Articles by Pavan K Varma
Just Like That | The best President India failed to have
Most people will agree that Karan Singh — philosopher, statesman, writer and orator — was the best President our Republic never got.
Published on May 05, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Just Like That | Rethinking life and death in the age of longevity
The rapid advancements in medical science and biotechnology are driving the quest for longer lives. In this quest, what does life and death mean for us?
Published on Apr 28, 2024 08:00 AM IST
The lives, loves and legacies of Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Dev Anand
How the iconic trio who dominated Indian cinema in the 50s and 60s left an indelible mark on Bollywood.
Published on Apr 21, 2024 01:47 PM IST
Just Like That | Behind the enduring veg vs non-veg debate
Recent controversies over politicians' food choices highlight the nuanced relationship between dietary preferences and religious beliefs within Hindus.
Published on Apr 14, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Just Like That | Why Indian art is a blip on the big global canvas
Indian art is yet to get its due. That will happen when our artists shun mimicry and have far more patrons, if only for investment.
Published on Apr 07, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Sadhguru's health crisis and the blend of traditional and modern medicine
Sadhguru's successful recovery from brain surgery using allopathic methods underscores the importance of choosing the right treatment based on circumstances
Published on Mar 31, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Here's why Kushwant Singh was a beacon of sharp intellectual thinking
Behind Khushwant Singh's image of an iconoclast was a disciplined scholar who left a lasting impact on literature and journalism.
Published on Mar 24, 2024 08:30 AM IST
Just Like That | Finding divine beauty in the spring symphony of Semal trees
There is a spiritual connection between the beauty and the divine, embodied by the resplendent Semal tree as it heralds the arrival of spring in New Delhi
Published on Mar 17, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Just Like That | The intimate world of Hindustani culture
Decorum, etiquette, elegance and intimacy symbolised baithaks, something possible only in smaller gatherings, sans the small-talk noise of bigger celebrations.
Published on Mar 10, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Just Like That | Reimagining female power in Indian culture
Indian women are emerging as powerful forces, wielding influence in elections and society, challenging traditional norms
Published on Mar 03, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Gulzar: A seeker in the shrine of poetry
The reason is that Gulzar is, at his core, a poet, and by extension, a writer and film-maker. Writing has been his passion since he was a child
Updated on Feb 26, 2024 11:13 AM IST
Just Like That | Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his many contradictions
The 19th C. Hindu reformist and religious scholar sought to abolish Sati and rid society of fanatic orthodoxy. British colonialism would enlighten us, he felt
Published on Feb 24, 2024 04:06 PM IST
Just Like That | Temple architecture is a spiritual journey
Hindu temple architecture mirrors the human form; from the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum, it leads away from the material world to commune with the divine
Published on Feb 18, 2024 07:50 AM IST
Just Like That | A poet caught in a whirlpool of politics
Shrikant Verma was a great Hindi poet, one of the pioneers of new Hindi kavya, and a powerful politician
Published on Feb 11, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Goings on at the latest edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival
Associated with the behemoth lit fest since its inception, author Pavan K Varma tells us about this edition's book releases and idea exchanges
Published on Feb 04, 2024 12:25 PM IST
Just Like That | In a sea of a billion people, a pandemic of loneliness sets in
Loneliness is a negative state of mind, solitude is a positive desire. The first is a problem that needs greater attention, the second is increasingly elusive
Published on Jan 28, 2024 12:36 PM IST
The contrast of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna: Uncovering the complexity of Hinduism
The choice to portray deities with varying attributes reflects Hinduism's nature. The incarnations represent both stability and playful divine energy
Published on Jan 21, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Murli Manohar Joshi at 90: The storied journey of a politician
Dr Murli Manohar Joshi is the kind of political leader — rare to find these days — with whom one can talk on a range of issues apart from politics.
Published on Jan 13, 2024 11:20 PM IST
Just Like That | What the Khan trio tells us about our country and culture
The superstar status of all three Khans — Aamir, Shahrukh and Salman — remains unchanged to this day. In their popularity we see the true nature of us Indians
Published on Jan 07, 2024 02:56 PM IST
A philosophical musing on our lives as Earth completes yet another revolution
If cosmology tells us that the universe could be infinite, or certainly as close to infinity as can be imagined, what is the significance of our New Year?
Published on Jan 01, 2024 11:50 AM IST
Just Like That | The thousand tongues that bind us
In a land with 122 major languages, over 1500 dialects, and six classical languages, to assert one's dominance over the rest is a futile exercise
Updated on Dec 23, 2023 02:37 PM IST
Just Like That | Pranab Mukherjee: Up and close, and candid
Former President Pranab Mukherjee's daughter releases a book revealing Pranab's opinions of Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi
Published on Dec 17, 2023 08:00 AM IST
Just Like That | Legacy of the rebellious women saints of the Bhakti movement
From Lal Ded in Kashmir to Andal in Tamil Nadu, female devotees challenged gender orthodoxies through poetry and devotion
Updated on Dec 11, 2023 10:48 AM IST
Just Like That | Chanakya's enduring lessons for India
Unearthed in 1905 after centuries of obscurity, Chanakya's Arthashastra stands as one of the world's most insightful treatises on statecraft
Published on Dec 03, 2023 09:00 AM IST
Just Like That | Plumb the philosophical depths of Mahabharata
A dialogue between Yudhishthira and the mysterious Yaksha in the epic's Yaksha Prashna explores timeless questions on life, death, happiness, and duty
Published on Nov 26, 2023 09:00 AM IST
Just Like That | The purity of a sarodiya legacy
Amjad Ali Khan's story is an unstoppable journey to the summit of our great musical heritage
Published on Nov 18, 2023 10:54 PM IST
JUST LIKE THAT | Indians and their proclivity for data
A receptivity to interconnectedness comes naturally to us. Philosophy teaches us that even at the smallest atom, matter is part of an indivisible whole
Published on Nov 12, 2023 09:16 AM IST
Just Like That | Exploring India's mathematical legacy in ancient civilisations
Is there a profound connection between scholars like Aryabhata and Brahmagupta and our contemporary aptitude for logic and mathematics?
Updated on Nov 05, 2023 04:32 PM IST
Just Like That | From Lakshmi to Chanakya: Behind the Indian CEO success story
The remarkable rise of over three dozen Indian-origin CEOs in top global corporate industries prompts questions about the underlying reasons for their success
Published on Oct 29, 2023 09:00 AM IST
Just Like That | Rethinking tradition vs modernity debate
Madan Mohan Malviya was a stalwart in the Congress who had the courage of conviction to take a radically different stand.
Published on Oct 22, 2023 10:11 AM IST