Shyamala, a craftsperson, explains.  
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Come festival time and Indian homes have their floors covered with beautiful patterns in floral designs and geometrical shapes, called alpana. But painting walls and floors is an artform not unique to India alone.  
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The genius that was to make Mozart one of the greats of western classical music, was apparent even as a child. At five, he was already composing terribly complicated concert pieces.  
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A ride on camel back, from Jaisalmer to the Thar dunes, turns out to be the most memorable part of Aditi De's trip to Rajasthan.  
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Made of 14 islands and connected by 53 bridges, Sweden's capital Stockholm, never ceases to astonish and captivate the visitor with its attractions.  
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Even before he could speak, little Picasso was drawing squiggles to indicate his favourite sweet. In school, he coped with mathematics by substituting numbers with shapes of pigeons. All this proved to be good practice for he soon became 20th century's greatest painter.  
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A romance with the camera that began when he was seven years old, has grown into a life-long commitment for Mike Pandey. But this filmmaker uses his camera to shoot evocative docudramas on wildlife. His latest film on Whale Sharks won him the prestigious Wildscreen Panda Award.  
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The well-known Madhubani paintings are basically line-drawings in bright earthy colours, depicting the myths and religious symbols of India. Gangadevi, was the most famous practitioner of this three-thousand-year-old art.  
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Kanavu in Kerala is no ordinary school. Instead of focusing on imparting a bookish education, it encourages its mostly tribal students to learn from their own culture.  
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Group of Frolic and Doctor of Happiness may sound funny but are names of groups involved in a very serious job in Brazil. They help people suffering from illnesses recover through the means of laughter.  
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Travelling to a European country? While packing your bags, take a cue from Neeru and Shama. And don't forget to add a copy of the book on etiquette, 'How Not to Say Yes While Meaning No'.  
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He invented the radio, neon lights, radar, auto ignition, and hundreds of other things. Yet he was never given the credit for these inventions…  
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Most of the shoes in Ludhiana are polished by women. It is the best way for them to support their families. Work is easy, money keeps flowing in - and they want their children to polish shoes too, rather than study for better jobs.  
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A Japanese documentary-maker has narrated the unknown story of Asian prisoners of war, used by their Japanese captors to make a rail line between Burma and Thailand, during World War II. The story of Dia, an Indian, is one of them.  
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When Hollywood directors were asked if they could shoot a feature film in 24 hours, they said impossible, they required at least four months. That's because of rehearsals, availability of studios, sets, actors and production crew. An Indian producer went out to make the impossible possible, and as an afterthought threw in song and dance sequences, action and nine weddings and a near funeral!  
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The master weavers of Kaithan, who have enchanted generations of Indian women with their famed Kota doria saris, are leading a threadbare existence today. Everyone in the families must weave to survive, even the small daughters.  
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Over 60 years ago, a train carried 10,000 German-Jewish children away from their parents in Germany to distant England, to save them from a terrible fate. Most of them never saw their parents again, reveals a jolting TV documentary.  
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What happens when a story-lover meets someone who loves telling stories? Magic. The narrator talks about the treasure-chest of tales that has been unlocked for her by two Myanmarese women.  
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Whether it is the worship of divine physician Dhanvantari in Bihar, the fearsome Kali in West Bengal, or Lakshmi all over the country, Diwali is the biggest Hindu festival of India. And as Mughal emperor Akbar showed more than 400 years ago, one doesn't have to be a Hindu to enjoy it, either.  
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A post harvest festival, a festival of the trading community, or a festival to celebrate the triumph of a prince and his return home after years of exile? Over time, the festival has acquired fascinating layers of meanings.  
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For one, crackers remind you of the child workers of Sivaksai who make them in dangerous conditions. Secondly, the firecracker smoke envelops all in a suffocating grip. Now schoolchildren, NGOs, traders and governments, too, are learning to say that this is not the kind of Diwali they want.  
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Some of them couldn't see, others couldn't hear, still others couldn't walk properly. But none of these handicaps prevented a group of children from joyously dancing their way into the audience's heart, in a dance-drama festival.  
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An angry chef's sudden discovery, the potato chip is today the world's favourite junk-food accompaniment.  
