Global Authors
Set against the backdrop of Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia, this massive 1869 novel by Leo Tolstoy follows the lives of five aristocratic families.
What is War and Peace?
This Bengali polymath, who wrote Jana Gana Mana, renounced his British Knighthood in 1919 to protest the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Who was Rabindranath Tagore?
The song from this movie was dubbed in multiple Indian languages and in Malyalam was "OO Chollonnu Mama"
What is Pushpa
Serving as the capital for both the Mauryan and Gupta Empires, this ancient metropolis on the banks of the Ganges was one of the largest cities in the ancient world, located near present-day Patna.
What is Pataliputra?
Known for his depictions of Hindu deities and scenes from the Mahabharata, this 19th-century artist from Kerala is often considered the pioneer of modern Indian oil painting.
Who is Raja Ravi Varma?
In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, this Prince of Denmark delivers a famous soliloquy that begins, "To be, or not to be: that is the question."
Who is Hamlet?
Hailing from Tamil Nadu, this fiery nationalist poet wrote patriotic anthems like Acham Illai ("No Fear") to inspire non-violent resistance against British rule.
Who was Subramania Bharati (Bharathiyar)?
The hero in this Police drama was played by Vijay in Tamil Mahesh Babu in Telugu and Salman Khan in Hindi
What is Pokkiri/Wanted?
This planned Bronze Age city of the Indus Valley Civilization featured advanced urban engineering, including grid-pattern streets and subterranean drainage, centuries before Rome or Greece.
What is Mohenjo-daro (or Harappa)?
The founding member of the Progressive Artists' Group in Mumbai, this iconic artist was famous for his expressive, barefoot persona and his dynamic paintings of horses.
Who is M. F. Husain (Maqbool Fida Husain)?
Mr. Darcy’s grand estate in Derbyshire, which helps change Elizabeth Bennet’s opinion of him in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, goes by this name.
What is Pemberley?
This Andhra poet was jailed multiple times by the British for writing and singing Maakoddee Tella Doratanamu ("We Don't Want This White Rule"), a song that became the anthem of non-cooperation in the Telugu-speaking region.
Who was Garimella Satyanarayana?
This famous song was sung on screen by Gamini Ganesan or NTR and Savitri or Meena Kumari
What is Vaarayo vennilave/ Ravoyi Chandamama/ Yeh Raat ke Musafir?
Capital of the imperial Chola dynasty, this South Indian city was renowned for its grand Dravidian architecture, including the massive 11th-century Brihadishvara Temple built by Raja Raja Chola I.
What is Thanjavur (Tanjore)?
Practiced primarily by women in Bihar's Mithila region, this ancient folk art style—traditionally painted on mud walls using twigs and natural dyes—is characterized by geometric patterns and line drawings.
What is Madhubani painting (or Mithila painting)?
This 19th-century French author penned The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers with the help of ghostwriter Auguste Maquet.
Who is Alexandre Dumas?
Nicknamed the Rashtrakavi ("National Poet") of Hindi literature, Mahatma Gandhi praised his 1912 collection Bharat-Bharati for awakening national consciousness.
Who was Maithili Sharan Gupt?
This comedy classic Hindi film with many hit songs was a remake of the Tamil move - Adutha Veetu Penn/ Telugu movie - Pakkini Ammayi
What is Padosan
Perched on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, this prosperous capital of a famed southern empire was described by 15th-century Persian and Portuguese visitors as one of the richest cities in the world before its destruction in 1565.
What is Hampi (Vijayanagara)?
Housed in the National Museum in New Delhi, this famous 4,000-year-old Indus Valley bronze figurine—discovered at Mohenjo-daro in 1926—is considered one of the earliest masterpieces of Indian metal casting and sculpture.
What is the Dancing Girl (of Mohenjo-daro)?
Herman Melville’s classic novel, Ishmael boards the Pequod, a whaling ship commanded by this obsessed captain seeking revenge on a white whale.
Who is Captain Ahab?
Known as the Vidrohi Kavi ("Rebel Poet") of Bengal, he was repeatedly jailed by the British for publishing anti-colonial political poetry like Bidrohi.
Who was Kazi Nazrul Islam?
This legendary film Ram Aur Shyam starring Dilip Kumar was a remake of this Telugu film
Ramudu Bheemudu
Founded in 1569 by Emperor Akbar to honor the Sufi saint Salim Chishti, this short-lived red sandstone capital of the Mughal Empire was abandoned less than 20 years later due to severe water shortages.
What is Fatehpur Sikri?
Often hailed as the "Frida Kahlo of India," this Hungarian-Indian modernist created famous works like Group of Three Girls and Bride's Toilet before her tragic death at age 28 in 1941.
Who is Amrita Sher-Gil?