History

Museologist Deepthi Sasidharan gives us a glimpse of her archival repository with 7 rare and historical items from across India’s history and the stories behind them.

200 years ago in the town of Ratlam, the beloved Ratlami Sev was born. Let’s go back a few centuries to learn how this GI-tagged snack came to be.

They’ve been standing for decades, welcoming people who just want a peaceful breakfast while reading the morning paper. Irani cafes in Mumbai exude both finesse and simplicity. Here are eight of them that should be on your list.

When Chandigarh was touted as the capital city of Punjab following Independence, the Chandigarh chairs were among the unique designs that were brought in by architects Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret.

Karam Puri and his family turned an old Victorian-style home, built almost 100 years ago, into a stunning sustainable home in the heart of Landour.

Originating in the Himalayan region, chhurpi is a beloved snack across Nepal, Bhutan, and hilly Indian regions. We trace the history and significance of this smokey cheese, which is considered the world’s hardest.

To make museums accessible to children in rural areas, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya initiated the ‘Museum on Wheels’ in 2015. To date, it has reached over 14 lakh individuals, covering a distance of over 85,359 km.

Radha Gobinda Chandra and the famous telescope he bought from London for Rs 160 completely revolutionised how Bengal perceived the skies. Here’s an interesting story of how it all started.

The advisory body to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre has made a recommendation to include Santiniketan, the West Bengal university town established by the Tagore family, on its list of World Heritage Sites.

Playing a pivotal role in laying the foundation of mental health services in India, Dr. Girindrasekhar Bose was a pioneering psychoanalyst who set up India’s first psychiatric outpatient department (OPD) in Kolkata.