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It is an incident etched in the writer's mind -- her meeting with the tiger cub Sundari, in a neighbour's house.  
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The eight-year-old boy's family left their home in Assam's Majuli island because they were afraid of the fighting that is going on in the state. He gives a snapshot of the world as he sees it, from his height.  
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A universal favourite, the game of hopscotch is amazingly simple to play, requiring only a rectangular area, a piece of chalk and a flat stone chip.  
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The veena, India's most ancient stringed instrument, was known as far back as 3000 years ago, and has a rich mythology built around it. It is played even today, but its grave, heavier sound has lost out in popularity to the lighter, more lyrical sitar.  
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The true festive spirit comes out best with the taste-buds! From West Bengal to Tamil Nadu, all regions have special dishes for their festivals. We bring you a sample of the favourite festive foods during the time of Navaratri, Durga Puja and Dussehra.  
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Dussehra, Durga Puja, Navaratri are all about the forces of good destroying evil. But, as a mother points out in this letter to her sons, the brilliance of epics is in the interesting people it creates, who are sometimes heroes and sometimes villains. And we would be lesser people if we forgot that.  
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Come Navaratri and it's festival season in India! Navaratri is like a gateway into the festive season, leading with two of the most popular festivals in India Dussehra and Durga Puja, and anticipating Diwali.  
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After Navaratri comes Dussehra or the tenth day of celebration as Vijayadashami (victory day). It marks Rama's final vistory over Ravana and is celebrated in a spectacular way from Kulu valley in the north to Mysore in the south of India.  
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Tamil, Jain, Kannada and even Thai, the Ramayana has been written and told many times, and in many ways, though Valmiki and Tulsidas' portrayals have gained more dominance..  
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Nothing brings together Bengalis better than Durga Puja, the annual festival dedicated to Goddess Durga. Its origins might well be religious, but at heart, this is a festival that celebrates the joy and togetherness of being part of a community.  
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Every year during the Pujas, organisers compete with one another to put up the biggest and the jazziest celebrations. However, in several of these Pujas, the worship of Durga is often the last thing on the minds of people.  
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The making of clay idols of the goddess Durga in West Bengal, is an artistic tradition that has continued for ages. But the process also reveals how the hierarchy of the Indian caste system is still in play, today.  
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What is Dussehra without the Ramlila, Navaratri without the Dandiya and Garba, or Durga Puja without Jatra?  
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For the spiciest, tongue-burning experience in the world, head for Assam. The Tezpur chili is officially the world's prime scorcher.  
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Oh my God!!!! That is what I blurted as I stood on a platform of a 100 feet high bridge. It seemed suicidal but I was going to do it.  
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Do you want to create a record in something? There's one place you can ask for help - the Limca Book of Records.  
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"Oh No! School tomorrow. Why can't everyday be a Sunday, mom?" That's what we usually cry when we have to go to school but for me it was different.  
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A visit to a model dairy unit in Ahmedabad, revealed something important to the author's little nephew - the secret of why cheese had holes.  
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The 'Food for the Gods' is the most delicious foodstuff in the world today. But did you know that the source of chocolate - the cacao bean - once grew wild in the jungles of South and Central America?  
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The game of Chess is one of India's earliest gifts to the rest of the world. It has traveled far and wide since, and is the thinking person's favourite game today.  
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Everyday, thousands of identical tiffin 'dabbas' or boxes loaded on push-carts are delivered across offices in Mumbai. No box gets mixed up and it's the same lunch that was packed for you in the day at home. Incredible? Read on to find out how this works.  
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Seventy years ago a teenager Ernest Lough sang an anthem for the Gramaphone Company. His angelic voice was immortalised forever on the world's first recordable disc to be etched in memory.  
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Nationalist, actor, poet, satirist, musician and singer Harindranath Chattopadhyay was multi-faceted. On show at Calcutta is an exhibition of his never-before-seen paintings which reveals another aspect of his vibrant personality.  
