On August 2, while responding to a question in the Upper House the Ministry of Home Affairs provided details on losses and damages incurred due to hydro meteorological disasters — cyclones, floods and thunderstorms — in the country as of July 26, 2023.

There couldn’t be a more horrifying travesty for a fruit as appetising as mango to be named after someone’s fart. But that’s not all. At Bihar’s Mithila Mango Festival, the unique varieties of mangoes on display have names that can drive you to your wit’s end! Read on.

Paitkar art, indigenous to Jharkhand, is startlingly vibrant and tells stories of the times, culture, music and traditions of the Paitkar community. The scroll painting is famous for its natural colours that are made and preserved using traditional methods without any chemicals. Dating back to the Gupta dynasty, this art form is in decline.

Jaipur has an old tradition of flying kites on Makar Sankranti. It is said that Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh loved the tradition of kite flying and brought it to Jaipur. Special kites made of cloth that were called ‘Tukkal’ were made for the royals who used to fly them from the palace terrace. Kite-flying later became a community event on Sakrant.