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Ten-year-old Imran was sitting beneath a street lamp. His nimble fingers were busy pasting thin sheets of coloured paper. He was working day and night to make kites for Independence Day…  
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Kata woh kata!! Excited shouts fill the air whenever a cut kite comes tumbling down. In a mad scramble children rush to retrieve the 'fallen flier'. Independence Day means kite flying...  
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A Home in Calcutta has provided shelter to the poor and the homeless for 100 years. But it's crumbling and may not live to see the new year.  
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Whether it's Michael Jackson's moonwalk or the the hip swing of more than 40 years ago, Joe loves to dance them all. Only, he can't hear a note of the music he dances to. Joe is deaf.  
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When man took the first steps on the moon, a camera captured the moment forever. Today those pictures are a part of history. And so is the camera that was used to shoot them.  
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They were created more than 150 years ago in Maharashtra and danced joyfully on stage till 1901. The puppets were lost for a long time, until this year, when they were brought back to life again.  
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In a small village in West Bengal, the writer met Mastermoshai, and had one of the sweetest experiences of his life ...  
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Imagine a plate being used to have food in and then used for making music. Or vessels used as storage pots that became drums on other occasions. That's how musical instruments began.  
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Fourteen-year old Ivan is among the 100,000 Colombian children who have started a movement for peace in their war-torn country. Not having much faith in adults, they have decided to defend their rights themselves.  
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The Delhi-based Indian, who is visually impaired, remembers one of the biggest moments of his life when he participated in the Olympic torch relay in the 1996 Games, in the US.  
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Leonardo Herrera had never seen a book in his life. He and his friends used to carve letters on cactus leaves. So Leonardo asked the priest for a book...  
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Nirmala is a primary school teacher in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. She is the woman responsible for making her husband, dacoit Malkhan Singh, surrender his arms and leave the world of crime.  
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Fifty-five-year-old Dr Padmavati Bandhopadhyay recently became the first woman to become Air Commodore in the Indian Air Force. For her, it is as natural as recounting the Mahabharata to her sons.  
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The Gorkha warriors came to India more than 200 years ago from Nepal and won over hill areas in the north. It was in Dehradun that they built a fort called Kalinga and presented a great challenge to the British rulers of India....  
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Mowgli grins, a pig speaks, children live in the land of toys and ice creams -- in cartoons and movies. How are these movie stories written?  
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It was the first time Akbar had received a gift of tobacco and a golden pipe. He ordered that preparations be made for him to smoke. His request created a furore in the palace.  
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This time they start with how they performed in their exams :-( and what they are going to do now that the exams are over :-)  
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The Nehru Children's Museum in Calcutta has a wonderful collection of dolls from 88 countries. But, it has been closed down now...  
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Mughal Emperor Akbar was just three years old when this happened. He wanted a toy his cousin owned. So he proposed a wrestling match...  
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The boomerang is a banana-shaped weapon, which was devised by the aborigines of Australia to hunt animals. But now, boomerangs are a source of great excitement.  
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The 18-year-old emperor, Akbar, decided that he would attend a popular festival -- like an ordinary man...  
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There were floods in people's drawing rooms, the streets became a wet dustbin. Local trains and passengers decided to have an 'off day'. Cyber cafes did roaring business....  
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The 13-year-old chess prodigy, Koneru Humpy, won the under-12 World Chess Championship last year. Recently, she became the first Indian female player to win a National chess title for under-14 boys.....  
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As a child, Vipin Malhotra would beat up anyone who dared to call him blind. Last week, the 31-year-old beat 33 people with his navigational skills at a car rally and emerged the winner.  
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Can you imagine a summer without ice cream? It seems the Chinese too couldn't. For, it was they who gave the world its first ice cream. In India, the Mughals are said to have introduced their kind of ice cream -- the kulfi.  
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How did babies learn to speak? Was it by listening to people talk? What if a child grew up in a place where there was no one to talk to? Akbar decided to find out.  
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Rats here, rats there, rats everywhere! The people of Paris are so sick of rats that they may soon need a Pied Piper to drive the rodents out of the city.  
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In 1981, Invalappil Mani Vijayan was 12 years old. He sold cold drinks at a football stadium near his home to earn some money for his family. Today he is not only the captain of the Indian football team, he has started a coaching centre at the same football stadium.  
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The Indian Army men have finally got their due. Whether a soldier dies in Kargil, Assam or Sri Lanka, his family will now get the same amount of compensation from the Government of India.  
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Mughal Emperor Akbar preferred to bunk classes rather than learn from his tutor.  
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Two hundred and six years ago, there was none of your latest technology. Not even the telegraph. But people still felt the need to send long distance messages. A Frenchman invented a code for the alphabet. Different positions of the human arm stood for a particular alphabet. That was how the message was passed.  
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Last year, a strange thing happened at a zoo in Beijing, China's capital. A six-year-old girl caught hold of a peacock and squeezed it hard. What is happening to Chinese children, is what everyone is asking...  
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The people of Apartedo, in Colombia, lived in fear. They were always getting hurt in the violence of gun battles, bomb blasts and kidnappings. That was when 33-year-old Gloria Cuartes decided to become the mayor of the town. She wanted to bring back laughter to Apartedo.  
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"Bajai, as we called grandmother, was the best storyteller in the world. Her tales of jewelled ladies and brave warriors, of cruelty and humour, of civilisations that ended due to famine, floods, war or volcanic eruptions, filled our young lives with fantasy," writes Madhu Gurung.  
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One person who got a real taste of Akbar's sense of humour, was the governor of Punjab. He was on his way to meet the emperor when he received an order that he should have his head shaved....  
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Twelve-year-old Mormu is an adivasi or a tribal from eastern India. She is the first in her family to go to school. But, like her mother and grandmother, she collects wood and berries from the forest, to sell in the market. She can also shoot an arrow with a bow, make medicines out of plants, and catch fish with her bare hands.  
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Did you know that mothers in countries like Japan, El Salvador, Sri Lanka and India have fought against nuclear weapons, military dictators, violence and drugs? Learn more about Super Moms  
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In her mountain village in Sikkim, Pinky Bhutia is known as the wonderful woman who is a mother to 14 children. Twelve are adopted and two her own.  
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The story of Mother's Day. And of Ann Jarvis, who started it.  
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Mothers make everything simple, says Soumya Balakrishnan  
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Do you remember any of the songs that your mother or grandma sang to make sure you slept well? Songs that were sung to them when they were children? Here are some lullabies from Assam and Andhra Pradesh.  
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The calm of a May evening was shattered by a radio announcer's scared tone...  
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:-) Since these two friends learnt a new code language, they have been having a great time on the e-mail. Check out their new cyber language and impress your friends. :-D  
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The elephant was in a wild mood, but Mughal emperor Akbar was determined to ride him on the polo ground....  
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It is like a join-the dots game. But it is more than that. Every morning women in south India make the kolam or floor drawing. It is a way of seeking good luck. During the day people walk over it and it fades, like the setting sun. The next day, with a fresh sunrise, a new kolam is born.  
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Did you know that in ancient times, Roman soldiers were paid their salary in salt? And did you know that in India, more than 2000 years ago, only the ruler could make salt? That more than 700 years ago, salt was used as money in Tibet? Read on to know more....  
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Cut a tree, scoop out the inside and cover it on top -- this was one of the earliest drums.  
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Viswanathan Anand. A world-class chess champion who was given the name of Lightning Kid because of the speed with which he played. But how are world class champions like Vishy born?  
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A fascinating tale about Mughal emperor Akbar's hunting cheetah.  
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A champion in real life, George Abraham, successfully overcame his visual handicap to become an achiever. He is the man who has put cricket for the blind on the world map.  
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Almost 400 years ago, Mughal emperor Jehangir had a brand new visitor in his zoo -- the zebra. And he was stunned by this "strange animal".  
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School, football, and dreams of travel make up nIne-year-old Gyatsu's life. He and his friends in Mizoram are lucky, unlike children in other parts of north-eastern India.  
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Little girls in Garhwal, in the lower Himalayas, celebrate the coming of spring with flowers at every doorstep.  
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All about the post harvest festivals - Baisakhi, Bihu, Vishu. These April festivals usher in the new year cycle.  
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The first two weeks of April set the stage for major occasions of world religions in India. They show the links between people, religion, nature and culture.  
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Did you fool anyone on 1st April?  
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The festival of colours marks the passing of winter and the onset of spring mischief - seen in the famous stick-beating Holi, the wet colour baths, wrestling...  
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Holi or the festival of colours, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in India, and by the Indian communities settled abroad. It is a time when the young and old alike, are in a mood to make merry.  
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Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan, which falls on January 14 each year, marks the end of a long winter and the return of the sun to the northern hemisphere. Hence the name Uttarayan. It is on this day in the Hindu calendar, that the sun enters the zodiac of Makara or Capricorn, heralding the northern journey of the sun.  
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A story about Indian traditions and their impact on the young generation today.  
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Are social organisations always the best judges and promoters of what is valuable and good in a person. There may be a need for all of us to introspect - especially adults.  
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Nanak was born in the 15th century when there was widespread chaos everywhere. He inspired the people with a new confidence and purpose. He established a new religion Sikhism which was to have a profound and everlasting impact on India.  
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Can we write and yet not read? For many of our poorest children, school is an alien place which has little meaning in their day-to-day lives. A moving story of a poor boy's first lesson in the real meaning of education.  
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Parents and grandparents give children some of the most valuable things to live by - values, memories, and love. In a small town in India, a young girl receives the gift of wonder from her grandfather.  
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The birth anniversary of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over India. Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, literally comes alive on this day. Thousands of devotees flock to this town during this festival. The day is marked by fasting, feasting, performances of Raslila and prayers. Tableaux depicting the life of Lord Krishna are put up in the temples to mark the occasion.  
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Onam celebrates the bounties of nature and a year of good harvest. One of Kerala's most colourful festivals, Onam celebrations last for ten days --- ten days of festivities which include boat races, flower decorations and motifs, dances, songs and mouthwatering cuisine.  
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We do not have any reliable evidence on when, why or where Raksha Bandhan came into vogue. There is, however, a well-known tale in the Puranas about a fierce battle that raged between the gods and the demons. From news received from the battlefield it appeared that the demons were getting the upper hand and would gain victory...  
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Weaving of baskets in India is an art as ancient as the making of pottery. Even the nomadic food gathering cultures wove reeds together to prepare baskets. Later, different materials and cultures developed a variety of basketry for domestic use, as well as for ritual purposes.  
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For over 2,000 years, Banaras has been one of the most important pilgrimage cities for Hindus in India and abroad. A glimpse of the city, which is built on the banks of river Ganga.  
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Eclipses were the earliest natural phenomena to be taken out of the realm of superstition. But due to lack of scientific understanding many people are still haunted by age-old myths. The author N C Rana has made an attempt to present the fables which developed around the theme of eclipses and also tried to understand the rationale underlying certain beliefs and rituals observed by different communities.  
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One of the greatest milestones in the history of humanity has been the invention of the wheel. From the days of animal-drawn sledges before 3000 BC to steam power in the eighteenth century it has been a slow and long journey. We try to trace the evolution of wheel and also pay homage to the unknown genius who made it happen.  
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A unique festival that combines joy and devotion with physical rigour - the Car festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri, in Orissa, popularly known as the Rath Yatra.  
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If an electric current could flow any distance through a wire, why shouldn't it be made to carry messages? This was the thought that led to the invention of telegraph. Plus an interesting activity for everyone, using Morse Code.  
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Ever wondered about those little scraps of paper we stick on envelopes when we send off letters? The little stamp has a big story behind it. If you love collecting stamps, or are curious about how they were first used, read this excerpt from a wonderful little book that tells their story.  
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The safety of children with Internet access is an issue of concern. We present two articles that we hope will make the Internet a safer place for children  
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The safety of children with Internet access is an issue of concern. We present two articles that we hope will make the Internet a safer place for children  
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Every festival has its own rituals which provide an insight into the lives and beliefs, customs and culture of the people observing them. Buddha Purnima is the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar. It is the most important festival of the Buddhists, and is celebrated with great enthusiasm.  
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....Water can be a source of wonder to children and to adults who have kept up the habit of questioning and wondering....  
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"Care for your Dog" is full of helpful advice about how to choose a dog and how best to look after it.  
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